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In this lesson:
A new apostle. Eating with sinners. Plus; The scribes and Pharisees witness another miracle and still plot against the Messiah. Study Tip: Always read the margin notes in blue. |
Plucking corn on the Sabbath.
By an unknown artist |
Who was -
Levi -
Usually called Matthew, his apostolic name. Matthew (meaning gift of God) was born a Jew in Galilee. He was the son of Alphaeus (Mark 2:14), and a wealthy tax collector working for the Romans in Capernaum (Matthew 9:9; Luke 5:27) when Jesus called him. Immediately after answering Jesus' call, Matthew "held a great banquet at his house" (Matthew 9:10;
Mark 2:15; Luke 5:29) and then became the Messiah's traveling companion and record keeper. Although the Bible doesn't say so, biblical scholars credit Matthew as the author of "The Gospel According to Matthew." Matthew is last-named in Acts 1:13 as one of the twelve in the upper room after Jesus' ascension. It is uncertain whether Matthew died of natural causes or was killed for his Christian faith.
Levi -
Usually called Matthew, his apostolic name. Matthew (meaning gift of God) was born a Jew in Galilee. He was the son of Alphaeus (Mark 2:14), and a wealthy tax collector working for the Romans in Capernaum (Matthew 9:9; Luke 5:27) when Jesus called him. Immediately after answering Jesus' call, Matthew "held a great banquet at his house" (Matthew 9:10;
Mark 2:15; Luke 5:29) and then became the Messiah's traveling companion and record keeper. Although the Bible doesn't say so, biblical scholars credit Matthew as the author of "The Gospel According to Matthew." Matthew is last-named in Acts 1:13 as one of the twelve in the upper room after Jesus' ascension. It is uncertain whether Matthew died of natural causes or was killed for his Christian faith.
The Gospel According to St. Luke
The King James Bible
The King James Bible
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Luke 5:27-6:11
Parables and miracles 27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. 28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him. 29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. 30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? 31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink? 34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? 35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 36 And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. 37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. 38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. 39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better. Luke 6:1-11 Filled with madness 1 And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. 2 And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days? 3 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; 4 How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone? 5 And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath. 6 And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered. 7 And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him. 8 But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. 9 Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? 10 And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. 11 And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus. |
Margin notes:
"Receipt of custom." (5:27) - Means "tax office." "He left all." (5:28) - "Matthew left everything." "They that are whole." (5:31) - "Those who are healthy." "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (5:32) - Because Jesus loves and wants to save sinners. "Children of the bridechamber ." (5:34) - "Friends of the bridegroom (Jesus)." "The bridegroom shall be taken away." (5:35) - Jesus is referring to His pending crucifixion. "Parable." (5:36) - A short, simple story or metaphor that uses well-known life experiences to convey profound religious or moral truth. Jews were familiar with parables as they had long been used in Judaism (Numbers 23:18; 24:3; Judges 9:7-15; 2 Samuel 12:1-4; Job 27:1; Ezekiel 24:3-5), so Jesus made them one of His favorite teaching tools. These down to earth stories make profound spiritual truths easier to understand for those willing to open their hearts and take the time to study their meaning. To scoffers and non-believers, parables are just confusing riddles (Matthew 13:13; Mark 4:11-12). "No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old." (5:36) - A parable illustrating that the old religious order (Mosaic Law) was not compatible with the new. "Agreeth not with the old." (5:36) - Means "does not match the old." "Bottles." (5:37) - In Jesus' day, wine "bottles" were made of goatskins sewn into soft, flexible watertight bags that could stretch. As wine ferments, it gives off gases that expand and burst old and brittle wineskins. Like old wineskins, the Pharisees were inflexible and locked into the ancient rites and ceremonies (like fasting) of the Mosaic Law. They were not able to accept Jesus (the new wine) or His message that salvation can not be found by obeying the law. Just as "new wine" needed new bottles, people needed new attitudes. "The old is better." (5:39) - "The old ways are better." The scribes and Pharisees were locked into their old way of thinking and worshipping. "His disciples plucked the ears of corn." (6:1) - Mosaic Law allowed hungry people to take a few ears of corn from a farmer's field without paying. It was customary for farmers to leave the first row of their crop available for travelers and the needy. However, you could only take enough to satisfy your hunger. You could not harvest large amounts of the farmer's crop (Deuteronomy 23:25). "Not lawful." (6:2) - The Pharisees are referring to Exodus 20:10 which forbade working on the Sabbath. However, they distorted the meaning of the verse until even acts of mercy were forbidden on the Sabbath (Luke 6:7). They drew up their own list of things people were forbidden to do. Many things on the list didn't offend God, just them. For two additional reports of the disciples plucking corn, see Matthew 12:1-8 and Mark 2:23-28. "Have ye not read...what David did?" (6:3) - David was allowed to eat sacred bread rather than go hungry. You can read what David did in 1 Samuel 21:1-6. "Shewbread." (6:4) - Consecrated or blessed bread. On each Sabbath, twelve loaves of unleavened bread (one for each tribe of Israel) were ceremoniously placed on the altar in the Holy Place of the Temple. They were an offering of thanks to God and could only be eaten by the priests at the end of the week (Exodus 29:32-33; Leviticus 24:5-9). "The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." (6:5) - Here, Jesus is saying that He is qualified to judge what's acceptable and unacceptable on the Sabbath. "The scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day." (6:7) - It was against the Pharisees' rules to work on the Sabbath, even if it meant helping a suffering man. "He knew their thoughts." (6:8) - Jesus read their minds. See also Matthew 9:4 and Luke 5:22. "Rise up, and stand forth in the midst." (6:8) - "Get up and stand in the middle." Jesus wanted everyone to see the miracle He was about to perform. |
For two additional accounts of Jesus calling Matthew read Matthew 9:9-13 (lesson 16) and Mark 2:14-17 (lesson 66).
