Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 6:38
Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
38. into your bosom ] Pockets were unknown to the ancients. All that was necessary was carried in the fold of the robe (Heb. Cheyk., Psa 35:13, &c.; Lat. sinus) or in the girdle.
with the same measure that ye mete ] A proverb almost verbally identical with this is found in the Talmud (Duke’s Rabbin. Blumenlese, p. 162), but it must be remembered that the earliest parts of the Talmud were not committed to writing till more than two centuries after Christ, and long before that time His sayings may have been ‘in the air,’ i.e. they may have passed unconsciously into the store of the national wisdom even among His enemies.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Luk 6:38
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down
On Christian giving
I.
GET, GATHER. Are there not many persona of a very careless and prodigal disposition?
II. GIVE. Begin to give as soon as you begin to get. That will prevent the danger of a growing covetousness.
III. THE GIVING SHOULD BE IN SOME PROPORTION TO THE INCOME. I do not presume to fix the proportion. But I the more insist on the principle of a fair and just proportion, and on the duty o! the individual to turn the principle into practice. This proportion, however, will never be reached, or at any rate, will hardly for any long time be continued, except in connection with another principle of far deeper hold and wider sway, the principle that–
IV. WHAT IS LEFT IS GIVEN TOO. It is also true that we shall never understand really what Christian giving is until–
V. WE GET BEYOND WHAT IS CALLED THE DUTY OF IT TO THE HIGHER GROUND OF THE BLESSEDNESS OF IT. It is more blessed to give than to receive, is a universal truth applicable not to money alone, but to the whole of lifes experiences.
1. Thought.
2. Sympathy.
3. Life itself.
The possibility of giving life, self, to God for ever. The certainty of having at length to yield the gift of life into the hand of God. (A. Raleigh, D. D.)
The duty of giving
I. WHY SHOULD WE GIVE? It is our duty. It is for Gods glory. It is more blessed to give than to receive.
II. WHAT SHOULD WE GIVE?
1. Ourselves. St. Paul says of the Macedonians that they first gave their own selves unto the Lord. This will make all else well-pleasing unto the Lord.
2. Our time.
3. Our influence.
4. Our money. We are but stewards of all that we possess.
III. HOW ARE WE TO GIVE?
1. Willingly.
2. Unostentatiously. Let not thy right hand, &c.
3. Lovingly–from a principle of love to God and man in the heart.
IV. HOW MUCH ARE WE TO GIVE? The Bible does not give us exact and particular rules, but lays down general principles by which we are to govern our conduct. We must not offer to the Lord that which doth cost us nothing.
V. WHEN ARE WE TO GIVE? When cases of need, objects of compassion, or means of advancing the honour of God or the good of our fellow-men come before us. The injunction of the apostle was, On the first day of the week, &c. (1Co 16:2).
VI. WHERE ARE WE TO GIVE? That question may be best answered by asking another, Where are we not to give? VII. WHO IS TO GIVE? The answer is every man–the rich of their abundance, the poor something even of their poverty. Widow and two mites. Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. (H. Whitehead, M.A.)
The reward of the giver
There are, doubtless, those who think that this statement is not borne out by the facts of their own experience. Too often they have obtained not even gratitude. And others there are who listen doubtfully to such words, not on account of any personal disappointments of their own, for they have not put themselves in the way of suffering such disappointments, but rather from observation of other peoples experience, as well as from their own theory of life. What, then, are we to make of our Lords statement that men shall give this good measure?
1. Our Lord did not say that men would do anything of the kind. We are to hope for nothing again (Luk 6:35).
2. Yet our Lord proposes a reward. Yes. Ye shall be the children of the Highest. The reward, then, consists in being like God. Whatever else is mentioned in the nature of reward is not an object to be sought after, but a consequence which must needs ensue.
3. Among these consequences will be found a measure even of human gratitude. For if our Lord did not say that men shall give the good measure, it may also be observed that He did not say they will not. The good measure will be given, and even men will have their share in giving it. (H. Whitehead, M. A.)
Penalty of not giving to God
There are hundreds of business men, Christian men, in New York city, who have gone down, for the simple reason, as I believe, that they did not give to God that which belonged to Him. They did not give Him any percentage at all, or such a very small percentage that the Lord God collected His own bills, by fire, by storm, or by death. Two men I knew very well, some years ago, on the streets of New York. They were talking about the matter of benevolence. One said to the other, You give too much. I will wait until I get a large pile of money, and then I will give. No, said the other, I will give as God prospers me. Hear the sequel. The former lives in New York city to-day, dollarless. The latter gathered two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. I believe that the reason why many people are kept poor is because they do not give enough. If a man gives in the right spirit to the Lord Jesus Christ and to the Church, he is insured for time and for eternity. The Bank of England is a weak institution compared with the bank that any Christian man can draw upon. (Dr. Talmage.)
Righteous retribution
One remembers, of course, the Regent Morton hugged to death by the maiden he had been the means of introducing into Scotland. The French doctor, Guillotin, is even now not uncommonly believed to have perished in the Reign of Terror by the instrument invented by and named after him; whereas he quietly died in his bed, many many years later than that. But the Revolution history is well stored with instances like that of Chalier, condemned to death by the criminal tribunal at Lyons–the guillotine which he had sent for from Paris to destroy his enemies being first destined to sever his own head from his body. A bungling executioner prolonged the last agonies of this man, who, in fact, was hacked to death, not decapitated. He tasted slowly, as Lamartine says, of the death, a thirst for which he had so often sought to excite in the people; he was glutted with blood, but it was his own. Alison recognizes in the death of Murat a memorable instance of the moral retribution which often attends on great deeds of iniquity, and by the instrumentality of the very acts which appeared to place them beyond its reach, He underwent in 1815 the very fate to which, seven years before, he had consigned a hundred Spaniards at Madrid, guilty of no other crime than that of defending their country; and this, as Sir Archibald adds, by the application of a law to his own case which he himself had introduced to check the attempt of the Bourbons to regain a throne which he had usurped. (Francis Jacox.)
