LUKE - CHAPTER 6
A
Bible Study - Commentary by Jim Melough
Copyright
2001 James Melough
6:1.
“And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went
through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn (barley?),
and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.”
Some understand this to mean
that the first sabbath was the first one after Passover, so that the one
referred to here was the second after Passover. (The words “the second after
the first” are not found in some manuscripts). Others take it to mean the
first sabbath after the second day of unleavened bread. There is undoubtedly
a reason for the emphasis on its being the second sabbath, but I regret being
unable to see what that reason is.
The time of year indicates that the grain was barley.
6:2.
“And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not
lawful to do on the sabbath days?”
Since the picking and eating
of the grain was authorized in De 23:25, “When thou comest into the standing
corn of thy neighbor, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but
thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbor’s standing corn,” the imagined
illegality was related to their doing it on a sabbath day, though the verse in
De 23:25 contains no such prohibition. In this, as in many things, the
hypocritical Jewish leaders had added to God’s Word, thus imposing upon the
people onerous unnecessary burdens, as the Lord said, “For they bind heavy
burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they
themselves will not move them with one of their fingers,” Mt 23:4. That same
spirit is still alive. There are those who seek to bind their brethren with
unscriptural restrictions.
6:3.
“And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David
did, when himself was an hungered, and they which were with him;”
6:4.
“How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and
gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for
the priests alone.?
6:5.
“And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.”
The allusion is to David’s
eating the shewbread that only the priests were to eat, see 1 Sa 21:1-6, and I
can’t understand why God permitted him to eat it, unless it was to demonstrate
that God’s anointed king, the law-giver, is greater than the law, as in this
present instance the Lord declared Himself Lord of the sabbath. Grant’s
suggestion is not without merit, “Christ the Lord of the Sabbath being
rejected, they can claim no Sabbath; just as when, David the anointed king of
Israel being a fugitive from the wrath of Saul, the show-bread became common
food. Alas, Israel in a little while would keep their Sabbath with the Lord
of it, crucified at their hands, lying in His guarded grave .... mere
ritualism lost the spirit of the law while retaining the form of it!”
The fact that those with David
also ate the holy bread may be meant to teach that those who belong to Christ
are likewise beyond the power of the law, since He as their Representative has
met all its claims.
The fact that this happened on
the sabbath, the day of rest, may be intended to teach the truth that
believers have entered into a rest of which the sabbath rest is but a type.
6:6.
“And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the
synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.”
The right hand is the hand of
power, and here its being withered or powerless sets the man before us as a
representative of man in his unsaved state. The unconverted are as powerless
spiritually to do any work pleasing to God, as that man was physically. And
again we should note that his being healed on the sabbath, points to the truth
that those who are healed spiritually through faith in Christ, are brought
into a rest which enables them to render service which is not only divorced
from any idea of drudgery, but is rather invested with the character of
pleasant activity, as it is written, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;
for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For
my yoke is easy, and my burden is light,” Mt 11:29-30. It is in fact
spiritually similar in character to that which employed Adam physically in
Eden.
6:7.
“And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the
sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.”
Again mere religion proves
itself the enemy of all good, and is bitterly opposed to seeing men liberated
from the shackles of the law to which religion clings so tenaciously. It
can’t bear the thought of men being brought into such freedom that they are no
longer willing to obey the dictates of those who love to exercise authority
over others.
6:8.
“But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand,
Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.”
6:9.
“Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the
sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?”
They might have retorted that
good was to be done, but that since the man had obviously been in this
condition for a long time, then the Lord ought to have rested on the sabbath,
and healed the man the following day, since one more day wasn’t going to make
much difference. This might have had weight had the man’s healing required
the Lord to work, but it didn’t. His healing of the man was effortless.
6:10.
“And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth
thy hand, And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.”
The healing didn’t require the
Lord to break the sabbath. No work was involved.
6:11.
“And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they
might do to Jesus.”
Their spiteful hatred simply
manifested what is in the human heart. The natural man hates God.
6:12.
“And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray,
and continued all night in prayer to God.”