New Living Translation
Luke 5:27-6:11
Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew)
27 Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector's booth. "Follow me and be my disciple," Jesus said to him.
28 So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.
29 Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi's fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them.
30 But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus' disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with such scum?"
31 Jesus answered them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor-sick people do.
32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent."
A Discussion about Fasting
33 One day some people said to Jesus, "John the Baptist's disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are your disciples always eating and drinking?"
34 Jesus responded, "Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not.
35 But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast."
36 Then Jesus gave them this illustration: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn't even match the old garment.
37 "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the new wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins.
38 New wine must be stored in new wineskins.
39 But no one who drinks the old wine seems to want the new wine. 'The old is just fine,' they say."
Luke 6:1-11
A Discussion about the Sabbath
1 One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples broke off heads of grain, rubbed off the husks in their hands, and ate the grain.
2 But some Pharisees said, "Why are you breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?"
3 Jesus replied, "Haven't you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
4 He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests can eat. He also gave some to his companions."
5 And Jesus added, "The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath."
Jesus Heals on the Sabbath
6 On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching.
7 The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man's hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.
8 But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, "Come and stand in front of everyone." So the man came forward.
9 Then Jesus said to his critics, "I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?"
10 He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, "Hold out your hand." So the man held out his hand, and it was restored!
11 At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him.
This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew)
27 Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector's booth. "Follow me and be my disciple," Jesus said to him.
28 So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.
29 Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi's fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them.
30 But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus' disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with such scum?"
31 Jesus answered them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor-sick people do.
32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent."
A Discussion about Fasting
33 One day some people said to Jesus, "John the Baptist's disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are your disciples always eating and drinking?"
34 Jesus responded, "Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not.
35 But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast."
36 Then Jesus gave them this illustration: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn't even match the old garment.
37 "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the new wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins.
38 New wine must be stored in new wineskins.
39 But no one who drinks the old wine seems to want the new wine. 'The old is just fine,' they say."
Luke 6:1-11
A Discussion about the Sabbath
1 One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples broke off heads of grain, rubbed off the husks in their hands, and ate the grain.
2 But some Pharisees said, "Why are you breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?"
3 Jesus replied, "Haven't you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
4 He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests can eat. He also gave some to his companions."
5 And Jesus added, "The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath."
Jesus Heals on the Sabbath
6 On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching.
7 The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man's hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.
8 But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, "Come and stand in front of everyone." So the man came forward.
9 Then Jesus said to his critics, "I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?"
10 He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, "Hold out your hand." So the man held out his hand, and it was restored!
11 At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him.
This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
Key verses from this passage
"And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them." (5:27-29)
"I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (5:32)
"And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?" (6:1-2)
"I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (5:32)
"And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?" (6:1-2)
Today's Question:
1. Why didn't Christ's disciples fast? (5:33-34)
When you start to obey the Bible, you start to understand the Bible.
1. Why didn't Christ's disciples fast? (5:33-34)
When you start to obey the Bible, you start to understand the Bible.
Answer: (Do you agree?)
1. Because it wasn't time for the disciples to fast. While Jesus was with them, it was a time for rejoicing.
Once Jesus was gone, His followers would have plenty of time to fast.
Application thought for the day:
Why did Jesus spend time with sinners? Are you a sinner?
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Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress Books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; "The Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies"; "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible". All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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© 2026 evolke