Luke 6 - Introduction
CHAPTER 6. SABBATIC CONFLICTS. THE APOSTLES. THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER 6. SABBATIC CONFLICTS. THE APOSTLES. THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The ears of corn_ (Matthew 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28). ἐν σαββάτῳ : Mk. makes no attempt to locate this incident in his history beyond indicating that it happened on _Sabbath_. Mt. uses a phrase which naturally suggests temporal sequence, but to which in view of what goes before one can attach no defini... [ Continue Reading ]
τινὲς : more exact than Mt. and Mk., who say the Pharisees generally, but not necessary to make their meaning clear. Of course it was only some of the class.... [ Continue Reading ]
οὐδὲ, for Mk.'s οὐδέποτε and Mt.'s οὐκ = not even; have ye so little understood the spirit of the O. T.? (De Wette). The word might be analysed into οὐ, δὲ, when it will mean: but have ye not then read this? So Hofmann, Nösgen, Hahn. ὁπότε, here only in N. T., if even here, for many good MSS. have ὅ... [ Continue Reading ]
Lk. contents himself with the essential fact: hunger, overruling a positive law concerning the shewbread. No reference to the high priest, as in Mk., and no additional instance of the Sabbath law superseded by higher interests, as in Mt. (Matthew 12:5). The controversy no longer lives for him, and h... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ ἔλεγεν : in Lk. this important _logion_ about the Son of Man's Lordship over the Sabbath is simply an external annex to what goes before = and He said: instead of arising out of and crowning the argument, as in Mt., and partly in Mk., though the latter uses the same phrase in introducing the _lo... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐν ἑτέρῳ σαββάτῳ : simply intended to indicate that the following incident, like the one going before, happened on a Sabbath. Observe Lk. uses here, as in Luke 6:1; Luke 6:5, the _singular_ for the Sabbath. τὴν συν : the article here might point to a particular synagogue, as in Mt., or be generic. δ... [ Continue Reading ]
_The withered hand_ (Matthew 12:9-14; Mark 3:1-6).... [ Continue Reading ]
παρετηροῦντο, they kept watching, in a sly, furtive manner, _ex obliquo et occulto_, Bengel on Mk. εἰ θεραπεύει, whether He is going to heal, if that is to be the way of it.... [ Continue Reading ]
ᾔδει : a participle might have been expected here = He knowing their thoughts said, etc. ἔγειρε καὶ στῆθι, etc.: this command was necessary to bring the matter under the notice of the audience present, who as yet knew nothing of the thoughts of the Pharisees, and possibly were not aware that the man... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀγαθοποιῆσαι, κακοποιῆσαι : on the meaning of these words and the issue raised _vide_ on Mk.... [ Continue Reading ]
περιβλεψάμενος. Lk. borrows this word from Mk., but omits all reference to the emotions he ascribes to Jesus: anger mixed with pity. He looks round merely waiting for an answer to His pointed question. None being forthcoming, He proceeds to heal: “qui tacet, consentit,” Bornemann.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀνοίας : they were filled _with senseless anger_. They were “mad” at Jesus, because He had broken the Sabbath, as they conceived it, in a way that would make Him popular: humanity and preternatural power combined. τί ἂν ποιήσαιεν : ἂν with the optative in an indirect question, in Lk. only, following... [ Continue Reading ]
_On the hill_ (Matthew 4:24-25; Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:7-19).... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταύταις : a vague expression, but suggestive of some connection with foregoing encounters. ἐξελθεῖν, went out; whence not indicated, probably from a town (Capernaum?) into the solitude of the mountains. εἰς τὸ ὄρος : as in Matthew 5:1. and Mark 3:13, to the hill near the place where... [ Continue Reading ]
τοὺς μαθητὰς, the disciples, of whom a considerable number have gathered about Jesus, and who have followed Him to the hill. ἀποστόλους, Apostles, used by Lk. in the later sense, here and elsewhere. The word is more frequent in his Gospel than in Mt. and Mk. (six times in Lk., once in Mt., twice in... [ Continue Reading ]
Σίμωνα : here follows the list much the same as in Mt. and Mk. Lk., though he has already called Simon, Peter (Luke 5:8), here mentions that Jesus gave him the name. In the third group of four Judas Jacobi takes the place of Thaddaeus in Mk. and Lebbaeus in Mt. and Simon the Kananite is called Simon... [ Continue Reading ]