In 5:16 He went into the
wilderness to pray, and the lesson being taught is that it is in the
wilderness of this world that men ought to pray. But here He went to a
mountain, and this teaches the truth that effective prayer requires the man to
rise up above all the cares and distractions of this life, so that he might
devote himself to the things that belong to the world to come. His continuing
all night in prayer teaches the lesson that prayer is to be our occupation
during the spiritual darkness which envelopes this world during the absence of
Him Who is the Light of the world.
6:13.
“And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose
twelve, whom also he named apostles;”
It is very possible that the
appointment of the twelve was that about which He prayed all that night. If
so, it would teach us the necessity of seeking God’s guidance relative to all
we do here on earth.
Since twelve is the number
related to those who are under God’s government, there being twelve of them
chosen to be apostles reminds us that they were responsible to manifest their
obedience to that government. We have the same responsibility, for we
comprise the Church, which is also related to the number twelve. The Church
is built upon the foundation of (laid by) the twelve apostles, i.e., the
gospel they preached, and the doctrine they taught.
Apostle means simply “one who
is sent,” but the apostleship of these twelve was unique in that it required
them, not only to have been with the Lord during His earthly ministry, but to
have been witnesses also of His resurrection, see Ac 1:21-22, “Wherefore of
these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went
in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day
that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of
his resurrection.” This teaches that the apostolic office is not successive.
Only those twelve could meet these qualifications.
Its being said that He called
them “when it was day” reminds us that in Scripture the literal often embodies
higher spiritual truth. God’s business can be done only by those walking in
the light, and having clear guidance from Him.
6:14.
“Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John,
Philip and Bartholomew,”
6:15.
“Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,”
6:16.
“And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the
traitor.”
Simon is Greek for Simeon, and
means hearkening; Peter means a stone; Andrew manly;
James (Greek for Jacob) he will take by the heel: supplanter;
John Jehovah is gracious giver; Philip lover of horses;
Bartholomew (also known as Nathanael) means son of Talmai, and
Talmai means my furrows; Matthew was Levi the former publican, and his
name means gift of Jehovah; Thomas a twin; Alphaeus produce:
grain: (if from Hebrew = my exchanges); Zelotes a zealot
(especially for Jewish independence); Judas (Greek for Judah) he shall be
praised; Iscariot he will be hired: a man of the cities (?).
To deal with the significance
of the meanings of all of these names would not only require a digression
which the scope of this present work precludes, but would also require more
insight than I possess, so I regret having to leave them for the personal
study of the reader.
John is the one who wrote the
gospel and the Epistles bearing his name, as well as the book of Revelation.
Philip should not be confused
with Philip the evangelist mentioned in Acts.
Matthew was Levi the former
tax collector and author of the first Gospel.
Judas the son of James, and
not to be confused with the traitor, is believed by some to have been Jude the
author of the Epistle bearing that name. He may be the Thaddaeus listed in
the other two Gospels which give the names of the twelve.
6:17.
“And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his
disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem,
and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be
healed of their diseases;”
6:18.
“And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.”
Expositors disagree as to
whether the teaching given here is an abbreviated version of the Sermon on the
Mount, but the resolution of that question is of little importance, though
against its being a shortened version is the fact that He doesn’t appear to
have chosen the twelve until after He had delivered the Sermon on the
Mount, compare Mt 10:1-5 and Mt chapters 5-7.
The Lord’s coming down with
the twelve reminds us that He is similarly with all who do His bidding. Tyre
means to distress; and Sidon hunting, but I can’t see the
spiritual significance of these meanings in the present context.
There can be little doubt that
those who were healed expressed their gratitude by obedience. We who have
been raised from spiritual death, and cleansed from all sin should likewise
express our thanksgiving by obedience.
6:19.
“And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue (power)
out of him, and healed them all.”
There is no record of anyone’s
coming to Jesus for healing, and being sent away unhealed. No truly penitent
sinner will every be sent away unforgiven.
6:20.
“And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for
yours is the kingdom of God.”
It is to be noted that the
Lord didn’t pronounce a blessing on all the poor in general. It is not
poverty that makes men heirs of the kingdom, but rather, their willingness to
suffer the loss of all things so as to enter the kingdom. He who is willing
to be made poor for Christ’s sake will be eternally rich in heaven. An
obvious way in which believers may make themselves poor for the Lord’s sake is
to devote to prayer, study, meditation, the spread of the gospel, ministry to
other believers, etc., time that could have been used to make more money.
