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THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO

LUKE.

WITH NOTES, COMMENTS, MAPS, AND
ILLUSTRATIONS.

BY

Rev. LYMAN ABBOTT,
AUTHOR OF " DICTIONARY OF RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE," " JESUS OF NAZARETH," AND
A SERIES OF COMMENTARIES ON THE NEW TESTAMENT.

Haven,
A. S. BARNES & COMPANY,
NEW YORK, CHICAGO, AND NEW ORLEANS.
1878.

BY THE EDITOR OF THIS WORK.

A SERIES OF POPULAR COMMENTARIES
ON THE NEW TESTAMENT.
IN EIGHT VOLUMES.
Volume I. MATTHEW. With Notes and Comments, ,
Maps and Illustrations ; also an Introduction ^
to the Study of the New Testament, a con- >.
densed life of Christ, and a tabular Harmony O
of the Gospels. 8vo, cloth, beveled. C.
" II. MARK AND LUKE. (Ready.) Q
" III. JOHN. (In Press.) r.
./»
" IV. THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. Z
With Notes, Comments. Maps and Illustra- ¦ - '
tions ; also an Introductory Treatise, Chro- _£
nological Table and Gazetteer. 8vo, cloth,
beveled.

(The remaining volumes of the Series in preparation.)

Copyright, 1878, A. S. Bashes & Co.

i
i
f ti

1
S>
J

The Gospel

ACCORDING TO

ST. LU KE,

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE.

INTRODUCTION.

By whom written. It is reasonably evident
from a comparison of Luke 1 : 1-4 with Acts 1 : 1,
that both books were by the same author ; and
the evidence that the Book of Acts was by Luke
I have collated in the Introduction to Acts. To
him a universal and unbroken tradition alBO at
tributes this Gospel. For some account of the
chain of evidences connecting Luke and the va
rious Gospels with the authors whose names they
bear, see Vol. I of this Commentary, Intro, to the
Study of the N. T., pp. 18-35.
Of Luke very little is known with any degree
of certainty. The only biblical references to him,
apart from such as he makes impliedly to him
self, in his narrative in Acts, are Col. 4 : 14 ;
Philem. 34 ; 3 Tim. 4 : il. From these passages,
coupled with those in Acts, we learn that he was
probably not of Jewish extraction, since in Col.
4 : 14 he is contrasted with those referred to in
ver. 11 as "of the circumcision;" that he was
a physician, and therefore, presumptively, a
person of some education and culture ; and that
he was a friend and almost constant companion
of Paul in his missionary travels. See Intro, to
Acts and refs. there. An ecclesiastical tradition
of no great authority represents him as a painter ;
nothing is known as to his death. It has also
been surmised that he was one of the seventy ;
but the only indication in support of this surmise
is the fact that he is the only writer who men
tions their appointment. (Luke 10 : l.)
Sources of information. Luke himself ex
pressly indicates these in the preface to his Gos
pel (oh. l : 1-4). A careful examination of this
preface, which is in one or two respects incor
rectly rendered in the English version,* indicates
(1) that Luke's sources of information were not
personal knowledge. He explicitly disavows
having been himself an eye-witness of the events
or an ear-witness of the teachings which he re
cords. There is no evidence that he accom
panied Christ in any of his ministry, or was a
personal disciple of Christ while the latter was
living, or indeed ever saw or heard him. (3.)
One source was written but fragmentary nar
ratives prepared by those who were living wit
nesses, and who had written down what they
had seen or heard. There is abundant evi
dence in the posi-apostolic writings that there
were such narratives in existence in the primitive
churches, which, having been absorbed in the
now complete Evangelical narratives, have since
* For a consideration of the more important differ
ences between the origiDal Greek and the English
translation, see notes on Luke 1 : 1-1

utterly perished. (3.) In addition to these frag
mentary records, Luke availed himself of personal
investigation and inquiry of disciples and others
who were eye-witnesses, thus at once verifying
his material and adding to it.
Object. ¦ This also is indicated by his preface.
Whether, as I suppose, Theophilus be regarded
as an individual, or only, as some have thought,
as an ideal name for every lover of God, the ob
ject of the Gospel is the 6ame. Throughout the
apostolic age the basis of religious instruction
was an account of the important events in the
life, death, and resurrection of our Lord. See
Acts 3 : 30-33 ; 3 : 13-18 ; 5 : 38-31 ; 10 : 39 ; 1 Cor.
15 : 3-5. This instruction was imparted orally
in catechetical forms to the young converts.
The object of Luke was to gather up and embody
in one measurably systematic book the fragments
of history which were current in the church and
capable of verification, and so provide a surer
basis for the instruction of the catechumens of
the primitive church, in the life and death of
their Lord, than oral tradition afforded. In that
age the life of Christ, not dogmatic theology,
history not philosophy, was the basis of Christi
anity and the Christian Church.
Influence of Paul. An ancient tradition re
ports that the Gospel of Mark was written under
the influence of Peter (see Intro, to Mark's Gos
pel) ; and that of Luke under the influence of
Paul. No great weight rs to be attached to the
mere tradition ; but there are some circumstances,
both internal and external, which give color to
this as a reasonable surmise. We know from
some allusions in Paul's Epistles, and from more
allusions in the Book of Acts, that Luke was
Paul's constant companion ; and from our knowl
edge of Paul's character we may well surmise
that he would have put forth a powerful and
effective influence on the mind of his traveling
companion, and one that could hardly have failed
to affect materially the tone and spirit of bis
writing. And when we turn to the Gospel of
Luke there are not wanting indications of that
influence. Of all the apostles Paul was the one
who must dwell upon the universality of the
Gospel of Christ, its adaptation to and its wel
come for all men of all races, classes, beliefs and
, conditions. And of all the Gospels, the Gospel
of Luke is the one in which this aspect of Christ's
life and teaching is the most predominant.
Its character. The character of Luke's Gos
pel conduces to and confirms what we have said
of its authorship, object, and origin in these par
ticulars.

LUKE.

(1.) A history composed not by an eye-witness
but by one who gathered his material from frag
mentary histories and oral traditions, would be
naturally less accurate in its chronology than one
prepared by a personal companion of our Lord.
This is the case with Luke's Gospel. He repeats
many aphorisms which are repeated by Matthew
in different connections, and sometimes takes
single verses out of a continuous discourse which
Matthew has reported, and gives them as solitary
thoughts in a quite different setting. It is true
that such scholars as AU ord and Godet have en
deavored in these cases to show that the same
thought or figure was twice used by our Lord on
different occasions ; and there are certainly some
cases where this hypothesis is sustained by in
ternal evidence. But there are others where
only a forced and artificial connection can be
maintained between the thought and the context,
and where, I am persuaded, it is much more rea
sonable to believe that Luke has inserted, out of
their original connection, epigrammatic utter
ances of Christ, the occasion of which he did not
know and does not indicate in his narrative.
(3.) But if Luke's Gospel is less to be followed
as a guide in questions of chronology and geo
graphy, it is, as might be expected, a broader
and more comprehensive biography than either
of the other three Gospels. Matthew and John
describe chiefly what they personally saw and
heard ; and Mark does not purport to give a
complete biography of Christ, but only detached
incidents and teachings in his life. Luke, on the
other hand, whose work is a compilation from all
then accessible sources of information, traces
the life of Christ from his birth to his ascension ;
and Includes much that the other Evangelists did
not record, probably because it did not lie within
their own personal knowledge. Thus Luke alone
records the vision to Zacharias and to Mary ; the
supernatural birth ; the raising of the son of the
widow of Nam ; the account of the forgiveness
of the woman that was a sinner ; the entertain
ment at the house of Martha and Mary ; the ac
count of the walk to Emmaus ; and the narrative
of the ascension. Still more notable is the fact
that it is Luke alone who gives us any full ac
count of Christ's ministry in Perea, with its mar
velous treasure of parables, including some of
those that are the dearest to the Christian
church, and have been so in all ages. Thus while
the Gospel of Luke is less systematic in its ar
rangement of details, and less chronologically ac
curate than that of Matthew, less dramatic than
that of Mark, and less tender and spiritual than
that of John, it is more comprehensive than
either. Luke's Gospel is like a carefully-com
piled history of a campaign; Matthew's and
John's Gospels are rather like the report of
single officers who participated in it ; Mark's

Gospel is like a series of dramatic incidents se
lected from the story.
(3.) Partly, perhaps, because Luke's especial
object was to provide a book for the instruction
of converts, especially in the Greek churches
founded by Paul's missionary tours, in which
Luke accompanied him, but yet more, as I think,
because of Paul's personal influence on Luke, his
Gospel, more than any other, emphasizes the
catholicity and universality of Christianity. Mat
thew makes predominant the fulfillment of pro-
•phecy ; Mark the manifestation of power ; Luke
the welcome to all classes and all nations. At
the beginning the angels declare the advent to be
good tidings to all people. In the genealogy
Christ's parentage is traced back to Adam. The
ministry of Christ in Perea, a half -heathen dis
trict of the Holy Land, is narrated. The appoint
ment of the seventy, as well as of the twelve, is
given. The- parables of the lost sheep, the lost
coin, and the prodigal son, and the story of the
forgiveness of the woman that was a sinner, are
all peculiar to Luke, and they all emphasize the
truth that Christ came to seek and save that
which was lost, wherever the lost may be found.
The parable of the marriage supper and the call
of Zaccheus are also found only in his Gospel ;
the one directly implies the calling of the Genr
tiles, while the other strikingly illustrates the
universality of Christ's invitation. These truths
are to be found also in the other Gospels ; as the
power of Christ, and his fulfillment of prophecy,
are to be found in Luke ; but it is the catholicity
of Christianity which is predominant in Luke,
and this is the doctrine, or rather the spirit,
which we might expect to find predominant in a
book written by a companion and scribe of the
Apostle Paul. The parallel between Luke's and
Paul's accounts of the last supper (Luke m ¦. ic-so ;
l Cor. n ; 23-25) confirms this impression.
Time and place of writing. The Gospel of
Luke was certainly written before the Book of
Acts, and probably some time previous ; this is
implied by the language in Acts 1 : 1. The ma
terial for it must have been gathered in Pales
tine, and therefore presumptively during some
break in the apostolic journeys in which Luke ac
companied Paul. Such a break occurred during
Paul's two years' imprisonment in Caesarea (Acts
24 : 26, 27), and though we cannot certainly fix upon
this as the time and place of writing, it is a reason
able surmise that it was mainly prepared, if not
published, at this time. At all events, assuming
that the Book of Acts was published on or before
A. D. 70 (see intro. to Book of Acts), the Gospel Of Luke
must have been completed and published so as to
have reached Theophilus, and probably to have
become somewhat known to the churches before
that time. The original language in which it was
written was undoubtedly Greek.

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO
ST. LUKE.

CHAPTER I.
FORASMUCH as many have taken in hand to set
forth in order a declaration of those things which
are most surely believed among us,
2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from

the beginning ¦ were eye-witnesses, and ministers oi
the b word ;
3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect un
derstanding of all things from the very 6rst, to write
unto thee in order,0 most excellent Theophilus,"
4 That thou mightest know • the certainty of those
things wherein thou hast been instructed.

a John 15:27) Heb. 2. Si 1 Pet. 5 : 1; 2 Pet. 1 : 16 : 1 John 1 : 1  b Rom. 15:16; EpheB. 8:7; 4:11, 12.... o Acta 11 : 4..
d Acts 1 : 1  e John 20 : 31.

Ch. 1 : 1-4. INTRODUCTION. The object ahd the
AUTHENTICITY OP LUKE'S GOSPEL.
1. Forasmuch as many have taken in
hand. Who are these many? Not the other
Evangelists, for Matthew and John were them
selves eye-witnesses and ministers of the word,
and Luke in the next verse discriminates the lat
ter from the authors with whom he ranks him
self. This would leave only Mark to represent
the many ; and there is abundant evidence to be
seen as we proceed that Luke had not Mark's
Gospel before him when he wrote. The implica
tion is that there were in the apostolic age writ
ten narratives, more or less full, of Christ's dis
courses and miracles, and that these narratives
furnished Luke in part with the material for his
history. This hypothesis is sustained by the post-
apostolic writings, which are largely occupied
with a simple account of Christ's life and teach
ings. These fragments of history being absorbed
in the fuller narratives of our Evangelists were
not preserved ; but there are indications in the
patristic literature of the existence of such nar
ratives.— To arrange the narrative of the
events fulfilled among ns. Not of the things
most surely believed, as Alf ord, following our Eng
lish version, but of the events fulfilled, as Van
Oosterzee and Godet. For (1) this latter mean
ing better suits the original ; it is indeed capable
of either translation, but the verb {ni.riqoifooioi)
when applied to persons generally signifies full
persuasion, but when applied, as here, to things,
generally signifies complete fulfillment (2 Tim.
4:5). (3.) It better suits the context; it is be
cause the things are not fully known to Theophi
lus that Luke sets them forth, and the addition,
surely believed among us, weakens rather than
strengthens his language, and implies a question
rather than certainty. I believe then with Godet,
that Luke's language here implies that "these
events were not Bimple accidents, but accom
plished a precise plan. " Thus Luke, no less than
Matthew, represents the Gospel as a fulfillment
of prophecy, though he less frequently refers to
the prophets. Observe the character of these
lost documents ; they were narratives (Sujyi)oig)

not declarations, and they were orderly, histori
cal narratives, though not necessarily, and not
probably, complete. Presumptively, both Luke
and the other Evangelists made more or less use
of these fragments ; hence the verbal accord fre
quently discerned in their accounts.
2. Even as unto ns they delivered them
which were from the beginning, etc. A
second source of Luke's information — viz.,
the eye-witnesses and ministers, including the
apostles, but not excluding others. Ministers
(uirij^irij;) is a term applied to John Mark (Act«
13:6), a steward of Paul and Barnabas. It is lit
erally under-rower, then under-servant of any de
scription. Here, therefore, it signifies persons
holding position in the primitive church, subor
dinate to that of the apostles, whose time was
probably fully occupied in the work of preach
ing, and perhaps organizing the churches, and
who left the work of reducing to writing the nar
rative of Christ's life and teachings to the scribes
or other subordinates in the church. From the
beginning is, as in Acts 1 : 21, 23, from the begin
ning of Christ's ministry, i. e., his baptism.
Luke, however, goes back of this beginning to
the events connected with Christ's birth.
3, 4. It seemed good to me also. He
cites their example as a support for his own
course. The words And to the Holy Spirit, added
in some unauthentic manuscripts, is recognized
by all scholars as unquestionably spurious. They
were probably added by some reverent, but not
scrupulous scribe, to enfore the doctrine of in
spiration.— Having traced ont accurately
all things from the first. Not, Having had a
perfect understanding, i. e., always known them,
but, Having by personal research examined into
the truth of every narrative made use of; the
language implies a careful historical research by
(1) a comparison of the different narratives, (2) a
persona] inquiry of the eye-witnesses. From the
very first is, as in Acts 26 : 5, from his youth. It
implies that this Gospel is the product of a pro
tracted investigation and of mature thought. —
To write to thee in order. In an orderly
narrative. This does not necessarily imply, how-

6

LUKE.

[Oh. I.

ever, that Luke followed the chronological order
with' accuracy, or even that he always knew what
it was. When he differs in chronology from
Matthew, the presumptionls in favor of the eye
witnesses rather than of the scribe, who derived
his information from others. — Most excellent
Theophilus. Of him nothing is known with
certainty. The name is Greek, and the person
was probably of Grecian extraction. The appel
lation Most excellent, implies rank as well as char
acter. He is mentioned only here and in Acts
1 : 1. See note there. — That thou mightest
know the certainty of words concerning
which thou hast been orally informed.
Comp. this translation, which is literal, with the
English version above. The noun which I have
rendered words (Wyo?) is not to be rendered
things, a meaning which it never rightfully bears,
nor (as Alford) histories or accounts, but, liter
ally, words, including both the direct teachings
of Christ and those instructions wbich are in
volved in the narrative of his life and works.
Thou hast been instructed (zoti;/e<u) is not catechet-
icaUy taught (Alford, Oosterzee), for this ecclesi
astical meaning belongs to a later period of
church history, but orally informed. See on
Acts 18 : 25. This Gospel then was written for
those who knew of the life and teachings of
Jesus only by tradition, and for the purpose of
giving them a fuller and more accurate knowl
edge thereof.
In respect to this preface, it is to be observed
(1) that its style is peculiar, the Greek is purer,
and the diction more labored and formal — facts
which " may be accounted for, partly because it
is the composition of the Evangelist himself, and
not translated from Hebrew sources like the
rest, and partly because prefaces, especially
when also dedicatory, are usually in a rounded
and artificial style. ' ' — (Afford. ) (2. ) It clearly im
plies that Luke himself was not an eye-witness
of the events which he narrates; and that the
sources of his information are (a) the narratives
of such eye-witnesses ; (6) documentary narra
tives, existing in the apostolic churches, of iso
lated teachings and events in Christ's ministry ;
(c) personal research. (3.) His object is to im
part systematic instruction and trustworthy in
formation to those whose knowledge was imper
fect and derived from oral tradition. (4.) The
name Theophilus indicates that this Gospel was
written for the Greek rather than for the Jew.
We may thus expect from its genesis to find it less
dramatic and pictorial in detail but more calm
and copious in style than the other three Gos
pels, more orderly in its historical arrangement,
but giving evidence of greater diversity in its
materials, less accurate in its chronology than
those of Matthew and John, but more so than
that of Mark, and of all the Gospels the one most

adapted to the Gentile world, the one in which
the Gospel is most prominently set forth as for
the whole human race. It is therefore fittingly
called by Oosterzee " The Gospel of Universal
Humanity," and by Godet, with less carefully
guarded discrimination, " A treatise on the right
of the heathen to share in the Messianic King
dom founded by Jesus."
Ch. 1 : 5-25. ANNUNCIATION OP THE BIRTH OF JOHN
THE BAPTIST. Answer to prayer illustrated.—
The Gospel a message op good cheek. — Tbue
greatness consists in self-denial, divine inspira
TION, Christian work. — The child op prater and
piety mat beceive the holt spirit at his birth. —
Zacharias and Abraham compared ; faith in one
mat be unfaith in another. — the unbeliever is
dumb. — Children are a gift from the Lord.
Preliminary Note. — The title Gospel of the
Infancy is appropriately given by Godet to the
first two chapters of Luke, which may be divided
as follows : (1) The annunciation of the birth of
the forerunner (l : 5-25) ; (2) annunciation of the
birth of Jesus (1 •. 26-as) ; (3) visit of Mary to
Elizabeth (1 : 39-56) ; (4) birth of the forerunner
(1 • 67-so) ; (5)' birth of Jesus (2 : 1-20) ; (6) cir
cumcision and presentation of Jesus in fulfill
ment of the law (2 : 21-40) ; (7) development of
Jesus and first definite recognition of his mission
(2 : 41-62). This Gospel of the Infancy has become
the subject of special doubt because (1) only Mat
thew and Luke refer to it ; Mark does not,
though of all writers the most minute and
graphic ; nor John, though made at the death of
Christ the custodian of his mother (john 19 : 26).
Nor are any of the incidents here narrated re
ferred to in the subsequent books of the N. T.,
the apostolic addresses in the Acts, or the Epis
tles. Moreover, the accounts of Matthew and
Luke, though not inconsistent, are entirely dif
ferent. (2.) In both accounts angelic appear
ances are a pre'-eminent feature, and the appear
ance of angels is one of the most characteristic
features of legendary narrative. (3.) Neither of
the accounts are given by eye-witnesses. Luke's
was avowedly derived from others, either from
eye-witnesses or from documents already exist
ing in the church (see above), and Matthew's
must have been derived in the same way ; there
is no indication that he was looking for the Mes
siah, or had any especial interest in the promised
kingdom of God before he was called by Jesus
from the receipt of custom (Matt. 9 : 9). On the
other hand, it is to be said (1) that the birth of
Jesus would naturally be inquired into by his
biographers, all biographers begin with the
birth; Mark's narrative is the briefest, and
might therefore well omit this section; John's
was written subsequently to the other three, and,
probably, with the three before him, he naturally

Ch. I.]

LUKE.

5 ""pHERE was, in the days of Herod ' the king of
J. Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, ot the
course of Abia : *" and his wife was of the daughters
of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6 And they were both righteous ° before God, walk

ing in all the commandments and ordinances ' of the
Lord, blameless.
7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth
was barren, and they both were now well stricken in
years.

f Matt. 2:1  g 1 Chron. 24 : 10 ; Neh. 12:4, 17.... h Gen. 7:1; 1 Kings 9:4; 2 KlngB 20 : 3....1 1 Cor. 11:2; Phil. 3:6.

does not repeat what he finds in them, and, in
fact, there is very little of such repetition. (2.)
The particularity of Luke's narrative, the full
reports of speeches, e. g., the psalms of Elizabeth
and Zacharias, the song of the angels, the pro
phecy of Simeon, etc., all indicate that it was de
rived from eye-witnesses, unless it is assumed to
be an absolute invention ; and the artless nature
of the narrative, as well as the character of the
writer, forbids the hypothesis that he invented
this account of the birth of his Lord. (3.)
Though dissimilar, Matthew and Luke agree in
the essential truth— the supernatural birth of
Jesus Christ of a virgin. Their accounts, there
fore, had . a common origin though derived
through different sources ; they agree also with
the spirit of the other two Gospels, which as
sume the supernatural character and origin of
the subject of their biographies (Mart 1 : 1 ; John i :
14, 34 ; 3 : 13 ; 8 : 58, etc.), With that Of the EpistleS,
which, in language more or less explicit, assume
his superhuman origin (cm. 4:4; pmi. 2 : 6, 7 ; Heb.
2 : 14), and with the distinct declaration of the
O. T. prophecy (Isaiah 7 : 14). (4.) The appearance
of angels, however inconsistent with modern ra
tionalism, which approximates the ancient Sad
ducees in denying either resurrection or spirit
(Acts 23 : 8), is entirely in accordance with the
general teaching of the Scripture on this subject.
This is to the effect that there are both good and
evil angels (Matt. 25 : 31 ; 1 Tim. 5 : 31 ; Jnde 6) ; that the
former are clothed with the celestial body analo
gous to that Of man (judg. 13 : 6 j Mark 16 : 6 ; Acts 1 : 10) ;
that their numbers are great and that they pos
sess great power (Psalm 88 : 17 ; Matt. 26 : 53) ; that
they are holy, doing God's will (Heb. 1 : i, 14) ; that
they continually environ his people, though only
at special times and as the result of special en
dowment made visible to human eyes (psalm 68 : 17 ;
2 kings 6 : 17). The appearance of angels in this
narrative is in entire consonance with similar ap
pearances in O. T. history (Gen. 18 : 2 ; 19 : 1 ; 22 : 11-18 ;
28 : 12 ; 32 ! i, 24) ; is also in entire accordance with
the general teaching of Scripture respecting the
reality and mission of angels. On the, assump
tion of the rationalist that there is neither angel
nor spirit, of course this narrative must be aban
doned as not historical ; but on the assumption of
the Christian that angels are the messengers of
God, there is nothing remarkable in the fact that
they are employed to announce the advent of the
birth of Jesus and of his forerunner. For har
mony of the two accounts of the birth of Jesus in

Matthew and Luke, see on Matthew, note on the
Birth of Jesus, p. 64. Luke precedes the ac
count of the advent of the Messiah by an account
of the parentage of John the Baptist and the pro
phecy of his birth, an account peculiar to his
Gospel. 5 . In the d ays of King Herod. Herod the
Great. For account of the Herodian family and
the character of this Herod see on Matt. 1 : 1.
If we could be sure of the exact year of Christ's
birth, the narrative here would fix approximately
its date. For the temple was destroyed on the
ninth day of the fifth month of A. D. 70, i. e., Au
gust 4th, and according to the Talmud the first
priestly course was on duty then. The course of
Abia was the eighteenth of the twenty-four
courses in which the priesthood was divided.
Calculating back, and assuming that Jesus was
born four yearB before the date fixed by popular
chronology for his birth, in other words 4 E. c. (see
Matt, i : is, note), the course of Abia was in this year
b. o. 5, from 17th to 33d April, and from 3d to 9th
Oct., and John the Baptist would be born nine
months after, and Jesus probably six months still
later (ver. 36), which would bring the birth of Jesus
either in July or January. — Zacharias. Noth
ing is known of him but the information given of
his character here. Belonging to the priesthood,
he possessed none of the priestly vices, but was a
man of simple and sincere faith, such as happily
are sometimes to be found in the hierarchy, even
in the most degenerate days of the church. — Of
the course of Abia. Or Abijah (i chron. 24 : 10).
The priesthood were divided under David into
twenty-four courses or classes, which took turns
in administering the services of the temple, their
order being fixed by lot, and remaining thereafter
as thus established (1 chron. 24 : 7-18). When after
the Babylonish captivity the people returned to
Jerusalem, there were found but four courses out
of the twenty-four, comprising about one thous
and each (Ezra 2 : 36-39) ; but they were reorganized
under the old names into twenty-four courses, and
a new allotment of their services was made. The
heads of these courses were the "chief priests,"
so often mentioned in the Bible. Each course
ministered for one week, from the Sabbath to the
Sabbath, beginning with the Sabbath morning
service. — And his wife was of the daughters
of Aaron. That is, of priestly extraction.
Observe that the celibacy of the clergy was un
known to the ancient Jewish law, as to the prim.;
itive Christian church (1 Cor. 9 : 6). — Elizabeth,

8

LUKE.

[Ch. I.

" 8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the
priest's office before God in the order of his course,
9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his
lot was Ito burn incense when he went into the temple
of the Lord.

io And the whole multitude of the people were pray.
ing without,* at the time of incense.
ii And there appeared unto him an angel of the
Lord, standing on the right side of the altar' of in
cense.

j Eiod. 30:7, 8  t Lev. 16: 17  1 Eiod. 30 : 1 ; Rev. 8 : 3, 4.

Mentioned only in the first chapter of Luke.
She was a relative of Mary (ver. 36).
6, 7. And they were both righteous in
the sight of God. For the meaning of this
phraseology, comp. Bom. 3 : 20; 2 Cor. 7 : 12;
Heb. 4 : 13 ; 13 : 21. It distinguished them from
the priesthood generally, who were corrupt, and
from the Pharisees, whose righteousness was in
the sight of men only (ch. 16 : is ; Matt. 6 : l, 2, e, is) ;
and it indicated simplicity of purpose and sincer
ity of life.— The commands and ordinances.
The one indicates rather the moral, the other the
ceremonial laws. — Blameless. Relatively, not
absolutely. That absolute sinlessness is not in
dicated is evident from the implied rebuke of
Zacharias in ver. 20. Paul uses the same word
in respect to himself in Phil. 3:6," touching the
righteousness which is in the law blameless," in
describing his condition at the time when he was
the " chief of sinners " (1 Tim. 1 : 12, 13, ie). Zacha
rias was righteous in the Bight of God and blame
less in the sight of the people. — Well stricken
in years. Their age is not known. See on
ver. 18.
8-10. Not only was the original assignment of
the time of service of the twenty-four courses
determined by lot, but the work of each priest
in each course was determined in the same man
ner — who should kill the sacrifice, who sprinkle
the blood, who burn the incense, etc. This lot
was east every week, the members of the course
meeting for the purpose in a room in the temple.
The lot had fallen to Zacharias to burn the in
cense. The altar of incense in Solomon's temple
(and the structure was probably essentially the
same in Herod's temple), was cedar, overlaid
With gold (l Kings 6 : 20 ; 1 Chron. 28 : 18) ; it Was a CUbit
(about two feet) in length and breadth, and two
cubits high ; it stood in the Holy Place before the
vail which separated the Holy Place from the
Holy of Holies. See plan of temple in notes to
John, ch. 2. The incense itself was a mixture of
sweet spiceB, described in Exod. 30 : 34-38 ; it
was a symbol of prayer (PBaim 141 : 2 ; Rev. e : 8), and
when offered by the priest a bell was rung as a
signal to the people in the courts without, who
all engaged in prayer in deep silence. To this
feature of the Jewish ritual reference is supposed
to be made in Rev. 8 : 1, 3. The whole scene is
illustrated by an account in Josephus of a vision
reported to have appeared toHyrcanus, the high-
priest, when he was alone offering incense, which
he "openly declared before all the multitude on

his coming out of the temple." The incense was
burnt twice a day, at 9 a. m. and 3 p. m. (Eiod.
30:7,8), in a censer, probably a pan for the car
riage of the coals, rather than the vase-like ves
sel, such as is now used in the Roman Catholic

priest offering incense.
Churches (Lev. 10 : 1 ; 16 : 12 ; 2 Chron. 26 : 19). In the
accompanying illustration the altar is copied
from an ancient one found at Gebal ; the staves
were added to correspond to the description in
Exod. 30 : 1-5. Catholics, in support of the
modern practice of burning incense, cite the
example of the Jewish church and the fol
lowing passages, Psalm 141 : 2 ; Sol. Song 3:6;
2 Cor. 2 : 14 ; Ephes. 5:2; Rev. 5 : 8-24. By
Protestant divines it is believed to have been
borrowed from the heathen churches, in which
burning incense was common ; and the early
Christian apologists, Tertullian, Lactantius, and
others, assert that Christians do not burn in
cense. It is asserted by some to have been first
introduced in the Christian church in the subter
ranean services in caverns and catacombs simply
to purify the air, and that similarly candles were
introduced to afford light ; but this appears to
me not probable.
11-14. There appeared unto him an
angel. This appearance is the first note in that
" overture of angels " which introduced Christ
to the world. An angel announces to Zacharias
the coming of John the Baptist ; to Mary the
advent of Christ himself ; then the character and
superhuman origin of Christ to Joseph ; then to
the shepherds that he is born ; then to Joseph

Ch. I.]

LUKE.

9

12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled,19
and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias :
for thy prayer is heard ; and thy wife Elisabeth shall
bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John."
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness ; and many
shall rejoice0 at his birth.
15 For he shall be great p in the sight of the Lord,
and shall drinks neither wine nor strong drink ; and he

shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even' from bis
mother's womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn
to the Lord their God.
17 And he* shall go before him in the spirit and
power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the
children, and the disobedient to the wisdom ' of the just ;
to make ready a people u prepared for the Lord.
xS And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall

inverse 29; Judges 13 : 22... .n vers. 60, 63... 0 verse 68... .p ch. 7:28  q Numb. 6 : 8-...r Jer. 1 : fi..
Mark 9 : 12. 13  t Ps. Ill : 10  u 1 Pet. 2 : 9.

.8 Mai. 4: E, 6; Matt. 11 : 14;

Herod's design ; then again to Joseph the death
Of Herod (ver. 26 ; ch. 2 : 9 J Matt. 1 : 20 ; 2 : 18, 19). On
the general Scripture teaching respecting angels
and their appearances to men, see Prel. Note
above. — He was troubled, agitated ; — and
fear fell upon him. * * * Fear not. Ob
serve how the appearance of the heralds of
Christ, both of his advent and of his resurrection,
awaken fear, and how the response to the fears
of man is always "fear not." Comp. ver. 30;
ch. 2 : 10 ; Mark 16 : 6. The dispensation of awe
and fear is supplanted by that of love (l join
4 : is). — Thy prayer is heard. Favorably
heard (eloaxovai). For the meaning, see Matt.
6:7; Acts 10 : 31 ; Heb. 5 : 7, where the word
is the same. A prayer may be heard and yet re
fused. The prayer referred to was not for the
advent of the Messiah, but for a son. This per-
sonal petition may have united with his prayers
for the people and the nation. That this was a
theme of his prayers, and the request to which
the angel refers, is evident from the completion
of the sentence. Nor is the surprise of Zacha
rias any indication of the reverse. God's gener
ous answers are perpetually a surprise to our un
belief (Acts 12 : 14, is). — Joy and gladness. Joy
and rejoicing; one the inward experience, the
other the outward expression. Observe how
each annunciation of the advent of the Messiah
and of his presence is made the occasion for an
incentive tO joy (ver. 32; ch. 2 : 10—14; Matt. I : 21 ).
Contrast the disclosure of Jehovah in the O. T.
to the people (Eiod. ch. 19), and see this contrast
clearly set forth in Heb. 12 : 18-34.
15. Great in the sight of the Lord. The
parents, too, were righteous in the sight of the Lord 1
(ve:.E), who judgeth not according to outward
appearances, but by the heart (1 Sam. 16 : 7). The
nature of this greatness is indicated in what
follows; he should have dominion over his
own appetites, the animal nature being subordi
nate ; he should be full of the Holy Spirit,
the spiritual nature being supreme ; and he
should be faithful in genuine Christian work,
preparing the way for the coming of the Lord. —
Neither wine nor strong drink. The former
the juice of the grape, the latter any fermented
liquor not made from grapes. Both were for
bidden to priests during their service (Lev. 10 : 9),
and to Nazarites altogether (Numb. 6 : 3). The

special prohibition here shows the usage of the
day not to be total abstinence. See Matt. 11 : 18
for the contrast between John the Baptist and
Jesus Christ in this respect. — And he shall be
filled with the Holy Ghost even from his
mother's womb. From birth. Comp. Ephes.
5 : 18. The meaning here, as there, is that the
inspiration and stimulant to the human faculties
should come from above, not from below,
through the spiritual, not the animal nature.
Observe that here is at least one case in which
the Spirit of God, and therefore, presumptively,
regeneration is promised from infancy, and that
in this case the condition of it is (1) godly pa
rentage ; (3) a son given in answer to prayer ;
(3) and by the Nazarite vow consecrated to God
from infancy. Why may we not believe that the
children of godly parents, given in answer to
prayer, and similarly consecrated, may be habit
ually regenerated at birth, and from the mother's
womb, true children of God ? For he that is least
in the kingdom of God is greater than John the
Baptist (Matt. 11 . 11). Evidently here is at least
one Scripture case of "infant regeneration."
See also Jer. 1 : 15.
16, 17. Shall he turn to the Lord their
God. Of the success of John the Baptist's
ministry among the common people we have
abundant evidence in the direct testimony of
Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Matt. 3 : s, 6 ; Mark 1 : 5 ;
Luke a : 7, 10) ; in the incidental testimony of John
(John 1 : 14) ; in the allusions of Christ to the
crowds that attended his ministry (Matt. 11 : 7, 12) ;
in the fear of the Pharisees to caBt any reproach
upon it (Matt. 21 : 25,26). — Go before him. That
is, 'before the Lord their God, in the person of
the Messiah, who is God manifest in the flesh
(1 Tim. 3 : 16), Immanuel, God with us (Matt. 1 : 2s).
— In the spirit and power of Elijah. The
reference is to and the quotation from Mai.
4 : 6, and the language seems to me to imply
clearly that John the Baptist fulfilled that
prophecy. Certain Biblical scholars, however,
regard his coming as only a partial fulfillment,
and look for a literal second coming of Elijah
before the second coming of Christ, which ap
pears to me to be inconsistent with the angel's
language here, and with that of Christ in Matt.
11 : 14 and 17 : 11, 13. See notes there.— To
turn the hearts of the fathers unto the

10

LUKE.

[Ch. I.

I know this ? for I » am an old man, and my wife well
stricken in years.
19 And the angel, answering, said unto him, I am
Gabriel,w that stand in the presence of God : and am
sent x to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad
tidings. 20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb/ and not able
to speak, until the day that these things shall be per

formed, because thou believest not my words, which
shall be fulfilled in their season.
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and mar
velled that he tarried so long in the temple.
¦ 22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto
them : and they perceived that he had seen a vision in
the temple ; for he beckoned unto them, and remained
speechless.

v Gen. 17:17.... w verse 26; Pan. 8 : 16  I Heb. 1: 14.... 7 Ezek. 3 : 26.

children. Either literally, To produce domes
tic concord, the disruption of families being one
of the most common signs of the decay of reli
gion in the community, and the beginning of
moral chaos ; or figuratively, To turn(the hearts
of the fathers, the Israelites, to the Gentiles, the
children — apostate, prodigal, outcast, but still
children. This last interpretation, adopted by
Lightfoot and Oosterzee, is confirmed by Isaiah
29 : 33 and 63 : 16, in which the Gentiles are
treated as children, whom Israel, however, did
not recognize ; by the actual ministry of John
the Baptist, who preached to the Roman sol
diers and the publicans, as well as to the ortho
dox Jews (ch. 3 : 12, 14) ; and by the ministry of
Elijah, which included prophetically the heathen
(l Kings 17 : s-16 ; ch. 4 : 26, 26). This appears to me to
be the best interpretation. — And the disobe
dient in (not to) the wisdom of the just.
The corresponding language In Malachi is, And
the heart of the children to their fathers. The
clause is responsive to the preceding one ; the
meaning is, He shall bring the Gentiles to accept
the wisdom- of righteousness. This is their in
heritance (Rom. 3 : i, 2) ; in accepting it they repu
diate the folly of disobedience,' which iB the
source of heathenism. " In (Iv) is joined to a
verb of motion (to turn), to express the fact that
this wisdom is a state in which men remain when
once they have entered it." — (Godet.) Observe
that righteousness is here, as elsewhere in the
Bible, accounted the course of wisdom or pru
dence, and disobedience one of folly, and that
the only true basis of peace in the church or
community is the wisdom of righteousness.
"Accursed be the peace and unity by which men
agree among themselves apart from God." —
(Calvin.) — To make ready a people pre
pared for the Lord. This was his mission,
but it was only partially successful. The com
mon people, who heard him gladly, received
with gladness the Messiah ; the scribes and
Pharisees, who rejected the forerunner, rejected
also the King. Several of Christ's disciples
seem to have been selected from those of John
the Baptist (John, ch. 1) ; and after the latter's
death his own immediate followers turned at
once to Christ for sympathy (Matt. 14 : 12).
18. Whereby shall I know this? Evi
dently this was not the ecstacy of a visionary
man, who imagined simply what he desired ; for

when the promise was made he doubted and
questioned. His unbelief was not greater than
that of Abraham (sen. ie : 8 ; 17 : 7), whose faith is ,
eulogized by Paul (Rom. 4 : 19). But the circum
stances were widely different. Abraham stood
at the beginning of the history of the Church,
before there had been vouchsafed any signs of
God's gracious power ; Zacharias at the end of a
long history of gracious interposition. Abraham
had just been called out of idolatry, and had yet
to learn the power and nature of the true God ;
Zacharias was a priest, and from youth up
trained in the knowledge and service of God.
That which was remarkable faith in one was
inadequate and culpable lack of it in the other.
What, then, shall be said of our lack of faith,
who stand unbelieving in this latter-day glory
of a ripened Christianity ? — For I am an old
man. The Levites were superannuated at the
age of fifty (Numb. 8 : 24, 25). According to Light
foot, this was held by the rabbis not to apply to
the priests. It might apply, and still the won
der of Zacharias be natural. For if he was ap- :
proaching fifty and had no child, he would not
hereafter expect one, and there is nothing in the
narrative to imply that the birth of John the.
Baptist was in any sense miraculous or super
natural. 19-22. I am Gabriel. Only two angels are
mentioned by name in the Scripture, Gabriel and
Michael. The former is the revealer of messages
Of grace to man (Dan. 8 : 15-18; 9 : 21-23; Luke'l : 26-29) J
the latter appears rather in the attitude of ex-'
ecutor of the divine judgments (Dan. 12 : 1 ; jude 9 ;
Rev. 12 : 7). Thus they represent the two aspects
in which God is presented to us in the Bible, as
Redeemer and Judge. It has been said that-
Biblical angelology is derived from the Persians,
but it preceded the contact of the Jews with the
far East (Gen. 18 : 2, etc. ; 19 : 1, etc. ; 28 : 12 ; 32 : 24), and is
more simple ; and religious beliefs do not proceed
from the complex and elaborate to the simple. —
Thou shalt be silent and not able to
speak. The first clause indicates a fact, silence ;
the second clause the cause of it, inability to
speak. There is not, therefore, exactly a repeti-'
tion, though the form of the sentence gives in
tensity to the prediction. The dumbness is a
sign rather than a punishment, though a sign1
that is a punishment for unbelief. — Because he
tarried so long in the Temple. Where

Ch. L]

LUKE.

11

23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the" days of
his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his
own house.
24 And after those days, his wife Elisabeth con
ceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me, in the days
wherein he looked on me, to take* away my reproach
among men.
26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was
sent from God, unto a city of Galilee, named Naza
reth,

' 27 To a virgin B espoused to a man whose name was
Joseph, of the house of David ; and the virgin's name
wasMaiy. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail,
thou that art highly favoured,1* the Lord c is with thee :
blessed art thou among women.
20 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his
saying; and cast in her mind what manner of salutation
this should be.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary ; for
thou hast found favour wijb God.

; 1 Sam. 1 : 6 ; Isa. 54 : 1, 4 .... a Matt. 1 : 18 .... b Dan. 9 :

: Judges 6 : 12.

probably the priest ordinarily remained only
long enough to burn the incense. The people
without were praying at the time, and this delay
made a delay in the public religious service. —
They perceived that he had seen a vision.
By some excitement in his manner or appearance
in his face. Perhaps his countenance shone like
that of Moses on descending from the mount,
and that of Christ after the transfiguration (Eiod.
34 : 29, 30 ; Mark 9 . 15).
23-25. The days of his ministration.
The week of his appointed temple service. This
indicates that he was not, as Ewald, Alford, and
others suppose from ver. 63, deaf as well as
dumb ; if so, he could hardly have continued his
ministrations. — Hid herself five months.
Lived in retirement, a natural course of conduct.
This was probably continued until the birth of
John the Baptist ; the five months are specified
to designate the time of the annunciation to
Mary (ver. 36).— To take away my reproach
among men. To be childless was among the
Jews/and still is in the Orient, a special mark of
divine disfavor, and a disgrace as well as a mis
fortune. The course of Sarah (Gen. 16 : 1-3) and of
Rachel (Gen. ao : i, etc.) strikingly illustrates this
fact. Ch. 1 : 26-80. THE ANNUNCIATION. THE BIRTH OP
JOHN THE BAPTIST. The character and the true
blessedness op the Virgin Mart (vers. 28-30 ; 42-45 ;
48,49).— The character aud mission ot Christ : Sa
viour ; Son ov God ; King (vers. 31-33).— His super
natural birth (ver. 35). — The past providence
of God the future hope of the godly (vers. 50-55).
— Man's obedience fulfills God's promise (vers.
59-64).— A psalm of redemption— The Gospel pro
phetically preached (vers. 67-79).
Comparing the account with that in Matthew,
the course of events appears to have been as fol
lows : First, the annunciation of the birth of
John the Baptist was made to Zacharias in the
temple ; then, five months later, the annuncia
tion of the birth of Jesus to Mary here described ;
several months subsequent, and after conception
has taken place, the fact becomes known to
Joseph, who supposes his betrothed to have been
unfaithful, and is determined to put her away,
but is prevented by. the revelation made to him

in a dream (Matt, i : 19-21) ; subsequent to which
ravelation she makes the journey to Elizabeth re
corded in this chapter. For fuller chronological
statement, see note on Birth of Jesus, Matt. ch. 2,
Vol. I., p. 64.
26,27. In the sixth month. After the five
months referred to in ver. 34, and therefore a little
more than three months before the birth of John
the Baptist. — The angel Gabriel. See on ver.
19. — Named Nazareth. This village, about five
miles west of Tabor, reposes in a beautiful val
ley, secluded by surrounding hills. Sheltered by
them from the bleaker winds of the north, it lux
uriates in the fragrant blossoms and ripened
fruits, pomegranate, orange, fig, and olive. The
modern town stands on the site of the ancient
one, which has, however, been entirely destroyed.
The present population is about 3,000 — Greeks,
Latins, Maronites, and Moslems. The neighbor
ing hill commands a magnificent view of the sur
rounding country. From it the traveler may see,
on the north, the showy peaks of .Hermon ; on the
east, over the intervening hills, a glimpse of the
Sea of Galilee ; cl oser at hand, the Mount of Beati
tudes ; and not far distant, Cana, where the water
was made wine ; Nain, where the widow's son was
raised ; Endor, where the witch appeared to Saul ;
Jezreel, the famous residence of Ahab ; and
Mount Carmel, the retreat of the prophet Elijah.
" This valley (of Nazareth) was in Israel, just
what Israel was in the midst of the earth — a
place at once secluded and open ; a solitary re
treat, and a high post of observation, inviting
meditation, and at the same time affording op
portunity for, far-reaching views in all direc
tions." — (Godet.) — Espoused toa man named
Joseph. Espousal was a more formal act in
that age and country than with us. See Matt.
1 : 18.— Of the house ot David. This fact is
only asserted of Joseph ; but that Mary was also
of the lineage of David is implied by vers. 32 and
69, and by Rom. 1 : 3. Comp. Psalm 132 : 11 ;
and see note on Matt. 1 : 1.
28,29. And the angel came in unto her.
Perhaps while she was praying. That she was a
woman of piety is evident from the narrative
here. — Hail, highly favored; the Lord is
with thee. Or, The Lord be with thee. The

12

LUKE.

[Ch. 1

31 And, behold, thou d shalt conceive in thy womb,
and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great,8 and shall be called the Son' of
the Highest : and the Lord God shall give unto him
the throne e of his father David :

33 And he shail reign over the house of Jacob for
ever ; and of h his kingdom there shall be no end.
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this
be, seeing I know not a man ?
35 Ana the angel answered and said unto her, The

d Isa. T: 14; Matt. 1 : 21  e Matt. 12:42  t Heb. 1 : 2-8  g 2 Sam. 7 : 11, 12; Iaa. 9 : 6, 7  h Dan. 7 : 14, 27 : Micah 4: 7.

NAZARETH.

passage may be rendered either as a declaration
or as a salutation. — Blessed art thou among
women. Not, Thou shalt be blessed, i. «., hon
ored, by women ; but, Thou art selected from
among women to be especially blessed by God.
Throughout this colloquy there is no hint that
Mary is other than an ordinary woman ; no sug
gestion that she was born without sin or pos
sessed a supernatural character ; no basis for the
reverence paid to her by the Romish church or
for the dogma of Immaculate Conception. —
Troubled. Rather, agitated, which is the true
meaning of. the original ; here not merely put in
trepidation or fear, but subjected to conflicting
emotions — awe, fear, hope, perplexity.
30-33. The message of the angel consists of
four parts: first, a reassurance, Fear not, etc.
This appearance is a sign of the divine gracious-
ness and favor, not of divine judgment. Second,
a promise, Thou shalt bring forth a son. This
promise is the same as that made to Elizabeth
through Zacharias, and yet, both in the circum
stances of the women and the character of the
son, foretold how different ! Third, a command,
Thou shalt call his name Jesus, i. e. , Saviour. This
command was afterwards repeated to Joseph,

and the reason for it given, "For he shall save
his people from their sins " (Matt. 1 : 21). Fourth, a
prophecy, concerning the character of the prom
ised son. This last indicates (1) his character,
He shall begreat, i. e., as John the Baptist, " in the
sight of the Lord " (ver. is) ; (2) his name, He shall
be called Son of the Highest, i. «., of God, who is in
the O. T. often designated as Most High (Numb.
24 : 16 j 2 Sam. 22 : 14 ; Psalm 7 : IT ; 67 : 2, etc.) ; (3) the Ob
ject of his birth, that he may become King, having
a kingdom without end. Before his birth he is
heralded as not only Jesus, i. e., Saviour, but as
King of Israel ; just before his death he declares
to Pilate that it was as King he came into the
world ; and the last glimpse which the N. T. af
fords of him, in the prophetic vision of John, is
as King of kings. His own language to Pilate in
John 18 : 37, interprets the language of the angel
here, and indicates the nature, both of his king
dom and of the allegiance that is due to him — the
allegiance of the heart and life to absolute truth.
It is possible that to Mary this prophecy meant
only that her son, the long-promised Messiah,
should be temporal King of the Jews, but the
language itself, "Of his kingdom there shaJ be
no end," implies much more. The case is one in

Ch. L]

LUKE.

13

Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the
Highest shall overshadow thee; theretore also that
holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called1
the Son of God.
36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also
conceived a son in her old age : and this is the sixth
month with her who was called barren.
37 For' with God nothing shall be impossible.
38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid « of the
Lord ; be it unto me according1 to thy word. And the
angel departed from her.
at) And Mary arose in those days, and went into the
country with haste, into am city of Juda ;

40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and sa
luted Elisabeth.
41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard
the salutation of Mary, the babe' leaped in her womb ;
and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost :
42 And she spake out with a, loud voice, and said,
Blessed " art thou among women, and blessed is the
fruit of thy womb.
43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my
Lord ° should come to me ?
44 For lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation
sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb
for joy.

i Murk 1 : 1 ; Joan 1 :34....j Matt. 19 : 26 ; Rom. 4 : 21. ...k P». 116 : 16.... 1 Ps. 119 : 3
0 John 13 : 13.

1 Josh. 21 : 9-11  n verse 28; Judges 6 ; 24...

which the historical fulfillment adds to the sig
nificance of the prophecy; this is not remark
able, since God is always better than even his
word ; his performance outruns his promises.
34-37. How shall it be ? Not how can, but
how shall it be. She does not doubt as Zacharias
(ver. is), but accepting the prophecy of the angel
as to the fact, inquires of him as to the man
ner of its fulfillment.— The Holy Ghost shall
come upon thee, and the power of the
Highest shall overshadow thee. We are
not to seek an interpretation of this metaphor
either in the brooding of the bird, protecting her
eggs, nor in the descent of the Sheckinah upon
the mountain top, or in the tabernacle, but
simply to accept it as a delicate way of express
ing the fact that the conception should be super
natural and miraculous, the life being created by
the direct interposition of the Spirit of God. As
the new life in the individual is born of the Holy
Spirit (John 3 : 5), so is He that is the Life of the
world. — Therefore, also, that holy one
which shall be born of thee shall be called
Son of God. Not, Shall be, but Shall be
called. The supernatural birth does not consti:
tute Jesus the Son of God ; it only constitutes
the reason why he is recognized as such upon the
earth. He existed before this supernatural birth
(John 8 : 58 ; 17 : e), and the general teaching of Scrip
ture implies that the relationship between the
Father and the Son implied by the phrase " Son
of God," is not merely temporal and accidental,
but eternal and inherent. Thus God is here and
in other passages (pwi. 2:9; Heb. 1 : 9) represented
as bestowing on the Son authority, and he is
represented as returning it to the Father when
his mediatorial work is ended (1 Cor. 15 : 24-28).
But that he may dwell upon the earth, a phy
sical body must be provided for his indwelling ;
and this was thus supernaturally begotten, be
cause it was fitting that the Son of God should
tabernacle in a body itself born of God ; and thus
the supernatural birth became to men the evi
dence that he was God's only beloved Son ; it did
not make him so, but it afforded their justifica
tion for giving him this title. — Thy cousin
Elizabeth. The original only indicates a blood

relative, not the nature of the relationship. —
Hath conceived. Though Mary has not
asked for a sign, one is given her. ( The phrase
who was called barren indicates that among her
friends and relatives all hope of child-bearing for
her was past. Mary accordingly accepts it as a
sign from God in attestation of his word and in
support of her faith. — For with God nothing
shall be impossible. "The laws of nature
are not chains which the Divine Legislator has
laid upon himself ; they are threads which he
holds in his hand, and which he shortens and
lengthens at will." — (Oosterzee.) In respect to
the way in which his word to Mary was fulfilled,
and the time of the fulfillment, Scripture is
silent, and reverence for Scripture should be.
We know too little of the origin of life, which is
always a new manifestation of divine power and
grace, to undertake an explanation of the method
in which this life was imparted by the over
shadowing of the Holy Spirit to the mother of
Jesus. 38. Not even the Bible affords a more striking
illustration of the simplicity of faith than Mary.
She attests her consecration to her Lord by sur
rendering herself to his will and accepting the
sacred trust of maternity. She does this with
the knowledge that it must -subject her to the
suspicion of her husband, and to possible es
trangement from him, to scandal among her
neighbors, to the impairing of that fair fame
which is dearer to the maiden than life itself.
In fact, her husband did suspect her, and would
have divorced her but for a divine revelation
(Matt. 1 : 19-21) ; the later rabbinical books accuse
Mary of a violation of her marriage vows ; and it
would appear from the innuendoes of Christ's
accusers that this charge was secretly whispered
in his own lifetime (John 7 : 27 ; 8,: 41).
39-41. This fact indicates that Mary was a
woman of no little force of character, for to take
such a journey alone was an exploit not unat
tended with danger.— In those days. About
that time ; not necessarily immediately.' — Into
the hill country. Of Judah ; the central part,
an elevated plateau from 1,500 to 2,500 feet above
the level of the sea, and here employed in dis-

14

LUKE.

[Ch. I.

45 And blessed is she that believed : for there shall
be a performance of those things which were told her
from the Lord.
46 And Mary said. My p soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced 1 in God my Saviour.
48 For he hath regarded the lowr estate of his hand
maiden : for, behold, from henceforth all generations
shall call me B blessed.
49 For he that is mighty' hath done to me great
thmgs ;u and holy T is his name.
50 Andw his mercy is on them that fear him, from
generation to generation.
51 Hex hath shewed strength with his arm; he
hath scattered the >' proud in tie imagination of their
hearts.

52 He » hath put down the mighty from their seats,
and exalted them of low degree.
53 He • hath filled the hungry with good things, and
the rich he hath sent empty away.
54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, inb remem
brance of his mercy ;
55 As he spake c to our fathers, to Abraham, and to
his seed for ever.
56 And Mary abode with her about three months,
and returned to her own house.
57 Now Elisabeth's full time came, that she should
be delivered ; and she brought forth a son.
58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how
the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her ; and they*1
rejoiced with her.

p 1 Sam. 2:1; Ps. 34 : 2, 3. ...q Pe. 36:9: Hab. 8 : 18....T Pa. 136: 23.... a oh. 11 : 27 ; Mai. 3 : 12.... t Gen. 17:l....n Ps.71 : 21 ; 126:2,
3: Ephea. 3: 20  v Ps. HI : 9....W Gen. 17 : 7; Exod. 20: 6; Ps. 103 : 17  x Pa. 98 : 1 ; Isa. 61 : 9; 62 : 10; 63 : 5... y 1 Sam. 2 : 9 ;
Dan. 4:87  z ch. 18: 14: Job 6 : 11... .a 1 Sam. 2:6  b Pa. 98: 3  c Gen. 17 : 19; Pa. 132 : 11  d verse 14.

tinction from the plains of Judah bordering
the sea and the desert. The city is unknown,
probably was unknown to Luke. The language
is indicative of his accuracy and truthfulness.
A writer of myths would have fixed on the site
of this meeting between Mary and Elizabeth.
There is no ground for reading The city ofJuttah
instead of A city of Judah. This is purely con
jectural, and without support. — The babe
leaped in her womb. Possibly, though not
necessarily, the first manifestation of life.
42-45. In this ode the language of Elizabeth
is that of an inspired prophet ; this is evident
both from the language of the preceding verse
and from the fact that she had no ordinary
means of knowing the promise made to Mary. —
Blessed art thou among women. Among,
not by; see on ver. 28. — The babe leaped in
my womb for joy. A poetical expression,
not to be taken literally, as implying actual con
sciousness or emotion in the unborn child. —
Blessed is she that believed. A character
ization of Mary as one whose remarkable trait
was her faith. — For there shall be a per
formance. This is a special prophecy respecting
Mary ; it is also the enunciation of the great law,
She that believes is always blessed, for the min
istry of grace is upon the principle, "According
to your faith be it unto you " (Matt. 9 : 29).
46-55. This hymn of praise has the fragrance
of the O. T. poetry ; parts of it are probably un
consciously borrowed from Psalms, with which
Mary was from her childhood familiar. Comp.
the passages cited in the marg. refs., and espe
cially the analogous song of Hannah in 1 Sam.
21 : 1-10. But that belongs to the O. T. and this
to the N. T. ; in this, therefore, there is none of
that personal exultation over enemies which
characterizes the song of Hannah and most of
the triumphant odes of David. It is a hymn
only of grace and glory. It consists of three
clauses : in the first, Mary gives thanks for the
divine goodness to herself (vers. 46-49) ; in the sec
ond, she magnifies the general power and grace
of God in the whole course of divine providence

(vera. 60-63) ; in the third, she emphasizes the re
demption now afforded to Israel through her. —
God my Saviour. Her personal Saviour, be
cause of her faith in the Jesus promised her. To
her he is already the One who 6aves from sin
those that trust in him (Matt. 1 : 21). — Shall call
me blessed. This does not justify paying any
peculiar reverence to the Virgin Mary ; for what
she declares is simply that all generations shall
recognize, not her holiness or influence in inter
cession, but her happiness in being selected to
be the mother of the Messiah. — He that is
mighty. He whose might has no higher mani
festation in nature than the creation of man,
affords the highest manifestation of that divine
might in the creation of the life of the perfect
man, Christ Jesus. — And his mercy is on
them that fear him. Verses 50-53 describe
God's character as illustrated by his dealings
with the nations, especially Israel. Analogous
are such Psalms as 105, 106, 107. "She ascribes
to the providence or judgments of God what
ungodly men call the game of fortune." — (Cal
vin.) — He hath showed strength with his
arm. In all the history of Israel.— He hath
scattered the proud. As the Midianites be
fore Gideon, the army of Sennacherib, etc. — He
hath put down the mighty. As Pharaoh,
Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar. — And exalted
them of low degree. As Joseph, Moses, Da
vid.— He hath filled the hungry, * * *
the rich he hath sent empty away. Lit
erally true in such contrasts as that of Ahab and
the woman of Zarephath (1 Kings 17 : 1-14) ; spirit
ually fulfilled by Christ in such instances as those
of the leper and the rich young ruler (Matt. 8 : 1-4 ;
19 : 16-22). — He hath holpen his servant Israel
in remembrance of his mercy. Literally,
He hath taken hold of Israel his child to remember
mercy ; i. e., his visitation to Israel is one for the
purpose of mercy, not of judgment. The words
as he spake to our fathers should be in parenthe
ses. This merciful visitation is in fulfillment of
ancient prophecy ; but the mercy itself is shown
to Abraham and to his seed forever. The birth

Ch. L]

LUKE.

15

59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they
came to circumcise the child ; and they called him
Zacharias, after the name of his father.
60 And his mother answered and said, Not so j but
he shall be called John.
61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kin
dred that is called by this name.
62 And they made signs to his father, how he would
have him called.

63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, say
ing, His name is • John. And they marvelled all.
64 And his mouth f was opened immediately, and his
tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.
65 And fear came on ali that dwelt round about
them : and all these sayings were noised abroad
throughout all the hill country of Judsea:
66 And all they that heard them laid them up& in
their hearts, saying. What manner of child shall this
be ! And the hand h of the Lord was with him.

t verse 13 .... f verse 2

• oh. 2 : 19, 61  h Ps. 80 : 17.

of the Messiah was in fulfillment of a promise to
the patriarch (Gen. 12 : 1-8 ; 17 : 1-8), as interpreted by
Paul (Gal. 3 : 16).
56-58. Now Elizabeth's full time came.
This would be about three months after Mary's
visit to her ; and this would perhaps imply that
Mary remained till John was born, but the
phraseology which places the account of the
birth after Mary's departure, implies the re
verse. — And they rejoiced with her. "Ori
entals rejoice exceedingly over the birth of sons,
for he is not only to perpetuate the memory of
his father, but is expected to be the support and
dependence of his mother, and of the rest of the
family, in a country where unprotected woman
is most cruelly oppressed, and the widows and
the fatherless even of the wealthiest are often
reduced to penury and want." — (Van Lennep's
Bible Lands.) For illustration, see Gen. 16 : 4r-U ;
21 : 8 ; 29 : 32.
59-64. They came to circumcise the
child. As enjoined upon all the descendants
of Abraham (Gen. 17 : 12). The name was given
then, as it is with us at christening ; the reason
alleged is that at the institution of circumcision
the names of Abram and Sara were changed to
Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 17 : 6, 15). Circumcision
is still practiced among the Jews on their chil
dren at the age of eight days ; among the Arabs
at 13 years, probably from the fact that Ishmael,
their ancestor, was of that age when circumcised
(Gen. 17 : 26) ; among other Mohammedans when
they* are able to repeat intelligently the Moslem
profession of faith, "There is no God but God,
and Mohammed is his prophet." Baptism ap
pears to have been practiced among the Jews
only on converts from heathenism and their
families. — His mother answered, No; but
he shall be called John. Meyer thinks that
this fact had been supernaturally communicated
to her ; Alford thinks not, and supposes that she
had learned it from her husband. But unless
her suggestion was the result of a supernatural
impulse, why should it be reported at all?—
They made signs to his father. An indica
tion that he was deaf as well as dumb. If not,
he would have heard and understood the confer
ence between his wife and his friends. — He
asked for a writing table. Writing tablets

among the ancients consisted of a thin piece of
wood, covered on one side with wax, on which
the writing was done by means of a stylus, an
iron instrument resembling a pencil in. size and
shape, sharpened at one end to form the charac-

4§L
S '
V' -~
-\v--~\-a, ifr*^
%
VV
-J< 9 V\ feSE
WRITING TABLET.
ters, and made flat and circular at the other, to
obliterate what had been written when desired.
The ordinary tablet consisted of two or more
leaves like the modern school-slate, one side
only of each leaf being covered with wax, and
the wooden edge of each leaf being raised to
prevent the wax sides from rubbing against each
other. These tablets were used for accounts,
wills and legal documents, for letters, and by
pupils in school. Such tablets continued to be
used down to the middle ages. Another form is
still used in the East, made of wood ; the stu
dents write on them with chalk or charcoal. —
And they marvelled all. Another indication
that Zacharias was deaf as well as dumb.
" There would be nothing wonderful in his ac
ceding to his wife's suggestion, if he had known
it ; the coincidence, apparently without this
knowledge, was the matter of wonder." — (Al
ford.)— And his mouth was opened imme
diately. The angelic prophecy (ver. 13) being
now fulfilled, and partly by the obedience of
Zacharias himself in naming the babe John.
65, 66. The supernatural character of John's
birth and the circumstances attending it, pre
pare the way for his ministry. The people, in
consequence, were ready to believe him a pro
phet, and to give heed to him when he began
16

LUKE.

[Ch.I.

67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy
Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
68 Blessed ' be the Lord God of Israel ; for he hath
Visited and redeemed his people, m
69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation) for us,
in the house of his servant David ;
70 As he spake k by the mouth of his holy prophets,
which have been since the world began :
71 That we should be saved ' from our enemies, and
from the hand of all that hate us ;
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers,
and to™ remember his holy covenant ;

73 The oath" which he swore to our father Abra.
ham, 74 That he would grant unto us, that we, being de
livered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve
him° without fear,
75 In" holiness and righteousness before him, alii
the days of our life.
76 And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the
Highest : for thou shalt go r before the face of the Lord,
to prepare his ways ;
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto the people
by the remission9 of their sins,

i Ps. 72:18. ...j Ps. Ill :9....k Jer. 23:6, 6 ; Dan. 9 : 24.... I Isa. 64:7-17; Jer. 30:10, II.... m Lev. 26:42 ; Ps. 106 : 8-10; Esek. 16 : 60....
n Gen. 22:16, 17  o Rom. 6 : 22  p Titus 2: 11, 12; 1 Pet. 1 : 14, 16.... q Rev. 2: 10  r Mal. 3 : 1  e ActB6:31.

preaching. Three elements are mentioned as
constituting his peculiar fame : (1.) Fear, i. e.,
awe ; a recognition of the supernatural presages
which accompanied his birth. This is the mean
ing often belonging to the word (<po(iog), here
rendered/ear. (2.) A wide-extended fame. The
story of his birth went throughout the hill
country of Judea. God employed especial means
to prepare for the Messiah the district most
prejudiced by its education and the influence of
its hierarchy against Him. (3.) An expectancy.
The people remembered these events and waited,
wondering what a child so born would become in
his manhood. — The hand of the Lord was
with him. The hand is a symbol of power in
the Bible ; here the meaning is that the fulfill
ment of the promise of ver. 15 was seen even in
his childhood, and kept alive the wonder and ex
pectation of the people.
67-71. Zacharias was filled with the
Holy Ghost and prophesied. These words
characterize the psalm of thanksgiving that fol
lows. It is neither, on the one hand, the natural
exultation of a father and a patriot, who rejoices
because his son is to take an eminent part in
what he believes to be simply a political reform
and become the deliverer of an apostate and op
pressed people, nor, on the other, an exposition
of the Gospel, the full significance of which not
even the immediate apostles of Christ compre
hended till after their Lord's death. It is pro
phecy, in which the speaker, inspired by the
Holy Ghost, uttered what he did not and could
not fully comprehend, and in which the hopes of
the temporal kingdom, which Zacharias shared
with all the best people of his age, mingled with
but became prophetic of that spiritual deliver
ance which his words foreshadow, and of which
he must have had some conception. Like all
prophecy it is clearer to us in the light of its his
toric fulfillment than it could have been to him
who uttered it. — Blessed be the Lord God
of Israel. The Father who sends the Son, the
Horn of salvation, the Day-spring from on high,
and in him visits and redeems his people. — He
hath visited. The original (imnxinTo^iai) in
dicates a visit for succor, as in Matt. 25 : 36 ;
Acts 7 : 23, note ; James 1 : 37.— And redeem

ed. Ransomed as from bondage; see John
8 : 32, 34-36.— And hath raised up a horn of
salvation for us. For the interpretation of
this favorite metaphor of power with the Hebrew
poets, see Deut. 33 : 17 ; Psalm 75 : 10 ; 132 : 17 ;
Jer. 48 : 25. The symbol iB borrowed from the
animal kingdom, the horn of the bull, the uni
corn, the ram, being a prominent weapon both of
offence and defence, (see Dan. ch. 8 : 3-12, 20-24).
Hence to " defile the horn in the dust " (job. 16 : 15)
presents a figure of a dying ox or stag, prostrate,
with his useless horns covered with dirt. Hence,
too, the horns of the' altar were a refuge to those
fleeing from enemies, being a symbol of divine
power (1 Kings 1 : 60 ; 2 : 28). Jesus Christ is not
only the love and grace but also the power of
God (Rev. 6 : 12), but a power unto salvation (Rom.
l : 10) ; the horn is a horn of salvation. — Which
have been since the world began. The ob
ject of all prophecy is the same ; it points for
ward through partial and incomplete fulfillments
to the life, the sufferings, the victory, and the
final coronation of Jesus as Lord of all. — Salva
tion from all our enemies. This qualifies
and defines the salvation referred to in ver. 69,
the intermediate clause being parenthetical.
Thus the passage reads, "Hath raised up a horn
of salvation * * * (as he spake by the mouth
of his holy prophets * * #) salvation from our
enemies," etc. To Zacharias the salvation an
ticipated undoubtedly included a deliverance
from Soman misrule ; but that; even in his
thought, it included much more is evident from
the language of vers. 74, 75, where it is combined
with anticipations of a holy and righteous service
of God.
72-75. The oath which he swore to onr
father Abraham. Gen. 24 : 16-18, as interpret
ed by Gal. 3 : 13-17.— Might serve him with
out fear. See 1 John 4 : 18. Liberty to serve
God according to the individual conscience, i. e.,
religious liberty in the largest sense, is one of
Christ's gifts to the world ; it does not date from
the Puritan settlement of this country.— In
holiness and righteousness. The onerepre-'
sents inward purity, the other outward activity ;
the one the inward but negative quality, the
other the outward but affirmative quality ; the

Ch. II.]

LUKE.

17

78 Through the tender mercy of our God ; whereby
the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
79 To ' give light to them that sit in darkness and in
the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way
of peace.
80 And the child grew; and waxed strong in spirit,
and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto
Israel.

CHAPTER II.
AND it came to pass in those days, that there went
out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the
world should be taxed.
a (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius
was governor of Syria.)

t Isa, 9: 2: 49:9.

one absence from stain, the other positive ser
vice. 76-80. Called the Prophet of the High
est. In contrast with ver. 32, where Jesus is
called Son of the Highest. The one is the prince,
the other only the herald. Called, indicates that
he should not only be a prophet but should be
recognized as one. See Matt. 14 : 5 ; 21 : 26. —
To prepare his ways. As indicated in the
next clause, viz., by giving a knowledge of sal
vation, not only a prophecy of its advent but
also a description of its true nature. See ch.
3 : 1-18. Christ gives salvation, John only a
knowledge of salvation. Comp. Matt. 1 : 21. — By
the remission of their sins. The remainder
of the sentence embodies the Gospel in brief. It
promises (1) salvation, (2) not merely political
but spiritual, a remission of and redemption
from sin, (3) indicates the cause, the divine
mercy (comp. John 3 : 16 ; Ephes. 2 : 4-8) ; (4) and prom
ises the result, light to eyes in darkness, and
peace to feet straying in paths of sorrow and
perplexity. Whereby the day-spring hath visited
should rather be rendered, in which the dawn hath
visited. Tender mercy is the atmosphere in which
the Gospel of Christ has its birth and life, as
spring has its origin in the light and warmth of a
summer sun ; and it is a dawn to those in dark
ness (isalab 9:2; Matt. 4 : 16, 16, notes). Them that sit in
darkness includes the whol e human race. Comp.
Ephes. 2:3; and observe there what is implied
by the promise here " to guide our feet into the
way of peace." — The child grew and waxed
strong in spirit. Comp. ch.. 2 : 52, note. The
one phrase refers to his physical, the other to his
intellectual and spiritual growth.— In the des
erts. The desert of Judea, a sparsely inhabited
country bordering on the Dead Sea. The word
indicates an uncultivated, not necessarily sterile,
region. There is no ground for the surmise that
John joined the Essines or received his education
among or from them. Rather the reverse is im
plied, namely, that from early youth his educa
tion was that of studying and meditating in soli
tude, and his only teacher God, interpreted to
Mm through nature, the Bible, and the direct in
fluence of the Holy Spirit.
Ch. 2 : 1-20. THE BIRTH OF JESUS. Gon uses all
INSTRUMENTS TO FULFILL HIS WILL. — OflSSAR UNCON
SCIOUSLY prepares fox Christ. — The earthly hu

miliation AND THE HEAVENLY GLORY OP THE INCAR
NATION. — THE FIRST PREACHING OP THE GOSPEL. — J.TS
RECEPTION IN HEAVEN ; UPON EARTH.
1,2. Cansar Augustus. Emperor of Rome,
and immediate successor of Julius Csesar. Ju
dea, though not at this time a province of Rome,
was tributary to her. — That all the world
should be taxed. Rather, that a census of the
population should be taken, probably as a pre
paration for taxation. By all the world is meant
not merely all the. land of Judea, a meaning
which the Greek word (olxovfiivrj) will not bear,
but the whole Roman Empire. A general survey
of the Roman Empire, commenced under Julius
Caesar, had been completed b. c. 12 ; it was fol
lowed by Augustus with amore particular survey.

COIN OF CaiSAR AUGUSTUS.
After his death there was found written by his
own hand a statistical account of the Empire, in
cluding the tributary kingdoms, and embracing
the number of the citizens, of the allies under
arms, of the fleets, and of the tributes and taxes.
The enrollment here described was one prepara
tory to some such census and survey of the Em
pire. — And this taxing was first made
when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.
Cyrenius or Quirinius was governor of Syria for
a period of 5 years, from the 6th to the 11th year
after Christ's birth. At that time he took a cen
sus of the Holy Land for the purpose of taxa
tion, referred to in Acts 5 : 37, and described in
Josephus's Antiq. 18 : 1. He was sent with Co-
ponius partly for that' purpose. This fact pre
sents a chronological difficulty, which has given
rise to prolonged discussions. Skeptical writers ;
argue from it. the untrustworthiness of Luke'ai

•18

LUKE.

[Ch. II.

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own
city.
. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the
city of Nazareth^into Judaea, unto the city of David,
which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the
house and lineage of David,)

S Tb be' taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being
great with child.
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days
were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she" brought forth her firstborn son, and
wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a
manger ; because there was no room for them in the inn.

narrative, on the ground that he puts the enroll
ment six years before it really took place. And
the question of date is not unimportant, for, ac
cording to Luke, this enrollment explains how
Christ, though of Galilean parentage, was born
in Bethlehem, while Matthew fixes the date of
the birth during the reign of King Herod, who
died before the enrollment spoken of by Jo
sephus. The principal explanations of this are
as follows : (1.) For this taxing was first made,
read This taxing was made before that Cyrenius was
governor. The Greek is capable of this transla
tion, and the same phraseology («giu*o? with
gen.) is used by John with this signification.
The Greek student . will do well to compare
John t : 15, 30 ; 15 : 18 ; Luke 2 : 21. (2.) Some
scholars read, This taxing was first completed when,
etc., but this translation (of the verb ylvo/xai)
would hardly have been suggested but for the
purpose of escaping the chronological difficulty.
(3.) Others read, This taxing.itself was first made
wfien, etc.; this supposes that the account dis
tinguishes between the enrollment at this time
and the taxing afterwards under Cyrenius. (4.)
Wordsworth suggests, This enrollment became the
first when, etc., I. e., after the more famous en
rollment six years later ; this was designed to dis
tinguish it as the first enrollment, an improbable
rendering. (5.) Dr. Woolsey (Smith's Mb. Diet.,
art. Cyrenius) argues that the word rendered
governor, is one of a more general import, and that
Quirinius may have occupied some special office
as commissioner, sent on for the very purpose of
inaugurating this enrollment, and afterwards
made governor, and completing it. This is not
improbable. (6.) Zumpt has shown that there is
some reason to believe that Cyrenius was twice
governor. This view is maintained at length by
Alford and approved by Schaff, but doubted by
Godet. It is unnecessary definitely to decide be
tween these various explanations ; it is certain
that Quirinius was active in an official capacity
in the East at this time ; there is nothing in his
tory inconsistent with the probable supposition
that the enrollment began at this time, the first
enrollment ever made of the Jewish population
under the Roman government ; that it was sus
pended owing to the death of Herod and the con
sequent political changes ; that it was again in
augurated and followed by taxation; and that
this completion of it gave rise to the insurrection

under Judas. Whether the preliminary enroll
ment here was under Cyrenius as governor or as
commissioner, or not under him at all, is a matter
of secondary importance.
3-5. And all went to be enrolled. The
Roman method of enrolling would have taken
the names, etc., at the place of residence. But
Judea was still an independent, though" tributary
kingdom ; the enrollment was therefore taken
according to Jewish usage, which was adapted
to the ancient division of tribes and families.
The Jewish law aimed to preserve the family,
tribal, and local attachments. Mary naturally
accompanied him, for, under the Roman law,
women were subject to a capitation tax. The
fact that she accompanied him to Bethlehem
indicates that she too was of the house of David.
6,7. Wrapped him in swaddling clothes.
"As soon as a babe is born it is washed in salted

BWABDLrNO CLOTHES.
water, clothed, and swathed in a long bandage
or swaddling cloth, three or four inches wide
and about ten feet long, which is firmly wound
around it from the neck downward, including
the arms, which are thus pinioned to its sides,
so that it can neither stir hand nor foot. This is
done with the idea of keeping the tender bones
motionless in a proper position until they ac
quire sufficient strength to be allowed to move
about. It is, moreover, easier for the mother
to carry the little one on her arm or slung on
her back." — (Van Lennep's Bible Lands.) The
modern and ancient Oriental customs are the
same. The accompanying illustration is from
an original sketch by A. L. Rawson. — And laid
him in a manger, - because there was no
room for them in the inn. The Eastern inn
was ordinarily a caravanserai, more nearly re
sembling a Western wagon yard than a modern

Ch. II.]

LUKE.

19

tavern. The structure, built
of wood, sunburnt brick, or
stone, is of one or two sto
ries, built around an open
square. There is a large gate
in the middle of one of the
sides, which is closed at
night. Opposite the en
trance is the stable, divided
into small compartments.
Drivers sleep here to take
care of their beasts ; in win
ter others prefer the stable,
on account of the warmth
produced by the presence of
the animals. Feeding troughs
or mangers, as shown in
the accompanying illustration, are built against

AN EASTERN MANGER.

AN EASTERN INN.
the wall. In the inn proper are rooms for the
accommodation of guests. The yard is used for
loading or unloading the beasts. In this in
stance, the rooms of the inn being all preoccu
pied, Joseph and Mary took a place in the stable
with the drivers. — In a manger. I see no ade
quate reason for not accepting this literally.
The child was born, and the manger was taken
for his crib in lieu of a cradle. That he was ex
posed in the open court-yard as suggested by
Sch'tusner (Smith's Bib. Diet., art. Manger) i3 in
herently incredible ; the ordinary interpretation
agrees with the customs of the Orient. An ,
ancient tradition fixes on a cave as the stable in
which Christ was born, and the spot is one of
the "holy places" of Palestine. The Church of
the Nativity marks the supposed site. There is
nothing incredible in the tradition, for caves
were used to house both men and beasts ; but it
is more probable that the stable was one of the
ordinary sort connected with an Eastern inn.
The identical manger in which the infant Jesus
was laid is carefully preserved in the basilica of
St. Maria Maggiore at Rome, and there displayed
under the auspices of the pope every Christmas
day ! The accompanying illustration is from a
sketch by A. L. Rawson of a manger at an inn
on the road from Ramleh to Jerusalem. The
women are carrying water and provisions into
an upper chamber for the supply of the trav
elers, whose animals are feeding below.
8, 9. Shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flocks. The
season of the year is unknown, though there are
indications (see ch. l : 6, note) that it was either July
or January. The sheep of Palestine are housed at
night only in the very coldest parts of winter,
not always even then. The shepherds watch
them at night, sleeping on the ground or on beds
made of branches of the trees, and wrapped in
the heavy cloak or burnoose. The dangers to
be guarded against are robbers, wolves, and sud
den storms. — An angel of the Lord. Not the

20

8 And there were in the same country shepherds
abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by
night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,
and the glory of the Lord shone round about them,
and they were sore afraid.
io And the angel said unto them, Fear not : for, be
hold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall
be to all people.
n For unto you* is born this day, in the city of Da
vid, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you : Ye shall find
the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a
manger.

