Luke 9:51 to Luke 18:31_. Rejected by the Samaritans. A lesson of Tolerance._ This section forms a great episode in St Luke, which may be called the departure for the final conflict, and is identical with the journey (probably to the Feast of the Dedication, John 10:22) which is partially Luke 9:51... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 13:1-9. Accidents and Judgments. The Barren Fig-Tree. 1. _There were present at that season_ Rather, THERE ARRIVED AT THAT VERY SEASON. The curious phrase seems to imply that they had come on purpose to announce this catastrophe. Hence some have supposed that they wished to kindle in the mind o... [ Continue Reading ]
_were sinners above all the Galileans_ The -were" is literally, -became," i.e. -stamped themselves as," -proved themselves to be." We trace a similar mistaken -supposition" in the question of the disciples about the blind man (John 9:2). It was indeed deeply engrained in the Jewish mind, although th... [ Continue Reading ]
_except ye repent_, _ye shall all likewise perish_ The first meaning of the words was doubtless prophetic. As a matter of historic fact, the Jewish nation did not repent, and myriads of them in the siege of Jerusalem perished by a doom closely analogous to that of these unhappy Galilaeans (see Jos.... [ Continue Reading ]
_those eighteen_, _upon whom the tower in Siloam fell_ It is an ingenious, but of course uncertain conjecture of Ewald, that the death of these workmen was connected with the notion of retribution because they were engaged in building part of the aqueduct to the Pool of Siloam, for the construction... [ Continue Reading ]
_ye shall all likewise perish_ The readings of the word -likewise" vary between - _homoios_" and - _hosautos;"_but no distinct difference of meaning between the two words can be established, unless the latter be rather stronger, - _in the very same way._" Here again the actual incidents of the siege... [ Continue Reading ]
_a fig tree planted in his vineyard_ The corners of vineyards were often utilised in this way, as they still are (Tristram, _Nat. Hist. Bib._p. 352). Here the Jewish nation is compared to the fig-tree (Hosea 9:10; Jeremiah 24:3), as in the _acted_parable of the Barren Fig- tree (Matthew 21:19); more... [ Continue Reading ]
_unto the dresser of his vineyard_ It seems clear that in the truth which the parable shadows forth, Christ corresponds to the vine-dresser, and Jehovah to the owner (Isaiah 5:7). Some however prefer to see in the vine-dresser the Holy Spirit as Intercessor. _Behold_, _these three years_ Many suppo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lord_ Rather, SIR, as far as the parable is concerned. _this year also_ "The Lord... is longsuffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance," 2 Peter 3:9. In "this year also" it is better to see generally the respite of forty years between the cruci... [ Continue Reading ]
_if it bear fruit_, _well_ The _-well_" is not in the original, the idiom being a common but striking _aposiopesis:_i.e. the conclusion of the sentence is left to the speaker's imagination. The phrase implies, If, as is at least possible, it bears fruit; but if not, as thou supposest, then, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
10-17. The Sabbatical Hypocrite and the Suffering Woman. 10. _in one of the synagogues_ The mention of synagogue-teaching becomes much rarer at this later stage of Christ's ministry. It is most probable that from some at least of the synagogues of Galilee he was excluded by the -lesser excommunicat... [ Continue Reading ]
_a spirit of infirmity_ Her curvature is thus directly attributed to Satanic agency. Job 2:6-7; Acts 10:38.... [ Continue Reading ]
_thou art loosed_ Here, as elsewhere, the delicacy and force of the Greek tense implying the _immediateness_and the _permanence_of the cure can only be expressed in English by a periphrasis.... [ Continue Reading ]
_ruler of the synagogue_ See Luke 8:41. _with indignation_ The same strong word implying a _personal_ resentment is used in Matthew 20:24; Matthew 26:8. _on the sabbath day_ See on Luke 6:2. _in which men ought to work_ Exodus 20:9. _in them therefore come and be healed_ As though the reception o... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou hypocrite_ Rather (with the best uncials), Hypocrites! (א, A, B), classing the man with the whole sect to which he belonged, and whose shibboleths he used. They were hypocrites (i.e. they were acting a part) because they were disguising secret enmity under a pretence of sabbatical zeal. _on t... [ Continue Reading ]
_ought not_ Our Saviour gives him back his own word _"ought_but the man's _ought_had been one of ceremonial obligation, and the _ought_of Jesus was founded on the divine necessity of love. _being a daughter of Abraham_ See Luke 19:9. _whom Satan hath bound_ Compare 2 Corinthians 12:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
_when he had said these things_ Rather, while He was saying these things. _were ashamed_ See Isaiah 14:16 (LXX.).... [ Continue Reading ]
