THERE WERE PRESENT AT THAT SEASON,.... Among the innumerable multitude of people, Luke 12:1 that were then hearing the above discourses and sayings of Christ: SOME THAT TOLD HIM OF THE GALILEANS, WHOSE BLOOD PILATE HAD MINGLED WITH THEIR SACRIFICES. These Galileans were very likely some of the foll... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS ANSWERING, SAID UNTO THEM,.... Neither approving, nor condemning Pilate's action; and though he allowed the Galileans to be sinners, which could not be denied, he does not bear hard upon them, but improves the instance for the conviction of his hearers, and in order to show them the necess... [ Continue Reading ]
I TELL YOU, NAY, c,] They were not greater sinners than others of their neighbours, nor is it to be concluded from the bloody slaughter that was made of them others might be much more deserving of such an end than they, who yet escaped it: BUT EXCEPT YE REPENT; of sin, and particularly of the disbe... [ Continue Reading ]
OR THOSE EIGHTEEN,.... Men; the Persic version reads, "those twelve"; but all copies, and other versions, agree in this number: UPON WHOM THE TOWER IN SILOAM FELL, AND SLEW THEM; there was a pool near Jerusalem, called the Pool of Siloam, John 9:7 near, or over which, was a tower built, which fell... [ Continue Reading ]
I TELL YOU, NAY,.... I affirm it, and you may depend upon it, they were not greater sinners than others: though such a melancholy accident befell them, not without the providence of God: BUT EXCEPT YE REPENT, YE SHALL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH; or perish in the same manner; that is, shall be buried under... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SPOKE ALSO THIS PARABLE,.... That is, Jesus spake, as the Persic version expresses it, that which follows; and at the same time, and upon the above occasion; setting forth the patience of God towards the Jewish nation, their unfruitfulness, and the danger of their being destroyed, in case of non-... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID HE UNTO THE DRESSER OF THE VINEYARD,.... If by the owner of the vineyard is meant God the Father, then by the dresser of the vineyard Jesus Christ is intended; but as he seems rather designed by the owner, the vinedresser, or "the gardeners", as the Persic version reads, in the plural numb... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE ANSWERING, SAID UNTO HIM, LORD,.... Which, if understood of God the Father, may intend the intercession of Christ with him, who not only intercedes for his elect, for those that are unconverted, that they may be converted; and for converted ones, for the carrying on of the work of sanctificat... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF IT BEAR FRUIT, WELL,.... If hereby barren professors, as the Jews, become fruitful, it is well, a good thing is done; it is well for themselves, they shall eat the fruit of their doings; it is well for the churches where they are, for good works are profitable to men; and it is well for the o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WAS TEACHING IN ONE OF THE SYNAGOGUES,.... That is Jesus, as the Syriac and Persic versions express it; which was his work, he being a teacher sent from God, and who took all opportunities of instructing men in the truths of the Gospel; this was done either in Galilee, or in Judea, in one of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BEHOLD THERE WAS A WOMAN,.... In the synagogue, who, as infirm as she is hereafter described, got out to the place of worship; and which may be a rebuke to such, who, upon every trifling indisposition, keep at home, and excuse themselves from an attendance in the house of God: WHICH HAD A SPIRI... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN JESUS SAW HER,.... In the synagogue among the people, either whilst, or after he had done teaching: HE CALLED HER TO HIM, to come nearer him, and said unto her; of his own accord, without being asked by the woman, or any other for her, out of great compassion to her, seeing her in this mis... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE LAID HIS HANDS ON HER,.... As he spoke the above words, which he sometimes did when he healed diseases. AND IMMEDIATELY SHE WAS MADE STRAIGHT; she lift up herself, stood upright, and her body, and all the parts of it were as straight as ever they had been, or as any were in the synagogue. A... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE RULER OF THE SYNAGOGUE,.... For there never was but one in a synagogue, whatever some writers have observed to the contrary; Matthew 9:18 the Ethiopic version reads, "the chief priests", but wrongly; these dwelt at Jerusalem, and in Galilee: ANSWERED WITH INDIGNATION, BECAUSE THAT JESUS HAD... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD THEN ANSWERED HIM AND SAID,.... Though he did not direct his speech to him, he knew that he struck at him, and suggested that he was a violator of the sabbath, as well as the people: and therefore in defence of himself, and of what he had done, and to expose the hypocrisy of this man, made... [ Continue Reading ]
AND OUGHT NOT THIS WOMAN, BEING A DAUGHTER OF ABRAHAM,.... Not only a woman, or rational creature, and much preferable, as such, to an irrational one; but a descendant of Abraham, of whom the Jews gloried, and in descent from him prided themselves, and trusted; and chose to call their women by this... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HE HAD SAID THESE THINGS,.... Had argued with them from their own practices, and in a way so strong and rational, that carried such evidence and conviction with it: ALL HIS ADVERSARIES WERE ASHAMED; not only the ruler of the synagogue, but the Scribes and Pharisees, that were present, who... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID HE, UNTO WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD LIKE?.... The same with the kingdom of heaven, in Matthew 13:31 and so the Ethiopic version reads it here, "and whereunto shall I resemble it?" of this way of speaking, Mark 4:30.... