Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 6:9
Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy [it]?
9. I will ask you one thing ] Rather, I further ask you. Implying that He had already addressed some questions to their consciences on this subject, or perhaps because they had asked Him, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?’ Mat 12:10.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 9. I will ask you one thing] I will put a question to you. See note on Mr 3:4; Mr 3:5.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
9. good, or . . . evil, save . . .or destroyBy this novel way of putting His case, our Lordteaches the great ethical principle, that to neglect anyopportunity of doing good is to incur the guilt of doing evil;and by this law He bound His own spirit. (See Mr3:4.)
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then said Jesus unto them,…. The Scribes and Pharisees, who were watching him, and whose thoughts, and the reasonings of their minds, purposes, and intentions, he full well knew:
I will ask you one thing; or question, as they had asked him one before; Mt 12:10
is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
[See comments on Mr 3:4] to which may be added, that to save life on the sabbath day was agreeable to their own canons: there were many things which they allowed might be done on the sabbath day, when life was in danger, which otherwise were not lawful; [See comments on Mt 12:8].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
I ask you ( ). They had questions in their hearts about Jesus. He now asks in addition (‘) an open question that brings the whole issue into the open.
A life (). So the Revised Version. The rabbis had a rule: Periculum vitae pellit sabbatum. But it had to be a Jew whose life was in peril on the sabbath. The words of Jesus cut to the quick.
Or to destroy it ( ). On this very day these Pharisees were plotting to destroy Jesus (verse 7).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
I will ask [] . Peculiar to Luke’s narrative. The best texts read ejperwtw, the present tense, I ask. So Rev.
Life [] . Better as Rev., a life. Though the question is a general one, it carries a hint of an individual life thrown into it by the special case at hand. See on Mr 12:30. Wyc., to make a soul safe.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Then said Jesus unto them,” (eipen de ho lesous pros autous) “Then Jesus said directly to them,” to those Pharisees and scribes, the fault-finders, who sought to entrap Him, charge Him as a law-breaking criminal, in the synagogue that sabbath day, Mat 12:11-12.
2) “I will ask you one thing;” (eperoto humas) “May I ask you all one thing, a question, please?” Ask you to be honest interpreters of a common experience and custom among you all, Mat 12:11-12.
3) “Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil?” (ei eksestin to sabbato agarhopoiesai he kakopoiesai) “is it lawful to do good or to do evil on the sabbath?” Just speak up, Mar 3:4. He was preparing to do good in working a miracle while they were deviously seeking occasion to put Him to death, Luk 14:3.
He asked this question, knowing what was in their hearts, but the synagogue audience did not know; So He asked the question to focus attention on His actions.
4) “To save life or to destroy it?” (psuchen sosai e apolesai) “To save or to destroy soul-life?” the life and usefulness of the life of a soul? Is such legal? or which has priority? Would you simply give us your esteemed judgment, your opinions, or interpretations of the matter? Mar 3:4; Mat 12:12. And they were dumb as wooden fence posts; Mark says, “they held their peace,” Mar 3:4; Luk 14:4. Jesus saved or preserved the life or livelihood of this man by healing his paralyzed hand.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
‘And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, Is it lawful on the sabbath to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to destroy it?” ’
Jesus could see the workings of their hearts. He knew exactly what they were thinking. And He knew that they had it in their minds to have Him killed. So while to the ordinary people His words were about the man and his condition, and He was asking whether he should heal (do good) or refrain from healing (do harm and fail to help the man in his distress), the Pharisees knew that He knew their hearts and was speaking of them. It was they who were there to do harm to Jesus, and even to kill Him, and they were using the Sabbath day in order to attain their end. The words, ‘to save life or to destroy it’ refers pointedly to them.
His words contrasted what He was about to do, with what they were about to do. He was going to do good, they were aiming to do harm, He was going to help a man live again, they were planning to have Him put to death. But He longed to help them too and He was pleading with them to consider and to ask themselves who was really in the right.
But His words also emphasised why He was here, it was so that through His word others too would begin to ‘do good’ and to ‘save life. So that others would cease to be withered. This was central to His message. As He would heal this withered hand, so did He long to restore the withered trees (Eze 17:24) and withered bones (Eze 37:2) of Israel (and none more withered than those He saw before Him). He longed that He might prophesy to them that they might live (Eze 37:4).
