This week’s readings are all from Luke 6-7. Click here to see a full listing of each day’s reading and the full chapters of Luke 4-5. Full readings of each day’s smaller segments of the readings will be posted on this site during the week.
Today's Reading
Jesus was going through the grain fields on a Sabbath, and his disciples picked some heads of wheat, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is against the law on the Sabbath?” 3 Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry— 4 how he entered the house of God, took and ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for any to eat but the priests alone, and gave it to his companions?” 5 Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
6 On another Sabbath, Jesus entered the synagogue and was teaching. Now a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 The experts in the law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they could find a reason to accuse him. 8 But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Get up and stand here.” So he rose and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?” 10 After looking around at them all, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” The man did so, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with mindless rage and began debating with one another what they would do to Jesus.
12 Now it was during this time that Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent all night in prayer to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), and his brother Andrew; and James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
17 Then he came down with them and stood on a level place. And a large number of his disciples had gathered along with a vast multitude from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon. They came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, 18 and those who suffered from unclean spirits were cured. 19 The whole crowd was trying to touch him, because power was coming out from him and healing them all.
It's interesting how Luke describes the choosing of the Twelve from among the larger following of Jesus. It helps me remember that Jesus had many disciples--even early in His ministry.
@shelley-johnson, the Gospels seem to indicate that Jesus was a disciple of his cousin John the Baptizer (Jesus 'came after' John, a phrase used consistently in the gospels for followers/disciples), and the Gospel of John it's clear that as John pointed out that Jesus' was the Lamb of God and greater than himself, that at least two of John's disciples (John and Andrew) began following Jesus. I wonder if more followers of John also became Jesus' disciples during the early stages after Jesus' baptism.
John was a pillar of light (according to the Gospel of John) and witness who was preparing the path/way for Jesus. There is always an unfolding narrative and preparation work that we often overlook to great movements and moments of God.
@siteadmin that's so good. I really don't think I'd ever heard that before--Jesus being John's disciple. Isn't there a verse in John where John the Baptist says the Messiah is here among us? That makes me sense now!
The line "one who goes behind me [opisō mou]" is used by John to refer to Jesus in Matthew 3.11n || Mark 1.6 || John 1.14 || John 1.26–31. This is the phrase used in the Gospels and Acts to refer to followers/disciples:
He said to them, “Go behind me, and I will turn you into fishers of people!” (Matthew 4.19 NET || Mark 1.17)
And whoever does not take up his cross and go behind me is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10.38–39 NET || Luke 9.23–24 || Luke 14.27)
But he turned and said to Peter, “Go behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s.” Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to go behind me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. (Matthew 16.23–24 NET || Mark 8:32-34)
He said, “Watch out that you are not misled. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not go behind them! And when you hear of wars and rebellions, do not be afraid. For these things must happen first, but the end will not come at once.” (Luke 21.8–9 NET)
After him Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the census, and incited people to go behind him in revolt. He too was killed, and all who followed him were scattered. (Acts 5.37 NET)
I know that after I am gone fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Even from among your own group men will arise, teaching perversions of the truth to draw the disciples away to go behind them. Therefore be alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears. (Acts 20.29–31 NET)
In addition, Jesus being baptized by John shows that Jesus was submitting to John's authority. Which is incredible! The Messiah submits to the authority and teaching of another. And it is also amazing that John essentially says, "One of my disciples is greater than me...I'm not even worthy to untie his shoes."
Just as a historical contextual reminder, the question about keeping the Sabbath is part of the discussions regarding the Torah and was (and is) known as Halakhah. Halakhah means "walking" or "going," and it refers the "the way" in which individuals and communities follow and keep faithfulness to God through obedience to the commandments of the Torah. It is a core element of Jewish life and religion.
Regarding the Sabbath, God had commanded no work on the Sabbath and that it should be a day of rest. The gathering/harvesting of food (as implied by the forbidding of gathering manna in the wilderness) was considered work. So, Jesus' disciples, according to the Halakhah of almost all rabbinic interpretations and traditions, were breaking the Sabbath commandment. Jesus, however, uses another scripture to point out that even King David did a forbidden thing, eating the bread only to be eaten by priests when he and his men were hungry. Without saying it directly, Jesus is making the case that Torah laws can be set aside in order to meet people's needs. This is Jesus' Sabbath Halakhah, spoken on his own authority, and modeled throughout other actions in his life (such as healing on the Sabbath). Other rabbis had said that Sabbath laws could be "loosed" if human life was in danger, but they would not allow for healing or meeting someone's needs if it were not life-or-death.
...power was coming out from him and healing them all
Amazing. The Greek word for "power" is dunamis. It means "ability" or "power to do something." It is the root for English words like "dynamic" and "dynamite." The ability/power to heal was coming from Jesus.