Part I | Part II | Part IV | Epilogue

Luke records these imperatives from Christ’s lips:

• “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’ ” (to Satan)
• “It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” (also to Satan)
• “Blessed are you when men hate you,  when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.”
• “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
• “If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.”
• “Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. “
• “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
• “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.”
• “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
• “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
• “Go and do likewise.” (referring to the actions of the good Samaritan)
• “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (teaching about prayer)
• “Be on your guard about the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” (to His disciples)
• “”I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.”
• “… And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.”
• “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
• “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.”
• “And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. … But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”
• “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.”
• “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. … You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
• “”Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way, or he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.”
• “… But unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
• “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
• “So watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”
• “Men will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them.” (to His disciples; on false messiahs)
• “… For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
• “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.
• “”This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

There are a lot of Jesus’ imperatives directed toward His followers generally in Luke’s gospel – but not nearly so many as the 613 precepts of the Law. So, in that sense, His yoke really is easy, and His burden is light.

But a lot of the things He asks of us are really hard to do. Self-sacrificial, in fact.

So we can be like Him.

Part I | Part II | Part IV | Epilogue