Luke 6 3

Luke 6:3 kjv

And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;

Luke 6:3 nkjv

But Jesus answering them said, "Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:

Luke 6:3 niv

Jesus answered them, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?

Luke 6:3 esv

And Jesus answered them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:

Luke 6:3 nlt

Jesus replied, "Haven't you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry?

Luke 6 3 Cross References

VerseTextReference Note
Mt 12:1-2At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath through the grainfields, and His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it...Parallel account, identical context.
Mk 2:23-24One Sabbath He was going through the grainfields, and as they went along, His disciples began to pick the heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to Him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"Parallel account, identical context.
1 Sam 21:1-6Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest... "I have eaten of the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat but only for the priests..."The specific historical event Jesus references regarding David eating the showbread.
Exod 20:8Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.The fundamental command regarding the Sabbath.
Deut 5:12-15Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you... that your male and female servant may rest as well as you.Further instruction on Sabbath, emphasis on rest for all.
Lev 24:5-9"You shall take fine flour and bake twelve cakes with it... It shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place..."Instructions for the showbread (bread of the Presence), emphasizing its sacred nature and priestly consumption.
Hos 6:6For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.Principle quoted by Jesus (Mt 9:13, 12:7) underlining God's priority for mercy over strict ritual.
Num 28:9-10'Then on the Sabbath day two male lambs... This is the burnt offering of every Sabbath in addition to the regular burnt offering...Priests "profaned" the Sabbath through Temple work, yet were blameless; aligns with Jesus' argument.
Mk 2:27Jesus said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath."Found in the parallel passage, it summarizes the core principle of Jesus' teaching on the Sabbath's purpose.
Lk 6:5And He was saying to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."Jesus' ultimate claim of authority over the Sabbath, stemming from the preceding example.
Mt 12:7But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent.Jesus applies Hos 6:6 directly to this Sabbath incident, revealing the Pharisees' misunderstanding.
Lk 11:42But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.Reveals the Pharisees' tendency to focus on minor regulations while neglecting greater principles.
Rom 13:8-10...for he who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law. The commandments... are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.Highlights that the essence of the Law is love, providing a broader framework for ethical action.
2 Cor 3:6...who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.The contrast between rigid adherence to the law's letter and understanding its life-giving spirit.
Lk 14:1-6On a Sabbath, when he went to eat bread in the house of a certain ruler of the Pharisees, and they were watching Him closely... "Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a well, will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?"Another instance where Jesus prioritizes human/animal need over a rigid Sabbath interpretation.
Deut 23:25"When you enter your neighbor’s standing grain, you may pluck the heads with your hand, but you shall not wield a sickle in your neighbor’s standing grain."This shows that plucking grain for immediate consumption was permitted any day, reinforcing the issue was Sabbath observance, not the act itself.
Neh 9:14"So You made known to them Your holy Sabbath, and laid down for them commandments, statutes, and law through Your servant Moses."Reiterates the divine origin and importance of the Sabbath.
Jn 7:22-23"For this reason Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man... do you wrathfully rage at Me because I made a whole man well on the Sabbath?"Jesus challenges Jewish leaders regarding exceptions to Sabbath law (circumcision) compared to healing.
Acts 2:46Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart.While not directly related to Sabbath, highlights early Christian emphasis on communal well-being and sharing.
Heb 4:9-10So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their own works, just as God did from his.Points to a spiritual "Sabbath rest" in Christ, which transcends mere physical observance of the day.

Luke 6 verses

Luke 6 3 Meaning

This verse initiates Jesus' defense of His disciples who were plucking grain on the Sabbath. He challenges the Pharisees' accusation by appealing to their own scriptural knowledge, specifically referencing King David's actions in a moment of dire hunger. Jesus uses this Old Testament example to demonstrate that necessity and human need can legitimately take precedence over strict ceremonial interpretations of the law, thereby justifying His disciples' conduct.

Luke 6 3 Context

Luke 6:3 is embedded in an incident (Lk 6:1-5) where Jesus’ disciples are observed plucking grain on the Sabbath. This action, interpreted by the Pharisees as "harvesting" and therefore unlawful labor, provoked their immediate accusation against Jesus and His followers. This entire chapter (Luke 6) significantly develops themes of Jesus' authority, particularly over the Sabbath, the Law, and His selection of disciples. Historically, the Pharisees were a prominent Jewish religious party, meticulously devoted to the Mosaic Law and the oral traditions that expanded upon it, often prioritizing precise ritual observance. The Sabbath, a cornerstone of Jewish life (Exod 20:8-11), had extensive interpretations surrounding what constituted forbidden "work," making incidents like this highly contentious. Jesus' response, citing David, placed Him in direct theological opposition to the prevailing legalistic interpretations of the day.

