Lucas 6
Leon Morris · Citado em PreceptAustin
Lucas 6
Morris explains that Jesus "is not blessing poverty in itself: that can as easily be a curse as a blessing. It is His disciples of whom Jesus is speaking. They are poor and they know that they are without resource. They rely on God and they must rely on Him, for they have nothing of their own on which to rely…. The rich of this world often are self-reliant. Not so the poor." (Borrow The Gospel according to St. Luke) Brian Bell says poor "speaks of emptying, while the rest are a manifestation of a fullness. We can’t be filled unless we’re emptied!" Morgan on says the poor are those "who are supremely conscious of their own spiritual poverty; of their own unworthiness; who are mastered by a great humility!” NKJV Study Bible notes that if interpreted literally "it appears that Jesus was making a blanket promise of salvation and blessing to anyone and everyone below the poverty line (Lk 6:20)" but this is not what Jesus is saying. There are a host of poor people who hate Jesus, so poverty per se is not punching one's ticket for entrance into the Kingdom of God. Lloyd-Jones said, poor "is first because it is obviously the key to all that follows!” The truly blessed life comes not from getting, or from doing, but from being. -- Warren Wiersbe Recall that this is not a new thought from Jesus, because in His opening sermon He addressed the poor, clearly speaking of their spiritual neediness to hear the Good News which would make them spiritually rich (aka "blessed")... “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR (ptochos). HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, (Luke 4:18+) The humble person is the only kind the Lord can save -- Warren Wiersbe
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Morris - This is the so-called Golden Rule of conduct. It is not meant to be a prerequisite for salvation, for no person ever obeys this rule perfectly, any more than he keeps the Ten Commandments perfectly, which it summarizes and applies. It was only spoken to believers, already presumed to be saved by faith and given as a standard by which they should seek to order their personal lives. Love for God and love for one's neighbor also summarize all "the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:36-40; Romans 13:8-10). (Borrow The Defender's Study Bible) Bock - So Jesus offers what became known in the sixteenth century as the "golden rule": Do to others as you would have them do to you. The verse has Old Testament roots (Lev 19:18). In addition, numerous such ethical statements existed in ancient Jewish and Greek culture. Jesus' formulation of the rule, however, is the least self-focused. Jesus is not saying, "Do good deeds for others so they will return the favor." Instead he is calling for actions of love regardless of how the other responds. Nor is he saying, "Think of what you like, then do that for others." Rather, we are to be sensitive to the needs, feelings and concerns of others and seek to meet them. Sensitivity in love means listening and serving. This does not mean ignoring moral limits, as Jesus' own ministry makes clear, but it does mean caring enough to be concerned about how others feel. The old adage "walk a mile in my shoes" may fit here: look at things from another's perspective and then act with concern. In the modern world, this would mean not just protesting against abortion but being prepared to care for the child that is born to a mother who has chosen not to abort. More than this, we are called to continue to love those who go ahead with their intention to abort. It means not just talking about ethnic oneness in the church but acting out oneness in community, like Paul's crossing ethnic lines to raise funds for believers in need. Even more, this passage calls us to show tangible concern for unbelievers in need, so when someone tells them that God loves them, they will have seen evidence of such love.(Jesus' Teaching (6:17-49) Lowell
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Morris comments that "Jesus warns against condemning the actions or motives of others. Only the Lord has the right to condemn since only He has full knowledge of a person's actions and motives (John 5:22; Romans 14:4,10). On the other hand, He has commanded us to "judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24). We should be able to recognize false teachers and "from such turn away" (2 Timothy 3:5; see also Matthew 7:15-20). Also, we should discern and rebuke these false brethren who are encouraging others to sin (Ephesians 5:7,11). In other words, we should be able to judge that which is wrong, in either doctrine or practice, and avoid (or correct) those who are involved, but we must not condemn them--God will do that. (Borrow The Defender's Study Bible) Judge Not Let us believe the best; there are enough, you know, Judging by what they see–wronging each other so. Let us believe the best; there are enough to blame, Numbers to think the worst–numbers to brand a name. Many a man would rise out of his dark despair, If there were only one, just to believe and care– Out on the losing side, daring to take his stand– Heedless of what men say, holding a brother’s hand. E. H. Divall (By Permission of the Sunday School Union) A malignant deity, called Criticism . . . At her right hand sat Ignorance, her father and husband, blind with age; at her left, Pride, her mother, dressing her up in scraps of paper she herself had torn. There was Opinion, her sister, light of foot, hoodwinked, and headstrong, yet giddy and perpetually turning. About