Luke 6:1

New Testament Gospel ASV (1901)

What does Luke 6:1 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Now it came to pass on a sabbath, that he was going through the grainfields; and his disciples plucked the ears, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Now it came to pass on a sabbath, that he was going through the grainfields; and his disciples plucked the ears, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.
Luke 6:1 — American Standard Version

Context — Luke 6

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1Now it came to pass on a sabbath, that he was going through the grainfields; and his disciples plucked the ears, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And it came to pass on the second sabbath day after the first, etc.] Or “second first sabbath”, concerning which interpreters are greatly divided. Some think, that it was either the seventh day of the feast of unleavened bread, or the eighth day of the feast of tabernacles. Others, that it was the sabbath which fell that year on the day of Pentecost; and that as there were three grand festivals among the Jews, the feasts of passover, Pentecost, and tabernacles; so when the sabbath day fell on the feast of the passover, it was called the first prime sabbath, when on the feast of Pentecost, it was called the second prime sabbath, and when on the feast of tabernacles, the third prime sabbath.…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“PLUCKING CORN-EARS ON THE SABBATH. (Luk 6:1-5) second sabbath after the first--an obscure expression, occurring here only, generally understood to mean, the first sabbath after the second day of unleavened bread. The reasons cannot be stated here, nor is the opinion itself quite free from difficulty.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Second sabbath after the first - See the notes at Matthew 12:1. This phrase has given great perplexity to commentators. A “literal” translation would be, “on the Sabbath called “second first,”” or second first Sabbath. The word occurs nowhere else. It is therefore exceedingly difficult of interpretation. The most natural and easy explanation is that proposed by Scaliger. The “second day” of the Passover was a great festival, on which the wave-sheaf was offered, Leviticus 23:11. From “that day” they reckoned “seven weeks,” or seven “Sabbaths,” to the day of Pentecost. The “first” Sabbath after that “second day” was called the “second first,” or the first from the second day of the feast. The…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“The first Sabbath - So the Jews reckoned their Sabbaths, from the passover to pentecost; the first, second, third, and so on, till the seventh Sabbath (after the second day.) This immediately preceded pentecost, which was the fiftieth day after the second day of unleavened bread. Mat 12:1; Mar 2:23. Luke 6:2”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“6:1-11 Jesus’ conflicts with the religious leaders continued with two controversies over the Sabbath. The law of Moses required Jews to rest on the Sabbath (Exod 20:8-11; Deut 5:13-14), but the Pharisees had forgotten that the real reason for the Sabbath was to benefit human beings. 6:1 his disciples broke off heads of grain: The law allowed this kind of grazing while walking through someone else’s field (Deut 23:24-25).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“the second: Exo 12:15; Lev 23:7, Lev 23:10, Lev 23:11, Lev 23:15; Deu 16:9 that: Mat 12:1-8; Mar 2:23-28 and his: Deu 23:25 Luke 6:2”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification