He
came down with them, and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his disciples, and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and they were being healed. All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came out of him and healed them all.
Luke 6:17-19
Luke 6 [6.] It also happened on another Sabbath that he entered into the synagogue and taught. There was a man there, and his right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against him. But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Rise up, and stand in the middle.” He arose and stood. Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you something: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?” He looked around at them all, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did, and his hand was restored as sound as the other. But they were filled with rage, and talked with one another about what they might do to Jesus.
Luke 6 [12.] In these days, he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God. When it was day, he called his disciples, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles: Simon, whom he also named Peter; Andrew, his brother; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Simon, who was called the Zealot; Judas the son of James; and Judas Iscariot, who also became a traitor. He came down with them, and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his disciples, and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and they were being healed. All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came out of him and healed them all.
Luke 6 [20.] He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said,
“Blessed are you who are poor,
God’s Kingdom is yours.
Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
Meaning:
Jesus has spent the whole night on the mountain in prayer and has chosen twelve apostles from among his followers (Luke 6:12-16). Now he comes down with them to meet the crowds. These three verses set the scene for the great sermon that follows, often called the Sermon on the Plain, and show the people to whom it was spoken.
- “He came down with them, and stood on a level place”
Matthew tells us that Jesus “went up onto the mountain” to teach (Matthew 5:1), while Luke says he came down to “a level place”. The two fit together well: a flat area on the slopes of the Galilean hills where a large crowd could gather. Luke’s picture is fitting for his Gospel. The Son of God, who has been alone with the Father, comes down from the place of prayer to stand among ordinary people on level ground.
Notice the three groups. First come the twelve, newly chosen, standing “with” him. Then “a crowd of his disciples”, the wider circle who followed his teaching. Finally “a great number of the people”, many of whom had come only to be healed.
- “From all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon”
The crowd came from far beyond Galilee. Judea and Jerusalem lay several days’ walk to the south, the heart of Jewish worship. Tyre and Sidon were Gentile port cities on the Mediterranean coast to the north west, in what is now Lebanon. Mark lists the same wide area (Mark 3:7-8). Already Jews and Gentiles are gathering around Jesus. In Nazareth he had reminded his hearers that Elijah was sent to a widow “in the land of Sidon” (Luke 4:26), and now people from that very region come to hear him.
- “Who came to hear him and to be healed”
Luke puts hearing before healing. The people came for both, but Jesus’ main purpose was to proclaim the good news of God’s Kingdom. The healings confirmed his words and showed God’s compassion. Luke also mentions “those who were troubled by unclean spirits”. Jesus’ power reached the whole person, body and spirit.
- “Power came out of him and healed them all”
The crowd pressed forward to touch him, just as they did elsewhere: “as many as touched him were made well” (Mark 6:56). Luke often speaks of the power of God at work in Jesus. Later, when a sick woman touched the fringe of his cloak, Jesus said, “Someone did touch me, for I perceived that power has gone out of me” (Luke 8:46). The healing was not magic in his clothes but the power of God flowing through the Son. Luke’s simple summary is striking: he “healed them all”. No one was too sick, too foreign or too troubled to be helped.
This fulfils the prophecy of Isaiah: “Surely he has borne our sickness, and carried our suffering” (Isaiah 53:4).
The Significance of Luke 6:17-19
- From prayer to people
Jesus moved from a night of prayer to a day of serving the crowds. Strength for ministry comes from time with God, and time with God sends us out to serve others.
- The good news is for everyone
People came from Jewish towns and from Gentile cities. Jesus welcomed them all. His Kingdom is not limited by nationality, background or need.
- Come to hear, not only to receive
Many came for healing, but Jesus’ next act was to teach. We are invited to bring our needs to him, and also to listen to his words and live by them.
Cross-References:
Mark 3:10: "For he had healed many, so that as many as had diseases pressed on him that they might touch him." Mark’s description of the crowds.
Luke 8:46: "Someone did touch me, for I perceived that power has gone out of me." The same power at work in a single healing.
Isaiah 53:4: "Surely he has borne our sickness, and carried our suffering" The Servant who carries our sickness.
Matthew 5:1: The setting of the same teaching in Matthew’s Gospel.
Conclusion: After choosing the twelve, Jesus came down to a level place where a great crowd had gathered from Judea, Jerusalem and the Gentile coast of Tyre and Sidon. They came to hear him and to be healed, and power came out of him and healed them all. The scene prepares for the Sermon on the Plain and shows Jesus as the compassionate Lord who welcomes everyone and meets the needs of body and spirit.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible