Luke Chapter 6.

Luke Chapter 6.

           

The Sabbath Controversies.  6:1-11. There is increasing opposition from the Pharisees to the Lord, they insisted on legal correctness, but Jesus taught that human need over-rides a merely legal provision.  The statement in Mark 2:27 is revolutionary and indicates that the people are very important.  Laws are made for the good of people and not people for laws.  Man's good and not enslavement must be the aim of all things.  This is in line with the love of God.  The 'Son of Man' is Lord of the Sabbath, and it is under His authority, and He can rightly use, interpret and supersede it.

           

The Twelve.  6:12-19. The work of Jesus had reached a critical point, the Galilean ministry was at its height, but the opposition of the Pharisees grew more vigorous.  Reinforcements were required for the present situation and also men must be trained for the campaign that was shortly to appear.  The choice of helpers was necessary for both the continuance and expansion of His work.  The choice was preceded by special prayer on the part of Jesus.   'Dianuktereuo' means, "spend the whole night", and is found here only in the New Testament

           

"Prayer to God" is literally,  "Prayer of God,"  and is unique in the New Testament.  It is the state of wrapt contemplation of God's presence, prayer arising out of the most profound communion with God. - Godet.

           

The twelve were His chief offices for the campaign and formed the twelve Patriarchs of the new people of God; they were the beginnings of the new community.  Jesus chose men possessing qualities that would be of real value for their future work.  The qualities were those gained in the business of living, but the one absolute qualification was essentially of moral sacrifice, even to follow Jesus through poverty.  Lack of culture, rank or wealth didn't exclude them.  The training of the twelve was one of the chief tasks of our Lord's ministry.

           

The Sermon. 6:20-7:1. The sermon immediately follows the choice of the twelve.  This suggests its importance.  It supplies the new quality or ethic of the Gospel.  It is "Sons of the Kingdom."  In Matthew's account the word "Father" is used in reference to God about 17 times. To do the things in the sermon testifies to the reality of our confession of Jesus as Lord.  Its message, then, is for His disciples.  Its purpose was not to bring men to repentance, though it may often do so.  But it speaks to those who have repented and are assumed of forgiveness.  There is no call to repent in the sermon.  The disciple’s obedience to the sermon is seen as the practice of religion, the product of the grace of God, in their lives.

           

There is no suggestion that its demands constituted an Interim Ethic, neither is it suggested that they are the ethics of the End Time, for there is no reference to the End Time 'Eschaton', nor to the 'Parousia'.

           

The sermon is not a new law, it is a true sermon.  It is not another set of rules, for if it was such, it would be a return to legalism, more burdensome than Judaism.  To impose the sermon as an external authority, or new law, could only produce anarchy.  It would undermine our judicial and forensic institutions, for instance, its demand for unlimited forgiveness would destroy our judicial system.

           

Experience shows that legislation must not be too far advanced beyond popular feeling, otherwise, it will become a burden and provoke revolt.  A legal code externalizes religion and ethics, but the sermon transforms the emphasis upon inward principles.  But those who become His disciples and accept Him as their Lord, must from the heart accept a new scale of values, and exhibit a new quality of behaviour as the true sons of God.  The sermon expresses the need of a character, a moral continuity to the Father that grows from within, and stands in sharp contrast to the mere external.

           

It has been said, that our ideals are like the stars, we never reach them, but like mariners in the seas, we chart our course by them.  The sermon presents the ideal character that is fully conformed to the character of the Father.  This ideal character is one which love is the central and dynamic force, a power for goodness in the face of hostile evil forces.  The ideal character, is one assimilating itself to the Father, who is perfect in goodness.  It is not then, an external rule of law, but love as the motive, principle and power of goodness.  This one internal principle of love is distinguished by humility, purity, obedience and the fervent resolve to do good to others though they are unfriendly to us.  It is not discussed, whether men can reach the ideal character of the Kingdom, nor what men can do.  It declares that God requires from men complete moral conformity to His will.  As Bownaan says, "the sermon makes no ethical accommodation."  The Lord was not attempting to be a radical, nor does He state what men can do, but He is teaching what is true and what God asks.

           

Since this sermon is a sermon and not a legal code, it leaves room for the exercise of reason and conscience, for it sets forth a way of living that requires to be interpreted and applied by the Holy Spirit.  It presents principles and situations that call for the exercise of mind and conscience.  Hunter writes that the teaching of Jesus resembles a compass rather than an ordinance map, nor a code, for life in the Kingdom.

           

The Lord draws men under the radiance of a new ideal, that demands man's total life for God; a demand which lays bare the essential nature of sin, uncovers man's moral weakness, but brings out man's sense of failure, the birth of a new moral ideal which cannot be satisfied with anything short of complete conformity to the will of God.  The Lord appeals to the moral imagination of His hearers by concrete examples of the kind of conduct to which a right attitude leads.  They are not precise rules, but they give a new moral ideal governed by love that is a true moral reflection of the Father.

Lit:-

  *   A.M.Hunter......Design for life.

  *   Bonhosffer........The Cost of Discipleship.

  *   H.K.McAthur...Understanding the Sermon on the Mount.

           

An Outline.

  *  Beatitudes and Woes.  6:20-26.  The present order to be changed and reversed.

 * On Love to Enemies.  6:27-38.  Love and its attendants, mercy, kindness and generosity, must be shown to all, and then we shall receive mercy and generosity.  Overcome evil with good.

  *  On Judging Others.   6:39-45.  The blind guide shows hypocrisy in judging others.  Pride blinds him and pride provokes him to exalt self by criticizing others.  He cannot discern the motive of his brother, for his own motives are wrong.  Men like trees, can only be judged by the fruit they bear.

 *  Concluding  Warning.    6:46-49.  It is vain to pray and to call Jesus Lord, if we refuse to obey Him.  The Lord will not thank you for doing what He has not set you about.  He asks obedience to His sayings - and an obedience that is complete.  Obedience to Christ is a solid rock, a foundation that firmly supports the life.