Luke 6:2

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?

Complete Jewish Bible:

Some of the P'rushim said, "Why are you violating Shabbat?"

Berean Standard Bible:

But some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

American Standard Version:

But certain of the Pharisees said, Why do ye that which it is not lawful to do on the sabbath day?

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And^{G1161} certain^{G5100} of the Pharisees^{G5330} said^{G2036} unto them^{G846}, Why^{G5101} do ye^{G4160} that which^{G3739} is^{G1832} not^{G3756} lawful^{G1832} to do^{G4160} on^{G1722} the sabbath days^{G4521}?

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Commentary for Luke 6:2

Luke 6:2 is a verse that captures a moment of confrontation between Jesus and some Pharisees, a significant religious sect within Judaism during the Second Temple period. The Pharisees were known for their strict adherence to the Law of Moses, including the observance of the Sabbath, a day of rest and worship as commanded in the Torah (Exodus 20:8-11). The historical context of this verse is set during the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, who often found himself at odds with the Pharisees over interpretations of religious law.

In this particular instance, Jesus and his disciples are walking through grain fields on the Sabbath, and the disciples begin to pluck heads of grain, rub them in their hands, and eat them. According to the Pharisees, these actions constituted work, which was prohibited on the Sabbath. They challenge Jesus, asking, "Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?" This question reflects the Pharisees' legalistic approach to Sabbath observance, where they had developed a complex set of rules to define what constituted "work."

The themes present in this verse include the tension between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law, the nature of religious authority, and the proper observance of the Sabbath. Jesus' response to the Pharisees, which unfolds in the subsequent verses (Luke 6:3-5), illustrates his view that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, and that acts of necessity or mercy do not violate its spirit. This encounter is emblematic of the broader conflict between Jesus' message of compassion and grace and the Pharisees' emphasis on strict legalism, a conflict that permeates the Gospel narratives and shapes the theological discourse within early Christianity.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: G1161
   There are 2556 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: δέ
   Transliteration: dé
   Pronunciation: deh
   Description: a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).
   
2. Strong's Number: G5100
   There are 419 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: τὶς
   Transliteration: tìs
   Pronunciation: tis
   Description: an enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object:--a (kind of), any (man, thing, thing at all), certain (thing), divers, he (every) man, one (X thing), ought, + partly, some (man, -body, - thing, -what), (+ that no-)thing, what(-soever), X wherewith, whom(-soever), whose(-soever).
   
3. Strong's Number: G5330
   There are 95 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: Φαρισαῖος
   Transliteration: Pharisaîos
   Pronunciation: far-is-ah'-yos
   Description: of Hebrew origin (compare פָּרָשׁ); a separatist, i.e. exclusively religious; a Pharisean, i.e. Jewish sectary:--Pharisee.
   
4. Strong's Number: G2036
   There are 901 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: ἔπω
   Transliteration: épō
   Pronunciation: ep'-o
   Description: a primary verb (used only in the definite past tense, the others being borrowed from ἐρέω, ῥέω, and φημί); to speak or say (by word or writing):--answer, bid, bring word, call, command, grant, say (on), speak, tell. Compare λέγω.
   
5. Strong's Number: G846
   There are 3776 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: αὐτός
   Transliteration: autós
   Pronunciation: ow-tos'
   Description: from the particle (perhaps akin to the base of ἀήρ through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative ἑαυτοῦ) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which. Compare αὑτοῦ.
   
6. Strong's Number: G5101
   There are 483 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: τίς
   Transliteration: tís
   Pronunciation: tis
   Description: probably emphatic of τὶς; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions):--every man, how (much), + no(-ne, thing), what (manner, thing), where (-by, -fore, -of, -unto, - with, -withal), whether, which, who(-m, -se), why.
   
7. Strong's Number: G4160
   There are 519 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: ποιέω
   Transliteration: poiéō
   Pronunciation: poy-eh'-o
   Description: apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct):--abide, + agree, appoint, X avenge, + band together, be, bear, + bewray, bring (forth), cast out, cause, commit, + content, continue, deal, + without any delay, (would) do(-ing), execute, exercise, fulfil, gain, give, have, hold, X journeying, keep, + lay wait, + lighten the ship, make, X mean, + none of these things move me, observe, ordain, perform, provide, + have purged, purpose, put, + raising up, X secure, shew, X shoot out, spend, take, tarry, + transgress the law, work, yield. Compare πράσσω.
   
8. Strong's Number: G3739
   There are 1215 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: ὅς
   Transliteration: hós
   Pronunciation: ho
   Description: probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article ὁ); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc. See also οὗ.
   
9. Strong's Number: G1832
   There are 30 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: ἔξεστι
   Transliteration: éxesti
   Pronunciation: ex-on'
   Description: third person singular present indicative of a compound of ἐκ and εἰμί; so also neuter present participle of the same (with or without some form of εἰμί expressed); impersonally, it is right (through the figurative idea of being out in public):--be lawful, let, X may(-est).
   
10. Strong's Number: G3756
    There are 1328 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: οὐ
    Transliteration: ou
    Pronunciation: ookh
    Description: a primary word; the absolute negative (compare μή) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but. See also οὐ μή, μῆκος.
    
11. Strong's Number: G1722
    There are 2129 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: ἐν
    Transliteration: en
    Pronunciation: en
    Description: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between εἰς and ἐκ); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (… sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.
    
12. Strong's Number: G4521
    There are 62 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: σάββατον
    Transliteration: sábbaton
    Pronunciation: sab'-bat-on
    Description: of Hebrew origin (שַׁבָּת); the Sabbath (i.e. Shabbath), or day of weekly repose from secular avocations (also the observance or institution itself); by extension, a se'nnight, i.e. the interval between two Sabbaths; likewise the plural in all the above applications:--sabbath (day), week.