καταβὰς, _descending_, with the Twelve, suggesting descent to the foot of the hills, the plain below. Yet the expression τόπου πεδινοῦ is peculiar; hardly what we should expect if the reference were to the plain beside the lake; rather suggestive of a flat space lower down the hill. πεδινὸς, here on... [ Continue Reading ]
δύναμις may be nominative both to ἐξήρχετο and to ἰατο (A. V [64] and R. V [65]), or we may render: “power went forth from Him and He healed all”. [64] Authorised Version. [65] Revised Version.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐπάρας τ. ὀφ.: in Lk. the Preacher lifts up His eyes upon His audience (τ. μαθητὰς, who are themselves a crowd), in Mt. He opens His mouth; both expressions introducing a solemn set discourse. Lk.'s phrase suggests a benignant look, answering to the nature of the utterance. μακάριοι : Lk. has only _... [ Continue Reading ]
_First part of the discourse: Beatitudes and Woes_ (Matthew 5:1-12).... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Sermon_ (Matthew 5-7). That it is the same sermon as Mt. reports in Chapter s 5 7 may be regarded as beyond discussion. How, while the same, they came to be so different, is a question not quite easy to answer. There probably was addition to the original utterance in the case of Mt., and there... [ Continue Reading ]
In the corresponding passage in Mt. there is first an objective didactic statement about the persecuted. then an expansion in the second person. Here all is in the second person, and the terms employed are such as suited the experience of the early Christians, especially those belonging to the Jewis... [ Continue Reading ]
σκιρτήσατε, leap for joy; the word occurs in Luke 1:41; Luke 1:44, and this and other terms found in the sermon have led some to infer that Lk. uses as his source a version of the discourse emanating from a Jewish-Christian circle. _Vide_ the list of words in J. Weiss, Meyer, note, p. 387. _Vide_ al... [ Continue Reading ]
πλὴν, but, used here adversatively, a favourite word with Lk., suggesting therefore the hypothesis that he is responsible for the “woes” following, peculiar to his version of the sermon. ἀπέχετε, ye have in full; riches and nothing besides your reward (_cf._ Matthew 6:2).... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐμπεπλησμένοι, the sated, a class as distinct in character as the δεδιωγμένοι of Matthew 5:10, on whom _vide_ remarks there. Readers can picture the sated class for themselves.... [ Continue Reading ]
This woe is addressed, not to the rich and full without, but to the disciples within, and points out to them that to be free from the evils enumerated in Luke 6:22 is not a matter of congratulation, but rather a curse, as indicative of a disloyalty to the faith and the Master, which makes them rank... [ Continue Reading ]
_The law of love_ (Matthew 5:38-48).... [ Continue Reading ]
ὑμῖν λέγω : Lk. here uses the phrase with which Mt. introduces each _dictum_ of Jesus in opposition to the _dicta_ of the scribes. But of the many _dicta_ of the Lord reported in Mt. he has preserved only one, that relating to the duty of loving (Matthew 5:44). The injunction to love enemies is much... [ Continue Reading ]
= Matthew 5:39-40 with some changes: τύπτειν for ῥαπίζειν, παρέχειν for στρέφειν; αἴροντος suggests the idea of robbery instead of legal proceedings pointed at by Mt.'s κριθῆναι; ἱμάτιον and χιτῶνα change places, naturally, as the robber takes first the upper garment; for Mt.'s ἄφες Lk. puts μὴ κωλύ... [ Continue Reading ]
Lk. passes over Mt.'s instance of compulsory service (Matthew 5:41), perhaps because it would require explanation, or was not a practical grievance for his readers, and goes on to the duty of generous giving, which is to be carried the length of cheerfully resigning what is taken from us by force.... [ Continue Reading ]
Lk. brings in here the law of reciprocity (Matthew 7:12), hardly in its proper place, as the change from singular to plural shows, but in sympathy with what goes before, though not quite in line, and therefore inserted at this point as the best place to be found for the golden rule. It seems to be m... [ Continue Reading ]
χάρις, here and in the following verses stands for Mt.'s μισθὸς, as if to avoid a word of legal sound and substitute an evangelical term instead. Yet Lk. retains μισθὸς in Luke 6:23. χάρις probably means not “thanks” from men but _favour_ from God. It is a Pauline word, and apparently as such in fav... [ Continue Reading ]
For Mt.'s salutation Lk. substitutes doing good (ἀγαθοποιῆτε).... [ Continue Reading ]
This example is robbed of its point if it be supposed that Lk. had an ascetic bias. If a man despise money there is no merit in lending without expecting repayment.... [ Continue Reading ]