her played her children, Noise and Impudence, Dullness and Vanity, Positiveness, Pedantry, and Ill-Manners. The goddess herself had claws like a cat, her head, and ears, and voice resembled those of an ass; her teeth fallen out before, her eyes turned inward, as if she also looked only upon herself; her diet was the overflowing of her own gall. --Jonathan Swift ILLUSTRATION - John Wesley told of a man he had little respect for because he considered him to be miserly and covetous. One day when this person contributed only a small gift to a worthy charity, Wesley openly criticized him. After the incident, the man went to Wesley privately and told him he had been living on parsnips and water for several weeks. He explained that before his conversion, he had run up many bills. Now, by skimping on everything and buying nothing for himself he was paying off his creditors one by one. Christ has made me an honest man and so with all these debts to pay, I can give only a few offerings above my tithe. I must settle up with my worldly neighbors and show them what the grace of God can do in the heart of a man who was once dishonest. Needless to say, Wesley apologized to the man for judging him unrighteously and asked his forgiveness. Reminiscent of this is another story of the rural church member who used tobacco by dipping snuff. When the preacher thundered out in his sermon, “And God is going to judge the idolaters,” the brother shouted, “Amen!” When the preacher, waxing more vigorous, shouting “And God is going to judge the adulterers,” the brother followed with “Amen!” But when the preacher then bellowed, “And God is going to judge the snuff dippers,” the unhappy brother in a barely audible voice responded, “Now he’s done stopped preachin’ and gone to meddlin.’“ Sinning Davids are always unhappy with Nathan's proclamation that "Thou art the man!" (Ed comment: I do not consider snuff dipping a sin. As a physician, I think it is very harmful and deleterious to the health of one's oral mucosa [a major cause of oral cancer], but in and of itself is not a sin BUT it is stupid...in my opinion.) Pastor Ray Pritchard presents a practical checklist to assess whether one is prone to judging with a critical or condemnatory spirit... Blowing small things all out of proportion. Maximizing the sins of others—their faults, foibles and their petty ways. Coming to quick, hasty, negative conclusions. Making mountains out of molehills. Getting involved in situations where you should not be involved. Passing along critical stories to others. Having a strong bias to find others guilty. Being too harsh even when speaking the truth. Adding aggravating remarks when telling a story. Dismissing an unkind remark by saying, “I was only joking.” Saying something critical and then trying to cover it up. Being unkind and then quickly changing the subject. Telling too many people about what others have done to us. Taking pleasure in condemning others. Telling the truth in order to hurt, not to help. Putting others down in order to make yourself look better. Minimizing your sins while magnifying the sins of others. Note that it is quite possible to have a judgmental spirit even while telling the truth. Some people use the truth as a club to beat others over the head. Simply saying, “Well, it was the truth, you know,” does not get you off the hook. Our judgment is wrong when it is—Needless, Unfounded, Hasty, Severe. Here is a simple guide to help guide our speech. It’s an acrostic based on the word NEED. N—Is it necessary? E—Will it encourage? E—Will it edify? D—Will it dignify the other person? When I shared that in the first service on Sunday, a friend told me that when his family eats dinner, they have a similar rule: The TKN rule. T—It is true? K—Is it kind? N—Is it necessary? If the statement doesn’t meet the rule, it doesn’t get said. It might be a good idea if every family in our church adopted that rule for mealtime conversation, although it might mean most of our meals would be eaten in total silence. But silence would be preferable to breaking the Lord’s command. And that brings me back to the speck and the log. It’s easy to see the speck in your brother’s eye, much harder to see the log in your own. In dealing with the faults of others, our greatest need is clear vision. (Matthew 7:1-5 Judge Not!) D L Moody - You may find hundreds of faultfinders among professed Christians; but all their criticism will not lead one solitary soul to Christ. I never preached a sermon yet that I could not pick to pieces, and find fault with. I feel that Jesus Christ ought to have a far better representative than I am. But I have lived long enough to discover that there is nothing perfect in this world. If you are to wait till you find a perfect preacher, or perfect meetings, I am afraid you will have to wait till the millennium arrives. What we want is to be looking up to Christ. Let us be done with faultfinding. WE sometimes criticize others unfairly. We don't know all their circumstances nor their motives. Only God, who knows all the facts, is able to judge righteously. John Wesley told of a man for whom he had little respect because he considered him to be miserly and covetous. One day when this person contributed only a small gift to a worthy charity, Wesley openly criticized him. After the incident, the man went to Wesley privately and told him he had been living on parsnips and water for several weeks. He explained that before his conversion, he had run up many bills. Now, by skimping on everything and buying nothing for himself, he was paying off his