A Student and His Teacher

Luke 6:37-42

Key verse 6:40

A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.

In this passage Jesus further teaches the ways of God in which a disciple of Jesus can garner God's blessings, as an individual (37-38), and as a [Bible] teacher (39-42). 

1. Memorize verse 37a. What is an example(s) of judging? Why should we "not" judge? 

** We can find an example in the book of Exodus 2:13-14, where thinking that he is a better person than the fellow Hebrews, Moses played a (self-appointed) "judge" over two fellow Hebrews fighting each other.

Read Exodus 2:13-14

The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, "Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?" The man said, "Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and thought, "What I did must have become known."

** We should not judge because: [among other reasons]

1) We are all sinners, so we are not the good judge, but the Lord is. In fact, no one but God has the right/authority to judge others. 1Co 4:3-5; James 4:11-12

3) We should not put a stumbling block or obstacle in a brother's way, so that each person would have a full opportunity for him or her to overcome his own problems (sin problems, weaknesses, character flaws) and grow fully in the Lord. Rom 14:4,10-13.

The key point is that Jesus does not want his disciples to be like the Pharisees or teachers of the law who were legalistic, for legalism never makes man to grow to the full greatness of Jesus. 

[Note: by the command "Do not judge" Jesus did not mean to get rid of all the judiciary system. Rather, according to Paul, these (police, judges, court system, etc.) are established by God. Rom 13:1. Read also other Bible passages (such as 1Co 2:15; 5:12-13; 6:2-3) which all talk about Paul's prohibition to bring disputes among the believers in front of a secular judge who does know God.] 

2. Verse 37b says, "Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned." How is this injunction related to "Do not judge"? What is an example(s) of condemning? Why should we not condemn?

** Judging comes first, and then condemning second. You sit as a judge, to either acquit (a man declaring  him as not guilty or a sin or crime) or condemn (a man declaring him as guilty of one charge or another).

But because not one single person is always "perfect", if you tried to find faults with anyone, always you can find problems with that person, and will be able to condemn that person as guilty. 

** Job's friends condemning Job by saying essentially, "You are guilty of some sort of [hidden] sins you committed. That is why these [disasters] are happening to you." Job 32:3

** There is now no condemnation for all who are in Jesus Christ. 

Romans 8:1  

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,

Read also Acts 10:7-16. 

Again, Jesus called the disciples to preach the gospel (not as judges to condemn sinners) which is to set all believers free from condemnation, so all who believe in the gospel would find positions in God's kingdom. 

If the disciples however condemn, their act of condemning defeats the very purpose for which Jesus called them.

3. Verse 37c reads, "Forgive, and you will be forgiven." Compare the command in verse 37c with 37a and 37b. Do they have anything in common? How is the command (37c) different from the others (37a,b)? 

** They all assume that all are sinners. 

** 1) The injunctions in verses 37a and 37b are in the negative (Do not...) whereas the injunction in 37a is in the positive;

2) They (37a,b) are the opposite of 37c.

3) 37a,b make a man with a sense of guilt and shame guiltier and more shameful than ever, causing him to fall into a pit further down. But 37c gives him the hope to overcome his problem and bounce back.

4) 37a,b destroys the relationship, b ut 37c builds up the relationship. 

4. Read aloud verse 38. Compare the messages this verse conveys with the messages in verse 37. How are they related to one another? What does this comparison indicate about the purpose Jesus had in mind in giving us the words in verses 37-38?

** There are four injunctions: 

1) "Do not judge"; 2) "Do not condemn"; 3) "Forgive"; 4) "Give."

1) and 2) are related/connected/stuck together; 3) and 4) are related together. 

The first two are needed for the latter 3) and 4) to occur. For example, if you start judging others categorically it is impossible for you to forgive others. If you cannot forgive anyone, you cannot give what you are supposed to give to others. 

** Jesus' ultimate purpose is to build a complete  unity of love among all (through the leadership of his disciples) as Jesus shared in his high priestly prayer in John 17:23-24. 

The purpose of establishing this unity is for God to be able to bestow upon his children the full blessings the Lord God has in mind. 

So Jesus' ultimate purpose is to created a climate/environment which can hold all the blessings God has in mind. 

5. Compare the two questions in verse 39 with the limitation and the vision a student has in verse 40. What do you think Jesus mean by "a blind man" leading "a blind man"? Whom does Jesus refer to by: 1) "a student"; and 2) "a teacher"? 

** Here 'blind' means "spiritually" blind. 

By a blind man Jesus refers to those who are spiritually blind, not knowing how to lead men to God. Literally it means not knowing who Jesus really is, for it is Jesus who is the way to God. It does not matter how intelligent or smart you are. 

** A student = a disciple of Jesus.

** A teacher = Jesus.

6. Think about the two questions Jesus asks in verses 41 and 42. What does this passage teach us about: 1) the way to overcome one's blindness; and 2) the way to be a good student who is "like his teacher"? 

** 1) To be fully trained [to know Jesus' person and his work]

2) To know that you are a greater sinner than all others (just as a plank is greater than a speck of saw dust), and take that plank out of your own eyes. 

The end