Luke 6

Luke 6
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Luke 6:4-16 on Papyrus 4, written about AD 150-175.
Book	Gospel of Luke
Bible part	New Testament
Order in the Bible part	3
Category	Gospel

Luke 6 is the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. Jesus's teaching about the Sabbath enrages the religious authorities and deepens their conflict. The recruitment of Jesus' first disciples is completed and followed by a sermon where key aspects of Jesus's teaching is presented.

Luke relates two events that show the differences in the teaching about the Sabbath and lead to a widening conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities.

This story is told in the synoptic gospels (Mark 2:23-28, Matt 12:1-8, Luke 6:1-5). Jesus' disciples are accused of breaking the Law (Exodus 20:8-11) by the Jewish authorities who see them pluck wheat, rub it and eat it during the Sabbath. Jesus replies that their action is allowed as the Sabbath is made for people and not the other way around. He recalls the action of David and his men who when hungry received the showbread (1Samuel 21:1-6). Jesus indicates that he - the Son of Man - is the Lord of the Sabbath.

Luke places the event at a specific date: "sabbatō deuteroprōtō" (translated in the King James Version as "the second Sabbath after the first"), a phrase not found elsewhere in the Gospel. Myers suggests this to be the day of Shavuot (Festival of Weeks) which would give the action of Jesus an added significance. Only the priests were allowed to collect wheat and process it on the Sabbath to bake the showbread (which they could eat). Jesus gives this privilidge to his disciples, - in essence, in his teaching, priesthood is open to all. This action represents a radical departure from traditional ways and structures and undermines the special status of the priests.