Luke chapter 6

vs 31

I think what I said yesterday applies here too. This is more golden-ruley. Jesus is going to unpack this.

vs 32

So Jesus is very much almost using "what you would have someone do to you" as a synonym for love.

vs 33

So basically, a community of loving and good-doing people helping each other is not the community that Jesus envisages. It must be outward focused, or else it is not godly. It is just like sinners.

vs 34

Lending for business purposes is just that - business. Lending a mate $20 is just that - lending to a mate. But helping someone out who may never give it back is something completely different. Even take the simple example of picking up a person who has run out of petrol and money at the same time. You spot then $20, and you don't expect to get that money back. If they did ever track you down, great! But they're just a person who needs help. And if you were ever in that position, you would want someone to do the same.

vs 35

Notice the reason why! We must love our enemies, because God loves his enemies, which is really all of us. And they are ungrateful. They are wicked. They give nothing back. God doesn't want us to be like a really good person. He wants us to be like him.

vs 36

So this extends to God's love, his goodness, and his mercy. Our love, goodness and mercy should all be reflections of God.

vs 37

Hard, hard lessons. I will point out that these are not exactly being like God - who judges and condemns. But then, who can judge God, or condemn him? But we can be, so instead we should just take his word and not do those things.

Notice also the order - it is not "you have been forgiven, so forgive". It is "forgive, and you will be forgiven".

vs 38

That's a generous measure that is being described, rather than a stingy measure. So if we are generous (as is described earlier) then we will be given to generously.

vs 39

The answer of course, is yes they will. Because blind men are drawn to pits.

vs 40

So the teacher retains his honourable role, but the student should be able to attain to be like his teacher. Hence the teacher leads the student, instead of the student leading the student blindly. Does this being in the Bible put a death nail into post-modern relativism? Oh God I hope so.