Testimonia — Early Christian Bible Commentary

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Luke 6

1Now on the second Sabbath after the first, he was going through the grain fields. His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate, rubbing them in their hands.

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

3Jesus, answering them, said, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him,

4how he entered into God’s house, and took and ate the show bread, and gave also to those who were with him, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests alone?”

5He said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

6It also happened on another Sabbath that he entered into the synagogue and taught. There was a man there, and his right hand was withered.

7The scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against him.

8But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Rise up and stand in the middle.” He arose and stood.

9Then 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?”

10He looked around at them all, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did, and his hand was restored as sound as the other.

11But they were filled with rage, and talked with one another about what they might do to Jesus.

12In these days, he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God.

13When it was day, he called his disciples, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles:

14Simon, whom he also named Peter; Andrew, his brother; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew;

15Matthew; Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus; Simon who was called the Zealot;

16Judas the son of James; and Judas Iscariot, who also became a traitor.

17He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his disciples and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases,

18as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits; and they were being healed.

19All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came out of him and healed them all.

20He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for God’s Kingdom is yours.

21Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

22Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake.

23Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets.

24“But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation.

25Woe to you, you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

26Woe, when men speak well of you, for their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.

27“But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

28bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.

29To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don’t withhold your coat also.

30Give to everyone who asks you, and don’t ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again.

31“As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them.

32“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

33If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

34If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much.

35But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.

36“Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful.

37Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free.

38“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you.”

39He spoke a parable to them. “Can the blind guide the blind? Won’t they both fall into a pit?

40A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.

41Why do you see the speck of chaff that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye?

42Or how can you tell your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck of chaff that is in your eye,’ when you yourself don’t see the beam that is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck of chaff that is in your brother’s eye.

43“For there is no good tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces good fruit.

44For each tree is known by its own fruit. For people don’t gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.

45The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.

46“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things which I say?

47Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words and does them, I will show you who he is like.

48He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock.

49But he who hears and doesn’t do, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”

Early Christian commentary

Late 1st century AD (traditionally c. 95–100) | Clement of Rome

Let us therefore, brethren, be of humble mind, laying aside all haughtiness, and pride, and foolishness, and angry feelings; and let us act according to that which is written (for the Holy Spirit saith, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, neither let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth glory in the Lord, in diligently seeking Him, and doing judgment and righteousness”), being especially mindful of the words of the Lord Jesus which He spake, teaching us meekness and long-suffering. For thus He spoke: “Be ye merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; forgive, that it may be forgiven to you; as ye do, so shall it be done unto you; as ye judge, so shall ye be judged; as ye are kind, so shall kindness be shown to you; with what measure ye mete, with the same it shall be measured to you.” By this precept and by these rules let us stablish ourselves, that we walk with all humility in obedience to His holy words. For the holy word saith, “On whom shall I look, but on him that is meek and peaceable, and that trembleth at my words?”

Commentary · First Epistle to the Corinthians, Chapter XIII · Original source · The Writings of the Apostolic Fathers (T. & T. Clark, 1870), edited and translated by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson; independent electronic transcription: David King and the Online Proofreading Team, Project Gutenberg ebook 77576. · Licence · Source revision · Whitespace normalized; source pagination and footnote reference markers removed. English wording unchanged.

c. 153–157 AD (date debated) | Justin Martyr

Concerning chastity, He uttered such sentiments as these: "Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart before God." And, "If thy right eye offend thee, cut it out; for it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of heaven with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into everlasting fire." And, "Whosoever shall marry her that is divorced from another husband, committeth adultery." And, "There are some who have been made eunuchs of men, and some who were born eunuchs, and some who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake; but all cannot receive this saying." So that all who, by human law, are twice married, are in the eye of our Master sinners, and those who look upon a woman to lust after her. For not only he who in act commits adultery is rejected by Him, but also he who desires to commit adultery: since not only our works, but also our thoughts, are open before God. And many, both men and women, who have been Christ's disciples from childhood, remain pure at the age of sixty or seventy years; and I boast that I could produce such from every race of men. For what shall I say, too, of the countless multitude of those who have reformed intemperate habits, and learned these things? For Christ called not the just nor the chaste to repentance, but the ungodly, and the licentious, and the unjust; His words being, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." For the heavenly Father desires rather the repentance than the punishment of the sinner. And of our love to all, He taught thus: "If ye love them that love you, what new thing do ye? for even fornicators do this. But I say unto you, Pray for your enemies, and love them that hate you, and bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you." And that we should communicate to the needy, and do nothing for glory, He said, "Give to him that asketh, and from him that would borrow turn not away; for if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what new thing do ye? even the publicans do this. Lay not up for yourselves treasure upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where robbers break through; but lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for it? Lay up treasure, therefore, in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt." And, "Be ye kind and merciful, as your Father also is kind and merciful, and maketh His sun to rise on sinners, and the righteous, and the wicked. Take no thought what ye shall eat, or what ye shall put on: are ye not better than the birds and the beasts? And God feedeth them. Take no thought, therefore, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall put on; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But seek ye the kingdom of heaven, and all these things shall be added unto you. For where his treasure is, there also is the mind of a man." And, "Do not these things to be seen of men; otherwise ye have no reward from your Father which is in heaven."

Verse mention · The First Apology, Chapter 15 · Original source · Justin Martyr; translated by Marcus Dods; T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1870. Historical transcription supplied by Wikisource contributors. · Licence · Source revision · Whitespace normalized; source pagination and footnote reference markers removed. English wording unchanged.

c. 153–157 AD (date debated) | Justin Martyr

And concerning our being patient of injuries, and ready to serve all, and free from anger, this is what He said: "To him that smiteth thee on the one cheek, offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak or coat, forbid not. And whosoever shall be angry, is in danger of the fire. And every one that compelleth thee to go with him a mile, follow him two. And let your good works shine before men, that they, seeing them, may glorify your Father which is in heaven." For we ought not to strive; neither has He desired us to be imitators of wicked men, but He has exhorted us to lead all men, by patience and gentleness, from shame and the love of evil. And this indeed is proved in the case of many who once were of your way of thinking, but have changed their violent and tyrannical disposition, being overcome either by the constancy which they have witnessed in their neighbours' lives, or by the extraordinary forbearance they have observed in their fellow-travellers when defrauded, or by the honesty of those with whom they have transacted business.

Commentary · The First Apology, Chapter 16 · Original source · Justin Martyr; translated by Marcus Dods; T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1870. Historical transcription supplied by Wikisource contributors. · Licence · Source revision · Whitespace normalized; source pagination and footnote reference markers removed. English wording unchanged.

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