Luke 6:38a (2)

38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.

Author: Luke

Context:

This writen as a chronological gospel account of Jesus Christ for the gentile believer Theophilus(relatively a new believer), Luke’s overarching intent was to proclaim Jesus Christ as the all-sufficient and almighty Savior of the world

Context of the immediate text:

In the context of Luke 6:27-42 we will see that the author Luke was trying to emphasis here a spiritual reality in the teachings of Jesus Christ when he arranged this passages in order together as a large chunk of passage in the sermon at the mount.

Love Your Enemies 27-36 ( Jesus teaching His followers what Godly love looks like )

Judging Others 37-42 ( Jesus teaching His disciples how to respond in the abundance of God’s forgiveness)

A Tree and Its Fruit 43-45 (No one can fake it!)

Short exegesis:

Jesus teaching His disciples how to respond in the abundance of God’s forgiveness

The terminology “pressed down, shaken together” described the measuring practice of a generous merchant in Bible times. In the original Greek, the word translated as “pressed down” (piezomai) means “to be or become compacted by downward force or pressure.” “Shaken together” (saleuomai) denotes the process of agitating an ingredient in a back-and-forth motion until it becomes tightly packed and settled.

For example, an open-handed seller of barley grain would pour his grain into a measuring jar or basket, then press it down and shake it together to maximize the space. He would do this until the grain overflowed, ensuring the full grain volume would be given. The contents were then spilled into the recipient’s lap, who folded his outer garment like a pocket and used it to transport the grain

Clarifications on the passage:

This is not about material and monetary gain but how we should judge and forgive the way the Lord has judged and forgiven us.

Gospel Connection:

Luke 6:37–38 reveals the gospel’s central dynamic: disciples mirror God’s prior mercy toward them. The passage’s reciprocal principle—judge not, forgive, give—finds its foundation in God’s redemptive action, not human achievement.

God demonstrated his love by sending Christ to die for humanity while they were still sinners (Rom 5:8), establishing that mercy precedes any human response. People love because God loved first (1 John 4:19), meaning the capacity to forgive and give flows from having received unmerited grace. This connection transforms Luke 6:37–38 from a bare ethical command into a gospel imperative: disciples who have been forgiven lavishly must become conduits of that same forgiveness.

Reminder:

We Give Forgiveness Generously for We Gain it in the Gospel Abundantly

does it mean we do not point out what is sinful and wrong in this world? No!

we point what is sinful and wrong for we promote and reflect the righteoussnes of our God but instead of giving them the eternal weight of God’s judgement(Which is Chrit’s alone), we point them to the One who has forgiven our sins and that is jesus Christ!

Encouragement:

The Foundation of Our Mercy Should Always be Rooted in the Gospel

Every forgiveness that we give to others from our own efforts produces pride in us for we always count it as our merits.

It’s humanistic transactional nature keeps records of wrong, and it makes our heart entitled and harsh, it does not come from the gospel it hardens us overtime.

When we dispense forgiveness as a response to the infinite mercy we recieved from Christ in the gospel, it transforms us in the image of Christ and our heart towards others soften and it all the draw us more to desire to e like Him.

We cannot love like Jesus in our own strength, but only through the power of the Holy Spirit, for no one can fake it.

If we are truly recieved mercy in the gospel of Christ this will be doable through the power of the Holy Spirit and it will produce holiness in us, but if this is just a facade, this will only make us hardened.

for those who struggle in forgiveing, maybe now is the right time to asses if where the desire is coming from.

ask for forgiveness and return to Christ!