Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Luke 5:39

εὐθέως. A; omitted by אBCL, Copt. Arm. Aeth. Ti[116] W.H[117]

[116] Ti. Tischendorf.
[117] W.H. Westcott and Hort.

χρηστός. אB, Ti[118] W.H[119] χρηστότερος AC, La[120]

[118] Ti. Tischendorf.
[119] W.H. Westcott and Hort.
[120] La. Lachmann.

39. πιὼν παλαιόν. The reading of the Rec[124] gives a complete iambic πιὼν παλαιὸν εὐθέως θέλει νέον as in Luke 5:21, but εὐθέως is a gloss omitted by אBCL, and several Versions, &c. This verse is peculiar to St Luke, and is characteristic of his fondness for all that is most tender and gracious. It is an expression of considerateness towards the inveterate prejudices engendered by custom and system: a kind allowance for the reluctance of the Pharisees and the disciples of John to abandon the old systems to which they had been accustomed. The spirit for which our Lord here (as it were) offers an apology is the deep-rooted human tendency to prefer old habits to new lights, and stereotyped formulae to fresh truths. It is the unprogressive spirit which relies simply on authority, precedent, and tradition, and says, ‘It was good enough for my father, it is good enough for me;’ ‘It will last my time,’ &c. The expression itself seems to have been a Jewish proverb (Nedarim, f. 66. 1).

[124] Rec. The Textus Receptus.

ὁ παλαιὸς χρηστός ἐστιν. The bigot will not go so far as to admit (which χρηστότερος would imply) that the new is in any way ‘good.’ ‘The old is excellent’ (אBL, &c.). The reading of the E. V., χρηστότερος, is inferior, since the man, having declined to drink the new, can institute no comparison between it and the old. The wine which at the beginning has been set forth to him is good (John 2:10), and he assumes that only ‘that which is worse’ can follow. On the general comparison see Sir 9:10; John 2:10. Gess has pointed out (Christi Zeugniss) how pregnant with meaning is this brief passage in which Christ indicates the novelty of His Gospel, His dignity as bridegroom, and His violent death. Godet adds that the first of these three parables anticipates the doctrine of St Paul, the second his work among Gentiles, and the third his accommodating method. It is characteristic of the crude dogmatism of Marcion, with his hatred to the Old Testament and the Law, that he omits Luke 5:39 which is also omitted in D.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Luke 5:39

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