The Meaning of Luke 6:46 Explained

Luke 6:46

KJV: And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

YLT: 'And why do ye call me, Lord, Lord, and do not what I say?

Darby: And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say?

ASV: And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  why  call ye  me,  Lord,  Lord,  and  do  not  the things which  I say? 

What does Luke 6:46 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This is a very brief condensation of a parable that Matthew recorded more fully. Matthew"s interest in it connects with the mention of false teachers that occurs in the context of his account of the sermon. Luke simply lifted the main point of the teaching out and inserted it in his account. His interest was primarily Jesus" warning to disciples to apply His teaching to their lives. Profession of discipleship is one thing, but what identifies a true disciple of Jesus is really doing God"s will (cf. James 1:22-25).
A disciple cannot legitimately refer to Jesus as his or her lord and ignore what He teaches. The double title was common in Judaism to strengthen the form of the address (cf. Genesis 22:11; Genesis 46:2; Exodus 3:4; 1 Samuel 3:10). Here it implies great honor. "Lord" was a respectful address, as we have noted, but in view of who Jesus was it came to imply the highest respect. Used intelligently it implied deity, messiahship, and sovereignty. However everyone who used this title, even Jesus" disciples, did not always imply all of this when they used it, especially before Jesus" resurrection and ascension.

Context Summary

Luke 6:39-49 - The Test That Reveals Character
Yes, it is true! Some day we shall be perfected. The long discipline will be over, and we shall be able to close our lesson books and go home. We shall then be found to be like Christ, our Lord. The promise of Luke 6:40 is very beautiful, though it sometimes seems far away.
We need to look at home first, before we essay to judge or condemn others. It is blundering waste to deal with other people's eyes if you have a defect in yours. Colorblind men ought not to run trains. Speech betrayeth men; what they say, that they are. The man who is quickest to judge and discuss the faults of another does so because of his own experience of the same sin. How else could he know so much about it?
The rock is not the Church, nor doctrine, nor even the Bible, but Christ, Isaiah 28:16. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 6

1  Jesus reproves the Pharisees;
12  chooses apostles;
17  heals the diseased;
20  preaches to his disciples before the people: the beattitudes;
27  Love your Enemy
37  Do not Judge
43  A Tree and Its Fruit
46  The House on the Rock

Greek Commentary for Luke 6:46

And do not [και ου ποιειτε]
This is the point about every sermon that counts. The two parables that follow illustrate this point. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 6:46

Matthew 21:3 The Lord [ὁ κύριος]
From κῦρος , supreme power, authority. Hence κύριος , one having authority, lord, owner, ruler. In classical Greek, used of the gods, and in inscriptions applied to different gods, as Hermes, Zeus, etc.; also of the head of the family, who is lord ( κύριος ) of the wife and children (1 Timothy 6:1, 1 Timothy 6:2; Titus 2:9; 1 Peter 2:18), and κύριος (Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1). In the Septuagint it is used by Sarah of her husband (Genesis 3:6). Joseph is called lord of the country (Genesis 18:27; Exodus 4:10). In the New Testament it is a name for God (Matthew 1:20, Matthew 1:22, Matthew 1:24; Matthew 2:15; Acts 11:16; Acts 12:11, Acts 12:17; Revelation 1:8). As applied to Christ, it does not express his divine nature and power. These are indicated by some accompanying word or phrase, as my God (John 20:28); of all (Acts 10:36); to the glory of God the Father (Philemon 2:11); of glory (1 Corinthians 2:8); so that, as a title of Christ, Lord is used in the sense of Master or Ruler, or in address, Sir (Matthew 22:43, Matthew 22:45; Luke 2:11; Luke 6:46; John 13:13, John 13:14; 1 Corinthians 8:6). Ὁ κύριος , the Lord, is used of Christ by Matthew only once (Matthew 21:3) until after the resurrection (Matthew 28:6). In the other gospels and in the Acts it occurs far oftener. Nevertheless, in the progress of Christian thought in the New Testament, the meaning develops toward a specific designation of the divine Saviour, as may be seen in the phrases Jesus, Christ our Lord, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Jesus our Lord. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

What do the individual words in Luke 6:46 mean?

Why now Me do you call Lord and not do what I say
Τί δέ με καλεῖτε Κύριε καὶ οὐ ποιεῖτε λέγω

Τί  Why 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: τίς  
Sense: who, which, what.
δέ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
με  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
καλεῖτε  do  you  call 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: καλέω  
Sense: to call.
Κύριε  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
λέγω  I  say 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.