Luke 6

The chapter moves from the rejection of human tradition in favor of divine mercy to the formation of a new apostolic community and, finally, to the exposition of the transformative ethics required for those in that community.

• Yours is the kingdom of God (v20)
• Ye shall be filled (v21)
• Ye shall laugh (v21)
• Your reward is great in heaven (v23)
• Forgiven, if you forgive (v37)
• Good measure... shall men give into your bosom (v38)

• Love your enemies (v27)
• Do good to them which hate you (v27)
• Bless them that curse you (v28)
• Pray for them which despitefully use you (v28)
• Be ye therefore merciful (v36)
• Judge not (v37)
• Forgive (v37)
• Give (v38)
• Cast out first the beam out of thine own eye (v42)

• Woe unto you that are rich (v24)
• Woe unto you that are full (v25)
• Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you (v26)
• Shall they not both fall into the ditch (v39)
• Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say (v46)
• The ruin of that house was great (v49)

• The controversy over plucking grain involves the Pharisees' oral traditions (Halakha) that categorized plucking grain as a form of harvesting, thus violating the Sabbath.
• The mention of 'the second sabbath after the first' remains a point of chronological ambiguity in historical studies, likely referring to a specific liturgical time in the Jewish calendar.

• The 'house of God' (v4) refers to the Tabernacle (or Temple) context of David's story, where shewbread (próthesis - G4286) was reserved for the priesthood.
• The social dynamic of 'receiving consolation' (v24) reflects those who already possess security and comfort, having no need for the coming Kingdom.

• This section is often called the 'Sermon on the Plain,' which parallels the 'Sermon on the Mount' in Matthew 5-7. Whether these represent one event or multiple teachings is a matter of debate.
• The structure builds from personal controversy (Sabbath) to communal foundation (Apostles) to ethical instruction (Sermon).

• Jesus' reference to David eating the shewbread links His current ministry to the history of the Israelite monarchy and the precedent of priority of human need over ritual (1 Samuel 21:1-6).
• The language of 'blessed' and 'woe' echoes the covenantal blessings and curses found in Deuteronomy 27-28.

• Reference to David and the shewbread (1 Samuel 21:1-6) as an interpretive key for Sabbath observance.
• The teaching on the blind leading the blind is found in Matthew 15:14.
• The teaching on the house built on the rock is found in Matthew 7:24-27.

• Sabbath (σάββατον - sábbaton [G4521]): Refers to the weekly rest, the focus of the conflict.
• Disciples (μαθητής - mathētḗs [G3101]): A learner or pupil, highlighting the interactive nature of following Jesus.
• Rubbing (ψώχω - psṓchō [G5597]): Specifically describes triturating kernels from husks, the action the Pharisees classified as labor.
• Shewbread (πρόθεσις - próthesis [G4286]): Literally the 'setting forth' of the loaves in the Temple before God.
• Doing (ποιέω - poiéō [G4160]): Used throughout to emphasize active obedience versus passive hearing.

• Jesus does not simply ignore the Sabbath; He fulfills it by demonstrating that mercy and human life take precedence over ritual rest.
• The radical nature of the ethics in verses 27-38 is impossible without the 'mercy' of the Father mentioned in verse 36.
• The 'unclean spirits' (v18) and 'diseases' are healed by virtue going out of Jesus, demonstrating His power over both the spiritual and physical realms.

• The exact definition of 'the second sabbath after the first' (v1) is disputed; some scholars suggest it refers to the first Sabbath after the second day of Passover, while others view it as a unique, currently unidentifiable liturgical marker.