creditors one by one. "Christ has made me an honest man," he said, "and so with all these debts to pay, I can give only a few offerings above my tithe. I must settle up with my worldly neighbors and show them what the grace of God can do in the heart of a man who was once dishonest." Wesley then apologized to the man and asked his forgiveness. For some reason, it is easier to jump to negative conclusions about people than it is to assume the best about them. When we do this, we ascribe to them bad intentions and evil purposes that may not be true. We also reveal something about ourselves, for the faults we see in others are usually a reflection of our own. Bishop Potter "was sailing for Europe on one of the great trans-Atlantic ocean liners. When he went on board, he found that another passenger was to share the cabin with him. After going to see the accommodations, he came up to the purser's desk and inquired if he could leave his gold watch and other valuables in the ship's safe. He explained that ordinarily he never availed himself of that privilege, but he had been to his cabin and had met the man who was to occupy the other berth. Judging from his appearance, he was afraid that he might not be a very trustworthy person. The purser accepted the responsibility for the valuables and remarked, `It's all right, Bishop, I'll be very glad to take care of them for you. The other man has been up here and left his for the same reason— (H. A. Ironside, Illustrations of Bible Truth). HASTY CONCLUSIONS - The folly of snap judgments of others is well illustrated by a story the last Bishop Potter of New York used to tell on himself. He was sailing for Europe in one of the great trans-Atlantic liners. When he went on board, he found another passenger was to share the cabin with him. After going to see his accommodations, he came up to the purser's desk and inquired if he could leave his gold watch and other valuables in the ship's safe. He explained that ordinarily he never availed himself of that privilege, but he had been to his cabin and had met the man who was to occupy the other berth and, judging from his appearance, he was afraid that he might not be a very trustworthy person. The purser accepted the responsibility of caring for the valuables, and remarked, "It's all right, bishop, I'll be very glad to take care of them for you. The other man has been up here and left his for the same reason." One is reminded of the lines of Robbie Burns, "Oh, wad some power the giftie gie us, To see oursel's as others see us." It is very easy to form snap judgments, only to find out afterwards that they are utterly unfounded. Love "believeth all things, hopeth all things." (Harry A. Ironside) Bread And Butter - A small-town baker bought his butter from a local farmer. One day he weighed the butter and concluded that the farmer had been reducing the amount in the packages but charging the same. So the baker accused the farmer of fraud. In court the judge asked the farmer, "Do you have measuring weights?" "No sir," replied the farmer. "How then do you manage to weigh the butter that you sell?" The farmer answered, "When the baker began buying his butter from me, I thought I'd better get my bread from him. I have been using his 1-pound loaf as the weight for the butter I sell. If the weight of the butter is wrong, he has only himself to blame." Making hasty, unjust judgments about others is sin. The Pharisees of Jesus' day seemed to be especially adept at this. They would try to elevate themselves by tearing down and slandering people's character. Not only is this a sign of pride and self-satisfaction, but it is certain that we will be judged in a similar manner. Jesus said, "With what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you" (Mt. 7:2). Don't be too hard on the person who sins, For the yardstick you lay on another May someday be used as a measure for you; Oh, be gracious and judge not, my brother! --HGB The fault we see in another may be the reflection of our own. A CURE FOR CRITICISM - A church bulletin had a clever poem about criticism that began: A little seed lay in the ground And soon began to sprout; “Now, which of all the flowers around, Shall I,” it mused, “come out?” The seed could then be heard saying, “I don’t care to be a rose. It has thorns. I have no desire to be a lily. It’s too colorless. And I certainly wouldn’t want to be a violet. It’s too small, and it grows too close to the ground.” The poem concludes with this verse about that faultfinding seed: And so it criticized each flower, That supercilious seed, Until it woke one summer hour And found itself a weed! A good cure for a critical spirit is an honest look at ourselves—not at others. When you see faults in someone else, Before you criticize, beware; For you have flaws and failures too That other people have to bear. —Sper Be patient with the faults of others; they have to be patient with yours. A GROUP of residents in a Connecticut town were terribly upset about the reckless driving on their suburban streets. So fifty-three of them signed a petition calling for tighter traffic control in their neighborhoods. The sheriff responded by setting up a watch a few nights later. He caught five violators in all—and each of them had signed the petition! They themselves were guilty of the very transgressions of which they were so critical. Many Christians are like this. They see themselves as self-appointed correctors of the wrongs of their brothers and sisters in Christ. They see clearly the shortcomings and faults of others—and they are quick to point them out. But