Luke 6:9 - Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you something: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?”
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What does "Luke 6:9" mean?
This verse from Luke 6:9 is a crucial part of a larger story where Jesus is challenged for healing on the Sabbath. To understand its meaning, let's break it down:
Context: Jesus is in a synagogue on the Sabbath, and there's a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees and teachers of the law are watching Jesus closely, hoping to find a reason to accuse him of breaking the Sabbath law.
"Then Jesus said to them, 'I will ask you something...'": Jesus, knowing their intentions, turns the tables and poses a question to them. This is a common tactic of Jesus; to challenge his interrogators and force them to examine their own understanding of the law.
"...Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?'": This is the core of the verse. Jesus presents a stark dichotomy. He forces them to consider the true intent of the Sabbath law.
"To do good, or to do harm?": This is a general question about morality and the purpose of the Sabbath. Is the Sabbath about rigid adherence to rules, or about promoting well-being and goodness?
"To save a life, or to kill?": This sharpens the focus and raises the stakes. It highlights the absurdity of prioritizing a strict interpretation of the Sabbath over the immediate need to alleviate suffering and potentially save a life (metaphorically "killing" the man by inaction, or even literally).
Meaning and Interpretation:
Challenging Legalism: Jesus challenges the rigid, legalistic interpretation of the Sabbath laws that had become prevalent. The religious leaders were more concerned with following the letter of the law than with its spirit – love, compassion, and mercy.
Prioritizing Human Need: Jesus emphasizes the importance of human well-being and the need to alleviate suffering. He suggests that acts of compassion and saving lives take precedence over rigid adherence to rules, especially when those rules conflict with basic human decency.
Revealing Hypocrisy: The question reveals the hypocrisy of the religious leaders. They would likely argue that even doing nothing could be construed as doing harm. Jesus is forcing them to admit that inaction also has consequences.
Defining the Spirit of the Law: He's redefining the purpose of the Sabbath. It's not just a day of rest; it's a day to reflect God's goodness and compassion, and to actively participate in acts of mercy and kindness. The purpose of the law, at its best, is to serve human needs and reflect God's love, not to burden people with unnecessary restrictions.
Implied Answer: The question is essentially rhetorical. The implied answer is, of course, that it is lawful to do good and to save a life on the Sabbath.
In short, Luke 6:9 reveals Jesus's conflict with the religious leaders of his time regarding the proper interpretation of religious law. He argues that laws should serve human needs and that compassion and acts of good take precedence over rigid adherence to rules, especially when those rules prevent the alleviation of suffering. It’s a verse about the proper balance between law and love.
Luke 6:9 - Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you something: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?”
What does "Luke 6:9" mean?
This verse from Luke 6:9 is a crucial part of a larger story where Jesus is challenged for healing on the Sabbath. To understand its meaning, let's break it down:
Context: Jesus is in a synagogue on the Sabbath, and there's a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees and teachers of the law are watching Jesus closely, hoping to find a reason to accuse him of breaking the Sabbath law.
"Then Jesus said to them, 'I will ask you something...'": Jesus, knowing their intentions, turns the tables and poses a question to them. This is a common tactic of Jesus; to challenge his interrogators and force them to examine their own understanding of the law.
"...Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?'": This is the core of the verse. Jesus presents a stark dichotomy. He forces them to consider the true intent of the Sabbath law.
"To do good, or to do harm?": This is a general question about morality and the purpose of the Sabbath. Is the Sabbath about rigid adherence to rules, or about promoting well-being and goodness?
"To save a life, or to kill?": This sharpens the focus and raises the stakes. It highlights the absurdity of prioritizing a strict interpretation of the Sabbath over the immediate need to alleviate suffering and potentially save a life (metaphorically "killing" the man by inaction, or even literally).
Meaning and Interpretation:
Challenging Legalism: Jesus challenges the rigid, legalistic interpretation of the Sabbath laws that had become prevalent. The religious leaders were more concerned with following the letter of the law than with its spirit – love, compassion, and mercy.
Prioritizing Human Need: Jesus emphasizes the importance of human well-being and the need to alleviate suffering. He suggests that acts of compassion and saving lives take precedence over rigid adherence to rules, especially when those rules conflict with basic human decency.
Revealing Hypocrisy: The question reveals the hypocrisy of the religious leaders. They would likely argue that even doing nothing could be construed as doing harm. Jesus is forcing them to admit that inaction also has consequences.
Defining the Spirit of the Law: He's redefining the purpose of the Sabbath. It's not just a day of rest; it's a day to reflect God's goodness and compassion, and to actively participate in acts of mercy and kindness. The purpose of the law, at its best, is to serve human needs and reflect God's love, not to burden people with unnecessary restrictions.
Implied Answer: The question is essentially rhetorical. The implied answer is, of course, that it is lawful to do good and to save a life on the Sabbath.
In short, Luke 6:9 reveals Jesus's conflict with the religious leaders of his time regarding the proper interpretation of religious law. He argues that laws should serve human needs and that compassion and acts of good take precedence over rigid adherence to rules, especially when those rules prevent the alleviation of suffering. It’s a verse about the proper balance between law and love.