Luke 6:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

After selecting twelve disciples, he descends from the mountain to bring healing to those arriving from the towns, uplifting them both in spirit and in body.

Please pay attention to how the selection occurred. The insightful evangelist notes that this was not done in secrecy but openly, in the presence of numerous disciples and a great assembly from all over Judea and the coastal regions of Tyre and Sidon. The latter group comprised idolaters who, although partially following the Jewish customs, had not fully forsaken their idolatrous rituals. Thus, this selection happened before all these witnesses, and teachers were appointed to reach everyone under heaven. They carried out their duty by calling the Jewish people away from their rightful worship and those ensnared by false gods away from the Greek delusion to embrace the truth.

And as He descended from the mountain with His disciples, He came to a flat area. It is important to reflect on this: He went up with the apostles and returned to the people. Would the crowd have been able to see Him had He remained elevated? The multitude did not follow Him to the height, nor did He ascend lofty peaks. It is by coming down that He encounters the suffering—those who are afflicted cannot reside at high altitudes. Matthew illustrates this (see Matthew 8:1), showing that the sick are healed at a lower place: first, an individual is restored, and then, as they grow in virtue, they begin to ascend the mountain.

He possessed a miraculous strength that restored the health of all who reached out to Him.

He then accompanied them to the people and delivered a comprehensive message. Since the members of this new Israel were of spiritual lineage rather than earthly, the Lord chose to highlight in this address some defining traits of the children of the new Israel, mainly reflecting on the practices and examples of piety from the time of Israel. He contrasted these admirable qualities against those that were unworthy, elevating the righteous attributes to their utmost perfection.

The teachings of the Saviour presented on the mountain, as described in this passage, are undoubtedly the same as those found in the Gospel of Matthew (chapters 5-7), though here they are summarized with some unique elements absent from Matthew's account. This unity is clearly demonstrated by the parallels at both the beginning (Luke 6:20) and the conclusion of the discourse (Luke 6:49, cf. Matthew 5:3, Matthew 7:27) as well as by the overall similarities in content (refer to the note on Matthew 5:2).

Once the apostles were chosen, the Lord descended from the mountain alongside them and positioned Himself on a flat area. There were other disciples and a large crowd of individuals from all over Judea, including Jerusalem, as well as from the coastal regions of Tyre and Sidon, eagerly awaiting Him. Some had journeyed great distances to hear His teachings, while others came seeking healing from ailments and liberation from unclean spirits. He healed them all, and the multitude, filled with exhilaration and hope, endeavored to reach out and touch Him, drawn by the life-giving miraculous energy emanating from Him.