God a good paymaster
A boy, hearing the Rev. J. Wesley preach, cheerfully put a shilling on the plate. Twenty years afterwards the boy told Mr. Wesley that God was a good paymaster; for he was then worth 20,000, and had the grace of God in his heart. (Sunday School Treasury.)
Happiness in doing good
Alexander, the Emperor, was one day out hunting; and hating gone ahead of his suite, he fancied he heard a groan; the groan pierced his heart; he alighted on the spot, looked around him, and found a poor man at the point of death. He bent over him, chafed his temples; excited the poor man, or tried to do so; he went by a public road, and called the attention of a surgeon to the case of the poor man. Oh! said the surgeon, he is dead; he is dead. Try what you can do, said Alexander. The surgeon adopted a set of experimental processes at the command of the emperor; and at last a drop of blood appeared. At the mouth of the opened vein there was suction; respiration was forming in the chest of the man. Alexanders eyes flashed fire, and he said Oh! this is the happiest day of my life; I have saved another mans life! What said another great man among ourselves–Lord Eldon? In a letter to his sister, which he wrote in his old age, he says–It was my duty, as Lord Chancellor, to listen to the record of the sentences passed by the Recorder of the City of London. It used to be a formal thing, when the sentences of death were read over, that the chancellor should give his assent; but I determined after the first time that I would go into each case, and have each case clearly and distinctly stated. It used to give me a great deal of trouble in addition to all my other duties; but the consequence of this was, that I saved the lives of several persons. I say, do good in the cause of truth and righteousness, and you will promote your own honour and happiness; and when the eye sees you it will bless you, and when the ear hears you it will bear witness to you. (J. Beaumont.)
The naturalness of giving
If we view this microcosm, the human body, we shall find that the heart does not receive the blood to store it up, but while it pumps it in at one valve, it sends it forth at another. The blood is always circulating everywhere, and is stagnant nowhere; the same is true of all the fluids in a healthy body; they are in a constant state of expenditure.
If one cell stores up for a few moments its peculiar secretion, it only retains it till it is perfectly fitted for its appointed use in the body; for if any cell in the body should begin to store up its secretion, its store would soon become the cause of inveterate disease; nay, the organ would soon lose the power to secrete at all, if it did not give forth its products. The whole of the human system lives by giving. The eye cannot say to the foot, I have no need of thee, and will not guide thee; for if it does not perform its watchful office, the whole man will be in the ditch, and the eye will be covered with mire. If the members refuse to contribute to the general stock, the whole body will become poverty-stricken, and be given up to the bankruptcy of death. Let us learn, then, from the analogy of nature, the great lesson, that to get, we must give; that to accumulate, we must scatter; that to make ourselves happy, we must make others happy; and that to get good and become spiritually vigorous, we must do good, and seek the spiritual good of others. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Reward of effort for others
A traveller, ready to perish amid the snows of the Alps, meets a fellow-traveller in worse condition than himself. He puts forth every effort to save him, and is rewarded by the life of his fellow, and by new warmth and life in his own freezing limbs.
Benefits of liberality
I never prospered more in my small estate than when I gave most and needed least. My own rule hath been, first, to contrive to need myself as little as may be, and lay out none on need-nots, but to bye frugally on a little; second, to serve God in my place, upon that competency which He allowed me to myself, that what I had myself might be as good a work for common good as that which I gave to others; and, third, to do all the good I could with the rest, preferring the most public and the most durable object, and the nearest. And the more I have practised this, the more I have had to do it with; and, when I gave almost all, more came in (without anys gift), I scarce knew how, at least unexpected: but when by improvidence I have cast myself into necessities of using more upon myself, or upon things in themselves of less importance, I have prospered much less than when I did otherwise. And when I had contented myself to devote that stock which I had gotten to charitable uses after my death, instead of laying out at present, that so I might secure somewhat for myself while I lived, in probability all that is like to be lost; whereas, when I took that present opportunity, and trusted God for the time to come, I wanted nothing, and lost nothing. (Richard Baxter.)
The liberal man is always rich
In defiance of all the torture, of all the might, of all the malice of the world, the liberal man will ever be rich; for Gods providence is his estate, Gods wisdom and power are his defence, Gods love and favour are his reward, and Gods Word is his security. (Isaac Barrow, D. D.)
