Luke 6:27–36

Context

This passage belongs to the so-called Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6:17–49. The sermon takes its name from the fact that it was delivered not on a mountain but "in the plain" (6:17). After praying all night, Jesus chooses the Twelve and comes down from the mountain. Before his disciples and a great multitude he pronounces blessings and woes (6:20–26), and he then addresses these words "unto you which hear." The passage marks the transition from the pronouncement of woes to exhortation directed at all who are listening. Much of its content overlaps with the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew (5:38–48; 7:12).

Interpretation

• An ethic grounded in God's character: On this reading, loving one's enemies, doing good to them, blessing them, and praying for them are marks of the Christian life. The basis is found in the statement that God "is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil." The command in verse 36, "Be ye therefore merciful," is the counterpart of Matthew 5:48, "Be ye therefore perfect." This difference is commonly explained as reflecting Luke's characteristic emphasis on the mercy of God.
• The Golden Rule: Verse 31 is commonly called the "Golden Rule." Negative formulations, along the lines of "Do not do to others what you would not want done to you," are known from Jewish tradition and elsewhere. It is often pointed out that this verse is instead phrased positively, calling on the hearer to take the initiative in treating others well.
• A demand that goes beyond reciprocity: Verses 32–34 contrast this teaching with reciprocity—giving in expectation of a return—which "sinners also" practice. On this basis the passage is read as calling for love and almsgiving that seek nothing in return.

Debates and Issues

• The scope of nonresistance: The Anabaptist and Quaker traditions have taken verse 29 literally, making it a basis for rejecting violence and the use of armed force. By contrast, Martin Luther and much of the Reformed tradition read these words as a prohibition of personal revenge. They treat the state's use of the sword to maintain public order as a separate matter (Romans 13:3–4) and have accordingly permitted military service and similar duties.
• Text and translation: Verse 29 differs in order from Matthew 5:40. Commentators note that Matthew, in the setting of a lawsuit, mentions the inner garment (KJV "coat") first, whereas Luke depicts a situation in which the outer garment (KJV "cloke") is taken. In verse 34, the older Korean translation uses an archaic word meaning "the same amount" (KJV: "as much again"). The phrase "hoping for nothing again" in verse 35 renders a verb that originally means "to despair," translated to suit the context. Some manuscripts transmit a form that reads "despairing of no one."
• Concerns about misuse: Voices in pastoral counseling and elsewhere have warned that this passage must not be used to urge victims of domestic violence or abuse to "turn the other cheek" and endure their suffering.

In the Korean Church

In sermons on love of enemies, the story of the pastor Sohn Yang-won is frequently cited as a representative example. During the Yeosu–Suncheon Incident of 1948, he adopted as his son the young man responsible for the deaths of his two sons.

Related Passages

• Matthew 5:38–42
• Luke 6:37–42
• Romans 12:17–21
• 1 Peter 2:23
• Acts 7:60