LUKE. [Ch. II.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel" a multi
tude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,"
good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone
away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one
to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and
see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord
hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and
Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known
abroad the saying which was told them concerning
this child.

.9:6  wPs.l03:20, 21; 1 Pet. 1 : 12.... i Isa. 67 : 19.

angel, which signifies a definite person, and gen
erally, as I believe, the Lord Jesus Christ.. —
Came to them. Not necessarily nor probably
in the heavens. More probably in human form,
and as an earthly companion. This is the form
in which most angel appearances are represented,
both in the O. T. and the N. T. (Gen. is : 2; 19 : 1, 2 j
Josh. 5 : 13 j Judges 6 : 11, etc. ; Mark 16 : 5, 6 ; Acts 27 : 23). —
And the glory of the Lord shone round
about. The shechinah, the most common
manifestation of the deity to Israel. See Matt.
17 : 5, note. — Sore afraid. Literally, Feared a
great fear. The universal consciousness of sin
and of unfitness for the eternal world makes all
mankind afraid of any unexpected disclosure of
the spiritual world or revelation of the nearness
of God.
10-12. Fear not. The first feeling of man
at the approach of God is fear (Gen. a : 10) ; the
message of the Gospel to him is, Fear not, alike
when Christ is first revealed to the soul as a
Saviour born, when he comes to him with succor
in his sorrow (Matt. 14 : 26, 27), and when he seems
to have departed and to have left the disciple
alone in the world (Mark 16 : 6) ; alike in the hour
of birth, of life-storm, and of death. — I bring
to yon glad tidings of great joy. The
Greek verb (kvayyeXtionai) rendered / bring glad
tidings is the one from which our word evan
gelize is derived. This angel was the first evan
gelist. — Which shall be to all the people-
Notice the definite article, erroneously omitted
in the English version. The people of Israel is
meant ; at least the message would be so under
stood by the shepherds. A message to all classes
rather than to all nationalities is indicated. Yet
the universality of the Gospel is foreshadowed
in the language of this and the preceding chap
ter (ver. 82 i ch. 1 : 79, etc.)< — For unto you is born
this day. Unto you indicates the object of his
birth. He came into the world, not to do his
own will, but the will of his Father in heaven,
which is that not one should perish, but that all
should have eternal life (En*. 33 : 11 j 2 Pet. 3 : 9). —
In the city of David. Bethlehem. — A Sa
viour, which is Christ the Lord. A Saviour

because he saves his people from their sins (Matt.
1:21); Christ, i. e., the Anointed One, because
anointed by the Father to be the High-priest for
the human race (Heb. 1:9; 10 : 11, 12) ; the Lord be
cause creator and king (col. 1 : ie-is). This word
Lord (xvoiog) is used continually by Luke as a
designation of Jehovah (ch. 1 : e, 9, 11, 15, 16, etc.) ;
hence Alford, and following him Lange, Sehaff,
and Wordsworth : "I see no way of understand
ing this Lord (xvoiog), but as corresponding to
the Hebrew Jehovah." — And this shall be a
sign unto you. Not only should they find the
child cradled in a manger, but this would be the
sign of the Messiahship. The depth of Christ's
voluntary humiliation is the authentication of
his divine character and mission. Comp. 1 Cor.
1 : 22-25. The sign that he is king is the fact
that he is born in a stable.
13,14. With the angel. Though not neces
sarily in immediate proximity to him ; the angel
may have appeared on earth as a man ; the host
in heaven, luminous and as angels. — Praising
God. The incarnation is the theme of heaven's
praise to the Most High. Comp. Rev., ch. 5. —
Glory to God in the highest, i. e., in the
highest heavens. — And on earth peace. Be
tween Jew and Gentile (Ephes. 2 : 14) ; between man
and God (2 Cor. 6 : 17-21). But this is the consum
mation of Christ's kingdom, not the means by
which it is established. See Matt. 10 : 34-36;
James 3 : 17. — Good will toward men, i. e.,
good will from God, shown to man in the Gos
pel (John 3 : ie). This " good will " is the cause of
the peace which Christ confers on earth and the
glory which he inspires in heaven. There is,
however, a question whether good wiU is not in
the genitive (ivSoxlag instead of ivSoxla), and
governed by men, in which case the clause should
be read, men of good will. This reading is adopt
ed by Sehaff (see his note in Lange for his author
ities) and Godet. With this reading, the passage
iB interpreted by some scholars, Glory to God in
the highest and on earth ; peace among men of
good will ; by others, Glory to God in the high
est, peace on earth among men of good will, i. e.,
men of God's good pleasure, men chosen by him.

Ch. II.]

LUKE.

21

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those
things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered
them m her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and prais
ing God for all the things that they had heard and seen,
as it was told unto them.

21 And when eight days were accomplished r for the
circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS,
which was so named of the angel2 before he was con
ceived in the womb.
22 And when a the days of her purification, according
to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they brought
him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord ;

¦3 Lev. 12:3  Ch. 1 : 31 ; Matt. 1 : 21 .... a Lev. 12:2, etc.

But in the uncertainty of textual criticism, the
received reading appears to me far preferable.
15-20. Let ns now go * * * and see
this thing. They believe ; their belief leads
them to verify the message by seeking for the
promised sign. To go and see is always the cure
for doubt. (Pb. 34 : 8; John 1:46). — They came
with baste. Observe their zeal. There is
nothing to indicate how the shepherds found the
manger from among all the mangers in Bethle
hem. Oosterzee conjectures that it was their own
6table ; Olshausen that they were guided by di
vine influence. But the fact of a babe born in a
stable would be noised abroad in Bethlehem, and
it could not be difficult to find the holy family
without supernatural guidance. — They made
known abroad. Not merely to Joseph and
Mary ; they published it generally as they had
opportunity. He that has received the Gospel
and been brought to his Lord, should make
known the news to others. Contrast, however,
the difference in the reception by the shepherds
and by Mary ; the one publishes, the other medi
tates. Both are right ; they illustrate different
but not inconsistent phases of experience. Pon
dering and publishing are both the Christian
duties. — Kept all these words, not things.
Guarded them in her memory ; an effort to retain
the story in the words in which it was given to her
is indicated. — And pondered them. Revolved
them ; comparing them with one another, that
she might comprehend the nature of the career
of the child entrusted to her keeping. May we
not fairly assume that it was from Mary that the
account of the angelic appearances in this and the
preceding chapter, to Zacharias, to herself, and
to the shepherds, was derived. " The oftener
we read the 19th verse, the more assured we feel
that Mary was the first and real author of the
whole narrative. This pure, simple, and private
history was composed by her, and preserved for
a certain time in an oral form, until some on^
committed it to writing, whose work fell into the
hands of Luke, and was reproduced by him in
Greek."— (Godet.) This opinion is confirmed by
the Aramaic or Hebrew character, which all
scholars agree is born by the narrative, which
bears indubitable indications of having been
originally composed in Hebrew and translated
into Greek.
The Angel's Message.— The angel, who is
the first Evangelist, affords the first illustration

of Gospel preaching. His message is (1) Good
news. Christianity is not a mere re-enactment of
the moral law, either of the p. T. or of the hu
man conscience, but news of salvation to those
that have broken that law and are under its
penalty. (2.) Of great joy. Neither conviction of
sin nor admonition of punishment are the Gospel,
for these are not messages of great joy ; they are
the groundwork of preparation for the Gospel.
The message of salvation to an elect few is not
the Gospel, for it is the message of anguish to
many and of joy to none, since none are as
sured that it is for them. Nothing is Gos
pel that is not joy-producing in those that re
ceive it. (3.) To all people ; all nations, all ages,
all classes in society ; this, though not neces
sarily involved in the language of the angel here,
is implied in that of this and the preceding
chapter. See note on ver. 10. (4.) The cause of
this joy ; the advent of one who is a Saviour,
saving his people from their sins, the High-
priest of whom all previous high-priests were
types, and the incarnation of the unseen Je
hovah, Lord as well as Chrisfr. (5.) The attesta
tion of his divinity ; the humiliation of his love,
witnessed by this that he is cradled in a manger.
The angel's song affords an illustration of the ef
fect of the Gospel in heaven and on earth. An
inspiration of glory in heaven ; a source of
peace on earth, because a testimony of God's
good-will to sinners. The shepherd's course af
fords an illustration of how the Gospel should be
received ; with faith, with obedience, with an
echo of the glad tidings to others who have not
heard it.
Ch.2 : 21-52. THE CONSECRATION AND CHILDHOOD
OF JESUS. Christ is publicly consecrated to God
in his infancy. — the christian's expectation op
death. — Christ revealed prom the beginning as a
Savtotjr of *t.t. men. — He brings a sword as well
as peace.— a woman hails the advent op the de
LIVERER OF WOMEN. — She BECOMES A PREACHER OP
REDEMPTION. — CHRIST A PATTERN OF CHILDHOOD : THE
THEME OF HIS STUDY IS HIS FATHER'S WORK; HE 18
SUBJECT TO HIS EARTHLY PARENTS', HIS THREE-FOLD
GROWTH. The incidents recorded in the rest of this chap
ter are peculiar to Luke, who alone gives any
account of Christ's childhood. The legends in
the apocryphal Gospels are wholly untrust
worthy, and in striking contrast with the sim
plicity of the Gospel narrative.

22

LUKE.

[Ch. II.

23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every * male
that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord ;)
24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is
said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtle doves, or
two young pigeons.
25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem,
whose name was Simeon ; and the same man was just
and ° devout, waiting for the consolation d of Israel :
and the Hjoly Ghost was upon him.
26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost,
that he should not see e death before he had seen the
Lord's Christ

27 And he came by the Spirit into' the temple : and
when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for
him after the custom ot the law,
28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed
God, and said,
29 Lord, now' lettest thou thy servant depart in
peace,* according to thy word :
30 For. mine eyes have seen" thy salvation,
31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all
people ;
32 A light to lighten the' Gentiles, and the glory
of thy people Israel.

b Exod. 13:12; 22:29.

. .0 verse 3S ; Mark 16 : 43.... d Isa. 40 : 1. ...e Ps. 89 :48 ; Heb. 11 : . ...f Gen. 48: 30.. ..g Isa. 67 : 2 i Rev. 14:13..
hen. 8:6) Isa. 62 : 10; Acts 4 : 12.... 1 Isa. 42 : 6 J 49:6; 60:3; Aole 13 : 47, 48.

21. On the customs connected with circum
cision, see ch. 1 : 59, note. That Christ sub
mitted to circumcision affords no warrant for
the perpetuation of that ordinance, nor for the
substitution of another, as baptism, in its stead.
For he was made subject to the law, that he
might redeem those from their subjection who
are by nature under the law (Gal. 4:6). I find no
warrant in the N. T. for the supposed apostolic
substitution of baptism for circumcision. But
Christ's example here does seem to sanction the
custom of publicly consecrating our children in
infancy to God, and of receiving them publicly
into convenant relations with God and the
church. 22-24. And when the days of her purifi
cation * * * were accomplished. The
Levitical law (Lev. ch. 12) provided that for a,
month after the circumcision of a child — or for a
fortnight, in case the babe was a girl — the
mother was to be regarded as unclean. At the
end of that time she was to present an offering
to the Lord ; a lamb for a burnt-offering (i. e., an
offering of self-consecration), and a pigeon for a
sin-offering (an atonement). If the parties were
too poor to provide a lamb, a turtle-dove or
pigeon might be substituted. The dove-cot was
a common appendage of the dwellings of even
the poor,, and he who was too poor to have a
dove-cot of his own might go to the rocky side of
a ravine and take as many young as he pleased
from the numerous nests of the wild doves in
the clefts (jer. 48 : 2?). In Mary's case, a dove or
pigeon appears, from the language of ver. 24, to
have been substituted for the lamb; an indi
cation of their poverty. The "churching of
women," a season of thanksgiving for the birth,
which is maintained in the Roman Catholic and
Episcopal churches, and is of very early origin,
is probably derived from this 0. T. provision. —
To present him to the Lord. The original
law prescribed .that the first-born male, in every
family should be consecrated to God, as a priest
(Exod. 13 : 12 ; 22 : 29 ; Numb. 8 : 17) ; then the Levites
were substituted for the first-born, but as they
were less in number, provision was made for re
deeming the surplus (Numb. 3 : 41-61) ; but subse

quently all the first-born were required to be
presented and redeemed from the priestly ser
vice by an offering of five shekels (Numb, is : is, 16).
It was in accordance with this law that Jesus was
now presented to be redeemed in the Temple.
This redemption of the first-born is done away
with in Christ, since in his kingdom we are all
called to be priests unto God, made so by and in
Christ (l Pet. 2:9; Rev. 6 : lo).
25-32. Whose name was Simeon. Pos
sibly the well-known person of that name, the
father of Gamaliel. But of this there is no other
evidence than the name, which is a common one.
— Just and devout. Just in his dealings with
his fellow-men ; pious in his feelings toward God
and in his observance of the ceremonial law, the
two elements recognized in Micah 6:8, as all
that the Lord requires for the perfection of
character. Comp. Christ's language in Matt.
22 : 37-40.— Waiting for the consolation of
Israel. The Messiah. Comp. Acts 28 : 20. The
phrase is a common one in Rabbinical literature,
and was used as a form of adjuration : " So let
me see the consolation of Israel, if I did not see,"
etc. The whole nation was in a sense expecting
the advent of the Messiah, but not as Simeon, in
the maintenance of justice, loving-kindness, and
devout trust in God. The object of John's
preaching was to prepare for Christ's coming,
by bringing the people to ways of justice and
thoughts of piety (ch. 3: i-is).— And the Holy
Ghost was upon him. An evidence that the
Holy Ghost was not first given at Pentecost and
after the death and resurrection of Jesus. See
Acts 2 : 4, note. — And he came by the Spirit.
Led by the Divine Spirit.— Lettest thou thy
servant depart in peace. Literally, Let free
thy servant. He speaks as one to whom this life
is one of toil and bondage, and the other one of
rest and liberty ; and he waits for the day of his
emancipation — the true ideal of the aged Chris
tian's anticipation of death. — According to the
word. The promise made to him by the Spirit
of God, that he should see the Messiah before
his death (ver. 26).— Before the face of all
peoples. The original is plural (twv Xauiv), not,
as in our English version, singular. The con-

Ch. II.]

LUKE.

S3

33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those
things which were spoken of him.
34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his
mother. Behold, this child is set for the fall) and rising
again of many in Israel ; and for a sign which shall be
spoken * against ;
35 (Yea, a sword1 shall pierce through thy own soul

also,) that™ the thoughts of many hearts may be re
vealed. 36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daugh
ter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser ; she was of a great
age, and had lived with an husband seven years from'
her virginity ;
37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four

j Isa. 8:14; Rom. 9:32, 33; 1 Cor. 1 : 2

2 Cor. 2:16; 1 Pet. 2 : 7, 8. .. .k Acta 28
1 Cor. 11 : 19.

22.. ..1 Johnl9:2S....m Judges 5: 16, 16;

ception of the Gospel as a provision, not for the
Jewish nation only, but for the whole world,
is evidently not a later idea, developed by Paul.
It belongs to and is seen in the germs and buds
of Christian truth. — A light to lighten the
Gentiles. See Isaiah 49 : 6; Matt. 4 : 16. —
The glory of thy people, Israel. We ought
not to forget that Christ is, according to the
Scripture, the glory of Israel ; that to the Jew
ish nation, his peculiar people, God granted the
birth of the world's Saviour ; and that to it we
owe our Light. A superficial view covers the
Jews with odium because of their crucifixion of
their Lord ; a prof ounder view recognizes in him
the glory of Israel.
33-35. And Joseph and his mother.
The best MSS. read, His father and his mother ;
and this is the reading sustained by Alford, Tis-
chendorf, Tregelles, and Sehaff. The latter in
terprets it, " The word is of course to be taken,
not in the physical, but in the legal and popu
lar sense." See note on ver. 48. —Is set. Ap
pointed by God. The N. T. throughout recog
nizes Christ as fulfilling the Father's will, doing
the Father's business, sent by the Father's ap
pointment ; a significant fact, and one not to be
ignored in any attempt to settle definitely the
problem of his life, character, and work. See
ver. 49 ; John 15 : 10 ; 17 : 18 ; Heb. 1 : 9 ; 2 : 9,
etc. — For the fall and rising again of many
in Israel . Not for the humiliation, because of
sin, and the exaltation, because of righteousness.
Such humiliation before God is not a fall, but a
rising. The word rendered fall (atiHaig) is
downfall, overthrow, as in Matt. 7 : 27. Christ
brought downfall to the hopes of those who ex
pected a temporal prince and a political mil
lennium, and ruin to those whose desire for the
kingdom of God was really a personal ambition
for place and power in it, as the Pharisees, and
notably Judas Iscariot among his own disciples.
He brought rising again to those who were will
ing that God should overthrow their plans and
ambitions, and accepted from him the grander
gift of a universal kingdom, prepared for all
peoples. Both the fall and the rising are illus
trated by the experience of the disciples who,
after the resurrection, met Christ on the road to
Emmaus (Luke 24 : 21, 31, se). — For a sign which
shall be spoken against. Because disap
pointing all hope of political preferment and

national exaltation. See John 8 : 48 ; 1 Cor.
1 : 22, 23. — Yea, a sword shall pierce
through thine own soul also. Not, as
Lightfoot, a prediction of Mary's martyrdom;
nor as Sehaff and Wordsworth, a reference to
her agony on beholding the crucifixion of her
son ; nor as Alford, a foretelling that she also
must know the agony of sorrow for sin ; but, as
the connection implies, a declaration that she
must know, with others, a rising and falling.
Her hopes for the emancipation of the nation, the
reformation of the people, the immediate glorifi
cation of God through the Son given unto her,
are destined to be overthrown ; she will hear his
unambiguous prophecy of the destruction of the
temple and the holy city, will see him rejected,
scorned, crucified, will see the nation given over
to increasing anarchy and corruption and the
wrath of God, and will rise from her desolation
in the destruction of all her anticipations only
when, in answer to the days of prolonged prayer
(Acts i : 14) the Spirit is poured out upon the
church, and she, with others, begins to see the
length and breadth of the kingdom „that knows
no end. — That the thoughts of many hearts
may be revealed. The object and result of
this dispensation ; that the worldliness, the sel
fishness, the personal ambition of the Jewish as
pirations and ambitions may be discovered to
themselves and to the world ; and the hollowness
of what passed for piety, but was not, since it
only covered the spirit of trust in and consecra
tion to self. The whole prophecy, then, may be
thus paraphrased : Behold this child is ap
pointed by God to overthrow the hopes of many,
by disappointing their expectations of « tem
poral kingdom ; and to give them resurrection
again by opening before them the vision of a
more glorious, a spiritual kingdom ; he will be a
sign not universally welcomed and accepted, but
despised and rejected of men ; you yourself shall
know the agony of withered hopes and a bitter
disappointment ; and thus by their disappoint
ment in a suffering Messiah, by their rejection of
a Messiah that brings them no political prefer
ment, the selfishness of what passes for pious
thoughts and expectations will be revealed.
36-38. There was one Anna, a prophet
ess. Recognized among the people as speaking
by the Spirit of God. Religious teaching was not
confined to the male sex either under the O. T.

24

y6ars, which departed not from the temple, but served
God with fastings and prayers n night and day.
38 And she. coming in at that instant, gave thanks
likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them
that ° looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
39 And when they had performed all things accord
ing to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee,
to their own city Nazareth.
/- '40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit,
* filled p with wisdom ; and the grace of Goa was upon
him. 41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem everyq year
at the feast of the passover.
42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up
to Jerusalem, after the custom of the feast.

LUKE. [Ch. II.
43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they re
turned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem ;
and Joseph and his mother knew not 0/ it.
44 But they, supposing him to have been in the com
pany, went a day's journey ; and they sought him
among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.
45 And when they found him not, they turned back
again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
46 And it came to pass, that after three days they
found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doc
tors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
47 And all that heard him were astonished at his
understanding1, and answers.
48 And when they saw him, they were amazed : and "
his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus

' n Acta 26 : 7 ; 1 Tim. 6:6..

o verae 26  p verse 62 ; Isa. 11 : 2, 3  q Exod. 23 : 16 ; Deut. 16 : 1  r ch. 4 : 22, 32 ; Ps. 119 : 99 ;
Matt. 7 : 28 ; Mark 1 : 22 ; John 7 : 16, 46.

or under the N. T. dispensation, though, from the
nature of woman's general occupation and du
ties, the cases in which she became a recognized
public teacher of religious truth were rare. See
3 Kings 22 : 14 ; Acts 18 : 26.— A widow of
about four score and four years. Or, until
four score and four ; this is the better reading.
The implication is, not that she had been a widow
eighty-eight years, which would make her a cen
tenarian, but that eighty-eight was her present
age. — Which departed not from the tem
ple. Exod. 38 : 8, and 1 Sam. 2 : 22, indicates
that women were employed in some cases about
the temple ; but whether this was of a strictly
religious character or consisted in certain subor
dinate services, such as washing, repairing of the
temple fabrics, etc., is not known. There were
chambers connected with the temple, for the
priests. One of these may have been assigned by
them to Anna, as a special mark of honor to a
recognized prophetess. — Gave thanks to the
Lord. For the gift of the Messiah. — And
spake of him. Not merely then. The verb is
in the imperfect tense, and implies a continued
habit. From this time she was accustomed to
speak of him to those who were looking for the
fulfillment of the divine prophecy of the redemp
tion of Israel.
39, 40. On the growth of Jesus, see on ver.
52. Before this return to Nazareth occurred the
visit of the Magi and the flight into Egypt, re
corded only by Matthew. It is omitted by Luke,
possibly because recorded by Matthew, possibly
because he was ignorant of it. If this was the
case, however, he could hardly have derived any
of his information directly from Mary.
41, 42. Now his parents went every
year. According to the requirements of Exod.
23 : 14-17. The letter of the law there applies
only to males ; but according to the school of
Hillel women were required to go once a year to
the Passover. — When he was twelve years
old. A critical age for a Jewish boy. At twelve,
according to the Jewish legends, Moses left the
house of Pharaoh's daughter; Samuel heard the

voice of God ; Solomon judged between the con
tending women; Josiah dreamed of his great
reformation. He was now required to begin
learning a trade, to wear his phylacteries, to re
ceive the title of "son of the law," and first in
curred legal obligations. This was probably the
first visit of Jesus to Jerusalem.
43-45. There is nothing incredible or even ex
traordinary in the fact that they did not miss the
boy till the end of the first day's journey. The
Galilean pilgrims would travel together in a
caravan, including a large number. In such pil
grim bands the women and elderly men are
mounted ; the younger men walk ; drums and
timbrels enliven the march ; the caravan stops at
every spring or well ; dates, melons, cucumbers
are passed around to refresh the pilgrims ; the
occasion is one of innocent mirth and festivity ;
the children walk and play by the side of their
parents, and wander from one group to another,
often getting a ride, when wearied, on some camel
or mule less heavily loaded than the rest. Thus
the supposition that Jesus was in another part
of the great caravan was a natural one.
46, 47. After three days. They had only
come one day's journey from Jerusalem ; ,they
must therefore have prolonged their search for
some time before going to the temple. See on
ver. 49.— Of the doctors. The rabbis of the
law. The great theological schools of Jerusa
lem were in connection with the Temple. Such
an one was that in which Saul of Tarsus was
educated. (Acts 22 : 3) — Asking them ques
tions. "It was the custom in the Jewish
schools for the scholars to ask questions of their
teachers ; and a great part of the rabbinical
books consists of the answers of the rabbis to
such questions."— (A Iford.) The traditional ac
count which represents Jesus as teaching the rab
bis is neither consistent with the narrative nor
with Jewish sentiment, which was utterly averse
to all aspect of forwardness in childhood, nor
with the spirit of Jesus, which was one of humil
ity, not of arrogance or self-assertion. Tet, re
calling his questioning of the doctors in the tern-

THE CHILD JESUS.
"find when he was twelve years old he went up to Jerusalem after the custom
of the feast."

Ch. II.}

LUKE.

25

dealt with us ? behold, thy father and I have sought
thee sorrowing.
49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me ?
wist ye not that I must be about B my Father's business ?
50 And they understood not the saying which he
spake unto them.

51 And he went down with them, and came to Naza
reth, and was subject unto them : but his mother kept '
all these sayings in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased11 in wisdom and stature, and
dn favour with God and man.

B John 5: 17; 9 : 4.... t Terse 19; Dan. 7: 26.... u vene40; 1 Sam. 2:2

pie years later (Matt. oho. si, 22), and remembering
that "the child is father to the man," we may
well believe that the spirituality of his questions
made them in fact, though not in form, a true
instruction. Even at twelve, his was not a mind
to be content with the literalism and superficial
ity of Rabbinical interpretations of Scripture.
It was the depth of spiritual insight, indicated
by his questions, that astonished them. It is in
dicative of his childhood character that the cen
tral object of interest in the Temple was not its
architectural magnificence, its music, and its
ritual, but its schools, where he might study
more deeply than in the synagogical schools of
Nazareth the truths concerning the kingdom and
the word of God.
48, 49. Son, why hast thou thus dealt
with us ? A gentle reproach. The mother
now, as later, did not comprehend her son.
(Mark 3 : 21, 31 ; John 2 : 4). — Thy father and I have
sought thee sorrowing. An indication of the
historical fidelity of the narrative. A mythical
writer would not have suffered Mary to speak of
Joseph as the father of Jesus. Tet this would
have been her language. For though not his
true father, he stood in the place of one, and
would naturally have assumed the title, as
usually does the step-father, and not infre
quently the guardian. But Christ's reply turns
his mother's thoughts from the seeming to the
real father. To him Joseph is not father. —
How is it that ye seek me ? Wist ye not
that in the affairs of my father I must
needs be ? Not, Engaged in doing my father's
business ; but Engaged concerning and interested in
it. That whicjj, as a child, Jesus had to do with
his father's business, was to be engaged in study
ing it. That which surprises him — for his ques
tion indicates surprise — is not that they should
have sought him, but that they should have
spent three days in an anxious search along the
road and in Jerusalem, and not instantly and in
tuitively known where to find him, namely,
studying the truths concerning his Father and
his Father's work. This very surprise of Jesus
indicates not only that he was conscious of his
supernatural birth, but also that he assumed that
his mother and father knew that he was aware of
it. 50, 51. They understood not that say
ing. Not that it was meaningless to them ; but
they did not fully comprehend its meaning.

Nothing but his life, and death, and resurrection
could fully interpret either the spirit of self-con
secration, implied in these words, or what was
that business to which he must needs devote
himself. Do any of us fully understand what it
is to be about the Father's business f Whatkthis
implied in Christ? What it implies for us? —
Was subject unto them. Learning the car
penter's trade and working at the carpenter's
bench (Mark 6 : 8). In this willing subjection of
Christ, despite his real superiority to his peasant
guardians, and in this cheerful abandonment of
the congenial life of a student for the uncon
genial work of an artisan, is a lesson to the chil
dren of our day, who find it difficult to yield, in
their fancied superiority, to the wisdom of their
parents. This was a part, not the least part, of
his chosen humiliation (Gal. 4:4; pmi. 2 : 1). — Kept
all these sayings in her heart. Treasured
them up and pondered them ; a hint of the
source whence Luke derived them, if not di
rectly, at least through other hands. See on ver.
19. Joseph is not again in the Gospels. It is
generally believed, from this circumstance, that
he died before Christ's public ministry began.
52. And Jesus increased in wisdom and
in stature, and in favor with God and
man. This declaration is not to be modified
to suit any preconceived theological theories
concerning the person of Christ. He experi
enced a fourfold growth — in stature or age, the
Greek word (fjlixta) is capable of either transla
tion, in wisdom, in divine approval, and in popu
lar favor. There is no difficulty in understand
ing the growth in stature and in popular favor ;
little in comprehending the growth of wisdom —
for it was one of the elements in the infinite con
descension of the Son of God, that he laid aside
his knowledge and entered into all the conditions
of mankind, including necessary growth. But
how should he, who shared the divine glory with
the Father before the creation of the world (John
17 : 5), grow in divine favor ? On the ordinary in
terpretation of the doctrine of the incarnation
this is inexplicable to me ; it is equally so on the
Swedenborgian view, that Christ was the divine
soul in a human body, and subject to human con
ditions. It is comprehensible on the theory
that Christ was divine because wholly and en
tirely subject to the influence of the indwelling
Spirit of God, his Son, as we are his sons,
though with a perfection of allegiance and sub-

26

LUKE.

['Ch. III.

N

CHAPTER III.
OW in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius
Csesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea,

and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother
Philip tetrarch of Ituraea, and of the region of Tracho-
nitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of A bilene,
2 Annas' and Caiaphas being the high priests, the

v John 11 : 49, 61 ; 18 : 13 ; Acts 4 : 6.

ordination to his Father's will which we never
know. But to this interpretation of his charac-
tei there are grave, if not conclusive objections,
in the account of his supernatural birth, and in
the doctrine of his pre-existence. This much is
, certain, from other representations of Scripture,
that he suffered real temptations ; won his vic
tories only after real conflict ; and that in ea«h
new victory he received anew the approval of his
Father's love. Comp. Phil 2:9; Heb. 1 : 9.

Ch. 3 : 1-18. PREACHING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.
The pbepabation fob the Gospel is repentance. —
The wobk of the Christian church : to prepare
fob the coming of her king. — the elements in that
prepabation : exaltation ; humiliation ; rectifi
cation ; cultivation. — the promise of the future :
a b alvation universally recognized . — false hope i
in the vibtues of the dead. — true life : in pbe8-
bnt practical befobm. — repentance illustrated.
^-the two baptisms : of man, of god.
This account of the preaching of John the Bap
tist is much more fully given by Luke than by

THE WJLY LAUD
under
THE SONS
of
HEROD TEG GREAT.

either of the other Evangelists. With the ac
count here should, however, be compared that
in Matt. 3 : 1-12, and notes, and in Mark 1 : 1-8.
There is an instructive contrast between these
reports and that of John 1 : 15-36 ; for the rea
son of the difference, see notes on the ministry
of John the Baptist, below.
1. In the fifteenth year of the reign of
Tiberius Caesar. The emperor of Rome at the
birth of Christ was Augustus Csesar (ch. s : l) ; he
died August 19, 767th year of Rome, i. e., 14-15,
A. d. But Tiberius had, for two yeare previous.
shared with him his throne, and his reign here is
probably dated from the time of this joint sov
ereignty. Christ was about twenty -nine years of
age (ver. 23), assuming, as we probably may do,
that the ministry of John the Baptist preceding
the baptism of Jesus, lasted for six months or a
year. A period, therefore, of seventeen or eigh
teen years intervenes between the close of the
second and the beginning of the third chapter.
Of Christ's life during this time nothing is
known. He remained at home with his father,
learned the carpenter's trade, accord
ing to an early tradition made plows
and yokes, probably attended the vil
lage school which was connected with
every synagogue, and where he was
instructed certainly in the Scripture,
and probably also in such elements of
natural science as were taught in the
ordinary course of education. That
he did not have any professional or
Rabbinical training is implied in John
7 : 15. But though the N. T. passes
by in silence this part of his life, it is
not one unimportant in his gracious
ministry. "We are apt to forget that it
was during this time that much of the
great work of the second Adam was
done. The growing up, through in
fancy, childhood, youth, manhood,
from grace to grace, holiness to holi
ness, in subjection, self-denial, and
love, without one polluting touch of
sin — this it was which, consummated
by the three years of active ministry,
by the Passion, and by the Cross, con
stituted 'the obedience of one man,'
by which many were made righteous. ' '
— (Alford.) Pontius Pilate being
governor, etc. During the time
which elapsed between Christ's child
hood and his public baptism, the

Ch. III.]

LUKE.

W

word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in
the wilderness.
3 And" he came into all the country about Jordan,
preaching the baptism of repentance * for the remission
of sins;
4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias
the prophet/ saying, The voice oi one crying in the

wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his
paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain
and hill shall be brought low ; and the crooked shall
be made straight, ana the rough ways shall be made
smooth ;
6 And' all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

w Matt. 3:1; Mark 1 : 4 . . . . X ch. 1 : 77 . . . . y Isa. 40 : 3 . . . . z Ps. 98 : 2 ; Isa. 40 : 6 ; 49 : 6 ; 62 : 10 ; Rom. 10 : 12, 18.

political constitution of Palestine had undergone
a radical change. On the death of Herod the
Great, his kingdom had been apportioned be
tween his three sons : Archelaus, with the title
of ethnarch, received one-half of his father's do
minions — Judea, Samaria, and Idumea ; but after
a reign of ten years was banished, in consequence
of complaints by his subjects, and his dominions
were added to the province of Syria. Pontius
Pilate, its fifth governor, arrived there A. d.
25, 26, i.e., a. little prior to the commencement of
John's public ministry. Herod Antipas remained
tetrarch of Galilee and Perea ; his reign lasted
forty-two years, and therefore throughout the
whole ministry of our Lord. Herod Philip re
tained for thirty-seven years Iturea, a country
south-east of the Libanus and Trachonitis, sub
stantially the same district as the Argob of the
O. T. The precise limits of Abilene are not
known. Its capital, Abila, was eighteen miles
north of Danrasensand, on the eastern slope of
the Antilibanus. The student will get a better
idea of these political divisions from the accom>
panying map than from any verbal description.
The Lysanius here mentioned is not to be con
founded with the king of that name who was as
sassinated thirty-six years before Christ by An
thony. It is true that neither Josephus nor
classic history mentions any later Lysanius, and
skeptical writers have endeavored to prove that
Luke is here guilty of a palpable anachronism.
But recently deciphered inscriptions demonstrate
that a later Lysanius — probably a descendant of
the murdered king — was a tetrarch in the time of
Tiberius. On the life and character of Pontius
Pilate, see John 19 : 29, note ; on the Herodian
family, see Matt. 2 : 1, note.
2. Annas and Caiaphas being the high-
priests. High-priest (singular) is the better
reading. The Jews recognized but one high-
priest, who held his office originally for life ; his
functions were, however, sometimes divided,
one officer presiding over the Sanhedrim, the
other supervising the matters of religion ; and
some traces of this division are found in the
early history of the Jews (2 Kings 25 : is). Annas
was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, and was re
moved by the Roman government, and Caiaphas
appointed in his place. It is probable that the
Jews did not recognize this substitution, but
continued to regard Annas as their real high-

priest, a fact which would explain the language
here and in Acts 4:6. On the character of both
Annas and Caiaphas, see notes on John 11 : 47-52 ;
18 : 13, etc. — A word of God came unto
John. That is, a special revelation of truth or
a special inspiration, prompting him to com
mence his public ministry. See 1 Kings 12 : 22 ;
1 Chron. 17 : 3 ; Hosea 1:2; Jonah 1 : 1.— In
the wilderness. Of Judea ; the mountainous
and broken country along the western borders
of the Dead Sea.
3-6. He came into all the country about
Jordan. The district on either side of the
river, especially near its mouth. His was ap
parently an itinerant ministry. — The baptism
of repentance. Baptism as a symbol of re
pentance. Certainly subsequently, probably
prior to this time, heathen proselytes were bap
tized by immersion, as a sign that they were
washed of their old errors and entered on a new
life. John's preaching signified that the old
must be washed away for the Jew as well as the
Gentile. — The words of Esaias the prophet.
Isaiah 40 : 3-5. On the interpretation of the
quotation, see Matt. 3 : 3, note. The meta
phor is derived from the Oriental practice of
preparing the highway for the journey of a mon
arch; it is interpreted by the history of Chris
tianity, which has lifted up the down-trodden
and oppressed, brought down the proud and
haughty, rectified the corrupt and crooked prac
tices of society, and smoothed with a genuine
culture its rudenesses and roughnesses, all as a
preparation for the final coming of the King.
When this work of preparation is completed, not
before, all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Thus John the Baptist defines the duty of the
church throughout all ages, a duty of preparing
for the second and final coming of her King.
For it is not said that John prepared the way.
but that he preached that the people should
prepare the way. The history of Christianity, a
preparation for the coming of Christ in society,
indicates also the preparation necessary in the
individual heart. The depression of ignorance
and superstition, the exaltation of power and
pride, crooked and corrupt ways deviating from
the straight lines of integrity, and rudenesses of
temper born of deficient human sympathy, are
all so many obstacles to the coming of the King
in the soul.

28

7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be
baptized of him, O a generation of vipers ! who hath
warned you to flee from the wrath to come ?
8 Bring forth, therefore, fruits worthy of repentance ;
and begin not to say within yourselves, We have
Abraham to our father : for I say unto you, That God
is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abra
ham. g And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the
trees : every b tree, therefore, which bringeth not forth
good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
io And the people asked him, saying, What shall we
do then ?
n He answereth and saith unto them, He ° that hath

LUKE. [Ch. III.
two coats, let him impart to him that hath none ; and
he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
12 Then came also publicans" to be baptized, and
said unto him, Master, what shall we do ?
13 And he said unto them, Exact" no more than that
which is appointed you.
14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, say
ing, And what shall we do ? And he said unto them,
Do violence to no man, neither accuse any* falsely ;
and be contents with your wages.
15 And as the people were in expectation, and all
men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were
the Christ or not ;
16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed

1 Matt. 3:7.... b ch. 13:7, 9; Matt. 7 : 19.... c ch. 11 : 41 ; 2 Cor. 8 : 14 ; 1 John S:17....d ch. 7:29; Matt. 21 :
6: 10.... f Exod. 23 : 1; Lev. 19 : 11.. ..g 1 Tim. 6 : 8.

.e ch. 19 : 8 ; 1 Cor.

7-9. Offspring of vipers. This was espe
cially addressed to the Pharisees and Sadducees
(Matt. 3 : 7), who came to be baptised, but not to re
pent ; they were ready for a new ceremonial, but
not for a new life. The phrase is perhaps inter
preted by John 8 : 44, the serpent being a Jew
ish symbol of the devil ; they are characterized
as offspring of vipers in contrast with their an
cestral pride as children of Abraham. — Bring
forth, therefore, fruits worthy of repent
ance. Practical reformation is the only evi
dence which God recognizes of the genuineness
of repentance (isa. i : 10-20). — The axe is laid
unto the root of the trees. A metaphor in
dicating that everything is ready for the execu
tion of judgment. Comp. Isa. 53 : 10; 2 Pet.
3:7. 10-14. This passage is not the report of a,
single sermon, but a summary embodying the
spirit of John's teaching at this time. After the
baptism of Jesus the character of his ministry
changed, and he proclaimed the Lamb of God
that taketh away the sins of the world (John
1 : 29-36). Now, he was not proclaiming the Mes
siah, but preparing the way for the Messiah;
hence the difference between his answer here
and that of Jesus in John 6 : 39, and of Paul in
Acts 16 : 31, to the question, What shall we do ?
Theirs was the answer of the N. T. ; this was the
answer of the last of the O. T. prophets. Ob
serve the three virtues which John commends,
generosity, honesty, justice. Comp. Micah 6:8;
Matt. 23 : 33.— Two coats. Two tunics. The
inner garment worn next the skin, generally
with sleeves, and reaching usually to the knees,
sometimes to the ankles. It answered to the
modern shirt or chemise. Two tunics indicates
but small wealth. Even the poor can spare
something for the still poorer. The accompa
nying picture of a master and servant shows the
master wearing a girdle over his robe, and a coat
over all, illustrating the wearing of two coats —
a robe and coat — at the same time. The servant
has a coat, one only. —Also publicans * * *
exact no more than that which is ap
pointed you. The publicans or tax-gatherers I

MASTER AND SERVANT.
purchased from the government the right for a
fixed sum to collect the taxes in a given province
or district ; their profit depended on what they
could extort from the people. See Matt. 9 : 9,
note. Observe how the mere presence of Christ
in the case of one publican (Lake 19 : 8) secured
more than the preaching of John the Baptist re
quired. John demanded only reform in the fu
ture; Zaceheus restored the ill-gotten gains of
the past.— The soldiers likewise * * * Do
violence to no man, neither accuse any
falsely, and be content with your wages.
Who these soldiers were is uncertain, whether
armed Jewish police, soldiers in the service of
King Antipas, or Roman soldiers from Judea.
In an age when the army looked with contempt
on the civilians, and the civil was subordinate to
the military power, acts of violence were com
mon ; he whose office it was to protect became

Ch. III.]

LUKE.

29

baptize you with water ; but one mightier than I com
eth, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to un
loose : he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and
with fire : , , ,
17 Whose fan* is in his hand, and he will throughly

purge his floor, and will1 gather the wheat into his
garner; but the' chaff he will burn* with fire un
quenchable. 18 And many other things, in his exhortation,
preached he unto the people.

h Jer. 15 : 7. . . .i Micah 4 : 12; Matt. 13 : 80. ...j Ps. 1 :4... .k Ps. 21 : 9; Mark 9 :44,48.

SLAVE LOOSING SHOE LATCHET.
an oppressor; false accusations of disaffection
were made a means of extorting hush-money,
and that spirit of military insubordination was
already rising which ended in making the army

masters of the empire. John, like Paul, counsels
every man to abide in his own calling, and to
work out Christian principles and the Christian
disposition therein. See 1 Cor. 7 : 21-24. If
all war were inconsistent with divine law, John
could not have given this counsel to soldiers.
15, 16. See Matt. 3 : 11, note. To unloose
the latchet of a sandal, the thong or strap by
which it was fastened, was a menial office be
longing to a slave.
17, 18. Whose fan is in his hand. The
accompanying picture illustrates the Oriental
method of winnowing, from which this meta
phor is taken. The fan was a spade, usually of
wood or iron, with which the laborer threw up
the threshed grain against the wind, which car
ried away the lighter particles of chaff, leaving
the grain to fall back upon the floor or earth.
See further, Matt. 3 : 12, note.
ON THE MlNISTBT OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.—
For an admirable study of the character and
career of John the Baptist, the student is re
ferred to a monograph by Dr. Reynolds, pub
lished by A. S. Barnes & Co. For a considera
tion of the nature and form of his baptism, see
Matt., ch. 3, p. 73, Note on the Baptism of Jesus

WINNOWING THE GKAIN.

30

LUKE.

[Ch. III.

19 But' Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him
for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the
evils which Herod had done,
ao Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in
prison. 21 Now when all the people were baptized, it™ came
to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying,
the heaven was opened,
22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape
like a dove upon him ; and a voice came from heaven,
which said, Thou art my beloved Son ; in thee I am
well pleased.
23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years
of age, being (as was supposed) the son" of Joseph,
which was the son of Heli,
24 Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son
of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the
son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph,
25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the
son of Amos, which was the son of Nauru, which was
the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge,

26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son
of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was
the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda,
27 Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son
of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was
the son oi Salathiel, which was the son oi Neri,
28 Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son
of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the
son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er,
29 Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of
Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son
of Matthat, which was the son of Levi,
30 Which was tke son of Simeon, which was the son
of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the
son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,
31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son
01 Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was
the son of Nathan,0 which was the son of David,
32 Which was the son of Jesse,0 which was the son
of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son
of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,

IMatt. 14:3; Murk 6 : 17  m Matt. 8 : 13, etc. :

John 1 : 32, etc  n Matt. 18 : 65 ; John 6 : 42  0 Zech. 12:12;
p Ruth 4 : 18, 22.

by John. For account of his imprisonment and
death, see Matt. 14 : 1-12, notes. Here it must
suffice briefly to note the characteristics of the
man and his ministry. (1.) He was inspired
from his mother's womb (ch. i : 15). In the minis
try here reported he is expressly described as
speaking as the word of God came unto him.
His ministry, therefore, was directly authorized,
and, if we comprehend aright its relations to the
past and the future, is instructive and authorita
tive. (2.) His position is expressly stated by
Christ to be that of a prophet and more than a
prophet (Matt. 11 : 9). He was more, because a
forerunner who immediately preceded the King.
His character and his early preaching corre
sponds with that of the O. T. prophets, of whom
he was the last ; between whom and the N. T.
apostles he was a connecting link. Like them,
he set the religion of a spiritual and moral life
in contrast with that of sacerdotalism, which the
priesthood had made the religion of the age.
He was the Martin Luther of the first century.
(3.) But, unlike Martin Luther, he knew nothing
of the free spirit of the Gospel. He was by na-.
ture and by childhood association an ascetic.
He sought reform, not by a new and divine inspi
ration, which he foretold, but which he could
not minister to others, since it could come only
through the Messiah, but by a resolute cut
ting off of transgressions and of occasions of
transgression innocent in themselves. Hence he
preached repentance, not faith ; hence the Naza-
rite vow in his infancy ; hence his anchorite life
in the wilderness ; hence his abstinence from all
- social life and enjoyment (chaps. 1 : 15 ; 3 : 3 ; Matt. 3:4;
11 : is). In this respect his life was in striking
contrast with that of Jesus. (4.) But he was
not only the last of the O. T. prophets ; he was
also the first of the N. T. evangelists. The stu
dent does not rightly apprehend his ministry
who does not study the contrast afforded, be

tween the reports in the Synoptists and the re
port in John (John 1 : 15-30). The Synoptists report
the preaching of John before Jesus had been
revealed to him as the Messiah. He is, then, a
preacher of law, duty, moral obligation. He is
so represented here. He preaches not the Gos
pel, but prepares for the Gospel. His preaching
in Luke exemplifies the declaration of Paul, "By
the law is the knowledge of sin." After Jesus,
in the hour of his baptism, is revealed to John
as the promised Messiah, the character of John's
preaching changes. He becomes an evangelist ;
the staple of his preaching is, " Behold the Lamb
of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
In Luke he is a preacher of the O. T. ; in John a
preacher of the N. T. (5.) The effect on the
people was notable and marked, but apparently
not permanent. His preaching was attended by
crowds (Matt. 3:5); he was held in high honor by
the people, but was rejected by the priesthood
and the elders of the people (Matt. 21 .• 25) ; and out
of his ministry grew no permanent social or poli
tical reform. Its more enduring effect consisted
in the fact that from his disciples probably a
majority of Christ's apostles were chosen. Their
first spiritual impulse came from John. The
work which he began Christ completed. (6.) An
instructive lesson is afforded by a comparison of
the character and career of Elijah and John the
Baptist, who in character, preaching, practices,
and even external habits, so resembled each
other that John's coming was foretold as the
coming of Elijah (Mal. 4 : 5, 6 j Matt. 17 : 10-13).
Ch. 3 : 19-38. THE IMPRISONMENT OP JOHN. THE
BAPTISM OF JESUS. HIS GENEALOGY.
These subjects are treated in the other Evan
gelists, where I have considered them at length.
See references below.
19, 20. See Matt. 14 : 1-12. Prel.note. Mark
6 : 14-18, notes.

Ch. IV.] ' LUKE.
33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the
son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was
the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda,
34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son
of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham,'' which was
the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor,
35 Which was the son of Saruch, which was, the son
ofRagau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the
son of Heber, which was the son of Sala,
36 Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son
of Arphaxad,' which was the son of Sem, which was
the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,"
37 Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the
son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was
the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,
38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of
Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son
of God.'
CHAPTER IV.
AND • Jesus, being full of the Holy Ghost, returned
from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the
wilderness, 2 Being forty days tempted of the devil And v in
those days he did eat nothing: and when they were
ended, he afterward hungered.
3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of
God, command this stone that it be made bread.
4 And Jesus answered him, saying, Itw is written,

31

That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
word of God.
5 And the devil, taking him up into an high moun
tain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world
in a moment of time.
6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I
give thee, and the glory of them : for" that is delivered
unto me ; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
7 If thou, therefore, wilt worship me, all shall be
thine. 8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee
behind me, Satan : for J it is written, Thou shalt wor
ship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on
a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be
the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence :
10 For it is written, He z shall give his angels charge
over thee, to keep thee ;
11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest
at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
12 And Jesus, answering, -said unto him, It is said,
Thou » shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
13 And when the devil had ended all the b tempta
tion, he departed from him for a season.
14 And Jesus0 returned in the power of the Spirit
into Galilee : and there went out a fame of him through
all the region round about.
15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glori
fied of all.
16 And he came to Nazareth," where he had been

qGen. 11 : 24-26  r Gen. 11 : 12  a Gen. 5 : 5
I : li, etc. . . .v Exod 34 : 28 ; 1 King. 19 : 8. ... 
10: 20.... a Ps. 91 : 11... a.Deut. 6 : 16... .b Heb. 2 : 17, 18; 4 : 15. ...c John 4

.tGen.l:26; 2:7; Iaa. 64 : 8 ; 1 Cor. 16:45,47... n verse 14 ; Mntt44 : 1. etc. ; Mark
- Deut. 8:3  x John 12 : 31 ; 14 : 30 ; Ephes. 2:2; Rev. 13:2, 7  y Deut. 6 : 18 ;
'- Acta 10 :37....d Matt. 2:23.

21 , 22. See Matt. 3 : 13-17, notes.
23-38. This genealogical register differs wide
ly from that given by Matthew (Matt, i : 1-17). On
' the differences and the most probable reconcilia
tion, see notes there. Godet and Oosterzee, fol
lowing Wiessler, regard Luke's genealogy as that
of Mary, and render verse 23 thus : Being, as was
supposed, the son of Joseph (in reality) the son of
Heli. They thus supposed Heli to have been
Mary's father, and put in the place of Mary, be
cause the Jewish sentiment did not allow the
mention of the mother in the genealogical re
gister. This view is controverted by Alford,
Meyer, and Lord Hervey, and is, I think, less
satisfactory on the whole than the explanation
suggested in the notes on Matthew, that the one
register gives the regal, the other the natural
descent — though both hypotheses are attended
with difficulties.

Ch. 4 : 1-13. Temptation of Jesus Chktpt.
—Matt. 4 : 1-11 ; Mark 1 : 13, 13. See notes on
Matthew. He did eat nothing, implies the sever
ity of the fast, and is peculiar to Luke. The
order of the temptations here differs from that
in Matthew, which there is little reason to doubt
is the correct one.
Ch. 4 ; 14-32. CHRIST'S PREACHING AND REJECTION
AT NAZARETH. The poweb op Chbist the poweb op
the Spibit.— Chbist' s pbactice op Sabbath obsebv-
ance.— The oppice and wobk op Christ epito
mized. — The tjnivebsalitt op Christianity. —
Wobds of grace hateftjx to the gbaceless.
Alford and Olshausen regard the incident here

identical with that recorded in Matt. 13 : 53-58 ;
in this they differ from most harmonists ; and
though the chronology is difficult it seems to me
that the reasons for supposing that Christ was
twice rejected by the Nazarenes, outweigh those
for identifying this rejection with that recorded
by Matthew. There is nothing incredible in the
supposition that Christ, once rejected, returned a
second time to bless his home ; that the first re
jection should have been followed by a second,
less vehement, because tempered by a natural
pride in the increasing fame of their fellow-
townsman ; and that he marveled at their per
sistence in unbelief (Mark e : 6). On the other
hand, variations in the two accounts are so
considerable as to suggest two analogous inci
dents. In Luke, Jesus appears to be alone ; in
Mark, (Mark 6 : 1) his disciples accompany him ; in
Luke, he is attacked by a mob, and barely es
capes threatened death ; in Mark (Mark 6 .• s), he
remains and heals some sick ; in Luke, the inci
dent is apparently Introduced, partly to explain
his change of residence from Nazareth to Caper
naum, stated by Matthew, without explanation,
in ch. 4 : 13 ; in Mark, he leaves Nazareth only
to teach in the villages round about (Mark 6 : 6).
14, 15. For the events between the tempta
tion and this Galilean ministry, see Matt. 4 : 12,
note. — In the power of the Spirit. The
power of Christ is represented in the N. T. as de
rived from the indwelling of the Father or the
Spirit (John 14 : 9, 10 ; 17 : 2-22) ; no clear distinction
between the persons of the Godhead being main
tained by the N. T. writers. — There went out

32

LUKE.

[Ch. IV.

brought up: and, as his custom was, he* went into
the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for
to read.
17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the
Erophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book,
e found the place where it was written,
18 The f Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he
hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor ; he
hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted/ to preach de

liverance to the captives, and recovering ¦ of sight to
the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,1
19 To preach the acceptable J year of the Lord.
20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to
the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them
that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this
scripture till filled in your ears.
22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the

e Matt. 13:64; John 18:20; Acts 13:14: 17 : 2.... f Isa. 61 : l....g 2 Chron.. 84 : 27 ; Ps. 84 : 18; El : 17 ; 147 : 3; Isa. 67:16..
hPs. 146:8; Isa. 29 : 18.... 1 laa. 42 : 3; Matt. 12 : 20.... j Isa. 61 : 2; 63:4.

a fame of him ; the extent of it is indicated in
Matt. 4 ; 25 ; the cause of it in John 2 : 23. —
And he taught in their synagogues. The
subject-matter of his preaching was a continua
tion of John the Baptist's message: "Repent,
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand " (Matt. 4 : 17).
On the synagogues, their government, and order
of service, see Matt. 4 : 23, note. — Being hon
ored by all. At this time his ministry was
simply that of a herald announcing the glad
tidings of a coming kingdom ; later came the de
claration of the truths that it was a spiritual
kingdom, wrought out through suffering and
self-sacrifice, for the whole human race — truths
unpalatable to Jewish prejudice and pride.
16, 17. As his custom was. Corrupt as
was the Jewish church Christ continued to wor
ship and to preach in the synagogues till he was
driven out from them. — On the Sabbath day.
Note that Christ was accustomed to observe the
Sabbath as a day for religious worship and in
struction as well as for rest. — Stood up for to
read. That is, stood up in the congregation to
indicate his desire to read and comment on some
passage of O. T. Scripture. It was customary to
allow any Jewish rabbi or recognized prophet to
take the synagogue service as an occasion for the
exposition of his views of Scripture. See Acts
13 : 15, note. The fame of Christ was a sufficient
reason for the permission accorded to him by the
rules of the synagogue. — Book of the prophet
Esaias. Isaiah. The quotation is from ch.
61 : 1-3, and agrees substantially with the septu
agint version. " The meaning of this prophetic
citation may be better seen when we remember
that it stands in the middle of the third great
division of the book of Isaiah (chaps. 49-66), that,
viz., which comprises the prophecies of the- per
son, office, sufferings, triumph, and church of
the Messiah ; and thus, by implication, an
nounces the fulfillment of all that went before,
in him who then addresses them." — (Alford.)
The book was undoubtedly a roll of parchment,
comprising iBaiah, either alone or with some of the
other prophetical bqoks ; of its form the reader
may get a just idea from the accompanying il
lustration. The O. T. is kept in this form in the
Jewish synagogues to the present day. No con
clusion can be drawn as to the date of the inci
dent here recorded, from the passage selected by

ancient book.

Christ, because, (1) though the 0. T. was divided
into reading lessons, one for each Sabbath, analo
gous to those of the Episcopalian ritual, it is by
no means certain that the present rabbinical di
visions existed in the time of Christ ; (2) appa
rently the selection of Scripture was made by
Christ for a specific purpose, not by the ruler of
the synagogue.
18, 19. The language of Isaiah, here quoted,
is not by accommodation applied by Christ to
himself, but was originally employed by Isaiah
prophetically of the Messiah. This is evident,
because the mission here defined was not Isa
iah's, and was Christ's. It is to be interpreted
both literally and spiritually. Christianity is a
gospel to the poor, whom it has elevated by stim
ulating industry and by diffusing wealth ; it is
comfort to the broken-hearted, whom it bids not
to sorrow as others who are without hope ; it is
deliverance to the captives, having abolished
slavery throughout Christendom ; it is the re
covery of sight to the blind, who were special
objects of Christ's earthly ministry of mercy ; it
set at liberty the bruised, i. e., the oppressed;
the religion of the N. T. having been always the
precursor of civil liberty and the basis of free in
stitutions. But it is also glad tidings to the poor
in spirit (Matt, e : 3), healing to the contrite in
heart (isaiah 66 : 2), deliverance to those who are
captives unto sin (John 8 : 34-36), spiritual sight to
the spiritually blind (John 9 : 39-11) ; and freedom
from bondage to the yoke of conscience and the
law, by that freedom wherewith Christ makes
free (Gai. 6 : 1). — To preach the acceptable
year of the Lord. Rather acceptable era; i. e.,
the whole period of gracious ministry begun with

JESUS IN THE SYNAGOGUE.
"find there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias."

Ch. IV.] LUKE.
gracious1 words which proceeded out of his mouth.
And they said, Is1 not this Joseph's son ?
23 And he said unto them. Ye will surely say unto
me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever
we have heard done in Capernaum,m do also here in
thy country.
24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, Non prophet
is accepted in his own country.
23 But I tell you of a truth, many" widows were in

33

Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut
up p three years and six months, when great famine
was throughout all the land ;
26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto
Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a
widow. 27 And" many lepers were in Israel in the time of
Eliseus the prophet ; and none of them was cleansed;
saving Naaman the Syrian.

k ch. 2:47; Ps. 45:2; Isa. 6

: Matt. 13 : 54 ; Mark 6 :
o 1 Kings 17 : !

..I John 6: 42  m Matt. 4 : 13; 11 : 23, etc  n Matt. 13:57; John 4: 44.
.p James 5 : 17. . . .q 2 Kinga 5 : 14.

the advent of Christ, but not completed till his
second coming and final triumph.
20-22. Gave it again to the minister.
To the officer of the synagogue, who had charge
of the books as well as of the building. His
duties were partly of a sacred, partly of a secu
lar character ; his office corresponded with that
of the modern sexton ; but he was also often the
teacher of the synagogical school. — And sat
down. The Jewish rabbis taught sitting.—
And the eyes * * * were fastened on
him. An indication of that peculiar power
which secures to the true orator the attention of
his audience before he begins to speak. Comp.
Acts 6 : 15. — And he began to say to them.
The report of this sermon is not verbatim. The
first part of his discourse was given to an exposi
tion of his own ministry, as a fulfillment of this
prophecy, and probably occupied some time.
The narrator passes over this introduction
briefly ; his object is to give only so much fully
as is necessary to explain the expulsion of Christ
from his home in Nazareth. — And all bare
him witness. Bore unconscious witness to
the power of Christ, by their attention, and by
their whispered exclamations of wonder. So
later) even the soldiers sent to arrest Christ,
bore witness to his power (John 7 : 46). — And
wondered at the words of grace. The
reference is to his grace in manner, not to his
doctrine ; for the universality of divine grace
which he preached angered them. What they
were astounded at was that the " carpenter's
son " could speak with such ease and grace, hav
ing never received the rabbinical education. So
the Jews were astounded at his teaching in Je
rusalem, who had never learned in their prepar
atory SChOOlS (John 7 : 15).
23, 24. The meaning appears to he this. The
people had heard the fame of Christ's works in
Capernaum, as there they had heard of the fame
of his works in Jerusalem (John 4 : 45). They were
skeptical, because to them he was only a peas
ant's son ; they knew him to be of obscure pa
rentage ; his father was dead, and had, perhaps,
left his mother in poverty ; this suspicious skep
ticism was aggravated by their jealousy of Caper
naum. He read their thoughts and interpreted
them. They would have had him first improve
his own condition, and not claim to be the Prince

of Israel while living on the fare and wearing the
attire of the common class of laborers ; and they
would have had him confer fame on his own vil
lage, not go away to confer it upon other towns
by working miracles, where he was little known.
He answered the proverb they would have quoted
to him by another, •' No prophet is accepted in
his own country." He then proceeded to illus
trate the truth, that grace follows faith, not
nationality, and is denied to the unbelieving
Jew and granted to the believing Gentile, by
two striking instances in O. T. history.
25-27. This is the first intimation of the ex
tension of the Gospel to the heathen. Observe
how skillfully Christ presents this truth, so un
palatable to the Jewish people. He does so by
implication, not by assertion, and by a simple
recitation of their own O. T. history, leaving
them to draw their own deductions. As Elijah
gave food by a miracle to the heathen widow of
Sarepta, and Elisha to the heathen captain of
Syria, so Christ will break to the Gentile the
bread of life, which the Jew rejects, and heal the
sinner who comes to him from outcast nations.
And it is still true that his grace is often rejected
by those who seem the nearest to it, and is ac
cepted by those who seem the most remote. —
Three years and six months. So in Jas.
5 : 17. 1 Kings 17 : 1, and 1 Kings 18 : 1, have
been thought to imply that the drought lasted
less than three years ; but this is not a necessary
implication. In the former passage Elijah pro
phesies to Ahab the coming drought, and in the
latter, "in the third year," is sent to foretell the
rain. But this phrase, "third year," may mean
either the third from the prophecy, or the third of
the drought ; and if the former there would be
no reason to believe that the drought had lasted
only three years, for the expression of Elijah v\
giving the prophecy of the drought, is consistent
with the idea that it had already lasted some time
before the prophet warned Ahab of its continu
ance. It is evident from Christ's language here,
and that of James, that the Jews generally under
stood from the account that the drought lasted
over three years. — Sarepta. Same as Zarephath
(1 Kings 17 : 9, 10), the modern Surafend. It lay be
tween Tyre and Sidon, on the Phoenician coast.
The modern village is about a mile from the
ruins of the ancient one. For good description

34

LUKE.

[Ch. IT.

28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard
these things, were filled with "wrath,
29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and
led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city
was built, that they might cast him down ' headlong.
30 But he, passing B through the midst of them, went
his way ;
31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee,
and taught them on the sabbath days.
32 And they were astonished at his doctrine : for his
word was with1 power.
33 And « in the synagogue there was a man, which
had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a
loud voice,

34 Saying, Let us alone ; what » have we to do with
thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth ? art thou come to destroy
us ? I w know thee who thou art ; the * Holy One of
God. 35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace,
and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown
him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.
36 And they were all amazed, and spake among
themselves, saying. What a word is this ! for with au
thority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits,
and y they come out.
37 And the fame of him went out into every place
oftne country round about.
38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered

r ps. 37 : 14, 32, 33.

a John6 : 69; 10 : 39  t Jer. 23 : 29; Matt. 7 : 28, 29; Titua 2 : 15; Heb. 4: 12  11 Mark 1 : 23  T James 2 : 19....
w verse 41. . . .x ch. 1 : 35 ; Ps. 16 : 10 ; Dan. 9 : 24; Acta 3 : 14. . . .y 1 Pet. 3 : 22.

see Thomson's Land and the Book, Vol. I.,

28-30. The rage of the people was the result
of their bigotry. To them it was intolerable that
Israel should be rejected and the heathen ac-

VKHNITT OB NAZABETH.
cepted. Analogous was the Jews' treatment of
Paul when he preached a similar doctrine (Acts
22 : 22), and of Christ, when just previous to his
death in Jerusalem, he declared that the stone

which the builders refused would grind the na
tion to powder. It was this teaching (Matt. 21 : 28
to ch. 22 : is) which turned the enthusiasm into a
feeling of passionate hate, and the cry of "Ho
sanna" into one of "crucify him." It illustrates
the declaration of John 1 : 11.
The accompanying illustration
shows the general character of
the environs of Nazareth, and
sufficiently explains the possibil
ity of thrusting one off a preci
pice in its immediate vicinity.
The traditional site is called the
Mount of Precipitation, and is
two miles away. That an in
furiated mob should have under
taken to conduct the victim two
miles before putting him to
death is so highly improbable
that the tradition would be un
worthy of credence, even if it
were better authenticated. It
is, however, of no great antiqui
ty. I do not believe that the
escape of Christ, here or in John
8 : 59, can be regarded as proper
ly miraculous ; for there are no
other instances in which Christ
employed his divine power for
his own preservation ; the sug
gestion to do this was one of the
temptations which he met and
overcame at the beginning of his
career (Matt. 4 : 3, 4) ; to have yield
ed to it now, would have marred
the perfection of his incarnation,
by which he was made under the
law (oai. 4 : 4), and in the condi
tion of man (phu. 2 : 7, 8). I "believe
with Godet, that "he passed
through the group of these in
furiated people with a majesty
which overawed them."
31, 32. It is probable, though Alford thinks
otherwise, that this mob was the occasion of
Christ's change of residence from Nazareth to

MOB AT NAZARETH.
" They rose up and thrust him out of the city."

Ch. V.]

LUKE.

35

into Simon's house. And " Simon's wife's mother was
taken with a great fever ; and they besought him for
her. 39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever ;
and it left her : and immediately she arose, and minis
tered unto them.
40 Now when the sun was setting, all they that had
any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him ;
and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed
them. 41 And devils also came out of many, crying out,
and saying. Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he,
rebuking tkem, suffered them not to speak : for they
knew that he was Christ.
42 And when it was day, he departed, and went into
a desert place ; and the people sought him, and came

unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart
from them.
¦ 43 And he said unto them, I must preach the king
dom of God to other cities also ; for therefore a am I
sent. 44 And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.

CHAPTER V.
AND'' it came to pass, that, as the people pressed
upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by
the lake of Gennesaret,
2 And saw two ships standing by the lake : but the
fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing
their nets.

r Matt. 8 : 14, etc. ; Mark 1 : 29, etc  a Mark 1 : 38  b Matt. 4 :' 18, etc. ; Mark 1 : 16, etc.

Capernaum, referred to in John 2 : 12. Doctrine
is teaching ; not what he taught, but the manner
and spirit of the teaching. The power is that re
ferred to in Matt. 7 : 29 (see note there), and illus
trated in the Sermon ou the Mount ; the power
of a direct appeal to the hearts and consciences
of his hearers, of his own spiritual earnestness
and consecration, and of the Spirit of God, speak
ing in and through him.
33-37. Healing or the Demoniac — Peculiar
to Mark 1 : 21-27, and Luke. See notes on Mark.
The phrase "hurt him not," is peculiar to Luke,
whose description of diseases and their effects is
characteristic of the "beloved physician" (ool.
4 : u).
38, 39. The Healing op Peter's Mother-
in-law.— Matt. 8 : 14-17; Mark 1 : 29-34. See
notes on Matthew. Luke gives the peculiar
description of the fever as a "great feuer."
Fevers, in the medical language of that day,
were simply divided into little and great fevers.
This was one of a serious character ; probably
malarious. Rebuked the fever is also peculiar to
Luke — a poetical expression, signifying that he
expelled it.
40-44. First Circuit in Galilee. — Mark
1 : 35-39 ; Matt. 4 : 23-25. See notes on both
Gospels. From Mark, it appears that Christ
arose before day, and that the people who fol
lowed were led by Simon Peter. Matt. 8 : 17,
which belongs chronologically with this account,
gives a hint of the cause of Christ's sleeplessness,
viz., his intense sympathies.

Ch. 5 : 1-11. THE CALL OP FOUR DISCIPLES. Christ
a popular preacher. — the attraction and power
op the word op god. — the obedience op faith il-
i.ustrated. — the prater op pear: depart from
he. — Christ's call a call to work.
Alford regards this call of the four disciples as
distinct from and later than the similar incident
recorded in Matt. 4 : 18-22, and Mark 1 : 16-20.
In this opinion he stands almost alone. They are
generally regarded as different accounts of the
same event. There is small reason for regarding

them as different. To suppose that Christ called
these four disciples ; that they forsook their fish
ing to follow him ; left him and went back to
their fishing, and were a second time called,
now, with the added emphasis of a miracle,
neither accords with Christ's character nor with
that of the four apostles. There is no inconsist
ency in the three accounts. Matthew and Mark
omit the preaching from the boat and the mira
cle, but narrate the call with greater detail than
Luke. Compare with the notes here those on
Matthew, and see below Alford's arguments in
cidentally answered.
1,2. As the people pressed upon him to
hear the word of God. Christ was a popular
preacher. It was a local prejudice, stirred up by
an inimical priesthood, which crucified him.
The reason of his popularity is here indicated.
The people heard from him the word of God.
For the same reason he spake with authority
(Matt 7 : 29). The word of God has always had
power to attract as well as to convince and to
convert. It was the word of God which men
pressed to hear in the days of Savanarola, Huss,
Luther, Wycliffe, Wesley, and which still, in our
own time, they press to hear from Bible preach
ers, who always possess a power not their own.
Contrast Christ' s teaching in Nazareth (ch. 4 : 16-27)
and in Capernaum. Observe his example to the
unsuccessful preacher. Rejected by one city he
carries his message to another. Seeming failure
became to patient perseverance the precursor
of abundant success. — Lake of Gennesaret.
Otherwise called Sea of Galilee. For description
see note on Matthew. — Two ships. Fisher
man's boats. They carried sail, but were not too
large to be propelled by oars (Mark 4 : 36, note). —
The fishermen. Washing their nets. To
get the full significance of this incident the
reader must have some familiarity with Oriental
fishing. For detailed description see Thompson's
Land and the Booh, Vol. n, p. 79. It is rarely done
with the hook ; generally with nets. These are
of various kinds. There is the hand-net, in shape
like the top of a tent, with a long cord fastened

LUKE.

[Ch. V.

3 And he entered- into one of the ships, which was *
Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a -
little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the .
people out of the ship.
4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto
Simon, Launch • out into the deep, and let down your
nets for a draught.
5 And Simon, answering, said unto him, Master, we
have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing:0
nevertheless, at thy word I will let down the net.

6 And" when they had this done, they inclosed a
great multitude of fishes : and their net brake.
7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which
were in the other ship, that they should come and help'
them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so
that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down & at Jesus'
knees, saying, Depart from me ; for 1 am a sinful man,
O Lord.
9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him,
at the draught of the fishes » which they had taken :

.d Pa. 127: 1,2; Ezek. 37: II, 12.. ..e Eccles. 11 :6; Gal. 6 : 9. ...f Eiod. 23 : 6 ; Prov. 18:24; Gal. 6: 2.... g Judges 13 : 28;
2 Sam. 6:9,-1 Kings 17 : 18 ; Isa. 6 : 6. . . .hPs. 8 : 6, 8.

ORIENTAL FISHERS.

to the apex ; this is tied to the fisherman's arm,
and the net so folded that when it is thrown it
expands to its utmost circumference ; around
the bottom are beads of lead to make it sink sud
denly to the bottom. The fisherman watches,
sees the fish in the surf, throws the net, which
encircles the victim, who is then drawn leisurely
to the shore. For illustration see Matt. 4 : 18, 19,
Vol. I., p. 81. There is the drag-net, worked by
several fishermen together ; some row the boat,
some cast out the rope, some on shore draw it in,
some at the ends beat the water to frighten the
fish from escaping. See Matt. 13 : 47-50, notes.
There are bag-nets and basket-nets of various
kinds, so constructed and worked as to enclose
the fish in deep water. It was such a net which
Dr. Thompson supposes was used here. The dis
ciples' were washing their nets to cleanse them
from mud or stones, or matter accumulated
from the bottom of the lake or along the shore.
3-5. It is evident that there was some pre
vious acquaintance between Jesus and Simon,
from which Alford draws the conclusion that the
call of Simon, recorded in Matthew, had pre
viously taken place. This does not follow. Peter
had met Jesus some time previous at the baptism
of John in the Jordan (John l : 40-42), and the ac
quaintance then founded was sufficient to ac

count for Peter's loan of the boat and subse
quent obedience to the directions of Christ. Ob
serve that Christ preached everywhere ; that no
ritualistic service, therefore, could have accom
panied his service. We have no account of even
a prayer or a psalm. Certainly instruction was
the main element in these out-of-door services.
Observe, too, the childlike trustfulness of Si
mon's obedience. He might not unnaturally
have refused, on the point that Christ, who was
a carpenter, knew nothing about fishing ; and
there was no promise and no apparent expecta>
tion of a miracle.
6, 7. That a miracle is intended is unques
tionable. How wrought, whether by a divine
act drawing together at this time atad place a
shoal of fishes, or by a divine knowledge per
ceiving the shoal that was there, the narra
tor does not indicate. It is enough for us that
Simon Peter, who was a fisherman, and was able
to judge, accounted the event an evidence of su
pernatural power. It produced the desired ef
fect on him and his co-laborers. Tristram (Land
of Israel) says, referring to the fish of the Sea of
Galilee, "The shoals were marvelous; black
masses, many hundred yards long, with their
black fins projecting out of the water as thick as
they could pack,- No wonder any net should

Ch. V.]

LUKE.

37

10 And so was also James and John, the sons of Zeb
edee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus
said unto Simon, Fear not ; from henceforth thou shalt
catch men.
ii And when they had brought their ships to land,
they forsook1 all, and followed him.
12 Andi it came to pass, when he was in a certain
city, behold, a man full of leprosy ; who seeing Jesus,
fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou
wilt, thou canst make me clean.
13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, say
ing, I will ; be k thou clean. And immediately the lep
rosy departed from him.
14 And he charged him to tell no man ; but go and
shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing,

according as Moses commanded,1 for a testimony unto
them. 15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad
of him: and™ great multitudes came together, to hear,
and to be healed by him of their infirmities.
16 And" he withdrew himself into the wilderness,
and prayed.
17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was
teaching, that" there were Pharisees and doctors of the
law sitting by, which were come out of every town of
Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem ; and the power
of the Lord was present to heal them.
18 And,' behold, men brought in a bed a man which
was taken with a palsy : and they sought means to
bring him in, and to lay him before him.

Matt. 4:20; 19:27; Phil. 3 : 7, 8.... j Matt. 8 : 2, etc. ; Mark 1 : 40, etc....k 2 Kings 6: 10, 14.... 1 Lev. 14 : 4, etc.... m Matt. 4 :
Mark 3: 7; John 6 : 2  n Matt. 14:23; Mark 6 : 46  0 John 3 : 21  p Matt. 9 : 2, etc.; Mark 2: 3, etc.

break which should enclose such a shoal."
Peter refers to fishing all night. Night fishing is
common in the East, both with the spear and the
net. 8, 9. Compare Simon Peter's prayer with that
of the Gadarenes in Matt. 8 : 34 ; the language is
similar, the spirit is radically different. There
they desired Christ's departure because of the
injury to their property. Here, it is evident,
from Simon Peter's subsequent course in leaving
all to follow Christ, that he did not really desire
his departure. The langnage was a strong ex
pression of his own unworthiness to be in the
presence of one whose divinity was even then
perceived by Peter's quick intuition. Compare
for an interpretation of Peter's expression, Exod.
20 : 18, 19 ; Judges 13 : 22 ; 1 Kings 17 : 18 ; Isa.
6:5; Dan. 10 : 17, "The deepest thing in man's
heart under the law is this sense of God's holi
ness as something bringing death and destruc
tion to the unholy creature. Below this is the
utterly profane state in which there is no contra
diction felt between the holy and the unholy, be
tween God and the sinner. Above is the state of
grace, in which all the contradiction is felt ; God
is still a consuming fire ; yet not any more for
the sinner, but only for the sin. It is still felt —
felt far more strongly than ever, how profound
a gulf separates between sinful man and a holy
God ; but felt no less that this gulf has been
bridged over, that the two can meet, that in One
who shares with both they have already met." —
(Trench, Notes on Miracles.)
10, 11. Compare Matt. 4 : 19. Combining the
two reports, it will appear that Christ said to
Peter, "Fear not, for thou shalt catch men ; "
and afterward bid the four " follow me, and I
will make you fishers of men."
In studying this incident observe, (1) That
Christ employs familiar figures to illustrate the
truth, and draws each soul by that which is
attractive to it : — the magicians by a star (Matt.
9 : l, 2) ; the hungry people by a promise of bread
of life (John, ch. 6) ; the Samaritan woman who
came to draw water, by a promise of the water

of life (John 4 : 7-14) ; the fishermen, by the prom
ise to make them fishers of men. (2.) His invi
tation. He calls us to the life of work, to follow
him that so we may lead others to follow us in
our following of him (1 Cor. n : 1). (3.) That the
promised reward is success in that work. This
was the hope of which the Psalmist spoke,
"He shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
bringing his sheaves with him" (ps. 125 : 6);
and this was the joy which Christ had set be
fore him, and which enabled him to endure the
cross, despising the shame, since he propheti
cally saw of the harvest of his life and was satis
fied (isa. 63 : 11, 12 ; comp. Isa. 66 : li). (4.) That the
promise, as interpreted by this event, is a
catching of many souls. It is not individual
fishing, to be interpreted by the modem angling
with hook or fly, but net-fishing, in which great
numbers are brought into the net. It is a prom
ise of revival scenes. Its first fulfillment was the
day of Pentecost, when Peter's net drew three
thousand souls into the kingdom of Christ. (5.)
Peter and his co-laborers are called from a pros
perous business ; from a business which Christ
has just made, especially and miraculously, pros
perous ; and the prosperity is the reason why
they leave it at his call. Compare their readi
ness with that hesitancy and declination of those
to whom no harder test was proposed (ch. 9 : 57.62 ;
18 : 18-28).
12-16. The Healing op the Leper. — Comp.
Mark 1 : 40-45 ; Matt. 8:2-4. I have treated it
fully in Matthew ; see notes there. The phrase
here, "Full of leprosy," is peculiar to Luke, and
is an indication of the incurable character or the
disease. It had already affected the whole body.
17-26. The Healing op the Paralytic. —
Matt. 9:2-8; Mark 2 : 1-12, notes. This miracle
was wrought at Capernaum (Mark 2 : 1) at the time
indicated here and in Mark. Ver. 17 here is pe
culiar to Luke. — From every town of Gali
lee, etc. Not to be taken literally. The people
were simply from all quarters. The complaints
against Christ probably came from the Judeans,
who were jealous of the influence of one whom

38

LUKE.

