Luke 11:42 Meaning and Explanation
“But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Small acts of obedience can reveal real care, yet they can also become a place to hide from weightier demands. Jesus' word about mint and rue helps us see that God receives careful devotion as part of a life shaped by his own justice and love.
Jesus rebukes Pharisees who carefully tithe even small garden herbs while passing over judgment and the love of God. He upholds faithful giving and requires it to live together with justice and love.
The Context of Luke 11:42
During a meal with a Pharisee, Jesus has already challenged a concern for outward cleansing that leaves the inward life corrupt. He then pronounces a series of woes. This first woe to the Pharisees names their exactness in tithing herbs, even minor produce from a garden. The accusation is that they "pass over judgment and the love of God." Jesus immediately states that the tithes ought to have been done while the other duties were also kept. Later woes confront desire for public honor and hidden influence. A lawyer then recognizes that Jesus' words also reach his own group.
What Does Luke 11:42 Mean?
"Woe" is a grave word of sorrow and warning. Jesus addresses people whose tithing was careful enough to include mint, rue, and every kind of herb. These were small and readily counted gifts, and the verse does not dismiss such attentiveness. His final sentence expressly says, "these ought ye to have done." The failure lies in passing over "judgment and the love of God." Judgment here concerns righteous discernment and just dealing, especially where another person's welfare is affected. The love of God gives the proper center for every act of devotion. A precise gift offered while justice is neglected and love is bypassed bears witness to a divided obedience rather than the wholeness God seeks.
The chapter moves from inner cleansing to concrete neighborly life. In verse 41 Jesus speaks of giving alms; verse 42 then shows that religious giving must be joined to judgment and love. The surrounding woes make this clearer: leaders who love prominent seats, load others with heavy burdens, and hinder those seeking knowledge have failed in the care their office required. Jesus is addressing a pattern with public consequences. Those entrusted with teaching and influence shape how others imagine God. Their meticulous concern for an herb tithe could coexist with neglect of justice toward people. The chapter calls God's people to give, teach, and lead in a way that makes his character visible.
Jesus' words stand in line with the prophets, who summoned Israel to worship the Lord through justice, mercy, and humble walking with God. They also fit his own ministry in Luke. He receives the poor, calls sinners to repentance, heals the afflicted, and teaches disciples to ask the Father for daily bread and forgiveness. His concern for judgment and God's love is therefore personal and active. At the cross and in his risen ministry, Christ does not lessen God's holy claim upon the heart. He opens the way for a people who can learn his mercy, honor God with their possessions, and deal justly with those placed in their care.
Bible Verses Related to Luke 11:42
“And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’s: it is holy unto the LORD.”
- Leviticus 27:30
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
- Micah 6:8
“For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”
- Hosea 6:6
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”
- Matthew 23:23
Where Luke 11:42 Echoes in Scripture
Matthew 23:23 closely echoes this saying in another collection of Jesus' woes. There Jesus likewise rebukes tithing that gives attention to small herbs while leaving aside the greater matters of judgment, mercy, and faith. The shared wording confirms that the issue is a distorted scale of devotion. Careful obedience in one area belongs within a wider faithfulness that reflects God's righteousness and compassion.
How to Apply Luke 11:42 Today
Our ordinary choices can be examined in the light of this verse. Financial giving, careful attendance, volunteer work, and disciplined habits may all be good offerings to God. We can also ask whether our work and relationships show fair judgment, patience, honesty, and active love. A household budget can include room for generosity. A difficult conversation can include a willingness to hear the weaker person. A leader can consider whether a policy imposes a burden that he or she would decline to carry. Such practices help keep devotion connected to the people God calls us to love.
Reflection & Prayer
What small act of devotion receives our careful attention, and where might judgment or the love of God need fuller expression nearby? Bring one concrete situation to God. Pray: "Father, teach us to honor you in our gifts and in our dealings with others. Give us wise judgment, a merciful heart, and love that enters the practical duties before us."