Luke 11:37-12

8. The Dinner at a Pharisee's House: Luke 11:37 to Luke 12:12.

Agreeably to the connection established by Luke himself (Luke 12:1), we join the two pieces Luke 11:37-54 and Luke 12:1-12 in one whole. Here, so far as Galilee is concerned, we have the culminating point of the struggle between Jesus and the pharisaic party. This period finds its counterpart in Judea, in the scenes related John 8-10. The background of the conflict which now ensues, is still the odious accusation refuted in the previous passage. The actual situation assigned to the repast is, according to Holtzmann, merely a fiction, the idea of which had been suggested to Luke by the figures of Luke 11:39-40. Is it not more natural to suppose that the images of Luke 11:39-40 were suggested to Jesus by the actual situation, which was that of a repast? It is true, a great many of the sayings which compose this discourse are found placed by Matthew in a different connection; they form part of the great discourse in which Jesus denounced the divine malediction on the scribes and Pharisees in the temple a few days before His death (Matthew 23). But first it is to be remarked, that Holtzmann gives as little credit to the place which those sayings occupy in the composition of Matthew, as to the “scenery” of Luke. Then we have already found too many examples of the process of aggregation used in the first Gospel, to have our confidence shaken thereby in the narrative of Luke. We shall inquire, therefore, with impartiality, as we proceed, which of the two situations is that which best suits the words of Jesus.

This piece contains: 1 st. The rebukes addressed to the Pharisees (Luke 11:37-44); 2 d. Those addressed to the scribes (Luke 11:45-54); 3 d. The encouragements given to the disciples in face of the animosity to which they are exposed on the part of those enraged adversaries (Luke 12:1-12).