[Ch. VI.

19 And when they could not find by what way they
might bring him in because of the multitude, they went
upon the housetop, and let him down through the
tiling, with his couch, into the midst before Jesus.
20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him,
Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to rea
son, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies ?
Who can forgive' sins, but God alone ?
22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he, an
swering, said unto him, What reason ye in your hearts ?
23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven
thee : or to say, Rise up and walk ?
24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath
power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick
of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and ' take up thy
couch, and go into thine house.
25 And immediately he rose up before them, and
took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own
house, glorifying God.
26 And they were all amazed, and" they glorified
God, and * were, filled'with fear, saj'ing, We have seen
strange things to-day.
27 Andn after these things he went forth, and saw a
publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom ;
and he said unto him, Follow me.
28 And he left all, rose np, and followed him.
29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own
house : andv there was a great company of publicans
and of others that sat down with them.
30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against
his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with
publicans and sinners ?.

31 And Jesus, answering, said unto them, They that
are whole need not a physician;" but they that are
sick. 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners " to
repentance. 33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of
John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the
disciples of the Pharisees ; buty thine eat and drink?
34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children
of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with
them? 35 But the days will come when the bridegroom
shall be taken away from them, and then shall they
fast z in those days.
36 And • he spake also a parable unto them : No man
putteth a piece of new garment upon an old : if other
wise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece
that was taken out of the new agreeth not" with the
old. 37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles ;
else the new wine will burst the bottles and be spilled,
and the bottles shall perish.
38 But new wine must be put into new bottles ; and
both are preserved.
39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway
desireth new : for he saith, The old • is better.
CHAPTER VI.
AND d it came to pass on the second sabbath after
the first, that he went through the corn fields;
and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat,
rubbing them in their hands.

qiSl 32: 5; 103 :3; 130: 4; Isa. 1 : 18; 43 : 26.... r John 5 : 8, 12  Acts 4: 21; Ga). 1 : 24  t verse 8  n Matt. 9 : 9, etc.; Mark 2: 13 
v ch. 15 : 1, etc  w Jer. 8 : 22  x ch. 15 : 7, 10 ; 1 Cor. 6 : 9-11 ; 1 Tim. 1 : 16; 2 Pet. 3:9  y ch. 7 : 84, 35... z Isa. 22 : 12  a Mali.
9 : 16, 17 ; Mark 2 : 21, 22  b Lev. 19 : 19 ; Deut. 22 : 11 ; 2 Cor. 6 : 16  0 jBr. 6:16  d Matt. 12 : 1, etc. ; Mark 2 : 28, etc.

they regarded as a Galilean rabbi (John 7 : 62). —
The power of the Lord was present to
heal them. Not specifically the Pharisees
and doctors, but whoever sought healing. The
meaning is that at this time the power of God was
manifest in and exercised by Jesus Christ in acts
of healing. That his teaching was not always ac
companied by acts of healing is certain (Matt. 13 : 58 ;
Mark 6 : s). Except for Luke we should not know
that any other cures than that of. the paralytic
were wrought at this time. Ver. 19 also gives
some particulars not given in Mark. For notes
on the narrative, see Mark 2 : 1-12.
27-39. The Call op Levi (Matthew)
and Chbist 's Consequent Teaching. — Matt.
B : 9-17 ; Mark 2 : 14-22. This call occurred prior
to the Sermon on the Mount ; and I think the
better opinion regards the call and supper as con
temporaneous events, though there is some
ioubt on that point. See notes on Matthew.
Luke alone directly declares that the feast was
given by Levi (Matthew), but this is fairly im
plied by Matthew and Mark. The expression in
ver. 36 is slightly different from the analogous
expression in Matthew and Mark. It should be
rendered thus : " If otherwise, then both the new he
rends," i. e., by taking out the patch for the old,
" and the patch from the new agrees not with the
old," and so rends that also. Comp. note on
Matt. 9 : 16. The general lesson of the parable is
against all attempt to patch old and effete sys
tems with partial reformations ; here, because

the attempt spoils them both. "The new loses
its completeness ; the old its consistency." — (Al
ford.) The better reading of ver. 39 is, No man
also having drunk old wine desireth new ; for lie
saith the old is good, omitting straightway and
substituting good for better. This verse is pe
culiar to Luke. Its significance appears to be,
The Jews, who have been accustomed to the old
order of things, will not readily accept the new
wine of the Gospel ; its lesson is one of patience
to all Christian teachers, and to all reformers,
who must expect that men habituated to one
form of life, will not readily abandon it for a new
andbetterway. "The old is good enough," isthe
common language of opposition to all reformers.

Ch. 6 : 1-11. THE LAW OP THE CHK1STAIN SABBATH
ILLUSTRATED. Matt. 12 : 1-14 ; Mark 2 : 23-28 ; 3 : 1-5. See
notes on Matthew. For illustration, see frontis
piece. I here note only some matters peculiar
to Luke.
1-5. The second Sabbath after the first.
(devTtQ07to(atio). There is great doubt and differ
ence of opinion as to the meaning of the Greek
word so rendered. It occurs nowhere else, and
is thought by some critical scholars not to belong
here, but to be a gloss which has crept into the
account by a combination of two words added by
different scribes in the margin. Tischeudorf,
after once rejecting, finally retains it ; Meyer re-

Ch. VI.]

LUKE.

39

2 And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why
do ye that which » is not lawful to do on the sabbath
days? 3 And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read
so much as this, what ' David did, when himself was
an hungered, and they which were with him •
4 How he went into the house of God, and did take
and eat the showbread, and gave also to them that
were with him ; which it is not lawful * to eat, but for
the priests alone ?
5 And he said unto them, That the Son of man is
Lord also of the sabbath.
6 And " it came to pass also on another sabbath, that
he entered into the synagogue, and taught j and there
was a man whose right hand was withered.

7 And the scribes and Pharisees watched him,
whether he would heal on the sabbath day,1 that they
might find an accusation against him.
8 But he knew their thoughts,* and said to the man
which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth
in the midst. And he arose, and stood forth.
9 Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one
thing ; Is it-lawful on the sabbath daysk to do good,
or to do evil ? to save life, or to destroy it f
io And looking1 round about upon them all, he said
unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so :
and his hand was restored whole as the other.
. ii And they were filled with madness ; and com
muned™ one with another what they might do to
Jesus.

e Eiod. 20 : 10; Isa. 58 : 18.. ..f 1 Sam. 21 : 6..
j Job 42: 2..

'\ ch.'l4:'sj Eiod. 20:10.

h chaps. IS : 14 ; 14 : 3 ; Matt. 12 : 10, etc. : Mark 3 : 1, etc. .
1 Mark3:5....m Ps. 2 : 1, 2.

jects it ; Alford doubts and brackets it. It seems
to me more probable that it has been rejected
because of the difficulty it presented, than that
it has been invented and inserted. Among the
various explanations, which the curious student
will find at some length in Alford but still more
clearly expressed in Godet, two are suggested,
either of which is reasonable, but neither of
which is certain. The second day of the Pass
over week was a Sabbath day (Lev. 28 : e, 7), and
from that day seven Sabbaths were reckoned to
the Pentecost, which was the next feast, seven
weeks later. It is supposed by Lightfoot, Scali-
ger, De Wette, Brown, and others, that here is
meant the. first of these seven Sabbaths, i. e., the
first Sabbath after the second day of the Pass
over. This rendering pla'ces the incident imme
diately after the incident and address recorded
in John, ch. 5 ; and the feast referred to there
(ver. 1) is assumed to be the Passover. 'The other
explanation, approved by Godet and adopted by
Oosterzee, is this : The Israelites recognized two
years ; a civil year commencing in autumn, the
month of Tisru (Sept.), and the church year com
mencing in the spring, the month of Nisan (March).
Thus there were two first Sabbaths, a first first,
and a second first. The reference will then be to
the second first Sabbath, t. «., to the first Sabbath
in the ecclesiastical year. And this explanation,
like the other, brings the incident in the first
Passover week. The barley harvest was in April,
the wheat harvest in May. Thus the Incident un
doubtedly occurred about the time indicated by
these two interpretations. The question is of im
portance only as it serves to fix a date in Christ's
life, and the meaning is so doubtful that it can
not be relied upon for that purpose. — Ears of
corn. Of grain ; probably wheat or barley. —
Why do ye ? According to Matthew and to
Mark they address the question to the Lord,
Why do thy disciples do that which is not lawful?
It may have been addressed first to the disciples,
and subsequently to the Lord.
6-11. The statement that this was on another
Sabbath, is peculiar to Luke. It was probably on

the Sabbath immediately succeeding. Matthew's
report is fuller thanLuke's., The question of our
Lord, as there reported, if it be not lawful to save
a sheep from a pit, is repeated in Luke's account
ft

BED WHEAT OP PALESTINE.
of a similar Sabbath day healing in ch. 14 : 1-5.
Hence, Alford concludes that Matthew has con
founded and intermixed the two incidents. But
what reason is there for believing that Christ did

40

LUKE,

[Ch. VI.

not use the same illustration on a second occa
sion ? That he did sometimes repeat, not only
the same substantial truths, but the same illus
trations, and even the same forms of expression,
is very certain. The synagogue where this oc
curred is described in Matthew as " their syna
gogue," i. e., one in which the more rigorous of
the Pharisees predominated.
12-49. Christ's Sermon on the Mount. —
Of this .sermon we have two reports : one in Mat
thew, chaps. 5, 6, 7, and one here in Luke. Sev
eral circumstances have led some critics to sup
pose th^t they are two sermons, either delivered
at different periods in Christ's ministry or deliv^
ered twice on the same day ; the first sermon, as

reported in Matthew, being preached to the
disciples ; the second, as reported in Luke, being
delivered immediately after, on Christ's descent
from the mountain, to the multitude. The
reasons for this opinion are as follows : (1.) The
sermon in Matthew is expressly stated to have
been delivered in the mountain (Matt. 6 : l), in Luke
in the plain (ver. 17). (2.) The sermon in Luke is
immediately connected with the call and conse
cration of the twelve to au apostolic ministry.
This is not the case in Matthew. (3.) The report
in Matthew is much longer, yet that in Luke is
not an abbreviation, for it contains some passages
(ven. 24-26) not elsewhere reported in the N. T.,
and some others (vera. 39, 40), reported elsewhere,

MOUNT OP BEATITUDES.

but not in Matthew's account of the Sermon on
the Mount, For reasons stated more fully in the
notes on Matthew, I regard the two as reports of
the same discourse. The only serious ground for
a different opinion is the conflict in statement as
to the place of delivery. And this is sufficiently
explained by the topography of the Mount of
Beatitudes, or Horns of Hattin. This mount or
hill, for it is only sixty feet above the plain, is
generally believed, partly from tradition but
more from the peculiar location and character of
the hill itself, to have been the place where this
sermon was delivered. On the summit of this
hill is a spot exactly answering to Luke's descrip-
.tion here, which should be rendered, not plapi,

but level place (toxov xedivov) ; it is capable of
seating upwards of two thousand persons, and is
easily accessible from the plain below. On either
side of it rise the two horns, which give the hill
its present name. The accompanying illustration
will make this clear to the reader. Christ went
up from the shore of the Sea of Galilee to spend
the night in prayer with his disciples. The peo
ple, as on so many occasions, followed him up in
the early morning. Descending to them from one
of the horns, where he had retired for prayer, he
chose from his avowed disciples the twelve to be
his constant companions, and then preached to
them and to all the people this memorable ser
mon, as an explanation of the principles of the

Ch. VI.]

LUKE.

41

12 And" it came to pass in those days, that he went
out into a mountain ° to pray, and continued all night
in prayer to God.
13 And when it was day, he caned unto him his dis
ciples : and of them he chose twelve,11 whom also he
named apostles ;
ii Simon (whom 1 he also named Peter) and Andrew
his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,
15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphjeus,
and Simon called Zelotes,
- 16 And Judas' the brother of James, and Judas Is
cariot, which also was the traitor.
17 And he came down with them, and stood in the
plain, and the company of his disciples, and" a great
multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem,
and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came
to hear him, and to be healed L of their diseases ;
18 And they that were vexed with unclean spirits :
and they were healed.
19 And the whole multitude sought to touch11 him:
for v there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

20 And w he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and
said, Blessed be ye* poor: for yours is the kingdom of
God. 21 Blessed are ye that hunger J now : for ye shall be
filled.2 Blessed are ye that weep Q now : for ye shall
laugh. 22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate b you, and
when they shall separate ° you from their company,
and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil,
for the Son of man's sake.
23 Rejoice ° ye in that day, and leap for joy : for, be
hold, your reward is great in heaven : for in the like
manner 8 did their fathers unto the prophets.
24 But woe unto you that are' rich 1 for ye have re
ceived b your consolation.
25 Woe unto you that are fuU ! n for ye shall hunger.
Woe unto you that laugh1 now ! for ye shall mourn
and weep.
26 Woe unto you when all men shall speak wellJ of
you ! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

n Matt. 14: 23. ...o Matt. 6 : 6.... p Matt. 10 : 1, etc. ; Mark 3 : 18 ; 6:7....q John 1 : 42.... r Jude 1....S Matt. 4 : 25, etc. ; Mark 3 : 7, etc. . . .
t Fs. 103:3; '107: 17-20... .u Numb. 21 : 8, 9 ; Matt. 14:36; John 3:14, 15.... v ch. 8:46; Mark 5:30....w Matt. 5:2,etc....x James
2: 5....v Isa. 66 : 1....8 Fa. 107 : 9. ...a Isa. 61: 8; Rev. 21 : 4  b John 17 : 14.... c 1 Pet. 2:19, 20; 3: 14; 4 : 14.... d Acts 5: 41; Col.
1:24; James 1 : 2. ...e Acts 7:52: Heb. 11 : 32-39.... f Hab. 2:9; James 5:l....g ch. 16 : 25....h Isa. 28:7; 65: 13. ...1 Prov. 14:13;
Ephes. 5:4  j John 15 : 19 ; 1 John 4 : 5.

kingdom which he had come to establish. On the
sermon and on all that is common to both re
ports, see notes on Matthew.
' 13-16. Of the twelve apostles there are four
lists, viz., Matt. 10 : 2-± ; Mark 3 : 16-19 ; Acts
1 : 13 ; and Luke 6 : 13-16. On their differences
and their reconciliation, see Matt. 10 : 2, note ;
on the apostles themselves and their characters
see Vol. I, p. 147. Matthew gives the list, not in
connection with their call and consecration, but
with their subsequent commission to go out two
by two to preach the Gospel. He does not indi
cate, however, that they were then first chosen.
Nor is it necessary to suppose that Christ first
exercised the choice at the time of the preaching
of this sermon. We know that several of them
had been heretofore called, and had attached
themselves to his service. Perhaps this was true
of all ; but now, for the first time, they were
publicly designated and set apart to their work.
Christ's example gives sanction to the custom of
public ordination and to the appointment of men
especially consecrated to the work of the minis
try, abandoning all secular work for that purpose.
17-19. Stood in the plain. Bather, A
level place. See above. — They were healed.
We are not to understand that at the time of i/ie
delivery of the sermon Christ performed the
miracles of healing [here referred to. None are
mentioned in Matthew as being performed at
this time. The account here is parallel to the ac
count of Christ's work in Matt. 4 : 23-25, and
describes the general features of his ministry at
this time. This idea is conveyed in the original
by the peculiar form of the expression — the im
perfect tense— which is not adequately expressed
in the English. It might be rendered thus:
They also that were vexed with unclean spirits were
coming; they also were being healed; and the whole

multitude were seeking to touch him, for power was
going out of him and he was healing all, i. e., all
who came to him. That any were healed by
touching Jesus without the deliberate and con
scious forth-putting of power there is no evi
dence. In the only case narrated of such heal
ing, it is evident, on a careful study of the narra
tive, that Christ deliberately healed ; the woman
was not cured by the garment, but by the will of
the Lord. See Mark 5 : 30-34, notes.
20-23. These beatitudes are interpreted by a
fuller account of them given in Matt. 5 : 3-12.
The poor are poor in spirit, i. e., the humble and
contrite ; the hungry, those that hunger and thirst
after righteousness. If verses 20 and 21 stood
alone, one might perhaps regard them as refer
ring only to earthly poverty and hunger (as De
Wette does), and Christ, as indicating that his
disciples should be poor and hungry in this life,
but should receive a compensation in wealth and
abundance in the life to come ; but (1) this does
not accord with Matthew's fuller report ; (2) nor
with the general course of Christ's instruction ;
(3) nor with the language of Luke in reporting
Christ's instructions elsewhere (aee ch. 12 : 21 ; 16 : 11),
(4) nor with the context here (ver. 22), which speaks
of suffering for the Son of man's sake ; (5) nor
with the woes which follow, on which see notes.
We must not however forget that the majority
of Christ's hearers were poor, hungry, oppressed ;
and that poverty, hunger, and suffering are
blessings if we receive them aright and learn the
lessons which they are meant to teach. The
poor are blessed if they learn humility ; the
hungry, if they obtain a higher aspiration after
spiritual life ; the suffering, if they are drawn to
seek refuge in God. The kingdom of God here is
the same here as the kingdom of Heaven in Mat
thew. One Evangelist describes it by its king;

42

LUKE.

[Ch. VI.

27 But I say unto you which hear, Love* your ene
mies, do good to them which hate you,
28 Bless them that curse you, and ¦ pray for them
which despitefully use you.
29 And™ unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek
offer also the other ; and him » that taketh away thy
cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.
30 Give" to every man that asketh of thee ; and of
him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
31 AndP as ye would that men should do to you, do
ye also to them likewise.
32 For if ye love them which love, you, what thank
have ye ? for sinners also love those that love them.
33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you,
what thank have ye ? for sinners also do even the

34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to re

ceive, what thank have ye ? for sinners also lend to
sinners, to receive as much again.
35 But love ye your enemies,1* and do good, and
lend,r hoping for nothing again ; and your reward shall
be great, and" ye shall be the children of the Highest:
for he is kind unto the unthankful, and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is
merciful. 37 Judge' not, and ye shall not be judged : condemn
not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye
shall be forgiven.
38 Give, and it shall be given" unto you; good
measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and run
ning over, shall men give into your bosom.T Forw
with the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be
measured to you again.
39 And he spake a parable unto them: Canx the

k verso 35; Exod. 23:4,5; Prov. 25:21; Matt. 5:44; Rom. 12:20....1 ch. 23:34; Acta 7:60....m Matt. 6:39....n 1 Cor. 6:7....
o Deut. 15: 7,8,10; Prov. 19 : 17 ; 21 : 26; Matt. 5 : 42, etc....p Matt. 7 : 12  q verse 27  r Ps. 37 : 26; 112: 5  s Matt. 5:46....
t Matt. 7:1  u Prov. 19 : 17 ; Matt. 10:42  V Ps. 79 : 12  w Matt. 7:2; Mark 4 : 24; James 2 : 13  x Matt. 16 : 14.

the other by its capital. On the spiritual mean
ing and application of these beatitudes, see notes
on Matthew.
24-26. These woes have their place in the
complete sermon in Matthew, in ch. 5, between
verses 12 and 13. Why they were omitted there,
it is useless to conjecture. It is far more prob
able that a later tradition dropped them, because
they were thought to be incongruous with the
prevailing spirit of that discourse, than that it
added them here, as Meyer has supposed. Tra
dition seeks to increase the blessings but to di
minish the warnings of Scripture. Nor are these
woes denounced against the rich and prosperous,
as if the prosperity were itself a crime. The
spirit is not that of the modern commune. Christ
is not an agrarian. Joseph of Arimathea and
Nicodemus are among his disciples. As in many
other passages, if we would correctly under
stand the real meaning of Christ, we must give
a careful study to the words themselves. The
word consolation in ver. 24 (7taqdxXriaig) is de
rived from a Greek verb, meaning, To call to
one's aid ; it is used in Luke 2 : 25 of the Mes
siah. A different form of the same word is used
in John 14 : 16, 26 ; 15 : 26, etc., of the Holy
Spirit ; and throughout the N. T., of that spirit
ual life, which comes from calling to one's aid
the Spirit of God (Acts 9 : 31 ; Rom. 16 : 4 ; 2 Cor. 1:3-5;
Phil. 2 : 1). The woe here, too, is denounced, not
merely against the rich, but against those who
have made riches their consolation, i. e., who
have chosen it as their chief good, as their Mes
siah, Deliverer, Comforter, as the one thing need
ful. It is interpreted by Mark 10 : 24, and Luke
12 : 19, 20. Comp. 1 Tim. 6 : 9, 10, 17, where the
warning is not against riches, but against the de
termination to be rich, which may be as injurious
to him who fails as to him who succeeds. In ver.
25 the word full (IfinlnXrifii) signifies a state of
satiety, complete and entire satisfaction, want
ing nothing more. To those who are filled to the
full with the things of this present world, there

will come a time of emptying ; death will come
to them as a thief (Matt. 24 : 43 ; Rev. 3 : s), and then
they will hunger ; while those who have never
been satisfied, ever hungry and thirsty after
righteousness, as Paul (phn. 3 : 12-14), will be filled.
They that laugh, in verse 25, is literally, The
laughing ones (01 yeXiovrcg), i. e., those who give
themselves up to a life of merriment and super
ficial pleasure ; who will not perceive that life is
serious ; who are without the earnestness of pur
pose that makes merriment an occasional relief,
not a constant aim. Parallel with this warning is
that of Prov. 14 : 13, and Eecles. 7:6; and in no
way inconsistent with it is the commendation of
the merry heart, that doeth good like a medicine
(Prov. 17 : 22 ; 15 : is, is). The fourth woe needs no
interpretation. AU men cannot and will not
speak well of one who is faithful in following his
own convictions of duty, and whose life is thus a
rebuke to the recreant. Thus these four woes
are four warnings to four different classes —
those who make wealth their God; those who
are satisfied with this present life, having no
hungering for inward peace or future glory ;
those who live for present enjoyment, devoid of
earnest purpose and serious thoughts ; and those
who sacrifice conscience to a popular adulation.
27-36. Nearly all these precepts have their
parallels in Matthew's report of this sermon.
The connection presented there is missed here,
where the verses stand rather as separated
aphorisms than as parts of one connected dis
course. The variations are otherwise chiefly ver
bal, and not important. See notes on Matthew.
37, 38. Parallel to these verses is Matt.
7 : 1, 2 ; but t;ie difference is such as to give
color to Alford' s hypothesis, that the saying as
reported here, was perhaps uttered by our Lord
on some other occasion ; " for the connection is
very strict in Matthew, and would hardly bear
this expansion of what is not in that place the
leading idea." Or, may it not be that Luke has
amplified the idea, explaining the command,

Ch. VI.]

LUKE.

43

blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the
ditch? 40 The' disciple is not above his master: but every
one that is perfect shall be as his master.
41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy
brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in
thine own eye ?
42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Bro
ther, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye,
when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in

thine own eye ? Thou hypocrite ! cast ¦ out first the
beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see
clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.
43 For * a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit ;
neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
44 Forb every tree is known by his own fruit: for
of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush
gather they grapes.
45 A ° good man ,out of the good treasure of his heart
bringeth forth that which is good ; and an evil man

y Matt. 10:24; John 13; 16; 16:2

. z Prov. 18 : 17; Rom. 2 : 1, 21, etc. ...a Matt. 7 : 16, 17 ... .b Matt. 12:83  c Matt. 12 : 36.

judge not, by the added one, condemn not. For
(see Matt. 7 : 1, notes) the command, judge not, does
not prohibit the formation of judgments respect
ing our fellow-men, but the exercise of the judi
cial function, in a quasi trial, convicting and con
demning them as though we were their judges.
The metaphorical language of ver. 38 is derived
from the usages of the Jewish grain market of
the East, as they may be seen at the present day
in Jerusalem. An official, appointed by the gov
ernment, measures all the grain that is bought or

MEASURING GRAIN.
sold ; after he has filled the measure full to the
edge, he pours on more, presses it down, shakes
the measure, pours on again till no more can be
heaped up, and then, by a sudden movement,
with a dexterity which only long experience
could give, he empties the contents of the meas
ure into the receptacle of the waiting customer,
and begins again. This receptacle is often the
"bosom" of the purchaser. The long robe,
skillfully gathered about the wearer, affords by
its ample folds a capacious pocket, easily ad

justed to the carriage of a considerable burden.
A pocketfull of grain carried in this way in the
bosom is not an inconsiderable quantity. The ac
companying cut, from an original drawing by
Mr. Bawson, sketched in Jerusalem in 1874,
serves to illustrate both phrases in the text.
The word men is added by the translators ; the
original is shall they give into your bosom. Al
ford, following Meyer, supposes that angels are
meant rather than men ; angels being the minis
ters of the divine purpose. But a comparison of
the language here with that of Matt. 7 : 2, and
Mark 4 : 24, in both of which cases the same
principle is enunciated, though with a different
application, indicates that it is primarily of men
that Christ is here speaking. As we treat them
we must expect to be treated by them. See
further, notes on Matt. 7 : 2.
39. On the meaning of this verse see Matt.
15 : 14, note, where the same saying is reported
in a different connection. The censorious spirit
of the Pharisees, begotten by their pride, makes
them blind. See also John 9 : 40, 41. The con
nection forbids the supposition that the rest of
this chapter is simply a casual collection of say
ings of our Lord, thrown together by Luke ;
though several of them (see below) are found re
peated at different times during his ministry.
It is much more reasonable to suppose that Luke
has given a different report of the same dis
course, as that more fully, and I believe more ac
curately reported by Matthew, possibly inter
weaving some cognate sayings not uttered at
this time. Alford gives the connection of the
following verses well. "The parabolic saying,
implying the unfitness of an uncharitable and un
justly condemning leader (the Lord was speak
ing primarily to His Apostles) to perform his
office, leads to the assertion (ver. 40) that no
Christian ought to assume in this respect an of
fice of judging, which his Master never assumed ;
but rather will every well-instructed Christian
strive to be humble, as his Master was. Then
follows the reproof of vers. 41-43 ; and vers. 44,
45, and 46-49, show us, expanded in different
images, what the beam in the eye is, to which our
first efforts must be directed." — (Alford.)
40. Compare Matt. 10 : 24 ; John 13 : 16. The
language here, Every one that is perfect shall be as
his Master, is peculiar to Luke. The word ren-

44

LUKE.

[Ch. VII.

out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that
which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his
mouth speaketh.
46 And why call ye me,d Lord, Lord, and do not the
things which I say ?
47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my say
ings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is
like: 48 He« is like a man which built an house, and
digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock ; and
when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon
that house, and ' could not shake it ; for it was founded
upon a rock.e
49 But he' that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man
that without a foundation built an house upon the
earth : against which the stream did beat vehemently,
and immediately it fell;1 and the ruin of that house
was great.
CHAPTER VII.
NOW' when he had ended all his sayings in the au
dience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.
2 And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear1'
unto him, was sick, and ready to die.
3 And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the

elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come
and heal his servant.
4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him
instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he
should do this :
5 For he loveth ' our nation, and he hath built us a
synagogue. 6 Then Jesus went with them. And when he was
now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends
to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble"1 not thyself;
for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under
my roof:
7 Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to
come unto thee : but say11 in a word, and my servant
shall be healed.
8 For I also am a man set under authority, having
under me soldiers: and I say unto one. Go, and he
goeth ; and to another, Come, and he cometh ; and to
my servant. Do this, and he doeth it.
9 When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at
him, and turned him about, and said unto the people
that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so
great faith, no, not in Israel.
10 And they that were sent, returning to the house,
found the servant whole that had been sick.
11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went

d ch. 18:25; Mal. 1 :fl; Matt. 7 : 21 ; 25: 11; Gal. 6:7.... e Matt. 7:25, 26  f 2 Pet. 1 : 10; Jade 24  g Ps. 46 : 1-3; 62 : 2  h James
1:24-26....! Prov. 28 : 18 ; Hosea 4 : 14 . . . .j Matt. 8 : 5, etc  k Job 81 : 16 ; Prov. 29 : 21  1 1 Kings 6 : 1 ; Gal.5:6; Uohn3:14;
5:1, 2.. ..m ch. 8:49. ...a Ps. 107:20.

dered perfect (xarr/Qrio/iivo;) means primarily
mended (see Matt. 4 : 21) ; i. e., it is commonly used
of that which has been injured and is repaired.
This I believe to be the meaning here. The
man that is restored by the divine grace to his
true condition, shall become as the Master.
Parallel to this declaration are 1 Cor. 15 : 49,
and 1 John 3:2. It affords at once an ideal, to
ward which we are to strive, and u promise, by
which we may be inspired.
41-45. See Matt. 7 : 3-5, 15-20 ; 13 : 33, 35,
and notes there.
46-49. See Matt. 7 : 21, 24-27. The parable
is carried out with greater dramatic fullness by
Matthew's than by Luke's report ; digged deep,
literally, dug and deepened, is peculiar to Luke, a
significant addition. We come to the Eock,
Christ Jesus, as a life-foundation, not easily but
by deep-digging, in study of the truth and in
personal heart-searchings. See Prov. 2 : 4.

Ch. 7
VAST.

1-10. HEALING OF THE CENTUEION'S SEK-

Reported also by Matthew, ch. 8 : 5-13. The
account of the miracle itself is somewhat fuller
in Luke ; the account of Christ's instruction to
the people thereon is fuller in Matthew. See on
the whole account, notes on Matthew. There is
no just ground for believing that they are differ
ent events. The probable time of occurrence is
that indicated here, viz., on Christ's descent
from the mount, after the ordination of the
twelve and the sermon thereon.
1 , 2. When he had ended all his sayings
in the hearing of the people. The very
form of this expression indicates that Luke's re

port of those sayings was not a complete one.
It thus confirms the opinion that Luke's and
Matthew's accounts are simply different reports
of the same sermon. — Ready to die. A more
definite statement of the immediate danger than
is given by Matthew. The disease was. palsy,
and the sufferer was "grievously tormented."
3-5. Matthew says the centurion " came be
seeching him ; " he says nothing of any delega
tion. There is no real inconsistency ; what is
done by another is often said to be done by the
person who directs it. The elders are not the elders
of the synagogue (ch. 13 : 14 ; Acts 13 : 15, etc.), for which
a different Greek word is used (aq/iavvayayoi),
but the elders of the people (7tota(lvri(>oi). The
intervention of these elders indicates that the
centurion was a proselyte ; and this is confirmed
by his second message to Jesus. No heathen
would have regarded himself unworthy to re
ceive a Jewish prophet. Observe that the elders
put their request on the ground that the centu
rion is worthy because of his attachment to the
Jewish nation, while Jesus esteems him above
Israel because of his faith.
6-8. In Matthew this message is reported as
the centurion's reply to Christ's promise, "I
will come and heal him." The promise was
probably one of action, not of words. As Christ
went toward the house some ran before to tell
the centurion, and he sent forth this second
message. To enter the Gentile house would
have made Jesus ceremonially unclean. Possi
bly the centurion refers to this ; rather, I think,
to the fact which this was intended to symbol
ize, viz., that they who live out of covenant
relations with God are not suitable or worthy
companions for the children of God.

Ch. VII] LUKE.
into a city called Nain ; and many of his disciples went
with him, and much people.
12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city,

45

behold, there was a dead man carried out; the only son
of his mother, and she was a widow : and much people
of the city was with her.

9, 10. The additions in Matthew are impor
tant. See Matt. 8 : 11, 12.
Ch. 7 : 11-16. RAISING OP THE WIDOW'S SON AT
HAIN. The compassion of Christ.— Meroy is more
THAN RITUAL. — THE POWER OT THE LlFE-GIVER IL
LUSTRATED. — The least faith suffices to justify
THE GREATEST MIRACLE.
This incident is recorded alone by Luke. This
casts no necessary discredit on it, since there is
abundant evidence in the Gospels of numerous
miracles performed by Christ of which no de
tailed aCCOUnt iS given (chaps. 4 : 40, 41 ; 6 : 18, 19 ;
7 : 21 ; John 2 : 23, etc.). Three times Christ raised the
dead : Jarius's daughter, who was just dead ;
this young man, who was at the time borne
toward the burial ; Lazarus, who had been
buried four days. For a comparison of the
three, see Vol. I., p. 360.
11. He went into a city called Nain.
Not the place of the same name referred to by
Josephus ( Wars of the Jews, 4 : 9 ; 4). That was
On the borders of Idumea ; this was in Galilee.
The only remains are a squalid and miserable
village, containing nothing to justify its name,
which means "fair;" they occupy what was
once a beautiful location, on the north-west slope
of the Little Hermon, about twenty-five miles

from Capernaum. Almost the exact site of this
miracle is determined by the locality. " No con
vent, no tradition marks the spot. But, under
the circumstances, the name is sufficient to guar
antee its authenticity. One entrance alone it
could have had — that which opens on the rough
hill-side in its downward slope to the plain. It
must have been in this steep descent, as, accord
ing to Eastern custom, they 'carried out the
dead man, ' that, ' nigh to the gate 'of the vil
lage, the bier was stopped, and the long proces
sion of mourners stayed, and 'the young man
delivered back to his mother.' " — (Stanley's Sinai
and Palestine.) The time, too, may be fixed with
reasonable certainty. If Christ started, as Ori
entals ordinarily do, in the early morning, and
sailed down the Sea of Galilee to the southern
end, and thence walked, he would have arrived
at the city of Nain in the early afternoon. — And
many of his disciples * * * and much
people. It was the era of Christ's popularity ;
not yet had he made that discourse of the nature
of his kingdom and its demands on his disciples,
which subsequently estranged so many who were
now following him, in expectation of a temporal
and political redemption.
12. Nigh to the gate. The brief and sim
ple picture of this funeral procession is illus-

FDNBBAL PBOOESSION.

trated by Oriental burial ' customs, and tallies
with them in the most minute particulars. Buri
als were almost invariably without the city walls.
Immediately upon death the friends joined in
noisy, though not always sincere, demonstrations

of grief. In these they were often aided by pro
fessional mourners (Mark 5 : 38, note). The body
was dressed in the ordinary garments, or was
wrapped in a long piece of cloth, answering to
the modem Shroud (Acta 5 : 6, 8, note- and illustration).

46

LUKE.

[Ch. VII.

13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion
on her, and said unto her, Weep not,
14 And he came and touched the bier : and they that

bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say
unto thee,0 Arise.
15 And he that was deadp sat up, and began to
And he delivered him to his mother.

0 ch. 8:54; Acta 9: 40; Rom. 4 : 17  p 2 Kings 4 : 32-37 ; 13:21; John 11 : 44.

The bier on which it was borne was, in the case
of the poorer classes, a simple board supported
on two poles. There was no coffin ; the corpse
was simply covered with a large cloth. Mourn
ers accompanied the body to the grave, chanting
a sorrowful refrain, broken in upon by the genu
ine lamentation of friends, the sympathetic ex
pressions of bystanders and acquaintances, and
the professional outcries of hired mourners.
Greater respect is paid to the funeral proces
sions in the East than with us ; bystanders wait
reverentially as it passes, and often swell the lit
tle cortege, following in the train as a mark of
sympathy. These features are illustrated in the
accompanying cut, from an original drawing by
Mr. A. L. Rawson. In accordance with these
usages is this narrative : The bier is met outside
the city walls ; it is accompanied by much peo
ple; and when Christ interferes there is no
coffin to be opened, no obstacle to prevent the
dead from rising up into a sitting posture at
once.— The only son of his mother, and
she was a widow. The peculiar grief of this
mother has made this story sacred to many a
heart. The bitterness of mourning for an only
son is illustrated by several passages in the Bible
(Jer. 6 : 26; Amos 8 : 10; Zech. 12 : lo). But chief est of
these is the fact that it is taken to symbolize and
interpret to us the Father's love for us, in that
he spared not his only begotten Son for our re
demption (John 3 : ie). — Much people. Observe
that the miracle is performed in open day, with
out secrecy, and before many witnesses. There
is no room for deception or mistake. As in the
case of Lazarus, we must believe either that the
incident never occurred, i. e., that it is a ficti
tious narrative ; or that it was a deliberate fraud,
in which Christ and the widow conspired to de
ceive the people ; or that it was a divine inter
position, attesting in Christ that power over
death which is the peculiar prerogative of divin
ity (2 Kings 5 : 7). To suppose that the cases of
resurrection recorded in the N. T. were simply
restorations of suspended animation, as some
rationalistic critics have suggested, involves insu
perable difficulties. We must then believe that, in
less than three years, three eases of suspended
animation occurred within the circle of Christ's
ministry, that in each criticism now discovers
what was hidden from the immediate friends,
and that Christ made the discovery in each case
without any examination of the supposed corpse,
and just at the fortunate moment when the re
turning life was ready to respond to his voice.

This involves a perfectly incredible doctrine of
chances. 13-15. He had compassion on her. The
sacred narrative assigns no other reason for this
miracle than compassion for the weeping mother.
It is not for us to add other reasons, e. g., faith
in the young man about to be raised, or a con
cealed purpose to restore him spiritually by
raising him from the dead. To see an indication
of such a purpose in the declaration of ver. 15,
He delivered him to his mother, is to add to the
Scriptural narrative, without improving upon its
simplicity. We neither know that he was not
before a child of God; nor that he became so
afterward.— Weep not. This is the message of
redeeming love. The end of redemption is even
in this life, glorying in tribulation (Rom. 5 : s) ;
though our sorrow remains, it is not a hopeless
sorrow (1 Thess. 4 : is) ; and it is in the life to come
an experience of divine comfort, in which God
will wipe away all tears from our eyes (Rev. 21 : 4).
There is thus a deep spiritual meaning in this
incident, in which two processions meet — the one
led by death, the other by the Prince of life ; the
one a procession of mourners, the other one of
rejoicers ; the one a result of the fall, the other
a symbol of redemption— and in which life con
quers death, joy sorrow, redemption the bitter
fruit of sin.— Touched the bier. This was
not necessary ; a word would have sufficed ; and
the ceremonial law rendered any one unclean
who touched the dead, for death was a symbol
and a result of sin. But to Christ the law was
made for man, not man for the law, and be never
hesitated to break over the letter of the ritual in
redeeming from the curse which made ceremo
nial law needful (Matt, 8 : 5, note).— They that bore
him stood still. Without any other command
than that of his presence or his gesture ; with
out any other expectation than that vague hope
which his benignant divinity so often inspired in
men. There is scarcely conceivable a smaller
token of faith than this mere standing still to let
Christ do what he would; but it was faith
enough. When we can do nothing for those
dear to us, We can at least stand, expectant and
submissive, for Christ to do his will.— I say
unto thee, Arise. Contrast the prayers and
efforts of Elijah and Elisha (1 King, 17 : 20-22 , 2 Kings
4:33-35). "Elijah, it is true, raises up the dead.
But he is obliged to stretch himself out upon the
body of the child whom he recalls to life ; and it
is easily seen that he invokes a foreign power,
that he withdraws from the empire of death a

Ch. VII.]

LUKE.

47

16 And there came a fear on all : and they glorified
God, saying, That a great prophet' is risen up among
us ; and, That r God hath visited his people.
17 And this rumour of him went forth throughout all
Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.
18 And the disciples of John shewed him of all these
things. 19 And 9 John calling unto him two of his disciples,
sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should
come ? ' or look we for another ?
20 When the men were come unto him, they said,
John Baptist sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he
that should come ? or look we for* another ?
21 And in that same hour he cured many of their
infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits ; and unto
many that were blind he gave sight.
22 Then Jesus answering, said unto them, Go your
way, and tellu John what things ye have seen and
heard ; how' that the blind see, the lame walk, the
lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised,
to the poorw the gospel is preached.
23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offend
ed x in me.
24 And when the messengers of John were departed,
he began to speak unto the people concerning John,
What went ye out into the wilderness for to see ? A
reed shaken with the wind ?
25 But what went ye out for to see ? A man clothed

in soft raiment ? Behold, they which are gorgeously
apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings courts.*
26 But what went ye out for to see ? A prophet ? ¦
Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
27 This is he, of whom it is written," Behold, I send
my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy
way before thee.
28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born
of women, there is not a greater prophet than John the
Baptist : but he that is least in the kingdom of God is
greater than he.
29 And all the people that heard him, and the publi
cans, justified" God, being baptized '¦ with the baptism
of John.
30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the coun
sel'1 of God against themselves, being not baptized
of him.
31 And the Lord said, Whereunto • then shall I liken
the men of this generation ? and to what are they like ?
32 They are like unto children sitting in the market
place, and calling one to another, and saying. We
have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we
have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
33 For John the Baptist came' neither eating bread
nor drinking wine ; and ye say, He hath a devil.
34 The s Son of man is come eating and drinking ;
and ye say, Behold, a gluttonous man, and a wine-
bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners i
35 But" Wisdom is justified of all her children.

q ch. 24 : 19  r ch. 1 : 68  s Matt. 11 : 2  t Zech. 9:9  u John 1 : 46  v Isa. 85 : 5, 6  w ch. 4: 18; James 2:5  x ch. 2 ; 34;
Isa. 8 : 14, 16; Matt. 11 : 6 ; 13:57; John 6 : 66 ; 1 Cor. 1 : 21-28.... y 2 Sam. 19 : 35 ; Esther 1:3, 11  z ch. 1 : 76... .a ch. 1 : 15-17;
Mal. 3:1... b Ps. 51 :4; Rom. 3 : 4  ech. 3 : 12; Matt. 3: 6, 6.... d Acta 20 : 27.... e Matt. 11 : 16, etc  fob. 1 : 15; Matt. 3:4; Mark
1 : 6. . . .g verse 36 ; John 2:2; 12:2. ...h Frov. 8 : 32-36 ; 17 : 16.

soul which is not subjugated to him, and that he
is not himself the master of life and death.
Jesus Christ raised up the dead as easily as he
performs the most common actions ; he speaks
as master of those who repose in an eternal
sleep; and it is thoroughly felt that he is the
God of the dead as of the living, never more
tranquil and calm than when he is operating the
grandest things." — (Massillon's Sermons, p. 448.)
Godet draws beautifully another and a sugges
tive contrast, which hints not only, indeed, at
the manner in which the divine voice recalls the
dead from the long sleep, hut at an analogy
which helps our faith to accept the sublime fact.
"The interruption of the connection between
the soul and the body in death, as in sleep, is
only relative ; and as man's voice suffices to re
establish this connection between the soul and
the body in any one who is wrapt in slumber, so
the word of the Lord has the power to restore
this interrupted connection even in the dead. " —
Sat up and began to speak. An evidence of
the completeness of his restoration.— Delivered
him to his mother. A finishing act of grace.
The on-lookers were too awe-struck to act ; the
mother was overwhelmed by the sudden revul
sion of feeling ; personally helping the son from
his bier, and conducting him to his mother,
Christ completed his merciful interposition, and
gave to the mother's feeling that opportunity
for action which was necessary for her own re
lief. Comp. John 11 : 44, note.
16, 17. There came a fear on all. Not
that fear which is akin to terror, but that which

is akin to awe. — A great prophet. Only, the
greatest prophets had raised the dead. As yet
there was no general belief, even among his own
disciples, that Christ was the promised Messiah.
— And this rumor of him went forth
throughout all Judea. That is, the glory of
this miracle and the consequent fame of him as
a great prophet. This, extending in widening
circles, was carried from Galilee even to and
throughout Judea, and so came to John the Bap
tist, who was confined in the prison of Machae
rus, on the eastern side of the Dead Sea, and led
to the inquiries reported in the following verses.
18-35. Message of John the Baptist, and
Christ's Discourse thereon. — Reported also
in Matt. 11 : 3-19. See notes there, where I
have treated it at length. The variations in the
accounts are mostly immaterial. The only ones
of consequence are the following. Matthew
places the incident after the commission of the
twelve, Luke shortly after the Sermon on the
Mount ; neither definitely indicates the time.
Luke's order is generally believed to be the cor
rect one, for Herod beheaded John the Baptist
while the twelve were absent fulfilling their com
mission (Mark 6 : 30 ; Matt. 14 : 13). Luke reports a
little more fully John's message. Comp. vers.
19, 20, with Matt. 11 : 2. He alone report* the
important fact in ver. 21. The language in Mat
thew, " Go show John again these things which
ye do hear and see," implies, however, that
John's messengers had personally witnessed the
miracles which they were to report ; but the lan
guage here indicates that these miracles were

48

LUKE.

[Ch. VII.

36 And1 one of the Pharisees desired him that he
would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's
house, and sat down to meat
37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a

sinner ,J when she knew that Jesiis sat at meat in the
Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of oint
ment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and

i Matt. 26 : 6, etc. j Mark 14 : 8, etc. ; John 11 : 2, etc.... j verso 34; ch. 6:32; 1 Tim. 1 : 16.

wrought at the time and for the purpose of giv
ing a message to carry back to their Master. If
so, it is, I think, the only case reported where
Christ performed a miracle for the avowed pur
pose of demonstrating his claims. Matthew, in
vers. 18-15, contains an important declaration
not reported by Luke ; on the other hand, vers.
29, 30, here are peculiar to Luke. Comp. with
them Matt. 21 : 25, 26. They are regarded by
Alford as an addition by Luke, giving the effect
of Christ's discourse on the multitude ; by De
Wette, Meyer, etc., as a part of Christ's dis
course, in which he describes the effect of John
the Baptist's preaching prior to his imprison
ment. The former interpretation appears to me
unquestionably the correct one. Observe the
comprehensive character of Luke's classification
of cures, in ver. 21, indicating, perhaps, the pro
fessional accuracy of a physician. Infirmities
are those disorders which disable, as deafness,
dumbness, paralysis, the withered hand, etc. ;
plagues, lit., scourges, are the more painful forms
of sickness ; the possessed of evil spirits are dis
criminated from the merely diseased.
Ch. 7 : 36—50. ANOINTING OF JESUS BY A PENI
TENT WOMAN. The attractive power of Christ.—
The friend of publicans and sinners. — The
Christian treatment of the abandoned. — A lov
ing sinner better than a proud saint.— We have
nothing to pat.— The sense of stn forgiven is the
inspiration of true love for Christ. — Love to
Christ in the life an evidence that Christ's for
giveness is received in the heart.
There has been much discussion whether this
anointing is not merely a different account of
the same act reported by the other Evangelists
(Matt. 26 : 7 ; Mark 14 : 3 ; John 12 : 3). The identity is
maintained by the Latin fathers, by the later
Eoman Catholic expositors, and by the modern
rationalistic interpreters. That they are different
events is the opinion of nearly all modern evan
gelical scholars. The reasons for regarding them
as different accounts of the same event are as fol
lows : (1) No Evangelist mentions two anointings ;
the one here described is the only one mentioned
by Luke ; the one described as occurring in the
Passion week is the only one mentioned by Mat
thew, Mark, and John. (2.) The master of the
house in both cases is 8imon (ver. 40 ; Matt. 26 : e).
(3.) The homage paid by the woman in the two
cases is analogous. (4.) In both it is the subject
of misinterpretation and conflict. Against re
garding them as different accounts of the same
events are the following considerations : (1) The

name Simon is a common one ; nine persons of
that name are mentioned in the N. T. (2.) The
time, place, and circumstances are widely differ
ent ; that anointing was in Judea, just before
Christ's passion, by a disciple of Christ, whom
he especially loved, whose brother he had raised
from the dead. The Simon there mentioned was
a leper, and therefore could not well have been
present. The complaint came from a disciple ;
and was a. complaint of extravagance. This
anointing was in Galilee, in the era of Christ's
great popularity, before the final conflict with
the Pharisees, by a recognized harlot, whose
name is unknown. It took place at the house
of a well-known Pharisee, who interposed the
complaint on the ground, not of extravagance,
but of the woman's sinful character. (3.) The
lessons are different ; that teaches that the offer
ings of love to Christ are never wasted ; this that
penitence draws near to Christ, while pride re
mains afar off. I have no doubt that there
were two anointings. There is no reason what
ever for identifying this woman with Mary
Magdalene. The exact time and place of the in
cident are unknown ; Meyer supposes Caper
naum ; Wieseler, Nain.
36-38. And one of the Pharisees de
sired him that he would eat with him.
As yet then the breach between Jesus and the
Pharisees had not become irreparable. This
single fact is sufficient evidence that the incident
could not have occurred in Judea, and immedi
ately previous to Christ's crucifixion. There is
no reason to doubt that this Pharisee had heard
of the fame of Jesus Christ as a prophet, and
knowing little of his character, really desired to
do him an honor by his invitation. The Pharisee
invites Christ to come to him ; the woman seeks
permission to come to Christ; the Pharisee
thinks to confer honor ; the woman seeks salva
tion.— Sat down to meat. Reclined in Ori
ental fashion, with the feet extended behind.
See Vol I., p. 282, for illustration. Thus the
woman, coming behind, easily and without ob
servation, approached his feet. — Behold a
woman in a city which was a sinner.
Or, possibly, so some read the passage, who was a
sinner in that city, i. e., who had practiced her
unholy calling there. She was, not merely had
been, a sinner. Up to that time she had lived a
life of sin. The substitution of the pluperfect
for the imperfect tense by some expositors,
grows out of a desire, either to explain Christ's
treatment of the woman, whom they wish to

THE PENITENT AND THE PHARISEE.
'3 he began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head."

Ch. VII.]

LUKE.

49

began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them
with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and an
ointed them with the ointment.
39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him
saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if
he were a prophet, would have known who and what

manner of woman this is that toucheth him ; for she is
a sinner.1 40 And Jesus, answering, said unto him, Simon, I
have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Mas
ter, say on.
41 There was a certain creditor which had two debt-

k John 11 : 24....1 ch. 15 : 2.

represent as already reformed, or to reconcile
the account here with that anointing at Beth
any, reported in the other Gospels, with which
they confound it. Eor the same reason, some
have regarded the term sinner as a mere general
one, indicating not an unchaste life, but one of
vanity and worldliness. All such attempts to
conform Scripture to our prepossessions are ir
reverent and misleading. The plain meaning of
the narrative is, that this woman had been lead
ing the life of a prostitute up to this time, and
was recognized by Simon as such, either by some
characteristic feature in her dress or because her
character was well known. Her reform dates
from this hour. That she entered the house un
invited is not strange. In the free life of the
East the presence of uninvited guests, not at the
table but in the room, is not uncommon. "At
dinner at the consul's house at Damietta we were
much interested in observing a custom of the
country. In the room where we were received,
besides the divan on which we sat, there were
seats all round the walls. Many came in and
took their places on those side seats, uninvited
and yet unchallenged." — (Narrative of a Mission
to tlie Jews, quoted in Trench's Notes on the Parables. )
If, in this case, the meal was given in the guest
room, which generally lies open to the court
yard, the public would naturally have followed
Christ into the court-yard. This woman followed
in with them, drawn by his words of tenderness,
perhaps by the invitation of Matt. 11 : 28-30,
which was given at about this time in Christ's
life ; her heart was drawn toward him ; the tears
of an awakened sorrow, welling to her eyes,
dropped upon the feet of Christ ; she saw it,
knelt, and, obeying the impulse of the moment,
wiped them with her long hair ; unrepelled, she
softly kissed them; and still unrepelled, took
the box of ointment which had ministered to her
in her unholy calling, used in adding to her se
ductive charms, and with it anointed his feet.
The first act of reverence was an unconscious
one ; each new act, in expressing her hunger, in
tensified her feeling. — An alabaster box of
ointment. * * * Anointed them with
the ointment. The original 'is simply an ala
baster. It was probably a vase rather than a box.
The accompanying illustration represents a col
lection of alabasters from the British Museum.
Ointment was used in the East, and still is, not
only in religious consecration, but also in the

ALABASTERS.
toilet. The hair and face were both anointed ;
a shining skin being accounted an element of
beauty (Rnth 3:3; Eccles. 9:8; Amos 6": 6). To be with
out anointing was a sign of mourning (2 Sam.
14 : 2). Trench notes the fact that she wiped the
Lord's feet with that which is the especial crown
and glory of woman, the hair of her head ; kissed
him with the lips that had beguiled the simple
(prov. 5:3; 7 : 13) ; and used, in holy expression of
reverence toward him, the unguent once used to •
aid her own sinful life and gratify her vanity,
thus illustrating the principle enunciated by Paul
in Romans 6 : 19.
39. Spake within himself. Courtesy, or
perhaps a vague feeling of awe, kept him
from expressing his opinion. His conduct con
trasts favorably with that of the inimical Phari
see, whom we meet elsewhere in the Gospel nar
ratives. See, for example, Matt. 12 : 2 ; Luke
11 : 53, 54 ; 16 : 14. Nor does Christ caU Simon a
hypocrite ; the rebuke which he administers is
one of the severity of love, not of judgment. —
This man, if he were a prophet, would
have known. The dilemma in the Pharisee's
mind was this ; if Christ were an inspired man
he would have read the character of this woman ;
if he were a holy man he would not have suffered
her homage. Of the inspiration that reads pen
itence in the heart, of the holiness that accepts
sorrow for sin and a promise of repentance, he
had no conception.
40, 41. Jesus answered. Not to any ex-

50

LUKE.

[Ch. VII

drs : the one owed five hundred pence, and the other
fifty: 42 And when they had nothing"1 to pay, he frankly
forgave them both. Tell me, therefore, which of them
will love him most ?
43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he to
whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou
hast rightly " judged.
44 And ne turned to the, woman, and said unto Si
mon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine
house, thou gavest me no water for my feet : but she
hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with
the hairs of her head.

45 Thou gavest me no kiss : but this woman, since
the time that I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 My ° head with oil thou didst noL anoint : but this
woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are
many, are forgiven ; for she loved much : but to whom
little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
40 And they that sat at meat with him began to say
within themselves, Who? is this that forglveth sins
also? 50 And he said to the woman,i Thy faith hath saved
thee : go in peace.

m Ps. 49 :7, 8; Rom. 6 :6  n Ps. 116 : 16-18; 1 Cor. 15 :9; 2 Cor. 5: 14; 1 Tim. 1 : 13-16  o Ps. 28 : 5  J
q chaps. 8 : 48 ; 18 : 42 ; Hab. 2 : 4; Matt. 9 : 22; Mark 5 :34; 10:52; Ephes. 2 ; 6

Matt.9 : 2,3; Mark 2 : 7. . . .

pression by the Pharisee, though his counte
nance may have indicated his thoughts, but to
what he had said within himself. The case is
one in which Christ read the secrets of the heart.
Compare Matt. 9:4; John 2 : 25. — Master, say
on. His language is that of respect. Evidently
this Pharisee is not to be confounded with those
that denied and persecuted the Lord. His per
plexity was an honest one ; Christ treats it with
tenderness. — Two debtors. Compare the para
ble in Matt. 18 : 23-35. There, also, are two
debtors ; but there, the difference between the
two debts is enormous ; one owes eighteen dol
lars, the other a sum equivalent, at the lowest
estimate, to fifteen millions. The contrast there
represents the difference between our debt to
God and our neighbor's debt to us. Here the
difference is relatively small ; one owes fifty de
narii, the other five hundred. The denarius was
about equivalent to eighteen cents of our money ;
the relative debts therefore were nine dollars and
ninety dollars. The contrast represents simply
the difference among men in their debts, i. e.,
their unfulfilled obligations, toward God. Pre
sumptively, this Pharisee was represented by the
smaller debtor, i. e., not only in his own estima
tion but also in reality he was a man of compara
tively pure life.
42, 43. When they had nothing to pay
he frankly forgave them both. They had
nothing to pay, so that both were equally insol- .
vent ; moreover, they were both conscious of this
fact, so that they both accepted from the credi
tor a full and free remission of the debt. The
contrast is not between two men, one of whom
claims divine consideration because he owes but
little, and the other accepts it without preferring
any claim ; but between two sinners, both of
whom are conscious of their utter inability to
meet the requirements of the divine law, but the
one of whom feels that inability more keenly
than the other.— I suppose that he to whom
he forgave most. The expression, I suppose,
does not imply doubt or hesitation. It is rather,
As I understand the matter. Did Simon perceive
the drift of our Lord's question? .Probably not
fully ; and yet, it appears to me, that he could

not have been wholly oblivious of the result to
which the parable tended.
44-46. It can hardly be doubted that Simon
had been deficient, if not in the courtesies ordi
narily paid to a guest, at least in those due to a
distinguished prophet. Water for the feet (q™.
18:4; Judges 19 : 2l), the kiss of peace (Gen. 45:16;
Eiod. 18 : 7), and anointing the head with oil (ps.
23 : 5), were marks of attention ordinarily paid
in the East. The contrasts are very noticeable
between the neglect of Simon and the homage
of the woman. No water — tears, the most pre
cious of all water; no kiss of greeting — kisses
for the feet; no oil for the head — precious
ointment for the feet. The Pharisee was decor
ous but cold ; the woman, under the inspiration
of an ardent love, broke over the ordinary social
restraints. The one omitted even the customary
expressions of reverence ; the other, by her pe
culiar use of them, emphasized the reverence
and love of her heart.
47. The difficulties which this verse has occa
sioned, and the discussions to which it has given
rise, I have considered below. Here it must
suffice to say, that Christ does not say, "Where
fore her sins, which are many, are forgiven ; "
but " Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins are for
given." The manifestations of the woman's love
are not alleged by Christ to be the cause of the
forgiveness, but the occasion of his teaching. Nor
does the second clause of the sentence "for she
loved much," imply that her love elicited the
forgiveness. For indicates not the cause but the
evidence of her pardon. ' ' We may say, It is light,
for the sun is risen ; but we may also say, The
sun is risen, for it is light. So in this passage,
for may, and according to what precedes, must
mean : ' I say unto thee that her many sins are
forgiven, as thou must infer from this, that she
loved much. ' "— ( Godet. )
48-50. Thy sins are forgiven. The tense
is the perfect, not the present, and indicates not
a forgiveness, then first proffered, but already in
past time perfected. His language is, Thy sins
have been forgiven. Christ did not then forgive ;
he declared a forgiveness, before extended to
her. The spirit of forgiveness in Christ, which

Ch. VII.]

LUKE.

51

drew the publican and sinner to him, and made
him their friend, attracted this woman, and
elicited her penitence, purpose of reformation,
and love. The consciousness that he had for
giveness for her and compassion on her, pre
ceded and evoked her penitence. To suppose
that he forgave because she previously loved,
violates grammar here as well as the plain teach
ing of Scripture elsewhere. See below. — Who
is this that forgiveth sins also ? Comp.
Mark 2:7; hut there the language is that of open
opposition ; here, rather that of perplexity, not
unmingled with awe.— Thy faith hath saved
thee. As the instrument, not the cause of sal
vation ; it had saved her, because it had led her
to accept in simplicity the saving grace proffered
to her by the Lord. Observe, too, the illustra
tion of faith which this incident affords ; it is not
an intellectual opinion, for there is no reason to
suppose that the woman regarded Christ then as
more than a prophet ; nor an act of obedience,
nor always even illustrated by one, though al
ways involving an obedient spirit ; but a trust
that accepts Christ, and believes in his grace, be
cause he proffers it. — Go in peace. This was
the perfecting of her pardon ; it is always the
perfecting of Christian pardon ; peace from fear,
both of the past and the future (Rom. s : 1, 3s, 39).
She had felt the forgiving love of Chrisfbefore ;
now, first she had an assurance in his own words,
that put to flight all doubts, and dried all tears
but those of gratitude and love.
Two difficulties are presented by this parable,
which have given rise to a voluminous discussion.
I. Does it represent that our love for God is the
cause of his forgiveness of our sins. That this is
the teaching is maintained by many Roman Cath
olics, and some rationalistic divines, and by some
who confound love and faith. But (1) this view
is not required nor even justified by the gram
matical construction of ver. 47. See note there.
(2.) It does not accord with the groundwork of
the parable, since the forgiveness precedes and
produces the love in the story (vers. 41, £2), and net
ther debtor has anything to pay, whereas love is
the pay that is pre-eminently due to God ; (3) nor
with Christ's language in the last clause of ver.
47. If our love causes God's forgiveness, Christ
would have said, not, To whom little is forgiven,
the same loveth little; but, Who.loveth little,
to the same little is forgiven. (4. ) Nor with ver.
50, Thy faith (not thy love) hath saved thee. (5.)
Nor with other teachings of Scripture, which
uniformly represent the divine love as the cause,
not the effect, of human love (John 3 : 16 ; Ephes.
2:4,2; 1 John 4 : 10, 19). (6.) Nor with psychology,
for love is itself salvation ; it is that not by which
but unto which we are saved. " Sin is the dis
ease. What is the remedy ? Charity ? Pshaw !
Charity in the large, apostolic sense of the term

is the health, the state to be obtained by use of
the remedy, not the sovereign balm itself — faith
of grace — faith in the God-manhood, the cross,
the mediation, the perfected righteousness of
Jesus, to the utter rejection and abnegation of
all righteousness of our own." — (Coleridge.)
II. If he whose sins are many and to whom
much is forgiven, loves much, is sin a means of
grace ? Is the greatest sinner prepared to be the
greatest saint ? If love is the chief grace (1 Cor.
ch. 13), and sin forgiven awakens it, shall we not
go on to sin that grace may abound ? No ! for,
(1.) The love is not as the sin, but as the sense of
forgiveness. It depends not upon the actual
guilt, but upon our consciousness of it. One of
the evil effects of sin is that it dulls the moral
sense, and prevents that consciousness of guilt
and that appreciation of divine forgiveness which
is the Inspiration of love. (2.) The love of a fla
grant transgressor, pardoned, may be more ar
dent, but not more deep ; more impetuous, but
not more strong ; more demonstrative, but not
more healthy than that of the soul which has
grown up unto Christ without ever consciously
wandering away from him. " It is an unques
tionable fact that the deepest penitents are, in one
kind of love for him who has forgiven them the
most devoted ; in that, namely, which consists in
personal sacrifice, and proofs of earnest attach
ment to the blessed Saviour and his cause on
earth. But it is no less an unquestionable fact,
that this love is not the highest form of spiritual
life ; that such persons are, by their very course
of sin, incapacitated from entering into the
length, and breadth, and height, and being filled
with all the fullness of Christ ; that their views
are generally narrow, their aims one-sided ; that
though love be the greatest of the Christian
graces, there are various kinds of it ; and though
the love of the reclaimed profligate may be, and
is, intense of its kind (and how touching and
beautiful its manifestations are, as here !) yet
that kind is not so high nor complete as the sac
rifice of the whale life — the bud, blossom, and
fruit — to his service, to whom in baptism we
were dedicated." — (Alford.) (3.) But we are not
to forget the deep truth of this parable, which
is -forgotten, I fear, in much of the ministry of
the modern church, with the result of a shallow
love and an imperfect consecration. Christ'B
love is always proportioned to the soul's sense
of its own unworthiness and its consequent •
necessity of its divine love in redemption.
Hence, to deepen Christian love and strengthen
Christian consecration, it is always necessary to
deepen the conviction of sin. And I believe it is
true, as matter of history, that those forms of
theology which have treated sin lightly, have al
ways issued in belittling Christ's divine nature
and work ; and that those experiences which

52

LUKE.

[Ch. VIII;

CHAPTER VIII.
AND it came to pass afterward, that he went
throughout every city and village, preaching and
shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God : and
the twelve were with him ;
2 And1 certain women, which had been healed of
evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out B
of whom went seven devils,
3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward,
and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto
him l of their substance.
4 And when much people were gathered together,
and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a
parable :
5 An sower went out to sow his seed: and as he
sowed, some fell by the way side ; and it was trodden T
down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
6 And some fell upon a rock ;w and as soon as it was
sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moist
ure. 7 And some fell among thorns ; x and the thorns
sprang up with it, and choked it.
8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up,
and bare fruit an hundredfold.? And when he had

said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear,
let him hear.8
9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might
this parable be ?
io And he said. Unto you it is given to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of God : but to others in
parables : that seeing a they might not see, and hearing
they might not understand.
n Now" the parable is this: The0 seed is the word
of God.
12 Those by the way side are they that hear ; then
cometh the devil, and taketh away3 the word out of
their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 They on the rock are they, which, when they
hear, receive e the word with joy ; and these have no
root,' which for a while believe, and in time of tempta
tion fall away.
14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which,
when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with*
cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring
no fruit h to perfection.
15 But that on the good ground are they, which, in
an honest and good neart,» having heard the word,
keep z/, and bring forth fruit with j patience.
16 No k man, .when he hath lighted a candle, cover-

r Matt. 27 : 55.... s veraeSO; Mark 16 : 9  t 2 Cor. 8:9... n Mutt. 13 : 3, etc.; Mark 4: 3, etc  v Ps. 119: 118; Matt. 6 : 13  w Jer.
6:3....x Jer. 4:3..,. y Gen. 26: 12  z Prov. 20 : 12 ; Jer. 13:15; 25 :4....n laa. 6:9  b Mutt. 13:18: Mark 4: 14, etc  c 1 Pet.

1 : 23.... d Pri.v. 4: 5; Isa. 65 : 11; James 1 : 23, 24.... e Pa. 106: 12,13; Isa. 58 : 2; Gal. 3 : 1,4; 4: 15  f Prov. 12:3: Hosea 6:4 

e 1 Tim. 6:9, 10; 2 Tim, 4: 10; ljohu 2: 16-17. ...h John 15:6..... Jer. 83: 88... .J Heb. 10:36; James l:4....k ch. 11:33; MatU
6: 15; Mark 4: 21.

have not led to thorough heart-searchings and
penitence before God, have not led to a deep love
tor Christ nor a thorough consecration to his
service. (4.) Nor are we to overlook another
lesson, which is frequently forgotten because it
lies upon the surface. This woman had as yet
been subjected to none of those tests by which
we are accustomed to measure the genuineness
of repentance. She had not yet reformed her
life, nor borne the taunts of her companions, nor
the scorn of the virtuouB. But Christ declared
that the manifestation of her personal love for
him was an adequate evidence of her forgiveness
by him and its acceptance by her. A genuine,
simple, outspoken love for Christ is not the cause
of forgiveness, but it is always an evidence if not
always a demonstration that Christ's forgiving
love has been received and accepted, and always
justifies us in receiving the penitent to our own
hearts.

Ch. 8 : 1-3. CHRIST'S CIRCUIT OF GALILEE. The
MnnSTBT OP WOMEN IN THE CHUBCH.
This summary of Christ's tour of Galilee is pe
culiar to Luke. It embraces, in a graphic out
line, the period, of which some details are given
in the preceding chapters and some in the other
Gospels. 1. Throughout every city and village.
A very thorough missionary tour. Christ neither
dreaded the large places nor despised the small
ones.— Heralding and showing the glad
tidings of the kingdom of God. Asaherald,
proclaiming the kingdom of God at hand; as
an interpreter, explaining it as a kingdom of joy
and gladness to man because of grace from God.
2. And certain women. The addition of

these women made the sight still more strange.
For such admixture of the sexes was in utter vio
lation of the customs of the country. It would
hardly be tolerated there even now. " Promiscu
ous assemblies of men and women are unknown ;
and even1 when a crowd collects to see some sight
or gaze at a show, the sexes are always grouped
in two distinct and separate portions. A man
never walks in the street by the side of his wife
or daughter, but, when he happens to be out in
their company, is sure to keep several paces in
advance of them. * * * In some parts of the
country, and even among the Christians, a
woman may not show herself unveiled before her
father-in-law, and even before her own husband.
She never speaks to the former except through
a third person, and should he ask her a question,
she must whisper, her answer to some one who
will repeat it aloud to him. ' '— ( Van Lennep's Bible
Lands.) To this add, that the Jewish rabbis did
not allow the law to be taught to women ; that
to the present day in the East women are not al
lowed an education ; and that even in England
and America the education of women has been
accomplished only after much and bitter opposi
tion, and the reader will have some conception
how radical was the movement which Christ in
augurated in taking women with him as disci
ples. They did not teach. Whether this was
because it was not Christ's will that women
should ever be public teachers in the church, or
because in that age and condition of society their
teaching would not have been received, and the
attempt would have been idle, is a question to
be determined by other passages of Scripture.
Little can be drawn from the mere negative fact.
Subsequently., women did become recognized re- ¦

Ch. VIII]

LUKE.

53

eth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed ; but set-
teth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may
see the light.
17 For" nothing is secret that shall not be made
manifest ; neither any thingbid that shall not be known
and come abroad.
18 Takem heed therefore how ye hear: forn whoso
ever hath, to him shall be given ; and whosoever hath
not, from him shall be taken even that which he seem-
eth to have.
19 Then ° came to him his mother and his brethren,
and could not come at him for the press.
20 And it was told him by certain, which said, Thy
mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see
thee. 21 And he answered and said unto them, My mother
and my brethren are these which hear the word of
God, and do it.
22 Now > it came to pass on a certain day, that he
went into a ship with his disciples : and he said unto
them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake.
And they launched forth.
23 But as they sailed, he fell asleep : and there came
down a storm of wind on the lake: and they were
tilled with water, and were in jeopardy.
24 And they came to him, and 1 awoke him, saying,
Master, master, we perish f Then he arose, and re

buked the wind and the raging of the water: and they
ceased, and there was a calm.
25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith?
And they, being afraid, wondered, saying one to an
other, What manner of man is this ! tor he command-
eth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
26 And r they arrived at the country of the Gada
renes, which is over against Galilee.
27 And when he went forth to land, there met him
out of the city a certain man, which had devils long
time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house,
but in the tombs.
28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down
before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to
do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high ? I be
seech thee, torment8 me not.
29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to
come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught
him : and he was kept bound with chains and in tet
ters : and he brake the bands, and was driven of the
devil into the wilderness.)
30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name ?
And he said, Legion: because many devils were en
tered into him.
31 And they besought him that he would not com
mand them to go out into the deep.1
32 And there was there an herd of many swine feed-

1 ch. 12 : 2 i Eccles. 12 : 14 j Matt. 10 : 26 : 1 Cor. 4 : 5. . . .m Juiues 1 : 21-26. . . .n oh. 19 : 26 j Mutt. 18:12: 26 : 29. . . .o Mutt. 12 : 46, etc. i
Mark 3 : 32, etc  p Matt. 8 : 23, etc. ; Murk 4: 36, etc.... a P.. 44: 23; Isa. 61:9, 10  r Matt. 8 : 28, etc.; Mark 6:1, ctc....s Isa.
27: 1; James 2 : 19; Rev. 20 : 10  t Rev. 20 : 3.

ligious teachers, though never to any consider
able extent (Acts 18 : 26 ; 21 : 9 ; Phil. 4 : 3).
3. Mary, called Magdalene. — Because of
Magdala. On her life and character see Matt.
27 : 56, note. Of the fact here stated, that seven
devils were cast out of her, nothing else is
known. She is not to be confounded with the
penitent woman referred to in the preceding
chapter. On demoniac possession, see Vol. I, p.
123. — Joanna, the wife of Chuza. Of whom
nothing else is known. It has been surmised
that Chuza was the court lord whose son Jesus
healed, and who believed with all his house (John
4 : 46-54). It is also noted as one of the coinci
dences confirmatory of the truth of the N. T.,
that Herod, the son of one of whose courtiers
was healed by Christ, and whose steward's wife
was a disciple, heard much of Christ, and was
perplexed by what he heard of his wonderful
works (Matt. 14 : i, 2). — Susanna. Not mentioned
elsewhere. 4-15. Paeablb of the Sower.— This parable
was spoken, with others, on the shore of the sea
of Galilee. The whole series constituted one
discourse, and interpreted, by an allegory, the
nature of the kingdom of God. They are re
ported more fully in Matthew (ch. 13), where I
have treated the particulars and noted the varia
tions in expression between Matthew, Mark, and
Luke. See notes there.
16-18. Parable op the Candle.— This is
given in the same connection by Mark (oh. 4 : 21-25).
The same instructions are given by Matthew in
various passages and in different connections.
See Matt. 5 : 15 ; 10 : 26 ; 13 : 12, and notes thereon.
Observe the difference between Mark and Luke

in one important part. Mark says, Take heed
what, Luke, how ye hear. Both are needful
cautions ; yet what we hear depends in part on
how we hear ; i.e., the attention we give to the
word spoken.
19-21. Christ's Mother Attempts to In
terrupt His Teaching!. — That this was her ob
ject appears in Mark 3 : 21. The true chrono
logical order is doubtless given by Matthew. See
Matt. 12 : 46-50, notes.
22-25. Christ Stills the Tempest. — Comp.
Matt. 8 : 23-27, and Mark 4 : 35-41. Mark is the
fullest and most graphic ; he alone gives a defi«
nite note of time. His language shows that it
occurred on the evening following the parable by
the sea-shore. See notes on Mark, where I have
considered the variations in the language of the
Evangelists. 26-39. The Cure op the Gadabene Demo
niac— Matt. 8 : 28-34 ; Mark 5 : 1-21. See notes
there, especially on Matthew, where I have con
sidered briefly the question, what is the nature
of demoniacal possession. Matthew mentions
two demoniacs, Mark and Luke but one. Alford
thinks that there was but one, and that Mat
thew's less circumstantial account is in error in
this. Such a supposition is at least needless.
The more violent may alone have been men
tioned, or there may have been but one who ex
pressed, after his cure, a desire to follow Jesus
(ver. 38), and therefore Mark and Luke may have
mentioned only him. Matthew, who refers to
two demoniacs, says nothing of this request.
30. Many devils were entered into him. ,
Luke's language is more explicit thau that of
Matthew or Mark. I believe it is to be taken as

54

LUKE:

[Oh. IX.

toe on the mountain: and they besought him that he
would suffer them to enter into them : and he suffered
13 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered
into the swirie : and the herd ran violently down a
steep place into the lake, and were choked.
34 When they that fed them saw what was done,
they fled," and went and told it in the city and in the
35 Then they went out to see what was done ; and
came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the
devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus,
clothed, and in his right' mind: and they were afraid.
36 They also which saw it told them by what means
he that was possessed of the devils was healed.
37 Then the whole multitude of the country of the
Gadarenes round about besought him" to depart from
them ; for they were taken with great fear : and he
went up into the ship, and retumedback again.
38 Now the man out of whom the devils were de-
Jarted, besought him that he might be with » him : but
esus sent him away, saying,
30 Return to thine own house,! and shew how great
things2 God hath done unto thee. And he went his
way, and published throughout the whole city how
great things Jesus had done unto him.
40 And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was return
ed, the people gladly received him : for they were all
waiting for him. .
41 And, behold, there tt came a man named Jairus,
and he was a ruler of the synagogue ; and he fell down
at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come
into his house :
42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years
of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went, the peo
ple thronged him.
43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve
.years, which had spent" all her living upon physi
cians,0 neither could be healed of any,
44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his
garment: andd immediately her issue of blood
stanched. 45 And Jesus said, Who touched me ? When all de
nied, Peter, a*d they that were with him, said, Master,
the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest
thou, Who touched me ?
46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me : for
I perceive that virtue e is gone out of me.
47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid,f

she came tremblings and falling down before him, she
declared unto him, before all the people, for what
cause she had touched him, and how she was healed
immediately. 48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good com
fort : thy faith hath made thee whole : go in peace.
49 While * he yet spake, there cometh one from the
ruler1 of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy
daughter is dead : trouble not the Master.
50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, say
ing, Fear not : J believe only, and she shall be made
whole. 51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no
man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and
the father and the mother of the maiden.
52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said,
Weep not ; she is not dead, but sleepeth.k
53 And they laughed him to scorn,1 knowing that
she was dead.
54 And he put them all out, and took her by the
hand, and called, saying, Maid,™ arise.
55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straight
way : and he commanded to give her meat.
56 And her parents were astonished ; but he charg
ed0 them that they should tell no man what was done.
CHAPTER IX;
THEN he ° called his twelve disciples together, and
gave them power and authority over all devils,
and to cure diseases.
2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God,
and to heal the sick.
3 And he said unto them, Take p nothing for your
journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, nei
ther money ; neither have two coats apiece.
4 And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide,
and thence depart.
5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go
out of that city, shake 1 off the very dust from your
feet, for a testimony against them.
6 And they departed, and went through the towns,
preaching the gospel, and healing every where.
7 Now Herod r the tetrarch heard of all that was
done by him : and he was perplexed, because that it
was said of some, that John was risen from the dead ;
8 And of some, that Elias had appeared ; and of
others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.
9 And Herod said, John have I beheaded : but who

o Acta 19 : 16, 17.... v Pa. 61 : 10.... w Acta 16 : 39  x Deut. 10 : 20,21; Pa. 116 : 12, 16  y 1 Tim. 6 : 8. ...z Pa. 126 : 2, 3.... a Matt. 9:18,
etc.; Murk 6 : '12, etc... b 2 Chron. 16: 12: Ian. 55 : 2....C Job 13 :4....d ch. 13 : 18 ; Matt. 8:3: 20 : 34  e ch. 6 : 19 ; 1 Pet 2:9 
f Pa. 38:9; Husen 6 : 3....g'Isfl. 66: 2; Hoaea 13 : 1 ; Acta 16:29....h Matt. 9 ; 23, etc.; Mark 5 : 35, etc  i vera. 41, 42... j John
11 :25; Rom. 4 : 7....k John 11 : 11, 13.... 1 ch. 16 : 14 ; Pa. 22 : 7  m ch. 7 : 14; John 11 : 43  n Matt. 8:4; 9 : 30 ; Mark 5:48 
0 Matt. 10 : 1, He. ; Mark 3 ¦ 13, etc. ; 6 : 7, etc  p chaps. 10 : 4 etc. ; 12: 22....0, Neh. 6 : 13; Acta 13 : 51 ; 18:6  r Matt. 14 : 1, etc. ;
Mark 6 : 14, etc.

literally true, i. e., the demoniac was not under
the mastery of one evil spirit, but under the
anarchic control of several.
31. That he would not command them
to go into the deep. Parallel to Luke's lan
guage is the expression in Mark, "That he
would not send them out of the country " (Mark
e : 10). The word here rendered deep, more prop
erly abyss, does not signify the sea, but the
abode of the lost. It means literally without
bottom, and is generally rendered "bottomless"
(Rev. 9 ; 1,2, 11; 11 : 7; 17:8; 20:1, 3). It OCCUrS in the
N. T. only here, in the passages quoted from Rev
elation and in Romans 10 : 7 ; in the latter passage
it signifies simply the place of departed spirits.
38, 39. Now the man * * * besought, etc.
The request of the man and Christ's reply are
narrated by Mark, but not by Matthew. They
are very significant. When Christ is rejected by

the Gadarenes, his compassion fails not, and he
will not leave himself without a witness. Though
he never returns to the land of the Gadarenes,
he leaves a preacher there. So rejected, outcast,
crucified, he bids every one from whom he has
cast out sin to remain upon the earth and tell
how great things God has done for him. And
this is the secret of all power in Gospel preach- '
ing, which is potent only as it is made so by a
conscious personal experience.
40-56. Cure op the Woman with an Issue
of Blood. Raising of Jairus's Daughter. —
Comp. accounts in Matt. 9 : 18-26 and Mark
5 : 22-13. For full treatment see notes in Mark,
where I have also noted the few additional de
tails given here. The time of the events is fixed
by Matthew as immediately following the feast
in Matthew's house, but when that was given is
not certain.

