CHAPTER 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, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.
2 And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?
3 And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;
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?
5 And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

The Pharisees knew the law, but used the law for their own benefit. According to Deuteronomy 23:25, if a person was passing through his neighbor's field, that person was allowed to pluck what he needed to eat, as long as he didn't harvest.

Now, there was also a statement in Exodus 20:10, that said one could not work on the Sabbath. The Pharisees, and other selfish people, used this Scripture to say that plucking and eating was work, and thus they could keep people from eating of their fields.

David was allowed to eat of the shewbread in the temple (See 1 Samuel 21:1-6). He even gave some of that bread to his men. This example shows that when people have need, even holy bread can be used to meet that need.

Jesus IS "LORD even of the sabbath day."
It is HIM we seek to glorify in our worship places.
As long as what we are doing glorifies our Lord, it is accepted with God.

It seems the Pharisees were so focused upon ritualistic practices they could not appropriately apply meaning to the Scriptures.

Let us remember that ritualistic practices must give way to human need, and that mercy must outweigh application of law. Realization of this truth is the result of being IN Christ; and application of this truth is the result of living FOR Christ.

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.
7 And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
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.
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?
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.
11 And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.

Notice the power of Christ for our help is based on willingness to do as He said.

The man with the withered hand stretched out his hand on Christ's command - and He was healed!

The "scribes and Pharisees" with the withered hearts would not stretch out their heart to Christ, and were not healed!

Jesus went there to worship and to minister.
The "scribes and Pharisees" went there to "find an accusation against HIM!"

Sometimes we need to question whether the things we are doing in the Lord's house are glorifying God! Perhaps some of the things we are doing only glorify SELF!

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.
13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
14 Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,
15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,
16 And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

Jesus chose and "ordained" 12 special disciples. There were MANY OTHER disciples.
A disciple, is one committed to learning from and following the Master.
These 12 were especially chosen and given special authority and gifts.

First, they were to "be with Him" (Mark 3:13) constantly. Except for when they were specifically sent, they were to go with Jesus everywhere He went, constantly learning from Him. From this experience, they would be sent out to "preach" the Gospel of Jesus, and to bring people to know Him as Lord and Savior.

Second, they were given "power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils." (Mark 3:15)
These powers DO NOT come except they are GIVEN of God!

Third, there were "twelve" who were ordained, chosen, and given these powers and authorities. The number 12 was, and is a number reflective of incontrovertible witnesses. Later, when the preaching and teaching of Jesus was brought into question, this number would reflect there were enough witnesses, touting the same truths, that this was not a conspiracy, but rather an absolute truth. And, the number 12 has always been a number which reflects Divine administration. There were 12 tribes of Israel, there are 12 foundations in heaven, and 12 gates to the same.

The names of the 12 disciples are specifically given: Peter, James & John, Andrew & Philip, Bartholomew & Matthew, Thomas & James (the son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus and Simon, and Judas Iscariot. These disciples are listed in several other places (Matthew 10:1-4, Mark 3:16-19, and Acts 1:13).

They are, for the most part, listed the same way each time. Simon Peter is always listed first. The other "Simon" refers to Simon the zealot. Thaddaeus is also called Lebbaeus, in some texts, and is apparently the same as Judas, the brother of James (See Luke 6:16). Judas Iscariot, is not listed in Acts 1:13 because he was already gone at that time.

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;
18 And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.
19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

Many a commentator of the Bible has, I believe, missed the wonder of this passage of Scripture. Seems they reflect more on WHERE Jesus was than WHAT Jesus did!

So many folk spend time reaching out for a feel-good feeling, and all they need is a TOUCH from Jesus!

The "great multitude" of people thronged Jesus when He came down from the mountain with His disciples.

They came for two reasons:
"to hear Him,"
and "to be healed of their diseases."

They believed Jesus and wanted to hear the truths and prinicples He taught.
They believed Him, and knew He had the power to heal them.

We must believe Jesus is Lord, and hear Him before He can heal us!
He must be LORD, or He will not be Savior!

THIS is the wonder of this passage of Scripture!

Now, let's discuss WHERE Jesus was.
Perhaps Jesus went BACK to the mountain, or stood high to teach the people with the use of a natural amphitheater.
Or, perhaps Jesus remained on the "plain." He could have gotten the people to be seated while He addressed them.

Either way, I don't believe that this is a parallel to Matthew 5-7.
More than likely, Jesus taught the principles of "The Sermon On The Mount" several times, in different places, and using different examples and illustrations.
THIS is probably one of those times when, Jesus, the Perfect Teacher used repitition to enforce the principles He taught.

20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
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.
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.
24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

We must remember Jesus was teaching for the benefit of disciples.
A disciple is a willing student, determining to apply what is learned.

Are YOU a disciple?

While the disciples were following Jesus, they had no means of support except HIM!
Later, He would physically be gone, but their ONLY means of support was still HIM!
They would be (by worldly standards) "poor" for His sake.
But they would be "Blessed," because they would be blissfully happy in Him!

If we, as disciples, "hunger" for His presence and sustaining strength we will be "filled."
If we "weep now" because of the sorrows of this world, we will "laugh" because of the joys of Christ.
If we are "hate(d)" because we cling to Christ in an immoral world, our "reward" will be great when we come to heaven. There we will know the presence of God, and absolute morality forever!