Many today are impoverishing themselves eternally by using discretionary time
to make more money, or simply to enjoy this world’s pleasures. Questions we
would all do well to ask relative to the things we do, are, What profit is
there in this for eternity? Will the Lord’s appraisal of this activity be,
Well done good and faithful servant? Will this make me a better Christian?
6:21.
“Blessed are ye that hunger now; for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that
weep now: for ye shall laugh.”
This blessing is pronounced
upon those whose devotion to the Lord’s service has resulted in their having
insufficient money for food; but since eating speaks of being satisfied, the
assurance given all such is that they will be eternally satisfied with the
Lord’s recompense of their sacrifice. Their eternal reward will be great.
And while the primary reference may be to literal hunger, the same assurance
of eternal satisfaction is given also to those who hunger for heavenly
things. And as for weeping, those willing to experience sorrow for Christ’s
sake will laugh eternally.
6:22.
“Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you
from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil,
for the Son of man’s sake.”
This is the reiteration of the
truth declared by the Lord in Jn 15:20-21, “Remember the word that I said unto
you, The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me,
they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep
yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake,
because they know not him that sent me.”
Few Christians incur this
stigma today, and the reason is obvious: they refuse to declare the gospel,
for the biblical gospel begins with the announcement of man’s ruined state
(which no man wants to hear); but that failure translates into disobedience of
Christ, for He has commanded every believer, “Go ye into all the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature,” Mk 16:15.
6:23.
“Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold your reward is great in
heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.”
Christianity for the most part
has reversed this order. Christians rejoice when the world accepts them, and
foolishly weep when it rejects them, forgetting that their eternal reward will
be in inverse proportion to their popularity in the world. What folly to
forfeit the approval of Christ for that of a few mortals who will lament for
ever their own folly of having refused to believe the gospel which we profess
to believe, but fail to preach with the zeal which is rightfully to be
expected of those having such a message to declare!
To be willing to suffer for
Christ’s sake is to place ourselves in good company: that of the prophets, for
virtually all of them suffered for the same reason, i.e., obedience to the
Lord, Stephen’s final testimony against Israel being, “Which of the prophets
have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed
before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers
and murders:” Ac 7:52.
6:24.
“But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.”
This is not to say that a rich
man may not enter heaven, but rather, that he who sets his heart on this
world’s riches, to the neglect of the salvation of his soul, can only
anticipate an eternity of torment in the lake of fire. How paltry will earth’s
wealth appear from the perspective of eternity when viewed in the light and
glory of heaven!
Likewise, the believer who
hoards money, or uses it to gratify pride and selfish pleasure, will also
discover the enormity of his folly when he stands at the Bema and learns the
Lord’s estimate of his unfaithful stewardship. How tragic it will be to
discover that the misuse of what could have been used for Christ, but which
was used only to provoke the envy or the admiration of mere mortals, has
reduced in corresponding measure the eternal reward with which the Lord would
have recompensed the wise use of that earthly wealth!
6:25.
“Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh
now! for ye shall mourn and weep.”
This second woe relates to
those who “live on the fat of the land,” i.e., spare no expense when it comes
to their food. There are individuals who squander on a meal in a fancy
restaurant what would feed another family for a month. How little of the
spirit of Christ is displayed in such extravagance! But they will hunger.
There are no restaurants, no gourmet foods, no costly wines in hell. There
isn’t even a drop of water in that terrible place! None of those things will
be available there, so that they who pursued them, never having acquired a
taste for spiritual things on earth, will hunger eternally.
Tragically there are
professing Christians who are guilty of the same sinful extravagance. How
will they explain their unfaithful stewardship when they stand before the Lord
at His judgment seat? What will they say when they discover that their
eternal reward is in inverse proportion to the extent of their lavish living
on earth?
The third woe relates to those
who live only for this world’s pleasures, which won’t be available in the
eternal state, and since only spiritual men can enjoy spiritual things, those
who die unconverted doom themselves to eternal mourning and weeping. A
distaste for spiritual things here on earth doesn’t augur well for eternity, a
fact which should impel professing Christians to examine their attitude to
Bible study, prayer, ministry, evangelism, etc., for enjoyment of these things
is the mark of a genuine believer. Lack of enjoyment of these things here on
earth, renders suspect a profession of faith.