Ch. IX.]

LUKE.

55

is this, of whom I hear such things ? And he B desired
to see him. /
10 And the apostles, when they were returned, told
him all that they had done. And he took them, and
went aside privately into a desert place, belonging to
the city called Bethsaida.
ii And the people, when they knew1 *7, followed
him : and he received11 them, and spake unto them of
the kingdom v of God, and healed them that had needw
of healing.
12 And* when the day began to wear away, then
came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multi
tude away, that they may go into the towns and coun
try round about, and lodge, and get victuals : for we
are here in a desert r place.
13 But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And
they said, We have no more but five loaves and two
fishes ; except we should go and buy meat for all this
people. 14 For they were about five thousand men. And he
said to his disciples, Make2 them sit down by fifties
in a company.
15 And they did so, and made them all sit down.
16 Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes ;
and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake,
and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.
17 And they did eat, and were all ft filled: and there
was taken up of fragments "that remained to them,
twelve baskets.
18 And it b came to pass, as he was alone praying,
his disciples were with him : and he asked them, say
ing, Whom say the people that I am ?

19 They answering, said, John" the Baptist; but
some say, Elias ; and others say, that one of the old
prophets is risen again.
20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am ?
Peter.d answering, said. The Christ of God.
21 And he straitly charged them, and commanded
them to tell no man that thing ;
22 Saying, The Son ° of man must suffer many
things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests
and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.
23 And he said to them all. If any man will come
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross
daily, and follow me.
24 For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it : but
whosoever will lose his Me for my sake, the same
shall save it.
25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the
whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away ?
26 For whosoever e shall be ashamed of me and of
in y words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed,
when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Fa
ther's, and of the holy angels.
27 But I h tell you of a truth, there be some standing
here, which shall not taste1 of death, till they see the
kingdom of God.
28 And-1 it came to pass, about an eight days after
these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and
went up into a mountain to pray.
2g And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance
was altered, and his raiment -was white and glistering.
go And, behold, there talked with him two men,"
ich were Moses and Elias :

ch

23 : 8. .

..tRom.

10:

14, 17.... u

John 6

:37

...v Acta 28 : 31...

w chapa. 1

53

6

31 ; Heb. 4
a Pa. 107 : 9

16

. . .1 Matt. 14

16, etc.

; Mark 6 ; 36, etc. :

John 6 : 6

etc  5

H»

78 : 19, 20

; Ezek.

34:

26 ; Hoaea 13:6...

z 1 Cor. 14

:4(1

b TVlr.fr.

16:13, etc. ; Mark i

: 27, etc 

c

vera. 7,

i; Matt.

14:

2....J John 6: 69

i Matt. 16 : 21 ; 17

22.... f ch.

14

»7

; Matt. 10 :

38;

16 : 24 ;

Mark 8 : 34 ;

Rom.

8.13; Col.

89

5....g2, etc.

Matt. 10

:33

; Mark 8:

38; 2 Tim

2 : 12. ...h Matt. 16 : 28; Mark 9 :

1.

. .1 John 8

62

Heb. 2

:9...

.j Matt

17:1

etc.; Mark

Ch. 9 : 1-6. The Commission of the
Twelve.— Comp. Matt. 10 : 1-13; Mark 6 : 7--13.
The account in Matthew is much the fullest ; see
notes there. Comp. with ver. 6 here Matt.
11 : 1, and observe that Christ went preaching
through the cities, while the disciples carried on
their mission at this time only in the villages,
i. e., unwalled towns.
7-9. Death of John the Baptist. — Comp.
Matt. 14 : 1-13, and Mark 6 : 14-29, who give a
full account of John's death and the circum
stances that led to it. See notes there.
10-17. Feeding the Five Thousand. —
Comp. Matt. 14 : 13-37 ; Mark 6 : 30-44 ; John
6 : 1-21, notes. There is a difficulty in recon
ciling ver. 10 here with Mark 6 : 45. Luke re
ports Christ as going toward Bethsaida when de
parting from the west to the east shore ; Mark
reports Christ as going toward Bethsaida when
departing, after the feeding, from the east to the
west shore. Hence two Bethsaidas have been
imagined, solely to satisfy the conditions of the
Evangelists' narrative ; for there is no geograph
ical evidence of more than one. For the true ex
planation of this difficulty see Mark 6 : 45, note.
The difficulty was early felt, and has probably
led to the variety of manuscript readings here,
some manuscripts reading, To a city called Beth
saida, some, To a desert place belonging to the city
called Bethsaida, some simply, To a desert place.
If the explanation which I have given in Mark be
correct, these variations are immaterial, the fact

being that the feeding took place on a grassy
plain, near to and east of Bethsaida Julias.
18-21. Peter's Confession.— Matt.16 : 13-20;
Mark 8 : 27-30. Matthew fixes both the time and
the locality ; the time, during Christ's retire
ment with his disciples at the close of his public
Galilean ministry ; the locality, near Caesarea
Philippi. The statement of ver. 18 here, that he
was alone, praying with his disciples, is peculiar
to Luke. Matthew alone gives the promise to
Peter (Matt. 16 : 17-19). See notes on Matthew.
22-27. First Announcement of our Lord's
Passion and Resurrection. — Matt. 16 : 21-28 ;
Mark 8 : 31 ; ch. 9 : 1. All three Evangelists place
this prophecy immediately after the disciples'
confession of Christ as the Messiah, and immedi
ately preceding the Transfiguration. The report
is fuller both in Mark and Matthew than here.
The greater, part of this address was delivered to,
or at least in the presence of, other people. This
is evident from the language of ver. 23 here, " to
them all," and the language of Mark (s : 34), " and
when he had called the people," a concurrent tes
timony to the publicity of the latter part of this
address. With ver. 25 here comp. Matt. 16 : 26
and Mark 8 : 36. The phrase here, "and lose
himself or be castaway," interprets the language
in Matthew and Mark, "lose his own soul." On
the whole passage see notes on Matthew.
28-36. The Transfiguration. — Compare
Matt. 17 : 1-9 and Mark 9 : 1-8. I have treated
the subject fully in Matthew. Luke gives some

56

LUKE.

[Ch. IX.

31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease
which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
32 But Peter and they that were with him were
heavy k with sleep : and when they were awake, they
saw his glory,1 and the two men that stood with aim.
33 Ana it came to pass, as they departed from him,
Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is m good for us to be
here : and let us make three tabernacles ; one for thee,
and one for Moses, and one for Elias : not knowing n
what he said.
34 While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and
overshadowed them : and they feared as they entered
into the cloud.
35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying,
This0 is my beloved Son : hearD him.
36 And when the voice was past, Jesus was found
alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in
those days'1 any of those things which they had seen.
37 And itr came to pass, that on the next day, when
they were come down from the hill, much people met
him. 38 And, behold, a man of the company cried out,

saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son ; for
he is mine B only child.
39 And lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth
out ; and it teareth bim that he foameth again ; and,
bruising him, hardly departeth from him.
40 And I besought thy disciples to cast him out ; and
they could not.1
41 And Jesus answering, said, O faithless « and per
verse v generation ! how long shall I be with you, and
suffer you ? Bring thy son hither.
42 And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him
down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked w the un
clean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him
again to his father.
43 And they were all amazed x at the mighty power
of God. But while they wondered every one at all
things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,
44 Let these sayings sink down into your ears : for t
the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of
men.1 45 But ¦ they understood not this saying, and it was
hid from them, that they perceived it not : and they
feared to ask him of that saying. *

k Dan. S: 18; 10:9  I John 1 : 14. . . .m Pb. 27 : 4 : 73 : 28. . . .» Mark 10 : 38. . . .0 Mntl. 3 : 17 : 2 Pet. 1 : 17, 18. . . .p Deut. 18 : 16 ; Acta
3:22....q Eccloa. 3:7....r Hatl. 17:14, etc.; Mark 9: 17, e(c....» Zech. 12: 10.... t Ada 19 : 13-16. ...u John 20:27j Heb. 4:2....
v Deut. .!.' : 5; Pa. 78: 8.... w Mark 1 : 27  x Ps. 139: 14; Zech. 8:6  y Mail. 17 : 22  z 2 Sam. 24: 14  a chapa. 2:60: 18:34;
Mark 9 : 32.

additional particulars not given by either of
the other writers. He tells us the object of
going up into the mountain, "to pray;" that
the transfiguration of our Lord took place
" as he prayed ; " the nature of the transfig
uration, " the fashion of his countenance was al
tered and his raiment was white and glistening ; "
the theme of conversation between Christ and
the two spiritual companions, " they spake of his
decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusa
lem ; " that the vision was seen by the Apostles
"when they were awake ; " that Peter spoke as
Moses and Elias "departed from him," and by
implication to restrain their departure ; that he
spake " not knowing what he said ; " and that the
apostles obeyed the command of Christ, which
Matthew alone reports, and "told no man in those
days any of those things which they had seen."
29. White and glistering. That is, flash
ing. The idea conveyed, is of an appearance like
burnished metal flashing in the sun. Comp.
Ezek. 1 : 4, 7 ; Nahum 3:3.
31. Spake of his decease. More literally,
"of his departure " (Greek IJodos).
32. But Peter and they that were with
him had been heavy with sleep, but hav
ing kept fully awake they saw his glory.
Our English version implies that they fell asleep
and were wakened to see his glory, while the
original implies that though heavy with sleep
they kept fully awake. "The word (keep
awake (Stayoijyooeoj) appears to be used expressly
here to show that it was not merely a vision
seen in sleep." — (Alford.)
34. And they, the disciples, feared as the
others, Christ, Moses, and Elijah, entered
into the cloud. The original does not imply
that the disciples entered into the cloud. On the

contrary, in the Received Text, it distinguishes
between them and the others who did enter.
There is some doubt as to the reading, but the
whole course of the narrative here and in the
other Evangelists indicates that the cloud re
ceived the three out of the sight of the disciples.
35. Beloved son. The best reading here is,
My son the elect or chosen.
36. And they kept it close * * * in those
days. Presumptively until after Christ's resur
rection, in accordance with his command. Matt.
17:9. 37-42. Healing of the Lunatic Box. —
Matt. 17 : 14-21 ; Mark 9 : 14-2,9. The descrip
tion is much the fullest and most graphic in
Mark. See notes there. Matthew calls this boy
a lunatic ; the symptoms as described here and
in Mark are those of epilepsy. — The next day.
The transfiguration was probably at night. The
scene here described took place on the following
morning.— Mine only child. Luke alone so
describes him.— Crieth out. Peculiar to Luke.
An inarticulate cry is intended ; for the boy was
both deaf and dumb (Mark 9 : 26). — Perverse
generation. Rather, perverted race. The lan
guage is that of pity, not of indignation. Se&
note on Mark 9 : 19.
Ch. 9 : 43-45. PROPHECY OF OUR LORD'S PASSION.
The mystery op prophecy.
Comp. Matt. 17 : 22, 23 ; Mark 9 : 30-32 ; and
notes on Mark. This prophecy was uttered during
Christ's retirement, after the close of his public
ministry in Galilee, and before the commence
ment of his principal public ministry in Judea.
Mark 9 : 30. See note on Matt. 15 : 29-39.
43. But while all were wondering. As
before he gave an intimation of his passion im-

Ch. IX.]

LUKE.

57

46 Then b there arose a reasoning among them, which
of them should be greatest
47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart,
took a child, and set him by him,
48 And said unto them, Whosoever0 shall receive
this child in my name, receiveth me ; and whosoever
shall receive me, receiveth him that sent me : for d he
that is least among you all, the same shall be great.
49 And John answered and said, Master, we ° saw
one casting out devils in thy name ; and we forbad
him, because he followeth not with us.

50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not : forf he
that is not against us, is tor us.
51 And it came to pass, when the time was come
that he should be received « up, he stedfastly set his
face to go to Jerusalem,
52 And sent messengers before his face : and they
went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans,11 to
make ready for him.
S3 And they did not receive him, because his face
was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
54 And when his disciples James and John saw Uhs,

b Matt. 18 : 1, etc. ; Mark 9 : 34, etc.... 0 Matt. 10 : 40; Jobn 12:44; IS : 20.. ..d ch. 14 :
f ci. 16 : 13 ; Matt. 12 : 30. . . .g Mark 16 : 19 J Acta 1:2..

11; Matt. 28:
. .h John 4 : 4.

11, 12....0 Numb. 11:27-29.

mediately after the apostles' confession of faith
in his Messiahship, so now after the expression
of their wonder at his miraculous power. Thus
he adapts the trial of their faith to its strength.
44. Matthew and Mark both add a prophecy
of the resurrection.
45. It was hid from them in order that
(ifoa) they should not perceive it. "It was
the divine purpose that they should not at pres
ent be aware of the full significance of these
words." — (Alford.) And this is implied not only
in the original, which our English version imper
fectly renders, but also in the direction, "Let
these sayings sink down into your ears." They
were to treasure them up for future reflection
aud comprehension, that when the death of our
Lord came, they might not be overwhelmed, and
when the resurrection took place, they might be
prepared to believe it. In this verse we have a
hint of the office of prophecy, viz., not to make
clear future events, but to give a ground of faith
in the divine word, after the fulfillment has
taken place (John 2 : 22 ; 12 : 16 ; 13 : 19 ; 14 : 29). So
still the full meaning of the prophecy of Christ's
second coming is, it seems to me, purposely hid
den from his church. — They feared. See Mark
9 : 32, note.
46-50. DlSCOUBSE CONCERNING GEEATNESS
in the Kingdom op God. — Of this discourse
much the fullest report is given by Matthew,
chap. 18. Mark's briefer account contains some
particulars not given by Matthew (Mark 9 : 33-50).
See notes on Matthew and Mark. On the varia
tions in the three accounts and their reconcilia
tion, see Prel. Note in Matthew. The discussion
took place openly among the disciples, on the
road, and was stopped by the presence of Christ
(Mark 9 : 32), but the strife and debate remained in
their hearts (Luke 9 : 47). The question of John,
and our Lord's reply (vera. 49, eo), is not reported
by Matthew, but is by Mark ; see notes there.
Ch. 9 : 51-56. CHRIST REFUSED HOSPITALITY BT THE
SAMARITANS. Relioious wrath and persecution
prohibited. — The spirit op Christianity one op
long-suffebinq. The time of this incident is entirely uncertain,
except as it is fixed by ver. 51. It is not narrated

by either of the other Evangelists. It occurred
after the close of Christ's Galilean ministry, not on
the journey to the feast of Tabernacles, as indi
cated in the Harmony (vol. 1, 45), for he then went
up to Jerusalem, "not openly, but, as it were, in
secret (John 7 : 10) ; " hardly on the journey to the
feast of Dedication (John 10 : 22, etc.), as suggested
by Alford, for there is nothing to indicate that
between these two feasts Jesus left Judea ; he
certainly did not go back to Galilee, and we have
no hint of any Samaritan ministry. The chronol
ogy of all the weeks between the feast of Dedi
cation (John 10 : 22-39) and the resurrection of Laz
arus (join, ci. 11), including most of the events and
instructions in Luke, chaps. 10-18, is involved
in great uncertainty. See next chap., Prel. Note.
This incident probably occurred at some point
during this time, perhaps on Christ's way, at the
close of his Perean ministry, to the resurrection
of Lazarus, and probably at about the same gen
eral period as the incident in Mark 10 : 32-34.
51, 52. And it came to pass when the
time was coming. Not come, i. e., fully come,
but approaching. — His face was steadfastly
set. In full knowledge of all that he was to
suffer. His steadfastness itself indicated the
conflict within, over which he triumphed in thus
going to Jerusalem. Compare the description in
Mark 10 : 32.— And sent messengers before
his face. It seems to me far more natural to
understand by this, messengers to prepare a place
for him and his disciples, than, with Alford, to
suppose that they were directed "to announce
the coming of Jesus as the Messiah."* This he
seems never to have announced, either directly
or through others, in any public ministry, while
he lived. His announcement to the Samaritan
woman (johu 4 : 26), is no exception, for that was in
a private conversation. But probably he chose to
be dependent, as his disciples were, on the hospi
tality of the people (Mott. 10 : 9-14) ; this would
therefore involve his recognition by the people
as an honored religious leader, if nothing more.
53, 54. And they did not receive him.
The bitter hostility between Jews and Samari
tans receives several illustrations in the N. T.
See especially John, ch. 4, notes, and Luke
10 : 25-37, notes. The refusal to receive Christ

58

LUKE.

[Ch. IX.

they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to
come down from heaven, and consume them, even as
Elias1 did? rr
55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye
know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
56 For ' the Son of man is not come to destroy men s

lives, but to save them. And they went to another
village. 57 And* it came to pass, that, as they went in the
way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow
thee whithersoever thou goest.
58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and

1 2 Kings 1 : 10, 12.... j John 8 : 17; 12 :47....k Matt. 8 : 19, etc

was a distinct refusal to recognize him as a pro
phet, or a leader worthy of reverence; it was
also a recognized indignity in the East, where
hospitality is a recognized duty, and where the
traveler is habitually welcomed as a guest, un
less some distinct cause exists for refusing to
receive him. The act is interpreted by 2 John,
verB. 9 and 10 ; it was an emphatic repudiation of
him as a heretic, a teacher of falsehood. — Wilt
thou that we command fire to come down
from heaven and consume them ? There is
some doubt whether the added words, As Elias
did, is not a gloss added by a copyist, in explana
tion of the proposition. There is no doubt, how
ever, that there was a reference in the disciples'
minds, to 2 Kings 1 : 9-12. Their proposal indi
cates their spirit ; they were full of zeal for their
Master ; believed that he was on his way to Jeru
salem to enter into his kingdom, remembered
the glory in which they had seen him with Moses
and Elijah, on the Mount of Transfiguration, and
were impatient for the disclosure of his power
and authority. It was the same spirit which led
Peter to rebuke the Lord for prophesying his
passion, and to draw his sword to resist the ar
rest. It is still the same spirit which seeks to
accomplish the triumphs of the Redeemer's king
dom, not by long-suffering, patience, and love,
but by the exercise of authority and power.
55, 56. There is some doubt about the true
reading of these verses. The phrase, " The Son
of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save
them," is thought by many scholars to have been
interpolated, being a customary saying of our
Lord's (Matt is : n ; Lake 19 : lo).' Tischendorf also
omits the other portion of the rebuke, " Ye know
not what manner of spirit ye are of," thus leaving
the narrative simply, "He turned and rebuked
them, and they went to another village." But in
the uncertainty of the MSS., the internal evi
dence may be accepted as decisive ; and that is in
favor of the ordinary reading. " The words have
such a weight of authority against them, that
they would be worthy of rejection if it were ex
plicable how they came into the text. How
easily, on the other hand, out of regard to
Elijah, could an intentional omission take place.
Moreover, the brief, simple, and pregnant word
of rebuke is so unlike a copyist's interpolation,
and as worthy of Jesus himself, as it is, on the
other hand, hard to conceive that Luke, on an
occasion so unique, limited himself to the bare,

He rebuked them." — (Meyer.) There is also
some question as to the translation of the first
part of the rebuke. It may be rendered inter
rogatively, " Know ye not what spirit ye are of? "
i. e., what is the spirit of Christianity, the
spirit of meekness and love ; or it may be ren
dered positively, but with the same significa
tion, " Ye know not what spirit ye are of," i. e.,
Te know not, do not comprehend, the true
spirit of Christianity ; or, more severely, " Ye
know not your own spirit, a spirit alien from
mine." This, I doubt not, is the true interpreta
tion, but the others are grammatically possible,
and they have defenders. — And they went to
another village. In accordance with the in
structions which Christ had himself given to the
twelve (Matt. 10 : 23).
This incident illustrates the Christian method
of meeting insult and indignity — not by penalty
but by patience, and, when possible, by avoid
ance. But it illustrates much more. The anger
of the disciples was not aroused by a personal
affront, but by one offered to their Lord ; it was
excited, not by self-conceit or pride, but by love
and zeal for Christ. Zeal for him, when uniting
with the lower passions, produces not piety but
fanaticism ; Buch zeal, so uniting, is not a Chris
tian spirit ; it may even result in a devilish
spirit. Christ condemns, impliedly, all attempts
to coerce respect for him, or to punish the want
of it ; and so, not only all religious persecution,
but also all that wrath and bitterness, which is
so unhappily common in religious controversies.
The office of Christianity is wholly remedial, not
unitive ; its instruments are the forbearance
and long-suffering of love, not judgment and
penalty ; light and warmth, not Are from heaven.
We are to be patient, not merely with wrong per
sonal to ourselves, but with the spirit of irre-
ligion and infidelity, and with affronts offered to
our Lord. We are not to hate even the enemies
of Christ.
Ch. 9: 57-62. FOLLOWING CHRIST. Three persons
ALMOST PERSUADED TO RE CHRISTIANS! THE SELF-
CONFIDENT AND IMPETUOUS DISCIPLE ; THE PROCRAS
TINATING DISCIPLE ; THE IRRESOLUTE DISCIPLE.— THE
FIRST MUST COUNT THE COST ; THE SECOND MUST SUN
DER THE MOST SACRED TIES ; THE THIRD MUST FOR
GET THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE BEHIND.— DUTIES TO
THE LIVING AND DUTIES TO THE DEAD.— DANGERS OF
even looking eack (see note below).
This incident probably occurred immediately

Ch. IX.]

LUKE.

59

birds of the air have nests ; but the Son of man hath
not where to lay his head.
59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he
said, Lord, suffer ' me first to go and bury my father.
60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their
dead ; but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

61 And another also said. Lord, I will follow thee ;
but let me first go bid them farewell which are at home
at my house.
62 And Jesus said unto him. No man, having put
his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit lor the
kingdom of God.

1 1 Kings 19 : 20.

after Christ's preaching of the parables concern
ing the kingdom of God (Matt., ch. 13). He desired
to escape from the throng, and bade his own disci
ples, i. e., the twelve, to depart with him by boat
to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Comp.
notes on Matt. 8 : 18-22, and see Mark 4 : 35,
with Matt. 8 : 18.
57. A certain man. A scribe (Matt. 8: 19, 21),
and a disciple in the sense in which all were
termed disciples who were learners of Jesus
without having fully committed themselves to
his cause. To understand his spirit we must
consider both the circumstances and Christ's re
sponse ; for here, as elsewhere, the heart of the
speaker is to be read, not so much from his own
words, which were perhaps contrived to hide
his real feelings, as from the reply of Christ, who
discerned the intents of the heart. Christ had
just been proclaiming the nature of the kingdom
which he had come to establish (Matt., ch. 13). He
now wishes to separate himself from the throng,
and seek retirement. This scribe demands to in
trude himself on Christ's hours of seclusion, and
bases this demand on a promise to follow him
wherever he goes. Christ does not refuse his de
mand, but tests the value of his offer. " ' What ! '
saith he, ' dost thou look to gather wealth by fol
lowing me ? Seest thou not then that I have not
even a lodging, not even so much as the birds
have.' " — (Chrysostom.) In a similar manner he
tries the rich young man (Matt. 19 : 21) In neither
case does he invent a peculiar and a hard condi
tion ; he simply requires that those who join his
band shall share their poverty. The twelve have
left all to follow him (Matt. 4 : 20, 22 ; 9 : 19 ; 19 : 27).
58. Son of man. A phrase borrowed from
the prophecy of Daniel, and indicating the Mes
siah. See Matt. 10 : 23, note. — Hath not
where to lay his head. That is, no perma
nent home. He was frequently the guest of dis
ciples. Frequently he spent the night in the
open air; no real hardship in Orient as in our
climate. "Night by night Jesus received from
the hand of his Father a resting-place, which he
knew not in the morning." — (Godet.)
59,60. Another. Also a disciple (Matt. 8 : 21).
An ancient tradition says it was Philip ; Alford
suggests that the command "follow me," was
occasioned by some slackness or symptoms of
decadence on the part of the disciple. It ap
pears more probable that he was a disciple only
in a general sense of being a recipient of Christ's

teachings, not one of the twelve. — Bury my
father. "As it was the practice to bury on the
day of death, it is not very likely that this dis
ciple would have been here at all if his father had
just breathed his last. * * * No doubt it was
the common case of a son, having a frail and
aged father not likely to live long, whose head he
thinks it his duty to see under the ground ere he
goes abroad." — (Dr. Brown.) — Let the dead
bury their dead. That is, Let those that
abide in the world attend to the duties and
fulfill the obligations which are supposed to be
long to that state. Eor you there is no turning ;
a higher duty calls you to preach the Gospel.
During the midst of the battle the soldier cannot
leave ranks to bury the dead or even to succor the
dying. A seeming indifference to them is then
his duty. It does not follow that we are to
neglect what are called secular duties for those
that are termed religious. Nevertheless, life
presents many occasions in which duty to the
living is supreme over respect to the dead ; in
which duty to Christ requires that we should
forego works which otherwise would be sacred
duties. Compare for parallel teaching, Matt.
10 : 37 ; for illustrative example, Mark 3 : 32-35.
61, 62. Compare Gen. 19 : 26, and 1 Kings
19 : 20, 21, where Elijah's language is satirical,
and where Elisha, by his acts, though not in
words, withdraws his request, leaves his cattle
and his labors, and slaying two of the oxen for a
feast in honor of Elijah, follows him without re
turning to his home. — No man having put his
hand to the plough and looking back.
The figure is one the agriculturist will readily
appreciate. The ploughman must keep his eye
on the furrow to be made, and the Christian on
the life-duties to which he is called. Looking back
spoils the furrow (comp. phi. 3 : 13). Dr. Brown says
that when Hindoos are converted and are about
to be baptized, their parents often plead with
them to pay them one more parting visit before
taking a step that will cut them off from home
altogether ; and that those who yield to these
parental entreaties to go home for a visit never
return, or do so only after a season, in which
they abandon Christianity and conform to the
heathen religion again. This fact is the best
possible commentary on and explanation of a
passage which has seemed to some a hard re
quirement on Christ's part.
Dr. Brown's note on this entire passage

60

(though he bases it on Matt. 8 : 18-82) is ad
mirable. The first disciple is the self-sufficient,
and hence the rash and precipitate disciple. Like
the Galatians, he begins with an excess of zeal ;
like Peter he will follow Christ everywhere (Gal.
4 : 14, 16 ; 5:7; Matt. 26 : 33, 70-74). Such need tO be
bidden to count the cost. The second is the
procrastinating or entangled disciple. He will
follow Christ, but — ; the answer is, No duty, how
ever sacred or solemn, is an excuse for putting
off the claims of Christ to our full and unre
served service. The third is, the irresolute or
wavering disciple. He halts between two opin
ions. To him the word of Christ is, Now is the
accepted time. (Comp. Luke 14 : 18-20 and
Matt. 13 : 20-22.) 
Ch. 10 ; 1-24. COMMISSION OF THE SEVENTY. The
WORK OF THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY ILLUSTRATED. See
on Matt., ch. 10.
Preliminary Note. — The chronaiogy 'of the
events recorded in Luke 10 : 1 to 18 : 34, is very
uncertain ; the locality is also uncertain. With
out entering into the unprofitable discussions of
the harmonists, I give briefly what appears to
me to be unquestionably the best opinion.
Christ's Galilean ministry, was brought to an
end by his rejection of the crown proffered to
him by the people (John 6 : is), and was followed
by a brief period of retirement with his disciples,
devoted to their instruction in the things con
cerning the kingdom of Christ (Matt. 16 : 21 to ch. is).
He then went up to Jerusalem to the feast of the
Tabernacles, and in and about Jerusalem he
spent about three months, from the feast of the
Tabernacles to that of the Dedication. Of this
Judean ministry, John alone gives any account
(John, chaps. 7-10). Driven out of Jerusalem a
second time by a mob, he departed into the dis
trict beyond Jordan, and taught there. Of this
fact we have an intimation in Matt. 19 : 1 and
Mark 10 : 1, but they give no full account of this
era in his ministry. The incidents and teachings
here recorded by Luke probably belong to this
period. Thisis indeed only an hypothesis ; butit
is a more probable one than the supposition that
after he had once gone over the cities and villages
of. Galilee, he returned to a second ministry there.
It is borne out by a comparison of the character
of the ministry with that of the land and of the
people. Perea, bo called from the Greek word
(7ttqa) pera, beyond, is a wild and romantic re
gion, now but little visited by travelers to the
Holy Land, who practically regard the Jordan as
its eastern boundary. Even such writers as
Stanley, Eobinson, and Eitter, give but little in
formation concerning it. To it belongs the
Bashan and the Gilead of the O. T. It was in
Christ's time a populous and prosperous district.
The flourishing cities gave to its southern por-

LUKE. [Oh. X.
tion the name of Decapolis. Along the river Jor
dan the ruins of one hundred and twenty-seven
villages have been counted. Its hill-sides were
famous forpasturage, and its cattle for their size
and fatness. Its population was not homoge
neous. It formed a part of the Holy Land ; and
it was apart of Christ's mission to offer the Gos
pel to the entire Jewish people before turning
from them to the Gentiles. But in Perea, the
Israelites were intermixed with a Gentile popu
lation; the cities of Decapolis were Soman
cities; the sheep of Israel, in this heathen so
ciety, were wandering sheep — to the haughty
Judean, lost sheep. To this era of Christ's min
istry naturally belong, therefore, the marvelous
trio of parables — the lost sheep, the lost coin, the
lost son ; it is here that, in the parable of the
good Samaritan, he rebukes pride of caste and
race ; and in the parables of the rich fool and
of Dives and Lazarus, the pride of wealth. This
Perean ministry extended, as I suppose, from the
feast of the Dedication, in December, A. D. 29, to
the time of Christ's going up for the last time to
Jerusalem, March, A. d. 30, though in this time
is included the resurrection of Lazarus and the
brief subsequent retirement to Ephraim. The
order of events is very uncertain. Tor a probable
order, see Tabular Harmony, Vol. I, p. 45. Of
this ministry, Matthew and Mark give a brief
account (Matt. 19 ; 1 to 20 : 16 ; Mark 10 : l-3l). Some few
of the incidents and instructions recorded by
Luke as in this era, seem, from tbe parallel ac
counts in Matthew and Mark, to belong to the
Galilean ministry ; of course they may have been
repetitions. See for examples, Luke 13 : 18-21 ;
11 : 14-26 ; 17 : 1, 2.
To this period probably belongs the commis
sion of the seventy. Their mission is much like
that of the twelve (Matt., ch. 10) ; the difference is
just such as the difference in circumstances
would require. The seventy were to go two by
two ; they were endowed with the same super
natural powers ; they were to depend wholly on
the hospitality of the people ; they were to
preach the same gospel, " The kingdom of hea
ven is at hand." But they were seventy instead
of twelve, for the territory was larger and the
time shorter ; they were not forbidden from en
tering into any Gentile city, for in Perea Gentile
and Jew were associated together in the same
cities; their ministry was not confined to the
unwalled towns ; no instructions respecting per
secution were given them, for the era of bitter
persecution did not come till after the death of
Christ, and their appointment was purely local
and temporary, while that of the twelve was for
lifelong service in the church. In the main,
however, the instructions given to the seventy
were similar to those given to the twelve, though
not covering as much ground. For the practi-

Ch. X.]

LUKE.

61

CHAPTER X.

AFTER"1 these things the Lord appointed other
seventy also, and sent them two and two before
his face into every city and place, whither he himself
would come.
2 Therefore said he unto them," The harvest truly is
great, but the ° labourers are few : pray ye therefore
the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth la
bourers into his harvest.
3 Go your ways ; behold, I send you forth as lambs
among wolves.
4 Carry p neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: andq
salute no man by the way.
5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say,
Peace be to this house.
6 And if the son r of peace be there, your peace shall
rest ¦ upon it : if not, it shall turn to you again.

7 And in the same house remain, eating and drink
ing such things as they give : for 'the labourer is wor-
thy of his hire. Go not from house u to house.
8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they re
ceive you, eat v such things as are set before you :
9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto
them, The w kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
io But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they re
ceive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the
same, and say,
ii Even* the very dust of your city, which cleaveth
on us, we do wipe off against you : notwithstanding,
be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come
nigh unto you.
12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolera
ble in that day for Sodom, than for that city.
13 Woe r unto thee, Chorazin ! woe unto thee, Beth
saida I for' if the mighty works had been done in Tyre

m Matt. 10 : 1, etc.; Mark 6 : 7, etc  n Matt. 9 : 37; John 4 : 35  o 1 Cor. 3:9:1 Tim. 6 : 17  p ch. 9 : 3, etc  q Gen. 24: 33, 66;
2Kinga4:29j Prov. 4 : 26. . . .r Isa. 9: 6.. ..a 2Theas. 8: 16; Jamea 3:18....t 1 Cor. 9 : 4-14 ; 1 Tim. S: 18. ...u 1 Tun. 5 : 13.. ..y 1 Cor.
10: 27  w Matt. 3: 2  x ch. 9 : 6  y MatU 11 : 21, otc  z Ezek. 3 : 6.

cal and spiritual lessons, therefore, the reader is
referred to the parallel and prior commission of
the twelve, reported in Matthew, ch. 10. Here
I note only what is peculiar to this commission.
1. After these things. An indefinite note
of time, indicating clearly that the commission
here referred to was subsequent to the events
recorded in the preceding chapter. — Others
also, seventy in number. That is, others
than the twelve whose ordination is mentioned
in ch. 9 : 1. "It is well that Luke has given us
also the sending of the twelve, or we should
have had some of the commentators asserting
that this was the same mission." — (Alford.) As
the twelve had a, clear reference to the twelve
tribes of Israel (Matt. 19 : 2s), so the seventy are sup
posed to have reference to the seventy elders of
Israel (Eiod. 24 • v-, Numb, n : 16). — Into every city
and place whither he himself would come.
In Galilee Christ himself preached in the cities
(Matt, u : l), and the apostles in the towns and
villages (ch. 9 : e), In Perea, presumably, the
seventy preached both in the cities and the un-
walled towns, Christ following with his personal
ministry chiefly in the former. It is not proba
ble that he went into every place where his her
alds went. In this respect our age is better than
theirs, that Christ is always with his ministers,
and that their work is always to prepare for his
personal coming.
2. The harvest truly is great. The same
metaphor is used by Christ in Matt. 9 : 37. See
note there. There is no reason to think that
Luke has misplaced it ; more probably Christ in
this instance, as in many others, made use of the
same aphorism at different times.
3-12. These instructions are substantially the
same as those given to the twelve in Matthew, ch.
10. Some matters given there are omitted here ;
but there is nothing here not contained there ;
at least the differences are little more than ver
bal. To the direction, I send you forth as lambs
among wolves, Christ adds in Matthew the direc

tion, Be ye therefore wise as serpents, etc. The di
rection, Salute no man by the way, is peculiar to
Luke. The Jewish salutations, like those com
mon in the Orient to-day, were elaborately for
mal, and occupied so much time, as to be a serious
hindrance when there was reason for haste. It is
said that u. complete formal salutation between

SALUTATIONS.

two persons may consume from one to three hours.
The disciples were not to stop by the way for
these elaborate formal and insincere salutations.
The immediate lesson to them was that their
time was short and their business urgent. The
lesson to us is that we are not to allow the for
malities of life to interfere with our Gospel min
istry. Verses 5 and 6 are parallel to Matt. 10 : 12,
13. Peace be to this house was a common form of
Jewish salutation. A son of peace (the article is
wanting in the original) is one who receives the
salutation, i. e., is ready to welcome the Gospel
message of peace. Verses 7 and 8 are equivalent
to Matt. 10 : 11. The direction simply empha
sizes the instruction there given, There abide till
ye go hence. On the one hand, the apostles
were not to hesitate from a false delicacy to re
ceive the hospitality proffered them; nor, on
the other hand, discontented with it, were they
to go from house to house seeking for better

62

LUKE.

[Ch. X.

and Sidon which have been done in you, they had a
great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and
i± But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon
at the judgment, than for you.

TYRE ON THE MAINLAND.

accommodations or for social enjoyment. Verse
9 evidently imperfectly reports the authority
conferred upon the seventy ; from their account
of the result of their mission in verse 17, it is
clear that their power did not differ from that
conferred on the twelve in Matt. 10 : 8. Verses
10-12 amplify the Instructions contained in Matt.
10 : 14, 15. Observe that, whether accepted or

15 And thou, Capernaum, which0 art exalted tc
heaven, shalt be thrust" down to hell.
16 He ° that heareth you, heareth me ; and he « that
despiseth you, despiseth me ; and • he that depiseth
me, despiseth him that sent me.
. . . . d Acts 5:4  e John 6 : 23.
rejected, the king
dom of God draws
nigh, a power in us
or a power over us.
13-15. The same
woes against Cho
razin, Bethsaida,
and Capernaum are
reported in Matt.
11 : 21-24. These
are Galilean cities ;
it is quite certain
that the woes
against them were
pronounced by our
Lord in Galilee, as
indicated by Mat
thew ; but they may
have been repeated
by him in this con
nection to give sol
emn sanction to the
admonition of the
preceding verses. The accompanying illustra
tion of the present ruins of the once prosperous
and flourishing city of Capernaum shows how
completely this prophecy has been fulfilled, and
affords a memorable and melancholy evidence of
the truth of Christ's words and the authority of
his mission. For description of Capernaum and
its probable site, see Matt. 4 : 13.

mmmmm

MS

S^fiBrS

CAPEBNAUM.

Ch. X,]

LUKE.

63

: 17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying,
Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy
name. , .
18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan' as light
ning fall from heaven.
19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on ser
pents' and scorpions, and over all the power of the
enemy : and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
20 Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the
spirits are subject unto you : but rather rejoice, be
cause your names are written h in heaven.
21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I

thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that
thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent,
and hast revealed them unto babes : even so, Father,
for so it seemed good in thy sight.
22 All things ' are delivered to me of my Father : and
no 1 man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father ; and
who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the
Son will reveal him.
23 And he turned him unto his disciples, and said
privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things
that ye see :
24 "For I tell you, that * many prophets and kings

f Rov. 12 :8, 9....g Mark 16 : 18 ; Acta 28: 6.. ..h Eiod. 82:32: Pa. 69 : 28; laa. 4 : 3; Dan. 12:1; Phil. 4
20: 12; 21 : 27.... 1 Matt. 28 : 18; John 3 : 35. ...j John 6 : 44, 46.... k 1 Pet. 1 : 10,

3 ; Heb. 12 : 23 ; Rev. 13 : 8 i

16. Compare Matt. 10 : 40, note. There the
Lord declares that receiving Christ's messengers
is counted as receiving Him ; here He adds that
despising Christ's messengers, is accounted as
despising Him — a solemnly suggestive declara
tion. 17-20. The seventy returned again with
joy. There is nothing to indicate how long
their mission lasted ; very probably during most
of Christ's Perean ministry, in which case this
return, though reported here, did not take place
until about the time of Christ's going up to
Jerusalem, recorded in ch. 18 : 31. — Even the
devils are subject nnto us through thy
name. This was in accordance with the prom
ise made to the twelve (Matt. 10 : 8), and probably
repeated substantially to the seventy. — I beheld
Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Of
this expression there are three interpretations :
(1) the historical, i. e., that Christ refers to the
original fall of Satan when cast out of heaven
(isa. 14:12) ; (2) the mystical, i. e., that Christ re
fers to a vision or intuition of the fall of Satan,
he having realized, if not witnessed in a spiritual
vision, the overthrow of Satan, while his disci
ples were casting the evil spirits out ; (3) the
prophetic, i. e., .that Jesus beheld the final over
throw of Satan (Rev. 12 : 9), of which the victories
won by his disciples were prophecies. In either
interpretation the overthrow of Satan includes
the overthrow of all his works and of all the
agencies which proceed from and co-operate with
him. I prefer the historical interpretation. The
disciples return exultant; Christ moderates
their exultation, and at the same time deepens
their assurance of final victory, by telling them
that in the beginning he beheld Satan fall from
heaven, and that they are but aiding to complete
the work which God then began. We are co
workers with God (1 Oor. 3 : 9), and are battling
against our already fallen foe. As lightning in
dicates both the brightness of the fallen angel
and the suddenness of. his fall; as lightning
goes out in instantaneous and utter darkness, so
the fallen angel of light.— Power to tread on
serpents and scorpions. Comp. Ps. 91 : 13.
The language is here symbolical; serpents and

scorpions typify the poison and sting of sin,
with all its dangerous and deadly effects. These,
the result of the fall, are conquered in redemp
tion, being put utterly under foot (oen. 3 :.«)
through him who makes us more than conquer
ors in all tilings (Eom. s : 37). — Over all the pow
er of the enemy. Of Satan. The Christian
has power oyer all evil, because by divine grace
it becomes an instrument of good (Rom. 5 : 1-5). So
is it literally true that nothing shall by any means
hurt you. Comp. ch. 21 : 18 ; Rom. 8 : 28, notes.
— Rejoice not * * * but rather rejoice.
The Christian is not to rejoice in his own power,
but rather in this, that he is the subject of re
deeming love. Judas Iscariot was one of the
twelve to whom power was given to cast out
devils, but his name was not written in heaven.
The most magnificent successes, the finest ef
fects of eloquence, temples filled, conversions
by thousands, are no cause of real spiritual joy
to one who is not himself enrolled among the
redeemed. The figure of a register in which the
names of the redeemed are written is of frequent
occurrence in the Scriptures (see marg. ref.). But
note that the name may be blotted out (Eiod.
32 : 33 ; Jer. 17 : 13 ; Rev. 22 : 19).
21, 22. Comp. Matt. 11 : 25-27. With Alford,
"I am convinced that our Lord did utter on the
two separate occasions these weighty words ;
and I find in them a most instructive instance of
the way in which such central sayings were re
peated by him." The immediate occasion of
the utterance here, is Christ's realization of the
fact, that to his unlearned disciples God has in
trusted the revelation of that truth which is to
overthrow finally the kingdom of Satan.
, 23, 24. Comp. Matt. 13 : 16, 17. What there
he said to the disciples in Galilee he here repeats
to another circle, not necessarily the seventy
alone, in Perea. Of the kings who had desired to
see and hear, David is the most striking example
(See 2 Sam. 23 : 6 J Ps. 42 : 2 ; 73 : 25, 26).
Ch. 10 : 25-37. PARABLE OP THE GOOD SAMARITAN.
Christ's method of dealing with the self-kight-
eous. — The catholicity of Christian charity. —
Spurious sympathy shuns suffering; real .sym
pathy relieves it. — The worst heresy is the want

64

have desired to see those things which ye see, and have
not seen them ,- and to hear those things which ye hear,
and have not heard them.
25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and
tempted him. saying, Master, what1 shall I do to in
herit m eternal lite ?
26 He said unto him, What is written in the law?
how readest thou ?
27 And he answering said, Thou" shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,

LUKE. [Ch. X.
and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind ; and
thy ° neighbor as thyself.
28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right:
this do, and p thou shalt live.
29 But he, willing to justify 1 himself, said unto Je
sus, And who is my' neighbour?
30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went
down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among
thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wound
ed him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

I Acta 16: 30,31..

P1
q oh. 16 : 16 ; Job 32 : 2 ; Rom. 4:2; Gal. 3:11; James 2 :

Ezek. 20: 11,21; Rom. 10:6; Gal. 3: 12....
' Matt. 6 : 43, 44.

OF love; THE LOVING HERETIC IS BETTER THAN THE
UNLOVING ORTHODOX. — THE CHARACTERISTICS OF TRUE
charity. — Christ's word to the inquirer : Go and
do.— Redemption illustrated.

Neither the time nor the place of this teaching
is fixed by the narrative. It probably belongs to
Christ's Perean ministry. It is peculiar to Luke.
25. A certain lawyer. One versed in the
Jewish law, both the O. T. and the Eabbinical
comments thereon. The term theologian would
more nearly describe his character. — And
tempted him. More properly tried him. The
spirit of the inquirer appears to have been
neither malicious nor docile, but self-confident.
His language is respectful ; he addresses Christ
as Master, but his object was not to obtain guid
ance for himself, rather to measure the ability of
the Nazarene Rabbi. Probably his conscience
had been aroused by the preaching of Jesus,
which Luke has not reported, but which every
where included a demand for repentance. Fully
recognizing the appropriateness of this preaching
for the publicans and sinners, who were Christ's
principal auditors, he did not entertain the idea
that he needed repentance himself. Hence the
question, What shall /do to inherit eternal Ufe ?
Christ answers him as he answered the rich
young ruler (Matt. 19 : 16-22), in such a way as
awakened in him a sense that he also needed to
be justified (ver. 29) ; and Christ's method here, as
there, is an example to the ministry in dealing
with the self-righteous. A comparison of this
lawyer's question with that of the rich young
ruler (Luke is ¦. is), and that of the lawyer in Jeru
salem (Matt. 22 : 34-40) shows how, in Christ's minis
try as in the ministry of his disciples at the pres
ent day, the same experiences, expressed in al
most identical language, were met with again
and again.
26, 2T. What is written in the law?
Christ's principle of action in such cases is to
throw the inquirer back upon his own moral
sense, to require him to measure himself, not by
any new standard of righteousness with which he
is unfamiliar, but with that which his own con
science already recognizes. Each soul must be
convicted by its own moral sense, not by that of
another. So Christ refers this lawyer to his own

understanding of the law. — How readest
thout ? If we read the law spiritually, recog
nizing its purpose (iTim. 1 : e), we shall realize that
whatever our outward Ufe has been, we have not
in spirit and in character conformed to its re
quirements. With Christ's question here com
pare his admonition- in ch. 8 : 18. — Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God. The lawyer quotes
from Deut. 6 : 4, 5, and Lev. 19 : 18. Meyer sup
poses that the lawyer had before heard Christ
refer to this summary of the law; and this is
certainly possible, though not, it seems to me,
probable. Among the Scribes and Pharisees
there were some who entertained and taught
spiritual views of the law of God, and this lawyer
appears to have belonged to that class.
28. Thou hast answered right; this do,
and thou shalt live. Christ dismisses him
summarily, almost abruptly, makes no attempt
to convict him of disobedience, throws him back
upon his own consciousness. Is this reply un-
evangelical ? Is it inconsistent with Rom. 3 : 20 ?
No. He that does this shall live ; he needs no
evangel ; they that be sick need a physician, not
they that are whole ; the Gospel is for those, and
only for those, who are conscious that they have
not done this, and still desire to enter into life.
The preaching of the law here and everywhere in
the N. T. is to produce conviction of sin and the
sense of the need of a Saviour (Rom., d. 7).
29. Willing to justify himself. The ef
fect of Christ's teaching shows the result at
which he aimed. The inquirer's own conscience
became his accuser ; he knew that he had not ful
filled this divine law. The question which fol
lowed was put to cover his confusion, by leading
Christ away from the practical and personal
question to one that was theoretical and measur
ably abstract. This second question Christ does
not answer ; he does not tell the lawyer who is
the neighbor to whom kindness should be shown,
but he depicts, in a dramatic form, an act which
illustrates the law of love, aud bids the inquirer
measure his life by the law so interpreted.
30. A certain man. Presumably a Jew.
The whole course of the narrative implies this,
though it is not expressly stated.— Went down
from Jerusalem to Jericho, He "went," or
"was going down," because Jerusalem stood

Ch. X.]

LUKE.

65

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest
that way ; and when he saw him, he passed by" on the
other side.

3a And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place,
came and looked l on him, and passed by on the other
side.

8 Pa. 38: 11 .. . . t Pb. 109 : 26; Prov. 27 : 10.

considerably higher than Jericho — the latter
lying nearly six hundred feet below the level of
the Mediterranean sea, so that the language has
its fitness in this respect — and because the going
to Jerusalem, which was the metropolis, was
always regarded as a, going up (Acts is : 22). The
distance between the two cities was about one
hundred and fifty stadia — a little over eighteen
miles ; the road lying through a desolate and

rocky region; "the wilderness that goeth up
from Jericho " (Dent. 34 : 3 ; Jonh. 16 : 1). — And fell
among thieves. Rather robbers. The original
indicates some of that class of brigands which
was so numerous in Palestine in the time of
Christ. The road is a narrow, dreary mountain
pass, notoriously dangerous then, and equally
dangerous still ; a considerable guard is always
necessary in traversing this piece of road. In

BOAS TO JBBIOHO.

ancient times it was called the " Path of Blood."
. — Which stripped him. Not merely of his
raiment, but of all that he had.
31, 32. And by chance. Certainly there is
nothing in this language to justify the doctrine of
chance ; but neither does the original imply the
conjunction of two things, which " fell together,
according to the omniscient designer's plan."
The language is that of common life, and justi
fies our use of like language in describing those
coincidences, which are a part of divine provi

dence. Bengel well lays out the moral meaning
in the phrase by chance : " Many good opportuni
ties are hidden under that which may seem acci
dental." — There came down a certain priest
that way. Jericho was a city of priests ; the
chosen residence of many of them when not ac
tually engaged in the performance of their
priestly functions at the temple. Mercy was
commanded by the law, even to a beast, and
consideration to a neighbor (Eiod. 23 : 4, 6 ; Dent.
22 : 1-4) ; in disregarding the claims of mercy, the

66

LUKE.

[Ch. X.

33 But a certain Samaritan,'1 as he journeyed, came
where he was : and when he saw him, he had compas
sion v on him,
34 Aud went to him, and bound" up his wounds,
pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast,
and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took

out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said
unto him, Take care of him ; and whatsoever thou
spendest more, when I come again, I will repay* thee.
36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was
neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves ?
37 And he said, He that shewed mercy 1 on him.
Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

..v Eiod. 2:6.... w Pe. 147:3; laa. 1 : 6....I oh. 14 : 14; Prov. 19 : 17.. ..y Prov. 14 : 21 ; Hosea 6 : 6 ; Micah 6:8;
Matt. 23 : 23.

priest and Levite violated the law. Tet excuses
were not wanting— there was danger in delay
from the same or other robbers ; it was not the
priest's business; he was perhaps hastening to
the temple service, or from it to reach Jericho
before nightfall ; he was unfamiliar with wounds
and inapt in caring for them ; the man was very
likely too far gone to be recovered, and the priest
would then have a useless burden on his hands.
He was not without a certain common but spu
rious compassion ; he passed by on the other side,
i. e., he bad so much feeling that he was unwill
ing to look on the suffering which he thought
that he was in no condition to cure. — And like
wise a Levite. One of the inferior officers of
the temple, who had charge of its subordinate
ministries. The example of the preceding priest,
his superior, might have served as a plea to
satisfy his own conscience. Worse than the
priest he " came and looked on him." Trouble
awakened his curiosity, but it did not awaken
his sympathy, or incite him to active help.
33-35. A certain Samaritan. On the his
tory and character of the Samaritans, see notes on
John, ch. i. They were a mongrel race, partly
Jewish, partly heathen, having the Bible, yet not
holding to its precepts. Christ himself expressly
implies his disapproval of their worship (John 4 : 22),
and in his commission of the twelve, classes them
with the Gentiles (Matt. 10 : 5). The Jewish pre
judice against them, in which race and religious
enmity combined, was not unreasonable, except
as all prejudice is ever unreasonable. Christ
contrasts the Samaritan with the priest and
Levite, not to honor Samaria, nor to do despite
to priests and Levites, but to teach that the most
despised outcast who fulfills the law of love, is
better than the most honored minister of religion
who disregards it. — He had compassion on
him * * * bound up his wounds * * * set
him on his own beast * * * took care of
him * * * took out two pence and gave
them to the host. Incidentally Christ teaches
what are the manifestations and what the con
stituent elements of a genuine charity. The Sa
maritan has compassion, a feeling for and with
the sufferer ; his feeling leads him not to escape
the sight of suffering, but to succor the sufferer ;
he does this not through another, but by a per
sonal and a disagreeable service ; at a real self-
sacrifice, too, for he sets the wounded man on

his own beast and walks himself; he enlists
others; and he contributes money as well as
service, and service as well as money. Oil and
wine were usual remedies for wounds in the East.
On Eastern inns, see ch. 2 : 7, note. This, how
ever, was evidently something more than a cara
vanserai for the mere shelter of travelers, for
there was a host, to whose care the wounded
traveler he entrusted, and who was able to pro
vide for him. Two pence (denarii) was two days'
wages of a laboring man (Matt. 20 : 9, 10). It was
therefore not an insignificant sum ; moreover it
was accompanied by a promise to give whatever
further sum might be necessary for the wounded
man's keeping.
36, 37. Became neighbor. Not was neigh
bor. By bis spirit and his acts he that was a
stranger became neighbor. "It is not place, but
love, which makes neighborhood." — (Words
worth.) — He that shewed mercy. The law
yer cannot bring himself to say "the Samari
tan ; " he answers by a circumlocution ; yet, in
doing so, announces a principle, instead of
merely stating a fact. — Go and do thou like
wise. There seems to me a significance in this
command to go. The lawyer is not to stay ques
tioning about the theory of religion ; he is to go
out and practice it wherever human need calls
for human help. To all captious critics the di
rection of the Lord is to go and do.
The primary lesson of this parable is so plain
that it cannot be missed. Whoever is in need is
my neighbor. True love knows nothing of sec
tarian, or national, or race distinctions. Like the
love of God, it shines on the evil and the good,
the just and the unjust. Christ rebukes the spirit
of pride which despises the Samaritan and cher
ishes only the Jew, the more effectively be
cause indirectly. The second lesson has been
oftener overlooked. The spirit of genuine phi
lanthropy is a Christian spirit, wherever found.
It is recognized by Christ in the Samaritan as
well as in the Jew, in the Gentile Cornelius as
well as in the orthodox Dorcas. It has often
happened in the history of the church that its
priest and its Levite have been over-busy with
the affairs of ecclesiasticism, and have left the
care of the afflicted or the oppressed to the
despised and the heretical. In every such case,
the church has cast Christ out of its own com
munion. The heretic, who exercises self-deny-

Ch. X.] LUKE.
38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he enter
ed into a certain village : and a certain woman, named
Martha," received him into her house.
30 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat"
at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving,
and came to him and said, Lord, dost thou not care

67

that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her
therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha,
Martha, thou art" careful and troubled about many
things :
42 But one thing0 is needful : and Mary hath chosen
that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

z John 11: 1; 12 : 9, 8.. ..a oh. 8 : 86 ; Acta 22 : 3. . . .b ch. 21 :34; Mark 4:19; 1 Cor. 7 : S
Ecoles, 12 : 18 ; Mark 8 : 36 ; 1 Cor. 13:3.

Pa. 27 : 4 ; 73 : 26 ;

ing charity, is more Christian than the ministers
of the temple who refuse. The third lesson is
more doubtful. I do not think that this can
properly be regarded as a parable of redemption.
Certainly its primary object was not to teach
God's redeeming love. Tet it is not without sig
nificance that it does illustrate that love so nota
bly. Without altogether endorsing, I copy Al-
ford's parabolic interpretation of it : " All acts
of charity and mercy done here below, are but
fragments and derivatives of that one great act of
mercy which the Saviour came on earth to per
form. And as he took on him the nature of us
all, being 'not ashamed to call us brethren,'
counting us all his kindred, — so it is but natural
that in holding up a mirror (for such is a para
ble) of the truth in this matter of duty, we
should see in it not only the present and promi
nent group, but also himself and his act of mercy
behind. And thus we shall not give up the in
terpretation of the Fathers and other divines,
who see in this poor traveler, going from the
heavenly to the accursed city (joah. 6 : 26 ; 1 King»
16 : 34), — the race of man, the Adam who fell ; — in
the robbers and murderers, him who was a mur
derer from the beginning (john 8 : 44) ; in the treat
ment of the traveler, the deep wounds and
despoilment which we have inherited from the
fall ; — in the priest and the Levite passing by,
the inemcacy of the law and sacrifice to heal and
clothe us (Gai. 3 : 21) : — in the good Samaritan,
him of whom it was lately said, " Say we not well
that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?"
(John 8 : 48)— who came to bind up the broken
hearted, to give them the oil of joy for mourning
(isa. 61 : 1-3.) ; who for our sokes became poor, that we
through his poverty might become rich; who,
though now gone from us, has left with us pre
cious gifts, and charged his ministers to feed his
lambs, promising them, when the chief Shep
herd shall appear, a crown of glory that fadeth
not away (l Peter 6 : 2, 4)."
Ch. 10 : 38-42. JESUS AT THE HOUSE OF MAETHA AND
MARY. Much care, little comport. — To receive
from Christ is the best service to Christ.
There can be no reasonable question that the
Martha and Mary mentioned in this incident are
the sisters of Lazarus, and that the village is
Bethany, though Bengel supposes they are not
the sisters of Lazarus, aud Greswell that they

had another residence in Galilee. There is noth
ing in the language here to determine the time
of this incident; but I think it more probable
that it belongs in the Judean than in the Perean
ministry. Wearied with his perpetual conflicts
with the priests and Pharisees in the temple,
Christ found in the quiet and docile listener far
sweeter rest and refreshment than in the pro
vision for his physical wants made by the more
active sister. As they went, i. e., in their journey
ing, implies that this occurred at some time in
Christ's itinerant ministry ; but it may have been
either as he was going up to Jerusalem, or as he
was leaving it. For the facts known respecting
this family, see notes on John, ch. 11.
38, 39. Martha received him into her
house. The indication here, and in John, chaps.
11, 12 : 1-9, is that Martha was the head of the
household, and therefore probably the elder
sister. Simon, perhaps the father, or possibly
the husband, was a leper (Matt. 26 : 6), and either
dead or absent. — Who also sat at Jesus'
feet. Both sisters were disciples of Christ ; both
in this incident served him — one by preparing for
him a great supper, the other by listening to and
receiving with gladness his instructions. Comp.
John 11 : 5. This fact is important ; the failure
to note it has led to a frequent misinterpretation
of this incident. See below.
40. But Martha was cumbered about
much serving. Literally, was drawn off. That
is, her attention was drawn off from the presence
of her Lord by her very anxiety to prepare for
him a worthy entertainment. — Dost thou not
care that my sister hath left me to serve
alone ? To Martha, this seemed selfishness.
She could not comprehend her sister's absorption
in the truth and the Teacher. The active may
be understood by the meditative ; but the medi
tative are always an enigma to the active. With
Martha's conduct here compare the indication
of her character in John 11 : 20, and John 12 : 2.
41, 42. Martha, Martha. This repetition
of the name gives solemnity to Christ's lan
guage, fixes the attention of the listener, and
implies rebuke, or at least admonition. — Thou
art careful and troubled. To be careful
(u totuv am), is to be divided in mind between the
claims of the spiritual and the earthly (ace Matt.
6 : 26, note) ; to be troubled, is to be roiled, stirred
up, agitated ; the opposite of peaceful. The first

68

LUKE.

[Ch. XL

CHAPTER XI.
AND it came to pass, that as he was praying in a
certain place, when he Ceased, one of his disciples

said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also
taught his disciples.
2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our a
Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

d Matt. 6 : 9, etc.

word, careful, implies the cause, the second,
troubled, the result. A mind divided between
concern respecting the inward and the outer
life, is always perturbed, never knowing the per
fect peace of the mind that is stayed on God.
Christ does not rebuke Martha for serving, but
for being careful and troubled about much serv
ing ; and he does not chide her till she asks him
to chide her sister. — And one thing is need-
*ful. As in so many other instances, these words
of Christ have a twofold meaning. Primarily,
there was no need of the much serving ; Christ
did not care for bodily indulgence ; simple food, a
single dish, what was necessary for physical sup
port, was all-sufficient for him. But, secondly,
one thing only is essential, viz., that bread of life
which Christ alone can give, and which Mary
was solicitous to receive. These interpretations
are not inconsistent ; the one is dependent on the
other. It is because spiritual good is the one
thing needful, that simple provision for the body
suffices, and that much serving is needless.
In studying this incident observe, (1.) Both
Martha and Mary were disciples of Christ. They
represent not the contrast between the follower
of Christ and the follower of the world, but be
tween different types of piety in the church.
(2.) Martha's much serving was for her Lord.
She desired to prepare a worthy entertainment,
one worthy as an offering to him and worthy as
a manifestation of her own hospitality. Love and
pride combined to prompt her activity. (3.) A
social lesson lies on the surface of the incident.
Much serving is not the best serving. The house
keeper is not always a homekeeper. Less sup
per and more host, rather than less host and
more supper, give the best entertainment. (4.)
The religious lesson is one pre-eminently needed
in our era. Not he who works most for Christ,
but he who receives most from Christ, serves him
best. To sit at his feet and learn, is always more
acceptable than to be careful and troubled about

much serving. (5.) Both types, the meditative
and the active, are needed in the church ; both
are combined in the well-developed character.
Christ did much serving, going about doing
good, ministering to the body as well as to the
soul; but he also sought opportunities for re
tirement, solitude, and communion with God.
Ch. 11 : 1-36. VARIOUS TEACHINGS OP OUR LORD.
The spirit ot prater illustrated. — The-privilege
op intercessort prater.— the butt op dhportu-
hitt in prater. — the promise to prater. — the
evidence op Christianity in the manifest power
op Christ. — The first instance op Mariolatrt and
Christ's treatment op it.— The value op a cheer
ful RELIGION.
1-4. As he was praying in a certain
place. The time and place are wholly un
known. The greater part of this chapter con
tains teachings given probably at various times,
and presented here out of their connection. The
Lord's prayer is reported in two different forms
by Matthew and Luke. It is not reported by
the other Evangelists. Alford supposes that
Christ had once given it to his disciples iri the
Sermon on the Mount ; that he was subsequently
asked by them to teach them to pray, and that
he then repeated substantially the form of
prayer previously given. The more general, and
it appears to me the better opinion, is that the
prayer was given in the first instance in response
to a request ; that it was given not as a form but
as an embodiment of the spirit of all true prayer ;
and that Matthew inserted it in the Sermon on
the Mount, because cognate to the instructions
there given.
For convenience of the student, I place here,
in parallel columns, the three forms of the
prayer in common use. Those of Matthew, of
Luke, and of the Episcopal prayer-book. That
of the latter differs from the gospels in phraseol
ogy because taken not from the King James'
version, but from the earlier Cranmer's Bible.

Matthew 6 : 9-18.
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed he thy name. Thy king
dom come. Thy will he done in
earth, as it is in heaven. Give ns
this day onr daily bread. And for
give ub our debts, as we forgive onr
debtors. And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver ns from
evil : For thiDe is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, for
ever. Amen.

Luke 11 : 2-4.
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name. Thy king
dom come. Thy will he done, as in
heaven, so in earth. Give us day
by day our daily bread. And for
give us our sins; for we also for
give every one that is indebted to
ns. And lead ns not into tempta
tion : but deliver us from evil.

Prayer Book.
Onr Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name. Thy king
dom come. Thy will be done on
earth as it is in heaven. Give us
this day our daily bread. And for
give ns onr trespasses, as we for
give those who trespass against
us. And lead us not into tempta
tion ; hut deliver us from evil : For
thine is the kingdom, and the pow
er, and the-glory , for ever and ever.
Amen.

Ch. XL]

LUKE.

69

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven,
so in earth.
3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins ; for • we also forgive every
one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into
temptation ; but deliver us from evil.
5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a
friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto
him,Friend, lend me three loaves ;
6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me,
and I have nothing to set before him ?
7 And he from within shall answer and say. Trouble
me not: the door is now shut, and my children are
with me in bed ; 1 cannot rise and give thee.
8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give
him because he is his friend, yet because of his impor
tunity' he will rise and give him as many as he need-
eth.

9 And I say unto you, Ask," and it shall be given
you ; seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be
opened unto you.
io For every one that asketh receiveth ; and he that
seeketh findetn ; and to him that knocketh it shall be
opened. ii If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a fa
ther, will he give him a stone ? or if he ask a fish, will
he for a fish give him a serpent ? /
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scor
pion ?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good
gifts unto your children ; how much more shall your
eavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask
him? 14 And11 he was casting out a devil, and it was
dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone
out, the dumb spake ; and the people wondered.

 f oh. 18 : 1-8 .... g Matt. 7 : 7 j Si : 22 j Jobs 15 : 7 ; James 1 ; 5 ; I John 3 : 52 .... h Matt. 9 : 32 ; 12 : 22, etc.

Eor notes on the Lord's Prayer, see Matt.
6 : 9-13. Forgive us our sins, includes less than
the phrase in Matthew, Forgive us our debts.
The one implies only positive transgressions, the
other all unfulfilled obligations. For we also for
give every one that is indebted to us, implies more
distinctly than the language in Matthew, that
prayer can be only acceptably offered to God by
one who is living in allegiance to that law of love
which is the law of God. The doxology in Mat
thew was probably added when the prayer came
into liturgical use in the church, but certainly at
an early date.
5-8. Friend, lend me three loaves. For
description and illustration of the Jewish loaf
see Mark 8 : 3-5, notes. Is there a hint of the
largeness permitted to us in prayer? He asks
one loaf for himself, one for his friend, the third
for a reserve. — I have nothing to set before
him. A suggestion of the truth, that as we have
nothing wherewith to pay our debts to God
(oh. i -.a) so nothing wherewith to supply the
deeper wants of others. ' The bread of life,
which we would impart, we must first ourselves
receive (Matt. 14 : 19). — Trouble me not * * * I
cannot rise and give thee. Cannot is equiv
alent to will not. The features in this picture
have no allegorical significance ; there is no re
luctance on the part of the Heavenly Father to
give to those that need (Matt. 6:8; Ephes. 3 : 20). —
Importunity. Literally, impudence. The para
ble implies that the petitioner, notwithstanding
the refusal, continues knocking and asking.
This parable must be read in the light of the
customs of the East, where inns are exceptional,
and where travelers are dependent upon hospital
ity. It illustrates intercessory prayer ; the re
quest being preferred by one, not for himself but
for another, whose need he feels but is unable to
supply. Like the parable of the unjust judge,
Christ here employs the lower to illustrate the
higher. If a selfish and indolent man, who will
not rise from his bed for the sake of benevo
lence, will yield to importunity, and that the im

portunity which approximates impudence, much
more will God, from sympathy and benevolence,
yield to the importunity of his children when in
spired by spiritual earnestness. There is nothing
in this teaching inconsistent with Matt. 6:7; for
repetitions that spring from intensity of feeling
are not "vain repetitions" (Matt. 26:44). If the
delay of a divine answer to prayer could be at
tributed to God's disapproval of our request,
importunity would be impertinent ; but when
the delay is caused by our unreadiness to re
ceive, importunity becomes a necessary condition
of the grant. Importunity for spiritual blessings
is never impertinent ; as the urgency of a child
for a mother's aid in learning to read ; or the ur
gency of the child of God to receive the gift of
the Holy Ghost (ver. 13). With the lesson of this
parable, comp. Gen. 32 : 28 ; Ps. 55 : 17 ; 1 Thess.
3 : 10 ; 5 : 17 ; 1 Tim. 5 : 5 ; 2 Tim. 1 : 3.
9-13. These verses correspond with Matt.
7 : 7-11. I have shown there that they clearly
belong to the Sermon on the Mount, of which
they form an integral part ; it seems to me irra
tional to suppose that Matthew borrowed and
incorporated them there; and improbable that
Luke borrowed and incorporated them here.
More probably they were twice uttered by
Christ on different occasions, and in different
connections. Verse 12 is peculiar to Luke.
Scorpions are a pest in Palestine, well known by
every traveler, who often finds them under his
pillow, inside his dress, or wakes to find them
crawling over his face or hands. The natives
build a ring of fire with dry grass around the
scorpion, when in despair it stings itself and dies.
The white body resembles an egg. Alford notes
that the serpent and the scorpion are positively
mischievous. When we ask for good, God will
not give us evil ; we often ask for evil, and God
gives us good. In Matthew the promise is, that
the Heavenly Father will give good things; in
Luke, that he will give the Holy Spirit, i. e.,
Himself (Ephes. 3 : 15-19). This gift of himself neces
sarily carries with it the gift of all good things ;

70

LTJKE.

[Ch. XI.

is But some of them said. He casfeth out devils
through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.
16 And others, tempting him} sought of him a sign
from heaven.
17 But he, knowing' their thoughts, said unto them,
Every* kingdom divided against itself is brought to
desolation ; an d a house divided against a house falleth.
18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall
his kingdom stand ? because ye say that 1 cast out
devils through Beelzebub.
19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom
do your sons cast them out ? therefore shall they be
yourjudges. ao But if I with the finger ' of God cast out devils, no
doubt the kingdom of God is eome upon you.
21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace,
his goods are in peace :
22 But when a stronger™ than he shall come upon
him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his ar
mour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
23 He that is not with me is against me : and he that
gathereth not with me scattereth.
24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he
walketh through dry places, seeking rest ; and finding
none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence 1
came out.
25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and
garnished. 26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other
spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in,
and dwell there : and the last state of that man is
worse n than the first.
27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a

certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and
said unto him. Blessed0 is the womb that bare thee,
and the paps which thou hast sucked.
28 But he said. Yea, rather blessed » are they that
hear the word of God, and keep it.
20 And when the people were gathered thick to
gether, he began to say, This is an evil generation :
they seek a sign ; and 1 there shall no sign he given it,
but the sign of Jonas the prophet.
30 For as Jonas7 was a sign unto the Ninevites, so
shall also the Son of man be to this generation.
31 The queen ¦ of the south shall nse up in the judg
ment with the men of this generation, and condemn
them : for she came from the utmost parts of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon ; and, behold, a greater
than Solomon is here.
32 The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment
with this generation, and shall condemn it : for ' they
repented at the preaching of Jonas ; and, behold, a
greater than Jonas is here.
33 No" man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth
it in a Secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a
candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.
34 The T fight of the body is the eye : therefore when
thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light :
but when thine eye is evil,* thy body also is full of
darkness. 35 Take heed, therefore, that the light which is in
thee be not darkness.
36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light,1 hav
ing no part dark, the whole shall be full or light, as
when the bright shining r of a candle doth give thee
light.

I Matt. 12:88; 16 : 1....J John 2: 25  k Matt. 12- 26 ; Mark8:24.. .1 Exod. 8 : 19.... m Isa. 63 - 12; Col. 2 : 16  nJohn5:14; Heh.
6:4; 10 : 26, 27; 2 Pet. 2 : 20, 21  o oh. 1 : 26,48  p ch. 8 : 21 ; Ps. 119 : 1, 2: Mail. 7 ; 21 ; Jamea 1 : 26  q Matt. 12: 40, etc.; Mark
6: 12.... r Jonah 1 : 17; 2 : 10  si Kings 10 : 1, etc....t Jonah 3:6,10  u cli. 8 : 16'; Matt. 6 : 15, etc. ; Mark 4:21...:v Matt. 6 : 22,
etc . ..w Prov. 28: 22; Mark 7: 22  x Ps. 119:105; Prov. 6 : 23; Isa. 8: 20; 2 Cur.4 : 6  y Prov. 4 : 18; 20: 27.

if we are children of God, we are also his heirs.
(oh. 15 : 31 ; Rom. 8 : 17, 32 ; 1 Cor. 3 : 21-23.)

THE SCORPION.
14-26. Parallel to these verses is Matt.
12 : 22-29 ; 43-45. See notes there. The phraseol
ogy is almost identical, except in the parabolic
Illustration of vers. 21, 22 (camp. Matt. 12 : »), where
the difference is only verbal. According to Mat
thew's report, the possessed was both dumb and
blind ; the people, amazed at the cure, -ask, Is not
this the son of David ? the complaints come from
the Pharisees ; the demand for a sign from
heaven (ver. w) is made in connection with the
discourse on Jonah (vers. 29-32). Thtfinger'of God

in ver. 20, is equivalent to the Spirit of God in
Matt. 12 : 28. It implies the ease with which
God subdues the powers of evil. I have no
doubt that this discourse was given in Galilee at
the time indicated by Matthew, and is reported
by Luke out of its chronological order ; the hy
pothesis of two such discourses, at different
times and places, seems to me unnecessary and
improbable. 27, 28. Peculiar to Luke. Analogous in its
teaching is the incident in Matt. 12 : 46-50.
This unspiritnal and unintelligent admiration of
the wonderful healer and teacher, is the first
instance of that spirit of Mariolatry which
crept into and corrupted the later church, and
which to-day in the city of Borne, and in many
Eoman Catholic countries, places the Virgin
Mary above the Son whom she bore. Christ's
reply affords the divine corrective to this most
subtle form of hero-worship. An honor is re--,
fleeted upon Mary by the divine choice of hereto
be the Lord's mother ; but he is blessed, noV be
cause she bore and nursed him, but because she
believed (oh. 1 : 45), and this blessedness belongs to
all who accept and keep the word of God.
29-32. Comp. Matt. 12 : 39-42. See notes
there. The discourse is in answer to the demand
reported here in ver. 16. Luke alone tells us
that it was delivered before the people when
gathered "thick together." Jonah was a sign
Unto the Ninevites because the judgment and the

Ch. XL]

LUKE.