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS LIKE A GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED,.... Both for its smallness at first, and its after increase; wherefore both the Evangelists Matthew and Mark observe, that it "is the least of all seed": which is true of the ministry of the Gospel, of the Gospel church state, and of the grace of God in the hearts... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AGAIN HE SAID,.... That is, Jesus, as the Syriac and Persic versions express it; besides the parable of the grain of mustard seed, that also of the leaven hid in three measures of meal: WHEREUNTO SHALL I LIKEN THE KINGDOM OF GOD; either the Gospel of the kingdom, and the mysteries of it; or the... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS LIKE LEAVEN,.... Which is small in quantity, but is of a swelling, spreading quality; and fitly expresses the small beginnings of the Gospel ministry, and its increase, also the state and case of Gospel churches, and the nature of the grace of God; unless false doctrine should rather be meant,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WENT THROUGH THE CITIES AND VILLAGES,.... Either of Galilee, or of Judea, or both; since he was upon his journey from Galilee, through Judea, to Jerusalem, as it follows: TEACHING AND JOURNEYING TOWARD JERUSALEM; as he was journeying he taught in every place he came, where he could have an o... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID ONE UNTO HIM,.... Not one of his disciples, but one of the company, in some one of the cities or villages he passed through, or as he was in the road to Jerusalem: ARE THERE FEW THAT BE SAVED? It is a received opinion among the Jews z, that all Israel shall have a part in the world to com... [ Continue Reading ]
STRIVE TO ENTER IN AT THE STRAIT GATE,.... What is meant by the strait gate, and by entering in at it, Matthew 7:13. To "strive", is to be diligent in the use of means; to search the Scriptures with care; to attend on the preaching of the word with constancy, neglecting no opportunity; to pray earn... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN ONCE THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE IS RISEN UP,.... From table, or off of his couch, the entertainment being over: and so here, the Gospel feast, or dispensation, being at an end, and all the guests come in, who were effectually called, and long patience and forbearance being used towards others; or... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHALL YE BEGIN TO SAY,.... Or ye shall say; in favour of themselves, and in order to be admitted within, the following pleas will be made by them: WE HAVE EATEN AND DRANK IN THY PRESENCE: which may be understood both literally of many, who were miraculously led by Christ, or at whose tables he... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT HE SHALL SAY, c] The Persic version adds, "be gone from my sight, and be far from my door" expressing indignation at them, an abhorrence of them, as not being able to bear them in his sight, or near unto him: I TELL YOU, I KNOW YOU NOT WHENCE YOU ARE; this is repeated, and with a strong assever... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE SHALL BE WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH,.... Matthew 8:12. This will be upon hearing the above sentence and character, "depart from me", c. and will be increased, WHEN YE SHALL SEE ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB: whose offspring they were, and to whom they stood related according to the flesh and... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SHALL COME,.... From all parts the world, from every nation under the heavens; meaning the Gentiles, and which will be a greater aggravation of the punishment of the Jews, and cause still more rage and madness: these shall COME FROM THE EAST AND FROM THE WEST; from the rising of the sun, t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BEHOLD, THERE ARE LAST WHICH SHALL BE FIRST,.... The Gentiles, the most mean and abject, afar from God, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, called last of all; these shall be first, and sit down among patriarchs and prophets, men of the first rank here on earth, in the kingdom of heaven, and... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SAME DAY THERE CAME CERTAIN OF THE PHARISEES,.... Who dwelt in Galilee, for they were in all parts of the country: these being nettled and filled with indignation at Christ, because of the parables he had that day delivered, the miracles he had wrought, and the several awful and striking things... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, GO YE AND TELL THAT FOX,.... Herod, who it may be sent them, of which Christ was not ignorant, nor of his design in it; and who, as Nero, for his cruelty, is compared to a lion, so he for his subtlety in this instance, as well as in the whole of his conduct, to a fox; though s... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS, I MUST WALK,.... The Syriac version reads, "I must work", and so the Arabic: as going about doing good, casting out devils, and healing diseases: TODAY AND TOMORROW, AND THE DAY FOLLOWING: a few days more in Galilee, and towards Jerusalem: all the Oriental versions read, "the day foll... [ Continue Reading ]
O JERUSALEM, JERUSALEM, WHICH KILLEST THE PROPHETS,.... These words, with what follow, as they stand in Matthew 23:37 were delivered by Christ, when he was in the temple at Jerusalem; but here they were spoken by him when in Galilee, in Herod's jurisdiction; so that it appears, that the same words w... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, YOUR HOUSE IS LEFT UNTO YOU DESOLATE,.... That is, would be in a little time, both city and temple; Matthew 23:38 AND VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU; affirm in the strongest manner: YE SHALL NOT SEE ME; the Arabic version adds, "from henceforth", and so some copies, as in Matthew 23:39 and so the... [ Continue Reading ]