The reward of giving
I. AS TO TEMPORAL THINGS.
1. A good conscience. Sometimes the requital of a mans openheartedness, and the readiness with which he has bestowed of what he has upon others, is furnished to him in the feelings of his own heart; and he herein gains a rich, abundant, and blessed recompense. Labour may have been sweet to him; he may have been willing to toil on, as he was gradually making progress to his object; success has been full of delight, as he gradually mastered difficulties, and looking back upon the way which he had passed, found how he had climbed to heights, to which his youthful ambition hardly dared to aspire. But neither is labour so sweet, nor its most successful results so delightful, as when a man whom God has prospered in his getting, has the heart readily and liberally to bestow. When he has gone to the habitations of the poor, when he has stood by the bedside of the sick, when he has ministered to those human necessities which fell within the compass of his ability to remove, then there has been in his own soul a far better requital for his expenditure, than if he had bestowed his money in any other possible way,
2. Gratitude of those benefited. The most prosperous man, the man to whom in Gods providence there seems to be a larger than usual amount of success appointed, has no security; he cannot tell what a year, or even a day, may bring forth. His fortune may be laid in the dust; his riches may make themselves wings; he may be reduced lower even than he was at his starting-place. Be it so; God has not forgotten him. Then will come the very especial occasion on which he will prove, by his own individual instance, that the promise of the text is true. When he possessed much, he gave liberally; he was the friend of all who were in necessity; he turned no deaf ear to the supplications of the desolate; he was not inaccessible to the sons and daughters of sorrow; and in his own day of disaster, many a heart and many a hand are open to him. For whom is it, that a whole neighbourhood are anxious? For whose affliction is it that all are concerned? For whose renovated fortunes are all deeply anxious? Is it not the man who, when he was in other circumstances, held himself the steward of God, and because he possessed all things in charge, used them as one who had to give account. Perhaps it may be that even his temporal condition is restored; but, whether that be so or not, does he not gain a most blessed return for all his charges and all his labour, in that there are hearts which feel for him, and friends who sympathise deeply with him, and those in whose prayers he knows that he has a place?
II. IN SPIRITUAL THINGS. Application to devoted preachers of the gospel, missionaries, &c. Also to parents who have brought up their children conscientiously. Our own portion in heaven will be all the more blessed, because of its being shared with those to whom on earth we were helpers. (S. Robins, M. A.)
The gift and its return
The New Testament is full of the idea of a natural and necessary reciprocity between man and the things by which he is surrounded (Gal 6:7; 2Co 9:6). The world seems to be a great field in which every man drops his seed, and which gives back to every man, not just the same thing which he dropped there, any more than the brown earth holds up to you in the autumn the same black berry which you hid under its bosom in the spring, but something which has its true correspondence and proportion to the seed to which it is the legitimate and natural reply. Every gift has its return, every act has its consequence, every call has its answer in this great live, alert world, where man stands central, and all things have their eyes on him and their ears open to his voice. (Phillips Brooks, D. D.)
The law of reciprocity
It is a law of vast extent and wonderful exactness. The world is far more orderly than we believe; a deeper and a truer justice runs through it than we imagine. We all go about calling ourselves victims, discoursing on the cruel world, and wondering that it should treat us so, when really we are only meeting the rebound of our own lives. What we have been to things about us has made it necessary that they should be this to us. As we have given ourselves to them, so they have given themselves to us.
1. Even with mans relations to the material earth the law is true. What different things she is to all of us, this earth we live in I Why is it that one man laughs at anothers view about the earth, and thinks him mad because of some strange value that he places on it? Three men stand in the same field and look around them: and then they all cry out together. One of them exclaims, How rich! another cries, How strange! another cries, How beautiful! and then the three divide the field between them, and they build their houses there; and in a year you come back and see what answer the same earth has made to each of her three questioners. They have all talked with the ground on which they lived, and heard its answers. They have all held out their several hands, and the same ground has put its own gift into each of them. What have they got to show you? One cries, Come here and see my barn; another cries, Come here and see my museum; the other says, Let me read you my poem. That is a picture of the way in which a generation or the race takes the great earth and makes it different things to all its children. With what measure we mete to it, it measures to us again.
2. The same law holds good with regard to our relations to the world of men. What does it mean, that one man cannot go among any kind of men, however base and low, without getting happiness and good; while another man cannot go into the midst of the noblest and sweetest company without bringing out misery and despair and sin? Here are Jesus and Judas: both go and give themselves to the Pharisees; both stand in the Pharisees presence and hear what they have to say. To Jesus these Pharisees give back in return every day a deeper consciousness of His own wondrous nature, a devouter consecration to His Father, and a more earnest pity for them. To Judas they give only blacker dreams of treason, a falser disregard of friendship and loyalty and honour. Take two boys in a class at college; two clerks in a shop in town. It is not good when either of them is made cynical, and sneers at the possibility of virtue because of the vice which he has felt in its contamination at his side. The true soul, with a character of its own, will learn the possibility of being good from his own consciousness, all the more strongly because of the vice that touches him. No soul, bad in itself, can really learn the possibility of goodness by mere sight and touch even of a world of saints, and no soul really good can lose the noble consciousness that man was made for goodness, even though all the world but him is steeped in wickedness, nay, in subtle ways he will feed that consciousness there.
3. The same law applies to the truths which men believe, or the causes for which they labour. Generous or stingy, large-idead or small-idead, appreciative or unappreciative of other occupations than your own; these things you will be, not invariably according to the kind of trade you are engaged in, but distinctively according to the kind of manhood which you put into your trade. And so with creeds. A creed must fill a mans character before it really takes possession of his mind, as the ocean has to fill a vessel with its water before it can swallow it up into its depth. You cannot finally judge men by their creeds. A man may hold the most spiritual doctrine, and be carnal and mercenary; a man may hold the broadest truth, and be a bigot; and, on the other hand, all our religious history bears witness that a man may hold hard crude, narrow doctrine, and yet gather out of his belief in it rich, warm, sweet holiness which men and God must love.
