Luke 6:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?”

NIV: Then Jesus said to them, 'I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?'

NASB: And Jesus said to them, 'I ask you whether it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do harm, to save a life or to destroy it?'

CSB: Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you: Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it? "

NLT: Then Jesus said to his critics, 'I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?'

KJV: 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?

NKJV: Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?”

Pharisees have thirty-nine extra-scriptural laws about the Sabbath with countless applications. Healing a man's withered hand is certainly not covered. So, when a man with a withered hand is in the presence of Jesus, the Pharisees see their chance. Breaking the Sabbath is a capital offense (Exodus 31:14). This could work in their favor.

Jesus knows that the Pharisees' law states one may save a life, but not intentionally take steps to heal someone. He also knows this application is not found in the Mosaic law given by God. If it is allowable to save a life, why wouldn't it be allowable to heal? It doesn't matter if the man's condition is chronic, or if the Pharisees would approve of the healing taking place a few hours later. Why not do good now? Not only is it harmful to allow this man to suffer more than necessary, but it's also harmful to use someone's suffering to test a political or cultural enemy.

Jesus is tying together His attitude toward the man with the Pharisees' attitude toward Him. "Good" is from the root word agathos, related to agape: self-sacrificial love that attends to the good of another. Unlike the Pharisees, Jesus relates "good" with saving a life. "Harm" means actions which are immoral or incorrect. Jesus isn't talking about the man with the withered hand, here. He's talking about the Pharisees. They are doing evil by planning to destroy His life (Mark 3:6) on the Sabbath. They are not only working, but they are also plotting a murder during the Sabbath day they claim to revere.

The Pharisees' reaction is even more ironic considering Luke 5:33–39. Unlike Jesus' disciples, the Pharisees fast regularly as a sign of piety and devotion. But God has said He's not that concerned about people fasting from food. He'd rather they free people of their oppressive yokes (Isaiah 58:6). A withered hand definitely applies.

Luke 6:6–11 includes the last of six controversial actions which put Jesus at odds with the religious leaders. This passage on healing and the previous on eating (Luke 6:1–5) focus on the true purpose of the Sabbath. It is not to worship God with strict, suffocating rules but to rest and restore—even to heal. Next, Jesus will select twelve men out of a group who have decided to follow Him instead of the Pharisees. This story is also recorded in Matthew 12:9–14 and Mark 3:1–6. Luke 13:10–17 tells the story of Jesus healing a woman on the Sabbath, and Luke 14:1–6 gives an account of Jesus healing another man on the sabbath, at the house of a Pharisee.

Luke 6 contains two main sections of teaching and calls to discipleship. Luke 6:1–16 continues the pattern of Luke 5. The two ways in which Jesus sets aside tradition—this time by taking authority over the Sabbath—are paired with His call for the Twelve disciples. Luke 6:17–49 records Jesus' teaching on the ''level place,'' or His ''Sermon on the Plain,'' and a call to a crowd for general discipleship. Much of this material has parallels in Matthew 5 through 7, but it's not clear if the two accounts are of the same event. As a travelling teacher, Christ likely gave the same general message multiple times.

Luke 6 completes Jesus' call for disciples and followers that started in Luke 5. Luke 5:1—6:16 consists of three calls for disciples, each paired with two revolutionary teachings about Jesus' authority that increasingly infuriate the religious leaders. Luke 6:17–49 continues the theme with a general call for followers and a description of their responsibilities. In Luke 7:1—8:3, Jesus interacts with the other: Gentiles, women, and even the dead. This is followed by another general call (Luke 8:4–21), a series of miracles (Luke 8:22—9:17), and a final call for the Twelve to follow Him even more deeply (Luke 9:18–50).

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.