Luke 5-6

Introduction

Literary Compression & Telescoping

Literary compression is the broader, more general technique of condensing narrative material.

"In 2025, President Trump's second term brought significant policy changes. The federal workforce was reduced, AI development accelerated, and trade relations with China remained contentious."

In literary and historical writing, telescoping refers to when an author compresses or condenses events from different times into a single narrative sequence, making them appear more closely connected than they actually were chronologically.

"President Trump took office in January and immediately moved to reshape federal agencies, slashing government jobs while tech giants led by Elon Musk pushed deeper into AI development. As unemployment rose, the administration pivoted to tariff negotiations with China."

I bring this up because Luke uses both. We’re going to start going through the Gospel and Luke’s going to give us events in a way that makes them seem as if they happen one right after the other or they are more closely liked than they may be.

The point is to be careful to ask “what’s your point Luke?” Look for what Luke’s focusing on rather than reading it as a newspaper article showing us a timeline

Recap

From the moment John the Baptist leapt in Elizabeth’s womb at the voice of Mary and the nearness of the unborn Jesus, we ask is He a prophet

From the time he was 12, we were introduced to Jesus being at the synagogue “not only listening but asking questions”, so we ask if He’s more than a prophet but a teacher

Chapter 4 showed us the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus

Then we started to see His miracles in the casting out of a demon and the healing miracles and it’s our first glimpse that he’s more than a teacher

CHAPTER 5

Now in Chapter 5 we see those around him begin to see Him as “more than” with us

Luke 5:1 “1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,” (Sea of Galilee)

Jesus’ fame as a teacher is growing

The First Disciples

Jesus asks Simon Peter to take his boat out into deep water and cast his nets, Peter catches so many fish that the nets begin to break, showing Jesus's power

Luke 5:8–11 KJV

8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: 10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. 11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

Jesus calls the first disciples

The rest of Chapter 5 shows the power of Jesus in miracles but also brings us the authority of Jesus in performing them

Jesus Heals a Leper

Luke 5:12–13 KJV

12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

The man didn’t say “if you can” he knew Jesus could, his question was if Jesus would

Jesus Heals a Paralytic Let Down from the Roof

Levi the Tax Collector and Other Sinners Called

Luke 5:30–31 KJV

30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? 31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

Luke is showing us that it’s the needy, and not just the needy, but those that know it that Jesus is calling. People that think they’re healthy don’t go to the doctor. Even those of us that put off going again and again, when we get sick enough to KNOW we’re sick, and what’s more to know that time won’t be enough to heal us, to KNOW we need more help than we can get on our own, it’s then that we go to the doctor.

Luke 5:36–39 KJV

36 And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. 37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. 38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. 39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

The new ministry and kingdom Jesus is bringing does not fit with the old traditions of the past. It’s a NEW thing God is doing. The fact of the matter is Jesus is breaking old traditions with the NEW grace of God he brings. It can’t just be added to the old practices.

In doing that, there would be plenty who like the old traditions and refuse to embrace the new grace

CHAPTER 6

Lord of the Sabbath

In Luke 6:1-16, Jesus and his disciples pick grain on the Sabbath, and when the Pharisees criticize them, Jesus defends their actions by pointing to David eating the holy bread and declaring himself "Lord of the Sabbath."

Christ rules over not only their man-made sabbath rules but also over the Sabbath itself, which was designed for worshiping God.

Jesus Heals a Man on the Sabbath

He then heals a man with a withered hand on another Sabbath, angering the religious leaders who were watching to accuse him of breaking the Sabbath Law and are filled with rage against Him.

Jesus is claiming deity, and His claim prompts the Pharisees’ violent outrage

Jesus Appoints the Twelve

After spending all night praying on a mountain, Jesus chooses twelve of his followers to be his apostles, including Peter, James, John, and the others who would become his closest companions.

Sermon on the Plain

Luke 6:17-49 is Luke’s version of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew

Called Sermon on the Plain in Luke: Luke 6:17 “17 And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;”

The Beatitudes (condensed version of Matthew)

Luke 6:20–23 KJV

20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. 22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. 23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

4 blessings; blessed refers to one who is the object of grace and is happy because of it. These blessings are an invitation to let God make us, his children into who we ought to be!

spiritually impoverished, those that hunger for righteousness, those crying for help, and those that are persecuted for Jesus sake

Jesus Pronounces Woes

Luke 6:24–26 KJV

24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. 25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. 26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Woes to balance; promises for those who enter into grace humbly, and warning of judgment for those who don’t.

These are the rewards for those who don’t admit their need and rely on themselves for salvation

Love Your Enemies

Luke 6:27–36 KJV

27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. 29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also. 30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. 33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. 34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

What’s love in our culture?

For many it’s like an electric charge: either the zap of the feeling is there or it is not.

For others love is an arrangement, almost like a contract, sometimes voluntary, other times just the circumstances

Both of these focus on ourselves. Love for family can grow or shrink based on what family is doing for us

Marriage today is seen as this kind of contractual love. As long as the contract works and the zap is present, the arrangement is on. But when the feelings gone many today say “so am I”

What Jesus is saying here is how much more than those love really is!

Jesus tells us that the only way to know love is to be loved by God first, then let that love be the model for how we love others

If you go down the list here, every one of those Jesus is telling us to love are acting toward us the same way we acted toward God

We are called to give twice as much as we get because God showed us infinitely more love in Jesus than we showed Him!

Do Not Judge

Luke 6:37–45 KJV

37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 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. 39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? 40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. 41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye. 43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

What is mercy?

We see it by how forgiveness is related to judgement

Jesus on judgement:

First, the measure we use to judge others is the standard that will be applied to us. Negatively, Jesus says we should not judge or condemn people, not our job and we aren’t qualified. Positively, we are to forgive and give generously.

Jesus illustrates that generosity with the everyday example of measuring out grain for purchase.

The seller would take a measuring container and pour the grain in it. After getting it about three-quarters full, he would shake it to level out the grain so more could be put in.

The goal was to get as much in the measure as possible.

In the same way God promises to give grace abundantly to those who are gracious.

Second, being merciful means being quick to restore people after they fall

Mercy don’t gloat over sin or take pleasure in pointing it out; it roots for the sinner to find a way home to Jesus and being whole again and not broken

Jesus doesn’t tell us to close our eyes to sin. Being merciful does not mean suspending moral judgment and responsibility. But we are not to hold judgment against the person in a way that makes it impossible for them to do anything for God and Kingdom

Jesus then gives us importance of choosing the right teacher and being careful to see ourself before we criticize others! And producing the right kind of fruit.

Build Your House on the Rock

Luke 6:46–49 KJV

46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Luke finishes with showing us Jesus telling us how important it is to choose who we are listening to and learning from wisely, since we become like them.

To build solidly on a firm foundation, follow the teaching of those who teach God’s Word, not tradition or feelings!

Conclusion

Jesus preaches promise-judgment in the beatitudes and woes.

He calls on disciples to love in imitation of their Father in heaven.

He warns them to follow him as teacher and watch their step when they criticize others.

He calls on disciples to be faithful and obedient, because that is the path of wisdom, endurance and strength.

The product of the life reflects the heart’s true nature. Spiritual strength grows out of obeying the Lord Jesus.