Luke 6 Luke 6:1–5 Christ alleges Scripture in defence of his disciples plucking the ears of corn on the sabbath day. Luke 6:6–11 He appeals to reason, and healeth the withered hand on the sabbath. Luke 6:12–16 He spendeth the night in prayer, and chooseth the twelve apostles.

See Poole on “Matt. 12:1”, and following verses to Matt. 12:8, and See Poole on “Mark 2:23”, and following verses to Mark 2:28. There are several guesses what day is here meant, by the second sabbath after the first.

See Poole on “Matt. 12:10”, and following verses to Matt. 12:13, See Poole on “Mark 3:1”, and following verses to Mark 3:5. In both which places we met with the same history, and with some more circumstances.

Those who straining this text would interpret the words, εν τη προσευχη, for, the place of prayer, will be concerned to find us out that house of prayer which stood in this mountain, or to tell us where we shall find in holy writ any place but the temple so called, and why it should be said that he…

We have twice already met with these names of the twelve disciples, whom our Saviour called apostles, intending them not only to be with him, and to have a more special communion with him, but also to be sent out with power to preach, baptize, and to work miracles: See Poole on “Matt. 10:2–4”.

Such passages as these we meet with several times in the evangelists, who not writing a particular account of the several miracles wrought, or discourses made, by our Saviour, oftentimes they give us a general account of more than they particularly mention.

There are many that think that what Luke hath in these verses, and so to the end of this chapter, is but a shorter epitome of what Matthew hath in his 5th, 6th, and 7th chapters, and that both Matthew and Luke mean the same sermon preached at the same time.

Not because you are rich, but because you are not rich towards God, because you look upon your riches as your portion, as your consolation; or, you that are rich in the opinion of your own righteousness.

Our Saviour must be understood, either of those who are sinfully full, or at least such as are spiritually empty; those that are full are opposed to those that hunger.

A good report of all, even those that are without, is a desirable thing, and what all good men ought to labour for, both by avoiding any just occasion of their speaking ill of them, and by doing all the acts of kindness and charity that may commend religion to them.

We met also with a passage much like this in this verse, Matt. 5:39–40, the general sense of which was, as I then said, a prohibition of private revenge. It is therefore there prefaced in with a more general precept, Resist not evil.

Matthew hath much the same passage, only he saith, Give to him that, &c., not to every man that asketh of thee; and for the latter clause, he hath, from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away, which seems more agreeing to the precept. Deut. 15:8.

See Poole on “Matt. 7:12”. This is the law of nature the golden rule of all justice, and may also serve for a guide to us to expound the former verses, and some other precepts of charity in this chapter.

See Poole on “Matt. 5:46”. See Poole on “Matt. 5:47”. The strength of our Saviour’s argument lieth in this, That God expects that those who have received more grace and favour from God than others, and who make a higher profession than others, should do more in obedience to the positive commands of…

I know not how to agree, what I find many interpreters judging, that this text is a prohibition of usury. I should rather interpret it more largely, as a command for acts of mercy, with respect to the circumstances of persons, obliging us not to withhold a charitable hand, from our fear that if we…

See Poole on “Matt. 7:1”, See Poole on “Matt. 6:14”, where we have discoursed what private judgings are here forbidden, and what forgiving is here required.

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…

By a parable here is to be understood a proverbial saying, which hath some darkness in it, as being brought to express or signify more than the words naturally do express. Proverbial speeches are applicable to more things, and in more cases, than one.

This was another common saying, which our Saviour applies, Matt. 10:24, John 15:20, to comfort his disciples concerning their sufferings, because he was first in suffering: here he applies it to signify their duty in doing.

See Poole on “Matt. 7:3”, and following verses to Matt. 7:5.

See Poole on “Matt. 7:16”, and following verses to Matt. 7:20, Luke 6:43–44 are expounded in Luke 6:45. Men and women here (as in other texts of Scripture) are compared to trees, with respect to their root and fruit, and the dependence the fruit hath upon the root and the nature of the tree.

See Poole on “Matt. 7:24” and following verses to Matt. 7:27, where we before met with the same thing. The sum is, men’s hopes of salvation built upon any other but Christ alone, or built upon Christ without a sincere study and endeavour to keep the commandments of Christ, are vain hopes; and…