NOTES for Luk 6:1-16
In Jesus' conversations with the Pharisees, they often object to the way He treats particular rules or traditions. The Sabbath occupies a central place in these disputes. What may and may not be done on the Sabbath? In the mind of a Jew of that time, answering this question required a serious knowledge of the Law and the commentaries of authoritative teachers. But the way Jesus poses the question turns a theological discussion into a direct challenge to the conscience, which is possessed not only by teachers and theologians: What may be done on the Sabbath—good or evil? To save or to destroy? The Gospel teaches us to pose the questions that concern us in precisely this way, for conscience is often the best adviser, even in theological matters.