The Power of the Name

Is Jesus Talking about Offerings?

UNDERSTANDING SCRIPTURE

Give and it shall be given onto you…

Is Jesus Talking About

OFFERINGS?

Most Christians today are familiar with the following scripture: “Give and it shall be given onto you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom” Luke 6:38.

The common teaching for this scripture is usually reserved for church offerings. It will surprise many, however, that Jesus is not talking about church offerings at all.

The following should in no way be used as an excuse not to contribute to churches or ministries – there are other scriptures that can be used legitimately for that reason. But we want to be accurate in understanding scripture and in what is being taught.

We need to have a bit more of the Berean spirit. The Bereans were Jews that were eager to hear what the Apostle Paul had to say about the Lord, but they “examined the scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11) whether what he preached was so or not.

When one is looking to buy a house, the common refrain is “location, location, location.” It’s not just the house, but what are its surroundings? Where is it located? That’s the same with understanding scripture – where is the scripture located and what is surrounding it. It’s all about location, or more accurately context.

Context, context, context: The context of the scripture is everything. Now, with this in mind, let’s understand the context of Jesus’ statement.

Let’s begin in Luke 6:12:

And it happened in those days that He (Jesus) went out into a mountain to pray, and He was spending the night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples. And He chose twelve of them, whom He also named apostles: Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alpheus, and Simon who was called Zelotes; Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, who also became the betrayer.

(Luk 6:12-16 MKJV)

At this point, we find that Jesus, after praying all night for guidance, has selected his disciples, who will become the pillars of His church. The word church means “called out ones.” They are being called out of the world and placed into His kingdom, with all the privileges that sonship affords – including the ability to walk like Jesus walked, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Seeing that this is a new concept – unprecedented since Adam’s fall – Jesus began teaching what this new life of being a Christian was going to be like.

Jesus was real with them! There were wonderful blessings associated with being a Christian, but there were also difficulties:

And lifting up His eyes to His disciples, He said, Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall cut you off, and when they shall reproach you and shall cast out your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy. For behold, your reward is great in Heaven. For so their fathers did according to these things to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full! For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now! For you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men shall speak well of you! For so their fathers did to the false prophets.

(Luk 6:20-26 MKJV)

Here Jesus is already showing his disciples that if they follow Christ, the world will hate them and seek to hurt them. But Jesus then goes on to explain how we should react to those who would seek us harm:

But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who despitefully use you. And to him who strikes you on the one cheek, also offer the other. And to him who takes away your garment, do not forbid your tunic also. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from him who takes away your goods, do not ask them again. And as you desire that men should do to you, you do also to them likewise. For if you love those who love you, what thanks do you have? For sinners also love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks do you have? For sinners also do the same. And if you lend to those of whom you hope to receive, what thanks do you have? For sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return. And your reward shall be great, and you shall be the sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the unthankful and to the evil.

(Luk 6:27-35 MKJV)

Here Jesus ups the ante in our character – stressing the need to go above and beyond what normal people do. Normal people love those that love them and hate those who hate them. But Jesus tells us no, don’t follow that pattern!

Instead, love those who don’t love you. Give to those that are persecuting you. The bottom line is that Jesus died for these very same persecutors and that God is still seeking to bring them into His fold. Therefore, Jesus is saying, present yourselves to them as Jesus would: “for He is kind to the unthankful and to the evil.”

The carnal mind would scorn those and refuse to forgive those that have hurt us; which is why Jesus continues:

Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven.

(Luk 6:36-37 MKJV)

Jesus is stressing the way we as Christians need to look upon those who have not yet given themselves over to Christ: merciful, nonjudgmental, non-condemning, & forgiving.

With this context in mind, we now come to the pivotal scripture:

Give, and it shall be given to you, good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over, they shall give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you measure, it shall be measured to you again.

(Luk 6:38 MKJV)

This whole time, Jesus is talking about the way Christians are supposed to conduct themselves with the world – without intolerance, without condemnation, but with love and forgiveness.

Jesus is continuing that refrain with verse 38: the way you treat people will be the way people ultimately will treat you. Some of these people who have been persecuting Christians will have a hard time responding in anger to those who continue to show them love at all costs. Paul says, Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him. If he thirsts, give him drink. For in so doing you shall heap coals of fire on his head. (Rom 12:20 MKJV)

Also notice there is no mention of church services in verse 38; no mention of money at all. The return here is “in your bosom” – not your wallet! Bosom denotes relationship, in the same way that Lazarus was carried off into Abraham’s bosom; or the way John leaned on Jesus’ bosom.

You can continue reading through the context after verse 38 and you will find that Jesus is again contrasting the saved with the unsaved (or pre-saved, as I like to term it), and how the saved need to react to the unsaved.

Verse 39-40: And He spoke a parable to them: Can the blind lead the blind? Shall they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master, but everyone who is perfect shall be like his master. (Luk 6:39-40 MKJV)

Jesus here reminds us that if you want to lead the blind into salvation? Set the right example yourself.

Verse 46: And why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say? (Luk 6:46 MKJV)

And if we’re serious about the commitment to our Lord, then we need to hear what He tells us.

So the context shows us that Jesus is talking about the way we deal with those in the world and not how much we put into offerings.