Luke 6: 1-11 Another Way to Live

Luke 6:1-11 Another Way to Live

[1] One sabbath while Jesus was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. [2] But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?" [3] Jesus answered, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? [4] He entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions?" [5] Then he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath."

[6] On another sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. [7] The scribes and the Pharisees watched him to see whether he would cure on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. [8] Even though he knew what they were thinking, he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Come and stand here." He got up and stood there. [9] Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?" [10] After looking around at all of them, he said to him, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was restored. [11] But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to
Jesus.

What is happening in this scripture? – The author of Luke-Acts continues in this chapter to present Jesus’ defiance of one group of Pharisees in his day who seem more interested in their strict interpretations of the Torah than in the needs of the people who look to them for help. By now, Herod and others are very Romanized. The power of Rome that ensures peace and a booming economy is easy to follow. Unfortunately, the distribution of wealth, food, hence life itself, was not egalitarian. The absent tenant farming system by then required that an entire class of cheap laborers be readily available for those fortunate ones who slowly, through foreclosures and taxes, had taken over the land. Because the land was taken, so was the food. Even the fishing boats were controlled now by tariffs and taxes. Mom and Pop business was quickly fading away. Sound familiar?
The point is that the system evolved into something you couldn’t fight, and even the temple authorities supported it by being enamored with the letter of the Torah, instead of the spirit of the Torah. Jesus had a plan though.
Jesus decided to fight the system, using God’s reign, and the common history of his people to non-violently oppose the lack of economic justice which Rome depended on.
Here, in these scriptures, we see Jesus answering those who are looking for a way to use the law to persecute Jesus and put an end to his challenges. Jesus scholar Dominic Crossan says that the normalcy of civilization killed Jesus. He said that one of the purposes of civilization is to find ways to get around the expectations that our gods, or God, place before us. Where are the exceptions? Where are the loopholes?
Jesus tells them, the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. Some think he was talking about himself. Others believe this term was used to indicate the quintessential man, or the common man. In that case, we can see why this group of temple elite were furious with him. Imagine if Jesus said, The people are Lord of the Sabbath, not the other way around. In other words, “You guys are servants of the people, and you seem to have forgotten that!” They want to argue and Jesus will have none of it. He brings them back to the simple truths: God is in charge. These are God’s people. This is God’s temple. If God’s people are hungry, let them eat. Don’t get in the way of God’s people and their food (their life!).

How is this happening in the world today? – What do we do with this today? How do we make life available to all of God’s people? We know God’s power, where is his justice? Whose job is it to usher that justice in? How would God’s justice look now, economically, politically, socially, spiritually? They killed Jesus for trying to do this. They would probably kill us too. So, what can we do? What can Christ’s church do?

How is this story my story? – Jesus, when I study you, what you ask me to do scares me to death! I know if I curse the darkness that is a huge waste of time, but there is so much darkness. Explain to me Lord why 5 little Amish girls are shot and killed in their little one room school house? Explain to me how their parents can forgive? And yet I am told they have. Jesus, I have a long long way to go. And yet, you call to me Lord. You call to me. Help me find my courage and strength Lord. I need it. We all do.

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