Luke 6 3 Word analysis

  • And Jesus answering them said:

    • "And Jesus": Identifies the speaker and main subject, emphasizing His central role.
    • "answering": Greek apokritheis (ἀποκριθείς), a past participle, indicates a direct, decisive, and often authoritative retort to an accusation or question. It's not a casual reply but a well-considered theological rebuttal.
    • "them": Refers to the Pharisees (Lk 6:2), highlighting the confrontational nature of the dialogue.
    • "said": Greek eipen (εἶπεν), simple past, stating the fact of His pronouncement.
  • "Have ye not read even this,":

    • "Have ye not read": Greek Oude touto anegnōte (οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἀνέγνωτε).
    • Oude (οὐδὲ): "Not even," a strong rhetorical particle. It emphasizes the Pharisees' profound lack of understanding despite their supposed expertise in Scripture. It implies: "You who claim to know the Law so well, haven't you even come across or truly understood this simple principle from your own sacred texts?"
    • touto (τοῦτο): "this," pointing directly to the specific incident involving David that Jesus is about to cite.
    • anegnōte (ἀνέγνωτε): From anaginōskō (ἀναγινώσκω), meaning "to read aloud, to know by reading." This challenges not just their familiarity with the text but their failure to grasp its profound implications or principles, suggesting superficial reading. It is a common challenge Jesus issues to legal experts who miss the spirit of the law (e.g., Mt 21:16, Mt 22:31).
  • "what David did,":

    • "what David did": Refers to 1 Sam 21:1-6. Jesus invokes a revered national hero and king. Citing David's actions adds immense weight and legitimacy to Jesus' argument among a Jewish audience, as David was highly esteemed and celebrated as a man after God's own heart. This choice of example also elevates the urgency and necessity of the situation. David, not a priest, ate the holy showbread typically reserved only for priests.
  • "when himself was an hungered,":

    • "when": Greek hōs (ὡς), implying "as, when, because." It sets the condition.
    • "himself": Greek autos (αὐτός), emphasizing David's personal state of severe need.
    • "was an hungered": Greek epeinasen (ἐπείνασεν), imperfect active of peinaō (πεινάω), meaning "to be hungry, to starve, to feel deprived." This word stresses extreme need, highlighting the mitigating circumstance for David's seemingly unlawful action. It directly parallels the disciples' hunger (Lk 6:1), establishing the "necessity" principle.
  • "and they that were with him;":

    • "and they that were with him": Greek kai hoi sun autois (καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτοῖς).
    • "they that were with him": Refers to David's companions, indicating that the exception extended beyond David personally to those facing similar dire need with him. This provides a direct analogy to Jesus' disciples who were with Him, also hungry, and thus similarly justified. It emphasizes the communal aspect of necessity.
  • Words-group Analysis:

    • "Have ye not read even this, what David did": This is a brilliant rhetorical move. Jesus takes the argument to the Pharisees' own turf—the Law and the Prophets—and challenges their fundamental interpretive framework. He implicitly argues that they have read the words but missed their spiritual essence or their broader application in real-life exigencies. It's a critique of intellectual arrogance versus true wisdom.
    • "when himself was an hungered, and they that were with him": This clause provides the core justification for David's action, framing it not as a capricious disregard for the Law but an unavoidable necessity. This establishes the critical precedent that in situations of extreme need, the well-being of people can ethically supersede strict ceremonial or ritualistic prohibitions of the law. This directly parallels and vindicates the disciples' hunger and their actions on the Sabbath.

Luke 6 3 Bonus section

  • Jesus' method here echoes rabbinic debates but uniquely applies a Halakhah (Jewish law) exception—namely, pikuach nefesh (the saving of a life) or at least significant human need (kedei chayato, for sustenance)—to justify an action that would otherwise be considered a Sabbath violation. He is not abolishing the Sabbath but rightly interpreting its core purpose as given by God.
  • This instance forms part of Jesus' consistent teaching that "mercy is better than sacrifice" (as implied in His quotations of Hos 6:6). He constantly prioritized compassion, justice, and the needs of humanity over rigid ceremonial or traditional dictates, exposing the emptiness of religious devotion devoid of love.
  • The fact that David, a man after God's own heart, broke a highly sacred law out of dire necessity underscores that God's covenant and relationship with humanity are dynamic, focused on life and well-being, rather than rigid, unfeeling adherence to every statute when life is at stake.

Luke 6 3 Commentary

In Luke 6:3, Jesus employs an ancient Jewish exegetical principle to challenge the Pharisees' narrow and legalistic interpretation of Sabbath law. He masterfully utilizes the case of King David, a universally revered figure, consuming the consecrated showbread, which was strictly reserved for priests (Lev 24:9). By citing this precedent, Jesus demonstrates that the Pharisees' own sacred texts contained instances where the "letter" of the law was overridden by human necessity, specifically hunger.

The parallel between David and his men being hungry and Jesus' disciples plucking grain underscores a fundamental principle: God's law, particularly the Sabbath, was intended for humanity's benefit and not as an oppressive burden. Jesus exposes the Pharisees' failure to grasp this deeper, merciful intent of the law, highlighting their emphasis on external ritual over compassionate understanding. This argument prepares the way for Jesus' radical claim of authority over the Sabbath (Lk 6:5), implicitly declaring Himself to be "greater than David" and empowered to redefine the Law's application based on its divine spirit rather than rigid tradition.

Examples:

  • Medical Emergencies on Sabbath: A person having a heart attack on Sabbath would rightly receive medical attention, overriding strict interpretations of "not working."
  • Providing for Basic Needs: Assisting someone truly famished with food, even if it meant minor work that might otherwise be forbidden on a holy day.