they are often blind to the same deficiencies in their own spiritual lives (see Romans 2:1). Related Resources: List of links related to forgiveness/unforgiveness Multiple illustrations and quotes related to forgiveness/unforgiveness Exposition of "Forgiveness" in Ephesians 4:32 Exposition of "Forgiveness" in Colossians 3:13 Exposition of "Forgiveness" in Matthew 6:12 and Matthew 6:14-15 QUESTION - What does the Bible mean when it says, “Do not judge”? See associated video. ANSWER - Jesus’ command not to judge others could be the most widely quoted of His sayings, even though it is almost invariably quoted in complete disregard of its context. Here is Jesus’ statement: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged” (Matthew 7:1). Many people use this verse in an attempt to silence their critics, interpreting Jesus’ meaning as “You don’t have the right to tell me I’m wrong.” Taken in isolation, Jesus’ command “Do not judge” does indeed seem to preclude all negative assessments. However, there is much more to the passage than those three words. The Bible’s command that we not judge others does not mean we cannot show discernment. Immediately after Jesus says, “Do not judge,” He says, “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs” (Matthew 7:6). A little later in the same sermon, He says, “Watch out for false prophets. . . . By their fruit you will recognize them” (verses 15–16). How are we to discern who are the “dogs” and “pigs” and “false prophets” unless we have the ability to make a judgment call on doctrines and deeds? Jesus is giving us permission to tell right from wrong. Also, the Bible’s command that we not judge others does not mean all actions are equally moral or that truth is relative. The Bible clearly teaches that truth is objective, eternal, and inseparable from God’s character. Anything that contradicts the truth is a lie—but, of course, to call something a “lie” is to pass judgment. To call adultery or murder a sin is likewise to pass judgment—but it’s also to agree with God. When Jesus said not to judge others, He did not mean that no one can identify sin for what it is, based on God’s definition of sin. And the Bible’s command that we not judge others does not mean there should be no mechanism for dealing with sin. The Bible has a whole book entitled Judges. The judges in the Old Testament were raised up by God Himself (Judges 2:18). The modern judicial system, including its judges, is a necessary part of society. In saying, “Do not judge,” Jesus was not saying, “Anything goes.” Elsewhere, Jesus gives a direct command to judge: “Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly” (John 7:24). Here we have a clue as to the right type of judgment versus the wrong type. Taking this verse and some others, we can put together a description of the sinful type of judgment: Superficial judgment is wrong. Passing judgment on someone based solely on appearances is sinful (John 7:24). It is foolish to jump to conclusions before investigating the facts (Proverbs 18:13). Simon the Pharisee passed judgment on a woman based on her appearance and reputation, but he could not see that the woman had been forgiven; Simon thus drew Jesus’ rebuke for his unrighteous judgment (Luke 7:36–50). Hypocritical judgment is wrong. Jesus’ command not to judge others in Matthew 7:1 is preceded by comparisons to hypocrites (Matthew 6:2, 5, 16) and followed by a warning against hypocrisy (Matthew 7:3–5). When we point out the sin of others while we ourselves commit the same sin, we condemn ourselves (Romans 2:1). Harsh, unforgiving judgment is wrong. We are “always to be gentle toward everyone” (Titus 3:2). It is the merciful who will be shown mercy (Matthew 5:7), and, as Jesus warned, “In the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:2). Self-righteous judgment is wrong. We are called to humility, and “God opposes the proud” (James 4:6). The Pharisee in Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector was confident in his own righteousness and from that proud position judged the publican; however, God sees the heart and refused to forgive the Pharisee’s sin (Luke 18:9–14). Untrue judgment is wrong. The Bible clearly forbids bearing false witness (Proverbs 19:5). “Slander no one” (Titus 3:2). Christians are often accused of “judging” or intolerance when they speak out against sin. But opposing sin is not wrong. Holding aloft the standard of righteousness naturally defines unrighteousness and draws the slings and arrows of those who choose sin over godliness. John the Baptist incurred the ire of Herodias when he spoke out against her adultery with Herod (Mark 6:18–19). She eventually silenced John, but she could not silence the truth (Isaiah 40:8). Believers are warned against judging others unfairly or unrighteously, but Jesus commends “right judgment” (John 7:24, ESV). We are to be discerning (Colossians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:21). We are to preach the whole counsel of God, including the Bible’s teaching on sin (Acts 20:27; 2 Timothy 4:2). We are to gently confront erring brothers or sisters in Christ (Galatians 6:1). We are to practice church discipline (Matthew 18:15–17). We are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). GotQuestions.org Related Resources: All from GotQuestions.org What does it mean to judge not lest you be judged (Matthew 7:1)? Isn’t it unloving to tell someone he/she is sinning? What was Jesus writing in the dirt when the Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery? Why are Christians so judgmental? Judge (2919)(krino is a root of English critic, critical [kritikos] = a decisive point at which judgment is made) primarily signifies to distinguish, to decide between (in the sense of considering two or more things and reaching a decision), to make up one's mind, to separate, to discriminate. to distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong, without necessarily passing an adverse sentence, although that is often what is usually involved. Bob