4. I turn to one more illustration of the working of our law–the highest, the completest of them all. It is the gift of oneself to Jesus. There are different measures in which men give themselves to Christ, and Christ despises none of them; but in different measures He again is compelled to give Himself back to them. See how they come! One man approaches the Divine Redeemer asking no Divine redemption, but touched and fascinated by the beauty of that perfect life. He would feed his wonder, he would cultivate his taste, upon it. To him Jesus gives what he asks, and with delighted wonder and with cultivated taste the satisfied asker goes away. It is as if a man painted a mountain for its picturesqueness, and carried off his picture in delight, never dreaming that he left behind him in the mountains bosom treasures of gold which only waited for his hand to gather them. Another man comes to Jesus with a self that is all alive with curiosity. He takes Christs revelations–for Christ does not refuse him either–and goes away content to know much of God and man, and what there is beyond this world. Another man comes to Jesus with a self all trembling with fear, all eager for safety, and Jesus satisfies him; He lets him know that even the humblest, and most ignorant, and least aspiring soul, which repents of and forsakes its sin, and seeks forgiveness, shall not be lost. Each gets from Jesus that which the nature which he brings can take. With what measure each gives himself to the Saviour, the Saviour gives Himself in His salvation back to each. Only when at last there comes a man with his self all open, with door behind door, back into the most secret chambers, all unclosed, ready to give himself entirely, wanting everything, ready to take everything that Jesus has to give, wanting and ready to take the whole of Jesus into the whole of himself, only then are the last gates withdrawn; and as when the ocean gathers itself up and enters with its tide the open mouth of the river, like a conqueror riding into a surrendered town, so does the Lord in all His richness, with His perfect standards, His mighty motives, His infinite hopes, give Himself to the soul which has been utterly given to Him. It is not enough that Christ should stand ready to give us His blessings. He must give us the nature to which those blessings can be given. What we want of Him is not merely His gifts; it is ourselves; He must give us them first. To them only can He give Himself, which is His perfect gift. Not merely with outstretched hands but with open hearts we must stand before Him. We must pray not merely that the kingdom of heaven may come, but that we may be born again, so that we may see it. (Phillips Brooks, D. D. )
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 38. Give, and it shall be given] “Christian charity will make no difficulty in giving that which eternal truth promises to restore. Let us give, neither out of mere human generosity, nor out of vanity, nor from interest, but for the sake of God, if we would have him place it to account. There is no such thing as true unmixed generosity but in God only; because there is none but him who receives no advantage from his gifts, and because he engages himself to pay these debts of his creatures with an excessive interest. So great is the goodness of God, that, when he might have absolutely commanded us to give to our neighbour, he vouchsafes to invite us to this duty by the prospect of a reward, and to impute that to us as a desert which he has a right to exact of us by the title of his sovereignty over our persons and estates.”
Men live in such a state of social union as renders mutual help necessary; and, as self-interest, pride, and other corrupt passions mingle themselves ordinarily in their commerce, they cannot fail of offending one another. In civil society men must, in order to taste a little tranquillity, resolve to bear something from their neighbours; they must suffer, pardon, and give up many things; without doing which they must live in such a state of continual agitation as will render life itself insupportable. Without this giving and forgiving spirit there will be nothing in civil society, and even in Christian congregations, but divisions, evil surmisings, injurious discourses, outrages, anger, vengeance, and, in a word, a total dissolution of the mystical body of Christ. Thus our interest in both worlds calls loudly upon us to GIVE and to FORGIVE.
Bosom.] , or lap. Almost all ancient nations wore long, wide, and loose garments; and when about to carry any thing which their hands could not contain, they used a fold of their robe in nearly the same way as women here use their aprons. The phrase is continually occurring in the best and purest Greek writers. The following example from Herodotus, b. vi., may suffice to show the propriety of the interpretation given above, and to expose the ridiculous nature of covetousness. “When Croesus had promised to Alcmaeon as much gold as he could carry about his body at once, in order to improve the king’s liberality to the best advantage, he put on a very wide tunic, ( ,) leaving a great space in the BOSOM, , and drew on the largest buskins he could find. Being conducted to the treasury, he sat down on a great heap of gold, and first filled the buskins about his legs with as much gold as they could contain, and, having filled his whole BOSOM, , loaded his hair with ingots, and put several pieces in his mouth, he walked out of the treasury, c.” What a ridiculous figure must this poor sinner have cut, thus heavy laden with gold, and the love of money! See many other examples in Kypke and Raphelius. See also Ps 129:7; Pr 6:27; Pr 17:23.
The same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again.] The same words we find in the Jerusalem Targum on Ge 38:26. Our Lord therefore lays down a maxim which themselves allowed.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
To let us know how God favoureth acts of charity and justice we shall observe, that there are no good deeds that God so rewardeth by retaliation, as such which are the products of these habits; nor any sins which God so punishes by way of retaliation, as sins contrary to these, especially such as are more eminently contrary. This verse speaks of acts of charity.
