IT IS IMPOSSIBLE (ανενδεκτον εστιν). See ουκ ενδεχετα in Luke 13:33. Alpha privative (αν-) and ενδεκτος, verbal adjective, from ενδεχομα. The word occurs only in late Greek and only here in the N.T. The meaning is inadmissible, unallowable.BUT THAT OCCASIONS OF STUMBLING SHOULD COME (του τα σκαν... [ Continue Reading ]
IT WERE WELL FOR HIM (λυσιτελε αυτω). An old word, but only here in the N.T., from λυσιτελης and this from λυω, to pay, and τα τελη, the taxes. So it pays the taxes, it returns expenses, it is profitable. Literally here, "It is profitable for him" (dative case, αυτω). Matthew has συμφερε (it is a... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THY BROTHER SIN (εαν αμαρτη). Second aorist (ingressive) subjunctive in condition of third class.... [ Continue Reading ]
SEVEN TIMES IN A DAY (επτακις της ημερας). Seven times within the day. On another occasion Peter's question (Matthew 18:21) brought Christ's answer "seventy times seven" (verse Luke 17:22), which see. Seven times during the day would be hard enough for the same offender.... [ Continue Reading ]
INCREASE (προσθες). Second aorist active imperative of προστιθημ, to add to. Bruce thinks that this sounds much like the stereotyped petition in church prayers. A little reflection will show that they should answer the prayer themselves.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE HAVE (ε εχετε). Condition of the first class, assumed to be true.YE WOULD SAY (ελεγετε αν). Imperfect active with αν and so a conclusion (apodosis) of the second class, determined as unfulfilled, a mixed condition therefore.SYCAMINE TREE (συκαμινω). At the present time both the black mul... [ Continue Reading ]
SIT DOWN TO MEAT (αναπεσε). Recline (for the meal). Literally, fall up (or back).... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WILL NOT RATHER SAY (αλλ' ουκ ερε).BUT WILL NOT SAY? Ουκ in a question expects the affirmative answer.GIRD THYSELF (περιζωσαμενος). Direct middle first aorist participle of περιζωννυμ, to gird around.TILL I HAVE EATEN AND DRUNKEN (εως φαγω κα πιω). More exactly, till I eat and drink. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
DOES HE THANK? (μη εχε χαριν;). Μη expects the negative answer. Εχω χαριν, to have gratitude toward one, is an old Greek idiom (1 Timothy 1:12; 2 Timothy 1:3; Hebrews 12:28).... [ Continue Reading ]
UNPROFITABLE (αχρειο). The Syriac Sinaitic omits "unprofitable." The word is common in Greek literature, but in the N.T. only here and Matthew 25:30 where it means "useless" (α privative and χρειος from χραομα, to use). The slave who only does what he is commanded by his master to do has gained n... [ Continue Reading ]
THROUGH THE MIDST OF SAMARIA AND GALILEE (δια μεσον Σαμαριας κα Γαλιλαιας). This is the only instance in the N.T. of δια with the accusative in the local sense of "through." Xenophon and Plato use δια μεσου (genitive). Jesus was going from Ephraim (John 11:54) north through the midst of Samaria a... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH STOOD AFAR OFF (ο ανεστησαν πορρωθεν). The margin of Westcott and Hort reads simply εστησαν. The compound read by B means "rose up," but they stood at a distance (Leviticus 13:45). The first healing of a leper (Luke 5:12-16) like this is given by Luke only.... [ Continue Reading ]
LIFTED UP (ηραν). First aorist active of the liquid verb αιρω.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THEY WENT (εν τω υπαγειν αυτους). Favourite Lukan idiom of εν with articular infinitive as in Luke 17:11 and often.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WAS A SAMARITAN (κα αυτος ην Σαμαρειτης). This touch colours the whole incident. The one man who felt grateful enough to come back and thank Jesus for the blessing was a despised Samaritan. The αυτος has point here.... [ Continue Reading ]
