Luke 6:5 kjv
And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
Luke 6:5 nkjv
And He said to them, "The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."
Luke 6:5 niv
Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
Luke 6:5 esv
And he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."
Luke 6:5 nlt
And Jesus added, "The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath."
Luke 6 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 12:8 | For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. | Parallel assertion of Jesus' Sabbath authority. |
| Mark 2:28 | So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. | Parallel assertion of Jesus' Sabbath authority. |
| Luke 6:1-4 | His disciples had plucked and eaten heads of grain on the Sabbath... | Immediate context of Sabbath controversy. |
| Matt 12:1-7 | Context: Jesus' disciples pick grain on the Sabbath. | Immediate context of Sabbath controversy. |
| Mark 2:23-27 | Context: Jesus' disciples pick grain on the Sabbath. | Immediate context of Sabbath controversy. |
| John 5:16-18 | For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath... "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working." | Jesus claiming divine authority and partnership with God in working on Sabbath. |
| John 9:14-16 | Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." | Another Sabbath controversy; conflict over healing. |
| Exod 20:8-11 | "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." | Foundation of the Sabbath commandment. |
| Deut 5:12-15 | "Observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy..." | Reiteration of the Sabbath commandment. |
| Neh 13:15-18 | In those days I saw some in Judah treading wine presses on the Sabbath... | Post-exilic emphasis on strict Sabbath observance. |
| Dan 7:13-14 | "I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming... to Him was given dominion..." | Prophetic background for "Son of Man" title's authority. |
| Matt 11:28-30 | "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." | Jesus as the bringer of true spiritual rest. |
| Col 2:16-17 | Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day—things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. | Sabbath laws as a shadow fulfilled in Christ. |
| Heb 4:9-11 | So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God... Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest... | The spiritual, eschatological Sabbath rest found in Christ. |
| Rom 14:5-6 | One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. | Christian liberty regarding observance of specific days. |
| Matt 5:17 | "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill." | Jesus' approach to the Law. |
| Rom 10:4 | For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. | Christ as the culmination and goal of the Law. |
| Luke 13:10-17 | And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath... | Healing on the Sabbath and confronting hypocritical leaders. |
| Luke 14:1-6 | It happened that when He went into the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees... and they were watching Him closely... He said to them, "Which one of you will not immediately pull his son or his ox out of a well...?" | Healing on the Sabbath and exposing false priorities. |
| Luke 5:36-39 | No one tears a patch from a new garment and puts it on an old garment... | The new covenant inaugurated by Jesus does not fit into old systems. |
| Mark 3:1-6 | Again He entered a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered. They were watching Him closely to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath... | Healing on the Sabbath and exposing hardening of hearts. |
| Gal 3:24-25 | Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ... But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. | The Law's temporary function, pointing to Christ. |
| Rev 1:10 | I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day... | Reference to the new day of worship (Sunday) in the early church, emphasizing Christ's resurrection. |
Luke 6 verses
Luke 6 5 Meaning
This verse is Jesus' authoritative declaration concerning His relationship to the Sabbath. It reveals His divine prerogative and identity as the One who has ultimate authority over the very institution of the Sabbath, a cornerstone of Jewish law and life. He claims the right to define and interpret its true purpose, signifying that the Sabbath, its regulations, and its spirit are subservient to His will and mission, not vice versa.
Luke 6 5 Context
Luke 6:5 follows directly from the account of Jesus' disciples plucking heads of grain on the Sabbath (Luke 6:1-4), an action deemed unlawful by the Pharisees based on their rigid oral traditions, despite it being permitted under specific conditions by Mosaic Law (Deut 23:25). The Pharisees saw this as breaking the Sabbath commandment, turning it into a legalistic infraction rather than a question of mercy or need. Jesus' preceding defense referenced David's act of eating the consecrated bread in the tabernacle, which was ordinarily unlawful, demonstrating that mercy and necessity supersede strict ritualistic adherence. Therefore, Luke 6:5 serves as Jesus' conclusive and climactic statement, directly addressing the core issue of authority over the Sabbath. It sets the stage for further displays of Jesus' lordship over the Sabbath, notably His healing a man with a withered hand (Luke 6:6-11), where He challenges the Pharisees with a rhetorical question about the lawfulness of doing good on the Sabbath. Historically, the Sabbath was central to Jewish identity, especially under Roman occupation, with elaborate oral traditions defining its observance. Jesus' declaration was a radical challenge to the religious establishment, asserting His sovereign prerogative over a divine institution interpreted by generations of esteemed religious leaders.