71

37 And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought' him
to dine with him : and he went in, and sat down to
meat. 38 And ¦ when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that
he had not first washed before dinner.
39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do » ye Phari
sees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter ;

but b your inward part is full of ravening and wicked
ness. 40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is with
out make that which is within also ?
41 But ° rather give alms of such things as ye have ;
and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
42 -But woe d unto you, Pharisees ! tor ye tithe mint

I Mark 7 :3  a Matt. 23 : 26  b Titus 1 : 16  o oh. 12 : 33 ; Isa. 68 : 7  d Matt. 23 : 23, 27.

deliverance which he had experienced was, at
least, in part the theme of his preaching.
33-36. These aphorisms are repeated from
the Sermon on the Mount. Comp. Matt. 5 : 15 ;
6 : 22, 23. See notes there. Ver. 36 is peculiar to
Luke. Dr. Howard Crosby has suggested to me
au interpretation Of this passage, different from
that which I have given in Matthew. It is cer
tainly original and striking. It accords with the
Greek, and is sustained by ver. 36 here. He ren
ders the word light (ipiig) as equivalent to radi
ance, and the word darkness (axorog) as equivalent
to gloom. We have then the declaration : " The
eye gives radiance to the face and person — when
the eye is dark the whole person is gloomy and
forbidding ; so if the religion within us be one of
gloom and darkness, our whole life and influence
will be repellent ; but if thy whole body (nature)
be full of radiance (a religion of hope and love),
having no part dark, the whole (life and influ
ence) shall be full of radiance, as when the bright
shining of a candle doth give thee light."
Ch. 11 : 37-54. MSCOUESE AGAINST THE PHARISEES.
See Matt, ch. 23.
The sentiments of this discourse, and in many
respects the language, correspond with Christ's
denunciation of the Pharisees in the temple at
Jerusalem, reported in Matt., ch. 23. We must
suppose either, (1) that Christ delivered no such
discourse as is tliere reported, but that Matthew
gathered up various denunciations of the Phari
sees by our Lord, wove them into one discourse,
and gave it a place at that period in Christ's
ministry ; or, (2) that Luke was mistaken as to
the time and occasion of Christ's utterance of the
sentiments here reported, and borrowed them
from the temple discourse, given in Matthew;
or, (3) that Christ repeated the same substan
tial denunciations, and in similar language, at
different times and on different occasions. Either
of the first two hypotheses is utterly inconsistent
with the historical verity of the Gospels, for the
case is not one in which either of the Evangelists
leaves the occasion uncertain, and in which we
may suppose that they have presented in different
forms reports of the same discourse. The third
hypothesis is entirely rational. It accords with
the practice of other teachers, both religious and
secular ; and with the practice of Christ, as in
dicated by the repetition of the same aphorisms

at different times. In tbe study of this passage
compare the notes on Matt., ch. 23, where I have
treated the matters at length ; here I refer only
to what is peculiar to Luke.
37, 38. Christ, who was the guest of publi
cans and sinners, did not refuse invitations from
Pharisees. He went into any company willing to
receive him, but made every social gathering an
occasion for religious instruction. "This meal,
as also that in John 21 : 12-15, was not what we
now understand by dinner, an afternoon meal,
but the first meal of the day, the breakfast or
dejeuner, in the prime of the morning. " — (Alford.)
On the ceremonial washing practised by the
Pharisees, see Mark 7 : 2-5, notes. The word
washed here is baptizo (pan-rl^m), an indication
that that word does not always signify in N. T.
usage complete submersion, for only the hands
and feet were washed before meals. Still, the
hands of those who had gone abroad were re
quired to be immersed ; the pouring on of water
in such case was not sufficient.
39, 40. See Matt. 23 : 25, 26, note. There
Christ declares that cleansing that which is with
in, makes clean that which is without ; here,
that if a real reverence for God induced the
ceremonial scrupulousness of the Pharisees they
would also be spiritually scrupulous, since the
same God made both soul and body. The term
fool is literally thoughtless ones. It is a different
word from that used in Matt. 5 : 22, and does
not imply bitterness or contempt.
41. But rather give in compassion those
things which are within, and behold all
things are clean nnto yon. This verse is
peculiar to Luke. There is some difficulty about
the proper interpretation, which is relieved by
noting the exact significance of the original, as I
have given it. Christ says not, give alms, the out
ward gift, but give compassion (Uerjitodiirij), the
inward feeling ; he says not of such things as ye
have, but those things which are within (ra ivovra) ;
thus he does not make mere alms-giving an
atonement and reparation for sin, but he de
clares thaPworks of mercy out of a sineere heart
are a condition of true spiritual cleansing. Comp.
Hosea 6:6; Isa. 58 : 6-8. Speaking to the Phari
sees, who were covetous (ch. 16 : 14), he declares that
a genuine compassion, bestowed on the needy;
from within, is more cleansing to the soul in God's
sight, than purification and lustration, or than

72

LUKE.

[Ch. XI.

and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judg
ment and the love of God: these ought ye to have
done, and not to leave the other undone.
43 Woe unto you, Pharisees ! for fi ye love the upper
most seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the
markets. 44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites !
foi ye are as f graves which appear not, and the men
that walk over them are not aware of them.
45 Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto
him, Master, thus say ing thou reproachest us also.
46 And he said, Woe unto you also,j/« lawyers ! for

ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye
yourselves touch not the Durdenss with one of your
fingers. 47 Woe unto you ! for ye build the sepulchres of the
prophets, and your fathers killed them.
48 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow h the deeds
of your fathers : for they indeed Killed them,' and ye
build their sepulchres.
49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will
send them prophets and apostles, and some of them
they shall slay and persecute :
50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was

e Matt. 23 : 6 ; Mark 12 :

. . . f Ps. 5 : 9 . . . . g

: 6  h Ezek. 18 : 19  1 Heb. 11 : 35, 37.

scrupulosity in giving tithes, down to the minor
garden herbs. The rendering of our English ver
sion accords far better with Pharisaic than with
Christian teaching, since it implies that alms-giv
ing compensates for all vices. The ironical ren
dering, given by some commentators, Ye give alms

* * * and (think) all things are clean unto you.
hardly accords with the original.
42. See Matt. 23 : 23, note.
43. See Matt. 23 : 6, .7, note. The accompany
ing illustration, from a drawing by Mr. Eawson,
shows the ' ' uppermost seats. ' ' These are to the

THE SYNAGOGUE. SHOWING UPPEBMOST SEATS.

present day hired for the Sabbath by their occu
pants. The price puts them beyond the reach of
a poor man. The reader also pays for the privi
lege of holding the Koli of the Law.
44. See Matt. 23 : 27, note.
45. This interruption is peculiar to Luke, and
with vers. 37, 38, indicates clearly that the dis
course is one different from that reported in Mat
thew. The lawyer is not an advocate but a theo

logian, whose special province was the interpre
tation of the Mosaic law and the Rabbinical pre
cepts. 46. See Matt. 23 : 4, note. The metaphor is
taken from the custom of porterage in the East,
where men often do the work done by beasts of
burden with us. An Eastern porter will often
carry a barrel of flour or a bale of cotton, as
shown in the accompanying illustration.

Ch. XL]

LUKE.

73

shed from the foundation of the world, may be re
quired J of this generation ;
51 From the blood of Abel * unto the blood of Zach
arias,1 which perished between the altar and the tem
ple : verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this
generation.™ 52 Woe unto you, lawyers I for ye have taken away

the key of knowledge : n ye entered not in yourselves,
and them that were entering in ye hindered.
53 And as he said these things unto them, the scribes
and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and
to provoke ° him to speak of many things :
54 Laying wait for nim, and p seeking to catch some
thing out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

j Exod. 20:5; Jer. 51 : 56....1: Gen. 4: 8. ...1 2 Chron. 24 : 20. . . .m Jer. 7 : 2

'....n Mal. 2:7... .0 ICor. 13:5....p Mark 12 : 13.

47, 48. Comp. Matt. 23: 29, ,30, notes; ob
serve, however, that there is a marked difference
between the language there and here. The fact
that the present generation builds the sepulchres
of the prophets, is alleged here as an evidence
that it approves their murder ; and the difficulty
thus presented is not met by such an explana
tion as that of Adam Clarke, that the Jews were
about to show by their persecution of Christ and

AN EASTERN POETEB.
the apostles that they were worthy sons of such
fathers ; for though this is true, this is not what
Christ says ; nor by such an explanation as that
of Stier, " Instead of the penitent confession we
have sinned, we and our fathers, this last and
worst generation in vain protests against their
participation in their fathers' guilt, which they
are meanwhile developing to the utmost ; " for
although this is also true, this is not what Christ
says. The building of the sepulchres of the prophets
he charges upon the lawyers as a crime, and as a

continuation of and participation in the murder
of the prophets. I understand his meaning then
to be this, Tour fathers killed the prophets, you
are burying them out of sight ;;by your interpre
tations and Rabbinical additions and qualifica
tions, making the word of God of none effect,
through your traditions (Marl 7 ; 13), you are
building their sepulchres ; so you are doing what
the fathers did. They silenced the prophets by
violence, you by your teachings. This interpre
tation accords with ver. 52, and with the actual
facts ; for, as in the mediaeval ages, the Romish
church buried the Bible beneath its legends and
traditions, which they pretended to rear to its
honor, so in the time of Christ the lawyers took
the Bible away from the common people ; the
Talmud was a sepulchre reared above the buried
Word of God. Wherever the teacher covers and
conceals the Scripture by human tradition, creed
or philosophy, he is guilty of the crime here
charged by Christ upon the lawyers.
49-51. See Matt. 23 : 34, 35, notes.
52. See Matt. 23 : 13, note. The phraseology
there is different, but the meaning is the same.
Knowledge of the truth is represented as the key
to the kingdom of heaven ; knowledge, not mere
emotion, but this is not the knowledge of worldly
wisdom, but of spiritual apprehension, the pro
duct of humility and docility. See chaps. 10 : 21 ;
11 : 28 ; 1 Cor. 2 : 6-12. The scribes and lawyers
had taught a kind of knowledge ; but they had
not themselves and they deprived the people of
spiritual apprehension of the truth.
53, 54. Peculiar to Luke. Their spirit, and
the character of their questionings, are illus
trated by Christ's experiences in the temple at
Jerusalem, as recorded in Matt., ch. 22, and in
John, chaps. 8, 10. 
Ch. 12 : 1-12. WARNING AGAINST HYPOCRISY. The
FOLLY OF AND THE REMEDY FOE HYPOCRISY.
This passage, which is intimately connected
with the preceding discourse, is composed of
aphorisms, nearly all of which are found ver
batim in Matthew. They here form a continu
ous discourse, inconsistent with the hypothesis
that they have been brought together by Luke
from other teachings at other times. Christ had
before been speaking to the scribes and Phari
sees, his adversaries ; he now turns and addressed
his disciples — not the twelve merely, but all who

74

LUKE.

[Ch. XII;

CHAPTER XII.
FJt the mean time, when there were gathered to
gether an innumerable multitude of people, inso
much that they trode one upon another, he began to
say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the lea
ven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
2 For1 there is nothing covered, that shall not be re
vealed ; neither hid, that shall not be known.
3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness
shall be heard in the light ; and that which ye have
spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon
the housetops.
4 And I say unto you my" friends,' Be not afraid of

them that kill the body, and after that have no more
that they can do.
5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear : Fear
him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into
hell ; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
o Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and
not one of them is forgotten before God ?
7 But even the very hairs of your head are all num
bered. Fear not therefore : ye are of more value than
many sparrows.
8 Also I say unto you," Whosoever shall confess me
before men, him shall the Son of God also confess" be
fore the angels of God :

q Matt. 16 : 6, etc. ; Mark 8 : 15, eto. . . .r oh. 8 : 17 ; Matt. 10 : 26 ; Mart 4 : 22. . . .s John 15 : 14  t Isa. 51:7-13; Matt. 10 : 28, oto. . . .
u 1 Sam. 2:30; Ps. 119:46; 2 Tim. 2: 12; Rev. 2 : 10  V Judo 24.

are willing to learn of him. The connection of
the discourse may be indicated as follows : The
Christian must make it his first care to guard
against hypocrisy Iver. 1), which is always in vain
(ver. 2) ; and against concealment of the truth
(ver. s), the cause of which, ungodly fear, is correct
ed by the fear of God (vers, i, 5), and by trust in
God (vers, e, 7), whom the disciples must publicly
confess (ver. 8) ; to deny him (Ter. 9), still more to
attribute his works to the evil one (ver. 10), involves
divine condemnation. In making this confession
trust not to prudent preparation, but to the in
spiration of the Holy Ghost (vers. 11, 12).
1. Insomuch that they trod one upon

another. One of the many indications of the
popularity of Christ as a preacher. Comp. Mark
1 : 33 ; 2:2; 3:9; 6 : 31, etc.— First of all.
This helongs with the following, not with the
preceding clause : Beware ye first of all of the leaven.
Hypocrisy is the greatest danger which threat
ens the Christian, the one most to be guarded
against. On the warning, see Matt. 16 : 6.
3-5. See notes on Matt. 10 : 26-28. The flat
housetop is the resort of the inmates, and the
place where many household operations are
carried on in Eastern cities, where the streets
are narrow and private yards and gardens are
but a few feet square. It is also the most con-

THE EASTERN HOUSETOP.

spicuous, and therefore a usual place for the
promulgation of any news, public or private.
People in the streets below and on all the neigh
boring housetops compose an audience. The
roof is ordinarily enclosed with a low parapet of
masonry or a higher one of lattice-work, as in
the accompanying illustration. Vines are often
trained for shade, or in their absence matting is
used. Sleeping on the housetop in dry weather

That is,

is a common custom. — Fear him.
God, not Satan.
6-9. See Matt. 10 : 29-33. Little birds (spar
rows, white-throats, and others) are sold in the
market in the Eastern cities at the present day,
in bunches of five or more. When very plenty,
two farthings a bunch would be an adequate
price. In Matt. 10 : 29 it is said that two spar
rows are sold for a farthing. Here, in accordance

CH.XIL]

LUKE.

75

9 Buf he that denieth" me before men shall be de
nied before the angels « of God.
10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the
Son of man, it shall be forgiven him : but unto him
that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not7
be forgiven.
ii And when they bring you unto the synagogues,
and unto magistrates, and powers, take' ye no thought
how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall
say:

12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach » you in the same
hour what ye ought to say.
13 And one of the company said unto him, Master,
speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance
with me."
14 And he said unto him, Man,° who made me a judge
or a divider over you ?
15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware
of covetousness : d for a man's life e consisteth not in the
abundance of the things which he possesseth.

w Aets 3 : 13, 14 ; Rev. 3 : 8. . . .x Matt. 25 : 31. . . y Matt. 12 : 31 ; 1 John 5 : 16. . . .z oh. 21 : 14 ; Matt. 10 : 19 ; Marl: 13 : 11. . . .a Acts 6 :
Acts, ch. 26  b Ezek. 33: 31  0 John .18 : 86  d 1 Tim. 6 : 7-10  e Job 2: 4; Matt. 6: 25.

with the custom still universal in the East of
throwing in something extra in consideration of
a larger purchase, there are five for two farthings.
Sparrows are caught for market mostly by chil-

SPABBOWS Dt MAEKET.
dren, by means of little cages with a door which
closes with a spring, or by twigs besmeared with
bird-lime. They bring the lowest price of any
game, and were the smallest living creatures
offered in sacrifice under the Mosaic dispensa
tion. It was the cleansed leper, usually reduced
by his separation to great poverty, who was per
mitted to bring this small offering (Lev. 14 : 4).
The accompanying illustration of a sparrow
vendor is from an original sketch by Mr. Raw-
son. — The very hairs of your head. They
have been estimated to number 140,000.
10. See Matt. 12 : 31, 32, notes.
11, 13. See Matt. 10 : 19, 20, notes.
Ch. 12 : 13-21. THE PARABLE OP THE RICH POOL.
The office of Christ and the church not to
judge, but to teach. —The subtle d auger of
covetousness. — True and false riches. — The
three follies of the wealth-seeker : he hoards
instead of using? he anticipates life, but not
death ; he thinks to satisfy the soul without
soul-food. Peculiar to Luke, Time and place uncertain.

The instructions which follow (vers. 22-59) are most
of them not peculiar to Luke. The connection
is, however, so intimate as to justify the pre
sumption that in this, as in many other cases,
Christ repeated substantially the same instruc
tions previously given on different occasions and
in different connections.
13, 14. There has been some unprofitable
discussion whether this man's claim was just or
not. There is nothing to indicate that even
Christ knew. Covetousness may be indicated
by an inappropriate as well as by an unjust
claim. The man perceives Christ's moral power
over men, and proposes to use it for his own
personal benefit. It is this attempt to use Christ
for a personal and pecuniary benefit which he
rebukes. The fault, in a different form, is com
mon in our own day. " We cannot cast the first
stone at this poor simpleton, who had no other
use for the Redeemer's word than to gain by
means of it a few more acres of the earth for
himself ; in every age some men may be found
who hang on the skirts of the church for the
sake of some immediate temporal benefit." —
(Arnot.) Christ's reply is that it is not his busi
ness, and therefore impliedly not the business of
the church, to undertake the settlement of per
sonal secular disputes. The attempt to do this
in the middle ages brought corruption within
and oppression without. His work and that of
his followers is to instil such principles and pro
duce such a spirit among men that they will
peaceably settle their own disputes. There is
nothing in 1 Cor. 6 : 1-8 inconsistent with this
view, for Paul there neither assumes to be judge
nor advises the church to do so, but admonishes
the members to settle their controversies by
amicable arbitration.
15. Take heed and beware. This double
admonition indicates the dangerously subtle
character of covetousness. It is a weed which
checks the best grains in the best soils (Matt.
13 . 32). — For a man's life consisteth, etc
This clause, which is assigned as a reason for the .
caution, implies that the cause of all covetous
ness is a deteriorated moral sense, which regards
possession as mp-re than character, having as more
than being. For a comparison of the two kinds
of wealth, that of property and that of charac-

76

LUKE.

[Ch. XII.

16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying. The
ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What
shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow
my fruits ?
18 And he said, This will f I do : I will puH down my
bams, and build greater ; and there will I bestow all
my fruits and my goods.

19 And I will say to my soul, Soul,' thou hast much
goods laid up for many years ; take thine ease, eat,"
drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool ! this night thy1
soul shall be required of thee : then whose shall those
things be, which thou hast provided ? 1
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, k and
is not rich1 toward God.

f James 4: 15, 16.... g Ps. 49:18.... h Eceles. 11:9; lCor,15:32; James 5 : 5. . . .1 Job 20 : 20-23 ; 27:8; Ps. 52.-7; James 4 : 14. .
jPs.39:6; 49:16,17; Jer. 17 : 11... .k Hab. 2 : 9... .1 verse 33; 1 Tim. 6 : 18; James 2 :,5.

ter, see 1 Tim. 6 : 9-11. The commonness of this
disease among men is indicated by the question
so often asked, What is he worth? as though
man's worth were measured by the value of the
purse. 16-19. The ground * * * brought forth
plentifully. No intimation here of any unjust
or iniquitous acquisition ; none of oppression of
laborers, or unfair dealing, or extortion. But,
on the other hand, there is a plain intimation
that his wealth was evidently the gift of God, as
in truth all wealth is ; it was because the ground
brought forth plentifully that he was rich. — What
shall I do? A common perplexity of the
wealthy. He did not know how to invest his
surplus. — I have no room where to bestow
my fruits. "Thou hast barns— the bosoms of
the needy, the houses of the widows, the mouths
of orphans and of infants." — (Ambrose.) — There
will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
He would hoard, not use; the first element in the
rich fool's folly. For rot, and rust, and vermin,
and decay, in innumerable forms, begin their
work with nimble and busy fingers on unused
property. Every scholar knows that dust and
mildew deteriorate books faster than careful
use : many a mill-owner keeps his factory going
at a loss, to save a greater loss of idleness. All
mere hoarding — a form of covetousness more
common in the ignorant East than in intelligent
America— is folly.— Thou hast much goods
laid up for many years. He counted on a
long life ; the second element in his folly. To do
as though life is to continue, is right ; to enjoy as
though life is to continue, is wrong. We may
rightly forecast ; but in all our forecasting
should consider the uncertainty of life as one of
the contingencies to be estimated and allowed
for in our plans. This man was such a fool that
he did not even know that he must die.— Take
thine ease ; eat, drink, and be merry. He
thought to satisfy his soul with granaries and
their contents ; the third element in his folly.
He expected to Batisfy that which is immortal
with mortal things, that which was made in the
divine image, with the food of beasts.
20, 21. But God said unto him. Not by
any special revelation, but by the mortal disease
which attacked him. The language is simply a
dramatic form of expression, indicating the com

munication to him, in the ordinary way, of ap
proaching death. — Thou fool. As in ch. 11 : 40,
unthinking one. See note there. The man whom
all the world praises as shrewd and sagacious, is
often the one whom God calls "fool;" the man
whom all the world calls rich and prosperous, is
the one whom God calls poverty-stricken (Eev.
3 : n).— This night thy soul they shall re
quire of thee. They are God's ministering
angels, whose demands the poor rich fool cannot
resist. — Then where shall these things be ?
The dissipation of wealth on the death of the
possessor, is one of the common experiences of
life. To guard against it has been one of the
great objects of men ; the most successful
method being by the law of primogeniture and
entail. This dissipation of wealth is elsewhere
in Scripture urged as an argument against set
ting the heart on earthly accumulation (Eccies.
2 : 18-21 ; Ps. 39: 6; Jer. 17 : n).— So is he, etc. That
is, he is just such a fool, and is sure to come at
last to a like result.— That layeth np treas
ure for himself, and is not rich toward
God. Not all accumulating is condemned •
Joseph accumulated ; but all laying up treasure
for self, i. e., in selfish oblivion of others; and
this is sure to be accompanied by poverty toward
God, that is, with the absence of those qualities
that tend to bring the soul into fellowship with
God. It is not the desire of wealth which the Bible
here or anywhere condemns, but the putting of
wealth above godliness. The lesson of this para
ble needs no elucidation ; but it needs constant
application to modern life, and nowhere more
than in money-getting and money-ruling America.
Ch. 12: 22-59. VARIOUS INSTRUCTIONS. TRUSTFUL
NESS, CHRISTIAN COURAGE, WATCHFULNESS, COM
MENDED. The rewards of fidelity.— The ohakge
OF INDIFFEBENCE AND UNBELIEF.- THE RESPONSIBIL
ITY OF THE PRIVILEGED.— THE CONFLICTS OF CHRIS
TIANITY FORETOLD.— THE DUTY OF STUDYING PROVI
DENCE IN THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
Nearly all the teachings which follow in this
chapter are found in Matthew in other connec
tions, but with more or less difference in phrase
ology. There is nothing in Luke's langnage
here, as there was in ver. 1, to indicate the time
or place of these sayings of our Lord, and
whether they belong to his Perean ministry, and
were repetitions of what he had previously

Ch. XII.]

LUKE.

77

22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say
unto you, Take"1 no thought for your life, what ye
shall eat ; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more
than raiment.
24 Consider, the ravens : n for they neither sow nor
reap ¦ which neither have storehouse nor barn ; and
God feedeth them : how much more are ye better than
the fowls ?
25 And which of you with taking thought can add to
his stature one cubit ?
26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is
least, why take ye thought for the rest ?
27 Consider the lilies, how they grow ; they toil not,
they spin not : and yet I say unto you, that Solomon
in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to-day
iu the field, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, how
much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

20 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye
shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind ?
30 For all these things do the nations of the world
seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have
need of these things.
31 But ° rather seek ye the kingdom of God ; and all '
these things shall be added unto you.
32 Fear not, little flock,' for it is your Father's good
pleasure to give you the kingdom/
33 Sell" that ye have, and give alms: provide your
selves bags which wax not old, a treasure l in the hea
vens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth,
neither moth corrupteth.
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart
be also.
35 Letu your loins be girded about, andyour lights*
burning ;
36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for
their lord, when he will return from the wedding ; that,

m Matt. 6 : 25, etc. ...n Job 38 : 41 ; Ps. 147 : 9... o Matt. 6: 33.... p Ps. 34 : 10; Isa. 83
28. . .r Matt. 25 : 34 ; John 18 : 36 ; Heb. 12 : 28 ; James 2 : 5 ; 2 Pet. 1 : 11 ; Rev. 1 :
t Matt. 6 : 20 ; 1 Tim. 6 : 19  u Ephes. 6 : 14 ; 1 Pet. 1 : 13  v Matt. 25 : 1, 18.

16 ; Rom. 8 : 31, 32. . .
6 ; 22 : 6  s Matt. 19 :

I ISO. 40:11; John 10 : 27
11; Acts 2:45; 4:34....

taught in Galilee, or whether Luke, in ignorance
of or indifference to the time and place of their
utterance, has put them here, is a question
neither easy nor important to be determined in
respect to most of them.
22-31. Almost exactly parallel is Matt.
6 : 24-34. See notes there. — Consider the
ravens. In Matthew, Behold the fowls of the air.
The ravens are often spoken of in Scripture as
objects of the divine care. See Job 38 : 41 ; Ps-
147 : 9. The term raven includes the crow, rook,
jackdaw, and the like. There is special signifi
cance in these references, since " every raven
after his kind" was unclean (Lev. iims). — The
lilies of the field. Probably a general term

LILT OV CHALCEDON.
for the wild flowers. The accompanying illustra
tion of the lily of Chalcedon gives, as well as can
be done without color, an idea of this, which is
the most brilliant scarlet lily of all Palestine.—
The grass which is to-day in the field and
to-morrow is cast into, the oven. The an

cient oven was of various kinds, sometimes made
of brick, sometimes of clay, sometimes simply a
hole in the ground, clay- plastered. The accom
panying illustration represents one . of the most
common forms of Eastern ovens. Dried grass
was a customary fuel in Pales'tine, where there
was little wood, and where coal, other than char
coal, was unknown. — Neither be ye of doubt
ful mind. Literally, raised in theair ((ictemqlSw).
The same metaphor is common in the English ;
the phrase might well be rendered, Be not in sus
pense. Religious indecision Christ condemns.
32-34. Ver. 32 is peculiar to Luke. A little flock
is a striking symbol of helplessness. The power of
the church is not in itself, but in the Giver who
bestows the kingdom upon it. Parallel in
6pirit is Matt. 10 : 16-19, 23. Parallel to vers.
33, 34 is Matt. 6 : 19-21. See notes there. The
bag is the Bame as the scrip in Matt. 10 : 10
and Mark 6 : 8. See notes in both places for
illustration. 35-48. This discourse on watchfulness con
tains the same admonitions, the same metaphors,
and to some extent the same language employed
by Christ in the discourse delivered in Jerusa
lem in the last days ; but the variations are
such that it is not probable that this is simply
a different report of that address. Compare
Matt. 24 : 42-51, where I have treated fully all
that is common to the two discourses.
35-38. The metaphor of the wedding feast
here suggested is elaborated by Christ in Matt.
25 : 1-13, which see for account of marriage cer
emonies in the East, and for spiritual applica
tion.— Let your loins be girded about. The
long Oriental robe requires to be taken up and
the skirt fastened under the girdle to allow free
dom in walking. The lesson is that he is best
prepared for death who is always ready for
Christian work. — And the lights burning.
As interpreted by Matt. 25 : 3-8, the lesson is
that only he is prepared for either death or work

78

LUKE.

[Ch. XII.

when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto
him immediately.'
37 Blessed" are those servants, whom the lord, when
he cometh, shall find watching : verily I say unto you,
that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down
to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come
in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those
servants. 30 And this know, that if the goodman of the house
had known what hour the thief * would come, he would
have watched, and not have suffered his house to be
broken through.
40 Be ye therefore ready J also : for the Son of man
cometh at an hour when ye think not.
41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou
this parable unto us, or even to all ?
42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and
wise steward,' whom his lord shall make ruler over
his household, to give them their portion of meat in
due season?.

43 Blessed • is that servant, whom his lord, when he
cometh, shall find so doing.
44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him
ruler over all that he hath.
45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord
delay eth his coming ; and shall begin to beat b the men-
servants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be
drunken ;
46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when
he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not
aware, and will cut him in sunder," and will appoint
him his portion with the unbelievers.
47 And that servant which d knew his lord's will, and
prepared not himself, neither did according to his will,
shall be beaten e with many stripes.
48 But he' that knew not, and did commit things
worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.
Fore unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be
much required : and to whom men have h committed
much, of him they will ask the more.

wMatt. 24 ; 46, etc.... z 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 3:3; 16 : 16  y ch. 21 : 34, 36  z 1 Cor. 4 : 2  a verse 87  b Matt. 22: 6 
c Ps. 37 : 9 ; 94 : 14  q James 4 : 17  e Deut. 25 : 2  f Acts 17 : 80  g Lev. 6 : 17 ; John 15 : 22 ; 1 Tim. 1 : 13  hi Tim. 6 : 20.

AN EASTERN OVEN.

who is supplied with ebe oil of divine grace. —
May open unto him immediately. The
Christian must be ready for the summons when
ever it comes ; he must need no special prepara
tion for death. — He shall gird himself and
make them sit down to meat. Comp. Rev.
3 : 20, 21 ; contrast ch. 17 : 8, where see note for
illustration of Oriental lord and servant. In the
earthly wedding the lord expects to find the
table prepared for him by his servants ; in the
heavenly, he prepares the feast for his servants.
—Second watch * * * third watch. The
Greeks and Romans divided the night into four

equal watches, termi
nating respectively at
9 p. m., midnight, 3
A. M., and 6 a.m. The
first watch is not
named, because the
marriage itself occurs
at that time ; nor the
fourth watch, be
cause that would
postpone the return
beyond the usual
time. 39, 40. Christ
changes the meta
phor. He compares
his coming to that of a
thief in the night. See
Matt. 24: 43, 44, notes.
41-46. Peter's
question is reported
only by Luke, but
our Lord's answer to
it here is repeated
almost verbatim in
his discourse in Mat
thew. See Matt-
24 : 45-51, notes.
47, 48. The last clause of ver. 48 affords the
key to the interpretation of this confessedly dif
ficult passage. The principle which Christ here
annunciates as that on which God will act in the
day of judgment is that which men recognize as
just, and upon which they act in their dealings
with one another. This principle is that guilt is
according to the knowledge of the criminal.
The language of the whole passage is relative.
No one perfectly comprehends his Lord's will ;
no one is without some knowledge of it ; abso
lute ignorance would be a perfect palliation, but
ignorance never is absolute. That servant which

Ch. XII.]

LUKE.

79

4Q I am come to send fire on the earth ; and what
will I if it be already kindled ?
50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with ; and
how am I straitened till it be accomplished !
51 Suppose ' ye that I am come to give peace on
earth ? I tell you, Nay ; but rather division :
32 For from henceforth there shall be five in one
house divided, three against two, and two against three.
53 The father J shall be divided against the son, and
the son against the father; the mother against the
* daughter, and the daughter against the mother • the
mother in law against her daughter in law, and the
daughter in law against her mother in law.
S4 And he said also to the people, When k ye see a
cloud rise out of the' west, straightway ye say, There
cometh a shower ; aud so it is. .
SS And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say,
There will be heat : and it cometh to pass.
56 Ye hypocrites ! ye can discern the face of the sky,
and of the earth : but how is it that ye do not discern
this time ?

57 Yea, and why even of1 yourselves judge ye not
what is right ?
58 When™ thou goest with thine adversary to the
magistrate, as thou art inn the way, give diligence that
thou mayest be delivered from him j lest he hale thee
to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer,
and the officer cast thee into prison.
59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou
hast paid the very last mite.

CHAPTER XIII.
THERE were present at that season some that told
him of the0 Galiteeans, whose blood Pilate had
mingled ° with their sacrifices.
2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye
that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Gali-
keans, because they suffered such things ?
3 I tell you, Nay : but except ye repent,1* ye shall all
likewise perish.

i Matt. 10 : 34. . . .j Micah 7 : 6. . . .k Matt. 16 : 2, etc. .

.1 1 Cor. 11
q Act* 3 :

14.... m Matt; 5 : !
9; Rev. 2:21,22.

.n lea. 55 : 6  0 Acts 5 : 37..

knew his Lord's will is, primarily, he that lives in
the light of revelation ; he that knew not, the
heathen ; but there are degrees of knowledge in
Christendom, and he that knows is the educated,
he that knows not, he that has been brought up
in an atmosphere of ignorance, superstition, and
crime. The whole passage is interpreted by
Rom. 2 : 6-23. The passage certainly teaches
that there are degrees of punishment in the fu
ture life ; and it seems to me, therefore, neces
sarily to imply that all who are punished in the
future are not eternally punished.
49-53. In spirit this prophecy compares with
Matt. 10 : 34-37. See notes there. Vers. 49 and
50 are peculiar to Luke, and there is some diffi
culty both in construction and interpretation. —
I am come to send fire. I think it clear that
fire here symbolizes, not, as Alford, following
the older commentators, the gift of the Holy
Ghost, but conflict and persecution. This is in
dicated (1) by the connection ; Christ is speak
ing here, not of the coming of the Holy Ghost,
but of the divisions which were not merely an
incident, but one of the objects of his ministry,
the fan by which he is ever separating the wheat
from the chaff, and which is one of the "all
things" that work together for the good of
them that love God ; (2) by the peculiar force of
the language, which is not lam come to send fire,
but lam come to cast (flaleiv) fire, or, as Godet,
to throw a firebrand; (3) by the very passages to
which Alford refers in support of the other in
terpretation. In Matt. 3 : 16, John the Baptist
speaks of the Holy Ghost and fire, a clear indica
tion that the fire was not, as used by him, a
symbol for the Holy Ghost, but for the persecu
tion and the trial which would consume the
dross and purify the gold. — And what will I
if it be already kindled ? The utterance is
broken in the original, and betokens a conflict of
soul, like that in John 12 : 27, 28. In the oppo

sition by the Pharisees (ch. n : 53, 54) Christ per
ceives the beginning of this fire ; conflicting
emotions, of sorrow in the present and prospec
tive conflicts, and joy in their final result, find an
utterance in this language of perplexity. What
willl, i. e., what more would I, since it is already
kindled? This interpretation is confirmed by
the language of the next verse. — I have a bap
tism to be baptized with. The same bap
tism of fire which he was to minister to his
church through the ages that waited for his
coming. — And how am I straitened till it
be accomplished. Either urged on or dis
tressed, perplexed. The original (avylxo/iat) will
bear either translation. The latter seems to me
to be preferable. Every glimpse into the future,
every view of that load of sin and sorrow which
was laid on him for us all, produced in a measure
that inexplicable experience of anguish which
was consummated in Gethsemane, and in the cry
upon the cross, "My God, my God, why hast
thou forsaken me ? " We must never forget
that he bore our sins and sufferings, not in his
body only or chiefly, but in his heart.
54-56. Comp. Matt. 16 : 2, 3, notes. On the
cloud in the west, see 1 Kings 18 : 44 ; on the
effect of the south wind, see Psalm 103 : 16.
57. Peculiar to Luke. Alford connects it with
the request made to Christ to act as judge (ver.
13) ; but this seems to me far-fetched. The con
nection appears to me to be as follows : If you
were wise you would see the signs of destructive
storm gathering to overwhelm this nation, and
would avoid the impending doom. But why,
apart from these considerations, do you not of
yourselves judge and do what is right ?
58,-59. See Matt. 5 r 25, 26, notes. But the
phraseology, and I think the application, is dif
ferent in the two passages. Here the adversary
is the Roman government ; it brings the Jewish
nation really to the bar of God, who is the mag-

80

LUKE.

[Ch. XIII.

4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam
fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners
above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem ?
S I tell you. Nay : but except ye repent, ye shall all
likewise perish.
6 He spake also this parable : A r certain man had a
fig tree planted in his vineyard ; and he came and
sought fruit9 thereon, and found none.
7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Be

hold, these three years 1 come seeking fruit on this fig
tree, and find none : cut it down ; l why cumbereth it
the ground ?
8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it
alone u this year also, till I shall dig about it, and
dung it;
9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that
thou v shalt cut it down.

r Isa. 5 : 1, etc. ; Matt. 21 : 19. .

..a John 15: 16 ; Gal. 5 : 22 j Pbil.4 : 17. .
Heb. 6 : 8.

.t Exod. 32: 10  a Pa. 106: 23; 2 Pet. 3 : 9  v John 15 : 2;

istrate ; wisdom would dictate that the Jews
should seek diligently to be delivered from him,
in this case not, as in Matthew, by agreeing with
the adversary (Matt. 5 : 25), but by securing the ap
proving judgment of the Divine magistrate, by
of their selves judging and doing what is right.
If this interpretation be correct, the passage
points out the true way of national safety in all
times of national danger.

Ch. 13 : 1-9. TEACHING ON INCIDENTS OP THE DAT.
PARABLE OP THE BARREN F10-TREE. The Geeat
Teacher takes texts fkom life.— Misinterpreting
Providence. — The doom of the unrepentant.— The
long-suffering of God. — Fruitfulness the test
of character.
The time and occasion of this teaching are un
known. The language of ver. 1, at that season,
indicates only that it belongs in the Perean min
istry. 1-3. The incident of the slaughter of the Gali
leans is not mentioned in secular history. But
disturbances in Jerusalem, precursors of the final
outbreak, were common. The slaughter of a few
Galileans would not be deemed an event of suf
ficient importance to justify the attention of the
historian. The mingling of their blood with their
sacrifices is mentioned partly as a graphic method
of telling their fate, partly as an expression of
added horror, partly, perhaps, as an indication of
their peculiar guilt. It was the Jewish theory of
special providence, and it has survived Judaism,
that special misfortunes or disasters were in
dications of the divine displeasure. This both
Christ (Matt. 6 : 4, 10, 11 j John 9 : 3) and his apOStleS (Rev.
3 : 19 5 i Cor. n : 32 ; Heb. 12:6) declare to be false. The
language of the narrators here, or their manner,
implied that they so interpreted this tragedy.
Christ rebukes this mis-reading of Providence,
while he makes it an occasion to re-enforce the
doctrine and duty of repentance. The prophecy,
Ye shall all likewise perish, was notably fulfilled in
the case of the Jewish nation, who perished forty
years later in Jerusalem, largely in the temple
itself, by the sword of Titus. Christ's custom
of taking the events of the day for his text is an
example to his followers in the ministry.
4, 5. Jesus transfers the minds of his hearers
from the massacre of the Galileans to the fall of
the tower of Siloam, probably because Judeans,

not despised Galileans, perished by the latter ca
tastrophe. The fact that the good, as well as
the wicked, perish by disasters, is conclusive
against the theory which interprets the special
disaster as a special judgment. The lesson of
warning is, as before, a prophecy fulfilled in the
experience of the nation ; the admonition to re
pentance is the same. In both instances, Christ
elucidates the truth that temporal death is a
symbol of spiritual death, and that every great
disaster is a warning, not of special judgment,
but of impending doom on all who do not escape
it by repentance.. Nothing is known of this
tower of Siloam or of its fall, here mentioned.
For description of Siloam and its pool and aque
duct, see John 9 : 7, note.
6-9. This parable is closely connected with
what precedes ; its object is to teach the same
lesson, viz., the necessity of repentance, and the
alternative, utter destruction. — A certain man
had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard.
His fig-tree, because in his vineyard, planted by
himself, and dependent for its existence on food
gathered from his soil. In all this, it is an appro
priate and significant type of man, who, by
every consideration, belongs to God. The plant
ing of trees in the vineyard, which is not common
in Europe, is so in Palestine.— Unto the dress
er of his vineyard. The gardener. There has
been some unprofitable discussion whether the
owner represents Christ and the dresser the Holy
Spirit, or the owner the Father and the dresser
Christ. Unprofitable I call it, because all such
attempts to press a literal interpretation of each
feature of the parable is usually unprofitable,
and generally distracts from the central lesson.
The N. T. nowhere recognizes any such clearly
drawn lines of distinction between the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Ghost, as were evolved in
the later scholastic theology. Under the guise
of a discussion between the owner and the dress
er, is dramatically and forcefully represented the
problem presented to divine love by human ob-
duracy.-These three years I come seeking
fruit. It is unquestionably a significant fact,
that three years was probably the duration
of Christ's ministry among the Jews. During
this three years, he came seeking fruit and find
ing none ; his second coming will be to destroy
the unfruitful and to gather the fruitful into his

Ch. XIII.]

LUKE.

81

to And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on
the sabbath.
ii And, behold, there was a woman which had a
spirit of infirmity'1' eighteen years, and was bowed to
gether, and could in no wise lift up herself.

12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him,
and said unto her, Woman, thou x art loosed from thine
infirmity. 13 And he y laid his hands on her: and immediately
she was made straight, and glorified God.

w Pe. 6:2.... x Joel 8:10.... y Mark 16 : 18 j Acts 9: 17.

garner. — Why cumbereth it the
ground ? " Why, besides bearing no
fruit, is it impoverishing the soil." — (Al
ford.) No man is merely useless. Like
the unfruitful tree, he is a despoiler if
he be not a fruit-bearer. — Till I shall
dig about it, and dung it. That is,
" hollow out the earth from about the
stem, filling up the space with manure,
as one may now see done to the orange
trees in the south of Italy." — (Trench.)
A symbol of the special means of grace,
provided always for the same purpose,
to make fruitful that which is unfruit
ful (2 Pet. 3 : 9). The object of all this
gracious work is "good works, which
God hath before ordained that we
should walk in them " (Ephes. 2 : 10). —
After that, thou shalt cut it down.
The period of grace is also one of pro
bation ; if the divine grace proves in
efficacious, the unfruitful shall be de
stroyed. It seems to me impossible to
reconcile Christ's language in the pre
ceding instruction and in this parable,
with the idea of a universal restora
tion. The attempt to answer specifically the
question, what is the fig-tree, what
the vineyard, who the owner, who the
dresser of the vineyard, etc., is worse than in
vain. The beauty of the allegory is destroyed
by this attempt to press to a literal inter
pretation all its details. But the following
hints are clear: (1.) The imagery is borrowed
from the parable, familiar to Christ's auditors,
in Isaiah 5 : 1-7, and from other uses in the 0. T.
of the same figure, likening God's people to a
tree in a vineyard. (2.) The fig-tree in a vine
yard point* rather to an individual in a favored
community, enjoying the means of grace and
spiritual culture, than to a nation (the Jewish) in
the world. (3.) It is therefore primarily an ad
monition to the individual Jew, who was planted
in the midst of God's special people, prided him
self on that fact, and yet brought forth no fruit ;
but, secondarily, and with equal force, it applies
to the individual of our own day, in the midst
of a Christian community, enjoying Christian
advantages, but bringing forth in life and char
acter no Christian fruit to God's glory or man's
benefit. (4.) It emphasizes the truth, so often

PIG-TREE.
inculcated by Christ, that the test, and the only
test of character, is fruit-bearing; and though
Christ does not here indicate what are Christian
fruits, they are abundantly and clearly indicated
elsewhere. See especially Gal. 5 : 22, 23. (5.) It
illustrates the patience and long-suffering of
God toward us — his waiting to be gracious, and
it emphasizes this truth by its solemn close : If
not, then after that, thou shalt cut it down. For
the divine grace is not ignorance, indifference, or
unconcern, as is shown by the certainty of divine
judgment on the finally unfruitful.
Ch. 13 : 10-17. CURE OF THE INFIRM WOMAN. The
USE AND ABUSE OF THE SABBATH.
The account of this miracle is peculiar to
Luke. The object of the healing appears to me
to have been to afford an occasion for a rebuke
of the Pharisaic abuse of the sabbath ; in that
respect the spiritual teaching is analogous to
that of Matt. 12 : 10-13 ; Mark 3 : 1-5. The time
and place of the incident are unknown.

82

LUKE.

[Ch. XIII.

14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with in
dignation, because that Jesus had healed* on the sab
bath day, and said unto the people, There0 are six
days in which men ought to work: in them therefore
come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou
hypocrite I b doth not each one of you on the sabbath
loose c his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him
away to watering ?
16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter d of
Abraham whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen
years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
ij And when he had said these things, all his adver
saries were ashamed ; e and all the people rejoiced for
all the glorious' things that were done by him.

18 Then said he, Unto & what is the kingdom of God
like ? and whereunto shall I resemble it ?
19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man
took and cast into his garden ; and it grew, and waxed
a great tree ; and the fowls of the air lodged in the
branches of it
20 And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the
kingdom of God ?
21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in
three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
22 And he went through the cities and villages,
teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that
be saved ? And he said unto them,
24 Strive0 to enter in at the strait gate : for many,'

a chaps. 6:7; 14 : 8
14:5....d ch. 19:
7 : 13. . . .i John 7 :

Matt. 12: 10: Mark 3:2
. . . .e Isn. 45 : 24 ; 1 Pet. ;
4 ; 8:21; Roin. 9 : 31.

; John 5: IS.... a Exod. 20:9....b ch. 12:1; Fro*. 11 :
:16... f Exod. 15:11; Ps. Ill : 3 ; lia.4:2....g Matt.

: Matt. 7:5; 23
:31: Mark 4 : 30.

13, 28. . . .c ch.
etc. ...h Matt.

10, 11. He was teaching in one of the
synagogues on the sabbath. One of the
many indications that Christ was accustomed to
employ the sabbath, the Jewish sabbath not our
Sunday, for purposes of religious worship and in
struction. For account of the synagogues, see
Matt. 4 : 23, note. — A woman which had a
spirit of infirmity. Apparently the case was
one of paralysis.
12, 13. He called to her, and said to
her. This miracle is peculiar, in that there is
no evidence of any act of faith on the part of the
woman. It can hardly be inferred, from ver. 14,
that she came for the purpose of being healed.
14-16. The ruler of the synagogue. The
president of the college of elders, who answered
in some respects to the pastor of a modern
church, but was more an executive officer and
less a, teacher. — Answered with indigna
tion. We need not suppose, because Christ
called him a hypocrite, that this indignation was
feigned. The Eabbinical laws forbade works of
healing, though the Mosaic law did not. See
Matt. 12 : 10, nqte ; and his indignation was that
of an ecclesiastic, whose church regulations had
been openly set at defiance. — There are six
days, etc. His argument is this : This healing
is not a work of necessity, since the woman
might have been healed on the week day. If, as
some have contended, only necessary works of
mercy can be done on the sabbath-day, there
would be no answer to his argument. He ad
dresses it to the people, because too much awed
by the miracle to address Jesus directly. — Hyp
ocrite. Literally, stage-player. See Matt. 6 : 2,
note. "The Lord saw the real thoughts of his
heart; that they were false, and inconsistent
with his pretended zeal. A man hardly could
give forth a doctrine so at variance with com
mon-sense and common practice, without some
by-end, with which he covered his violation of
truth. That by-end here waB enmity to and
jealousy of Jesus."— (Alford.)— Loose his ox
or his ass. That motives of self-interest Bhould
be more powerful than motives of humanity,

arouses the indignation of our Lord. He implies
the manifold contrast between the dumb beast
and the daughter of Abraham ; the one bound to
the stall, the other bound by disease ; the one for
safe-keeping, the other by Satan ; the one for a
few hours, the other for eighteen years. — Whom
Satan hath bound. It was a popular belief
that disease was inflicted by evil spirits. Christ
employs the language of the people in character
izing this woman's affliction. I see no reason for
thinking that it was a case of demoniacal posses
sion, though this view is entertained by some
commentators. Beneath his words, however,
there is a deeper meaning; disease, as well as
death, is a part of the wages of sin — one of the
consequences of the bondage of Satan ; to release
from it, is always legitimate sabbath work.
17. All his adversaries were ashamed.
Bather, brought to shame, i. e. , shamed before the
people.— All the people rejoiced. In this
controversy between Christ and the ecclesias
tics, as in the later one between Luther and the
church of Rome, the people were on the side of
the reformer.
18-21. Parables op Mustard Seed and
Leaven.— See Matt. 13 : 31-33, notes. Whether
the parables were repeated by Christ in this con
nection, as Alford supposes, or whether they are
reported by Luke without reference to their con
nection, is not certain ; neither is it important.
Ch. 13 : 22-35. VARIOUS INSTRUCTIONS OF OUR LORD.
Conditions op salvation.— Degrees in salvation.—
An illustration op the Christian use op satire.
22-25. And he was going through the
cities and villages. The location and limits
of this journey are not definitely fixed, but it is
generally believed to have been through Perea,
and to have been concluded when, in answer to
the summons from Bethany, Christ reached the
house of Lazarus (john ii : 3-7).— Are there few
that be saved ? The Jewish doctrine of Last
Days, included a belief in the destruction of all
who were not admitted to the Messianic king
dom. To a devout Jew then, as to many Chris-

Oh. XIII.]

LUKE.

83

I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be
able. 25 When once* the master of the house is risen up,
and hath shut k to the door, and ye begin to stand with
out, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord,1 Lord,
open unto us ; and he shall answer and say unto you,
I know you not whence ye are :
26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and
drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our
streets. 27 But he™ shall say, I tell you, I know you not
whence ye are ; depart from me all ye workers" of in
iquity. 28 There ° shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth,

when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and
all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you
yourselves thrust out.
29 And theyp shall come from the east, and from the
west, and from the north, and from the south, and
shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
30 And, behold, there 1 are last which shall be first,
and there are first which shall be last.
31 The same day there came certain of the Phari
sees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence :
for Herod will kill thee.
32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox,r
Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to-day and to
morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.*

i Ps. 32 : 6; Isa. 65 : 6....k Matt.

25 : 10  1 ch. 6:46....m Matt. 7:22, 23; 25: 12, 41. ...n Pe. 6 : 8; 101 : 8..
61. ...p Rev. 7 :9, 10  q. Matt. 19 : 30. ...r Zeph. 8 : 3....B Heb. 2 : 10.

.0 Matt. 8:12; 13:4!;

tians now, it seemed as though there were very
few who had complied with the conditions of sal
vation. The question was analogous to one often
asked in our day, respecting the salvation of the
heathen. Christ never answers questions in the
oretical theology. To the questioner he replies,
in effect, Never mind ; do you strive to enter in
to the heavenly kingdom. Similar in spirit is his
answer to the question of the lawyer in ch.
10 : 29, to that of Peter in ch. 12 : 41, and to that
of Judas (not Iscariot), in John 14 : 22. —
Strive to enter in. The word rendered strive
(iyavl^muai, agonizomai) is the one from which
comes our word agonize, and is employed in
describing the combats in the public games (l Cor.
9 : 25). The striving to enter in must be in accord
with the mighty working of God in us (col. i : 29) ;
it must be fervent and with prayer (Col. 4 : 12) ; it
is characterized by Paul as the good fight or
strife, in contrast with the strife after secular re
wards (l Tim. 6 : 12 ; 2 Tim. 4:7); to Oppose US in this
strife are the world, the flesh, and the devil
(2 Cor. 4:4; Gal. 5 : 17 ; Eph. 6 : 12) ; to Conquer in it
we must put on the whole armor of God (Eph.
6 : 13). The lesson which Christ inculcates, is
that though always a simple, it is not always an
easy thing, to enter into Christ's kingdom. —
The strait gate. That is, narrow gate. The
spirit of real hearty allegiance to Jesus Christ,
by which we enter in to him. Matt. 7 : 13, 14,
note. — Many will seek to enter in, and
shall not be able when once the Master of
the house is risen up, etc. If this passage be
read, not with a, period at the close of ver. 24,
but with a comma, much of the difficulty which
has been felt in the interpretation of the passage
vanishes. There is a triple contrast, (1) between
striving and mere seeking, many who desire never
becoming Christians, because they are not willing
to take up their cross to follow Christ (ch. 14 : 33) ;
(2) between entering in at the strait gate and
attempting to climb up some other way ; (3) be
tween striving to enter now and waiting until the
Master of the house has risen up and shut to the
door. This door is shut either when there is no
more space for repentance (Matt. 12 : 32 ; Heb. e : 4-6),

or when death calls the soul to judgment. Thus
Christ teaches in this passage the threefold con
ditions of salvation : an earnest spirit, the way of
self-sacrifice, the present time. — Ye begin to
stand without and to knock at the door.
The figure is drawn from the customs of the
wedding feast, and is elaborated in Matt.
25 : 1-13 ; see notes there. — I know you not.
Whence are ye ? This punctuation appears to
me preferable to the one ordinarily adopted.
Ver. 26 is an answer to th^i question.
26, 27. We have eaten and drunk in
thy presence, and thou bast taught in our
streets. Compare Matt. 7 : 22. There, reli
gious work for the Lord, here the enjoyment of
Christian privileges and the receipt of Christian
instruction on earth, are made the ground of a
claim for admission to Christ's eternal kingdom.
Both are disallowed: neither enjoying religion,
receiving religious instruction, or engaging in
so-called religious work, is an entering into the
strait gate. All these may coexist with practical
injustice in the daily life. See further, notes on
Matt. 7 : 21-23, and comp. Eph. 5 : 6.
28, 29. See Matt. 8 : 11, 12, notes. The con
nection here is, There are many that shall be
saved ; beware lest you are cast out.
30. See Matt. 20 : 16, note. The meaning here
is primarily, Many now last, i. e., Gentiles, shall
be first then, and many now first, i. e., Jews, shall
be last then; but, secondarily, as in Matthew, Of
those entering into the kingdom, many who hold
the highest place now, will begin with shame to
take a lower seat, and many occupying the lower
places will be bidden to go up higher (ch. 14 : 9, 10).
As in the kingdom of darknesB (ch. 12 : 47, 48) so in
the kingdom of light, there are degrees and
ranks ; in reward as in punishment.
31-33. There came certain of the Phari
sees. Their object was to induce Christ to de
part from their territory ; probably the Perean
district, of which, as well as of Galilee, Herod
was ruler. It is very possible that they were
moved to this message by intimations directly
.received from Herod ; a little later we know that
the Pharisees and the Herodians combined under

84

LUKE.

[Ch. XIV.

33 Nevertheless, I rrinst walk to-day, and to-mor
row, and the day following: for it cannot be that a
prophet perish out of Jerusalem,
¦ 34 O Jerusalem,' Jerusalem, which killest the pro
phets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee ; now
often would I have gathered thy children together, as
a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye
would not I
35 Behold, your" house is left unto you desolate:

and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until
the time come when ye shall say, Blessed v is he that
cometh in the name of the Lord.
CHAPTER XIV.
AND it came to pass, as he went into the house of
one of the* chief Pharisees, to eat bread on the
sabbath day, that they watched w him.

t Matt. 23 : 37. . . -a Lev. :

:31. 32; Pa. 69 : 26; Isa. 1 : 7; 5 :5,6; Dan. 9 : 27; Micah 3: 12  v ch. 19: 88; John 12 : 13  w Pa.
37 : 32 ; laa. 29 : 20, 21 ; Jer. 20 : 10, 11.

the influence of a common enmity to Christ (Matt.
«2 : 16, 16). The Herod here mentioned is the one
who had imprisoned and killed John the Baptist
(Matt. 14 : 1-12, note), whose assassination took place
in Macherus, a fortress in Perea. Neither Herod
nor the Pharisees were willing to take measures
to assassinate Jesus, for his popularity was
too great (chaps. 12 : 1 ; 13 : 17 ; 15 : 1). They there
fore resorted to this subterfuge to get rid of
him. — Tell that fox. An appropriate charac
terization of Herod, whose history is one of in
trigue and cunning. It is almost the only case in
which Christ applies an opprobious epithet to
an individual. The fact is no less significant than
this one remarkable exception to the general
principle of his life. In this case, by a single
word, he indicated to the people, the Pharisees
and Herod, that he understood the design ; and
the word was one sure to be remembered and
repeated. By his undisguised contempt he de
feated the attempt to overawe the people by this
unholy combination between an apostate church
and a wicked king. — I do cures to-day and
to-morrow, and the third day I shall be
perfected. The language is enigmatical ; there
is difficulty in its interpretation. I believe, how
ever, (1) that the word days is to be taken in its
literal signification. The attempt to interpret the
first day as equivalent to Christ's present work
ing, to-morrow as the time intermediate the
present and his passion, and the third day as the
passion week, seems to me forced and unnatu
ral ; (2) I shall be perfected, clearly refers to the
finishing of Christ's career by his passion and
death. The same Greek word is used in this
sense in John -4 : 34 ; 5 : 36 ; 17 : 4 ; comp. Acts
20 : 24. I believe then that we are to understand
Christ's reply to the Pharisees to be, that he will
remain but two days longer in that district, and
that then will begin that passion at Jerusalem,
which was the perfecting of his ministry. May
these two days be those referred to in John
11 : 6 ? It is true Christ tarried, after the resur
rection of Lazarus, in Ephraim (John 11 : 54) ; but
this was only with his disciples. His public min
istry, except as it was perfected in the Passion
week, came to an end when he left Perea to go.
to Bethany. — It cannot be that a prophet
perish out of Jerusalem. Not literally true ;
John the Baptist was himself an exception.

34, 35. See Matt. 23 : 27-39, notes. The dis
course in which it there appears, is not reported
by Luke, who gives barely a brief suggestion of
it. It seems to me rrJore probable that Luke has
here inserted this apostrophe to Jerusalem out
of its place, than that Christ repeated it on this
occasion ; because, (1) an appeal to Jerusalem, in
Perea, seems not probable, though it might have
been suggested by the close of the previous sen
tence; (2) it is not true that Jerusalem did not
see Christ until his second coming, and to sup
pose that the close of ver. 35 refers to the greet
ings given him on his triumphal entry into Jeru
salem (Matt 21 : 9) deprives it of its significance,
and gives to the same words here and in Matt.
23 : 39, a radically different meaning.

Ch. 14 : 1-14. VARIOUS INSTRUCTIONS AT THE HOUSE
OF A PHARISEE. Lawful to no good on the sab
bath vat. — The Christian road to preferment. —
The law op Christian hospitality.
The time and place of the incident and teach
ings here recorded are unknown. They are all
peculiar to Luke. The parable of the Great Sup
per (vera, is, 24) follows immediately after, and is
directly connected with the semi-social instruc
tions contained in the first part of the chapter.
1. To eat bread on the sabbath day.
The Pharisaic sabbath was a festival. " The day
was one of festal rejoicing. Social entertain
ments were part of its religious observance.
Every week the pious Jew repeated that Thanks
giving day which New England enjoys but once
a year. Walking, social visiting, even games
and dancing, were a part of the Pharisaic observ
ance of the sabbath day. * * * ' Meet the sab
bath with a lively hunger ; let thy table be cov
ered with fish, flesh, and generous wine.' 'Let
the seats be soft, and adorned with beautiful
cushions, and let elegance smile in the furniture
of the table.' 'Assume all thy sprightliness.'
'Utter nothing but what is provocative of mirth
and good humor.' 'Walk leisurely, for the law
requires it, as it does also longer sleep in the
morning.' 'Be resolute and merry, though
ruined in debt.' Such are some of the Rabbini
cal precepts concerning the sabbath. Whatever
else may be said of them, they certainly do not
sustain the popular conception of the Jewish
sabbath as a day of rigorous asceticism. On the

Ch. XIV.]

LUKE.

85

2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him,
which had the dropsy.
3 And Jesus, answering, spake unto the lawyers and
Pharisees, saying, Isx it lawful to heal on the sabbath
day f
4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and
healed him, and let him go ;
5 And answered them, saying,* Which of you shall
have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not
straightway pull him out on the sabbath day ?
6 And they could not answer him again to these
things. 7 And he put forth a parable to those which were
bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief
rooms ; saying unto them,

8 When thou * art bidden of any man to a wedding,
sit not down in the highest room ; test a more honour
able man than thou be bidden of him ;
9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to
thee, Give this man place ; and thou begin with shame
to take the lowest room.
to But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the
lowest room ; that when he that bade thee cometh, he
may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher : then shalt
thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at
meat with thee.
n For whosoever ¦ exalteth himself shall be abased j
and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When
thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends,

x ch. 13 : 14  y ch. 13 : 15  z Prov. 25 : 6,7..

.a ch. 18 : 14; 1 Sam. 16 : 17 : Job 22 : 29 ; Ps. 18 : 27 ; Prov. 15 :
23 : 12 ; James 4:6; 1 Pet. 5 : 5.

contrary, if we may believe the not altogether
impartial testimony of the early Christians, it
was too often wasted in idleness, and degraded
by sensuality and drunkenness." — (Abbott's Jesus
of Nazareth.) It is noteworthy that Christ, who
rebukes the legalism and asceticism with which
the Pharisees hedged about the sabbath, and the
spirit of inhumanity which they concealed under
a pretence of sabbath observance, utters no
word of condemnation of the social freedom
which characterized the day. Observe, too, that
while he accepts all invitations, he makes every
social gathering an occasion of. direct religious
instruction. — They were watching him.
What sort of hospitality was this which invited
him to a feast of suspicion ?
2, 3. There was a certain man before
him. In the free social life of the East,
strangers often entered into the court-yard of
the house where such an entertainment was given.
See chap. 7 : 37, note. This dropsical man may
have been a guest ; more probably he was a
stranger. It is reasonable to surmise that he
came to seek healing. — Is it lawful ? The
Pharisees were watching Christ ; Christ tries the
Pharisees. According to Kabbinical law It was
unlawful.. On several occasions Christ con
demned and repudiated this traditional addition
to the Sabbath laws of the O. T. (chaps. 13 : 11-17,
notes ; Matt. 12 : 9-14, notes).
4-6. Some manuscripts, and these the better
ones, for ass read son (for fivog, vlo'g). The verse
will then read, Which of you shall have a son, or
even an 6x, fallen into a pit ? The argument here
is precisely the same as in Matt. 12 : 11.
7-10. The language, He put forth a parable,
implies that we are to look in this teaching for a
spiritual meaning beneath the social instruction
which lies on the surface. See below. The word
room is used in the original sense of the word, as
equivalent to space or place. In the East, in the
time of Christ, tables were ordinarily arranged
around an open square, in the manner indicated
in the annexed diagram ; see also Matt. 26 : 20,
note, for illustration. The middle place on each

couch of the triclinium was considered the place
of honor, here designated as the chief room,
(nqortoxXiola). In our democratic society we can
not well appreciate the bitterness of the conten
tion which often took place among guests for
these places of honor. It was probably such a
strife that Luke refers to in ch. 22 : 24. A strife
for ecclesiastical pre-eminence, not in real power,
but only in title and dignity, between the Arch
bishops of Canterbury and York, agitated all
England for a long time, and was finally settled
by making the one Primate of England and the
other Primate of all England. In the interpreta
tion of this parable
observe, (1) Christ
does not condemn
social ranks and
grades ; he does not
demand even the
abolition of first
and second places
at the table. (2.)
He addresses him
self to the motive
of approbativeness.
0. T. and in the

1

( :

in

II

ii

III

i

i

n
—

in

TRICLINIUM.

The Bible, both in the
N. T., repeatedly does so.
It is not an evil motive ; it is evil only when made
the master motive. It is not unchristian to seek
honor among men ; but it is Christian to obtain it
by deserving and receiving, not by demanding it.
(3.) The superficial lesson of the parable is not to
be forgotten ; in our earthly relations in so
cial, business, and political Hfe, as well as in
Christian work, we are to be content, as was our
Master, with the lowest place, and obtain exalta
tion, as did he, through humiliation (Eph. » : 5, 9).
(4.) The spiritual lesson is not inconsistent with
the social ; but simply carries it out in a larger
and higher sphere. He that is willing to take the
lowest place in work for God, is the one whom
God most delights to honor. Of this truth, Paul
affords a notable example (1 Cor. 4: 12, 13; Phu.
1:12, 13).
11. Whosoever exalteth himself, etc.
This is the enunciation of a general law of abso-

86

LUKE.

[Ch. XIV.

nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich '
neighbours ; lest they also bid thee again, and a recom-
pence be made thee.

13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor,0 the
maimed, the lame, the blind :
14 And thou shalt be blessed ; for they cannot rec

ti Prov. 22: 16  c Neh. 8:10, 12.

lutely universal application ; but the final abase
ment or exaltation may not come until the future
li'e. 'In addition to marg. ref., see Isaiah
5 : 12-15, etc.
12. When thou makest a dinner or a
nupper. The people of the East take ordinarily
two regular meals a day ; the first, a hearty
breakfast ; the second, a late dinner, usually al
luded to in the 0. T. under the name of supper.
The lunch in the middle of the day, is generally
an informal meal, and by working people is

taken in the fields. The late dinner, here desig
nated supper, is the prmcipal meal of the day,
and that to which guests are usually invited. —
Call not thy friends * * * nor thy rich
neighbors. Social entertainments in the East
are often occasions, as with us, of great display.
Each course consists of a single dish ; sometimes
as many as forty or fifty courses are given. The
drawing-room is ordinarily one that opens di-
rectly upon the court-yard. The flowers and
fountain in the yard, where there is often music,

OBIENTAL DINING EOOM

and sometimes dancing, add to the attractions of
the scene. In the richer mansions, the room itself
is often elaborately decorated. The practice of
reclining at meals is no longer in vogue. The ac
companying picture represents a modern Eastern
dinner-party. The intimation here certainly is,
that this sabbath entertainment was one at which
there Were many distinguished guests. We are
not to consider Christ's language here as an ab
solute prohibition of the interchange of hospital
ities and courtesies; but, (1) there is nothing
characteristically Christian in such hospitality;
there is no special merit in a feast from which
the host expects any personal return to himself
in enjoyment, social consideration, or the like ;
(2d to give these only is characteristically un
christian ; for (3) the disciple of Christ is to use

his social advantages, not for mere personal en
joyment or benefit, but to elevate and to bless
those beneath him.
13, 14. Thou shalt be recompensed at
the resurrection of the just. For interpreta
tion of this declaration, see Matt. 25 : 31-40-
Luke 16 : 9. '
Ch. 14 : 15-24. PARABLE OP THE GREAT SUPPER. A
SERMON TO THE PROCRASTINATING.— MANY EXCUSES ;
ONE CAUSE— THREE GREAT HINDRANCES TO RELIGION :
PROPERTT, BUSINESS, DOMESTIC TIES.— HOW TO PILL
EMPTY CHUEOHES.— THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY IS A MIS
SIONARY MINISTRY.— HE THAT REJECTS CHRIST IS RE
JECTED by Christ.
This parable is not to be confounded with the
somewhat analogous one in Matt. 22 : 1-14. Both

Ch. XIV.]

LUKE.

87

ompense thee : for thou shalt be recompensed at the
resurrection of the just.
15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him
heard these things, he said unto him. Blessed d is he
that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.
16 Then said he unto him, A e certain man made a
great supper/ and bade many :
17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them
that were bidden, Come j for all s things are now ready.
18 And they ali with one consent began to make ex
cuse. The first" said unto him, I have bought a piece
of ground, and I must needs go and see it : fpray thee
have me excused.
19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of

oxen, and I go to prove them : I pray thee have me
excused. 20 And another said, I have married1 a wife, and
therefore I cannot come.
21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these
things. Then the master of the house, being angry ,>
said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets11
and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor,1 and
the maimed, and the halt,m and the blind.
22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast
commanded, and yet " there is room.
23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into
the highways and hedges, and compel ' them to come
in, that my house may be filled.

i Rov. 19 : 9.
j Ps. 2 : 12.

. .e Mutt. 22 : 2, etc  f lea. 2
..k Rev. 22:17....! 1 Sam. 2

> : 6, 7. . . .R Prov. 9 : 2, 5 ; Co. 5 : 1 : Isn. 55 : 1, 2. . . .h ch. 8 : 14. . . .1 verse 26 : 1 Cor. 7 : 33. .
8; Ps. 113:7, 8....m Ps. 38:7; Iss. 33:23; 35 : 6....H Ps. 103:6; 130 : 7.... o Ps. 110: 3.

are alike in representing the kingdom of heaven
by a feast, to which many are invited, and from
which many turn away ; but there the parallelism
ends. In Matthew, the feast is given by a king ;
the invitations are scornfully rejected ; the act is
one of rebellion, and is consummated by the mur
der of the servants ; it is punished by the death
of the rebels; the good and bad are gathered
into the feast ; and finally one of the guests is
cast out because, though he had accepted the in
vitation, he had not provided himself with or ac
cepted the king' s provision of a wedding garment.
Here the feast is given by a private citizen ; the
invitations are declined with some show of re
spect ; the declination is an indication of indif
ference rather than of open antagonism ; the
punishment is the utter exclusion of those first
invited; there is no intimation that both good
and bad are brought in ; no incident analogous to
that of the guest without a wedding garment oc
curs, and the foundation is not even laid for it.
15. Blessed is he that shall eat bread in
the kingdom of God. The utterance of a de
vout Jew, who was anticipating the coming and
perfection of the kingdom of God, and who
looked forward to it as a time of blessedness to
all permitted to see and share in it. Correspond
ing to it is the universal feeling of even irreligious
men, that it will be a blessed thing to be a child
of God in the future heavenly state. -Christ's
parable is responsive to this sentiment of imagi
native piety. He shows that men do not really
regard it as blessed to be a guest of God, but re
ject the invitation when it is given to them. The
practical lesson of the parable is rather to the
procrastinating than to the indifferent or the re
bellious. 16, 17. The sending a second invitation to
guests when the feast was ready was, and still is,
usual in the East (Esther 5:8; 6 : 14). The invita
tion of the 0. T. bade the whole Jewish nation to
God's kingdom ; John the Baptist and Jesus, with
the message, The kingdom of God is at hand,
brought the second invitation. " Come, for all
things are now ready," was the burden of their
ministry (<w. 4 ¦¦ i). But it is also the Gospel mes

sage to-day. On God's part all is ready ; the
guest has simply to accept the invitation and
come. 18-20. And they all with one (mind) be
gan to make excuse. The translators supply
the word consent, but this implies combined ac
tion, and that is not indicated by the original.
The spiritual lesson is that all excuses for neglect
of religion and rejection of Christ have one com
mon cause, a disrelish of spiritual things. — The
first said unto him, etc. The first pleads
property, the second business, the third domes
tic duties ; the first necessity, the second his
plans, the third simply his will ; the first is in
language respectful, the second less so, the third
is abrupt and almost insulting. Neither of them
is kept away by anything intrinsically sinful.
Neither of them proffers a good excuse ; for the
farm and the oxen could have waited, and the
wife could have come with her husband; the
claims of this life and the other are not incon
sistent. Comp. 1 Cor. 7 : 29 for the Christian
spirit respecting property, business, and domes
tic ties.
21-23. The master of the house being
angry. Such an intimation, dropped inciden
tally in the teaching of Christ, is very significant.
The references elsewhere in the Bible to the
"wrath of God" are not human misinterpreta
tions of the divine character. — Go out quickly
into the streets and lanes of the city.
Those in the streets and lanes are interpreted by
many of the commentators to mean the Jews ;
those in the highways and hedges, the Gentiles.
— The poor, the maimed, the halt, and
the blind. The picture is one impossible for
us to realize in our land. In the East, rich in
beggars, opulent in misery, without poor-houses
or hospitals, or other organized means of caring
for and lessening misery, and with laws and so
cial organism multiplying it, such a throng as is
here described may be often seen in the city
streets or squares, and sometimes gathered to
gether by the rich and generous to receive in fit
ful gifts that charity which in Christendom is
bestowed in a colder, but more systematic and

Ch. XIV.]

LUKE.

89

a* For I say unto you, That nonei" of those men
which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
25 And there went great multitudes with him : and
he turned, and said unto them,
26 If any man come to me. and hate not his father,
and mother, and. wife, and children, and brethren, ana
sisters, yea, and his own lifer also, he cannot be my
disciple.

27 And whosoever' doth not bear his cross, and
come after me, cannot be my disciple.
28 For which ot you, intending ' to build a tower,
sitteth not down first, and 6ounteth the cost, whether
he have sufficient to finish it ?
29 Lest haply r after he hath laid the foundation, and
is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock
him,

p Prov. 1 :

Mutt. 21 : 43 j Heb. 12 : 25. .

.0 Deut. 38 : 9 ; Matt. 10 : 87  r Acts 20 : 24 ;
Murk 8 : 34 ; 2 Tim. 8 : 12. . . .t Prov. 24 : 27.

Rev. 12 : 11. ...8 ch. 9:23; Mutt. 16:24:

more helpful way. The accompanying illustra
tion, from the pencil of Mr. Eawson, portrays an
actual, not an ideal scene. The spiritual lesson
to the Christian is twofold: (1) that it is the
spiritually poor, maimed, halt, and blind that are
worthy, since need is worth in love's eyes;
(2) that when the Gospel is rejected by the rich
and prosperous, guests for Christ's kingdom
may always be found among the poor and unfor
tunate. This truth was amply illustrated by the
ministry of Wesley and Whitefield, and is again
in our own day by that of Mr. Moody. Directly
opposed to Christ's method is that of soliciting
those that refuse, by luxurious churches, fine
choirs, and proffers of social consideration. The
Gospel, as Christ preached it, never goes beg
ging. — Yet there is room. "Neither nature
nor grace suffers a vacuum." — {Bengel.) — Com
pel them to come in. A curious illustration
of what a comment should not be is Alford's re
mark here : "Is there not here an allusion to in
fant baptism ? " Hardly more reasonable is the
deduction of some Boman Catholic commenta
tors that this justifies religious persecution.
For (1) there is no power in a single servant of a
private citizen to drive a crowd of unwilling
guests from the country ; (2) the reluctance to
be overcome is that of the poor to enter the rich
man's dwelling and share his feast, and it is to
be conquered by persuasion, not violence. The
compelling is that of love. When pride declines
the Gospel the Master is angry, and no further
invitation is sent ; when humility hesitates, love
compels. 24. I say unto you. Tow is in the plural,
not the singular. This is not, then, the address
of the lord to his servant, but rather of Christ to
his audience. So Stier and Alford understand it.
"Our Lord speaks here with his usual 'For I
say unto you,' to the company present ; and half
continuing the parable, half expounding it, sub
stitutes himself, for the master of the feast, leav
ing it hardly doubtful who ' these men that were
bidden' are." Whichever way interpreted, the
passage equally implies the impossibility of fu
ture restoration of those who have received and
refused the Gospel invitation in this life.
Ch. 14 i 23-35. , DISCOURSE TO THE MULTITUDES.
What it costs to be a Christian. — The necessity

OP COUNTING THE COST. — CHRIST'S INSTRUCTIONS TO
THOUGHTLESS ENTHUSIASTS.
There is no reason to suppose that this dis
course is connected with the preceding. On the
contrary, the language of ver. 25, There were
going with him, implies that it was given during
one of Christ's journeys, and was addressed to
the throng which so customarily accompanied
him. The contrast between the many who flock
to hear the Gospel, especially in a time of reli
gious excitement, as under the ministry of a
Whitefield or a Moody, and the few who count
the cost and deliberately follow Christ, is as ap
plicable to our day as to the time of Christ.
25-27. And hate not his father and
mother, * * * and his own life also.
Comp. Matt. 10 : 37, 38, notes. In the interpre
tation of this enigmatical language, (1) we must
not take hate father, etc., as equivalent to love
father less than Christ; Christ uses language
not always literally, but always accurately. (2.)
The word rendered hate (fiwtia) is never used in
the N. T., unless this passage and Matt. 6 : 24 be
regarded as exceptions, to mean merely a dimi
nution of love ; it always signifies a positive
aversion. (3.) To Jiate is not unchristian ; on the
contrary, hate is predicated of God, and required
Of his Children (isa. 61 : 8 ; Jer. 44 : 4 ; Amos 5 : 21 ; Rom.
12 : 9; Rev. 2:6). I believe, then, that the meaning
is this, that in order to follow Christ acceptably,
or indeed at all, the soul must have such an en
thusiasm for him, and for that purity, beauty,
and truth which he embodies and sets before his
followers as their possible attainment (Ephes. 5 : 1),
that whatever and whoever becomes an obstacle
to this attainment is, in so far, to be abhorred as
an evil thing, an enmity to the soul and to God,
and to be abhorred just in the measure in which
the natural affection makes the obstacle great
and the temptation severe. So Christ abhorred
Peter when Peter became a tempter to him ; be
cause he loved the disciple, the disciple as a
tempter was to him as Satan (Matt. 16 : 22, 23). This
hate of the world and the things that are in the
world (1 John 2 : is) may be dormant in the Chris
tian experience, but it must be there, to spring
into activity, aB protection against temptation,
whenever even the most sacred earthly rela
tions become instruments of temptation. — Bear
his cross. Take it up; a willing assump-

90

, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not
able to finish.'1
31 Or what king, going to make war against another
king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth v whether
he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh
against him with twenty thousand ?
32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he
sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

LUKE. [Ch. XIV.
33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsak-
eth not all w that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
34 Salt * is good : but if the salt have lost his savour,
wherewith shall it be seasoned ?
35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dung
hill ; but men J cast it out. He that hath ears to hear,
let him hear.

u Heh. 6:11  v Prov. 20 : 18  w Phil. 8 : 7, 8  1 Matt. 5:13; Mark 9 : 50  y John 15 : 6.

tion, not a patient submission, is implied. See
Matt. 10 : 38, note.
28-30. To interpret aright this and the suc
ceeding parable, it is necessary to bear in mind
the circumstances under which and the audience
to which they are addressed. Christ speaks it to
a crowd who are following him, drawn by curi
osity and interest, not unmingled with personal
enthusiasm. His example is to be pondered
and followed by all religious teachers in times of
religious revival, when many are liable to mis
take their enthusiastic admiration for Christ and
his precepts, born of a holiday's enjoyment, for
a deliberate and well-considered purpose to be
Christ's, and to follow him in the double work
of self -building and of warring against the world
without and against wickedness within one's
own nature. Building is in the N. T. a common
metaphor to express the process by which char
acter is formed, little by b'ttle, until the whole
Boul becomes a temple of God, for the indwelling
of his Spirit. See Matt. 7 : 24 ; 1 Cor. 3 : 11-16 ;
8:1, where edifieth is equivalent to buildeth ; and
1 Pet. 2:5. In framing the resolution to begin
a Christian life, it is necessary to consider what
it will cost, of self-renunciation, to maintain a
consistent Christian character. The result of
this counting the cost is always the discovery, I
have not sufficient to finish ; then comes either
the abandonment of the plan, before it is fairly
undertaken, or a going unto Christ, who is our
only and our complete sufficiency in and for all
things (2 Cor. 3 : 5).
31, 32. There are two interpretations of this
parable. One is" that of Alford : " The two kings
here are, — the man desirous to become a disciple,
to work out his salvation, and God, with whose
just and holy law he is naturally at variance;
these two are going to engage in war ; and the
, question for each man to sit down and ask him
self is, ' Can I, with my ten thousand, stand the
charge of him who cometh against me with
twenty thousand.' " The other interpretation is
that of Godet : " The Christian is a king, but a
king engaged in a struggle, and a struggle with
an enemy materially stronger than himself.
Therefore, before defying him with a declaration
of war by the open profession of the Gospel, a
man must have taken counsel with himself, and
become assured that he is willing to accept the
extreme consequences of this position, even to

the giving up of his life if demanded. " The les
son is therefore "a warning, which Jesus gives to
those who profess discipleship, but who have not
decided to risk everything, to make their submis
sion as early as possible to the world and its
prince. Better avoid celebrating a Palm-day than
end after such a demonstration with a Good
Friday. Rather remain an honorable unknown,
religiously, than what is sadder in the world, an
inconsistent Christian." The latter seems to me
the better interpretation. Christ enforces the
alternative of Matt. 6 : 24. As Joshua, in Josh.
24 : 15, and Elijah, in 1 Kings 18 : 21, Christ
compels a choice. In effect he bids those who
are not willing to take up their cross in order to
follow him, to abandon all thought of becoming
his disciples, and go back to their allegiance to
the world. Underlying this, as the other para
ble, is the deep truth of the soul's need of God ;
no man can enter upon the life-campaign against
the world, the flesh, and the devil, without alli
ance with and reinforcements from an Almighty
Saviour. 33. Forsaketh not all that lie hath. Lit
erally, Both not separate himself from all. How
this is to be done Paul interprets in 1 Cor
7 : 29-31.
34, 35. Comp. Matt. 5 : 13, note ; Mark
9 : 50, note The Christian is the salt of the
earth ; the savor is the spirit of self-sacrlflce, by
which Christ's disciples are to purify and save the
world ; if this spirit of self-sacrifice be wanting,
they are utterly worthless.