‘Is it lawful.’ The Pharisees were very keen on describing something as ‘lawful’ or ‘unlawful’. They had only recently asked His disciples the same question in the grainfields. So Jesus gently hits back. They were concerned about what was lawful so He wanted them to consider whether they thought that what they were planning to do was lawful. As a technical phrase which they used for their final warning they should have taken especial note of it.
‘On the Sabbath.’ That day which God had set aside as life-giving and blessed. Surely if any day was a day for doing good, that one was.
‘To do good or to do harm.’ This was the crux. What should the right thinking person do when these alternatives were offered? Standing in the sight of God should he do good, or should he do harm? There were no doubt many common people there. They would be with Him. They would instinctively know the answer and may well not have realised what a fix the Rabbis were in. (And the Rabbis knew it).
The way the question is put is also illuminating. The Pharisees would have stated that they did not do harm by not healing on the Sabbath, they simply did nothing. Jesus reply is that not to do good when it can be done is actually to do harm. Doing nothing is doing harm. The tree that bears no fruit is no more use than the tree that produces bad fruit (Luk 13:6-9). It is cast into the fire (Luk 3:9; Mat 7:19). ‘To him who knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin’ (Jas 4:17).
‘To save life or to kill.’ That was not a question about the man with his withered arm, as though he were in danger of death. Rather He had the aims of the Pharisees in mind, otherwise He could have stopped after ‘to do harm’. The crowds simply saw it as an added example to justify doing good on the Sabbath, but the guilty men present could hardly have avoided seeing the further implication.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 6:9. To save life, or to destroy it? That our Lord might expose the malice and superstition of the Pharisees, he appealed to the dictates of their own minds, whether it was not more lawful to do good on the sabbath-day than to do evil; to save than to kill? He meant”more lawful for him on the sabbath to save men’s lives, than for them to plot his death, without the least provocation.” This was a severe but just rebuke, which in the present circumstances must have been sensibly felt.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
9. ] The words in the re [57] . text, . , admit of two constructions according as they are punctuated: ‘I will ask you what is allowable on the sabbath, to do good, or to do evil? ’ ( . . . . . .); or, ‘I will ask you a certain thing: Is it ,’ &c. ( . . . . . .) This latter is preferable, both on account of the future ., and of its similarity to , ch. Luk 20:3 . But the reading in the text is much preferable to either. After the question, Mark adds as they did after the question just referred to in ch. 20, because they were in a dilemma, and either answer would have convicted them.
[57] The Textus Receptus or received text of the Greek Testament. Used in this Edition when elz and Steph agree
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 6:9 . , : on the meaning of these words and the issue raised vide on Mk.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
unto. Greek pros. App-104. Not the same word as in Luk 6:35.
I will ask. All the texts read, “I ask”, i.e. “I further ask”.
life = a soul. See App-110.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
9.] The words in the re[57]. text, . , admit of two constructions according as they are punctuated: I will ask you what is allowable on the sabbath,-to do good, or to do evil? (. . . …); or, I will ask you a certain thing: Is it, &c. (. . . …) This latter is preferable, both on account of the future ., and of its similarity to , ch. Luk 20:3. But the reading in the text is much preferable to either. After the question, Mark adds -as they did after the question just referred to in ch. 20, because they were in a dilemma, and either answer would have convicted them.
[57] TheTextus Receptus or received text of the Greek Testament. Used in this Edition when elz and Steph agree
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Is it: Luk 14:3, Mat 12:12, Mat 12:13, Mar 3:4, Joh 7:19-23
to save: Luk 9:56
Reciprocal: Mat 21:24 – I also Mar 2:27 – General 1Pe 3:11 – do
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9
See the comments on Mar 3:4 for the questions Jesus asked.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
6:9 Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to {b} destroy [it]?
(b) Whoever does not help his neighbour when he can, he kills him.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Jesus’ question had two parts. He first asked if it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath or if it was lawful to do evil. The obvious answer was that doing good was lawful but doing evil was not lawful. God had instituted the Sabbath for the welfare of humankind. His attitude of love should have characterized the Israelites as they observed the day. They, too, should have made it a special day for the blessing of people. The second part of Jesus’ question particularized it and pointed to its ultimate consequences. Obviously Jesus was speaking about saving a life (Gr. psyche) from physical destruction, not saving a soul from eternal damnation.