SAVE THIS STRANGER (ε μη ο αλλογενης). The old word was αλλοφυλος (Acts 10:28), but αλλογενης occurs in the LXX, Josephus, and inscriptions. Deissmann (_Light from the Ancient East_, p. 80) gives the inscription from the limestone block from the Temple of Israel in Jerusalem which uses this very... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH OBSERVATION (μετα παρατησεως). Late Greek word from παρατηρεω, to watch closely. Only here in the N.T. Medical writers use it of watching the symptoms of disease. It is used also of close astronomical observations. But close watching of external phenomena will not reveal the signs of the kin... [ Continue Reading ]
WITHIN YOU (εντος υμων). This is the obvious, and, as I think, the necessary meaning of εντος. The examples cited of the use of εντος in Xenophon and Plato where εντος means "among" do not bear that out when investigated. Field (_Ot. Norv_.) "contends that there is no clear instance of εντος in th... [ Continue Reading ]
GO NOT AWAY NOR FOLLOW AFTER THEM (μη απελθητε μηδε διωξητε). Westcott and Hort bracket απελθητε μηδε. Note aorist subjunctive with μη in prohibition, ingressive aorist. Do not rush after those who set times and places for the second advent. The Messiah was already present in the first advent (ve... [ Continue Reading ]
LIGHTENETH (αστραπτουσα). An old and common verb, though only here and Luke 24:4 in the N.T. The second coming will be sudden and universally visible. There are still some poor souls who are waiting in Jerusalem under the delusion that Jesus will come there and nowhere else.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT FIRST (πρωτον δε). The second coming will be only after the Cross.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ATE, THEY DRANK, THEY MARRIED, THEY WERE GIVEN IN MARRIAGE (ησθιον, επινον, εγαμουν, εγαμιζοντο). Imperfects all of them vividly picturing the life of the time of Noah. But the other tenses are aorists (Noah entered εισηλθεν, the flood came ηλθεν, destroyed απωλεσεν).... [ Continue Reading ]
Note the same sharp contrast between the imperfects here ( ATE ησθιον,DRANK επινον,BOUGHT ηγοραζον,SOLD επωλουν,PLANTED εφυτευον,BUILDED ωικοδομουν) and the aorists in verse Luke 17:29 ( WENT OUT εξηλθεν,RAINED εβρεξεν,DESTROYED απωλεσεν).... [ Continue Reading ]
IS REVEALED (αποκαλυπτετα). Prophetic and futuristic present passive indicative.... [ Continue Reading ]
LET HIM NOT GO DOWN (μη καταβατω). Second aorist active imperative of καταβαινω with μη in a prohibition in the third person singular. The usual idiom here would be μη and the aorist subjunctive. See Mark 13:15; Matthew 24:17 when these words occur in the great eschatological discussion concernin... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE (μνημονευετε της γυναικος Λωτ). Here only in the N.T. A pertinent illustration to warn against looking back with yearning after what has been left behind (Genesis 19:26).... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL PRESERVE IT (ζωογονησε αυτην). Or save it alive. Here only in the N.T. except 1 Timothy 6:13; Acts 7:19. It is a late word and common in medical writers, to bring forth alive (ζωοσ, γενω) and here to keep alive.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT NIGHT (ταυτη τη νυκτ). More vivid still, "on this night," when Christ comes.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL BE GRINDING (εσοντα αληθουσα). Periphrastic future active indicative of αληθω, an old verb only in the N.T. here and Matthew 24:41.TOGETHER (επ το αυτο). In the same place, near together as in Acts 2:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EAGLES (ο αετο). Or the vultures attracted by the carcass. This proverb is quoted also in Matthew 24:28. See Job 39:27-30; Hebrews 1:8; Hosea 8:1. Double compound (επι-συν-) in επι-συν-αχθησοντα completes the picture.... [ Continue Reading ]