Ch. 15 : 1-32. THE PARABLES OF THE LOST SHEEP
THE LOST COIN, THE LOST SON. The spirit op Christ :
ET BELF-SACRIPIOE HE SEEKS THE LOST; ACCOUNTS
THEM HIS OWN; PARDONS THEIB PAST SINS ; WELCOMES
THEIR RETURN; CONFERS ON THEM PREE GIFTS OP
GRACE, HONOR, AUTHORITY, PREEnOM, ABUNDANT
spiritual pood.— The spirit or the Christian: he
bhould seek, search por, love, welcome the
wanderer.— The spirit op the Pharisee : proud
passionate, jealous, legal. — the experience op
sin : estrangement prom god ; wasteful living ;
SPIRITUAL WANT; SPURIOUS REFORM.— THE EXPERI
ENCE OP repentance: THOUGHTPULNESS, CONSCIOUS
NESS OP SIN, SORROW POR IT, ABANDONMENT OP IT, RE
TURN to God.— The experience op redemption : Di
vine COMPASSION, WELCOME, PARDON, RESTORATION.—
The sorrowfulness op sin ; the jotpulness op re
ligion. PKELiMrNAET Note.— These three parables,

Ch. XV.]

LUKE.

91

CHAPTER XV.

THEN drew ' near unto him all the publicans and
sinners for to hear him.

2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying,
This man receiveth sinners, and eateth a with them.
3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
4 What man b of you, having an hundred sheep, if

< Matt. 9 : 10, etc. ... a Acts 11 : 3 ; 1 Cor. 5:9-11; Gal. 2 : 12 .... b Matt. 18 : 12.

like the seven of the thirteenth chapter of Mat
thew, form one discourse ; they were delivered at
one time and with one object. The time and
place are wholly uncertain ; but their position in
the evangelical narrative indicates that they be
long to the Perean ministry ; they are peculiar
to Luke, and Luke alone gives any extended ac
count of that ministry. The direct object, indi
cated by the introductory verses (1, 2), and by
the culmination of the three parables in the
father's declaration to the elder son (ver. 32), is to
point out the spirit which the saved should man
ifest toward the lost, a spirit seeking to reclaim
them, and toward the repentant, a spirit ready
to welcome them. To accomplish this object,
Christ portrays the spirit in which divine love
seeks the lost and receives the repentant. This,
which may be called incidental, has so far ab
sorbed the attention of the church, that it has
too generally forgotten the direct and immediate
lesson of the chapter. This forgetfulness is indi
cated by the fact, that in the innumerable ser
mons on the parable of the Prodigal Son, the
elder brother is either lost sight of altogether or
treated as an incidental figure, and his sullenness
an episode, employed to set off in more striking
contrast the love of the father. Of these three
parables, looked at as a representation of re
deeming love, the first two may be called Calvin-
istic, the third Arminian ; the first two represent
regeneration, the third conversion ; the first two
God seeking the sinner, the third the sinner seek
ing God. The three must be taken together in
order to understand the change wrought in the
human soul in redemption. The prodigal son
never, in fact, returns to his father's house un
less the father comes after him ; the lost sheep
and the lost coin are never recovered without
voluntarily returning to the shepherd and owner.
Looked at as a representative of human duty, the
first two parables represent the duty of the
church to seek and to save the lost, the third the
duty to welcome the repentant to a full, free,
and unreproaehful pardon. All represent the
joyfulness of religion, both as an earthly experi
ence and in the heavenly state. Continuing the
comparison we may note the progression and
climax in the series ; in the first, the shepherd of
a hundred sheep misses the one out of the hun
dred ; in the second, the woman, owning but ten
pieces of money, loses a tenth of her property,
and searches for it with greater concern ; in the
third, the father of two sons loses one, who be
comes to him by sin and separation as dead, and

in whose death is the keenest conceivable loss the
heart can suffer. " Thus we find ourselves mov
ing in ever narrower, and so intenser, circles of
hope, and fear, and love, drawing, in each suc
cessive parable, nearer to the innermost centre
and heart of the truth." — (Trench.) We may
also perhaps with Trench see a climax in sin as
well as iu grace — in the first, sin is represented
by a silly, wandering sheep, error rather than
willfulness ; in the second, by a piece of money,
utterly lost to its owner, and useless in itself, be
cause castaway ; in the third, by a son, knowing
the love of a father and the sweetness of his
home, and yet despising and forsaking both.
Thus we may perhaps say that the first represents
erring, the second vice, the third crime ; the
first sins of ignorance, the second of self-abase
ment, the third of willful disobedience and re
bellion ; and, finally, the first two, sins of original
estrangement and separation from God, the third
of backsliding. But these contrasts must not be
pressed too closely. We must not forget that all
sin is folly, vice, and crime, a blunder, a self-
abasement, and a rebellion ; and that all sin is a
backsliding, the original state of nature being
also a state of grace, and depravity being in very
truth, not natural, but unnatural, depravity.
1,2. And there were drawing near to
him all the publicans and sinners for to
hear him. The original implies, not that at this
particular moment they drew near, but that at
this period in Christ's ministry they were draw
ing near. The verb is in the imperfect tense, and
implies habitual action. Christ was, in the best
sense of the term, an attractive preacher. He
drew. For other illustrations of his drawing
power, see Mark 1 : 33-36 ; 2 : 1, 2 ; 3 : 8, 9. Nor
can it be said that the people were merely at
tracted by curiosity to, see him and his miracles ;
for the language is explicit, that they drew near
"to hear him." This was the beginning of that
power to draw all men unto him, which ever
since his death he has increasingly manifested as
the years have rolled on. The publicans are the
tax-gatherers of Palestine, a necessarily corrupt
and a universally detested class. For some ac
count of their character and occupation, see
Matt. 9 : 10, 11, note. The sinners are persons no
toriously criminal and outcast in consequence, not
merely such as disregarded the ceremonial regu
lations of the stricter sect of the Pharisees. That
this is the meaning is evident from the use of
the term (ifxaqtoikog) elsewhere in the Gospels.
See, for example, Matt. 11 : 19 ; Luke 7 : 37 ;

92

he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine
in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until
he find it ?

LUKE. [Ch. XV.
5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his
shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his

18 : 13, etc. — And the Pharisees and
Scribes. The Pharisees were the orthodox
Jews ; see Matt. 3 : 7, note, for account of their
history and character; the Scribes were pri
marily writers of any kind, then eopyists of the
Scripture, then writers of glosses and commen
taries thereon. See Matt. 5 : 20, note. — This
man receiveth sinners and eateth with
them. The substance of their charge was not
that he taugM sinners, but that he ate with them,
that is, mingled with them on terms of social
equality. The modern Christian, who mingles
socially and freely with modern sinners, is always
liable to the same criticism from modern Phari
sees. The pride of propriety never understands
the liberty of love. Observe how in this sentence,
as in a similar accusation at another time, the
Pharisees unconsciously told a sublime truth. It
is the glory of Christ that he " receiveth sinners
and eateth with them." Bev. 3 : 20.
3-6. And he spake this parable. In
reading and interpreting it bear in mind its
double application. (1.) It is a parable of re
deeming love. As such, it is borrowed from and
to be interpreted by the 0. T. (Ezek. a ¦. 12, 13 ; iiaiah
40 : 17 ; Psalm 23). Christ comes to seek and to
save that which was loBt (Matt, is : 11) perseveres
until he finds it, patiently bears it back himself
through the weary way to the fold again, re
joices in the labor and weariness, because recom
pensed by his own love, and seeks to have the
church on earth and in heaven rejoice with him.
(2.) It parabolicaliy illustrates what the spirit of
Christ's church should be ; it should go out
after the lost (Matt. 28 : 19), should persevere
despite failure and rebuff (Gal. 4 : 16-20), should
bear patiently with the weakness and failures
of the recovered, bearing them and forbear
ing with them (Gal. 6 : 2), and should do this
work of redeeming love with joy, transfiguring
all sorrow and making jubilant all fatigue. —
Which man of you. The parable is an argu
mentum. ad hominem, as in Matt. 12 : 11, 12. If
men will take such pains for a lost sheep, how
much more should the disciples of Christ for a
lost soul. — If he lose one of them. A natu
ral and apt type of the sinner is a lost sheep,
without wisdom to return to the protection of
the shepherd, and without any means of protec
tion in himself from the dangers of the wilder
ness. — Doth not leave the ninety and nine
in the wilderness. The term wilderness signi
fies not necessarily a desert place, but simply
wildness, i. e., an uninhabited place, and there
fore presumptively good pasture land. The same
word (iqtjfiog) is applied by Matthew (Matt. 14:15)

to a place in which John (John 6 : 10) tells us there
was much grass. No conclusion as to the relative
number of the holy that need no salvation and
the sinners, can be drawn from the numbers here
mentioned, for in the next parable the propor
tion is one to ten, and in the third one of two.
The argument of this verse, however, furnishes
a conclusive answer to what is called the astro
nomical objection to the doctrine of redemption
— the objection that God would not have chosen
so insignificant a planet for the manifestation of
his greatest love. To love, there is nothing
strange in his leaving the innumerable host who
have never sinned, and who may dwell in othei
worlds, to seek on this those that have sinned
and need his saving grace. The duty of the
church is clearly indicated. How often, instead
of obeying the lesson here inculcated, it leaves
the ninety and nine to stray away, while it cod
dles and cares for the one who is left in the fold.
Its missionary work should be not its incidental
but its great work. — Go after that which is
lost. The Good Shepherd goes himself ; he
does not send another — man, angel, or arch
angel. It is by personal work, not by proxy, we
are to seek and to save that which is lost. — Un
til he find it. A hint of what is the patience
and perseverance of Christ, and what should be
the patience and perseverance of the Christian.
It is one of the passages from which the Eesto-
rationists claim a hope that all at last will be
found. It is true that Christ always finds his
sheep ; but he does not always recover them. The
possibility of the lost refusing to accept the prof
fered succor does not enter into this parable ; the
fact that it always is proffered, always brought
to the consciousness of the soul, I believe is im
plied here and elsewhere in the N. T. — He lay
eth it on his own shoulders. A type of
Christ's method of dealing with the reclaimed
sinner after he is reclaimed. All the after-life,
all the providential care and guidance, the " aB
things that work together for good, ' ' are Christ's
labor of love in bringing the found back to the
fold. He bears our burdens and our sorrows as
well as our sins ; we are ourselves his burden,
carried, not on his shoulders, but in his heart.
It is a type too of what should be the spirit in
which the church should deal with those whom
it has found and is seeking to reclaim ; no blows,
no reproaches, no driving back, no entrusting,
even to an underling. The figure is true to Ori
ental shepherd life. The accompanying illustra
tion, from the pencil of Mr. A. L. Eawson, is
from nature, and represents a scene often witness
ed at the present day in Palestine, where the pas-

Ch. XV.]

LUKE.

93

friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice
with me ; for I have found my sheep c which.was lost.
7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven
over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety
and nine just persons, which needd no repentance.
8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if

she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep
the house, and seek diligently till she fiud it?
9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends
and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with
me ; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
io Likewise, I say unto you, there ° is joy in the pres-

c Ps. 119 : 176 ; 1 Pet. 2 : 25  d oh. 5 :

*. 18 : 23, 32 j 33 : 11 j Acts 11 : 18 ; Philemon 15, IS.

THE LOST SHEEP SAVED.
tures are frequently wild, rocky regions, in which
the sheep are often lost, or caught in some nar
row cleft, where the rocks form a trap, from
which a goat would escape, but where the less
agile sheep, cumbered with its fleece, is hopeless
ly lost unless succored by the shepherd. — Re
joicing. See Heb. 12 : 2. In this spirit the
Christian should carry those that are entrusted
to his keeping, the paBtor his flock, the teacher
his class, the parent his children. — He calleth

together his friends and neighbors. The
great harvesting will be a great rejoicing (Psaim
126 : e j Rev. 5 : t-u). So every harvestmg in the
earthly church should be a time of thanksgiving.
Praise should be as plentiful as prayer.
7. I say unto you. Christ applies the para
ble. There is a significance in this dignified, and
even majestic, utterance. "I, who know; I
who, when I tell you of heavenly things, tell you
of mine own (John 1 : 51), announce to you this." —
(Trench.) — Over one sinner that repenteth
more than over ninety and nine just per
sons which need no repentance. This
utterance has given some perplexity, needless, as
it seems to me, to the commentators. (1.) The
just persons, which need no repentance, are not
"the majority which has remained outwardly
faithful to the law " in contrast with publicans
and sinners; the just, "Leyitically and ecclesiasti
cally speaking." — (Godet.) ThiBkind of external
and legal righteousness is nowhere recognized in
either the O. T. or the N. T. as a true righteous
ness ; on the contrary, the need of repentance is
urged upon such by the 0. T. prophets (isaiah
1 : 10-17), by John the Baptist (Matt. 3 : 7, 8), and by
Jesus (Matt. 5 : 20). Nor are they " the worlds that
have not fallen" (Alford); for though the lan
guage would apply to them, yet they are not
directly referred to throughout the parable.
Christ here, as in many other instances, takes
the Pharisees at their own estimate. Assuming,
he says in effect, that you are what you think
yourselves to be, just persons that need no re
pentance, there would be more joy in heaven over
these repentant publicans and sinners than over
you. The ease is analogous to and illustrated by
that of Luke 7 : 36-i7. (2.) Those who are en
gaged in Gospel work will have no difficulty in
understanding Christ's declaration when so in
terpreted. The joy of the pastor is greatest in
the young converts of his ministry ; and among
these, greatest in those who have been reclaim
ed from the lowest depths. This experience of
joy in saving the lost is the highest joy of which
the soul is capable, as the redeeming work is
the highest exercise of love ; and it is a reflection
of the divine joy, as the Christian's love for
sinners is a spark caught from Christ's love.
8-10. Either what woman having ten
drachmae, etc. As an illustration of what inter
pretation should not be, I may refer to a fanciful
allegorizing borrowed from the old writers, and

94

LUKE.

[Ch. XV.

ence of the angels of God over one sinner that re
penteth. ix And he said, A certain man had two sons :

12 And the younger of them said to his father, Fa
ther, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.
And he divided unto them his living.'

f Mark 12 : 44.

transferred to the pages of such sober and
1 thoughtful commentators as Trench and Alford.
According to this method of interpretation the
money, coined with the image of the king upon
it, represents man, on whom is impressed the
image of his Creator ; the woman is the Spirit of
God in the church ; the house is the church ; the
candle is the word of God ; the sweeping of the
house is that cleansing and purifying process,
always disturbing at the time, t>y which the
Spirit seeks for backsliders in the visible exter
nal church. This interpretation is sometimes
varied ; Trench, for example, making the woman
the church, and her expression, "the piece which
I had lost," an acknowledgment of her fault in
not keeping that which had been entrusted to
her. All such attempts to literalize the figure
seem to me to destroy its beauty. An illustra
tion of its unnaturalness is afforded by the fact
that the coin to which Christ refers, " a piece of
silver," or drachma (iSqu/uu), did not have any
royal image upon it, but
some device as of an owl, a
tortoise, or the head of Mi
nerva. Christ's teaching
abounds in illustrations. In
the first parable he employs
a figure which addresses it
self to the minds of the men
drachma. in the audience, Palestine,
and especially Perea, being
a pastoral country ; then he uses one which ad
dresses itself to the women ; finally, one which
addresses itself to the universal heart. The les
son of the first two parables is the same, except
that the former brings out more clearly the self-
sacrifice of the Saviour, a sacrifice involved in all
successful labor for the salvation of souls ; this
one brings out more clearly, by the lighting of
the candle and the sweeping, the thoroughness
of the search made by Christ and to be made by
us. The former again implies the Saviour's pity
for the wandering and perishing, the latter
God's personal ownership in the soul and his
sense of personal loss in its loss, a phase of truth
which interprets the woman's language, "I have
found the piece which I had lost." The piece of*
money, or drachma, was worth about eight
pence, and was equivalent to a day's wages.
11-32. The Parable op the Prodigal
Son.— So universally called, though the term
prodigal son does not appear in the narrative.
The story is peculiar to Luke. Those who ob
ject to all use of fiction must explain as best they

may this story, for such it is. There is not even
an application attached to it ; the reader is left
to make that for himself. As a representation
of redeeming love, it has been well called the
Gospel in the Gospel (evangelium in evangelio) ; in
comparison with others, "the crown and pearl
of all his (Christ's) parables." Merely in an
artistic view, this is true, every detail being at
once true to the external life and true to the
spiritual experience which our Lord would por
tray. As a disclosure of divine love, we can
hardly realize how truly it was a revelation.
Contrast with it that conception of God which
prevailed in the nominally Christian church in
the days of the Inquisition. As a representation
of human duty, we still do not realize its mean
ing. ^Contrast with it the ordinary feeling in a
so-called Christian community toward the erring
and the fallen. It may be regarded as consisting
of five facts : vers. 11-13, sin ; vers. 14-16, its Re
sults ; vers. 17-20, repentance ; vers. 20-24, the
divine forgiveness ; vers. 25-32, the Pharisaic re
ception of the repentant. It has been maintained,
on the one hand, that this parable is inconsistent
with the doctrine of mediation or atonement,
since it indicates a free forgiveness, not a pur
chased redemption ; on the other, the attempt
has been made to find some analogy for Christ's
sacrifice, e. g., in the killing of the fatted calf
(Melanethon), or the coming out of the father to
meet his son (Von Gerlach). The parable cer
tainly is inconsistent with that view of media
tion which represents God as loving and forgiv
ing the human race because Christ died for it ;
but this view is at variance (1) with direct Scrip
ture teaching, which declares that God so loved
the world that he gave his only begotten Son ;
(2) with the general representations of the divine
love as inherent, uncaused, unpurchased, and
unpurchaBable ; (3) with the analogies of human
experience, implied in the fatherhood of God,
forgiveness, in its highest forms, being always
and by its very nature free. But this parable is
not inconsistent with that view of mediation
which regards the incarnation and atonement as
a disclosure of the divine love, a proffer of di
vine forgiveness, and the method in which God
comes to seek and to save that which is lost.
All truth is not illustrated by one teaching ; and
we must not forget that this parable is only part
of a discourse ; the divine work in redemption,
the suffering, aud the toil are abundantly illus
trated in the going out of the shepherd for the
lost sheep, and the searching by the woman for

Ch. XV.]

LUKE.

95

13 And not many days after, the younger son gath
ered all together, and took his journey into a far coun
try, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty
famine' in that land ; and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that
country : and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the
husks h that the swine ' did eat : and no man gave unto
him.

g Amos 8 : 11, 12.... h Isa. 44: 20; Hosea 12 :

the lost coin. In commenting on this parable, I
do not think it necessary or advantageous to
refer to fanciful interpretations simply to con
demn them, or to homiletical additions to and
exhortations derived from the parable. I sim
ply endeavor to offer such suggestions as may
aid the English reader in a devout study of the
sacred text. The commentary is simply to be a
key to the picture, not a disquisition upon it.
11, 12. A certain man had two sons.
The two sons represent, not angels and men, for
the spirit of the elder is anything but angelic ;
nor Jews and Gentiles, for the question of the
a,dmission of Gentiles was not at this period of
Christ's ministry publicly raised; that belongs
to a later era in the history of the church. Pri
marily, the elder son represents the Pharisees,
the younger son the publicans and sinners (vers.
i, 2) ; secondarily, the elder son the self-righteous
and proud, the younger son the self-abased and
penitent. See further on vers. 25-32. — Father,
give me the portion of goods that falleth
to me. A demand, not a request. There is no
evidence that under Jewish law the son had a
right to make this demand. It was as illegal as
it was unfilial. It represents the first step in
sin, the demand of the soul for independence of
God, the claim to own, in contradistinction to
the spirit which accepts all things from God as
steward and trustee. The sinner's demand is,
Give me my portion of goods ; the Christian's
prayer is, Give me day by day my daily bread.
So Adam and Eve treated the fruits of the gar
den as their own, to be used by them for them
selves, irrespective of the divine commands. —
And he divided unto them his living.
Giving the younger son one-half of that which
fell to the elder (Dent. 21 : 17), the control and use
of which he reserves to himself during his life
time (ver. 31). This division illustrates the per
mission of free-will to man. Its spiritual signifi
cance is illustrated by Bom. 1 : 21-28, and itself
illustrates that passage. It is a striking rebuke
of all attempt at religious compulsion, and is
even a hint to parents that legal restraints, at
tempted in the case of sons that have reached a
relatively mature age, is not according to God's
method, "who does not compel the inclinations
of a depraved heart, which can only be cured by
experiencing the bitter results of sin."
13. And not many days after. But not
immediately. There is a hint of the develop
ment of sin. Independence of God comes first ;

departure from God follows. So Adam, after
disobedience, desired to hide from God. — And
took his journey into a far country. "The
far country is forgetfulness of God." — (Augus
tine. ) We are always far from God when we are
living without respect to, or trust in, or obedi
ence under him ; though he is never far from us.
In this respect the imagery of the parable, being
taken from human experience, is necessarily im
perfect. The heavenly Father never loses sight
of or ceases to care for, watch over, and protect
his prodigal son. Even the famine and the hun
ger are Gospel messengers sent from him. — And
there wasted his substance with riotous
living. This ordinary English translation pic-
torially illustrates his course, which was clearly
one of dissipation* But the Greek is literally,
Scattered what he had, living unsavingly, and
this more literal translation embodies the spir
itual truth represented in the picture., For the
worldly life is always a wasteful life ; he that
gathers not with Christ scattereth abroad (Matt.
12 : 80), and he that gathers not for eternity lives
unsavingly, and dies a pauper (ci. 12 : 10-21).
14, 15. And when he had spent all, there
arose a mighty famine in that land. There
is always a mighty famine in the " far country ; "
but the soul rarely feels or knows it until all that
is spent which for the time gave pleasure, though
never real satisfaction. It is "a famine of truth
and love, and of all whereby the spirit of man
indeed lives." — (Trench.) But more than this,
there is often a famine of the very things that
gave pleasure ; power is taken away, fame blast
ed, friends depart, in old age pleasures of the
senses fail ; and in this experience of famine the
soul always begins to feel its own want of a
something which the far country cannot supply.
— He himself began to be in want. The ex
periences of Solomon in Biblical history and of
Byron in secular history illustrate what is this
want in time of famine. Even more strikingly
is it illustrated by the autobiography of John
Stuart Mill. This sense of want is itself the
voice of God calling the prodigal home.. Soul-
weariness is Christ's invitation, " Come unto me,
all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest." — And he went and joined
himself to a citizen of that country, and
he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
The occupation of the swineherd was the very
lowest imaginable to Jewish thought. No deep
er degradation than this was possible. Never-

96

LUKE.

[Ch. XV.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many
hired servants of my father's have bread enough and
to spare, and I perish with hunger !
18 I > will arise and go to my father, and will say

unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and
before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son:
make me as one of thy hired servants.

theless, it is not true that he "sinks lower and
lower " (Alford), though this is the almost uni
versal interpretation of this change. On the
contrary, to fast with swine is better than to
feast with harlots. The prodigal attempts to
make a step upward, and fails. In spiritual ex
perience, this attempt has its parallel in the en
deavor of the sinner to retrieve himself while
still far from God. He is ashamed to return to
God just as he is, and desires first to better him
self somewhat, to make himself presentable, at
least to attest the genuineness of his repentance
by his moral reform ; or more generally he ex
pects to remain in the "far country," but as a
reformed man, sober, industrious, respectable.

10. And he would fain have filled his
belly with the husks that the swine did
eat; and no man gave unto him. These
husks (xequtiov) are the fruit of the carob tree ;
called sometimes St. John's bread-tree, from the
tradition that John the Baptist fed on its fruit ;
it is common in southern Italy, Spain, northern

Africa, and the Levant; the fruit resembles a
bean-pot, though somewhat larger, and curved
more in the form of a sickle ; they have a hard,
dark cuticle, and a dull, sweet taste ; and they
are used both for foddering cattle and for food
by the very poor. The Greek implies, not that
the prodigal would have eaten of these husks,
and no man gave him, but that he did eat them,
no one giving to him anything better. In the
phrase, fain have filled his belly, is an indication
that the food of the "far country," though it
may fill avoid, can never truly satisfy the hunger
of the soul ; in the characterization of the husks,
as the food that the swine did eat, is a suggestion
that it offers to man only that which at best can
supply his physical and animal wants, nothing
for his immortal nature ; in this declaration,
no man gave unto him, is a hint of " man' s inhu
manity to man," the famine of sympathy and
love in the country far from God.
17. In this and the succeeding verses, every
element in the experience of a true repentance is
clearly traced, consciousness of sin, resolution
of repentance, abandonment of sin, return to
God, confession to Him without palliation or
excuse, consecration to his service. Compare
throughout David's repentance and ¦ action
after his sin in the matter, of Bathsheba (psalm
n).— -And when he came to himself. Sin
is a craze ; depravity is unnatural ; in con
version the soul comes to itself as well as to
its God. Christ looks on the publican and
sinner with a compassion illustrated by that
which we feel for the insane. Comp. Luke
23 : 34. In the same spirit is Solomon's
prayer (1 Kings 8 : 47), and Isaiah's exhortation
(isaiah 46 : 8).— How many hired servants of
my father. The prodigal, too, is a hired ser
vant ; his first thought is to change his service
from that of the citizen of the far country to that
of his father. We shall see how this idea changes
under the influence of the father's love. The
contrast between the service of the world and
the service of God is implied.— And I perish
with hunger. Literally, Am destroying myselj
(u!t6Uvnai,middle). He really destroys himself
who remains in want away from the abundance
of his Father's table. Observe that the very low
est possible motive suffices for a starting-point
in Christian experience. The prodigal is moved
by hunger in the first instance ; the sense of sin
and the resolution of repentance and confession
came subsequently. Any motive that actually

Ch. XV.]

LUKE.

97

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when
he was yet a great way • off, his father saw him, and
had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and
kissed him.

21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned
against heaven,1 and in thy sight, and am no more
worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring m forth

k Acts 2: 89; Ephes. 2 : 18, 17  1 Ph. 51 : 4. ... ni Zech. 3 : 3-6.

leads the soul to repentance, suffices, no matter
what it is.
18, 19. I will arise and go to my father.
As departure from God is the essence of all sin,
so returning to God is the essence of all repent
ance. Without thiB return repentance is spuri
ous and reform transitory. Observe, too, that
the remedy for all dissipation and riotious living
is, not a resolution of total abstinence in the far
country, but an abandonment of it, and a return
to God. — Father, I have sinned unto hea
ven. Not against heaven, a meaning which the
preposition (els) will not bear. The true signifi
cation of the phrase is interpreted by Shake
speare : " My offence is rank ; it smells to hea
ven." Comp. Rev. 18 : 5 (where, however, the
Greek preposition is different, aq%t), and Jer.
51 : 9. — And before thee. Comp. Psalm 51 : 4.
"Against thee, thee only have I sinned," albeit
David had sinned against himself, Bathsheba,
Uriah, and the laws and order of his own king
dom. The sense of sin against God swallows up all
other and lesser thoughts of t sin.— And am no
more worthy to be called thy son. Not his
wastefulness or licentiousness, but that he has
fallen away from his sonship, chiefly oppresses
him. Whatever in us makes us unworthy to be
called sons of God, should bring us to him with
like confession, be the form of that sin what it
may. — Make me as one of thy hired ser
vants. Consecration always accompanies true
confession. 20. And he arose and came toward his
father. Toward, hot to (nqog). He did not come
to his father, his father came out to him. This
actual setting out on the homeward'.journey is
the turning-point in the prodigal's life.* The sin
ner may have conviction of sin and resolution of
reform in the future, and remain unsaved in
the far country ; it is actually arising and going
that saves. To this God makes the promise of
Isaiah 55 : 7. Whatever sense of sin suffices to
lead to this return is sufficient ; no need to wait
for deeper convictions; whatever trust in God
suffices to inspire to this is sufficient ; no need to
wait for greater faith. Note two suggestive facts
in the prodigal's experience : (1) the joy and
peace, the father's kiss, ring, robe, etc., are not
instantly conferred ; there is a way to be traveled
first ; often in actual experience it is a long and
weary one ; (2) though the prodigal brings noth
ing good with him, neither does he bring any
thing evil. He forsakes all in turning his back on

the far country. " In the act of fleeing to his
father, the prodigal leaves his associates, and his
habits, and his tastes behind." — (Arnot.) But
when he was yet a great way ofF. Rather,
While he yet held himself a great way off, as though
his courage failed when he drew near, and he
dared not venture into the house and the pres
ence of the father against whom he had so
sinned. This interpretation the original will bear,
though it does not require it ; and this interpre
tation answers to that mistaken feeling of fear
which is the last obstacle between a repentant
soul and the heavenly Father. — His father saw
him. An intimation that he hoped and was
looking for the prodigal's return (james 4 : s). —
And had compassion. Literally, his bowels,
or, as we should say, his heart was moved. That
strange thrill is indicated, which love sends
through the whole frame when powerfully ex
cited ; a suggestive revelation of the warmth and
the personality of the divine love. — And ran
and fell on his neck and kissed him.
Comp. Gen. 46 : 29.' Observe the father's kiss
precedes the son's confession. Comp. Ezek.
36 : 31 ; Ephes. 2 : 4 ; 1 John 4 : 10. While in
this parable the story of repentance and return is
predominant, yet even here we have, in the go
ing forth' of the father, and the kiss preceding
confession, an intimation of that germinating and
inspiring love of God which awakens love and re
pentance, and leads to confession and return in
human experience, a truth more clearly brought
out in the preceding parables. We are not to
conclude that because the son arose and went to
his father, that the soul goes to God before the
divine influence touches and draws it. See John
6:44. 21. And the son said unto him. Father
* * * I am no more worthy to be called
thy son. But he did not add, Make me as one
of thy hired servants (ver. 19). Why ? Because
sonship is more than service ; and he that came
expecting to be a servant, in the kiss and em
brace received the spirit of adoption, whereby he
cried Abba Father. See Bom. 8 : 14, 15 ; Gal.
4:6, 7 ; John 15 : 15. The father's love pre
vented the request for a servant's place. To re
turn to God requires faith ; to receive God re
quires greater faith. There are many in the
church who come with the prayer, Make me as
one of thy hired servants, and never realize that
God's answer is, This, my son, was dead, and is
alive again, was lost, and is found. Arnot, fol-

98

LUKE.

[Ch. XV.

the best robe, and put it on him ; and put a ring on his
hand, and shoes on his feet :
23 And bring hither the 'fatted calf, and kill it; and
let us eat, and be merry :

24 For° this my son was dead," and is alive p again ;
he wasi lost, and is found. And they began to be
merry. 25 Now his elder son was in the field : and as he

n verse 32.... o Ephes. 2 : 1; 5: 14; Rev. 3 : l....p Rom. 6 : 11, 13. . .. q ch. 19 : 10; Ezek. 34 : 4, 16.

lowing and amplifying the suggestion of Bengel,
well represents both the pictorial scene and its
spiritual significance • " The son, lying on the
father's bosom, with the father's tears falling
warm on the upturned face, is some degrees fur
ther advanced in the spirit of adoption, than when
he first planned repentance beside the swine in
his master's field. Then and there the legal spirit
of fear, because of guilt, still lingered in his heart ;
he ventured to hope for exemption from punish
ment, but not for restoration to the. place of a
beloved sou. Now the spirit of bondage has been
conclusively cast out by the experience of his
father's love ; the fragments of stone that h&d
hitherto remained, even in a broken heart, are
utterly melted at last, as if by fire from heaven.
He could not now complete the speech which he
had prepared ; its later words faltered and fell
inarticulate. He could not now ask for the place
of a servant, for he was already in the place of a
son." 22, 23. But the father said * * * and
let us eat and be merry. The divine forgive
ness is not merely release from punishment. It
receives back the lost son to home and love, and
gives to him the place and the gifts which he had
thrown away. "When he ascended up on high
he * * * gave gifts unto men " (Epbes. 4 : 8). And
each gift in the list in the parable is at least
suggestive spiritually. Without indulging in fan
ciful interpretations we may properly note the
spiritual parallel and meaning in each. The best
robe is not, as some commentators render it, the
former robe, for this is not the most natural ren
dering of the original, and redemption does not
merely reclothe us in our cast-off garments, but
in a new attire. The robe or stole (oroXij) was a
long, flowing garment, worn as a mark of special
honor (Marl 12 : se ; Luke 20 : 4e), and was conferred
by rich hosts on specially favored guests (Gen.
41 : 42) ; for its spiritual significance, see Isaiah
61 : 10 ; Zech. 3 : 3, 4 ; Matt. 22 : 11, note ; Col.
3 : 13 ; Rev. 6 : 11 ; 7 : 9, 13, 14. The ring, hav
ing on it a seal, was a symbol of authority con
ferred by a king on a subordinate (Gen. 4i : 42 ;
Esther 3 : 10, n ; 8:2, s). It represents in Scripture
emblems, less the betrothal of the soul to
Christ (Hosea 2 : 19, 20), than the dignity and power
conferred upon the sons of God, whom he makes
kings, giving them authority in the kingdom of
God on earth (Matt. 16 : 19, note), and preparing them
to reign with him hereafter (Matt. 19 : 28 ; Rev. 1 : 6 ;
5 ¦. 10). The shoes were a symbol of freedom ; they
were taken off, as the hat with us, in the pres

ence of a superior, and the slave went barefoot.
The son is free from the bondage of the law (Rom.
7 : 4, 6, etc), being no more a slave but a son, heir
of God and joint heir with Christ (Rom. 8 : 17 ; comp.
Ephes. 6 ; 15 ; Sol. Song 7 : 1). In the East, where life is
much more simple than with us, it is not un
usual to kill the calf as a preparation for a meal
after the guest has arrived (Gen. is : o-«). Killing
the fatted calf here is simply a symbol of the
welcome accorded to the returning prodigal, and
of the provision made for his wants in his father's
home. There is no justification for the idea that it
symbolizes the sacrifice of Christ, a notion which
deserves mention only that it may be condemned.
See vers. 27-30, note. The features in this scene
are the more suggestive by the contrast ; the
sympathy of the father with the indifference of
the citizen of the far country, the best robe with
the rags of the prodigal (isaiah 64 : 6), the ring and
the shoes with his former servile condition, the
fatted calf with the husks that the swine did eat.
24. Fot this my son was dead, and is
alive again. How dead, and how made alive
again, is spiritually interpreted by Ephes 2 : 1-6,
which is indeed a wonderful comment and inter
pretation on this whole parable. — And they be
gan to be merry. Christ often represents re
ligion by the metaphor of a feast ; never by that
of a funeral. His portrayal of it is in strong
contrast with the asceticism of all heathen re
ligion, often borrowed by and engrafted on the
Christian church. The rejoicing of the father
and his household, illustrates the spirit with
which the church should welcome returning
prodigals. 25, 26. Now his elder son was in the
field. This elder son represents primarily the
Pharisees, secondarily all who are possessed of
the Pharisaic spirit of pride and self-satisfaction
in their own righteousness. It is no answer to
this self-evident view to say, that it is not true of
such that they have never transgressed the hea
venly Father's commandment (ver. 29). This was
and is their estimate of themselves (fmi. 3 : 5, e),
and Christ in this parable takes them at their
own estimate. Assuming, he says in effect, that
you are aU that you claim to be,' see what is your
demeanor toward these repentant and returning
publicans and sinners ; and what it ought to be.
The elder brother thus answers to the nine
pieces of money and the ninety-nine sheep, in the
preceding parable. In fact, the elder brother
now becomes a lost son, a wanderer, dead, by
his mental and moral estrangement from his

Ch. XV.]

LUKE.

99

came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and
dancing.1 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked
what these things meant.
27 And he said unto him. Thy brother is come ; and
thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath
received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry," and would not go in : there
fore came his father out, and entreated him.
29 And he, answering, said to his father, Lo, these
many years do I ' serve thee, neither transgressed u I

at any time thy commandment ; and yet thou never
gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my
triends: 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath
devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for
him the fatted calf.
3t And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever * with
me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet™ that we should make merry, and be
glad : * tor 1 this thy brother was dead, and is alive
again ; and was lost, and is found.

r Ps. 30: 11; 126 : 1, 2.... s Jonah 4: 1-3; Rom. 10:19... t oh. 18 : 11 ; Isa. 65 : 5.... u Phil. 3 : 6....V Rom. 9:4; 11:1  iv Jonah
4:10, 11... .X Ps. 51:8; lea. 35 : 10.... y verse 24.

father. See this fact illustrated below. — He
heard music and dancing. " This is one of
. those by-glances into the lesser occupations and
recreations of human life, by which the Lord so
often stamps his tacit approval on the joys and
unbendings of men. Would these festal employ
ments have been here mentioned by Him on so
blessed and solemn an occasion, if they were
really among those works of the devil which He
came into the world to destroy ? " — (Alford.)
Comp. Matt. 11 : 16-19, notes. — What these
things meant. Not only to the world, but
also to many in the church, the joy of salvation
is inexplicable.
27-30. Because he hath received him
safe and sound, i. <?., in health ; to the ser
vant, the physical restoration of the prodigal
is prominent ; in the Christian experience the
sinner becomes spiritually safe and sound by
his return. The Father is also the Great Physi
cian. Observe that the killing of the fatted calf
is because of the prodigal's return. This alone
should have sufficed to prevent the idea that it
represents Christ's atonement. The death of
Christ is the ground of the sinner's pardob, not
the result of it. — And he was angry. So the
Pharisees were angry with Christ for receiving
publicans and sinners (ver 2 ; oh. 19 : 7 : Matt. 9 : 11),
and the Jews were angry because Gentiles were
received (ch. » ¦. 28 ; Acts 28 : 21). — Therefore his
father came out and entreated him. It
was a part of the ministry of Christ to break
down the middle wall of partition between Phar
isee and publican, Jew and Gentile, the high and
the low, not only by rescuing the latter from
their degradation, but also by saving the former
from their pride. — Neither transgressed I at
any time thy commandment. The spirit of
Pharisaism, embodied in an utterance copied;
almost verbatim, from the utterance of at least
one Pharisee (ch. is : 21). — With my friends.
The me and my, show that this son is as really
separated from his father, though being under
his roof and obedient to his commands, as the
other son, who had wandered away from it.
Contrast the further language in ver. 31. — Hath
devoured thy living with harlots. — Very
probably true ; nevertheless it is only the sur

mise of jealous suspicion. The Pharisee always
aggravates every one's sins but his own. His
spirit illustrates, by contrast, the charity that
thinketh no evil.
31, 32. With a soft answer the father seeks
to turn away wrath. — Thou art ever with me.
The elder son by his language has made himself
as one of the hired servants, These many years do
I serve thee, and he querulously asks for his re
ward. The father gently reminds him that he
is a son, and that to be with him and to be his
heir, is his reward. — All that I have is thine.
For the younger son had spent his portion ; what
remained belonged to the elder at the father's
death. If we are sons of God, all that he has is
also ours (1 cor. 3 : 21-23). — It was meet that
we should make merry and be glad. A
reassertion of the spirit of thanksgiving and joy-
fulness with which the church should ever greet
the repentance and return of the sinner. The full
lesson of the contrast between the elder brother
and the father, is lost if we fail to observe this
radical difference ; the elder brother is oblivious
of the present, and thinks only of the past of the
sinner ; " thy son * * which hath devoured thy
living with harlots ; " the father forgets the past
(Isaiah 44 : 22 ; Jer. 31 : 84), and thinks only of the
present, or rather recalls the first only to en
hance the joy of the present. "Thy brother was
dead, and is alive again ; was lost, and is found."
Nothing is said as to whether the elder brother
suffered himself to be entreated or not. Our ¦
Lord leaves each Pharisee to answer to his own
conscience the question, whether he will be en
treated or no. 
Ch. 16 : 1-18. THE PARABLE OP THE UNJUST
STEWAEB, AND INSTRUCTIONS CONNECTED THERE
WITH. Covetousness is folly (ch. 12 : 20) ; liber
ality IS SHREWDNESS.
This parable, and the one which follows, on the
rich man and Lazarus (vers. 19-31), are peculiar to
Luke. They belong to the Perean ministry of
our Lord, and" are closely connected, both logi
cally and grammatically, with the parables of the
preceding chapter. The opening phrase, "And
he said also," indicates that the teachings of this
chapter followed immediately upon those of the

100

LUKE.

[Ch. XVI.

CHAPTER XVI.

AND he said also unto his disciples, There was a
certain rich man, which had a steward ; and the
same was accused unto him that he had wasted his
goods. 2 And he called him, and said unto him. How is it
that 1 hear this of thee ? give an account of thy stew
ardship ;* for thou mayest be no longer steward.

3 Then- the steward said within' himself, What shall I
do ? for my lord taketh away from me the steward
ship : I cannot dig ; to beg I am ashamed.
4 I am resolvedwhat to do, that, when I am put out
of the stewardship, they may receive me into their
houses. 5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto
him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou
unto my lord ?

z ch. 12 : 42 ; 1 Cor. 4 : 2 ; 1 Tim. 4 : 14 ; 1 Pet. 4 : 10.

chapter preceding. The parables of the lost
sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son, are a re
buke of the pride of the Pharisees ; the parables
of this chapter are a rebuke of their covetous
ness (see ver. 14). This fact affords the key-note to
what has been regarded the most difficult of our
Lord's parables. The difficulties are real ; but
they seem to me to have been greatly exagger
ated by the older commentators. The variety of
interpretations which have been suggested will
be sufficiently indicated to the reader by the fact
that the steward has been variously taken to
represent the publicans, the Pharisees, Judas
Iscariot, and Pontius Pilate ; and the lord of the
steward to represent God, Mammon, the Eo-
mana, and the devil. Julian the apostate charged
that in this parable Christ commended dishon
esty ; and, on the other hand, an ingenious Ger
man writer, Schultz, quoted in Trench, has un
dertaken to show, that there was nothing dishon
est in the course of the steward. Without en
tering into any of these disputes, I give first,
briefly, what seems to me the true explanation of
particular points in the parable, and then, in a
note at the close, a statement of its significance
as a whole. The beBt modern commentators are
generally substantially agreed in its interpreta
tion — Trench, Alford, Arnot, Godet, etc.
1,2. Unto his disciples. Not merely to
the twelve ; not especially to the publicans ; not
at all to the Pharisees, though in their hearing
(vBr. 14) ; but to such as were willing to be learners
of him. The parable is a warning against Phari
saism, but it is addressed to his own pupils, to
the children of light, not to those of this world
(ver. 8). — There was a certain rich man,
who had a steward. Other parallel teachings
of Scripture, especially of Christ (see below, and Hag.
8:8; Psalm 50 : 10-12), represent God as master, man
as Bteward, and property as something intrusted
to his stewardship ; and these should have
guarded against the artificial interpretations to
which 1 have referred above. The steward is a
bailiff, intrusted with the entire management of
the master's estate. Such stewardships, rela
tively unknown in this country, are common in
Ireland, Italy, the East, and wherever property
is owned in large estates, and the owners are not
men of business, or are habitually or frequently
absent from their estates. Such a steward or

bailiff is necessarily intrusted with almost abso
lute power over his owner's property. For Scrip
tural illustrations of such stewardship, see the
cases of Elijah and Joseph (Gen. 24 : 2-12 ; 39 : 4). —
And the same was accused unto him, that
he was wasting his goods. Not had wasted.
The imperfect tense is used in the original, and
it indicates a . habit of wasting, still carried on.
Here is the same sin as that of the prodigal, and
represented by the same Greek word (ch. 15 : 13).
All sin is a wasting of that which belongs to
God ; and it is always accompanied by a forget
fulness of God, bo that his coming and his demand
for an accounting is a, surprise. Comp. Matt.
24 : 48-51. — Give an account of thy stew
ardship : for thou mayest be steward no
longer. There is no trial, but sentence of con
demnation. We are condemned already, and the
day of judgment is a day, not of trial, but of dis
closure and of reckoning. Death is thus God's
call to us for an accounting of all things with
which he has intrusted us. "The great truth
lies in the background, that that dismissal,
death itself, is the consequence of this wast
ing of his go.ods — the wages of sin is death."
—(Alford.) 3, 4. What shall I do ? * * * I can
not dig ; to beg I. am ashamed. A graphic
picture of the perplexity and dismay of the man
of the world when summoned by death to give
an account of his stewardship. He has laid up
for himself no treasure above ; he is conscious
that he has developed no powers for service in
the eternal kingdom ; he is ashamed to cast him
self as a beggar, even before his God, and enter
the kingdom simply as a suppliant. — I am re
solved what to do. Reflection brings him, as
it brought the prodigal, to himself. The conclu
sion here is the result of cogitation. "All at
once, after long reflection, he exclaims, as if
striking his forehead : I have it." — (Godet.) The
conclusion is the one to which many a rich man
is brought who, by the benefactions of his will,
endeavors to compensate for the niggardliness of
his life.— That they (i. e., his lord's debtors)
may receive me.
5-7. So he called every one of his lord's
debtors. These would be either merchants or
other purchasers, who had received their sfjores
and not yet paid for them (Alford), or tenants.

Ch. XVL]

LUKE.

101

6 And he said. An hundred measures of oil. And he
said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and
write fifty,
7 Then said he to another. And how much owest
thou ? And he said1 An hundred measures of wheat.
And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write four
score.

8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, be
cause he had done wisely: for the children of this
world are in their generation wiser than the ° children
of light.
q And I say unto you, Make b to yourselves friends
of the mammon of unrighteousness ; that, when ye
fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

a John 12 : 36 ; Ephes. 5:8  h Ecclcs. 11:1; 1 Tim. 6:18, 19.

who paid their rent, as it is almost invariably
paid in the East, and very generally in European
estates, in produce. The oil is olive oil ; the
wheat the most common grain of Palestine ; both
are productions of the soil. The measure of oil
(putoc), contains about sixty pints ; fifty mea
sures would be worth several hundreds of dol
lars : the measure of wheat (xoqog) contains a little
over eleven bushels ; the twenty measures re
mitted would amount to over a hundred dollars
in value. The steward knows his men, and cal
culates the degree of liberality which he must
show to each in order to secure their hospitality.
— Take thy bill. Either the receipt which the
debtor had given for the goods, or the lease
which he bad signed for the rent. The word ren
dered bill is simply writing. This the tenant is him
self to alter, perhaps that, having a direct share
in the fraud, he may be precluded from inform
ing of it, subsequently.— Sit down quickly.
Simply a graphic touch, indicating the haste
of the whole transaction. — And write fifty.
The accompanying illustration shows the wri
ting materials of the East and the method of
writing. The ink is India ink, fine lamp-black
and gum perfumed ; the pen is reed, cut aslant
at the point ; the writing is usually done by
public scribes, who hold the paper in the left
hand in writing. Few, except the members of
the learned professions, are trained to read and
write. 8, 9. And the lord commended the un
just steward. That is, his lord commended
him. It is not said by Luke that Christ
praised the unjust steward, but by Christ, as
part of the parable, that the master commend
ed his servant. Of course it is implied that he
discovered the trick. — Because he had
done wisely. Shrewdly. He commended,
not the morality but the shrewdness of his
course. — For (what follows is Christ's com
ment on the whole transaction, the action of
the steward and the commendation of his lord)
the children of this world are toward
their generation, not in (h), but unto (s/c),
wiser (shrewder) than the children of
light. The meaning is, not that the worldly-
minded men are shrewder than spiritually-
minded men in their management of earthly
affairs ; nor merely that they are wiser in deal
ing with earthly affairs than spiritually-minded
men with spiritual affairs ; but that in their

dealings with one another, men of the world
get more worldly profit out of the intercourse,
than spiritually-minded get of spiritual profit
out of their mutual intercourse. It must not be
forgotten that all the characters in this parable
are children of this world ; the steward contrives
the fraud ; the debtors participate in it ; and the
lord commends it. — And I say unto yon.
What follows is Christ's application of the para
ble. If that be understood, the difficulties in the
parable itself are easily cleared away. — Make to
yourselves friends (by means) of the mam
mon of unrighteousness, i. e., the unrighteous
mammon. Not, Make this unrighteous mammon
your friend, but, Use this unrighteous mammon
to make friends. Mammon stands for money
(see Matt. 6 : 24, note) ; the mammon of unrighteousness
is not money made unrighteously, nor does the
phrase imply that Christ regards all property-

SCRIBE AND WRITING MATERIALS.

102

LUKE.

[Ch. XVI.

io He« that is faithful in that which is least, is faith
ful also in much : and he that is unjust in the least, is
unjust also in much. *
_ n If therefore ye have not been faithful in the un
righteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the
true riches ?
12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is
another man's, who shall give you that which is your
own? 13 No" servant can serve two masters : for either he

will hate the one, and love the other : or else he will
hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot
serve God and mammon.
14 And the Pharisees also, who" were covetous,
heard all these things : and they derided him.
15 And he said unto them. Ye are they which justify
yourselves ' before men ; but God e knoweth your
hearts: for that which is highly esteemed11 among
men, is abomination in the sight of God.
16 The ' law and the prophets were until John : since

c Matt. 25 : 21, 23.... d Josh. 24 : 16; Matt. 6 : 24.

...e Matt. 23: 14.... f oh. 10: 29... .g Ps. 7 : 9 ; Jer. 17 ; 10. ...h Prov. 16: 5; Mal.
3 : 15... .i Matt. 11 : 12,13.

holding as a form of selfishness. Godet explains
the meaning well. "The ear of Jesus must
have been constantly offended with that sort of
reckless language in which men indulge without
scruple : my fortune, my land, my house. He
also felt to the quick man's dependence on God,
saw that there was a usurpation in this idea of
ownership, a forgetfulness of the true proprie
tor ; on hearing such language he seemed to see
the former playing the landlord. It is this sin, of
•which the natural man is profoundly uncon
scious, which He lays bare in this whole parable,
and which He especially designates by this ex
pression, 'the mammon of unrighteousness.' " —
That when ye fail. Better, When it fails
(ixllnri, not ixXlmjri, is the preferable reading).
— They may receive yon into everlasting
habitations. This is not ironical, as some
would have us believe ; nor are they that receive
the angels, an interpretation invented for theo
logical reasons, and quite inconsistent with the
structure of the parable, for those to whom the
steward has given, receive him ; nor can we say
with Godet, "to receive is not to introduce," and
that the language here assumes some other
ground of claim for admission to the everlasting
habitations, for the only ground in the parable for
the admission of the steward to the houses of the
tenants is the service which he has dishonestly
rendered them. The interpretation of this decla
ration is to be found, firstly, in such passages as
2 Pet. 1 : 11, "So an entrance shall be ministered
unto you abundantly, into the everlasting king
dom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,"
since they have an abundant entrance into the
kingdom of glory, who are welcomed to it by the
many whom they have served on earth ; and
secondly, in such passages as Matt. 25 : 31-46,
the condition of admission to the kingdom of
heaven being not merely faith, but that kind of
faith which works by love.
Note on the Parable op the TJnjt/st Stew
ard.— Four facts, carefully considered, relieve
this parable of most, if not of all, of its difficulty.
(1.) Its object is indicated by its effect ; it is
directed against covetousness (ver. 14) ; (2) Christ
does not commend the unjust steward ; the lord
of the parable recommends him, but only for his
shrewdness (v«. 8, note) ; (3) Christ does not advise

his disciples to make the mammon of unrigh
teousness their friend, but to use the mammon
of unrighteousness so as to make friends (ver. 9,
note) ; (4) he elsewhere illustrates truth by con
trasts, showing how, since the lowest motives
conduce to certain beneficial results, higher mo
tives certainly should do so. As in Luke 11 : 6-8,
he says, since a selfish friend will yield to impor
tunity, and in Luke 18 : 1-7, since even an un
principled and an unjust judge will heed the cry
of the wronged, much more will God, who is
just, loving, sympathetic, answer the importu
nate prayers of his children ; so here, he says,
since even a fraudulent and unjust steward, with
out philanthropy, or a sense of his duty to his
lord, will yet, from mere motives of policy, use
the authority intrusted to him to make friends
of his tenants, much more should a servant of
God, who has been intrusted with property, that
he may benefit humanity, so distribute it that
the needy shall testify to the fidelity of his stew
ardship and the liberality of his love. In this
parable then the rich man represents God, the
steward man, especially the man of wealth, the
stewardship his property, which is not his own,
but is intrusted to him, the tenants the poor, the
summons to account, death, which is a call to
judgment. The parable may even be carried
further ; and it may be said that the scheme of
the steward has its parallel in the tendency of
men of wealth to compensate t>y their bequests
at death for their lack of liberality in their life
time. And the lesson is not weakened, but
strengthened, by the fact that the analogy is not
perfect, that the worldly steward is appointed to
gather from the tenants for his lord, while the
Christian steward is appointed to use his Lord's
wealth for the benefit of his Lord's poor.
10-12. These aphorisms are directly connect
ed with the preceding parable. Ver. 10 is inter
preted by Matt. 25 : 21. This life is a probation ;
¦fidelity here in the trust reposed in us by God
leads to a larger trust in the future. Comp. ch.
19:17. Vers. 11 and 12 simply carry out and
enforce this truth. If one be unfaithful in the
use of that wealth which moth and rust doth
corrupt, how can he expect the eternal riches?
If he is selfish and dishonest toward God in the
use of what belongs to God, and is but intrusted

Ch. XVI.]

LUKE:

103

that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every
man presseth into it.
17 And J it is easier for heaven and earth to pass,
than one tittle of the law to fail.

18 Whosoever k putteth away his wife and marrieth
another, committeth adultery : and whosoever marri- '
eth her that is put away from her husband, committeth
adultery.

j Ps. 102: 26; Isa. 40:8; 51 : 6  k Matt. 5:82; 1 Cor. 7 : 10,11.

to him, how can he expect that God will give him
that which shall be his own ?
13. Comp. Matt. 6 : 24, note. Whether this
saying was repeated by Christ here, or is trans
ferred by Luke from the Sermon on the Mount,
because closely connected with the topic, is un
certain and unimportant.
14, 15. Peculiar to Luke. Ver. 14 indicates
that the Pharisees understood the parable of the
unjust steward as a rebuke of covetousnesB, and
thus affords the key to its interpretation. Ver.
15 may almost be regarded as a text of which
the following parable of the rich man and Laza
rus is an illustration and an amplification. The
latter clause of this verse, that which is highly es
teemed among men is abomination in the sight of
God, is to be interpreted by the preceding clause,
God knoweth your hearts. Comp. 1 Sam. 16 : 7.
Not everything honored by men is abominated
by God ; nor are there two such different stand
ards of judgment that what really commends
itself to man's moral sense is condemned by
God. But what often appears admirable to man,
because he sees only the outward and deceitful
appearance, is known to God to be abominable,
because he sees the motive out of which it
springs. This declaration gives partial interpre
tation to Matt. 7 : 1, Judge not; it indicates that
we are to be cautious in commendatory as well
as in condemnatory judgments.
16-18. These aphorisms appear in Matthew
in different connections. Alford and Godet en
deavor, it seems to me not very successfully, to
point out a logical connection here, to the fol
lowing effect: The kingdom you preach has
been one in which the members are justified be
fore men ; since John a, kingdom has been pro
claimed into which publicans and sinners are
pressing; his kingdom does not destroy, but
fulfills, the Mosaic law ; of this fulfillment the
Christian law against adultery affords an exam
ple. I prefer to regard the introduction of these
aphorisms in this place as due to Luke, who puts
them here because they are a part of Christ's
general teaching respecting the religion of Phari
saism. I am not able to see that they have any
very immediate connection with either the pre
ceding or the succeeding parable. On ver. 16,
see Matt. 11 : 12, note ; on ver. 17, Matt. 5 : 18 ;
on ver. 18, Matt. 5 : 31, 32, note.
Ch. 16 : 19-31. PARABLE OF THE RICH MAN AND
LAZARUS. The contrasts of time and the con
trasts op eternity.— The reality op PUNISH
MENT. — The separation in the future life.—

Christ's condemnation of the claims of spiritism.
— The causes and the cure of skepticism. See
Prel. Note.
Preliminary Note.— This parable is intimate
ly connected with the preceding parable ; like
that, it is aimed at +he covetousness of the Phar
isees. It is no answer to this to say that the
Pharisees were not characteristically prodigal
and luxurious. That many of them were aus
tere, and even ascetic (Luke is : 12), is undoubtedly
true ; but there is abundant indication in Christ's
denunciation of the Pharisees elsewhere (see espe
cially Matt., ch. 28 ; Luke 14 : 7-14), that the COVetOUSUeSS
of that day, as well as of our own, sometimes
accompanied the vice of hoarding, and some
times that of a prodigal but purely selfish ex
penditure. The root of the vice is in either case
the same unbelief; and this root is clearly
brought to view at the close of this parable,
where worldliness is shown to be always and of
necessity accompanied with that kind of unbe
lief which refuses credence to moral and spirit
ual truths. This parable is not an allegory, and
the attempt to give it an allegorical interpreta
tion is unworthy of the conscientious commenta
tor. It belongs to the class of the good Samaritan,
not to that of the sower. It is, in truth, a chap
ter out of real life, the contrasts both in the
present and in the future here depicted being
common in all ages. This parable "is not like a
type, which a man cannot read until it is turned,
but like a manuscript, which delivers its sense
directly and at first hand." — (Arnot.) As the
materials for the parable are borrowed from
actual life, so "the colors are almost all bor
rowed from the palette of the rabbis." — (Godet.)
The references to hades (hell) and to Abraham's
bosom are to be interpreted by the common phi
losophy of that age. Speaking to the Pharisees,
Christ employs the language if he does not as
sume the truth of their theology. But, while
we may not press literally the figures which
Christ has thus borrowed, neither can we think
that he has employed them to endorse and en
force false views of the future life. In sub
stance, the truths embodied here must be ac
cepted by those who accept Christ as a divine
teacher ; though it may not be easy to discrimi
nate between the truths intended to be illustrated
and the poetic figures employed simply for the
purpose of illustration. This much is to me
very clear : (1.) There is no ground for the opin
ion of Kenan and some of the German commen
tators that this parable is aimed against riches as

104

LUKE.

[Ch. XVI.

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed
in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every
day:

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus,
which w*as laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell

such, the rich man being condemned for his
wealth, and Lazarus saved for his poverty. "It
would be hard to understand how, if wealth, as
such, were the rich man's sin, the celestial ban
quet could be presided over by Abraham, the
richest of the rich in Israel. ' ' — ( Godet. ) (2. ) The
interpretation which finds in this parable an alle
gory of the calling of the Gentiles, though it is
supported by many of the ancient and some of
the modern commentators, is an afterthought,
and was neither in the mind of Christ nor in the
minds of his hearers. According to this inter
pretation, Dives represents the Jewish nation;
Lazarus represents the Gentiles ; the death of
Lazarus and his reception into Abraham's bosom
prefigures the reception of the Gentiles into the
church of God ; and Dives in torments answers
to the anguish and despair of the Jewish nation
cast out. (3.) We may say in general with John
Service (Salvation Here and Hereafter), that "this
parable is meant to take us, as it were by storm,
and once for all, out of this (the customary and
earthly) way of regarding life. * * * The
purpose is greater and wider than to teach us
any religious lesson. It is to awaken us once for
all to serious, to religious thought." And this
it does by its dramatic representation of the real
worthlessness of that in external condition which
we are most wont to value. In this respect it is
like the parable of the rich fool (ch. 12 : 16-21). But
(4) it does also teach some religious lessons, as
the reality of punishment, the certain, and ap
parently the eternal, separation of men in the
future state, impliedly the immortality of both
the saved and the lost, and the futility of any
revelations from the spirit world. Further than
that, it seems to me that it is not safe to go in
the interpretation of details, as, for example, by
concluding that the lost and the saved hold con
verse with one another, that the lost are in lit
eral physical torments, or that they have a sin
cere desire for the salvation of others upon earth.
19-21 . In these verses Christ simply describes
pietorially the condition of the two men as they
would appear to the sight. It is as if we were
walking with him through the streets of Jerusa
lem, and he pointed us to the mansion of the
rich man, known only for and by his wealth, his
sumptuous attire, and his great entertainments,
and to the poor man, who lies at the gate of the
mansion, feeding on such crumbs as maybe sup
plied him by the compassion of the servants, and
getting such relief as is afforded by the dogs
licking his sores. We note the contrast; then
Christ draws aside the veil, and we see the con
trast in the other life ; and the two pictures, the

earthly and the heavenly, are left by the Master
to produce their own impression upon our minds.
That impression would be weakened, not deep
ened, by any analysis of the two characters of
the story. We are left to draw our own conclu
sions respecting those characters from the course
of the story itself. To conclude that Lazarus was
pious, merely because his name signifies " help
in God," is only less absurd than to conclude
that he, was carried to heaven only because he
was poor upon the earth. — There was a cer
tain rich man. It is a curious illustration of
the untrustworthiness of priestly traditions, that
the houses of the rich man and Lazarus are
pointed out by the priests in Jerusalem. —
Which was clothed in purple and fine
linen. "The purple and fine linen are named
often together (Esth. 1 : 6 ; Rev. is : 12), both being in
highest esteem, and the combination of colors
which they offered, blue and white, greatly
prized. The extreme costliness of the true sea-
purple of antiquity is well known. It was
the royal hue ; and the purple garment then,
as now, a royal gift (Esth. s ¦. 15) ; with it too the
heathen idols were clothed (jer. 10 •. 9) ; there was
as much therefore of pride as of luxury in its
use. The byssus, or fine linen, was hardly in less
price or esteem. All then of costliest and rarest
he bestowed upon himself. Nor was it on some
high days only that he so arrayed himself and so
feasted. The 'purple and fine linen' were his or
dinary apparel, the sumptuous fare his every-day
entertainment." — (Trench.) — Fared sumptu
ously every day. Feasted sumptuously. The
implication is, of one devoting himself to selfish
and sensual enjoyment. — There was a certain
beggar named Lazarus. Beggary, such as
is here depicted, is much more common in the
East than with us, and in the absence of any
more systematic provision, almsgiving to the
poor was insisted upon by the 0. T. (joi>29 : 13;
Ps. 41 : 1 ; 112 : 9 ; Prov. 14 : 3i ). In neglecting Lazarus,
this rich man was therefore palpably disregard
ing the spirit of the O. T. requirements. That
he knew Lazarus and his condition is clearly im
plied by vers. 23, 24. That the poor man's name
is given and the rich man's is not, has been noted
by all commentators as a significant fact. Augus
tine suggests that Christ found the name of Laz
arus in the Book of Life ; Cajetan, that Christ
thus indicates that the spiritual order of things
is contrary to the worldly, that here the names
of the rich are widely known, hereafter their
wealth does not keep their name from oblivion.
The name Dives often given to the rich man, is
taken from the Latin word divis, meaning rich.

Ch. XVI.]

LUKE.

105

from the rich man's table : moreover the dogs came
and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and
was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom:1
them rich man also died, and was buried :
23 Andn in hell he lift up his eyes, being in tor
ments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his
bosom.

24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have
mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the
tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue ; " for I
am tormented in this flame. p
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in
thy lifetime 1 receivedst thy good things, and likewise
Lazarus evil things : but now he is comforted, and thou
art tormented.

I Matt. 8:11... m Prov. 14 : 82.... n Rev. 14 : 10, 11... .0 Zech. 14 : 12.... p Isn. 66 : 24; Mark 9 : 44, elc. ...q ch. 6:24; Job 21 : 13 ;
Ps. 73 : 12-19

— Desiring to be fed. It was for this purpose
he was laid here by friends ; whether or how far
his desire was satisfied, is not indicated. But
that he expected nothing but the crumbs which
fell from the table of the rich man, is clear. —
The dogs came and licked his sores. This
touch not only adds to the dramatic force of the
picture, by indicating his nakedness and for
saken condition ; it also brings out the inhuman
ity of man by depicting the sympathy of the
brutes. The contrast between the rich man and
Lazarus is well epitomized by Trench : "Dives
is covered with purple and fine linen, Lazarus
covered only with sores. One fares sumptuously,
the other desires to be fed with crumbs. One
has hosts of attendants to wait on his every ca
price ; though this circumstance is left to our
imagination to supply; only the dogs tend the
sores of the other."
22. The beggar died and was carried by
the angels to Abraham's bosom. Of his
burial nothing is said ; not, as Meyer suggests,
because of the Rabbinical notion that the pious
were transferred body and soul to Paradise ; but
because the burial of the beggar was not worthy
of note. He was here to-day ; to-morrow he was
gone ; no one knew what had become of him.—
The rich man also died and was buried.
The last service his wealth could render him was
a magnificent funeral. For him life was all ex
tinguished in the grave.
23. And in hades. In the English version
of the N. T., the word hell is unfortunately used
indiscriminately in rendering two /Very different
Greek words (aidm hades, and rieva Gehenna) ;
the first, which is used here, never signifies the
special place of punishment, but simply the
abode of the departed. This, according to the
ancient Hebraic opinion, was a deep and dark
abode, generally located in the centre of the
earth, where were assembled both good and evil
spirits, but classed according to their spiritual
character. It was thus divided into a place of
punishment and one of reward, a paradise and a
hell, but both temporary. At the general judg
ment, it was believed that all would come forth
from this abode, but while the righteous would
be permanently delivered from it, the wicked
would be thrust back into it again. — Seeing
Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his

bosom. The language is borrowed from the
custom, common in the East, of reclining on
couches at meals, in such a way that each guest
rested partially upon the bosom of his nearest
neighbor. See Vol. I, p. 282, for illustration.
This position, with respect to the master of the
house, was one of especial honor, and only occu
pied by dear friends. Hence to lie in Abraham's
bosom became among the Jews a common meta
phorical expression of the highest condition and
felicity. As such it is used by Christ here.
24, 25. Father Abraham. Even now the
rich man bases his life on the fact that he is a
son of Abraham. Abraham, in his reply, Son,
remember, recognizes the fact, but does not re
cognize in it any claim whatever. It was a Bab-
binical proverb, "All the circumcised are safe."
This proverb Christ here impliedly, as John the
Baptist directly, in ch. 3 : 8, repudiates. Euture
condition depends not on ceremonial nor on in
heritance, but on personal character (john l : 13). —
Dip the tip of his finger in water. Lazarus
desired crumbs of bread from the rich man on
earth ; the rich man desires drops of water from
Lazarus in hades. — I am tormented in this
flame. The language is metaphorical. It is as
absurd to deduce from this language a doctrine
of physical torment in an actual flame, as it would
be to conclude that the separation between the
lost and the saved, is one interposed by a mere
physical gulf, across which conversation can be
carried on, and which could be easily bridged by
the resources of modern engineering. But the
metaphor means something. What ? It is cer
tain that our Lord, who knew whereof he spoke,
would not have used such a symbol, if it were
not an apt one to designate the mental and spir
itual suffering of the condemned. "Hardened
sinners have died crying, 'Eire!' Did the fire
leave them when they left their bodies ? " — (Al
ford. ) — Son , remember. This is itself a hint of
the torment ; the self-reproach of a condemning
memory, that will never forget. — Thou in thy
life-time receivedst thy good things. But
he does not say, Lazarus his evil things. They
were the rich man's good things, because they
were the things which he made his chief good
while he lived. Comp. ch. 6 : 24, note, andi Tim.
6 : 9, 10. This explains the conclusion of the verse.
— He is comforted, and thou art torment-

106

LUKE.

[Ch. XVIL

26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a
freat gulf fixed : so that they which would pass from
ence to you cannot ; neither r can they pass to us,
that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, 1 pray thee therefore, father, that
thou wouldest send him to my father's house :
28 For I have five brethren ; that he may testify unto
them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They " have Moses and
the prophets ; let them hear them.
36 And he said, Nay, father Abraham : but if one
went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If* they hear not Moses
and the prophets, neither willQ they be persuaded,
though one rose from the dead.

CHAPTER XVII.
THEN said he unto the disciples, It T is impossible
but that offences will come: but woe unto him
through whom they come I
2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged
about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he
should offend one of these little ones.
3 Take heed to yourselves : If thy brother trespass
against thee, rebuke w him; and if he repent, forgive
him. 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a,
day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, say-'
ing, I repent ; thou z shalt forgive him.

r Ezek. 28 : 24  8 Isa. 34 : 16 ; John 5 : 39.

..t 2 Cor. 4: 3  o John 12 : 10, II  v Matt, 18 : 6,
X Matt. 6 : 12, 14; Col. 3 : 13.

7; Mark 9:42  w Lev. 19 : 17....

ed. — Not because the one suffered evil, and the
other enjoyed luxury : Abraham does not say
this ; and there is not here, nor I think anywhere
else in Scripture, the doctrine that " the cause of
an unbroken prosperity is ever a sign and augury
of ultimate reprobation." Abraham recalls the
contrast between the present condition and the
past condition of the two ; the ground of the
present condition is sufficiently indicated by the
phrase, thy good things.
26. In the preceding verse, Abraham has
maintained the justice of the condition of the
rich man. In this verse he declares that condi
tion to be unalterably fixed. The language is of
course metaphorical, but the metaphor cannot be
misunderstood. The great gulf is one which
neither mercy from heaven nor repentance from
hell, can bridge. Observe, however, that there
is no evidence of real repentance on the part of
the rich man. Compare with Christ's parabolic
teaching here, that of ch. 13 : 24-27 ; Matt.
25 : 10-13, 46.
37 j 28. It is not necessary, on the one hand,
to attribute the petition of the rich man to a sel
fish aim, nor to see in it, on the other, an evi
dence of his partial reformation, as though the
fires in which be was tormented had already ac
complished a partial purification. It is not even
necessary to suppose, that such a request could
or would be preferred by the condemned in an
other life. It is here supposed by Christ simply
to give occasion to the religious teaching em
bodied in Abraham's reply.
29-31. In this dialogue, the rich man repre
sents the spirit of Pharisaism, which was accus
tomed to demand from Jesus signs from heaven
as an evidence of his divine mission and author
ity ; the spirit of modern skepticism, which de
mands new intellectual evidences for the truth
of Christianity, and places its unbelief avowedly
on the insufficiency of the evidences already
forthcoming ; and the spirit of modern supersti
tion, manifested in spiritism and ecclesiasticism,
which, endeavoring to meet this same demand
for signs and wonders in less intellectual classes

of society, provides miracles and supernatural
manifestations.- The answer of Abraham repre
sents the spirit of Christianity which recognizes
the secret of all skepticism to be in the moral na
ture; which recognizes in the word of God itself
its own sufficient evidence ; and which declares
that no proof whatever of a purely intellectual
character will suffice to convince those who are
living worldly lives, and whose unbelief is rooted
in worldliness of any form. .Christ's language
implies not only the adequacy of revelation, but
also the futility, and therefore the improbability,
of supernatural appearances of the dead, such as
are maintained by modern spiritism. The truth
of the declaration put here by Christ into Abra
ham's mouth, was strikingly verified by the ef
fect upon the Pharisees of the resurrection of an
other Lazarus (John n : 47-so), and of our Lord's
resurrection (Matt. 28-: 12-14). It is noted by the
commentators, that the rich man hopes that his
brothers will be led to repent, i. e., to change their
course of life ; Abraham replies, they will not
even be persuaded. They must change their life
that they may be persuaded, not by new evidence
be persuaded that they may change their life.
Ch. 17 : 1-10. VARIOUS SAYIMS OF CHRIST. OF
fenders and opfence8. — the duty op pobgtveness.
—The poweb op patth. — Pharisaism condemned by
its own principles.
Of these sayings, some are reported in other
connections by the other evangelists ; others are
peculiar to Luke ; see below. Whether this is to
be regarded as one discourse, including apho
risms, given elsewhere, or as a collection of
Christ's sayings, made by Luke, is not very im
portant. The connection between them is clear,
and indicates that they constitute one discourse.
Christ warns his disciples of offences (vers. 1, 2),
and commands them to forgive (vers. 8, 4) ; this
command leads to their request for greater
faith (ver. e), and to the consequent promise of
ver. 6 ; which is accompanied hy the parable of
the servants (vers. 7-10), which is a warning against
the spiritual pride, which the possession and ex-

Oh. XVII.]

LUKE.

107

e And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase? our
faith. 6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of
mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree.
Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted
in the sea ; and it should obey you.
7 But which of you, having a servant plowing, or
feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when ne is
come from the field, Go, and sit down to meat ?
8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready

wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me,
till I have eaten and drunken ; and afterward thou
shalt eat and drink ?
o Doth he thank that servant because he did the
things that were commanded him ? I trow not
to So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those
things which are commanded you, say, We are a un
profitable servants : we have done that which was our
duty to do.
n And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem,

y Heb. 12:2....: Matt. 17:20; 21:21; Mark 9: 28; 11 : 23. ...a Job 22:3;
1 Cor. 19 : 16, 17.

35 : 7; Fs. 16 : 2, 3; Isa. 64 : 6; Kom. 11 , 35;

ercise of remarkable powers would be likely to
stimulate. 1, 3. Then said he unto his disciples.
Then (de) is not an adverb of time ; there is noth
ing in the original to indicate that this discourse
was connected with the preceding parable. This
warning is reported in Matt. 18 : 6, 7 ; see notes
there. 3, 4. Comp. Matt. 18 : 15, 21, 22, where see
notes. Observe that the duty of rebuke as well
as of forgiveness, is taught by Christ. In what
spirit and for what purpose this rebuke is to be
given is indicated in Gal. 6 : 1, 2. Observe, also,
that forgiveness is conditioned on repentance,
because the Gospel idea of forgiveness includes
a putting away of, a relieving from the trans
gression, not merely a remission of penalty, and
this never can be done for another, except in
concurrence with his own repentance.
5, 6. Add to our faith. Not, Add faith to
our other gifts, for faith is the foundation (2 Pet.
1 : s), but add to the stock of faith which we al-

STOAMTNB OB MULBEERY BKANCH.

ready possess. Christ, so far from rebuking this
request, as though the disciple should for him
self exercise faith, by his reply intimates that
they should have asked not an increase but a gift
of the very seed and germ of faith. — As a grain
of innstard seed. Which is selected not, as
Adam Clarke, because it increases and thrives re

markably, but because it is the least of seeds
(Matt, is • 32, note). — Ye might say unto this
sycamine tree. Not the same as the syca
more (ch. 19 : 4). That is the Egyptian fig, this is
the mulberry tree, not very common in Pales
tine, but sometimes found there. — It should
obey yon. Comp. Mark 11 : 22-26, notes. If
we here take faith, as defined in Heb. 11 : 1, as
the evidence of the unseen, Christ's language is
hardly hyperbolical, for it is by the developed
power to see unseen verities that man has at
tained all his mastery over nature.
7-10. In interpreting this parable, a slight
modification must be made in the language of
verse 7, which should read, not Will say unto him
by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and
sit down to meat, but Will say unto him when he is
come from the field, Go immediately and sit down
to meat. The picture is drawn in accordance
with Oriental usages. The same one who serves
in the field also frequently serves at the table.
His clothes are girded about his loins to keep
them out of his way while handing the dishes.
The custom requires constant attendance at the
table, to change each dish as soon as the mas
ter has done with it for a new one ; sometimes
ten or twenty, or even fifty dishes, succeed on
the tables of those who fare sumptuously.
In the spiritual interpretation of this parable
there is a difficulty, because (1) throughout
Christ assumes the relation between the disciple
and his Lord to be that between a slave and his
master, while elsewhere he explicitly declares
that his disciples are not servants, but friends
(John 15 : 15 ; comp. Gai. 4:7); (2) he elsewhere declares
that when he comes he will gird himself and
make his faithful servants sit down to meat, and
will serve them (Luke 12 : 37) ; in his parable of the
Judgment he represents himself as thanking
them for the fidelity of their service (Matt. 25 • 21) ;
and Paul, waiting to finish his course, declares
his expectation of a crown of righteousness,
which the righteous Judge shall give to all who
love his appearing (2 Tim. 4 : e). The explanation
of this apparent inconsistency is to be found in
the fact that Christ was habitually accustomed
to descend to the moral plane of his auditors, to
convict them, not by proving their principles to
be wrong, but by apparently accepting and using

1G8

LUKE.

that he passed through the midst of Samaria b and
Galilee. iz And as he entered into a certain village, there met
him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar c off:

[Ch. xvii.

