Luke 6:7

And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.

And {G1161} the scribes {G1122} and {G2532} Pharisees {G5330} watched {G3906} him {G846}, whether {G1487} he would heal {G2323} on {G1722} the sabbath day {G4521}; that {G2443} they might find {G2147} an accusation {G2724} against him {G846}.

The Torah-teachers and P'rushim watched Yeshua carefully to see if he would heal on Shabbat, so that they could accuse him of something.

Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.

And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath; that they might find how to accuse him.

Commentary

Luke 6:7 describes a tense moment where Jesus is under intense scrutiny by the religious authorities of His day. The verse sets the stage for another significant confrontation regarding the observance of the Sabbath, highlighting the deep division between Jesus' ministry and the rigid legalism of the scribes and Pharisees.

Context

This verse immediately precedes Jesus' healing of a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath (Luke 6:8-10). It follows other Sabbath controversies, such as His disciples plucking grain (Luke 6:1-5), where Jesus asserted His authority as "Lord of the sabbath" (Luke 6:5). The scribes and Pharisees, prominent religious leaders, were constantly seeking reasons to discredit or condemn Jesus, viewing His actions as a threat to their authority and interpretation of the Mosaic Law.

Key Themes

  • Religious Legalism vs. Compassion: The primary tension lies between the Pharisees' strict adherence to their traditional interpretations of the Sabbath law and Jesus' emphasis on compassion and the well-being of people. For the Pharisees, healing on the Sabbath was generally considered "work" and thus forbidden, unless it was a life-threatening emergency.
  • Hostile Scrutiny and Malicious Intent: The religious leaders were not observing Jesus to learn or understand, but to "find an accusation against him." This reveals their malicious intent and their desire to entrap Jesus, rather than seeking truth or justice.
  • Jesus' Authority: This incident, like others, demonstrates Jesus' divine authority, not only over sickness but also over man-made religious traditions that obscured God's original intent for the Sabbath.

Linguistic Insights

  • The phrase "watched him" translates the Greek word paratēreō (παρατηρέω), which implies a careful, often hostile, observation or surveillance with the intent to find fault or trap someone. It suggests a deliberate, calculated effort to find grounds for accusation.
  • "Accusation" comes from the Greek katēgoria (κατηγορία), referring to a formal charge or indictment. They sought legal grounds to bring a case against Jesus, possibly before the Sanhedrin.

Practical Application

Luke 6:7 serves as a powerful reminder for believers today:

  • Beware of Legalism: We must guard against adopting rigid rules and traditions that overshadow the core principles of God's love, mercy, and compassion. True faith prioritizes people and their needs over inflexible adherence to external regulations.
  • Examine Motives: This verse challenges us to examine our own hearts. Do we approach spiritual matters with genuine humility and a desire for truth, or with a critical spirit, looking for fault in others?
  • Prioritizing God's Heart: Jesus consistently demonstrated that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). This teaches us to prioritize God's heart of love and redemption in our actions and beliefs.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Luke 13:14

    And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.

  • Luke 20:20

    ¶ And they watched [him], and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

  • Mark 3:2

    And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

  • Luke 11:53

    And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge [him] vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things:

  • Luke 11:54

    Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

  • Matthew 26:59

    Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

  • Matthew 26:60

    But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, [yet] found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,
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