Give, and it shall be given unto you, and that not bare measure, but
good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over. Nothing can more concur to make good measure, than the shaking of the bushel, the crowding and pressing down of the corn or meal with the hand, and the pouring in till the measure runneth over. So as that which is here promised, is a plentiful reward to charitable and merciful actions, either from the hand of God more mediately, God stirring up others to be as kind to us as we are to others; or more immediately, himself blessing us by his unexpected providential dispensations: to this purpose are abundance of scriptures, Deu 24:19; Psa 41:1-3; Pro 11:25; 28:27; 2Co 9:6. If men will not be so just as to requite the good which their brethren have done them, having it in their power, yet God will be faithful to his promises, and by his providence take care that those who have done acts of mercy, not in a mere commiseration to human condition, but in a just obedience to his will, shall not lose by what they have done; they shall be rewarded fully and plentifully, finding again (though it may be after many days) the bread which they have cast upon the waters, according to his command.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Give, and it shall be given unto you,…. Give liberally of your worldly substance to indigent persons, as you have an opportunity, according to your ability, and as cases require: and it shall be returned again to great advantage; with great recompense, either in temporals or spirituals, or both:
good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. The allusion is to dry measure among the Jews, for to liquids, the terms used will not agree; and which, though right and full, which is here called good measure, they thrust and pressed to make it hold more; and shook it also for the same purpose, and then heaped it up as much as they could, till it fell over: of all these methods used in measuring, we have instances in their writings; which may serve to illustrate this passage: it is said of a one, that
“he measured, , “with measure pressed down”; and therefore they measured to him, with measure pressed down.”
Some of their measures they heaped, and some they did not: they say b;
“all the measures which were in the sanctuary, “were heaped”, except the high priest’s, and his heap was contained in it.”
And elsewhere they observe c that
“there were two decimaries (or tithing vessels) in the sanctuary, one was , “heaped”, and the other was , “stricken”: with that which was heaped they measured all the fine flour for the meat offerings, and with the stricken, that which was for the cakes of the high priest.”
With respect to this distinction of measures, they say it is a tradition of the Rabbins d, that they do not “strike” in the place where
“they “heap”, nor heap in the place where, they strike.”
Between these two measures there was another, which was full measure and just, and right, without heaping or striking e, R. Papa inquired, whether the handful
“(of sweet incense the high priest took on the day of atonement) which is spoken of Le 16:12 was of “stricken” or “heaped” measure; R. Abba said to R. Ase, come, hear, the handful spoken of, is neither of stricken nor heaped measure, , “but of equal measure”;”
sufficiently full, and no more. Dr. Lightfoot reads it, , “flowing over”; by what authority I cannot say; though the gloss says, the word signifies,
“flowing over, by reason of its height,”
But flowing or running over measure, was the same with that which was heaped, as appears from the following instance f:
“all those that “cause to abound”, or run over with the great “measure”, it is lawful for them to sell that, of which it is doubted whether it has been tithed or not; and these are they, that “cause to run over”, or “heap” with the great measure, as corn factors and fruiterers.”
Who buy corn and fruits to sell again, and which they buy by the large measure, and fill it up, add unto it, and heap it up; and so get more than what is properly due unto them, as the commentators observe g: would you know the quantity of the heap, or that which ran over, or the difference between even measure, and that which was heaped, learn, it from hence: in 1Ki 7:26 it is said, the molten sea held two thousand baths, and in 2Ch 4:5 three thousand baths; which difficulty the Jewish writers solve this way, by observing, that the former text is to be understood of liquid measure, and the latter of dry measure, which was heaped: hence says R. Abai, we learn that, , “the heap is the third part” of the measure h: now to this superabundant measure, Christ here refers; and signifies, that a large compensation should be made to such, who give liberally and generously to needy persons; that as they abounded in their acts of beneficence, so an overflowing plenty of good things should be returned to them: and when he says, that this should be “given into their bosom”, he alludes to the long and large garments the Jews wore, into which they were capable of receiving large lapfuls of good things: the words may be read impersonally, “shall be given into your bosom”; or if personally, they may be understood of God, angels, and men, in different senses: the phrase “shaken together”, is not in the Syriac and Persic versions: “for with the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again”; a common proverb with the Jews:
[See comments on Mt 7:2].
a T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 107. 2. T. Hieros. Yebamot, fol. 13. 3. b Misn. Menachot, c. 9. sect. 5. c T. Bab. Menachot, fol. 37. 1, 2. d T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 89. 1. e T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 48. 1. f Misn. Demai, c. 2. sect. 4. g Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. h T. Bab. Erubin, fol. 14. 2. Vid Targum, Jarchi, Kimchi, & R. Levi ben Getshorn, in 1 Kings vii. 26. Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 11. fol. 204. 3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Pressed down (). Perfect passive participle from , old verb, but here alone in the N.T., though the Doric form , to seize, occurs several times (John 7:30; John 7:32; John 7:44).
Shaken together (). Perfect passive participle again from common verb .
Running over (). Present middle participle of this double compound verb not found elsewhere save in A Q in Joe 2:24. is a late form of . There is asyndeton here, no conjunction connecting these participles. The present here is in contrast to the two preceding perfects. The participles form an epexegesis or explanation of the “good measure” ( ). Into your bosom ( ). The fold of the wide upper garment bound by the girdle made a pocket in common use (Exod 4:6; Prov 6:27; Ps 79:12; Isa 65:6; Jer 32:18). So Isa 65:7:
I will measure their former work unto their bosom. Shall be measured to you again (). Future passive indicative of the verb here only in the N.T. save late MSS. in Mt 7:2. Even here some MSS. have . The has the common meaning of in turn or back, measured back to you in requital.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Pressed down [] . Only here in New Testament. A common medical term for pressing strongly on a part of the body, and opposed to yauein, to touch gently.