Luke 6 5 Word analysis
- And (Καὶ - kai): A simple coordinating conjunction, connecting this declaration directly to the preceding Sabbath controversy. It implies this is Jesus' conclusive statement.
- He said (ἔλεγεν - elegen): An imperfect verb, indicating a forceful, ongoing, or customary pronouncement. It signifies a definitive statement made in response to the Pharisees' challenge. The speaker is Jesus.
- to them (αὐτοῖς - autois): Refers to the Pharisees who were accusing Jesus and His disciples. Jesus directly addresses His critics with this profound truth.
- The Son of Man (Ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου - Ho huios tou anthrōpou): This is Jesus' favored self-designation. It carries dual significance: His true humanity (linking Him with all mankind) and, crucially, His unique divine-Messianic identity with inherent authority, echoing Daniel 7:13-14 where "one like a son of man" comes with everlasting dominion. By using this title, Jesus subtly but powerfully hints at His identity while claiming authority.
- is Lord (κύριός ἐστιν - kyrios estin): "Κύριος" (kyrios) means "master," "owner," "sovereign," "possessor." When applied to God, it signifies divine absolute authority. "Estin" (is) emphasizes a present, unchanging reality. This isn't a potential or future lordship, but an inherent and active one. Jesus claims sovereign ownership and dominion.
- even (καί - kai): Here, "kai" is used emphatically, translated as "even," "also," or "indeed." It stresses the astonishing and radical extent of His authority. It's not just Lord over simple things, but "even" over something as sacred and fundamental as the Sabbath.
- of the Sabbath (τοῦ σαββάτου - tou sabbatou): Refers to the sacred day itself, its regulations, and its traditions. This phrase signifies that Jesus possesses full authority over this cornerstone of Israel's covenant, indicating that the Sabbath's purpose is subject to His interpretation and command.
Words-group analysis:
- "And He said to them": This phrase immediately establishes the authoritative setting for Jesus' pronouncement, placing Him in direct opposition and response to His accusers.
- "The Son of Man is Lord": This forms the core claim of the verse, uniting Jesus' unique Messianic identity ("Son of Man") with an assertion of supreme, divine authority ("is Lord"). It's a statement about who He is fundamentally and what that identity entails.
- "Lord even of the Sabbath": This group specifies the sphere of His lordship. The inclusion of "even" elevates the statement to emphasize His dominion over an institution deemed most holy and inviolable by His Jewish contemporaries, directly challenging their rigid interpretations and highlighting that the Creator defines creation, not the other way around.
Luke 6 5 Bonus section
- This verse represents a pivotal moment where Jesus subtly yet powerfully elevates Himself above the Mosaic Law and the interpretations of the most respected religious authorities of His day. It demonstrates His claim to divinity, as only God could claim ultimate lordship over the Sabbath.
- The phrase "Son of Man" here points to both Jesus' humility (He is truly human) and His eschatological authority derived from God, foreshadowing His role as Judge and King.
- Jesus is not abolishing the Sabbath principle of rest or the day's significance but re-centering it around Himself. He fulfills the true meaning of the Sabbath, shifting focus from ritualistic adherence to mercy, necessity, and His redemptive work.
- This statement highlights the constant tension in the Gospels between Jesus' spirit-filled understanding of God's law and the rigid, often unmerciful, legalism of the religious leaders. It's a critique of external observance over internal righteousness and compassion.
Luke 6 5 Commentary
In Luke 6:5, Jesus directly confronts the Pharisees' legalistic application of the Sabbath law by asserting His supreme authority over it. This is not an abolition of the Sabbath, but a reinterpretation and reorientation of its purpose. By declaring "The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath," Jesus clarifies that the Sabbath was made for man's benefit (Mark 2:27), for rest, and for showing mercy, not as a rigid burden to be maintained through countless human traditions. His lordship signifies that He, as the Divine-Human Messiah, possesses the ultimate authority to define God's will concerning all things, including the Mosaic Law. He demonstrated this by His willingness to heal and provide for needs on the Sabbath, indicating that acts of compassion and necessary sustenance always supersede man-made ritualistic restrictions. The Sabbath finds its true rest and meaning not in mere abstinence from work, but in Him who provides spiritual rest for weary souls (Matt 11:28-30) and is the ultimate "substance" that the Sabbath regulations merely foreshadowed (Col 2:16-17).