πλὴν, _but_, in opposition to all these hypothetical cases. μηδὲν ἀπελπίζοντες, “hoping for nothing again,” A. V [67], is the meaning the context requires, and accepted by most interpreters, though the verb in later Greek means to despair, hence the rendering “never despairing” in R. V [68] The read... [ Continue Reading ]
corresponds to Matthew 5:48, which fitly closes the promulgation of the great law of love = be ye _therefore_ perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect (_vide_ notes there). Lk. alters the precept both in its _expression_ (οἰκτίρμονες for τέλειοι), and in its _setting_, making it begin a new trai... [ Continue Reading ]
_Mercifulness inculcated. God the pattern_.... [ Continue Reading ]
In these special precepts it is implied throughout that God acts as we are exhorted to act. They give a picture of the gracious spirit of God. καὶ, connecting the following precept as a special with a general. No καὶ in Matthew 7:1, where begins a new division of the sermon. In Mt. the judging conde... [ Continue Reading ]
δίδοτε : this form of mercy is suggested by Matthew 7:2, ἐν ᾧ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε, etc.: be giving, implying a constant habit, and therefore a generous nature. μέτρον καλὸν, good, generous measure; these words and those which follow apply to man's giving as well as to the recompense with which the genero... [ Continue Reading ]
εἶπε δὲ : the Speaker is represented here as making a new beginning, the connection of thought not being apparent. Grotius says plainly that there is no connection, and that Lk. has deemed it fitting to introduce here a _logion_ that must have been spoken at another time. Mt. has a similar thought t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Proverbial lore_.... [ Continue Reading ]
The connection here also is obscure; the adage might be taken as directed against the conceit of scholars presuming to criticise their teachers, which is checked by the reminder that the utmost height that can be reached by the fully equipped (κατηρτισμένος, a Pauline word, 1 Corinthians 1:10, _cf._... [ Continue Reading ]
introduces a thought which in Mt. stands in immediate connection with that in Luke 6:37 (Matthew 7:1-3). If the view of Luke 6:40, above suggested, be correct, then this and the next verses may also be understood as referring still to the relations between teacher and taught in the Church, rather th... [ Continue Reading ]
οὐ βλέπων : this is one of the few instances in N. T. of participles negatived by οὐ. The οὐ in such cases may = μὴ, which in classical Greek has the force of a condition, οὐ being used only to state a fact (_vide_ Burton, § 485).... [ Continue Reading ]
In Mt. these parabolic sayings are connected with a warning against false prophets (Matthew 7:15-19). Here the connection is not obvious, though the thread is probably to be found in the word ὑποκριτά, applied to one who by his censoriousness claims to be saintly, yet in reality is a greater sinner... [ Continue Reading ]
For τριβόλοι in Mt., Lk. puts βάτος = thorn bush, _rubus_, and for συλλέγουσιν applied to both thorns and thistles in Mt., Lk. uses in connection with βάτου τρυγῶσιν, the proper word for grape-gathering.... [ Continue Reading ]
θησαυροῦ τῆς καρδίας : either, the treasure which is in the heart, or the treasure which the heart is (Hahn). In either case the sense is: as is the heart, so is the utterance.... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 6:46, introducing the epilogue, rather than winding up the previous train of thought, answers to Matthew 7:21-23; here direct address (2nd person), there didactic (3rd person); here a pointed question, and paratactic structure as of an orator, in lively manner, applying his sermon, there a gene... [ Continue Reading ]
πᾶς ὁ ἐρχόμενος, etc.: the style of address here corresponds to the idea of the discourse suggested by Lk.'s presentation throughout, the historical Sermon on the Mount converted into an ideal sermon in a church = every one that cometh to me by becoming a Christian, and heareth my words generally, n... [ Continue Reading ]
_The epilogue_ (Matthew 7:24-27).... [ Continue Reading ]
ἔσκαψε καὶ ἐβάθυνε, dug, and kept deepening. A Hebraism, say Grotius and others = dug deeply. But Raphel produces an example from Xenophon of the same construction: σαφηνίζει τε καὶ ἀληθεύει for ἀληθῶς σαφηνίζει (_Oeconomici_, cap. xx.). πλημμύρης (from πίμπλημι, ἅπ. λεγ. in N.T.), a flood, “the sud... [ Continue Reading ]
χωρὶς θεμελίου, without a foundation; an important editorial comment. The foolish builder did not make a mistake in choosing a foundation. His folly lay in not thinking of a foundation, but building at haphazard on the surface. _Vide_ notes on Mt. for the characteristics of the two builders. τὸ ῥῆγμ... [ Continue Reading ]