Shaken together, running over. Bengel says, “Pressed down, as dry articles; shaken together, as soft goods; running over, as liquids.” But this is fanciful and incorrect. The allusion in every case is to a dry measure; and the climax in the three participles would be destroyed by Bengel’s interpretation.
Bosom [ ] . The gathered fold of the wide upper garment, bound together with the girdle, and thus forming a pouch. In the Eastern markets at this day vendors may be seen pouring the contents of a measure into the bosom of a purchaser. In Rut 3:15, Boaz says to Ruth, “Bring the vail (the mantle, so Rev., Old Testament), that thou hast upon thee, and hold it (hold it open) : and he measured six measures of barley into it.” Compare Isa 65:7, ” I will measure their former work into their bosom; also Jer 32:18. In Act 27:39, the word is used of a bay in a beach, forming a bend in the land like the hollow of a robe. Similarly, the Latin sinus means both the hanging, baggy bosom of a robe and a bay.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Give and it shall be given unto you,” (didote kai dothesetai) “You all give, (dole out) and it will be given (doled out) to you,” in response, Pro 28:27, so that the giver will not lack, Pro 19:17.
2) “Good measure, pressed down,” (metron kalon pepiesmenon) “In an ideal measure that has been pressed down,” a figure used regarding an honest measure of repayment or sale of corn, grain, or produce, in more than full return measure.
3) “And the shaken together, and running over,” (sesaleumenon huperekchunnominon) “Well shaken together, and running over,” a repayment or sale of gratitude and complete honesty.
4) “Shall men give into your bosom.” (dosousin eis ton kolpon humon) “They will give into your bosom,” or lap, or entrust to your care. The loose folds above the girdle served as a pocket, 2Co 8:1-2.
5) “For with the same measure that ye mete,” (ho gar metro metreite) “For in whatever kind of measure that you all measure,” or mete out to others, based on the word of Christ in this matter, Luk 6:27-38.
6) “Withal it shall be measured to you again.” (antimetrethesetai humin) “It will be measured to you in return,” Gal 6:8.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(38) Good measure, pressed down.The imagery clearly points to a measure of grain, so pressed and shaken that it could hold no more.
Into your bosom.The large fold of an Eastern dress over the chest, often used as a pocket.
With the same measure that ye mete.See Notes on Mat. 7:2, Mar. 4:24, for the varied applications of the proverb.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
“Give, and it shall be given to you,
Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom.
For with what measure you mete,
It shall be measured to you again.”
So those who are His are now called on to give freely and abundantly. The idea here, as earlier, is that as we give God, will give to us. Indeed we are promised that He will not only give in accordance with how we give, but even much more munificently. As we reveal ourselves to be His children by our generosity, so will He pour on us His gifts. He will not be stinting. He will give us good measure. And then He will press it down and shake the container so that there is more room in it so that He can give more. Then He will pour in His gifts until they run over. ‘They shall give into your bosom.’ The ‘they’ is probably a Hebraism referring to God as being expressed in the plural (as with the ‘us’ in Gen 1:26). ‘Into your bosom’ refers to the fold in the garment where it hung over the girdle, which could be used like a pocket. It is saying that God will fill our pockets to overflowing! (It should be noted that the illustration is totally Palestinian).
Or the ‘they’ may mean that by moving the hearts of others to give to us (‘they’), God will ensure that we receive more abundantly than we give, not necessarily monetarily. We will receive our gifts in terms of abundant fellowship with God’s people, in terms of gratitude and our own warmness of heart. But the overall idea is that the way we measure our giving (whether stingily or generously) will be the measure according to which God gives to us.
Distinguishing The Genuine From The Fake (Luk 6:39-49).
Luke now draws attention to a break in the sermon. It may be that this indicates that what follows was spoken at another time, or it may have been simply in order to draw attention to the fact that, after the seriousness of what He has been saying in very practical terms, his following words are not to be taken literally but as parabolic. The connection between what follows and what has gone before is simple. Having given His teaching concerning the life of love Jesus now warns them not to be diverted from it, either by blind guides or by disobedience. The blind guides emphasise religious ritual. They prefer ‘sacrifice’ to ‘mercy’ (compare Mat 9:13; Mat 12:7). Those who follow them will fail in their walk and stumble. Others simply do not carry out what they have heard. But they will if their hearts are true. We could have headed this next section, “Don’t just talk about it, do it!”
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Generosity That Should Result From This Kind of Love And The Assurance of God’s Reciprocal Generosity (6:38-40).
q
r Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom (Luk 6:38 b).
r For with what measure you mete (Luk 6:38 c),
q It shall be measured to you again (38d).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 6:38. Good measure, &c. Our Lord makes use of three phrases to express all the different kinds of good measure, according to the different natures of the things measured. Some of them, to make the measure good, must be pressed and trodden; some of them must be shaken, as the several kinds of grain; and some of them must be running over, as all sorts of liquors. The figure of giving this good measure into one’s bosom, is an allusion to the eastern habits, which were long pieces of cloth wrapped round their bodies, and girded up with a girdle. Their garments being of this kind, they could receive into their lap or bosom, a considerable quantity of such dry goods as they sold by measure. See Rth 3:15. 2Ki 4:39. Neh 5:13. Pro 16:33.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Ver. 38. Into your bosom ] The Jews wore large and loose garments, so that they could bear away much in their bosoms. Hence this expression.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
38. ] The similitude is taken from a very full measure of some dry thing such as corn. That no liquid is intended by ., as Bengel supposes, is evident for the three present participles all apply to the same . . and form a climax.