13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus,
Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go
shewd yourselves unto the priests. And it came to
pass, that, as B they went, they were cleansed.

b ch. 9 : 61,52; John 4: 4.... c Lev. 13:

a ch. 5 : 14; Lev. 13:2; 14 : 3 ; Matt. 8 :4  e 2 Kings 5 : 14; Isa. 65 : 24.

LORD AUD SERVANT.
their own principles. Thus, when the rich young
ruler (Matt. 19 ¦ 16-22) comes to him asking, What
good thing shall I do to inherit eternal life f
Christ does niot preach to him the doctrine of
justification by faith, but replies by referring
him only to the moral law, and leaving him to
convict himself by the inquiry, What lack I
yet? So when the lawyer asks him the same
question (Luke 10 : 25-29), Christ refers him to his
own interpretation of the law, and compels the
lawyer to seek self-justification by the inquiry,
Who is my neighbor ? In this parable, as in those
of the entire series in which it stands, Christ ad
dresses himself to the Pharisees, or to the spirit
of Pharisaism in his own disciples. The essence
of this spirit was, and is ever, a claim to be re
ceived and rewarded by God for work's sake.
Christ in this parable says in effect to the Phari
see, "You claim to be the servant of God ? Yes.
A faithful servant ? Yes. On that ground enti

tled to a seat at the table of the King ? Yes.
Do you treat your servants thus ? When they
come in from the field do you make haste to wel
come them ? to serve them 1 to thank them ? I
trow not. But if you are a servant, you must be
content with a servant's recompense. " The moral
of the parable, then, is not that the Christian is
to say, "We are unprofitable servants." It is
rather that he is not a servant at all, but a son.
He who assumes to demand as a right a recom
pense for his service has no claim. But he who
comes as a son, receives the inheritance from his
father's love ; for love gives what the law does
not award. The reward is reckoned of grace,
not of debt (Eom. 11 : 6) ; death is the wages of sin,
but eternal life is the gift of God (Eom. 6 : 23) ; and
he'whoasafriend and a son, in the spirit of love
and for love's sake, serves his Lord, receives the
gift of his Lord's love, a reward denied to him
who was but » servant, who serves for wages,
and who claims the reward as a debt. It is hard
ly necessary to say that the language of ver. 9
does hot indicate Christ's approval of begrudg
ing a hired servant grateful appreciation of
faithful work. The servaut in the parable is a
slave, and the picture is taken from the actual
treatment accorded to a slave by the ordinary
master. Moreover, while gratitude will be
given to Idelity of service, it cannot be de-'
manded as a right.
Ch. 17 : 11-19. THE HEALING OP TEN LEPERS.
Love ib the highest law.
The time of this incident appears to me to be
wholly uncertain. It is only said that it occurred
as Jesus was going to Jerusalem. There is
nothing to indicate that Luke himself knew defi
nitely the date. As to the place, see on ver. 1.
For a full account of leprosy, the laws of Moses
respecting it, and its symbolical significance, see
Matt. 8 : 2, note.
11, 12. As he was going to Jerusalem.
On one of his journeys, but on which one is not
indicated.— He passed along the borders of
Samaria and Galilee. That is, from west to
east toward the Jordan. One of the customary
routes from Galilee. to Jerusalem, taken to avoid
passing through Samaria, was along the northern
border of Samaria to the Jordan, across the Jor
dan at Scythopolis, southward through Perea to
the vicinity of Galilee, where the river was re-
crossed, and the road pursued to Jerusalem.
The language here (dia fiioov 2. xal r.) may

Ch. XVII.]

LUKE.

109

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was
healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified'
God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him
thanks : and he was a s Samaritan.

17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten
cleansed ? but where are the nine P
18 There are not » found that returned to give glory
to God, save this stranger.
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way : thy '
faith hath made thee whole.

f Pe. 80 : 1, 2  g John 4 : 39-42 . . . h P«. 106 : 13  1 Matt. 9 : 22

mean, as in our English version, through the midst
of Samaria and Galilee, but the other rendering
is the more probable one. Otherwise the read
ing would have been, Through the midst of
Galilee and Samaria, since Samaria lay between
Galilee and Judea. — There met him ten men
that were lepers. Their misery made them
companions. The lepers, being excluded from
all other society, are accustomed to form groups
and communities of their own. The accompany
ing illustration, from the pencil of Mr. A. L.
Eawson, illustrates this fact. Respecting it he
says, in a private note to me : "I sketched this
scene outside the Jaffa Gate at Jerusalem, where
it was a morning and evening spectacle during
the entire summer of 1874. The beggars for
merly sat outside the Zion Gate, but lately have
been permitted to beg here, where the greater
number of travelers pass. Many, if not all, of
them are lepers. Of the chief of them I made a
portrait. They gather by the roadside before
sunrise, and leave at sunset. In the hottest days
they disappear for three or four hours, rather
than roast." — Which stood afar off. As re
quired by the Mosaic law (Lev. 13 : 46). The space
was fixed by rabbinical regulations, but various
ly by different authorities, from four to a hun
dred cubits. Contrast their course with that of
the leper in Matt. 8:2; Mark 1 : 40, who broke
over this law to come to the feet of Jesus to
seek healing.
13, 14. They lifted up their voices. A
common cause, a common cry. — Go show
yourselves unto the priests. When a leper
was cured, before he could be restored to so
ciety, he was required to show himself to the
priest, to make an offering, and to be officially
pronounced clean. See Lev., ch. 14; Matt. 8:4,
note. Christ's command thus implied a promise
of cure. They were to act as if they wire
cleansed, and trust to Christ that the cleansing
would come in his own time and way. Every
¦ miracle is a parable ; in this is a hint to those who
wait before entering on practical Christian duty,
until they have received some personal sense of
divine pardon. To such the command of Christ
is, Go, assume that I will and can cleanse you ;
and begin the life of one who has been cleansed.
— As they were going they were cleansed.
Obedience is the road to forgiveness.
15, 16. And one of them, when he saw
that he. was healed, turned back, with a

loud voice glorifying God. The form of
the sentence should have prevented the error of
those who imagine that he went on to the tem
ple, presented himself to the priest, etc., and
then came back and hunted up Jesus. As soon

GROUP OF LEPERS.
as he saw that he was cleansed he immediately
hurried back. The contrast between him and
the others, is that between the love which disre
gards the letter in order to manifest gratitude,
and the formal obedience which adheres to the
ritual but disregards the obligations of love and
gratitude. The Jews adhered to the law and
forgot the Saviour; the Samaritan returned to
thank his Saviour, and for the time forgot the
law. — Giving him thanks. He gave glory to
God, thanks to Christ ; all along Ms journey he
resounded God's praises ; he gave thanks to
Christ when he came to him.
17, 18. The lesson to us is one that needs

110

20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees,
when the kingdom of God should come, he answered
them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with
observation :

LUKE. [Ch. XVII.
21 Neither shall they say, Lo here ! or, lo there ! for,
behold, the' kingdom of God is within you.
22 And he said unto the disciples, Thek days will
come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the
Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

j Rom. 14 : 17 .... k Matt. 9 : 16.

constant reiteration. How often are meetings in
the church convened to pray for conversion;
how rarely are they called to give thanks for
conversions already wrought. How relatively
earnest are the petitions of Christians ; how cold
and infrequent their thanksgivings.
19. Thy faith hath saved thee. Not made
thee whole. The word saved (oui^u) is used some
times of physical as well as of spiritual healing ;
but this man was already made whole ; Christ
now gives him assurance of something more, a
cleansing of the inward sin, of which the out
ward leprosy was but a type. All had faith
enough to obey Christ's command, and go show
themselves to the priest, while as yet there was
no sign of cure ; but only the one had the faith
which is perfected in love. They all had faith
and hope ; but only one had the greatest of the
graces, that love which is the consummation of
salvation (1 Cor. 13 : is).
Ch. 17 : 20-37. INSTRUCTIONS RESPECTING THE
KINGDOM OP GOD. It has already come.— Its na
ture : in the soul. — Its future : hope long tje-
layed in the church ; suffering m the king ;
earthtness anu unbelief in the worlu ; at length
a sudden revelation ; A final and a close dis
crimination. The rest of this chapter clearly consists of two
discourses, or parts of discourses. The first
(vers. 20, ai), is addressed to the Pharisees ; the
second (vera. 22-37) to the disciples; and since
Christ was not accustomed to give prophecies of
the future, except in parabolic form, to the mul
titude, the second discourse must be presumed
to have been given only to a select few, though
not necessarily exclusively to the twelve. Be
tween the second discourse (ver». 22-37) and that of
chap. 24 of Matthew, there is a striking similar
ity. There are some additions here not found
there ; but in the main, the course of the argu
ment, and to some extent, the language is the
same. Some commentators regard this as a dif
ferent discourse, in which Christ gave his disci
ples a part of the same admonitions and pro
phetic warnings, subsequently repeated in the
Passion Week at Jerusalem. Others regard it as
an imperfect and fragmentary report by Luke of
a part of that discourse, which he has placed in
this connection, because intimately connected
with the question of the Pharisees, When the
kingdom of God should come (ver. 20), and his
answer thereto. The latter view, though not
the one taken by most orthodox commentators,

seems to me preferable. If this instruction had
been given now to the twelve in Perea, they
would hardly have requested its repetition a few
months later in Jerusalem (Matt. 24 : 3) ; and if I
have interpreted Matthew, chap. 24, aright, the
counsel of ver. 31 here (vers. 16-is, in Matt.), refers to
the impending destruction of Jerusalem, while
the connection here would apparently make it
refer to Christ's final coming, and its significance
in that connection is not clear. See note below.
I think then that it is probable that, as in several
other places, Matthew, who was an eye and ear
witness, gave the discourse in its time, location,
and connection, while Luke, a second-hand re
porter, has given the same discourse, without any
knowledge of or note concerning the time, place,
or circumstances of the delivery, and placed it
here because it was cognate to Christ's reply to
the question of the Pharisees. I consider that
the whole of the second of the two discourses
(v™. 22-37), except vers. 81, 33, refers, not to the
destruction of Jerusalem, but to the second
coming of our Lord. For the reasons of this
belief, see Matt., ch. 24, Prel. Note.
20, 21. When he was demanded of the
Pharisees when the kingdom of God
should come. This demand may not have been
made with an evil intent. The universal belief of
the age was of a temporal kingdom, with Jerusa
lem as mistress of the world, a second and supe
rior Eome ; the Pharisees naturally asked of one,
whose followers claimed for him that he was a
great prophet, and some of them that he was
the Messiah, when and how this kingdom would
be established. On the phrase, kingdom of God,
see Matt. 3 : 2, note.— The kingdom of God
cometh not with observation. That is, in
such a way as to be observed.— Neither shall
they say, Look here or Look there. That
is, when it comes, there shall be nothing to com
pel this sort of surprise and superficial admira
tion.— For Look. Christ puts his look/ in con
trast with that of the world. The world looks
without ; he bids to look within. It is the same
word which is rendered "lo"and "behold."—
The kingdom of God is within you. Most
modern commentators render this, The kingdom
of God is among you, and interpret it as parallel
to Luke 11 : 20. The reason for this rendering,
which is grammatically possible, though less
natural, is given by Alford. The words "are ad
dressed to the Pharisees, in whose hearts it (the
kingdom) certainly was not." I agree with

Ch. XVII.]

LUKE.

Ill

23 And1 they shall say to you, See here; or, see
there : go not after them, nor follow them.
24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one
fart under heaven, shineth unto the other part under
heaven ; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
25 Butm first must he suffer many things, and be
rejected of this generation.
26 And as it was" in the days of Noe, so shall it be
also in the days of the Son of man.
27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives,
they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe
entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed
them all.

28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot ; they
did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they
planted, they builded ;
29 But the same day that Lot went out0 of Sodom, it
rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed
them all.
30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of
man is revealed.P
31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop,
and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to
take it away : and he that is in the field, let him like
wise not return back.
32 Remember Lot's 1 wife.

1 ch. 21 : 8 ; Matt. 24 : 23, etc. : Mark 13 : 21.

.m ch. 9 : 22; Mark 8 : 31.... n Gen. 7 : 11,23  o Qen. 19 : 23, 24. ...p 2Theaa. 1:7 
q Goo. 19 : 26. '

Godet in thinking the reading of our English ver
sion to be preferable. It is more natural ; it bet
ter agrees with the context. The declaration is
not historical, but philosophical; the assertion
not of a fact but of a law. Christ does not say
that the kingdom of God is already established
among the Pharisees, which was not indeed true
in any sense, but that the nature of that king
dom is such that it is to be found within the
heart. There is no passage so brief in Scripture which
contains so much valuable and significant truth
respecting the kingdom of God, or the kingdom
of heaven, as these two verses. That kingdom
is not to be established by Christ's second com
ing ; he then comes not to found but to take pos
session of his kingdom. Great public events,
whether military, political, or religious, as the
Crusades, the Reformation, and so-called revival
meetings, are not the coming of his Jringdom,
though they may help to prepare the way for it.
That kingdom is righteousness, and peace, and
joy, in the Holy Ghost (Rom. 14 : 17) ; it is in the
disposition and character of the individual, and
in the development of a society, nurtured in
the spirit and in accord with the precepts and
principles of Jesus Christ ; and therefore it
comes of necessity by gradual processes and in
ways which attract.no observation, except in
their results. The earthquake may prepare the
heart of the jailer for the kingdom ; but the
kingdom does not come in the earthquake.
22, 24. And he said unto the disciples.
Whether this is a fragmentary report of the dis
course in the Passion week, more fully reported
by Matthew, and partially by Luke in ch. 81, or
not, it clearly was not given to the Pharisees,
nor in immediate connection with the preceding
verses. — Ye shall desire to see one of the
days of the Son of Man. He refers to the
universal desire throughout the church, in the
absence of its Lord, for his promised reappear
ance. — See here ! or, See there ! A caution
against the danger of deceit, whether by false
prophets or misled interpreters. "A warning to
all so-called expositors, and followers of exposi
tors, of prophecy, who cry, See here ! or, See

there ! every time that war breaks out or revolu
tions occur."— (Alford.)— For as the light-
ning, etc. The second coming of Christ will be
sudden and public ; no misapprehension will be
possible. Comp. Eev. 6 : 12-17. See note on
Matt. 24 : 26, 27.
25-30. But first he must suffer. Comp.
Matt. 16 : 21 ; Luke 24 : 26 ; Acts 3 : 18.— And
be rejected. The original implies trial as well
as rejection, i. e., rejection after trial. The suf
fering and rejection laid the foundation for the
kingdom and the glory. — As it was in the
days of Noah. Comp. Matt. 24 : 37-39, notes ;
2 Pet. 3 : 3, 4. — Likewise also as it was in
the days of Lot. The example of the days of
Lot is peculiar to Luke. — Even thus. Liter
ally, According to these (xa ta tawzu) ; as though
these were expressly intended by God as types
and symbols of the great destruction, to involve
the whole world and all mankind. — When the
Son of man is revealed. "The word re
vealed (unaxalvnttai, uncovered) supposes that
Jesus is present, but that a veil conceals his per
son from the view of the world. All at once the
veil is lifted, and the glorified Lord is visible to
ail."— (Godet.) Comp. Col. 3 : 3, 4; 2 Thess. 1:7;
1 Pet. 1 : 7.
31, 32. See Matt. 24 : 16-18, notes. Clearly
this command, as reported by Matthew, is a
practical and prudential direction to the disci
ples as to their course when they see the destruc
tion of Jerusalem impending, the evidence of
which is to be afforded them by the "abomina
tion of desolation." They are then to flee in
stantly and without delay out of the city.
Here, in my judgment, Luke has placed the
counsel out of its appropriate order, and in im
mediate connection with a prophecy of the
second coming of Christ, to which it is wholly
inapplicable. From that coming the disciples
will not desire to flee, and none else can.
Godet, indeed, endeavors to apply it to the Last
Days, with what success the reader may judge
for himself. "There is no mention of fleeing
from one part of the earth to another, but of
rising from the earth to the Lord, as he passes
and disappears : 'Let him not come down from

112

LUKE.

[Ch. XVIII.

33 Whosoever' shall seek to save his life shall lose
it ; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
34 I tell you, in that night there8 shall be two men in
one bed ; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be
left. 35 Two women shall be grinding together ; the one
shall be taken, and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field ; the one shall be
taken, and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where,
Lord ? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body
is,1 thither will the eagles be gathered together.

CHAPTER XVIII.

AND he spake a parable unto them to this end, that
men ought u always to pray, and not to faint ;
2 Saying, 1 here was in a city a judge, which feared
not God, neither regarded man :
3 And there was a widow in that city ; and she came
.unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4 And he would not for a while : but afterward he said
within himself, Though I. fear not God, nor regard man ;
5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge
her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

r oh. 9:24; Matt. 16:25; Mirk 8 : 35 ; John 12: 25.... a Matt. 24 : 40, «... .t Job 39:30; Matt. 54 : 28. . . .n ch. 11:8; 21:31;
Pa. 65 : 2 ; 102 : 17 ; Rom. 12:12; Ephea. 6:18; Phil. 4 : 6.

the roof ; but forgetting all that is in the house,
let him be ready to follow the Lord. So he who
is in the fields is not to attempt to return home
to carry upward with him some object of value.
The Lord is there ; if any one belongs to Him,
let him leave everything at once to accompany
Him." I am, however, unable to conceive how
in the supreme moment of the Lord's reappear
ing, and on the eve of the destruction of the
world and all that it contains, when even the
godless are seeking only self-destruction (Rev.
6 : 16), any disciple should have any inclination to
go back to his house for a coat, or down into it
for household furniture. But, except for this
warning, Christians in Jerusalem might well have
thus delayed when the Roman armies began to
encompass the city.
33. See Matt. 10 : 39. Shall preserve (faoyavta)
is, literally, shall bring forth life. "That day
shall come as pains of labor on a woman in tra
vail (see Matt. 24 : 8, note) ; but to the saints of
God it shall be the birth of the soul and body to
life and glory everlasting." — ( Wordsworth.) He
who is always busy saving his own soul is not the
one assured of salvation ; for salvation is by self-
sacrifice. 34-36. See Matt. 24 : 40, 41. The reference
here is clearly to the second coming of Christ,
and this is quite apparent from the connection, as
the discourse is reported by Matthew. "At this
time, a selection will take place, a selection which
will instantaneously break all earthly relations,
even the most intimate, and from which there
will arise a new grouping of humanity in two
new families or societies, the taken and the left."
— (Godet.) Ver. 36 is regarded as spurious by
the best scholars. It has been transferred from
Matthew, where its genuineness is unquestioned.
37. The disciple's curiosity our Lord refuses
to gratify ; he even elsewhere declares that he
COUld not if he WOUld (MaA 13 : 32; comp. Acts
1 : 7). His reply is a general one, that wher
ever there is corruption, there the ministers
of God's judgments will be assembled ; each
new judgment being, like the destruction of
Jerusalem, a type of the final judgment. See
further, Matt. 24 : 28, note.

Ch. 18 : 1-14. PARABLES CONCERNING PRATER. In-
PORTUNITY IN PRATER. — HTJMILITT IN PRATER.
Compare with the teaching here that of ch.
11 : 1-13 ; see notes there. As in the parable
there, and in that of the Unjust Steward (oh.
16 : 1-8), Christ here in the parable of the Unjust
Judge illustrates, by contrast. The argument
is, If an unjust judge can be moved to do right
by importunity, shall not the Judge of all the
earth be much more moved by the petitions of
his afflicted children ? Having thus illustrated
the duty of patient, persistent prayer in the first
parable, in the second he illustrates the spirit
which should pervade and inspire prayer. The
attempt to trace a detailed parallelism, to make
the widow represent the church, the adversary
Satan, and the unjust judge God, appears to me
to be artificial. The parable is employed to illus
trate the single point, indicated in ver. 1. To
press it in detail is to impair, not enhance, its full
meaning. For an O. T. illustration of right and
wrong kind of importunity, compare 1 Kings
18 : 26-28, with 1 Kings 18 : 43, 44.
1. Men ought always to pray, and not
to faint. Here, as in Ephes. 6 : 18, is a sugges
tive hint of the truth, that persistence in prayer
requires courage. Prayer is sometimes a restful
communion, sometimes a soul- wrestling. Always
is here equivalent to at all times. It may be true
that "the earnest desire of the heart is prayer "
(Alford), though I doubt whether this is true
in any, except a poetical sense ; it is true, that
the heart should always maintain such relations
with God, that every act and thought should be
consecrated by the sense of his presence, and this
may be what is meant by the exhortation to
"pray without ceasing" (1 ThMS. 5 : 17). But
neither is the real point of the parable here,
which is given to teach us, not the duty of an
earnest or devout heart, but the duty of not suf
fering discouragement in prayer, because times
are adverse, and no answer appears to be vouch
safed. 2, 3. A judge which feared not God nor
rega rded man . No lower moral state can well
be imagined than is described in these two
phrases. He was indifferent to the condemna-

Ch. XVIII.]

LUKE.

113

6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge
saith. 7 And shall not God avenge v his own elect, which
cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with
them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. w

Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall « he
find faith on the earth ?
9 And he spake this parable unto certain which r
trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and
despised others :
io Two men went up into the temple to pray ; the
one was a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

v Rev. 6 : 10 . . . . w Pa. 46 : 6 ; Heb. 10 : 37 ; 2 Pet.

. . x Matt. 24 : 12 .... y ch. 10 : 29.

tion pronounced by God against perversion of
justice (Exod. 23 : 6-9 ; Lev. 19 : 15 ; Deut. 1 : 16, 17 j 2 Chron.
19 : 5-i) ; he was shamelessly indifferent to his own
reputation among men ; and he was conscious of
his own audacity and gloried in his shame (ver. 4).
The judges in the East are generally irresponsi
ble and corrupt ; take bribes from either or both
parties ; from their decisions there is in most
cases no appeal ; and the proceedings in execu
tion of their decrees are summary. — And there
was a widow in that city. In the East the
position of a widow is one of absolute helpless
ness. In India she is regarded as suffering a
special visitation of divine wrath, for her own or
her ancestors' sins, is excluded from all society,
and is made a common drudge and the subject of
unlimited petty despotism, especially by her
husband's family. The O. T. denounces this
treatment of widows, and declares them to be
under God's special keeping (Eiod. 22: 22-24; Deut.
10 : 18 ; Deut. 24 : 17 ; Psalm 68 : 5 ; 146 : 9 ; Jer. 7:6; 22 : 3 ;
49 : n ; Mai. 3 : s). — Avenge me of mine adver
sary. Either Punish his wrong-doing, or Pro
tect from his wrong-doing ; the' latter is proba
bly the better meaning. The justice of her case
is throughout pre-supposed.
4, 5. He would not for awhile. The
reason why the unjust judge would not heed the
widow's complaints, is implied to be his selfish
indifference. The reason why God often ap
pears for awhile not to heed the complaints of
his people is not given. That reason lies in his
own counsel, and beyond our full comprehen
sion.. There is, however, a hint of it in ver. 7,
below. — Lest by her continual coming she
weary me. Literally, Beat me (inmmd^m).
The verb is a pugilistic one, the same used by
Paul in 1 Cor. 9 : 27, and there translated, "I
keep under my body." The hyperbole indicates
the impatience and unreasonableness of the un
just judge. The language of all nations abounds
with like instances of this spirit of exaggeration
in the impatient. Thus, to be "pestered," is
literally to be afflicted with the pest ; to be
"worried," is to be strangled, etc.
6-8. And the Lord said. What follows is
the application of the parable, and, with the lan
guage of ver. 1, gives the key to the correct in
terpretation of the whole. — Though he bear
long with them. There are two renderings
of this phrase possible. It may mean, Though

he bears long with the oppressors; it may mean,
When also he is patient toward his own elect . The lat
ter interpretation appears to me preferable, both
from grammatical and from spiritual considera
tions. It then completes the contrast between
the unjust judge and the loving All-Father, who is
never vexed and impatient at the importunity of
his chosen ones. But whichever interpretation
be adopted, forbearance, not indifference, is indi
cated as the reason why God delays to answer
the prayers of his children. He cannot deliver
them without bringing judgment on the op-
pressofs, and he waits, that his long-suffering
may become the means of their salvation (Rom.
2 : 4 ; 2 Pet. 3 : 9, 15). — He will avenge them
speedily. Not He will speedily come to avenge
them, but When he comes he will make a speedy
end (1 Sam. 3 : 12). — Shall he find faith on the
earth ? One of those mournful utterances
which show how hard a burden to the heart
of Christ is the unbelief of his own disciples.
Comp. Matt. 17 : 17.
9. He spake this parable unto certain
which trusted in themselves because
they were righteous. There has been some
discussion respecting the question to whom this
parable was primarily addressed, whether (1) to
the Pharisees, (2) to Christ's own disciples, or
(3) to followers who were inclined partially to
accept his teachings, but in whom the leaven of
Pharisaism still remained. Clearly it was not
addressed to the Pharisees, because then it could
not be called a parable ; the Pharisee was used to
illustrate a spirit which Christ perceived in
others. Probably it was addressed to his follow
ers, being evoked by observing a tendency to
spiritual pride among them. More important is
it to note, that it is still addressed to all those
in the Christian community who trust to them
selves because their own character and conduct
appears to them meritorious. In contrast, Christ
holds up the picture of one who trusts wholly to
the mercy of a forgiving God. Thus he paraboli-
cally teaches that doctrine of justification by
faith alone, which was so predominant in the
teachings of Paul. See, for example, Kom.
3 : 20-28 ; Ephes. 2 : 1-10 ; Phil. 3 : 4-10. Paul
himself was before his conversion the Pharisee,
but afterward the publican. — And despised
others. As humility and charity are twins
(i Cor. 13 : 4), so pride and contempt.

114

LUKE.

ii The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with him
self: God, I thank thee that I am not * as other men
are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this
publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I

13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not

[Oh. XVIII.

lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote B
upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justi
fied rather than the other : for b every one that exalt
eth himself shall be abased ; and he that humbleth
himself shall be exalted.
15 And » they brought unto him also infants, that he

1 Isa. 65: 6; Rev. 3 : 17  a Jer. 31 : 19  b Job 22: 29; Matt. 23 : 12  c Matt. 19:13; Mark 10 : 13, eto.

10. The one a Pharisee, and the other
a publican. The former a type of orthodox
belief and a vigorous but legal morality ; the
other a type of the justly condemned and the
outcast. "A Brahmin and a Pariah, as one
might say, if preaching from this Gospel in
India."— (Trench.) On the character of the Phar
isees, see Matt. 3 : 7, note ; on the character of
the publicans, Matt. 9 : 9, note.
11, 12. The Pharisee stationed himself.
The publican stood (iatac, active) ; the Pharisee
stationed himself (oxoupElg, passive, with middle
signification). There is no significance' in the
mere fact that the Pharisee stood, for standing
was a common attitude of prayer among the
JeWS (l Kings 8 : 22 ; 2 Chron. 6:12; Mark 11 : 25) ; but
tnere is a significance, not recognized in our
English version, in the phraseology employed to
indicate the attitude of the Pharisee and the
publican. The Pharisee " took his stand, plant
ed and put himself in a, prominent attitude of
prayer ; so that all eyes might light on him, all
might take note that he was engaged in his de
votions."— (Trench.)— And prayed thus with
himself. Even in the prayer of the Pharisee,
self is the centre of his thoughts. Though in
form a prayer, his address was really a self-grat-
ulatory soliloquy.— God, I thank thee that I
am not as the rest of men. Not merely
as some other men, but as the rest of mankind,
mankind in general. Observe that humility
thanks God that I am what I am (1 Cor. 15 : 9, 10) ;
pride thanks God that I am not like other men
(comp. 2 cor. 10 : 12). In the Episcopal Prayer Book,
this truth is recognized by making this para
ble and 1 Cor. 15 : 1-11, the Gospel and Epistle
for the same Sunday, the eleventh Sunday after
Trinity. Observe, too, that this Pharisee be
lieves in the doctrine of total depravity ; be rates
other men very low. This doctrine may be, as
here, one ot pride, or, as in Paul's experience,
one of humflity (1 Tim. i : 15, ie). — Extortioners,
unjust, adulterers. A comprehensive cata
logue, including all flagrant transgressions, both
against others and against self ; but there is no
recognition of that spirituality of the law ex
pounded by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount
(Matt. 5 : 20-48 ; comp. l Tim. 1 : 5), and of which all
Pharisaism is a perpetual violation. — I fast
twice in the week, I give tithes of all that
I possess. His boast covers the two points of

religious service and of benevolence. In both
he claims to do more than the law requires. The
Mosaic law provided for only one fast in the
year, the great Day of Atonement (lev. 16 : 29 ;
Numb. 29 : 7). The Jews added a number of annual
fasts and two weekly fasts, viz., On the fifth day,
because Moses on that day went up Sinai, and
the second, because on that day he came down.
The Christian sects in the East still maintain a
fast twice a week throughout the whole year,
but content themselves with abstinence from
meat and the products of the diary. Tithes of
all produce, including flocks and cattle, were re
quired by the law to be given to the Levite (Lev.
27 : 30) ; this Pharisee said that he gave tithes of
all that came into his possession, whether agri
cultural products or not. The modern equiva
lent of this boast would be the claim to be re
gular in attendance on Christian ordinances and
a liberal contributor to the recognized Christian
charities. But the ancient, like the modern
Pharisee, claims only a legal righteousness, i. e.,
that he has done all that is required of him, and
even more. Of that love, without which so-
called acts of charity and religion are vain (1 cor.
13 : 1-3), he is entirely oblivious. Contrast the
"boasting" of Paul, 1 Cor. 4 : 11-16; 9:27;
15:9, 10; 2 Cor. 11 : 9-17; Gal. 2:20.
13. And the publican standing afar off.
Not merely far from the Pharisee, but remote
from the other worshippers, partly from a sense
of his own unworthiness and partly from a desire
to be apart from the crowd and alone with God.
Would not lift up so much as his eyes.nnto
heaven. In contrast with the Pharisee whose
gestures doubtless testified to the people his de
votions (Matt. 6 : o), — But SlUOtC Upon his
breast. Various emblematic meanings have
been attributed to this action, as that he thus in
dicated the death-stroke which sin merits from
God (Godet), the pain experienced in his own
conscience (Bengel), the punishment which he
would himself inflict on sin in his own heart
(Augustine). The true significance of the action
is indicated by the fact, that smiting upon the
breast was a common gesture for the expression
of great grief and shame (Luke 23 : 4s).— God be
merciful to me the sinner. There is a sig
nificance in the definite article, which is lost in
our English version. Comp. 1 Tim. 1 : 15. It
does not indicate a comparison with others, and

BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN.
" Suffer little children to oome unto me and forbid them not."

Ch. XVIII]

LUKE.

115

would touch them : but when his disciples saw it,
they rebuked them.
16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer
little children to come unto me, and forbid them not :
for of such is the kingdom of God.
17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not re
ceive the kingdom of God as a little child," shall in no
wise enter therein.
18 And0 a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good
Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life ?
19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me
good ? none is good save one, that is, God.
20 Thou knowest the ' commandments, Do not com
mit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear
false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
21 And he said, All these have I kept from my
youth up.
22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto
him. Yet lackest thou one thing : sell all that thou
hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have
treasure * in heaven : and come, follow me.
23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrow
ful : for he was very rich.
24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful,
he said, How b hardly shall they that have riches enter
into the kingdom of God !
25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a nee

dle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the king
dom of God.
26 And they that heard it said, Who then can be
saved ?
27 And he said, The1 things which are impossible
with men, are possible with God.
28 Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and fol
lowed thee.
29 And he said unto them. Verily I say unto you,
There is no man that hath i left house, or parents, or
brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's
sake, 30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this pres
ent time, and in the world to come life k everlasting.
31 Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto
them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and ' all things
that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of
man shall be accomplished.
32 For he shall be delivered m unto the Gentiles, and
shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted
on: 33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to
death : and the third day he shall rise again.
34 And n they understood none of these things : and
this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the
things which were spoken.
35 And it ° came to pass, that as he was come nigh

d Ps. 131 : 2; Mark 10: 16: 1 Pet, 1 : 14  e Matt. 19 : 16, etc.; Mark 10: 17, etc. ...f Exod. 20: 12-16; Deut. 6 : 16-20; Rom. 13 : 9....
fMatt. 6 : 19, 20; 1 Tim. 6 : 19  h Prov^ 11 : 28: 1 Tim. 6:9  i ch. 1 : 37 ; Jer. 32 : 17 ; Zech. 8:6  j Deut. 33 : 9  k Rev. 2 : 10 
Ps. 22; laa. 63  in ch. 23 : 1; Matt. 27 : 2; John 18 : 28 ; Acte 8 : 13  a Mark 9 : 32; John 12 : 16  o Matt. 20 : 29, etc. ; Mark
10 : 46, etc.

a thought of himself as the sinner above all
others, but, rather, that "he is thinking of none
but himself." — (Bengel.)
14. This man went down to his house
justified rather than the other. It is evi
dent, that justified here does not mean made just,
but absolved from sin. No change in the charac
ter of the publican is indicated, only a change in
his relations to God. Thus this parable throws
no small light on the theological controversy be
tween Komanism and Protestanism ; the one
makes a new character the ground of divine
favor ; the other makes the divine favor the
ground of a new character. Pharisee and publi
can had each received his reward (Matt. 6:1,2);
one the praise of men and the gratulations of his
own pride, the other pardon from his Father in
heaven, and the peace which pardon brings. —
Every one that exalteth himself shall be
abased, etc. Christ, in this parable, affords a
spiritual interpretation to the parable in ch.
14 : 7-11.
15-17. Christ Blesses Little Children. —
Comp. Matt. 19 : 13-15 ; Mark 10 : 13-16. See
notes on Matthew. The words of our Lord are
verbatim, as in Mark. Prom this point the narra
tive again harmonizes with those of Matthew and
Mark, after a divergence from ch. 9 : 51. The
word infants (j)qt(pog), peculiar to Luke, shows
clearly that children are referred to, who were
too young to receive instruction and to be
brought into the kingdom by an intelligent com
prehension of the truth. Comp. Luke 2 : 12, 16 ;
Acts 7 : 19 ; 2 Tim. 3 : 15 ; 1 Pet. 2 : 2 ; in all of
which cases the Greek word is the same.
18-30. The Rich Young Ktjlee.— Comp.

Matt. 19 : 16-30 ; Mark 10 : 17-31. See notes on
Matthew. Luke alone describes this young man
as a " ruler," i. e., probably a ruler of a syna
gogue. For description of this officer, see note
on Matt. 4 : 23.
31-34. Prophecy of Christ's Passion and
Resurrection.— Matt. 20 : 17-19 ; Mark 10 : 32-34.
See notes on Mark. The declaration here. All
things that are written by the prophets concerning
the Son of man (i. e., the Messiah, see Matt. 10 : 23,
note) shall be accomplished, is peculiar to Luke.
The following are among the prophecies referred
to : Psalm 16 : 10 ; 22 : 7, 8, 16, 18 ; 49 : 15 ;
Isaiah 53 : 1-9 ; Dan. 9 : 26. The declaration of
ver. 34 is also peculiar to Luke. How far the dis
ciples were from understanding the Passion,
clearly as it was foretold, is evident from the
ambitious request of James and John, which im
mediately followed the prophecy (Mark 10 : 35-45).
The reason why they did not understand is indi
cated : "The saying was hid from them," a
declaration interpreted in part by John 14 : 29,
in part by 1 Cor. 2 : 7, 10. The object of pro
phecy is not to reveal to the present age future
events ; this the plainest prophecies never have
done ; but to afford a testimony to the truth of
divine revelation, after their fulfillment. See
Mark 9 : 30-32, notes.
Ch. 18 : 35-43. THE HEALING OF A BLIND MAN. A
PARABLE OF REDEMPTION.
The account of this miracle is given by the
three Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke,
but with some notable variations. Those
which are merely verbal, are given below. Two
other variations are of considerable impor
tance. Matthew and Mark represent it as per-

116

LUKE.

[Ch. XVIII.

unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side,
begging :
36 And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked
what it meant.

37 And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth
by. 38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David,
have mercy p on me.

p Pi. 62 : 12.

formed on Christ's departure from, Luke on
Christ's approach to Jericho. Matthew says
that there were two blind men ; Mark and
Luke represent but one. Various attempts have
been made to reconcile these differences, as by
supposing that Christ healed two blind men, one
on his approach, the other on his departure, and
that Matthew has combined the two acts in one
account. The variation however presents no
difficulty except to those who maintain a doc
trine of verbal inspiration, for which the Scrip
ture itself gives no warrant. They are just such
as are of the most common occurrence in history,
and confirm, instead of throwing doubt over the
substantial truth of the narrative. As Matthew
was probably an eye-witness, since the apostles
apparently accompanied their Lord on this jour
ney, and Mark and Luke derived their infor
mation from others, it is probable that there
were two blind men, and that the cure was per
formed on the exit from, not on the entrance
into, Jericho.
35-37. He was come nigh unto Jericho.
In order to harmonize Luke's account with those
of Matthew and Mark, it has been proposed to
read this, He was near Jericho; but this is cer
tainly a forced, even if it be a possible construc
tion of the original, and comparing this verse
with ch. 19 : 1, it is evident that the writer sup
posed that the miracle was wrought by Jesus on
approachmg the city. Jericho was situated in

the valley of the Jordan, opposite the point
where Joshua crossed that river on entering the
Holy Land. It was about fifteen miles northeast
of Jerusalem and about seven from the river.
The environs were well watered and rich, and
the city was famous for its palm trees and its
balsam. Its position made it strategically the
key to the entrance of the Holy Land. After its
destruction by Joshua (josh., ch. o) its rebuilding
was prohibited, under a curse (josh. 6 : 26), which
was incurred in the days of King Ahab, by Hiel
the Bethelite (l King« 16 : 34), who refortified it, but
apparently did not literally rebuild it, since it had
been an inhabited city prior to his time (judg. 3-13 ;
2 Sam. 10 : 5). It subsequently became the site of a
school of the prophets, presided Over by Elisha
(2 Kings 2 : 1-22), who sweetened the waters of
the before unpalatable spring in the immediate
vicinity. On its plains Zedekiah fell into the
hands of the Chaldeans (jer. 39 : 5 •, 52 : s) ; three
hundred and forty-five of its inhabitants are
mentioned in the return from Babylon under
Zerubbabel (Ezra 2 : 34 ; Net. 3:2; 7 : 86). Its revenues
were given by Anthony to Cleopatra, and were
redeemed by Herod the Great, who rebuilt and
ornamented it, and even founded a new town
higher up on the plain than the old site. It was
plundered and the palace destroyed by a slave of
Herod, but was rebuilt again by Archelaus, who
again planted the plains with palm trees. It was
naturally on Christ's route in passing from Perea

JESUS GIVING SIGHT.
"Jis Jesus passed by he saw a man which was blind from his birth.''

Ch. XVIII]

LUKE.

117

39 And they which went before rebuked him, that
he should hold his peace: but he cried iso much the
more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.
40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be
brought unto him : and when he was come near, he
asked him,

41 Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?
And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.
42 And Jesus said unto him, Eeceive thy sight : thy '
faith hath saved thee.
43 And immediately he received § his sight, and fol
lowed him, glorifying1 God: and all the people, when
they saw it, gave praise unto God.

qPs. 141:1  r ch. 17 : 19  s Ps. 30 : 2  t ch. 5:26; Acts 4: 21; 11 : 18; Gal. 1 :

to Jerusalem. Its proximity to Jerusalem made
it a favorite residence of the priests when re
leased from the services of the temple ; and its
commercial importance made it a headquarters of
the publicans or tax-gatherers. The site of the
Jericho of the N. T. is believed to have been
nearer the mountain called Quarantana than the
one now occupied by the modern village. The
accompanying illustration is from a sketch
by Mr. A. L. Rawson. — A certain blind
man sat by the wayside begging. Both
beggary and blindness are much more common
in the East than with us ; the former, owing to
unjust taxation, uneven distribution of wealth,
and the total absence of public and systematized
charities ; the latter, owing to lack of cleanli
ness, and to exposure to an almost tropical sun,
and to burning sands. The duty of charity to the
blind was especially enjoined by the Mosaic law
(Lev. 19 : 14 ; Deut. 27 : is). There is nothing in either
Evangelist to indicate the nature of the blindness
in this case. The beggar's name is given by
Mark, Bartimams. The accompanying illustra
tion of an Eastern beggar, is from an original
sketch by Mr. A. L. Rawson, drawn from life. —

AH EASTERN BEGGAR.

Jesns the Nazarene is coming by. Evi
dently the fame of the Nazarene had reached
Judea ; the name and epithet were sufficient to
characterize him, even to this blind beggar.

38, 39. Jesus, Son of David, have
mercy on me. This appeal involves a recog
nition of Christ's Messianic character. The
phrase, "Son of David," was a common Judaic
appellation of the expected Messiah (Matt. 22 : 42).
It was a Jewish belief that one of the evidences
of the Messiah would be his power to open the
eyes of the blind ; it was claimed, perhaps from
such passages as Isaiah 29 : 18 ; 42 : 7, and was
certainly confirmed by the cures of the blind
which Christ had already wrought, both in Gali
lee and in Judea (Matt. 9 : 27-31 ; Mark 8 : 22-26 ; John
9 : 1-39). — They which went before. Accom
panying and preceding Christ. — Rebuked him.
Not because he called Jesus the Son of David,
but because he presumed to intrude a private
grief upon the King of Israel, when, as they sup
posed, be was going in triumph to Jerusalem, to
assume his throne and deliver the nation (ch.
19 : 11). The spirit of this rebuke was precisely
the same as that of Matt. 19 : 13. — He so much
the more. From the ministers and would-be
representatives of Christ, the blind man appeals
directly to Christ himself.
40, 41. Commanded him to be led to
him. Mark says commanded him to becatted. He
adds, also, as a significant indication of the change
in popular feeling wrought by Christ's simple
direction, that those who had before rebuked
the blind man, now said to him, Cheer up, rise, he
calls'thee ($dqoei, lyti-qc, (poivel os). The call of
Christ is always full of cheer ; always, too, a call
to do something as a token of trust in him. Obe
dience is the only recognized confession of faith.
— And when he was come near. He cast off
his garment, i. e., his outer mantle or shawl, not
stopping to wrap it about him ; an indication of
his eagerness and haste.
42, 43. Receive thy sight. According to
Matthew, Christ touched the eyes of both blind
men. — Thy faith hath saved thee. In the
way in which faith always saves, by making him
that exercises it a willing recipient of salvation
from the Saviour.
The commentators in all ages have seen in this
a remarkable enacted parable of redemption.
The blind man represents the sinner, who, with
out faith, is without the evidence of things un
seen (Heb. 11 : 1) ; yet in his darkness he can at
least dimly discern the evidences of the ap
proach of One who gives life and light ; he calls,

118

LUKE.

[Ch. XIX.

CHAPTER XIX.

AND yesus entered and passed through Jericho."
2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchse-
us, which was the chief among the publicans, and he
was rich.

3 And he sought to see Jesus, who he was; and
could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a syca
more tree to see him : for he was to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up,
and saw T him, and said unto him, Zacchseus, make

u Josh. 6 : 26 ; 1 Kings 16 : 34 .... v Pa. 139 : 1-3.

appealing for mercy to Jesus, i. e., Saviour, and
the Son of David, that is, the Great King; his
cry, though not always at first answered, is
heard, and he is called in turn, and receives his
sight, without fee, reward, or condition of any
kind, as the unpurchased and unpurchasable gift
of God's love. The incident affords also a kind
of parabolic illustration of the reconciliation of
free-will and free-grace ; the blind man both calls
and is called, elects and is elected. It also illus
trates the peculiar grace of Jesus Christ, who
thinks it not unworthy nor inappropriate to turn
aside from the march to his triumphant passion
and death, in order to hear the cry and heal the
infirmity of a blind beggar.

Ch. 19 : 1-10. THE CALL AND CONVERSION OP ZAC
CHEUS. Genuine repentance illustrated: it in
volves CONFESSION, REPARATION, AND A NEW LIFE.
To get the full meaning of this incident the
reader must remember the twofold character of
Jericho. It v/as a city of both priests and pub
licans. About fifteen miles northeast of Jerusa
lem, it was a favorite retreat of the priests when
not actually engaged in the temple services. Its
palm and balsam were thought by Anthony a
present worthy of being conferred on his royal
mistress, Cleopatra ; it was the site of one of the
palaces of King Herod ; and being the centre of
the Judean valley, whose fertility the frosts of
winter never checked, it was a headquarters of
the tax-gatherers. Thus religion and commerce
met here without mingling ; and Christ in choos
ing the house of Zaccheus for his resting-place,
passed by the houses of the rabbis and priests of
Judaism ; and this on a journey to the capital
where, as all his followers believed, he was about
to establish the theocracy (ver. 11). It is not
strange that "they all murmured." Of the lan
guage of Zaccheus there are two constructions ;
either is grammatically tenable. Godet regards
it as the language of self -justification ; supposes
that Zaccheus tells Christ what he is accustomed
to do, in answer to the charge that he is a sinner.
The other view regards it as the language of con
fession and promised reformation. This view is
more generally adopted by the commentators,
and is, I have no doubt, the correct one. See
notes below.
1,2. And passed through Jericho. For
history and description of Jericho, see ch. 18 : 35.
— A man named Zaccheus. The word

means^rara; its etymology indicates that he was of
Jewish extraction ; it appears among the lists of
the families who came with Zerubbabel from
Babylon at the time of the Restoration (Neh. 7 : 14).
— Was a chief among the publicans
(<iqxiiiX6vi]g). Probably a provincial agent, who
had the general supervision of the publicans of
the province. — And he was rich. It almost
necessarily follows that he must have been ex
tortionate and a defrauder. For account of pub
licans, see note on Matt. 9 : 10, 11.
3, 4. He sought to see Jesus, who he
was. What sort of a person. Zaccheus had
heard the fame of Jesus, and was impelled by
curiosity to see what sort of a man he might be.
— And he ran before. He first went out and
mingled with the crowd ; but such crowds are
rarely reverential to great men ; they even
especially delight in elbowing away the mere
man of wealth, whose riches are accompanied by
unpopularity. Unable to get a sight of Jesus in
the crowd, Zaccheus runs before it and climbs a
tree, in order to accomplish his purpose. This
resoluteness indicates that there was dormant
much desire mingled with his curiosity. — A
sycamore tree. Not the sycamore tree of this

A SYCAMORE TREE.
country, which is a maple, but the Egyptian fig.
It nourishes in the plains and valleys, has low,

ZACCHEUS INVITED.
"Zaooheus, make haste and come down ; for to-day I must abide
at thy house."

Ch. XIX.] LUKE.
haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide" at
thy house.
6 And he made haste, and came down, and received
him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, say-
lngj That * he was gone to be guest with a man that is
a sinner.
8 And Zacchaius stood, and said unto the Lord, Be-

119

hold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor : r
and if I have taken any thing from any man by z false
accusation, I restore a him fourfold.
9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation
come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son b of
Abraham. io For • the Son of man is come to seek and to save
that which was lost.4

w John 14: 23; Rev. 3 : 20.. ..i ch. 6 : 30; Matt. 9 : 11.... y Ps. 41 :l....i en. 3 : 14; Eiod. 20 • 16.... a Exod. 22:1; 2 Sam. 12 : 6.
b ch. 13: 16  c Matt. 18 : 11 ...d Ezek. 34: 16; Rom. 6 : 6.

wide-spreading horizontal branches, and so is
easy of ascent.
5-7. And said unto him, Zaccheus.
Jesus may have caught the name from the re
marks and the jeers of the crowd ; but there is
nothing incredible in the belief that he who
could read the heart of Zaccheus knew his name.
— Make haste and come down ; for to-day
I must abide at thy house. The must indi
cates, not that this was especially ordained for
him, but that it was his impelling and compelling
desire to seek and to save that which is lost. He
passes by the socially congenial to be the guest
of the one whom he can redeem. To abide indi
cates a purpose to make the house of Zaccheus
his resting-place while in Jericho, and therefore
probably for that night. Observe that the
Saviour invites himself to be the guest of the sin
ner ; the story of Zaccheus illustrates the invita
tion of Rev. 3 : 30. — They all murmured. A
loose expression, indicating a general expression
of surprise and discontent. Probably neither the
twelve nor the other publicans joined in this
murmuring. It was a common complaint against
Jesus (ch. 5 : 30 ; 15 : 2), and it is not strange that it
should have been so. "'A man's a man for a'
that, ' the lesson that Jesus taught the Jews in
Jericho, the world has not yet learned, despite
the lapse of ages. To eat with social sinners is
scarcely less pardonable in the ' best society ' of
Christendom in the nineteenth century than it
was in that of Judaism in the first. Social de
mocracy is the last, as it is the ripest, form of
democracy." — (Abbott's Jesus of Nazareth.)
8-10. And Zaccheus standing said.
Godet sees in this standing " a firm and dignified
attitude, such as suits a man whose honor is
attacked;" Alford, an indication of "some
effort and resolve." The latter conception
seems to me preferable ; especially if we sup
pose that this took place in the house of Zac
cheus while -Christ was seated, possibly at table
and in presence of others. — Behold, Lord , the
half of my goods I will give to the poor.
The tense is present (dlia/ti), but has a future
signification. The present is used for the future
in Greek, "when an action, still future, is to
be designated as good as already present, either
because it is already firmly resolved upon, or be
cause it follows according to some unalterable

law." — (Winer.) The Greek student will find
illustrations of this fact in Matt. 26 : 2 ; Luke
12 : 54 ; John 14 : 3 ; Col. 3 : 6. It is evident that
Zaccheus cannot be stating here what is bis habit,
for no man can habitually give away half his
goods; accordingly Godet, who interprets the
language of Zaccheus as that of self-justifica
tion, understands by half of his goods, " the half
of his yearly income." The difficulty about this
rendering is that it does not interpret what Zac
cheus said, but puts into his mouth something
different. The word here rendered goods
(v7tuqxovta) is never used in the N. T. as equiv
alent to income, but always for possessions. — And
whatsoever I have taken from any man by
false accusation I will restore him four
fold. This rendering more nearly accords with the
spirit of the original than our English version ; the
Greek for if I have taken, does not necessarily in
dicate uncertainty. " If (el), with the indicative,
implies that the condition being true, that which
results from it is to be regarded as real and cer
tain." — (Bobinson.) See Matt. 4 : 3, note; 19 :10.
It is Impossible to suppose that in this sen
tence, if at all literally rendered, Zaccheus ex
presses a habit of action. A singular evidence of
virtue would it be that he was accustomed to rob
by false accusation, and then restore fourfold.
Godet accordingly supposes that the robbing was
done by his subordinates, and that perhaps the
restitution was compelled from the detected
thief. False accusation was a method of extort
ing money commonly practiced by the tax-gath
erers of the East. In truth, the system of
Oriental tax-gathering was and is such that an
honest collector could not make a living, much
less amass a fortune. See Vol. I, p. 126. The
Mosaic law, Num. 5 : 6, 7, requires, when resti
tution was voluntary, that a fifth more than the
sum unjustly taken should be restored. The
promise of Zaccheus includes much more. When
he had given half his property to the poor,
and had restored fourfold of his unjust ex
actions, we may fairly assume that he would no
longer be rich. The evidence of his repentance
was unmistakable. — This day is salvation
come to this house. This declaration is re
sponsive to that of Zaccheus, aud implies that it
had come in and through his repentance. — For
asmuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

120

LUKE.

[Ch. XIX.

n And as they heard these things, he added and
spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem,
and because " they thought that the kingdom of God
should immediately appear.
12 lie said therefore, A certain' nobleman went into

a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to
return. 13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them
ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
14 Bute his citizens hated him, and sent a message

e Actsl: 6  f Matt. 26 : 14, etc. ; Mark 13:34  g John 1 : 11 ; 16:18,

Not because he is a Jew, for Christ no less than
John the Baptist, emphatically repudiated the
notion that salvation belonged to the Jewish race
or descended by generation ; but because he was
a Jew inwardly (Rom. 2 : 28, 29 : Gal. 3 : 7). — For the
Son of man is come to seek and save the
lost. See ch. 15 : 3-10. Another indication that
Zaccheus was not before Christ's coming the just
and generous man which ver. 8 would indicate if
rendered as in our English version. To the com
plaint that Christ was gone to be the guest of a
sinner, Christ replies that his mission is to seek
and to save the sinner ; how he does this the
conversion of Zaccheus illustrates.
Ch. 19 : 1 1-27.-PAKABLE OP THE TEN POUNDS. The
kingdom of God does not ehmjediately appear. —
Diligence in earthly dutt a condition op admis
sion TO HEAVENLY GLORY. — NEW TRUSTS THE DIVINE
REWARD FOR FIDELITY.— USING THE LITTLE ARIGHT
THE WAY TO SECURE MORE. — THE JUDGMENT OF THE
CHURCH; THE JUDGMENT OF THE WORLD. — THE END
OF THE REBELLIOUS : DEATH.
Analogous to this parable is that of the Ten
Talents in Matt. 25 : 14-30; Mark 13 : 34-36.
The analogy is so marked, that some scholars
(Calvin, Olshausen, Meyer) have regarded them
as identical. But the differences appear to me
very marked. (1.) The time and place of each
parable are fixed by the narrative ; .that of Mat
thew being in Jerusalem during the Passion
week ; that of Luke being as clearly in Jericho,
at the house of Zaccheus. (2.) The structure of
the two parables, though analogous, is different.
In Matthew, a rich man distributed to his ser
vants all his goods, the sum total amounting, at
the lowest estimate, to many thousand dollars ;
in Luke, a prince going to secure the title to his
throne from the central government, leaves in
the hands of a few of his servants a small sum,
at the largest estimate not exceeding three hun
dred dollars, simply as a means of testing their
fidelity. In Matthew, the talents are distributed
to each man according to his several ability ; in
Luke, each servant receives the same, one pound.
In Matthew, only the servants are Introduced ;
in Luke, public enemies also. (3.) The object of
the two parables, though analogous, is not iden-
ticaL The primary object of the parable in Mat
thew, which is addressed solely to Christ's disci
ples, is to teach the necessity of fidelity in the
church ; incidentally it indicates that along time
must elapse before the reckoning. The primary
object of the parable in Luke, which is addressed

to all the people, is to teach that the kingdom of
God will not immediately appear ; incidentally it
teaches how by diligent fidelity the servants of
God are to prepare for his appearing, and what
is to be the nature of the reckoning, both with
them and with those who reject his rule. Go
det, Trench, Alford, Lange, Oosterzee, agree in
regarding the two parables as different.
11, 12. As they heard these things.
The time and place of the parable are fixed as
in the house of Zaccheus, and in immediate con
nection with the preceding instructions. — He
was nigh to Jerusalem. About 15 miles. —
Because they thought that the kingdom
of God should immediately appear.
There was a general expectancy, shared by the
disciples, strengthened by such events as the
cure of the blind man and the resurrection of
Lazarus, that Christ was now on his way to Je
rusalem to inaugurate the kingdom of God, by
making the Jewish nation the master of the
world and Jerusalem its capital. We must not
forget that the career of Alexander and of Ju
lius Csesar gave a color of probability to this
expectation of universal dominion. Despite this
parable, the disciples continued to believe that
the kingdom would immediately appear ; at
least, they had no conception of the length of
the intervening delay. This anticipation was
strikingly manifested in the triumphal entry intc
Jerusalem (vera, ss-ss). — A certain nobleman.
One of noble birth ; a fitting type of One who
was the Son of David, the Son of Abraham, and
the eternal Son of God. — Went into a far
country to receive for himself a kingdom,
and to return. In the Eoman empire it was a
customary thing for those who had. any claim
to the throne of a tributary kingdom to go up
to Rome to secure by personal solicitation and
influence the ratification of their claim. Herod
the Great thus secured the title and office of
king ; on his death Archelaus, who later had a
palace in Jericho, went similarly to the capital
to obtain from Augustus a ratification of his
father's will, and was followed by an embassy
from Judea appointed by the citizens, who, wea
ried of the Herodian rule, desired of Augustus
that their country might be converted into a,
Roman province. It is probable that this his
torical fact suggested the groundwork of this
parable to Jesus. The far country represents
heaven, as in Matt. 21 : 33 ; 25 : 14 ; Mark 12 : 1 ;
the figure represents the fact that Christ goes

Ch. XIX.]

LUKE.

121

after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign
over us.
15 And it came to pass, that when he was returned,
having received the kingdom, then he commanded
these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had
given the money, that he might know how much every
man had gained by trading.
16 Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound
hath gained ten pounds.
17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant :
because thou hast been faithful11 in a very little, have
thou authority over ten cities.
18 And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound
hath gained five pounds.
19 And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over
five cities.
20 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is
thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin :

21 For I feared thee, because thou art an austere
man : thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and
reapest that thou didst not sow.
22 And he saith unto him, Out1 of thine own mouth
will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knew-
est that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not
down, and reaping that I did not sow :
23 Wherefore J then gavest not thou my money into
the bank, that at my coming I might have required'
mine own with usury ?
24 And he said unto them that stood by, Take from
him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.
25 (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten
pounds.) 26 For I say unto you, That* unto every one which
hath shall be given ; and from him that hath not, even
that he hath shall be taken away from him.
27 But those mine enemies,1 which would not that I

h ch. 16: 10.... i 2 Sam. 1 : 16 ; Jab 16:6; Mutt. 12 : 37 ; 22: 12; Rem. 3 : 19 . . . . j Rom. 2 : 4, B. . . .k ch. 8 : IS ; Matt. 18:12;
Murk 4: 25.... 1 Pa. 2 : 4, E, 9 ; 21 : 8, 9 ; Isa. 66:6, 14; Nullum 1 : 2, S ; Hab. 10:18.

away to await the consummation of that king
dom which he receives from his Father, and to
return again to enter into possession of it and
become King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev.
17 : 14 ; 19 : 16).
13, 14. And he called his ten servants.
Rather, ten of his servants. " Besides that the
original requires this, it would be absurd to sup
pose that, with the immense households of an
tiquity, which, as Seneca says, were nations
rather than families, this nobleman, of conse
quence enough to be raised to a royal dignity,
had but ten servants belonging to him." —
(Trench.) — Ten pounds. The pound, or mina,
is variously estimated as equivalent to from $15
to^30. — Occupy till I come. Rather, Trade
till I come. The Greek word rendered occupy
(nqayfiatevofiai) signifies literally to be busy; it is
the same word which, with an added preposi
tion, is rendered in ver. 15 gained by trading. In
the same sense the word occupy is used in Ezek.
27 : 9. — But his citizens hated him. These
citizens represent those who reject the claims of
Christ to be their King; primarily, the Jews
(john 19 : 16, 21 : Acts 4 : 25-27) ; secondarily, all those
who league themselves in direct hostility to
Christ (2 TheBS. 2 : 8, 4 ; Rov. 13 : 1-8).
15-19. Compare Matt. 25 : 19-23, and notes
there. (1.) Observe here that it is God's pound
that has made the ten pounds ; the fruitfulness
of our work is the gift of divine grace. (2.) In
God's government promotion depends on fidel
ity. This is in a measure true here and now ;
fulfillment of duty in a lower and lesser station
is rewarded by the providence which bids to go
up higher. (3.) Present duties are but trials of
character ; God gives the pound that he may
test and see who is worthy of a city, (i.) The
grace given here below, by our use of which we
are to show ourselves capable of receiving the
crown above, Jesus calls a very little. "What
an idea of future glory is given to us by this say
ing \"— (Godet.)

20-23. Compare Matt. 25 : 24r-27, notes. The
bank here answers to the money-changers there.
It is the broker's table or counter at which he
sat in the market or public place, and upon
which he set out the sums of money required
for transacting his daily business. From the
fact that this was transacted upon a bench comes
our word banker ; if he could not meet his lia
bilities his bench was broken to pieces, and he
was prohibited from continuing his business ;
hence the term "broken bank" (Italian, banco
rotto) and "bankrupt." Alford regards the bank
here as a type of religious societies, by the aid
of which the most timid may employ their Lord's
money. 24-26. Them that stood by. Comp.
Matt. 25 : 28-30. Perhaps, as Trench supposes,
a type of the angels who are represented as tak
ing a part in the final judgment (Dan. 7 : lo ; Matt.
13 : 41 ; 16 : 27 ; 24 : 31 ; 2 Then. 1:7; Jude 14). — Give it
to him that hath ten pounds. "The holy
works which he might have wrought here be
low, along with the powers by which he might
have accomplished them, are committed to that
servant who has shown himself the most active.
This or that pagan population, for example,
which might have been evangelized by the young
Christian who remained on the earth the slave
of selfish ease, shall be committed in the future
dispensation to the devoted missionary who has
used his powers in the service of Jesus." — (Go
det.) — Lord, he hath ten pounds. The lan
guage of remonstrance; he has ten pounds al
ready, why give him more ? — Unto every one
which hath shall he given, etc. Every at
tainment of honor, wealth, knowledge, or spirit
ual grace helps to render further attainment
more easy and more assured ; while it is spirit
ually as well as materially true that "the de
struction of the poor is their poverty ' ' (prov. 10 : 15).
In ch. 8 : 18 Christ says " that which he seem-
eth to have " shall be taken away. The gift,
whether of knowledge, money, or grace, which

122

LUKE.

[Ch. XIX

should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them
before me.
28 And when he had thus spoken, he went before,
ascending up to Jerusalem.
20 And m it came to pass, when he was come nigh to
Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the
mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,
30 Saying, Go ye into the village over against you;
in the whicli, at your entering, ye shall find a colt tied,
. whereon yet never man sat : loose him, and bring
him hither.
31 And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him f

thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath
need" of him.
32 And they that were sent went their way, and
found even as he had said unto them.
33 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners
thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt ?
34 And they said, The Lord hath need of him.
35 And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast
their" garments upon the colt, and they sett Jesus
thereon. 36 And as he went, they spread their clothes in the
way.

m Matt. SI: 1, etc. ; Mark 11 : 1, etc  n Ps. 60 : 10.. . . 0 2 Kings 9 : 13.... p John 12 : 14.

a man does not use, he does not really have. Un
used possession is only a seeming possession. In
ch. 25 : 30 the unprofitable servant is cast out
into outer darkness ; here, in being depiived of
all that he hath, which includes the light of di
vine grace, the same sentence is really implied.
27. But those mine enemies * * *
bring hither and slay them before me.
In this parable the trial of the church precedes
the trial of the world. Comp. 1 Pet. 4 : 18.
There is in this, perhaps, a hint of the first and
second resurrections (Rev. so : 5, 6). But in the
marriage of the king's son (Matt. 22 : 7-13) the pun
ishment of the open enemies precedes that of the
guest without a wedding garment. The slaying
of the enemies in the presence of the king is in
accordance with the custom of the Eastern
COUrtS (l Sam. 11 : 12 ; 16 : 82, 83; Jer. 62 : to). Found in
the teachings of Christ, it possesses a peculiarly
solemn significance, and seems to import the
terrible punishment and perhaps the literal de
struction of the enemies of Cod (Matt, is : 49, 50 ;
91: 44; 25:30, 46; 2 Tbcss. 1 : 8-10).
Ch. 19 : 28-48. TRIUMPHAL ENTRY IHTO JERUSA
LEM. Christ a king.— Religious enthusiasm ap
proved.— The sympathy of Christ for sinners. —
The rejection op Christ the great sin.— The pun
ishment thereof : destruction.
The account of this public and triumphal en
try into Jerusalem is given by all four Evan
gelists, but by John only briefly. The account
is, on the whole, fullest and most graphic here.
There are,, however, particulars mentioned by
the other Evangelists, which are omitted by
Luke. John refers to some that came forth
from Jerusalem to meet Jesus (John 12 : is) ; Mat
thew to the children of the temple who joined
in the acclamations (Matt. 21 : 15, 16). On the other
hand, Luke alone records the interposition of the
Pharisees, Christ's reply (Ters. 39,40), and Christ's la
ment over the city and prophecy of its destruction
(yen. 41-44). The cleansing of the temple mention
ed here and in Matthew as though it occurred
on the first day of Christ's entrance into Jerusalem
is distinctly stated by Mark to have occurred on
the following day. I believe the order in Mark,
who is more explicit than either of the other

Evangelists, to be the correct one. See Mark
11 : 11, note. The significance of this entry into
Jerusalem has been too little considered. It was
Christ's nature to shun crowds; his custom to
avoid them. He forbade his disciples from dis- •
closing to others that he was the Messiah, and
this prohibition was repeatedly given (Matt. 16 : 20 ;
11 : 9 ; Mark 3:12; 5 : 43 ( 6 : 36, etc.). This exceptional
assumption of dignity and acceptance of homage
is for this reason the more remarkable and sig
nificant. I believe it to be an emphasis of the
truth that he was a King, and came as King;
that it throws forth into prominence a truth re
specting him often forgotten, namely, that he is
Lord and Master as well as Saviour, crowned
with authority as well as with humility and love.
This triumphal entry took place at this time in
Jerusalem, not in Galilee, because he would
have a public testimony to the fact that it was
their King the Jews crucified. It is not merely
the Messiah that saves, nor the crucified One
that saves, but the Messiah crucified (1 Cor. 1 : 2s).
The fact that this incident is attested by all of
the Evangelists is important. For those who
give any historical credence to these narratives
cannot, in the light of this event, believe that
the Messianic character was invented and im
puted to Jesus by a later reverential imagina
tion. It was claimed by himself.
28-30. Ascending up to Jerusalem.
Ascending because Jericho was over 3,000 feet
lower than Jerusalem. See ch. 10 : 30, note. —
Bethphage and Bethany. The language is
the same in Mark. Bethany was a suburb of Jeru
salem, about two miles from that city, on the
eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, near the
place where the road to Jericho descends steeply
to the Jordan valley. It was the home of Mary
and Martha. See John 11 : 1, note. But where
was Bethphage? No such village is mentioned
elsewhere in the Bible ; tradition is silent ; the
references in the Talmud indicate only a locality
near Jerusalem. It is generally assumed to have
been a village near Bethany ; but Godet, follow
ing Lightfoot, supposes it to have been a dis
trict, in which Bethany was situated. The
meaning of the word is house of figs. — Two of
his disciples. Their names are not given. An

Ch. XIX.]

LUKE.

133

37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the
descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude
of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a
loud voice, for all the mighty works that they had seen ;
38 Saying, Blessed 1 be the King that cometh in the
name ot the Lord ; r peace in heaven, and glory in the
highest. 39 And some of the Pharisees from among the mul
titude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you,
that, if these should hold their peace, the ' stones would
immediately cry out.

41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city,
and wept ' over it,
42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least
in this thy day," the things which belong unto thy
peace ! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine
enemies shall cast7 a trench about thee, and compass
thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
44 And " shall lay thee even with the ground, and
thy children within thee ; and they * shall not leave in
thee one stone upon another ; because >' thou knewest
not the time of thy visitation.

q. ch. 13:85; Pa. 118 : 26  r ch. 2: 14; Rom. 5 : 1; Ephes. 2 : 14  s Hab. 2: 11; Matt. 8 : 9  t Ps. 119 : 136; Jer. 9 : 1 ; 18 : 17 ; 17:16;
Johnll:85  u Ps. 95:7,8; Heb. 3 : 7, 18, 15  v Isa. 29 : 2, 3; Jer. 6 : 5, 6  w oh. 13 : 34, 35 ; lKluge9:7,8; Mlcah3:12;
Matt. 23:37, 38.... i Matt. 24:2; Mark 13: 2....y Lam. 1:8; 1 Pet. 2 : 12.

analogous commission, to prepare the passover,
was given to Peter and John (ch. 22 : s). — The vil
lage over against you. Either Bethany or
Bethphage. The direction was given just before
reaching the village. — Ye shall find a colt
tied. The colt of an ass ; the ass was with the
colt (Matt. 21 : 2). According to Matthew it was
the ass that was tied. — Whereon yet never
man sat. Beasts that had not been worked
were used for sacred purposes (Numb. 19 ; 2 ; Dent.
21 : 3; 1 Sam. 6 : 7). Hence the significance of this
command to bring such a colt for Christ's entry
into the holy city.
31-34. The Lord hath need of him. The
Lord here may be either equivalent to Jehovah,
or to Jesus Christ, the recognized Lord of all his
disciples. In the former case, the language is
equivalent to, He is needed for the service of
God ; we shall then understand that the owner
was simply a godly man, and that, acting under
a divine Impulse, he allowed these strangers to
take his animal for a service of God, the nature
of which he did not understand. If we give the
latter interpretation, we must assume that the
owner of the ass and colt was a disciple of Jesus
Christ, and that he recognized in this reply a
message from his Lord, and yielded to it. This
seems to me the more probable hypothesis. In
either case the moral lesson is the same ; who
ever brings the message, The Lord hath need, we
are to respond, if satisfied that it comes from
him. — And found even as he had said unto
them. Mark gives some particulars as to the
place. See Mark 11 : i, note.
35, 36. Combining the four accounts we get
the following . features : Some took off their
outer garment, the burnoose, and bound it on the
colt as a kind of saddle ; others cast their garments
in the way, a mark of honor to a king (2 Kings 9 : 13) ;
others climbed the trees, cut down the branches,
and strewed them in the way (Matt. 21 : s) ; others
gathered leaves, and twigs, and rushes (Mark 11 : s,
note). This procession was made up largely of
Galileans, but the reputation of Christ, increased
by the resurrection of Lazarus, had preceded
him, and many came out from the city to swell
the acclamations and increase the enthusiasm

(John 12 : 13). Matthew adds that all this was in
fulfillment of prophecy (Matt. 21 : 4, 5 ; comp. Zech.
9:9). 37, 38. At the descent of the mount of
Olives. That is, at the apex of the hill, and as
they began to descend on the western 'slope,
looking toward Jerusalem. " From this elevated
point, three hundred feet above the terrace of
the temple, which was itself raised about one
hundred and forty feet above the level of the
valley of the Cedron, an extensive view was had
of the city and the whole plain which it com
mands, especially of the temple, which rose op
posite, immediately above the valley. All these
hearts recall at this moment the miracles which
have distinguished the career of this extraordi
nary man ; they are aware that at the point to
which things have come his entry into Jerusalem
cannot fail to issue in a decisive revolution, al
though they form an utterly false idea of that
catastrophe." — (Godet.) — Saying, Blessed be
the King. They quote from Psalm 118 : 25, 36,
a part of the great Hallel which was chanted at
the Paschal feast. — That cometh in the name
of the Lord. That is, as the representative of
Jehovah. — Peace in heaven . The Divine King
comes to proclaim peace in heaven toward those
that are on earth, reconciling all things unto God
by himself (2 Cor. 5 : 20 ; Col. 1 : 20).
39, 40. Master, rebuke thy disciples.
The natural representatives of these Pharisees in
the present are to be found among those who re
buke all religious enthusiasm. Observe, too, that
the contrast is here clearly drawn between those
who render homage to Christ as the representative
of God on the earth, and those who condemn it as
unseemly, and that Christ not only receives the
homage, but rebukes the refusal to give it. —
The stones would immediately cry out.
"The prophet Habakkuk had six hundred and
fifty years before, foretold the day when the
stones should cry out of the wall, and the beam
out of the timber should answer it (Hab. 2 : 11).
Possibly Jesus referred to this prophecy, and to
the hour of its fulfillment, when, because Jeru
salem had no songs of welcome for its Lord, the
stones of its falling towers, and walls, and temple

124

LUKE.

[Ch. XX.

45 And • he went into the temple, and began to cast
out them that sold therein, and them that bought ;
46 Saying unto them, It is a written, My house is the
house of prayer : but ye have made it a den b of thieves.
47 And he taught0 daily in the temple. But the
chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people
sought to destroy him,
48 And could not find what they might do : for all
the people were very attentive to hear him.
CHAPTER XX.
AND a it came to pass, that on one of those days, as
he taught the people in the temple, and preached
the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon
him, with the elders,
2 And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by ° what
authority doest thou these things? or who is he that
gave thee this authority ?

ski

And he answered and said unto them, I will also
ask you one thing ; and answer me :
4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of
men? 5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we
shall say, From heaven ; he will say, Why then be
lieved ye him not ?
6 But and if we say, Of men ; all the people will
stone us: forr they be persuaded that John was a
prophet. 7 And they answered, that they could not tell whence
it was.
8 And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by
what authority I do these things.
9 Then began he to speak to the people this para
ble: At certain man planted a vineyard,11 and let it
forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for
a long time.
10 And at the season, he sent a servant to the hus-

1 Matt. 21 : K, 13.... a laa. 56 : 7.... b Jer. 7 : 11.... c John 18 : 20.... d Matt. 21 : 23, etc. ; Mark 11 : 27, etc.... e Acts 4:7-10; 7:27...
f Matt. 14 : 5....R Matt. 21 : 33, etc. ; Mark 12 : 1, etc  h Cant. 8 : 11,12; Isa. 5 : 1-7.

courts, cried out in wrathful tones the judg
ments of God against her." — (Abbott's Jesus of
Nazareth.)
41-44. This lament over Jerusalem is re
ported alone by Luke. The present hour of
triumph affords Jesus no personal exultation.
He thinks only, with infinite compassion, of the
impending destruction of Jerusalem, and the
sorrow that will overwhelm those who rejected
and crucified him. The prophecy of that de
struction is so minute and exact, that some skep
tical writers have insisted that the language must
have been written subsequent to the event. — He
wept over it. The original (xXaloi) implies not
merely the shedding of tears, but other external
expressions of grief ; a deep sorrow, expressed
by sobbings rather than silent tears, is indicated.
Twice Jesus is said to have wept ; once -at the
grave of Lazarus (John 11 : ss), once at the thought
. of Jerusalem's tragic end ; both times they were
tears of sympathy for others' woes. Unselfish
tears are not unmanly. — If thon hadst known.
Christ repeated his warning of the impending
doom in his instructions during the succeeding
days in the temple (Matt, 21 : 42-44; 28 : 33-39), but the
city would not hear. — Even thou, yea even in
this thy day. Thy day of mercy. It was not
yet too late for Jerusalem to repent and to seek
in righteousness what would make for peace.
The lament is like that of Christ over every soul
which is willfully indifferent to the cravings of di
vine love, and will not know the things that make
for its peace. — The things which (tend) unto
thy peace. Tend rather than belong; that is,
the course of conduct which would secure peace.
There may be a. reference here to the name of
the city which signifies, Foundation of peace. —
That thy enemies shall cast a trench
about thee. Bather, a mound. The original
(xuqa£) signifies a military rampart around a camp
or a besieged city, formed of the earth thrown
out of a trench, and stuck with sharp stakes or
palisades. Titus, in the siege of Jerusalem, pro

ceeded by regular approaches, throwing up earth
works. A rampart, such as is here described,
was constructed, destroyed in a sally, and re
placed by a wall. — And compass thee round.
He entirely encircled the city, making escape,
after his lines were once complete, impossible. —
Shall not leave in thee one stone upon
another. For illustration of the completeness
of the destruction, see ch. 21 : 6, note and illus
tration. For description of the siege and its hor
rors, see Matt., ch. 24, Prel. Note. — Because
thou knewest not the time of thy visita
tion. The city was destroyed because it re
jected Christ, who would have redeemed it from
destruction (Matt. 21 : 88-13 j 22 : 7). The student
will lose the true meaning and value of this la
ment for himself, if he does not recognize in the
destruction of Jerusalem a type of the end of the
world and of the judgment that awaits each indi
vidual soul, that knows not the time of its merci
ful visitation, and rejects the Lord, who would
bring to it peace.
45, 46. This casting out of the traders is not
to be confounded with that recorded by John
(John 2 : 18-ie). See Mark 11 : 15-19, notes. It was
an act of kingly authority.
47, 48. Compare Mark .11 : 18, 19. The chief
of the people, probably denote the chiefs of the
synagogues, who combined with the chief priests,
i. e., with the heads of the priestly courses and
the scribes, i. e., the theological teachers. AU the
people were very attentive, indicates that Christ was
popular among the common people in Jerusalem,
who had perhaps caught their enthusiasm from
the Galileans and other strangers. Apparently
he spent every night out of the city (Marl 11 : 19 ;
Luke 21 : 38). 
Ch. 20 : 1-8. The Authoriti ot Chbist
Questioned.— Comp. Matt. 21 : 23-27; Mark
11 : 27-33. See notes on Matthew. The varia
tions in phraseology are very slight, and are none
of them very material.