6:26.
“Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers
to the false prophets.”
The fourth woe is pronounced
against those who enjoy the favor of the world, and whom the Lord equates with
the OT false prophets. This calls in question the reality of the profession
made by such men. The friendship of the world is not compatible with a
genuine confession of Christ, see the warning given by James, “... know ye not
that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will
be a friend of the world is the enemy of God,” Jas 4:4. One cannot faithfully
live for Christ and proclaim the gospel without offending the men of this
world.
6:27.
“But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate
you,”
“Hear” in the present context
means to hear and to obey, and describes those whom the Lord commends for
their willingness to forego the things that the men of the world value so
highly, but which are worthless in God’s sight.
Love is not the sentimental
thing which the world calls love. It means to act toward those who are
unlovable, in the same way as we would to those we do love. It involves the
will rather than the emotions, and is an expression of the nature of God
Himself.
In doing good where ever
possible to those who hate us, we may eventually persuade them to listen to
the gospel. We are to wish well to those who curse us; and we are to pray for
those who insult us. Such love is beyond human intelligence, emotion, and
will, for it is a reflection of Divine love, and can therefore be displayed
only by those possessing God’s life and nature, i.e., those who have been born
again through faith in Christ as Savior.
The prayer of every believer
should be for the power to display this love as the governing force of his
life; and that it is possible to thus display it is announced in this
command, for God never gives a command without also giving the power to obey,
see Php 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.”
6:28.
“Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.”
To bestow a blessing on one
who is cursing you is beyond human power, but we are to remember that the life
within us is the very life of God, so that as those who are born of Him we
have been endowed with this heavenly power. The Lord’s cry to the Father on
behalf of those who had crucified him, “Father, forgive them, for they know
not what they do,” Lk 23:34, is an example of this power at work; and lest we
should think that it was possible for Him, but not for us, God has preserved
for our encouragement, Stephen’s similar prayer on behalf of those who stoned
him to death, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge,” Ac 7:60.
To use despitefully is to
slander, accuse falsely, insult, threaten, and again the enjoined response is
beyond the power of the natural man, but not of the believer.
6:29.
“And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him
that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.”
This conduct is the very
opposite of that of the world, and requires more grace than the natural man
possesses, but not more than is available to the obedient believer. He who
conforms to the Divine standard will have no regrets in heaven, for his
eternal reward will be great; and our encouragement to obedience is to
remember what the Lord endured at the hands of men in the high priest’s
palace, in the judgment halls of Pilate and Herod, and finally at Calvary.
6:30.
“Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods
ask them not again.”
Clearly the first part has
reference to genuine need, for in regard to those who will not work, Paul has
written, “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any
would not work, neither shall he eat,” 2 Th 3:10. This is not an instruction
to support the lazy, the profligate, etc. To give to such is to prove
ourselves bad stewards of what has been committed to our trust.
In the second part, however,
relating to goods taken away, the meaning is that the goods have been taken by
force, but again, the obedient believer is not even to ask that they be
returned, and again this is a response impossible to mere human nature. Only
the believer is endowed with the power to obey this command (and it is a
command), because of the Divine life and nature within him.
6:31.
“And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.”
Obedience to this commandment
requires us to ask concerning our dealings with others, How would I like to be
treated in this instance? and then to treat them accordingly.
6:32.
“For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love
those that love them.”
This continues to emphasize
the need of acting in love toward those who may be unlovable, for such love is
an evidence that we possess Divine life. Even the natural man loves those who
love him, but he can’t love those who hate him.
6:33.
“And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for
sinners also do even the same.”
At best such conduct is simply
keeping the score even. The greatest virtue in doing good lies in doing it
when there is no expectation of recompense.
6:34.
“And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for
sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.”
The basic idea here has to do
with lending money at interest, and the clear implication is that God
disapproves of such lending. Our assisting those in need is to be without
expectation of reward, knowing that the Lord in a soon coming day will fully
repay all that is done for His sake.
6:35.
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and
your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for
he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.”