] The subject of this verb answers to the unexpressed agents of ; such agents being indefinite, and the meaning thereby rendered solemn and emphatic: see on ch. Luk 12:20 . If we are to find a nom., it should be the Angels , who are in this matter the ministers of the divine purposes (so Meyer).
This saying is found with a totally different import Mar 4:24 ; one of the many instances how the Lord turned about, so to speak, the Light of Truth contained in His declarations, so as to shine upon different departments of life and thought.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 6:38 . : this form of mercy is suggested by Mat 7:2 , , etc.: be giving, implying a constant habit, and therefore a generous nature. , good, generous measure; these words and those which follow apply to man’s giving as well as to the recompense with which the generous giver shall be rewarded. , etc., pressed down, shaken, and overflowing; graphic epexegesis of good measure, all the terms applicable to dry goods, e.g. , grain. Bengel takes the first as referring to dry ( in aridis ), the second to soft ( in mollibus ), the third to liquids ( in liquidis ). : probably the loose bosom of the upper robe gathered in at the waist, useful for carrying things (De Wette, Holtz., H. C., al. ). It is implied that God gives so, e.g. , “plenteous redemption” (Psa 130:7 ).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
men = [they] the professional measurers. mete. Anglo-Saxon = to measure.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
38.] The similitude is taken from a very full measure of some dry thing such as corn. That no liquid is intended by ., as Bengel supposes, is evident-for the three present participles all apply to the same . . and form a climax.
] The subject of this verb answers to the unexpressed agents of ; such agents being indefinite, and the meaning thereby rendered solemn and emphatic: see on ch. Luk 12:20. If we are to find a nom., it should be the Angels, who are in this matter the ministers of the divine purposes (so Meyer).
This saying is found with a totally different import Mar 4:24; one of the many instances how the Lord turned about, so to speak, the Light of Truth contained in His declarations, so as to shine upon different departments of life and thought.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 6:38. , good) in the quality, or even in the quantity, of those things, which are estimated by weight, number, or other means of measuring.-, pressed down) in the case of dry goods.-, shaken together) in the case of soft goods.-, flowing over) in the case of liquids.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Give
See, Pro 28:27 (See Scofield “2Co 8:1”)
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
and it: Luk 6:30, Deu 15:10, Ezr 7:27, Ezr 7:28, Job 31:16-20, Job 42:11, Pro 3:9, Pro 3:10, Pro 10:22, Pro 19:17, Pro 22:9, Ecc 11:1, Ecc 11:2, Mat 10:42, 2Co 8:14, 2Co 8:15, 2Co 9:6-8, Phi 4:17-19
bosom: Psa 79:12
with: Deu 19:16-21, Jdg 1:7, Est 7:10, Est 9:25, Psa 18:25, Psa 18:26, Psa 41:1, Psa 41:2, Mat 7:2, Mar 4:24, Jam 2:13, Rev 16:5, Rev 16:6
Reciprocal: Exo 21:24 – General Exo 22:24 – your wives Deu 24:19 – may bless 2Sa 19:36 – the king 2Ch 16:12 – diseased Psa 109:12 – none Pro 11:17 – merciful Pro 11:24 – that scattereth Jer 34:17 – behold Mat 18:35 – do
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
JUDGMENT
For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Luk 6:38
I. Gods judgment.Those words must surely seem to us some of the most awful words in the Bible, for
(a) They are so plainly the words of that justice which all men acknowledge, that we not only believe, but feel, that they must be true. If we believe in a Judgment at all, then we must look to be dealt with in the same spirit, by the same measures, according to the truth and generosity which we have shown, when it was our turn to show mercy, to pass opinion, to help and share and give. Can any imagine that they may deal with men harshly, but that God ought to deal with themselves tenderly? This, then, is one thing that makes these words so awful, that we see for ourselves that it must be as they say. The other is that, while we feel the certainty of the law
(b) We cannot see how it will be carried out. It lies in the awful darkness of the time to come. All we know is that, some time or other, a mans deeds will be returned upon him, and he will find out what God his Maker and Judge thought of his dealings with his brethren by what happens to himself. And the fearful thing to think of is that, for the most part, this is to be in another worldwhere all things will be different; so much greater; for blessedness and for anguish; where what is to be, is to be for good, and for ever. It is there, for the most part, that this law will have its fulfilment.
II. Mans judgment.We must all judge often, and sometimes condemn. The sin is not in judging and condemning, but in doing so without reasoncarelessly, unjustlyfor the sake of condemning, condemning without mercy and without fear. In this case the same harsh and unsparing judgment awaits ourselves. Dare any one look back into his past and venture to say that he could endure the Judgment if, in Gods justice, what he measured to others was to be exactly measured to him again? Yet that is Gods rule. Can we hear of it and not tremble?
If there were nothing else to drive us to take refuge in Gods offers of mercy in Christ, surely this alone would be enough.
Dean Church.
(SECOND OUTLINE)
RECIPROCITY
The text gives us this lesson of reciprocity. If you put other people through the small sieve of criticism, you will be criticised yourself. If you pass harsh judgments upon others, look out! they will pass harsh judgments upon you. On the other hand, if you give, it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shall men give into your bosom.