- 21. The Mustard Seed and the Leaven. 18. _Unto what is the kingdom of God like?_ For this solemn introduction see Isaiah 40:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
_waxed a great tree_ Omit _great_with א, B, D, L, &c. The points of comparison are the sudden, secret growth, and the immense development of the kingdom of God. The mustard seed was colloquially spoken of by the Jews as -the smallest of all seeds," and it grew into a herbaceous plant, as tall as a h... [ Continue Reading ]
_It is like leaven_ Except in this parable, _leaven_in Scripture (being connected with corruption and fermentation) is used as the type of sin. See Luke 12:1; Exodus 12:1; Exo 12:15-20; 1 Corinthians 5:6-8; Galatians 5:9. Here, however, the only point considered is its rapid, and unseen, and effectu... [ Continue Reading ]
22-30. The Narrow Door. 22. _he went through the cities and villages_ Some see in this the starting-point of a separate journey. The expression is too vague on which to build. It may imply a fresh progress after some brief period of rest.... [ Continue Reading ]
_are there few that be saved?_ The question may naturally have arisen from the last teachings respecting the small beginnings of the Kingdom of God. There is nothing to shew whether it was suggested by speculative curiosity, or by despondent pity. But without directly rebuking such questions, our L... [ Continue Reading ]
_Strive_ The word implies the strong efforts of A contest. 1 Timothy 6:12. _at the strait gate_ Rather, THROUGH THE NARROW DOOR; reading _thuras_ (א, B, D, L) for _pules._ MATTHEW 7:13. _will seek to enter in_, _and shall not be able_ because they only _seek,_ and do not _strive;_they wish for hea... [ Continue Reading ]
_to stand without_, _and to knock at the door_ Matthew 25:10. That the first application of the warning was to Jews who relied on their privileges appears from the fact that the excluded class are not poor sinners, but self-righteous Pharisees who claim entrance as their right. _Lord_, _Lord_, _ope... [ Continue Reading ]
_then shall ye begin to say_ All excuse shall be cut short at once, Luke 3:8. _thou hast taught in our streets_ Here again (see Luke 13:28) we see how our Lord discouraged all notions of any privilege derived from fleshly privileges, or even proximity to Himself. Romans 2:17-20.... [ Continue Reading ]
I _know you notdepart from me_, _all ye workers of iniquity_ 2 Timothy 2:19, "The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.... [ Continue Reading ]
_weeping and gnashing of teeth_ The signs respectively of anguish and of rage (Acts 7:54). _Abraham_, _and Isaac_, _and Jacob_ Marcion, always anxious to disown the Old Testament, altered this into "all the just.... [ Continue Reading ]
_they shall come from the east_, _and from the west_ There is an obvious reference to Isaiah 49:12; Isaiah 14:6. Nothing more furiously excited the envy of the Jews than the free admission of the Gentiles to those privileges of the Kingdom of Heaven (Ephesians 3:6) which they rejected. Romans 11:1-3... [ Continue Reading ]
_And, behold_ The phrase sometimes implies -strange as you may think it." It occurs 23 times in St Matthew, 16 in St Luke; but not in St Mark. _there are last which shall be first_ Our Lord used this proverbial expression more than once. Matthew 19:30. It had, besides its universal truthfulness, a... [ Continue Reading ]
31-35 _._ A MESSAGE TO HEROD ANTIPAS. 31. _The same day_ Or, _In that very hour_(א, A, D, L, &c.). _Get thee out_, _and depart hence_ These Pharisees were as eager as the Gadarenes to get rid of Jesus; but whether this was their sole motive or whether they further wished to separate Him from the m... [ Continue Reading ]
_that fox_ Rather, THIS SHE-FOX, as though Christ saw him actually present, or identified _his_fox-like nature with that which the Pharisees were now displaying. The fact that the word is feminine may be only due to its being _generic._The fox was among the ancients, as well as among the modems, the... [ Continue Reading ]
_I must.walk_ Rather, I MUST JOURNEY; the same word as in Luke 13:31, "depart." It seems to imply, -I will not leave Herod's dominion, but I shall journey on at my own leisure through them." _it cannot be_ i.e. there is a moral unfitness in the murder of a Prophet anywhere but in Jerusalem. The wor... [ Continue Reading ]
O _Jerusalem_, _Jerusalem_ The words were perhaps spoken again in the Great Denunciation of the Tuesday in Passion Week, Matthew 23:37. _which killest the prophets_ "It was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now _murderers_" (Isaiah 1:21). See Luke 11:47; Luke 20:14; Matthew 23:34; 2... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold_, _your house is left unto you desolate_ The authenticity of the word -desolate" is very doubtful, as it is omitted in א, A, B, K, L, &c. The words therefore mean -The Shechinah has vanished from you now (Ezekiel 10:19; Ezekiel 11:23). The house is now _yours,_not God's; and because yours th... [ Continue Reading ]