This doesn’t require us to
love our enemies in the ordinary sense of the word, but to act towards them as
we would towards those we do love. If good is done with expectation of
reward, then it ceases to have any value; but good done in the proper spirit
will bring great reward at the Bema.
The term “children of the
Highest” is just another way of saying “children of God,” and if we act in the
manner enjoined we will be demonstrating that we have His life within us, He
Himself being our Example in the kindness He displays towards the “unthankful
and to the evil (cruel),” for what recompense can even the thankful render to
Him Who possesses all things? We who have been made joint heirs with the Lord
Jesus Christ, likewise have no need of repayment of what we give to others,
nor are we impoverished by what others may wrongfully take from us here on
earth, for it is impossible to impoverish one whose riches are limitless, as
are ours in Christ. If we viewed things from the perspective of the
inheritance that is ours in Christ we would be little troubled by what people
may wrongfully take from us here on earth. They take what has no value beyond
earth, but the manner in which we suffer the wrong can translate into eternal
glory for us, so that by their wrongdoing they are actually giving us the
chance to be eternally enriched.
6:36.
“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.”
“Merciful” means to be
pitiful, compassionate, tender-hearted, and again God is set before us as the
great Example. Only believers have God as their Father. Unbelievers are the
spiritual children of Satan, Jn 8:44. How easy it would be for us to be
merciful if we kept in mind that in displaying mercy we simply demonstrate
again that the life within us is the very life of God, and that the degree to
which we display that life here on earth will be the measure of our own
eternal glorification in heaven! The great impetus to the display of mercy is
to always remember the measureless mercy God has shown us.
6:37.
“Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be
condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:”
The command not to judge is
based on the fact that we cannot always discern the reason for another’s
conduct; and lacking that knowledge, we can’t make a right judgment. The
condemnation which is forbidden here is that which is made on the basis of an
improper judgment. The command not to condemn is based on the same fact that
since we lack the ability to know the motive that has prompted conduct which
we condemn in another, we are not to make that judgment. And the transcendent
reason for not judging or condemning another is that we ourselves are worthy
of God’s condemnation, but in grace He has given His Son to die for our sins,
so that we might not be condemned.
It is clear, however, that
this command is not all inclusive. There are things we are to judge,
otherwise how could we, for example, prevent unbelievers from coming into the
local church if we didn’t exercise some judgment relative to a man’s
profession of faith? See also 1 Co 5:12; 6:2-5; 11:13; 14:29.
It must be recognized also
that the forbidden judgment and condemnation, like the conditional forgiveness
mentioned, have to do with the Father’s parental judgment of His children
relative to their communion with Him, and not the judicial judgment under
which He freely and unconditionally forgives every sin of those who trust in
Christ as Savior. What is being discussed in this verse relates to the
maintenance of our communion with our Father, and how can we expect to enjoy
that communion if we refuse to exercise that same forgiveness towards others
as He has exercised towards us, especially in view of the fact that our
offences against Him have been far greater and more numerous than those that
others may have committed against us?
“Forgive, and ye shall be
forgiven,” is not to be understood as making our judicial forgiveness
contingent on our willingness to forgive others, for as believers, our sins -
past, present, and future - were all forgiven unconditionally when we became
believers. The forgiveness here has to do with our communion with our
Father. Failure to forgive others results in the interruption of that
communion, nor can it be restored until we freely forgive those who may have
offended us.
6:38.
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken
together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same
measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”
The reference to men’s
response to the kindnesses we may do them must be understood in the general
sense, for clearly not all respond in kind. The second sentence, however,
seems to have reference to God’s recompense, so that even though some men may
not respond in kind, the kindness isn’t lost. The Lord takes note of it, and
will bestow His reward at the Bema, the measure of that reward being declared
in the “good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over....”
6:39.
“And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they
not both fall into the ditch?”
This parable sets things in
perspective. The kindnesses, etc., we may do to others should be with a view
to making them receptive to the gospel which we are commanded to bring them.
We are to estimate all things in view of the Bema. It doesn’t matter down
here how men respond to our kindnesses: Christ will repay us in a soon coming
day. If our eye is on present reward, then we are as blind men trying to lead
others, for if we don’t see the error of doing good simply for present gain,
how can we expect to teach others about eternal things?
6:40.
“The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect
(complete) shall be as his master.”