Those who refuse Christ, and seek riches receive the only "consolation" they shall have for eternity!
Those who have the fullness of this world, yet refuse Christ, shall have the eternal "hunger" for His presence in "the lake which burneth with fire" forever!
Those who laugh and enjoy this physical life without Christ, will "mourn and weep" for eternity!
Those who find fame in the world, but refuse Christ, shall find constant hatred in their eternal home!

WHAT A CONTRAST!!
It is certainly rewarding for believers and followers of Christ to know that this physical life is only temporary; and the eternal peace we shall have with Christ forever, far outweighs and discomfort we have now!

27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.
30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
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.
35 But love ye 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.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Here, Jesus begins a discussion about the manner in which we live.
This discussion, I believe, goes through verse 46.
And Jesus uses three principles guiding us to one action.

The FIRST principle is: Live by "mercy."

Mercy is the character of God.
It is the part of Him that willingly allowed Christ to die in payment for our hideous sin!
It is the very nature of God to CARE for us, even when we stink with the filth of sin!

And mercy is the character of those who are IN Christ!
It is that which is taught by our Lord.
And those things taught by our Lord should be applied in our lives! (See vs 36 above)

The Greek word for "love" (in verse 27) is agapao, meaning to have genuine concern and care for. It is the same word used in John 3:16). This word goes beyond emotional sensitivity and includes giving self for another.

We are to "bless", or speak kind words to; and "pray for" even our "enemies!" Now THAT takes Christ's interior discipline in us! Without applying the character trait of mercy, we cannot do this.

I think the main point here is: "as ye would that men should do to YOU, do ye also to them!"

It's relatively easy to love someone who cares for you.
But it takes application of mercy to love someone who "despitefully" uses you.
And, if you think THAT'S difficult, listen to this!

37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
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 SECOND principle is: Live by GIVING yourself, and MORE!

To be a "fruit inspector" is one thing, but to "judge" is quite another.
Notice that, here, Jesus couples the word judge with condemn.
The word used in the context of these verses obviously means "to offer a verdict about someone's life that is condemning."

Many years ago, there was a female novelist who wrote under the pen name of George Eliot. One of her most famous lines was, "The touchstone by which men try us is most often their own vanity." The intention of that statement is closely connected to the context in which Jesus speaks in this passage of Scripture. We often "try" others according to our own scale.
And we must admit that any scale we use, other than Christ, is flawed!

Paul says in Romans 14:10, "But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ."
James writes also of this in James 4:11, "Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge."

Let's just face it: we are ALL "fault-finders."
It is part of our human nature. And sadly, we do it because we want to exalt ourselves.
We want to find fault with others and soothe our conscience thinking "he is not better than me."
But the context of this message in these verses is to CORRECT that attitude!

We are to exhibit a LOVING attitude toward others and not a "fault-finding" attitude. And we are to exemplify a "servant's attitude" as disciples of our Lord, Jesus (See Matthew 18:3-4).

Read verse 31 along with verse 38.
GIVE "good measure," and most likely we shall receive "good measure."

39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
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?
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.
43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
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.
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.
46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

The THIRD prinicple is: Give JESUS, He's MORE than you!

I need to remember that I am still under a form of blindness because of sin, even though I am forgiven and saved (vs 39). I cannot lead someone to heaven! But I can lead them to JESUS; and, HE can lead them to heaven!

To be "perfect" (vs 40), simply means that the saved sinner is SEEN as perfect, because God looks through the cleansing blood of Jesus. And being saved means the Christian falls under the authority of the "Master", JESUS! Since I am saved, and Jesus is my "Master", I am commanded to be like Him. I am to give all that I am to bring others to know Jesus, in order that He might cure them from the blindness of sin!

Therefore, the Christian is not supposed to be on a "fault-finding mission." (vs 41)
He/she is supposed to be on an "evangelistic" mission!
If I allow the faults of others to stop me from sharing Jesus with them, then I am just as blind as they!

It is "corrupt fruit" (vss 43-44), when we allow prejudicial thoughts and actions to stop us from sharing Jesus with others! It is certainly not in the character of God, Who has and shows "mercy!

If Jesus is truly IN you, then you will be a "tree" in His garden of love and mercy.
You will bear "fruit" that is of love and mercy toward others.

Because the ONLY way a person can ever be "good" is to be saved and have Jesus working on the INSIDE -- in the "heart!" So, if a person is "good" in his/her "heart, he/she will speak of the "treasure" in his/her heart!
And THAT is JESUS!

First, live by mercy; that is the character of God.
Second, live by giving yourself, and even more; that's what Jesus demonstrated.
Third, live by giving JESUS; HE is real life!

Those principles defy prejudicial action based on preconceived thoughts!

47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
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.
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.

Living by Jesus' principles builds a spiritual "house" on the "Rock" of God Himself!
Living by prejudicial action based on preconceived thoughts builds a spiritual "house" on "sand."

In the final judgment those who have built upon the principles of Christ, will ENDURE by being brought into God's eternal resting place.

However, those who have said "Lord" about Jesus, and have refused to do as He taught, will find a different eternal resting place!

Let us remember that ritualistic practices must give way to human need, and that mercy must outweigh application of law.
Realization of this truth is the result of being IN Christ; and application of this truth is the result of living FOR Christ.

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.