I. Reciprocity in nature.Look on this law as regards nature. People say the world is very much what we make it ourselves. The way you face the world is the way in which the world will stand up and face you. You take a London child into the country and you think perhaps he will admire the beautiful stars. Oh, dear, no! He brings his ideas into the country, and he misses the lamps, and thinks the night hideously dark. The grown-ups go down to the seaside, and they go to the seaside to see life and fashion, and in a sense they see it. Others go to see the sea, which some never seem to notice, and that sea speaks to them of the things that lie beyond. One man goes to London to see the sights, and you take him to see Westminster Abbey because it is one of the sights. You go with an architect, and the architect is lifted up by the architecture of the old church. You take another to the Abbey, and the old church speaks to him of the old faith. It is what men take to the old church the old church speaks back to them.
II. Reciprocity among men.It is true even more of things concerning men. Some people treat all men as their enemies, and they become so. Others treat them as their friends, and they become so. One master will look upon his men, for instance, as regarding their productive capabilities; and the men reciprocate the view, for they look upon their master from a commercial interest, and the master tries to get all he possibly can out of the men, and the men try to get all they can out of their master. It is natural, and the old feudal idea of common interest between master and men has gone. But the philanthropist thinks differently. His interest is not position or possession, but his interest is in flesh and blood, and it is very soon reciprocated. Hear the cautionit is this: There must be reciprocal action. It must not be all give on the one side, and take on the other. This is the mistake people make. For instance, a father says to his boy, Take care you mix with good companions, thinking that if you mix with good companions it will make you good. If you mix with good companions it will not necessarily make you a good man. There must be the reciprocal action. The great instance, of course, is that of Judas. He mixed and lived with the Apostles and Christ, but it did not make him a good man. Ah, no! there was no reciprocal action. The very fact of the good company he kept made that man the traitor he was. It does sometimes happen that one does all one can for the other side, and there is no response. I know it. The poor wife does all she can for her husband, and he beats her. Then God takes up her cause, and returns the blessing. Hers is a heroic life, and God is on her side, make no mistake. He metes out to her.
III. Reciprocity in religion.This truth is most emphatically true as regarding religion. Some people look upon religion as an interesting psychological speculation, and it is so. I know no more interesting reading than a comparative view of the religions of the world. Some people come to church because they feel a void in their hearts. Hungry and thirsty, their soul faints in them. And theywhat do they find? Some are lifted up by the music; some find what they want in the ceremonial; others feel that the whole being of man needs sacrifice. It is they who feel the necessity of sacrifice and the joy of sacrifice who love to make a little sacrifice themselves.
God gives Himself to those who give themselves to Him. If we approach God with criticism in our hearts, the heavens above us are black with clouds, and we hear the muttering of the distant thunder. But if we look up to heaven through tears, the sky is full of summer sunshine, and from out eternity comes the old Gospel message, Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Rev. A. H. Stanton.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
8
Almost every rule has some exceptions, but usually if a man is kind and generous with others, they will remember him when he gets in need. That is the meaning of Pro 18:24 that has been erroneously applied to Christ. That passage is explained in volume 3 of the Old Testament Commentary. The phrases in our verse are figurative, drawn from the act of crowding out unnecessary space in measuring produce.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
[Good measure, pressed down, etc.] I. Concerning measures heaped up and stricken off; see Menacoth; folio 87: “R. Meir saith, It is said, a tenth, a tenth to every lamb. Whence is hinted, that there were decimaries [or tithing measures] in the Temple: one heaped up, the other stricken off. The heaped up was that by which they measured all their bread-corn for holy uses. That which was stricken off was that whereby they measured the cakes or the high priest’s loaves.” “All the measures in the Temple were heaped up; besides that of the high priests.” Now the Gloss, giving the reason why this was not heaped up as well as the other, tells us, “It was because he was to divide the flour into two tenths; if therefore the measure was heaped up; some of the fine flour would spill upon the ground as he moved it this way and that way in dividing it.”
“Rabh Papa asked, the filling of the priest’s hand whereof we have mention, was it by the measure stricken off or heaped up? R. Aba saith to Rabh Ishai, The filling of the priest’s hand, of which we have mention, was neither by the measures stricken off nor heaped up, but by measures floating over.”
II. Every one may observe that our evangelist in his repetition of this sermon upon the mount doth omit many things that are set down in St. Matthew; those especially that have relation to the dictates and glosses of the scribes and Pharisees about manslaughter, oaths, divorces, etc.; or their customs in their prayers, fasts, and alms, etc. Writing for the service of the Gentiles, he passeth over what respecteth the Jews.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
I think there is not one text of scripture that declares the bounty of God more fully in rewarding acts of charity and mercy than this before us. O how liberal a paymaster is God! How sure and bountiful are the returns Christ makes to us for the relief given to him in his members!
He promises us here, 1. Not bare measure but good measure.
2. Pressed down, shaken together, and running over; nothing adds more to the measure than the shaking of the bushel, the crowding and pressing of the corn, and heaping till the measure runs over: now a measure will run over as long as you will pour.
Learn hence, that charities done in faith, in obedience to God, and with an eye to the glory of God, will produce a certain and plentiful increase. Liberality is the way to riches; giving is the best and surest way of thriving. A little charity from us, if we have but a little, is looked upon by God as a great deal. But it is the greatest imprudence as well as impiety, to do but a little when we have the ability to do much; for he that sows bountifully shall reap bountifully: good measure, pressed down, and running over.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Verse 38
Mete; measure.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, {k} pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
(k) These are borrowed types of sayings, taken from those who used to measure dry things, as corn and such things, who do it in a rather forceful manner, and thrust it down and shake it together, and press it and put it into a pile.