The “disciple” here is the
believer as a learner in God’s school, and the master is the Lord Jesus Christ
through the Holy Spirit and the written Word, so that the second half of the
verse means literally that when the student is perfect (has completed his
learning, or is fully taught), the evidence should be that he will be
Christ-like in thought, word, and deed. This is not to be understood as
implying that there comes a point in every believer’s life when he has learned
everything: our schooldays are not ended until we are home in heaven, for only
then will the conformity to Christ be complete or perfect.
There is, however, a practical
application of this lesson relative to the teaching given by elders and
teachers. The pupil cannot know more than his teacher, so if the teacher is
wrong, the pupil will be also. When the pupil’s education is complete he will
know as much as his teacher, but no more. If we therefore, have an imperfect
knowledge of God, those we wish to teach will also have an imperfect knowledge
of Him. The best teacher will be he whose own life is most closely conformed
to that of Christ.
6:41.
“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest
not the beam that is in thine own eye?”
If we disobey the command not
to judge and criticize others, then the above is no exaggeration, for our
fault is greater than that of the one whose conduct we judge, for he is likely
to be acting in ignorance, but we are guilty of deliberate disobedience of God
in that we fail to judge ourselves by the perfect standard of the written Word
6:42.
“Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote
that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in
thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye,
and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s
eye.”
Few sins are more heinous in
God’s sight than that of hypocrisy, yet that is the very thing with which He
charges us when we deliberately disobey, yet dare to pass judgment on
another’s fault. The truths of Scripture cannot be a mere shibboleth on our
lips, a mere theory that isn’t applied to our own lives first, particularly
the lives of those who would teach others. Our words will have little weight
unless others see the outworking in our lives of the truths we presume to
teach them.
6:43.
“For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree
bring forth good fruit.”
The nature of the tree governs
the character of the fruit. My conduct indicates whether it is produced by
the old nature, or the new. It is sad when we allow the old nature to so
manifest itself that the new nature is obscured. The word for corrupt
couldn’t be stronger: it is literally rotten.
6:44.
“For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather
figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.”
We are either producing the
fruits of the Spirit, or the fruits of the old nature, and if the latter are
predominant in our lives we ought to consider whether there is in fact a new
nature within us.
The fig tree is associated
with profession, as thorns are with sin. The truth being declared is that a
sinful life negates any profession we may make, while the truth being taught
in the bramble and the grapes is that as grapes (the source of wine which is
the symbol of joy) speak of joy (and here, of joy brought to others), there
will be no joy brought to others if we are allowing the old nature to control
us and produce its evil fruit in our lives.
6:45.
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is
good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth
that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”
A man’s speech reveals the
condition of his heart, as it is written, “As he thinketh in his heart, so is
he,” Pr 23:7. The good man treasures up good things in his heart, and seizes
every opportunity to share them with others. The evil man is the opposite.
His heart is filled with evil things, and his words reveal what is in his
heart. We do well to heed the exhortation, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever
things are true ... honest ... just ... pure ... lovely ... of good report ...
think on these things,” Php 4:8. If our lives are going to reflect the life
of Christ then there must be transformation of our minds, as it is written,
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect,
will of God,” Ro 12:2; and again, “Let this mind be in you which was also in
Christ Jesus....” Php 2:5.
6:46.
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
It is hypocrisy to profess
faith in Christ, if I refuse to obey Him.
6:47.
“Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show
you to whom he is like:”
6:48.
“He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the
foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently
upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.”
6:49.
“But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation
built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently,
and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”
The reality of our profession
is revealed by the measure of our obedience; and as the men in the story were
builders, so are we. The one who built on the rock foundation had in view the
testing of the worth of his work. He represents a believer. The Bema will
reveal the worth of what we are building here on earth. The rock is a type of
Christ. The life that isn’t grounded on that Rock will perish in the day of
testing.
Everything hinges on
obedience. There may be much talk of faith in Christ, but if the life reveals
little evidence of His control, it will prove to be as worthless as the house
without a foundation.
While these two builders are
usually taken to represent the believer and unbeliever respectively: the
present context may indicate that they are both believers: the one who builds
on the rock representing the obedient believer; and the other, the
disobedient.
[Luke 7]