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Morris - A disciple is to learn from his teacher, so that when his training is complete, he will be just like his master. Our standard of excellence is the perfection of Christ Himself, and we should study and practice diligently in striving to attain that standard, knowing that we are predestined "to be conformed to the image" of our Master (Romans 8:29-note) when we finally see Him as He is (1 John 3:2+). (Ed: In the meantime we are "works in process" and hopefully in "progress!") (Borrow The Defender's Study Bible)
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Morris - The student’s progress is limited by the teaching he gets: he cannot know more than his teacher. We must not understand this in terms of our own situation, where libraries and other facilities put endless possibilities before the student. Jesus is speaking of a time when the disciple had only his rabbi as his source of information. To claim that he was above his teacher was the height of presumption. (See The Gospel according to St. Luke) Fitzmyer - One should not accept inadequate teachers because as a disciple one is constrained by the limitations of one’s teacher. A teacher who does not call for love of enemies and not judging leaves his disciples in their blindness.... the teacher does not merely impart a body of information but rather teaches the disciple to be as a person what the teacher already is. (AYBC-Luke)
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Morris - Here is an incidental confirmation of the ten-times-repeated "after his kind" of Genesis 1. In each kind of plant and animal is a genetic system that assures "his own fruit" and nothing else. IVP Background Commentary - Figs and grapes were often cultivated together and were two of the most common agricultural products in Palestine, often linked in Old Testament texts. Thorns and thistles were always troublesome to farmers (cf., e.g., Ge 3:18; also Isa 5:2, 4 LXX). Luke 6:45 "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. KJV Luke 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. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart Ps 37:30,31; 40:8-10; 71:15-18; Pr 10:20,21; 12:18; 15:23; 22:17,18; Matthew 12:35; John 7:38; Eph 4:29; 5:3,4,19; Col 4:6 treasure 2 Corinthians 4:6,7; Ephesians 3:8; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 8:10 the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil Ps 12:2-4; 41:6,7; 52:2-4; 59:7,12; 64:3-8; 140:5; Jeremiah 9:2-5; Acts 5:3; Acts 8:19-23; Romans 3:13,14; James 3:5-8; Jude 1:15 for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. Matthew 12:34-37 Luke 6 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 6:39-45 The Danger of Following the Wrong Spiritual Teacher - John MacArthur Luke 6:36-45 Judging Others, Judging Self - Steven Cole Luke 6:17-49 Jesus' Teaching - Darrell Bock WHAT YOU TREASURE IN YOUR HEART WILL EMERGE FROM YOUR MOUTH! The good man out of the good (agathos) treasure (thesauros) of his heart brings forth what is good (agathos) and the evil (poneros) man out of the evil (poneros) treasure brings forth what is evil (poneros) - Two types of people are dramatically contrasted. The heart of the issue is the state of the heart which determines what issues from the mouth, either good or evil. Jesus' half brother James alluded to this when he asks the rhetorical question "Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?” (James 3:11+). The obvious answer is of course not! An evil heart cannot produce genuinely righteous words, but ultimately brings forth what is evil. THOUGHT - For those of us who have a new heart (see below), we have been made righteous by Jesus Christ, and so we ought to live righteously and speak righteously, according to His will and by the power of His Holy Spirit. How are you doing? How is your speech today? This past week? Perhaps you need to pray "Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips." (Ps 141:3). God will answer affirmatively for godly speech is in His will (1 Jn 5:14-15+) and He is glorified. Notice the repetition of good. Only the last "good" can be seen by others, but it provides insight into the man's heart which is filled with good which allows one to classify him as a good man. In context Jesus has been talking about trees and here the good which this man brings is the fruit that is in keeping with the man's good nature, specifically out of a new heart produced by the regenerating activity of the Holy Spirit when a man enters the New Covenant by grace through faith. Jeremiah 31:33+ “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Ezekiel 36:25-27+ “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. Titus 3:5+ He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. While in the present passage Jesus deals with speech as the "fruit" that allows one to assess the character of the "tree," in Mark, He expanded His teaching that fruit was not just words but thoughts, words and deeds... “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. 23 “All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.” (Mark 7:21-23) John