Luke 6:2 - But some of the Pharisees said to them, “Why do you do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day?”

Generated Verse: Luke 6:2

What does "Luke 6:2" mean?


This verse, Luke 6:2, is part of a larger story where Jesus' disciples are walking through a grainfield on the Sabbath and, feeling hungry, they pluck some grain, rub it in their hands, and eat it.

Here's a breakdown of what the verse means:

"But some of the Pharisees said to them...": The Pharisees were a Jewish religious and social group known for their strict adherence to the law and their interpretations of it. They were often in opposition to Jesus and his teachings. The "them" refers to the disciples of Jesus.

"...“Why do you do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day?”": This is the core of the verse. The Pharisees are accusing the disciples of breaking the Sabbath law. Their argument is based on their interpretations of the Sabbath commandments, which prohibited work. They considered the disciples' actions (plucking grain and rubbing it in their hands) as forms of harvesting and threshing, which were considered work.

In essence, the Pharisees are challenging Jesus' disciples' actions, accusing them of violating the Sabbath law as they understood it. It highlights the tension between Jesus' interpretation of the law and the Pharisees' more rigid, legalistic interpretation. The following verses in Luke 6 record Jesus' response, where he defends his disciples' actions and challenges the Pharisees' understanding of the Sabbath's purpose.

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