Luke 11:46

And he said, Woe unto you also, [ye] lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.

And {G1161} he said {G2036}, Woe {G3759} unto you {G5213} also {G2532}, ye lawyers {G3544}! for {G3754} ye lade {G5412} men {G444} with burdens {G5413} grievous to be borne {G1419}, and {G2532} ye yourselves {G846} touch {G4379} not {G3756} the burdens {G5413} with one {G1520} of your {G5216} fingers {G1147}.

Yeshua said, “Woe to you Torah experts too! You load people down with burdens they can hardly bear, and you won’t lift a finger to help them!

“Woe to you as well, experts in the law!” He replied. “You weigh men down with heavy burdens, but you yourselves will not lift a finger to lighten their load.

And he said, Woe unto you lawyers also! for ye load men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.

Luke 11:46 delivers a scathing indictment from Jesus against the "lawyers," highlighting their hypocrisy and the oppressive nature of their religious interpretations.

Context

This verse is part of a series of "woes" pronounced by Jesus against the religious leaders of His day, specifically the Pharisees and the lawyers (also known as scribes). These pronouncements occur during a meal at a Pharisee's house, following Jesus's expulsion of a demon and subsequent accusations from His critics (Luke 11:14-16). The lawyers, who were experts in the Mosaic Law and its intricate interpretations, were indignant at Jesus's earlier rebuke of the Pharisees for their superficial cleansing rituals. Jesus turns His condemnation directly to them, exposing their spiritual failings.

Key Themes

  • Hypocrisy and Oppression: The central accusation is that these religious leaders placed immense burdens on the people through their extensive legalistic interpretations, yet refused to lighten these burdens themselves. They demanded strict adherence to rules they found ways to circumvent or ignore. This mirrors the woes against the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:4.
  • Legalism vs. Grace: Jesus contrasts their burdensome legalism with the true spirit of the Law, which should lead to life and freedom, not oppression. Their traditions and interpretations had become a heavy yoke, far removed from the compassion and mercy God intended. This stands in stark contrast to Jesus's invitation to all who are weary and burdened to find rest in Him, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
  • Lack of Empathy: The phrase "ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers" powerfully illustrates their lack of empathy and practical assistance. They were quick to impose, but slow to help or share the load, revealing a self-serving rather than a servant-hearted leadership.

Linguistic Insights

The term "lawyers" in this context translates from the Greek nomikoi (νομοδιδάσκαλοι in some parallel passages), referring to those who were experts in the Jewish Law, often synonymous with scribes. They were not necessarily legal professionals in a modern sense, but scholars and teachers of the Mosaic Law, responsible for its interpretation and application. The "burdens grievous to be borne" refers not to the divinely given Law itself, but to the countless human traditions, rules, and regulations that the lawyers had added to it, making righteousness seem unattainable for the common person.

Practical Application

This verse serves as a timeless warning against spiritual leadership that imposes unnecessary and oppressive rules, demanding from others what they themselves are unwilling to bear. It challenges believers and leaders alike to examine whether their spiritual practices or teachings are genuinely helpful and liberating, or if they have become burdensome and hypocritical. True spiritual leadership, as exemplified by Jesus, is characterized by humility, empathy, and a desire to lighten loads, not to add to them. It reminds us that God desires mercy, not merely sacrifice (Matthew 9:13).

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Luke 11:52

    Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

  • Matthew 23:2

    Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

  • Matthew 23:4

    For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay [them] on men's shoulders; but they [themselves] will not move them with one of their fingers.

  • Isaiah 10:1

    ¶ Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness [which] they have prescribed;

  • Galatians 6:13

    For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

  • Isaiah 58:6

    [Is] not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

  • Luke 11:45

    Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.

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