New Testament · Gospel

Luke 6:7

Blessings and Woes

Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath. Luke 6:7 · Berean Standard Bible
What It Means

Luke 6:7, in plain English

The scribes and Pharisees were watching Jesus like hawks, waiting to see if He'd heal on the Sabbath so they could accuse Him.

Why it's here

They weren't interested in the man's suffering. They were interested in catching Jesus breaking their rules.

Who's speaking

Luke exposes the Pharisees' true motive: building a case against Jesus.

Where it sits in the story

While a man sat suffering, the religious leaders were focused on building a legal case. They had lost sight of what matters most — people. Don't let religion blind you to human need.

A Closer Look

The scholarly reading

The scribes and Pharisees paratēreō ("watch closely/observe suspiciously") Jesus, seeking a katēgoria ("accusation/charge") against Him. Their intent is hostile surveillance, not genuine inquiry.

Language and setting

The adversaries already know Jesus will heal — they are watching not to learn but to prosecute. This premeditated opposition represents a hardening of the conflict.

Voice

Luke reveals the hostile intentions of the religious leaders watching Jesus.

Significance

The religious establishment has moved from questioning to surveillance, from debate to entrapment. Their concern is not truth but legal ammunition against Jesus.

In context

Luke 6:5–9

5Then Jesus declared, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

6On another Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered.

7Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.

8But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and stand among us.” So he got up and stood there.

9Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

Read all of Luke 6 — Blessed are the poor; woe to the rich. Jesus delivers his version of the great sermon and demands a love so radical it includes your enemies.

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