Lending to Them You Hope to Receive - Luke 6:34

The beloved physician Luke wrote how Jesus said, “Give to every man that asks of you; and of him that takes away your goods ask them not again. And as you would that men should do to you, do you also to them likewise. For if you love them which love you, what thank have you? for sinners also love those that love them. And if you do good to them which do good to you, what thank have you? for sinners also do even the same”, and in chapter six and verse thirty-four of his book Luke shares how Jesus asked, “if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thank have you?” where we read:

And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thank have you?

for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

The verse reads, “And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thank have you?” Luke began with the words, “and if you lend to them” or “and whether Jesus' disciples loan money to people whether male or female” “of whom you hope to receive” which means “from people Jesus' disciples trust and expect to recover and get back that which is due or promised”, “what thank have you” or “what grace, favor, delight, pleasure, sweetness and charm does Jesus' disciples own or possess”? Luke shared how Jesus asked the disciples listening to Him what “grace and favor” they obtain if they only “loan money” to people from whom “they expect to return it”.

The verse continues, “for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.” Luke added the words, “for sinners” which means “because, since and on account that wicked men and people devoted to sin and vice” “also lend to sinners” or “even so and indeed loan money to wicked men and people devoted to sin and vice”, “to receive as much again” which means “to recover, expect and get back what is promised which is the same quantity, quality or amount again”. Luke shared how “wicked people” loan money to people who are “wicked” because they expect to recover the amount promised to them.

When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we see another contrast to the way the disciples of Jesus were to live compared to the world. People who are “evil and wicked” loan money to those whom they expect to pay it back, and if Jesus' disciples do only the same, they are no different than “sinners”. God desires to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when they understand that God “loans money and goods” to everyone (“The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” Psalm 24:1) they do best to believe and trust in Him as they yield their lives to Jesus. Jesus followers are to be different than the world, and when a person submits to Him, He will help them “lend” without expectation of return.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus says, “love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".