Luke 6
There are many things that can or should be said about
chapter 6. Sabbath “controversy,” another version of beatitudes, followed by
the “woes,” closing the chapter with the building house on the rock. What I want
to point out is something that involves counting skills.
To those who pays attention (the basic meaning of “to you
who hear”) Jesus lays out 16 imperative verbs (v. 27-38):
1. love your enemies
2. do good to
those who hate you
3. bless those
who curse you
4. pray for
those who abuse you
5. to the one
who strikes in on the cheek, offer the other also
6. do not withhold
your tunic from one who takes away your cloak
7. give to
everyone who begs from you
8. do not
demand back
9. do so to
them as you wish that others do to you
10. do good [to
your enemies]
11. lend,
expecting nothing in return
12. be merciful
13. Judge not
14. condemn not
15. forgive
16. give
This sets a moral and evangelism bar so high. When an adequate
reality assessment kicks in, we realize that it is impossible for man to
measure up to this list. Jesus did it all, He is the one who took upon Himself an
obligation to tread the path of righteousness. The path we are invited, being
justified, as we set the foot on the way of sanctification.
There is a need for a numerical comment. Somewhere in the
middle of the list (between 9 and 10), Jesus repeats “love your enemies.” This turns
a list into 17 consecutive verbs. That’s makes the list way more interesting. A
sign of fulness is developed further in John 21. Remember, Jesus makes breakfast
for the tired disciples who fished all night long and couldn’t catch anything. John
notices that Jesus brought 153 large fish (John 21:11). 153 is triangular 17.
Putting these two passages, we see that Jesus invites His disciples to consume
the list of 17 imperatives of godliness, same as the LORD invited Jeremiah and
Ezekiel eat the Word of God (Jeremiah 15:16; Ezekiel 2:8-3:3). When disciples
are fed with the fish, Jesus tells St. Peter: “feed My lambs” (John
21:15,16,17).
Jesus first feeds us, with the Word and the Sacrament of the Altar. That brings us to the path of responsibility to feed the others, sharing the Word, our testimonies, our lives…
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