Ch. XX.]

LUKE.

125

bandmen, that they should give Mm of the fruit1 of the
vineyard ; but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him
away empty.
ii And again he sent another servant : and they beat
him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him
away empty.
12 Ann again he sent a third : and they wounded
him also, and cast him out.
13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I
do ? I will send my beloved son : it may be they will
reverence him, when they see him.
14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reason
ed among themselves, saying. This is the heir : J come,
let * us kill him, that the inheritance may be our's.
15 Sj they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed
him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do
unto them ?
16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen,
and shall give the vineyard to others.1 And when they
heard it, they said, God forbid.
17 And he beheld them, and said. What is this then
that is written. The m stone which the builders reject
ed, the same is become the head of the corner ?
18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be
broken ; but" on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind
him to powder.
19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same
hour sought to lay hands on him ; and they feared the
people : for they perceived that he had spoken this
parable against them.
20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies,
which should feign themselves just men, that0 they
might take hold of his words, that so they might de
liver him unto the power and authority of the gover
nor. 21 And they asked him, saying. Master, we know
that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest
thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God
truly :
22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or
no? 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto
them, Why tempt ye me ?

24 Shew me a penny. Whose image and super
scription hath it ? They answered and said, Caesar's.
25 And he said unto them, Render0 therefore unto
Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the
things which be God's.
26 And they could not take hold of his words before
the people : and they marvelled at his answer, and
held'1 their peace.
27 Then1 came to him certain of the Sadducees,"
which deny that there is any resurrection ; and they
asked him,
28 Saying, Master, Moses wrote4 unto us, If any
man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without
children, that his brother should take bis wife, and
raise up seed unto his brother.
29 There were therefore seven brethren: and the
first took a wife, and died without children.
30 And the second took her to wife, and he died
childless. 31 And the third took her ; and in like manner the
seven also : and they left no children, and died.
32 Last of all the woman died also.
33 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them
is she ? for seven had her to wife.
34 And Jesus answering said unto them, The chil
dren of this world marry, and are given in marriage :
35 But they which shall be accounted worthy0 to
obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead,
neither marry, nor are given in marriage :
36 Neither" can they die any more: for they are
equal unto the angels : w and are the * children of God,
being the children of the resurrection.
37 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shew
ed y at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of
Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living :
for* all live unto him.
39 Then certain of the scribes answering said, Mas
ter, thou hast well said.
40 And after that they durst not ask him any ques
tion at all.
41 And ¦ he said unto them, How say they that
Christ is David's son ?

I John 15: 16; Rom. 7 : 4. . . j Ps. 2 : 8 ; Rom.8:17; Heb. 1 : 2. . . .k Matt. 27 : 21-26 ; Aots2:23; 3 : 15.. ..I Neh. 9 : 86, 37. ...m Ps.
118 : 22.... n Dan. 2:34, 36. ...0 Matt. 22:15, etc.; Mark 12 : 13.... p Rom. 13:7. ...q Titus 1 : 10, 11. ...r Matt. 22:23, etc.; Mark
12: 18, etc  s Acta 23: 6, 8  1 Deut. 26 : 5-8  u ch. 21 : 36 : Rev. 3 : 4  v Rev. 21 : 4  w 1 Cor. 15:49,62; 1 John 3 : 2  x Rom.
8:17....y Exod. 3 : 2-6.... a Rom. 14:8, 9. ...0 Matt. 22:42; Mark 12 : 35, etc.

9-19. Parable of the Wicked Husband
men.— Comp. Matt. 21 : 33-46 ; Mark 12 : 1-12.
See notes on Matthew. The variations in phrase
ology are considerable. Luke alone tells us that
the parable was spoken to the people. The season
(ver. 10) is equivalent to the time of the fruit (Matt.
21 : 34), i. e., the harvest period, when the rent in
produce would naturally be payable. What shall
I do? (ver. 13), a graphic representation of the
Heavenly Father's grief over the rebellion of his
children, is peculiar to Luke. The prophetic
declaration of punishment, he shall come and
destroy these husbandmen, appears from a compar
ison with Matthew to have been elicited from
the people by Christ's question, and to have
elicited in turn the involuntary response from the
Pharisees, God forbid.
20-26. Concerning! Tribute to CtEsar.--
Comp. Matt. 22 : 15-22 ; Mark 12 : 13-17. Verse
20 is peculiar to Luke, but accords with and per
haps is implied by the language of Matt.
22:15,16. 27-40. The Sadducees Silenced.— Comp.
Matt. 22 : 23-33 ; Mark 12 : 18-27. See notes on

Matthew. Vers. 34-36 are peculiar to Luke, and
give much more fully than Matthew or Mark
ChriBt's reply. But this reply is preceded by a se
vere rebuke of the Sadducees reported by the
other evangelists, but not by Luke. Marriage
being ordained to preserve the human species, to
which otherwise death would soon put an end,
ceases with death. Those who are accounted
worthy to obtain eternal life and the resurrection
of the dead, i. e., the first resurrection (Rev.
20 : 5, e), or the resurrection of life (John 6 : 29), be
come, not angels, but equal with the angels, in the
two respects that they do not know death and do
not marry. The last clause of ver. 36, are the
children of God, being the children of the resurrec
tion, implies that it is their resurrection which
gives them a right to be regarded as the children
of God. It is this resurrection into the divine
likeness, for which the Psalmist aspired (ps. 17 : 15) ;
for which Paul strove (pmi. 3 : 11) ; for which John
hoped (1 John 3 : 2). The last clause of ver. 38, for
all live unto him, is also peculiar to Luke. The
meaning appears to be that only to men do the
departed seem dead ; in the sight of God all are

126

LUKE.

[Ch. XXI.

42 And David himself saith0 in the book of Psalms,
The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right
hand, 43 Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
44 David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then
his son ?
45 Then in the audience of" all the people he said
unto his disciples,
46 Beware0 of the scribes, which desire to walk in
long robes, and love greetings ° in the markets, and the
highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms
at feasts j
47 Which' devour widows' houses, and for a shown
make long prayers : the same shall receive greater ¦>
damnation.

CHAPTER XXL

AND he looked up, and ' saw the rich men casting
their gifts into the treasury.
2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in
thither two mites.
3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this
poor widow hath cast in more J than they all.
4 For all these have of their abundance' cast in unto
the offerings of God : but she of her penury hath cast
in all the living that she had.
S And* as some spake of the temple, how it was
adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,
6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will
come, in the which ¦ there shall not be left one stone
upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

b Ps. 110:1; Acta 2: 34... .c 1 Tim. 5 : 20.. ..d Mark 12 : 88, etc....o ch. 11 : 43.... f Isa. 10:2; Matt. 28: 14; 2 Tim. 8 : 6... .g 1 Thess.
2:5  h ch. 10: 12, 14; James 3 : 1  t Mark 12 : 41... .j 2 Cor. 8 : 12  k Matt, r*

. 24 : 1, etc. ; Mark 13 : 1, eto  1 ch. 19 : 44, etc.

living. The declaration of vers. 39, 40, is implied
in Matt. 22 : 34; comp. Matt. 22 : 46.
41-44. The Pharisees Baffled. Comp.
Matt. 22 : 41^6 ; Mark 12 : 35-37. See notes on
Matthew. This question followed the question
addressed to Christ by the lawyer, concerning
the great commandment in the law.
45-47. Denunciation of the Scribes. —
These verses embody a bare suggestion of a dis
course reported in full by Matthew (ch. 23). Some
of the same thoughts and almost identical ex
pressions reported there in Matthew are given by
Luke in other connections (Luke 11 : 42-54 ; 13 : 33-35).
On the verses here, see Matt. 23 : 5, 6, 14, and
Mark 12 : 38-40. For illustration of highest seats
in the synagogues, see Luke 11 : 43.
Ch. 21 : 1-4. The Widow's Mites.— Comp.
Mark 12 : 41-44, notes.
Ch. 21 : 5-36. Discourse on the Last
Days.— See Matt., ch. 24. This discourse was
delivered apart to the disciples, perhaps only

to Peter, James, John, • and Andrew, and on
the Mount of Olives over against Jerusalem
(Mark is : s). The fullest and most systematic
report is afforded by Matt., ch. 24. For analy
sis of discourse, a brief statement of the dif
ferent interpretations, and notes on what is
common to the three accounts, see Matthew.
Matthew and Mark are very nearly identical ;
though the verbal differences are such as to
indicate that they are from independent sources.
Luke's language is quite different, and though
his report is least full of the three, and gives
indications of not being by an eye and ear
witness, it contains some matters not afforded by
either of the other accounts. In the notes here I
confine myself to these peculiar features.
5-6. This was said by the disciples as they,
with Jesus, were leaving the temple. Comp.
Mark 13 : 1, 2, notes.
7-11. They asked him. His disciples, pri
vately (Mark 13 : 3, note). For analysis of their ques
tion, which affords a key to the discourse, see in
Matt. 24 : 3.— The time draweth near. That

THE TEMPLE SITE.

Ch. XXL]

LUKE.

127

7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when
shall these things be ? and what sign will there be
when these things shall come to pass ?
8 And he said, Take m heed that ye be not deceived :
for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ;
and » the time draweth near : go ye not therefore after
them. 9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions,
be ° not terrified : for these things must first come to
pass ; but the end is not by and by.
io Then said he unto them,p Nation shall rise against
nation, and kingdom against kingdom :
n And great earthquakes shall be in divers places,
and famines, and pestilences ; and fearful sights and
great signs shall there be from heaven.
12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on

you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the syna
gogues, and into prisons,' being brought before kings •
and rulers for my name's sake.
13 And ¦ it shall turn to you for a testimony.
14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to t meditate
before what ye shall answer :
15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which
all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay u nor
resist. 16 And' ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and
brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends ; audw some or you
shall they cause to be put to death.
17 And ye shall be hated x of all men for my name's
sake. 18 But? there shall not an hair of your head perish.
19 In your patience * possess ye your souls.

m 2TheBs. 2:3, 9, 10; 1 John 4 : 1 ; 2 John 7... .n Rev. 1 : 3  o Prov. 3 : 26, 26... .p Haggal 2 : 22. ...q Acts4 : 3; 6 : 18; 12:4; 16:24;
Rev. 2: 10  r Acta 25 : 23  s Phil. 1 : 28; 2Thess. 1 : 5  t ch. 12:11 ; Matt. 10: 19.... u Acta 6: 10... v Micah 7 : 5,6.... w Acts 7: 59;
12: 2; 26 : 10 ; Rev. 2 : 13; 6:9; 12 : 11  x John 17 : 14.... y Matt. 10:30  z Rom. 5 : 3, Heb. 10: 36; James 1 : 4.

is, the time of the second coming of the Mes
siah and the manifestation of his kingdom.
These are the words with which the false pro
phets would endeavor to deceive the church.—
There shall not be one stone left upon
another that shall not be thrown down.
The accompanying illustration shows how com
pletely this prediction has been realized. It is a
view of the temple site as it now is, standing near
and west of the present Mosque of Omar. The
Temple of Herod bas entirely disappeared, and
its materials have been carried away and used in
other buildings. — The end is not immedi
ately. The Greek word (suMa>;),here rendered
by and by, is never so translated in the N. T. ex
cept here and in Luke 17 : 7. In both cases, the
word immediately would better convey the mean
ing. The use of the phrase, "by and by," as
equivalent to immediately, has become obsolete.
The meaning is, that the end of the world will
not immediately follow the troublous times pre
dicted in the preceding part of this sentence. —
Fearful sights and great signs shall there
be from heaven. These words are not found
in Matthew or Mark. Josephus gives an account
of prodigies accompanying the destruction of
Jerusalem, which may be a fulfillment of tbis
prophecy. See Matthew, ch. 24, Prel. Note.
These are not to be confounded with the signs
mentioned in ver. 25. See on Matt. 24 : 29-31.
12-19. Compare Mark 13 : 9-11, and notes.
Matthew's report is not so full, and contains nei
ther the directions nor the promises here given ;
but parallel to them is Matt. 10 : 17-22 ; see notes
there. — Bnt before all these. That is, before
the perfected fulfillment of this prophecy. The
language here confirms the view maintained in
the notes on Matthew, that Christ's prophecy in
this chapter was not fulfilled by the destruction
of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jewish
nation. It still awaits its perfect fulfillment. —
It shall result to yon for a testimony.
That is, the malice of Christ's foes shall be made
by God a means of testifying to the faithfulness

of Christ's disciples to him, aud his faithfulness
to his disciples. Thus the blood of the martyrs
becomes the seed of the church. — Settle it in
your hearts. The dangers, therefore, were to
be a subject of premeditation, and for them they
were to make preparation ; but for such dangers
the Christian's preparation is that of the heart
rather than that of the head, trust in God
rather than shrewdness and self-trust. — Not
to practice beforehand your defence. The
original (aqoncUtda) is used in classic Greek
of the practice of a professional rhetorician of
his declamation (see Sophocles, and authorities
there cited) ; and I see no authority in the N. T.
for our English version, though it is sanctioned by
Eobinson's Lexicon. The Lord does not prohibit
premeditation ; but he directs his disciples to rest
their defence not on the artifices of the rheto
rician, but on trust in God and the truth. — But
I will give you both a month and wis
dom ; i. e., both wisdom to guide, and power of
utterance. — Shall not be able to gainsay or
withstand ; i. e., to speak against, for the disci
ples' arguments should be unanswerable ; or to
counteract ; for the effect of their trial and de
fence should be only to promote the cause theit
enemies sought to overthrow. In fact, some of
the most eloquent and effective defences of
Christianity have been the unpremeditated re
sponses of persecuted Christians in the hour of
peril. For Scripture illustrations, see Acts
4 : 19, 20 ; 5 : 29-32 ; 7 : 26.— But there shall
not a hair of your head perish. Comp.
Matt. 10 : 30. " Not literally out really true ; not
corporeally, but in that real and only life which
the disciple of Christ possesses." — (Alford.) But
we may say more than this. It is literally though
not corporeally true, that not a hair of their head
should perish, since not a single suffering of any
description, borne for Christ's sake, has per
ished ; the disciple, as the Master, shall see of
the travail of his soul and be satisfied (isauh
53 : n). — In yonr endurance ye shall acqnire
your life. This is not a mere direction, as our

128

20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with
armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the
mountains ; and let them which are in the midst of it
depart out ; and let not them that are in the countries
enter theremto.
22 For these be the days of vengeance., that all8
things which are written may be fulfilled.

LUKE. [Oh. XXI.
23 But woe unto themb that are with child, and to
them that give suck, in those diys I for there shall be
great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
24 Arid they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and
shall be led away captive into all nations : and Jerusa
lem0 shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the
times d of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the

l Deat. 28: 25,48; Dan. 9:26, 27; Zech. 11 : 6; 14 : 1, 2  b Lam. 4: 10  0 Dan. 12 : 7 ; Rov. 11 : 2  d Row. 11 : 25.

English version renders it, to keep the soul pa
tient in trouble, but a declaration that the Chris
tian obtains his true ufe by patient endurance of
tribulation. The original Greek word rendered
patience (wropovr/) is literally remaining under;
hence the significance of the promise, applicable
to all ages of the church, is that true life is ob
tained, not by ingenious contrivances to escape
from life's ills, but by patiently remaining under
whatever burden Christ bids us carry fbr his sake.
It therefore interprets such declarations as Isaiah
53 : 4, and is interpreted by such passages as
Matt. 10 : 39 ; see note there.
20-24. And when ye shall see Jerusa
lem encompassed with armies. This sign of
the approaching desolation is generally regarded
as identical with Matt. 24 : 15. " When ye there
fore shall see the abomination of desolation
spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the
holy place." This seems to me improbable. See
note there. I should rather agree with Alford,
that Matthew and Mark give the inner or domes
tic sign of the approaching calamity to be seen in
Jerusalem and possibly in the temple itself,
designated by the phrase Holy Place, while
Luke gives the outward and contemporaneous
state of things. An opportunity to flee was af
forded by the course of history. Cestius Gallus,
the Roman prefect, made an attack on Jerusalem
in the fall of A. D. 66, but was beaten off and re
treated. It was not till the beginning of a. d. 70,
that Titus made his appearance before the walls
of the city to inaugurate the final and successful
siege. Thus time and warning were afforded to
those that believed Christ's prophecy of the ap
proaching desolation of the city ; and the early
Christian writers tell us that the Christians
availed themselves of it and fled from the city,
so that not one is known to have perished in the
siege. — Let not them that are in the coun
try districts enter into it, i. e., into Jerusa
lem. Those that dwelt in the country might
naturally, on the approach of the Roman legionB,
enter Jerusalem, either as a protection or to re-
enforce it. This Christ's disciples are forbidden
to do, for the reason stated in the next verse. —
These be the days of vengeance, i. e., of
divine vengeance. To resist the Roman army
would therefore be fighting a vain battle against
God himself. "We may call to mind the expres
sion even of a Titus: ' That God was so angry

with this people, that even he feared His wrath,
if he should suffer grace to be shown to the
Jews, ' and how he refused every mark of honor
on account of the victory obtained, with the at
testation that he had been only an instrument in
God's hands to punish this stiff-necked nation. "
— (Lange.) All things that are written.
The reference cannot be to Christ's previous
intimations of the destruction of Jerusalem (John
2 : 19 ; Matt. 21 : 41 ; 23 : ss), f or these were not as yet
written. The language refers to O. T. prophe
cies, such as Lev. 26 : 14-23 ; Deut. 28 : 15, etc. ;
29 : 19-28 ; Dan. 9 : 26, 27 ; Zech., ch. 11 ; 14 : 42.—
Distress in the land, i. e., of Palestine ; and
wrath (of God) upon his people, the Jews.
Let them who wish to eliminate the conception of
divine wrath from theology, consider whether
they can eliminate such scenes as the destruction
of Jerusalem from history. — They shall fall
by the mouth of the sword, etc. For descrip
tion of fulfillment of this prophecy, see Matt.
24 : 21, note, and Prel. Note to that chapter.
Over a million of Jews are said by Josephus to
have been slain, and ninety-seven thousand to
have been taken captive. — Shall be trodden
down of the nations (comp. Rev. ii : 2), until
the time of the nations shall be fulfilled.
There is no reason philologically for regard
ing the word Gentiles (itfvos) here as equiva
lent to Romans ; the ordinary significance in
N. T. usage, is heathen nations. The language
describes aptly the present and past condition of
Jerusalem, which since the dispersion of the
Jews has been under the feet of successive Gen
tile nations, is so now, and is to remain so until
the time of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled, i. *. , not till
they have fulfilled their mission as executors of
divine punishment (so Oosterzee and Bengel),
but till their time of trial and redemption is
past, as the time of trial and redemption of the
Jewish nation as a nation, was ended with the
destruction of the holy city. So, substantially,
Alford. The times of the Gentiles are the Gen
tile dispensation, just as the time of Jerusalem
is the Jewish dispensation; the great rejec
tion of the Lord by the Gentile world, answers
to its type, his rejection by the Jews. This
being finished, the end of all things shall come,
the time of which the destruction of Jerusa
lem was a type. So we have in Rev. 11 : 18.
"The time of the dead," which is interpreted

Ch. XXI.]

LUKE.

129

moon, and in the stars ; and upon the earth distress •
of nations, with perplexity ; the sea and the waves
roaring ;
26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking
after those things which are coming on the earth : for
the ' powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming «
in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass,
then look up. and lift up your heads ; for your redemp
tion11 draweth nigh.

29 And1 he spake to them a parable ; Behold the fig
tree, and all the trees ;
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of •
your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to
pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at
hand. 32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not
pass away till all be fulfilled.
33 Heaven' and earth shall pass away: but my
words shall not pass away.

0 Dan. 12: J.... f 2 Pet. 3: 10-12. ...ft Rev. 1 : 7 ; 14 : 14. ...h Rom.

i Matt. 24:32: Mark 13 : 28.... j Isa. 40:8; 51 : 6.

there as the time "that they should be
judged." 25-^8. I believe the language here to be
parallel toj» perhaps only a different report of,
that in Matt. 24 : 27-31, and to be descriptive,
not of signs which shall accompany the destruc
tion of Jerusalem, but of those to accompany
the final coming of Christ, after a long period of
tribulation. See Matt., ch. 24, Prel. Note. The
direction of verse 28 must be regarded as ad
dressed through the then hearers to the uni
versal church, as indeed the whole prophecy is.
Nor must we forget in interpreting it, that it was
not the divine design that the disciples should
know how long was to be the period of tribula
tion, that it was meant that the church in every
age should live in expectancy of it, and that
even Christ himself did not know the day and
the hour (Matt. 13 : 32, note). — And there shall be
signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in
the stars. Compare the more definite language
of Matt. 24 : 29. — And upon the earth dis
tress of nations. Literally, a shutting up, as
of men in a besieged city. The world will be
beleagured, and from it there will be no escape.
Observe that in the original, the word here ren
dered nations, is that in verse 41 rendered Gen
tiles. In the destruction of Jerusalem the dis
tress fell upon the Jews, and was inflicted by the
Gentiles ; in the time now spoken of (the time of
the Gentile nations) the distress will fall upon
them ; they will be the beleagured and the
anxious. — With perplexity. They will doubt
what the portents may mean, and their fear will
be interspersed by the feeling that they know
not what a day or an hour may bring forth. —
The sea and the waves roaring. Natural
signs on the earth will accompany those in the
heavens. The picture is partially interpreted by
what occurs during an earthquake on the sea-
coast. — Men's hearts fainting (as in a swoon)
for fear (of what they already see) and for
expectation of those things coming upon
the habitable globe. Not upon Judea or Pal
estine ; the original Greek word is never used
with that limited sense in the N. T. See Matt.
24 : 13, 14, note. Clearly something more than
any of the events, terrible as those were, which
accompanied the destruction of Jerusalem, is

indicated by the language here. — Then shall
they see. Not merely the Jews but the nations,
i. e. the Gentile nations, shall see. It is not true
that either Jew or Gentile recognized in the
destruction of Jerusalem a sign of the truth that
Jesus was the Christ. See Matt. 29-31, note ; and
on the phrase "Son of man," Matt. 10 : 23, note.
Comp. with the language here, Matt. 25 : 31 ;
26 : 64 ; Mark 14 : 62, where Christ uses analo
gous language, and where he indubitably refers
to his final coming to judge the world. — And
when these things begin to come to pass,
i. e., the first appearance of the promised
signs of Christ's final coming. — Look up and
lift up your heads. The metaphor is of one
sitting down in grief, with bowed head, who on
the coming of succor lifts up the head, both to
receive the word and let it awaken hope. — Be
cause your redemption draweth nigh.
That coming of Christ which will fill the unbe
lievers with terror, will fill his own children with
joy (Paalm 90 : 11-13, with Rev. 1 : 7).
For reasonB partly indicated in the notes here,
and more fully in the notes on Matt., ch. 24, it
seems to me impossible to regard these verses
(25-28) as merely a prophecy of the destruction of
Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jews. This,
though a common orthodox interpretation, re
quires us to give to such language as that of
verses 25 and 27 a meaning which belittles, if it
does not positively falsify, Christ's words ; to
attribute to the words nation (i9vog) and earth
(*ijs yfj?) a meaning which they nowhere else
bear in the N. T. ; to ignore the teaching of
parallel passages of Scripture, and partly of
Christ's own words elsewhere employed in
describing his Second Coming ; and to ignore
his explicit declaration in Mark 13 : 32, that
he does not know when that Second Coming will
take place. The language here and in Mat
thew should be compared with that of Rev.
6 : 12-17, and the remarkable parallel between
Christ's prophecy and John's vision noticed. In
both the sun and moon are darkened and the
stars fall from heaven ; in one, the heavens are
shaken, in the other, rolled together as a scroll ;
in both, the powers of nature are shaken upon
the earth ; here, the sea and waves roaring ;
there, mountains and islands moved out of their

130

LUKE.

[Ch. XXI.

34 And take heed* to yourselves, lest at any time
your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting,1 and drunk
enness, and cares of this life, and so that day come
upon you unawares.
35 Form as a snare shall it come on all them that
dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch0 ye therefore, and pray always, that ye
may be accounted ° worthy to escape all these things

that shall come to pass, and to0 stand before « the Son
of man.
37 And in the day time he was teaching in the tem
ple ; and at night he went out, and abode in the
mount r that is called the mount of Olives.
38 And all the people came early in the morning to
him in the temple, for to hear him.

k Rom. 13 : 12, 13 ; 1 Thess- 5:6-8; 1 Pet. 4 : 7. . . .1 laa. 28 : 1-3 ; 1 Cor. 6 : 10  m 1 These. 5.2;
n Matt, 26: 13.... o ch. 20:35  p Ps. 1:6  q Jude 24  r John 8 : :

2 Pet. 3 :
,2.

10; Rov. 16: 15..

places; in both, the nations are represented as
in fear and perplexity and faintheartedness,
and endeavoring to escape from the besieged
earth. I know not how any one can read the
two accounts together and not be satisfied that
John's vision was of that event which his Lord
had previously described.
29-33. See notes on Matt. 24 : 32-35.— My
words shall not pass away. Nothing ap
parently is so fugitive as words, and the words
of Christ were spoken, not reduced to writing by
him, or in his lifetime ; yet history has demon
strated the truth of this declaration, and his
words have proved more enduring than monu
ments, temples, cities, or even civilizations, and
shall in their influence outlast the world itself.
Observe in the structure of this promise an addi
tional indication, that the prophecy here relates
to the end of the world, not merely to the end of
the Jewish dispensation. On the meaning of the
word generation (yivtu) which would be better,
rendered race, see on Matt 24 : 34.
34-36. These verses are peculiar to Luke.
Parallel to them is Matt. 24 : 38-51, and Mark
13 : 33-37. In all these reports the practical
lesson is the same, the duty of prayer and watch
fulness. The language interprets the more gen
eral direction in Matthew and Mark, "Watch
ye, therefore ; " this watching is not in order to
give the disciple a better and earlier apprehen
sion of the approach of the last day, but to
guard against insidious dangers which threaten
to make even the disciple of the Lord unpre
pared for it and for Him (Matt. 24 : 42, note). — Lest
your hearts grow heavy. This expression is
equivalent to wax gross in Matt. 13 : 15 ; see
note there. — With surfeiting and drunk
enness and cares of this life. Two very
incongruous vices are here mentioned, equally
inconsistent with the spirit of true piety ; the
one the vice of self-indulgence,, the other that
of worldly anxiety ; the one the vice of the
spendthrift, the other that of a mere worldly
thrift. Comp. Matt. 13 : 22, note.— And that
day come upon yon unforeseen. Not
merely suddenly — It will come so to all — but
unlooked for ; or, as in our English version, un
awares, i. e., upon us while unwatchful, un
guarded, and so unprepared for its coming. —
For as a snare shall it come. If the Bible
afforded thematerial for foretelling, even approx

imately, the time of its coming, this would not be
true. — On all them that dwell on the face
of the whole earth. Clearly here our Lord
is speaking, not of the destruction of Jerusalem,
but of the last great day. And this is usually
the meaning in the N. T. of tbe phrase that
day, when used absolutely, as here (Matt. 22 : 42,
note). — Watch ye, therefore, in every sea
son (h aavrl xaiqa). In prosperity, against the
enticements of self-indulgence ; in adversity,
against the encroachments of earthly cares. —
Praying that ye may be accounted
worthy. Observe, not be worthy, but reckoned
worthy. Here is the germ of that doctrine of
justification by grace through faith, of which we
find the elaboration in Paul's epistles (Rom. 4 : 2-6).
— To be made to stand before the Son of
man. Not to stand, as in our English version ;
the verb (ora&fjvaL) is in the passive, not the ac
tive voice. We are not, and cannot be worthy, to
stand before the Messiah ; but we may be ac
counted as worthy to be made to stand before him,
by his grace. It is through Christ we have ac
cess by faith into the divine peace, in which we
stand here against the wiles and assaults of the
devil (Ephea. 6 : 18, u), and by that grace we are to
be made to stand before him in the last great
day (Jude 24), the evidence of our faith being our
obedience, manifested in a life of watching and
prayer. Comp. James 2 : 18. On the meaning
of the phrase, "to stand before the Son of man, "
see Psalm 1:5; Mal. 3:2; John 2 : 28. On this
whole admonition against forgetfulness of the
Lord, and consequent self-indulgence and sin,
compare Rom. 13 : 11-14 ; Ephe's. 5 : 8-61 ; Col.
3:1-6. 37, 38. He was by day in the temple
teaching; at night going out he bi
vouacked on the mount called of Olives.
In that climate and at that season there was no
hardship in sleeping in the open air, wrapped in
his burnoose or cloak. Some nights he seems to
have spent at Bethany (Matt. 21 : 17), probably at
the house of Martha and Mary. Bethany was on
the other side of the Mount of Olives. — And all
the people came early in the morning to
him in the temple. This does not necessarily
indicate anything more than curiosity on their
part, and is not inconsistent with the subsequent
demand for his crucifixion. Such inflections of
popular feeling are common, and in a city

Ch. XXII.]

LUKE.

131

CHAPTER XXII.

NOW" the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh,
which is called the Passover.
2 And ' the chief priests and scribes sought how they
might kill him ; for they feared the people.
3 Then ° entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot,
being of the number of the twelve.
4 And he went his way, and communed with the
chief priests and captains, how he might betray him
unto them.
5 And they were glad, and covenanted' to give him
money. 6 And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray
him unto them in the absence of the multitude.
7 Then came the day » of unleavened bread, when
the passover must be killed.

8 And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and pre
pare us the passover, that we may eat.
9 And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we
prepare ?
io And he said unto them. Behold, when ye are en
tered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing
a pitcher of water ; follow him into the house where he
entereth in.
n And ye shall say unto the goodmau of the house,
The Master saith unto thee. Where is the guestcham-
ber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples ?
12 And he shall shew you a large upper room fur
nished : there make ready.
13 And they went, and found as he had said unto
them : and they made ready the passover.
14 And x when the hour was come, he sat down, and
the twelve apostles with him.

a Mall. 26:2; Mark 14 : 1, etc. . . .t Pa. 2 ' 2 ; Acts 4 : 27.... u Matt. 26 . 14 ; Mark 14 : 10, etc. ; John 13 : 2, 27.... V Zech. 11 : 12....
w Exod., ch. 12. . . .1 Matt. 26 : 20 , Mark 14 17.

thronged as Jerusalem was on Passover week,
there may well have been two parties, one who
admired and another who hated him. It was the
nature of his teaching to awaken both love and
hostility. These two verses are peculiar to
Luke. They do not necessarily imply that
Christ taught in the temple after this time ; and
a comparison of the four Gospels shows that his
invective against the Pharisees (Matt,, ch. 23) was
the last discourse delivered in the temple. See
verse 39 there. Here Luke simply states in
general terms what was Christ's habit during his
brief ministry in Jerusalem. This was to teach
in the temple by day, but to escape from the
multitude and seek repose in the country by
night. 
Ch. 22 : 1-13. Preparation for the Last
Supper. — Parallel to Luke's account of the Last
8upper is Matt. 26 : 1-35 ; Mark 14 : 1-31. See
notes throughout on Matthew. John gives no
account of the institution of the Last Supper,
though he refers to it (John 13 : 2), and gives more
fully than either of the other Evangelists a re
port of Christ's instructions to his disciples at
that time (John, chaps. 14-ie). Luke gives more
fully than the other Evangelists Christ's direc
tions to Peter and John for the preparation of
the Passover (vera. 7-13), and alone gives the ac
count of the strife between the disciples which
should be greatest (vers. 24-30). The instructions
of vers. 35-38 are also peculiar to Luke.
.1,2. See Matt. 26 : 1-5. Observe the indica
tion here and in ver. 6, that Christ was popular
with the multitude, even in Jerusalem. The
mob was one stirred up against him by the sedu
lous endeavors of the priests (Matt. 27 : is, 20).
3-6. See Matt. 26 : 14-16, notes. The connec;
tion in Matthew indicates the immediate occa
sion of the treachery of Judas, namely, his anger
at our Lord's rebuke. On the character of Ju
das, see Matt. 27 : 3-10, notes. With the ex
pression here, Then entered Satan into Judas,
compare John 13 : 2, 27. No demoniacal posses

sion is indicated, nor any such Satanic control as
violated the liberty of Judas, but just that influ
ence proceeding from the evil spirit against
which Paul cautions us in Ephes. 6 : 12.
7, 8. Then came the day of unleavened
bread, etc. The language is explicit that the
Lord observed the Passover on the day on which it
was observed by other Jews, the 14th day of Nisan,
when the lambs were slain in the temple to be
eaten in the Paschal feast of that evening. I
have no doubt that the chronology of the Synop
tics is in this respect to be accepted ; that the
Lord's Supper was a true Passover supper, not a
special preparatory or prophetic feast, nor one
celebrated out of the appropriate time ; and that
the references to John, which are quoted in sup
port of the opposite view, are not, when thor
oughly considered, inconsistent with this one.
See Note on Lord's Supper, Vol. I, p. 286. — Go
and prepare us the Passover. On the nature
of the preparation required, see Matt. 26 : 17,
note. 9-13. There shall a man meet yon bear"
ing a pitcher of water. Doubtless a servant,
the drawing of water being in the East a service
usually performed by the servants or the women
of the household.— Ye shall say unto the
good man of the house. The master or owner
of the house (oixodeanorijg). During the Pass
over week hospitality was recognized as a uni
versal duty in Jerusalem ; pilgrims and strangers
were received, and rooms were allotted to them
for the celebration of the feast. But it is not
probable that a room would have been given to
entire strangers without previous arrangement,
and the language which the disciples are in
structed to use, The Master saith unto thee,
seems to me clearly to indicate that the good
man of the house recognized Jesus as Master ;
in other words, was in some sense at least a dis
ciple. Whether Christ had previously arranged
with him for the use of a room, or whether the
instruction to Peter and John was founded
wholly on supernatural knowledge of the wel-

132

LUKE.

[Ch. XXII.

15 And he said unto them, With desire I have de
sired to eat this passover with you before I suffer :
x6 For I say unto you, 1 willnot any more eat there
of, until y it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said,
Take this, and divide it among yourselves :
18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit
of the vine, until the Kingdom of God shall come.
19 And' he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake
it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body,
which is given for you : this do in remembrance of me.
20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This

cup fr the new testament in my blood, which is shed
for you.
zi But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is
with me • on the table.
22 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was deters
mined : ° but woe unto that man by whom he is be
trayed !
23 And they began to inquire among themselves,
which of them it was that should do this thing.
24 And ° there was also a strife among them, which
of them should be accounted the greatest.
25 And he said unto them, The d kings of the Gen-

y ch. 14:15; 1 Cor. 6:7, 8; Rev. 19: 9.... a 1 Cor. 10 : 16; 11 : 24, etc.. ..a Ps. 41 . 9 ; John 13: 26... b oh. 24 :
1 Cor. 15 : 3  o ch. 9 : 46 ; Mark 9 : 34. . . .d Matt, 20 : 25 ; Mark 10 : 42.

Acta 2 : 28 ; 4 :

come which would be accorded to him, we have
no means of knowing. Jesus knew the projected
treachery of Judas ; by confiding in this manner
to Peter and John the preparation of the room,
he prevented the possible interruption of the
feast, since not even one of the disciples knew
the place selected for their meeting. — The Mas
ter saith unto thee. The full message was,
My time is at hand; 1 will keep the Passover at thy
house with my disciples (Matt. 26 : is) ; where is the
guest-chamber, etc. The disciples alone ate with
Jesus ; the host probably observed the Passover
in another room with his own household. — A
large upper room furnished. This upper
chamber was a sort of guest-chamber, not in
common use, where the ancients received com
pany aud held feasts, and which was usually,
though not always, in the upper story, and
sometimes on or connected with the roof. This
room was furnished, i. e., provided with a sup
per-table and couches. For illustration of table,
and method of reclining, see Matt. 26 : 20, note.
14-23. The Lord's Supper. Prophecy oe
Christ's Betrayal. — See Matt. 26 : 26-30;
Mark 14 : 22-25 ; 1 Cor. 11 : 23-25. In com
paring these accounts, it must be remembered
that Luke and Mark were not of the twelve,
and therefore were not present. This may
account in part for the diversity in chro
nology. For notes on the Lord's Supper, see
Matthew, where the chronology is given. For
notes on the prophecy of betrayal, see John
13 : 21-30.
15. Peculiar to Luke. The intensity of
Christ's desire to eat this last Passover with his
disciples, like his desire for their sympathy and
prayers in his agony in Gethsemane (Matt. 26 : 37, 39,
40), hints at the character of his love, as one
which yearned for human sympathy and love.
May we not say that he still earnestly desires to
eat this supper with his discigles, and that every
cold and formal celebration of this memorial
service is, as it were, a personal disappointment
and sorrow to him ?
16. Until it be fulfilled. The Passover
was a prophecy of the Lord's Supper ; that, in
turn, is prophetic of the Marriage Supper of the
Lamb (Matt. 26 : 29, note).

17. He took the cup. Not the one men
tioned in verse 20. This cup preceded, that
followed the supper. See account of Passover
ceremonial, Matt. 26 : 26-30, Prel. Note.
18, 19. I will not drink of the fruit of
the vine. In Matthew this expression is re
ported at the close of the meal ; here at the com
mencement. Perhaps Christ repeated it. As the
verse stands here, it implies that Christ did not
partake of the bread and wine ; but in Matthew
the language is different, "I will not drink hence
forth;" and this is probably the meaning .here.
Verse 15 appears to me to imply that he partook
as well as his disciples. For discussion of this
question, see Matt. 26 : 26, note.
20. After supper. Not a cup of wine after
the paschal supper was ended, but the cup of
wine which, according to the Jewish ceremonial,
closed the supper. See Matt. 26 : 26-30, Prel.
Note, and Supplemental Note, § 2.
21-23. This occurred prior to the institution
of the Lord's Supper, though during the begin
ning of the paschal meal (Matt. 26 : 21). The lan
guage here, "The hand of him that betrayed me
is with me on the table," is not, therefore, con
clusive upon the difficult question whether Ju
das was at the Lord's Supper. On the whole,
the balance of evidence is that he had left the
room ; but, as only John mentions his departure,
and John says nothing of the institution of the
Lord's Supper, the question cannot be deter
mined with certainty. For notes on Christ's
prophecy of his betrayal, see John 13 : 21-35,
and Matt. 26 : 21-25.
Ch. 22 : 24-30. CHRIST REBUKES HIS DISCIPLES'
STRIFE. Trot: oreathess is greatness op ser
vice. The reader must remember that Luke was not
one of the twelve. He was not, therefore, pres
ent, and he gives no distinct note of time; he
merely indicates that a strife occurred at about
this time, whether before or after the supper he
did not perhaps know. The seats at the Oriental
table were arranged in regular order, the seat
nearest the master of the feast being the seat of
honor, .Contentions for the highest place were
common. See ch. 14 : 7-11, note. I believe that

Ch. XXII.]

LUKE.

133

tiles exercise lordship over them ; and they that exer
cise authority upon them are called benefactors.
26 But • ye shall not be so : but he that is greatest
among you, let him be as the younger ; and he that is
chiefas he that doth serve.
27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or
he that serveth ? is not he that sitteth at meat ? but' I
am among you as he that serveth.
28 Ye are they which have continued with me in my
temptations.^ 20 And I appoint unto you a ° kingdom, as my Father
hath appointed unto me ;

30 That' ye may eat and drink at my table in my
kingdom, and sit on thrones, judging' the twelve
tribes of Israel.
31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan
hath desired k to have you, that he may sift1 you as
wheat :
32 But I m have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail
not: and when thou art converted, strengthen0 thy
brethren. 33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go
with thee, both into prison, and to death.
34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not

0 IPet. 5:3; 3 John 9, 10. . . .f John 13 : 13,14: Phil. 2:7....g Hab. 4:15....h ch. 12:32; Matt. 25:
i Rev. 19 :9....j Matt, 19 : 28; 1 Cor. 6:2; Rev. 3 : 21  k 1 Pet. 5 : 8  1 Amos 9 • 9  m John 17 : 9, 15; Heb. 7 : 26 ; 1 John 2:1.
n Ps. 61 • 13 ; John 21 : 16-17.

1 Cor. 9 : 25 ; 1 Pet. 6:4..

this contention which should be regarded as
greatest, took place as the twelve were taking
their seats ; that Christ interrupted it by the
feet-washing, recorded only by John (John 13 : 3-5) ;
and that he then followed the feet-washing with
the instructions given here. This makes clear
and significant the language of ver. 27. Similar
contentions had occurred before among the
twelve. Comp. Matt. IB : 1-4, notes; Mark
10 : 42-45, noteB. The language in the latter
passage is very analogous to that employed here.
24-27. Should be accounted the great
est. It is not a generous emulation for true
greatness, but a selfish strife for appearance of
greatness, which Christ rebukes. — Are called
benefactors. Examples of this title, assumed
by ancient monarchs, are given in Ptolemy, Jose
phus, and other ancient writers. See Bob. Diet.,
art. iviqyirtjg. — I am among you as he that
serveth. True of Christ's whole life, which was
one of the service of others ; but- peculiar signifi
cance was lent to it by the service just rendered
them in the washing of their feet, which was the
work of a menial.
28-30. Ye are they which have con-
tinned with me in my trials. In this sen
tence he appeals both to their past history and to
their future glory, as well as to his own example,
in rebuking their unseemly strife. When others
had turned back, because to follow him involved
poverty, humiliation, and self-sacrifice, they had
still adhered to him (John 6 : 66-69). — And I ap
point unto you a kingdom, as my Father
hath appointed me. That is, the same kind
of kingdom ; one to be conquered and governed
by love and truth, not by ambition and guile ; a
kingdom not of this world, yet over this world
(John is : 36, 37). Every follower of Christ is, or
should be, a prince, as their Leader is King.
"The truth and life which Jesus possessed shall
come to dwell in them, and thereby they shall
reign over all, as he himself, has reigned over
them. Are not Peter, John, and Paul at the
present day the rulers of the world? " — (Godet.)
But there is also in this and the succeeding verse
an unmistakable reference to the time when
Christ will come in power and glory to take full

possession of his kingdom, and when his disci
ples shall share his glory and his authority with
him (Matt. 19 : 28, note; 1 Cor. 6 : 1-4). — -Ye may eat
and drink at my table. How ignoble the
strifes for earthly precedence of those who are
the children and princes of God ; whose houses,
thrones, dominions, are eternal and divine !
Ch. 22 : 31-38. PROPHECY OF PETER'S DENIAL.
The danger, the duty, and the refuge ov the dis
ciple. — The necessitt op being forewarned and
FOREARMED. Christ appears to have twice warned Peter of
his danger, once before the Lord's Supper (Luke;
John 13 : 36-38), once after the supper, and perhaps
on the way to the Mount of Olives (Matt. 26 : 31-35 ;
Mark 14 : 27-3i). At least, this is the more probable
hypothesis, though Dr. Robinson regards the
four accounts as different versions of the same
warning, and some harmonists suppose that the
warning was thrice repeated. The immediate
occasion of the one here reported is indicated by
John. It was Peter's question, "Why cannot I
follow thee now?" and perhaps also his partici
pation in the strife for the first places at the
table, recorded only by Luke.
31. Simon. This was Peter's original name ;
Peter was a new name given him by the Lord
(John 1 : 42 ; Matt. 16 : is). It is Simon not Peter,
the old man not the new man in Christ, whom
Satan hopes to obtain. — Satan hath demanded
you. As he demanded Job (job 1 : 9-12 ; 2 : 4-6). —
That he may sift you as wheat. In the agri
cultural and domestic life of Palestine, the wheat
and the flour from the wheat
were shaken in a sieve, to
separate the good from the
refuse and dirt. This sieve
was made of parchment per
forated with holes, or of
horse-hair, thread, papyrus,
or rushes interwoven. The
Egyptian, and probably the
Jewish, sieves were made of
papyrus and rushes. The accompanying illus
tration is taken from a bas-relief on the Column
of Trajan. Christ's figure illustrates both the

ASCIENT SIEVE.

134

LUKE.

[Oh. XXII.

crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that
thou.knowest me.
35 And he said unto them, When0 I sent you with
out purse, and scrip^ and shoes, lacked ye any thing ?
And they said. Nothing.
36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a
purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip ; and he
that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy
one.

37 For I say unto you, that this that is written0 must
yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned
among the transgressors : for the things concerning me
have an end.
38 And they said. Lord, behold, here are two swords.
And he said unto them, It is enough.
39 And i he came out, and went, as he was wont, to
the mount of Olives ; and his disciples also followed
him.

o ch. 9 :3....p laa, 53: 12.... q Matt. 26 : 36 ; Mark 14 : 82, etc. ; John 18 : 1, etc.

process and the results of temptation. By it,
both in the individual and the church, tempo
rary confusion and disorder is produced, but the
good and the evil are separated. Thus, in Pe
ter's case, both the weakness (of self-confidence)
and the strength (of penitence, faith, and love)
are clearly disclosed, to himself as well as to
others, only by his temptation and temporary
fall. 32. But I have prayed for thee. Against
the demand of Satan is the prayer of Christ. —
That thy faith fail not. The object of
Christ's intercessory prayer, the armament that
gives the Christian his victory, is faith (1 John
6 : 4, 5). Peter' s faith failed now, for he did not be
lieve Christ's warning ; therefore he failed in the
hour of temptation. — When thou art con
verted. Was he not, then, at this time con
verted ? The answer is that it is only as the
Christian is continually converted, i. e., turned
away, by the Spirit of God, from self-confidence
and self-seeking, that he can strengthen others
in the spirit of faith and humility. Compare
Matt. 18 : 3, note. — Strengthen thy brethren.
Christian grace in ourselves must precede Chris
tian work upon others. Compare Ps. 51 : 10-13 ;
John 21 : 15-17.
33. Lord, I am prepared to go with thee.
That is, already prepared, and hence do not
need to be converted. Peter thus resents both
Christ's warning and the imputation of weak
ness which it involves. Compare similar spirit
in Hazael (2 Kinga s : 10-13). Observe that Christ
did not account even himself "ready" for his
trial hour, until by prayer in Gethsemane he had
acquired strength from above.
34. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, i. «.,
Thou rock. This is the only place in the Gospels
where our Lord addresses Peter by this name.
There appears to me to be in its use here a kind
ly sarcasm. He is a "rock," not by his native
strength of character, but only by his faith, and
will belie his name when his faith fails. — Shall
not crow. The cock-crowing here referred to
is the second crowing at dawn. See Matt. 26 : 34,
note. The effect on Peter of this warning and the
experience of temptation and sin which ensued,
is very apparent in Peter's Epistles. None of
the apostles dwell more earnestly on the truth

that all strength is from God, and that watch
fulness and humility are necessary preparations
for temptation. Observe particularly 1 Pet.
1:5, 7, 13; 4:12; 5:6-9; 2 Pet. 1:5; 2 : 9.
35-38. To interpret these directions literally
is to fall into the error of the disciples, which
Christ rebukes. To symbolize them, as by re
garding the sword as the sword of the Spirit, is
to miss the true significance of the passage, by
imputing to it a meaning which certainly Christ
did not convey to his auditors. The language is
figurative ; he contrasts their past with their
future experiences ; reminds them of the time
when, in Galilee, they travelled as representa
tives of their Lord, without purse or provisions,
depending, like the ancient prophets, on the
hospitality of the people ; warnB them that in
the future they can do this no more ; there will
be no hospitality ; they will be the followers of
the Crucified, one who has been numbered
among evil-doers; and they must depend on
their own foresight for provision and protection.
—When I sent you without purse, etc. See
Matt. 10 : 9-15, notes ; Mark 6 : 8, 9, notes. —
And he that hath none, let him sell his
garment and buy a sword. Not that hath
no sword, but that hath no purse. This is the
more natural rendering of the Greek; and he
who had a purse would have no occasion to sell
his garment to buy a sword. — This must yet
be accomplished in me. The prophecy re
ferred to is in Isaiah 53 : 12, and plainly relates
to the promised Messiah. — For the things
concerning me have an end. Bather, an
accomplishment. The meaning is that all the
sacred prophecies, including those of his suffer
ings and death, must be accomplished, and that
the time of their fulfillment was already at hand.
— Here are two swords. Probably provided
as a protection from the dangers of the way.
"The road from Jericho to Jerusalem (ch. 10:30)
was much infested with robbers ; and it was the
custom of the priests, and even of the quiet aud
ascetic Essenes, to carry weapons when travel
ling." — (Alford.) Peter had one of these swords
(John is : 10). — It is well. This is not a commen
dation of their foresight ; nor does it mean,
These are enough. It is simply a dismissal of
the subject. To interpret Christ's language
here, as some Roman Catholic commentators

CH.XXLL]

LUKE.

135

40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them,
Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
41 Aud he was withdrawn from them about a stone's
cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this
cup from me : nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be
done.

43 And there appeared an angel r unto him from
heaven, strengthening him.
44 And9 being in an agony, he prayed more ear
nestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of
blood falling down to the ground.
45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come
to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

r Matt. 4 : 11 .... a Lam. 1:12; John 12 : 27 ; Heb. 5 : 7.

have done, as a warrant for the use of the sword
in defending and extending the kingdom of God,
is to repudiate Christ's direct and explicit in
structions. See Matt. 26 : 52-54 ; John 18 : 36.
The language here, however, taken with that of
Matt. 10 : 9-15, shows clearly that the instruc
tions there given were local and temporary, and
they give abundant warrant for foresight and
provision in carrying on the work of the king
dom, as, for example, by a regularly paid minis
try. 39-46. Christ's Agony in Gethsemane. —
Kecorded also by Matthew (26 : 36-te) and Mark
(14 : 32-42). See notes on Matthew, whose account
is fullest. There are some features, however,
peculiar to Luke, which I treat here.
40. At the place. John (is : 1) locates it as
"over the brook Cedron," and describes it as
"a garden," i. e., probably an orchard ; Matthew
and Mark designate it by name as " Gethsemane. "
— Fray that ye enter not into temptation.
This direction may have been given to all the
disciples, though, if so, it is not mentioned by
the other Evangelists. I should rather regard
this as a condensed account of the fuller report
given in the other Gospels of the request to the
three disciples, Peter, James, and John, to
watch with their Lord.
41, 42. About a stone's cast. Peculiar
to Luke. Matthew and Mark have only "a little
further." The distance described is not that
from the body of the disciples, but from the
three whom our Lord took to watch with him,
but whose opportunity and neglect Luke does
not describe. — Kneeled down. Matthew and
Mark are more precise: "Fell on his face" (Mat
thew), "on the ground" (Mark). — If thou be
willing. For comparison of the three accounts
of the prayer see Matt. 26 : 39, note. *
43. There is some uncertainty respecting tie
genuineness of this verse. Alford and Tischen-
dorf both retain it, and the explanation of its
omission given by Epiphanius is generally ac
cepted, viz., that it was expunged by the ortho
dox, who imagined it inconsistent with the di
vine nature of our Lord. Alford asserts that
both the appearance and the strengthening were
physical; Olshausen that they were inward and
spiritual ; but neither assigns any reason for his
view. The fact that Christ was divinely strength
ened to drink the cup, which it was not possible
should pass from him, is clear. How that strength

was imparted we are not told, and conjectures
are worthless. Spiritually, the experience is
paralleled by the two experiences of Paul re
corded in Acts 27 : 23, 24 and 2 Cor. 12 : 8, 9.
In one case there was evidently a visible appear
ance of the angelic messenger ; in the other not.
Divine aid was similarly afforded to Christ in the
temptation (Mark 1 : 13).
44. And being in an agony. Literally, a
conflict. This word (aymvlu) occurs in the N. T.
only here ; but a different form of the same word
(dyciv) occurs six times, and is rendered "con
flict," "contention," "fight," and "race" (Phil.
1 : 30 ; Col. 2 : 1 j 1 Theaa. 2 ; 2 ; 1 Tim. 6 : 12 ; 2 Tim. 4:7; Heb.
12 : i). These references indicate its meaning
here, a true mental conflict between the wish to
avoid the suffering of the Passion and the su
preme purpose to fulfill, at whatever personal
cost, the will of the Father. On its nature, see
notes on Matthew. For evidence of its reality
and bitterness, see Heb. 2 : 18 ; 4 : 15 ; 5 : 7. —
He prayed more earnestly. Now, however,
not that the cup might pass from him, but that
he might be able to fulfill the divine will in com
pleting his sacrifice (Matt. 26 : 42, note). — And his
sweat was as it were great drops of blood
falling down to the ground. I can see no
reason to doubt that this description is to be
taken literally ; that our Lord's mental agony so
acted upon his physical frame as to produce, not
only a perspiration, but one which was discol
ored by the exudation of blood. It was thus not
drops of blood, nor mere drops of perspiration,
but drops of a bloody perspiration. Mr. Stroud
(Physical Cause of Christ's Death) has shown that
in certain cases of great mental conflict the pal
pitation of the heart is so greatly increased, and
the circulation of the blood so accelerated, that
the pressure becomes very great on the blood
vessels, and results, sometimes in a hemorrhage,
and sometimes in an exuding of the blood, which
mingles with and discolors the perspiration.
There are only a few such cases on record ; but
they are enough to show that the bloody sweat
experienced in the garden of Gethsemane was
not an impossible, nor even a miraculous phe
nomenon, and to throw light upon it as an indi
cation of the degree of the agony experienced.
They also connect this hour of agony with the
death upon the cross. Alone it would have been
sufficient to cause Christ's death, had he not
been supernaturally strengthened to sustain it

136

LUKE.

[Ch. XXII.

46 And said unto them, .Why sleep ye ? rise and
pray,1 lest ye enter into temptation.
47 And while he yet spake, behold11 a multitude, and
he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went be
fore them, and drew near unto Jesus, to kiss him.
48 But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the
Son of man with a kiss ?
49 When they which were about him saw what
would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite
with the sword ?
50 And one of them smote the servant of the high
priest, and cut off his right ear.
51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far.
And he touched his ear, and healed him.
£2 Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and cap
tains of the temple, and the elders, which were come
to him. Be ye come out as against a thief, with swords
and staves ?
53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye
stretched forth no hands against me : but this is your
hour,T and the power of darkness.
54 Then took they him, and led him, and brought
him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed
afar off.

55 And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of
the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down
among them.
56 But " a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the
fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This
man was also with him.
57 And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him
not. 58 And after a little while1 another saw him, and
said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I
am not.
59 And about the space of one hour after, another r
confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also
was with him : for he is a Galilsean.
60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou say
est. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock
crew. 61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter.
And* Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he
had said unto him, Before a the cock crow, thou shalt
deny me thrice.
62 And b Peter went out, and wept bitterly.
63 And c the men that held Jesus mocked him, and
smote him.

t verse 40. . u Matt. 26 : 47, etc. ; Mark 14 : 43, etc. : John 18 : 3, etc  v Job 20 : 6 ; John 12 : 27. . . .w Matt. 26 : 69 ; Mark 14 : 66, 6
John 18: 17. ...x Matt. 26 : 71 ; Mark 14: 69; John 18 : 25.... y Matt. 26:73; Mark 14 : 70 ; John 18 : 26. .. .a Mntt. 26:76; Mark 14: 72..
a verse 34.... b P«. 130:1-4; 143:1-4; Jer. 31:18; Ezek.7:16; 1 Cor. 10 : 12 ; 2 Cor. 7 : 10, 11. ...c Matt. 26 : 67, 68 ; Mark 14 : 66.

(Matt. 26 : 35, note) ; and when it was followed by.
the withdrawal of God's countenance, and a new
sense of the burden of sin laid upon him in the
hour of the crucifixion, it may well have resulted
in a rupture of his weakened heart, which I be
lieve to have been, physically, the cause of his
death. See John 19 : 34, note.
45,46. Sleeping for sorrow. Observe the
two ways of meeting sorrow ; the disciples try to
forget it in sleep, Christ conquers it by prayer. —
Rise and pray lest ye enter into tempta
tion . This appears to have been said previously.
See the fuller reports of Matthew and Mark.
1 47-53. The Betrayal and Akkest of Jesus.
—Matt. 26 : 47-56; Mark 14 : 43-52; John
18 : 1-12. See notes on Matthew and John.
There are some features iu the account of the
arrest peculiar to Luke. He alone reports the
question addressed by our Lord to the traitor
(ver. 48), Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a
kiss ? In this question Christ reasserts himself
to be the Messiah (Matt. 10 : 23 and note) ; this dissi
pates any doubts which Judas might have enter
tained, and makes a final appeal to his conscience.
These are Christ's last words to him, and I think
follow the kiss. Luke alone mentions the heal
ing of the servant's (Malchus) ear (ver. 61). The
fact that our Lord touched his ear indicates that
it was not entirely severed. Moreover, there is
no case in the Bible of the creation of a new
member by a miracle. The words Suffer ye thus
far appear to have been addressed by Jesus to
the guard, who had already seized bim. They
are a request for sufficient liberty to effect the
healing. Verse 52 alone indicates that any of
the priests or elders personally accompanied the
band. This is your hour and tlie power of dark
ness (ver. 63) is also peculiar to Luke. It is our

Lord's answer to his own question, an explana
tion of the reason why the Pharisees had not
arrested Christ before, viz., because the night
was a proper hour for such a deed of darkness.
I doubt the exegesis which interprets the word
"darkness" as equivalent to the evil one. I
should rather understand, with De Wette, The
darkness gives you courage to seize me. Com
pare John 3 : 20.
54-62. Denials of oub Lord bt Petee. —
These are reported by the four Evangelists.
Matt. 26 : 69-75 ; Mark 14 : 66-72 ; John 18 : 15-27.
See notes on Matthew and John, especially Mat
thew, for harmony of the accounts. I believe
that the denials took place during a preliminary
examination before Caiaphas (not Annas), report
ed only by John, and prior to the formal trial by
the Sanhedrim reported by the three Synoptists.
For plan and cut of Jewish house, see notes on
Matthew; for illustrations of the kind of fire
used, see notes on John. Luke alone mentions
the fact that the Lord turned and looked upon
Peter (ver. 61). This may indicate that the exam
ination proceeded in a room opening upon the
courtyajd where Peter was standing, or that the
look was given as Christ was led out from the
palace to the council-chamber for trial. The
latter supposition is more probable, since the
last denial appears to have taken place not in the
courtyard, but in the porch or entrance.
63-71. Trial of Jesus before Caiaphas
and the Council.— Most scholars are agreed
that Luke here reports the formal trial and
conviction of Christ. Some, however, iden
tify it with the meeting of the council re
ferred to in Matt. 27 : 1, and distinguish it
from that reported in Matt. 26 : 57-68; Mark
14 : 55-65, which they regard as a preliminary

Ch. XXIII.]

LUKJB.

187

64 And when they had blindfolded him, they struck
him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy,
who is it that smote thee ?
65 And many other things blasphemously spake
they against him.
66 And d as soon as it was day, the elders of the peo
ple and the chief priests and the scribes came together,
and led him into their council, saying,
67 Art • thou the Christ ? tell us. And he said unto
them, If I tell you, ye will not believe :
68 And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor
let me go.
69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right
hand ' of the power of God.
70 Then said they all. Art thou then the Son of God ?
And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.

.71 And they said, What need we any further wit
ness ? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.
CHAPTER XXIII.
NDe the whole multitude of them arose, and led
him unto Pilate.
2 And they began to accuse h him, saying, We found
"~e nation, and forbidding to
saying that he" himself is

A

this fellow ' perverting the natio^ and forbidding to
give tribute J to Csesar,
Christ a King.
3 And Pilate asked him, saying. Art thou the King
of the Jews ? And > he answered nim, and said, Thou
sayest it.
4 Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the peo
ple, I find no m fault in this man.

d Matt. 27: 1; Acts 4: 26-28  e Matt, 26 : 68, etc.; Mark 14 : 61, etc  f Heb. 1:3;;
16 : 1, etc. ; John 18 : 28, etc  h Zech. 11 : 8. . . .1 verse 6 ; Acla 16 : 20, 21 ; 17 : 6, 7. .
18:36; 19:12....! 1 Tim. 6 : 18. ...m John 18: 38; 19:4; Heb. 7 : 26; 1 Pot. 2 : 22.

: 1 ; Rov. 3 : 21  g Matt. 27 : 2, 11, etc. ; MBrk
,j Man. 17:27; 22:21; Mark 12 : 17... .k John

examination. The similarity of the proceedings
appears to me to forbid this hypothesis, and to
render far more reasonable the opinion that the
three Evangelists narrate the same event, and
that this event is not a preliminary and informal
examination, but the final trial of Jesus before
the Sanhedrim. It must be remembered that in
the Orient, judicial proceedings were then and
are now characterized by no such regularity and
formality as habitually characterize such pro
ceedings with us. The Oriental courts are often
scenes of popular turbulence ; the sympathies of
the people are generally against the accused ;
the presumptions of the court are practically ad
verse to him ; and popular indignities are show
ered upon him without interference from the
authorities. For a general consideration of the
apparent discrepancies in the Evangelical narra
tives of this trial, and for its moral and doctrinal
lessons, see notes on Matt. 26 : 57-68.
63-65. These indignities are placed by Mat
thew and Mark subsequent to the trial. They
were inflicted by the servants (Mark 14 : es), possi
bly both before and after Christ's final condem
nation. Verse 65 here is peculiar to Luke.
66. As soon as it was day. A Jewish trial
could not take place at night. Daybreak was
about four o'clock in the morning. Probably
the parallelism in expression between this verse
and Matt. 27 : 1, has led to the supposition that
the two meetings are identical. — The elders
of the people and the chief priests and
the scribes came together. That is, the
Sanhedrim, or Jewish Council, assembled. See
Prel. Note, Matt. 26 : 57-68.— And led him
into their conncil. The original signifies
either the council or the council-chamber. The
context here seems to indicate that the Sanhe
drim assembled in the temple. This is con
firmed by the incident recorded in Matt. 27 : 5 ;
see note there. The council-chamber was a
large circular room of stone, connected with the
temple, approached through a vestibule and spa
cious hall, and lighted from the roof.

67, 68. Saying, Art thou the Christ?
First an attempt was made to convict Jesus of
blasphemy by false witnesses. This failed. Then
the oath was administered to him by the high
priest, and he was called on, in violation of the
Jewish law, which forbade the condemnation of
an accused on bis own confession, to testify con
cerning his own claims and character. To this
he returns a solemn and dignified protest. If I
tell you, ye will not believe ; if I question you (to
prove my own innocence by your testimony), ye
will not answer me nor release me. After utter
ing this protest, he bears the testimony concern
ing himself recorded by the three synoptic
Evangelists. 69-71. See notes on Matt. 26 : 64-66. That
Christ should a second time have been asked to
testify against himself, and should a second time
have given the testimony called for, seems to me
far less probable than to suppose that we have
in the different narratives accounts of the same
event, with those unimportant variations which
are elsewhere common, both in sacred and secu
lar history. 
Ch. 23 : 1-25. Trial before Pilate. —
Described in Matt. 27 : 11-31 ; Mark 15 : 1-23 ;
John 18 : 28 to 19 : 16. John' s account is the full
est. See notes there, especially for estimate of
Pilate's character and lessons from his course.
See on Matthew, Prel. Note, for harmony of the
four narratives.
1, 2. Led him unto Pilate. Prior to this
there was a private conference, at which the
course to be pursued before Pilate was deter
mined on, and at which Judas appeared and re
turned the blood-money (Matt. 27 : 1-10). — Began
to accuse him. Luke alone reports the accu
sation. They first endeavor to secure from
Pilate a ratification of the death sentence with
out a trial, and failed (John is : 29-31). — Pervert
ing the nation, and forbidding to give
tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself,
the Messiah, is a king. The first statement

138

LUKE.

[Ch. XXHL

5 And they were the more fierce," saying, He stir-
reth up the people, teaching, throughout all Jewry,
beginning from Galilee to this place.
6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether
the man were a Galiiaean.
7 And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto
Herod's0 jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who him
self 'also was at Jerusalem at that time.
8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding
flad : for p he was desirous to see him of a long season,
ecause i he had heard many things of him ; andr he
hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.

9 Then he questioned with him in many words ; but"
he answered him nothing.
io And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehe
mently accused him.
n And Herod with his men of war set him at nought,'
aud mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous11
robe, and sent him again to Pilate.
12 And the same day Pilate and" Herod were made
friends together : for before they were at enmity be
tween themselves.
13 And Pilate, when he had called together the
chief priests and the rulers and the people,

n Ps. 67:4. ...o ch. 3:l....p ch. 9:9....q Malt, 14 : 1 ; Mark 6 : 14. ...r 2 Kings 5 : 11... .» Ps. 38:18, 14;
t faa.49 :7; 63:3  u John 19 :5  v Acta 4: 27.

:1, 9; Isa. 63:7....

waa so far true that Christ had certainly turned
away the hearts of the people from their then
religious leaders (Matt,, ch. 24), which they would
regard as a perversion ; the second was absolute
ly false (Matt. 22 : 15-22) ; the third was true, but
not in the sense in which they intended (john
is : 37). See for grounds of this accusation, John
18 : 33, note. Observe that their charge differs
entirely from that on which Christ had been con
demned before the Sanhedrim (Matt. 27 : 65, note).
3, 4. This conference is reported much more
fully in John 18 : 33-38. It took place within
Pilate's judgment-hall and apart from the crowd.
Were it not fbr John's report of Christ's expla
nation of the nature of his kingdom, Pilate's ac
quittal of him would be utterly inexplicable ; an
illustration how in other instances a fuller
knowledge would explain difficulties whieh, in
our comparative ignorance, are inexplicable.
5-7. Luke alone reports this incident of the
sending of Jesus to Herod. — He stirreth
np the people, teaching throughout all
Jewry; i. e., throughout all Judea. This is an
unconsciously true characterization of Christ's
ministry, which always excites the people and
instructs them. Comp. Acts 16 : 20, 21 ; 17 : 6.
The instruction and excitement of the people is
always odious to despotic governments ; the ac
cusation preferred by the priests was therefore
well adapted to stimulate Pilate's prejudices. —
Herod's jurisdiction. For character and life
of this Herod, see Matt. 14 : 1-12, notes. Pales
tine was divided into different provinces under
different governors ; Herod was tetrarch of
Galilee. See Luke 3 : 1, note. Under the Bo-
man law, the prisoner might be tried before the
governor of the province or district where he be
longed, or of that wheye the offence was com
mitted. Pilate seems tb have sent Christ .to
Herod, partly as an act of royal courtesy, partly
to relieve himself of responsibility. Herod's
palace was situated in the upper city or Mount
Sioh. The trial of Jesus before Pilate, took
place, probably, at the tower of Antonia on
Mount Moriah (John 18 : 28, note). A bridge, the
remains of which are still standing, spanned the
ravine which separated these two hills. The re
lation of the temple, the tower, and the palace of

Herod, with the bridge over whieh Christ was
probably led, are shown in the map, Vol. I, p. 278.
It is surmised that Herod was at Jerusalem for
the purpose of attending the pascal feast.
8-11. The fame of Jesus had reached the
ears of Herod long before (Matt. 14 : 1 ; Luke 13 : 81).
Observe (1) Herod's desire: to see Christ; (2)
its cause : curiosity ; (3) his position : an in
quirer ; (4) his treatment : Christ answered him
nothing. Is there not in this an explanation of
the reason why Christ often treats with silence
those who seem to be earnestly seeking to see
and learn of him ; and a lesson for those who, in
the church or out of it, manifest a desire for
the presence of Christ, not because they want
his spiritual inspiration, but because they are
curious to see or ambitious to share in the mani
festation of his mighty works. No words could
have so utterly rebuked the murderer of John the
Baptist as did silence. Contrast Christ's treat
ment of Pilate in his honest perplexity (John
is : 33-37). The result here — "Herod set him at
naught and mocked him ' ' — shows how little in
earnest he was in his seeking. This mockery is
not mentioned by the other Evangelists, nor is
the mockery before Pilate mentioned by Luke.
The gorgeous robe is not to be confounded with the
scarlet robe afterward put upon him by Pilate's
soldiers (Matt. 27 : 28). The original (kajiTtqoc) indi
cates a white dress ; the same word is translated
bright in Acts 10 : 30, white in Rev. 15 : 6 ; 19 : 8,
and clear in Rev. 22 : 1. Calvin, on the mockery
by Herod's retinue, suggests that "the honor
which is due to God is seldom rendered to him
in the courts of kings."
12. Were made friends together; for
before they were at enmity. The cause of
this enmity is unknown. It probably con
cerned some question of jurisdiction between
them, which was conceded by Pilate in sending
Jesus to Herod, and waived by Herod in sending
him back again. Some of the commentators
notice that Christ by his death thus brought
together Jew (Herod) and Gentile (Pilate), a
prophecy of that breaking down of the partition
wall between them, which he has accomplished
(Ephea. 2 : 14). More observable is the fact, that
hostility to Christ, as well as love for him,

Oh. XXIII.]

LUKE.

139

14 Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto
me, as one that perverteth the people ; and, behold, I,w
having examined him before you, have found no fault
in this man, touching those things whereof ye accuse
him :
15 No, nor yet Herod : for I sent you to him ; and,
lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.
16 I will therefore chastise I him, and release him.
17 (For of necessity he must release one unto them
at the feast.)
18 And they cried out all at once, saying, Away
with this man, and release unto us Barabbas ;
19 (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and
for murder,* was cast into prison.)
20 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake
again to them.
21 But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.
22 And he said unto them the third time, Why,

what evil hath he done ? I have found no cause of
death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let
him go.
23 And they were instant ¦ with loud voices, requir
ing that he might be crucified. And the voices of
them and of the chief priests prevailed.
24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as
they a required.
25 And he released unto them " him that for sedition
and: murder was cast into prison^ whom they had de
sired ; but he delivered Jesus to their will. ¦
26 And ° as they led him away, they laid hold upon
one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and
on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after
Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great company of peo-
Ele, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented
im.

w verse 4 — x Isa.

3:5  y Acta 3: 14  a verse 5; Pa. 22: 12  a Exod. 23:2. ...b Acta 3 : 14  c Matt. 27 : 32, etc.; Mark
15 : 21, etc. ; John 19 : 17.

unites those who are naturally opposed to one
another. United, "as Samson's foxes, to do
mischief to others rather than to do good to
themselves." To this Alford objects, that the
present feeling of Pilate was anything but hos
tile to the person of Christ ; and Herod, by his
treatment of him, shows that he thought him
beneath his judicial notice ; but the enmity of
Pilate and Herod are typical of that which pre
vails against Christ. This is generally either the
opposition of self-interest, which crucifies Christ
rather than suffer with him, or that of pride,
which makes naught of and mocks him.
13-15. This declaration of Christ's innocence
appears to be distinct from that reported by the
other Evangelists. Pilate's language indicates
that Herod sent an unreported message of ac
quittal. Done unto him is a mistranslation for
done by him.
16. Chastise him. The original (xaidevm)
signifies literally, to educate or instruct, and is
sometimes so rendered in the N. T. Here it may
mean, I will instruct him, that is, correct his
fanatical notions respecting a kingdom, and re
lease him ; but this view, adopted in my Jesus
of Nazareth, on consideration, appears to me less
tenable than that of our English version. Pilate
proposes to save the pride of the priests, by con
victing the accused and punishing him, and to
save his own conscience, by not inflicting the
death penalty.
17-25. Of necessity. This is partially ex
plained by Matt. 27 : 15, note ; John 18 : 39.—
Release one of them. The demand of this
popular privilege first came from the people
(Mark is : 8). — They cried out all at once.
Not immediately ; some little time intervened,
during whicli the chief priests and elders were
busy stirring up the people (Matt. 27 : 20) ; but
all together, i. e., with clamorous and combined
voices.— Barabbas. See Matt. 27 : 17, note. —
The voices of them and of the chief
priests. The latter mixed with the crowd and

swelled the tumult with their own voices. — He
delivered Jesus to their will. An indication
that he suffered them to choose the form of exe
cution, namely, crucifixion. Before this took
place, Christ was scourged and mocked by the
soldiers (Mark 27 : 26-so), and two more efforts were
made by Pilate for his release (John 19 : 4, 5 ; 14, 15).
Ch. 23 : 26-49. THE CRUCIFIXION. The CRuenrrED
is not an object op pitt (27-31).— the divine com
passion exemplified m the intercession of the
cross, "Father, forgive them" (84).— The Gospel
exemplified in the penitence, the faith, and the
pabdon of the dying beigand.— chbist's death a
pattern for the dying christian (46).
Comp. Matt. 27 : 32-56 ; Mark 15 : 21-41 ; John
19 : 17-30. Matthew and Mark are almost ex
actly parallel. Peculiar to Luke are the inci
dents of the weeping women (vers. 27-31), Christ's
prayer for the forgiveness of his enemies (34), the
penitence of one of the thieves (39-i3),-and Christ's
final prayer commending bis spirit into his
Father's hands (45). For comparison of the four
accounts, and notes on what is common to them,
see Matthew; 26. See Matt. 27 : 32, notes.
27. A great company of people and of
women. Not his disciples, but such a crowd
as curiosity would gather in a great city to wit
ness such a procession. That the women were
not those subsequently described as standing
before the cross (ver. 49) is evident, because they
were Galileans, while these are described as
"daughters of Jerusalem." It appears from
Rabbinical writings that an association of women
was formed at Jerusalem to alleviate the suffer
ings of those condemned to die ; they accompa
nied the accused to the place of execution, and
administered a drink of acid wine mixed with
myrrh, which acted as an anodyne. This fact
probably explains the incident mentioned in
Matt. 27 : 34; and these may have been the
women there referred to. It is, at all events, a
reasonable surmise that, seeing the inscription

140

28 But Jesus turning unto them, said. Daughters of
Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves,
and for your children.
29 For, behold, the days d are coming, in the which

LUKE. [Ch. XXIII.
they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs
that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
30 Then • shall they begin to say to the mountains.
Fall on us ; and to the hills, Cover us.

dch. 21:23; Matt. 24 : 19. . . . a lea. 2 : 19; Hoaea 10: 8; Rev. 6 : 16; 8:6.

borne before the cross, "Jesus of Nazareth,
King of the Jews," and knowing little or nothing
of the trial before the Sanhedrim, which had
taken place secretly about daybreak, they la
mented what they regarded as a new indignity
inflicted upon their nation. The original indi
cates that their lamenting was of a vehement
sort, according to the Jewish fashion, including
beating upon their breasts and loud wailing (al
xa\ ixoTtrovro xal i&qijvovv dvrov). For descrip
tion of Jewish wailing, see Mark 5 : 38, note.

Ostentatious and vehement mourning appears to
have been always displeasing to Jesus. Comp.
Mark 5 : 39.
38-31. Jesus turning nnto them. This
was evidently after he had been relieved of the
cross ; perhaps he avails himself of the moment
of delay occasioned by the impressment of Si
mon. Notice the indication of accuracy in this
description of a subordinate detail. — Weep for
yourselves and for your children. In the
valley just outside the walls of Jerusalem is a

WAILING PLACE OF JEWS.

point known as the "wailing place of the Jews,"
where they gather every day to read the law and
prophets, and to chant a mournful refrain. With
trembling lips and tearful eyes, they sing, " Be
not wroth very sore, 0 Lord, neither remember
iniquity forever : behold, see, we beseech thee,
for we are all thy people. Thy holy cities are a
wilderness ; Zion is a wilderness ; Jerusalem a
desolation" (isa. 64 : 9, etc.). Thus to the present
day the daughters of Jerusalem weep for them
selves and their children. — The days are com
ing. The primary reference is to the destruc
tion of Jerusalem. Some of those who now be
wail him probably perished in that siege, and
doubtless many of their children did so. For a
description of its horrors, see Matthew, ch. 24,
Prel. Note. — Blessed are the barren. Chil
dren were considered by the Jews as a special
divine blessing, and their absence a divine pun

ishment (Gen. 30 : 1 ; Deut. 7 : 14; Pa. 127 : 3 ; Hoaea 9 : 14).
The language here, therefore, was to these
mothers a graphic suggestion of the terrible
days which Christ foretold. — Then shall they
begin to say. This is cited from Hosea 10 : 8,
and was partially fulfilled in the destruction of
Jerusalem, when, toward the end of the siege,
multitudes of the Jews sought to escape death
by hiding in the subterranean passages and sew
ers under the city. Those who recognize the
truth that history is itself prophetic, and that
the judgment of God against the Jewish nation
in thp destruction of Jerusalem is itself a pro
phecy of the final judgment of all nations, will
recognize in these words here, as elsewhere in
Scripture (i». 2 : 10 ; 19 : 21 ; Rev. 6:ie), a reference to
the last judgment.— If they do these things
in the green tree, what shall be done in
the dry ? That is, if the Jewish rulers and the

Ch. XXIII.]

LUKE.

141

31 For' if they do these things in a green tree, what
shall be done in the dry ?
32 And there were also two other, malefactors,* led
with him to be put to death.
33 And when they were come to the place, which is
called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the male
factors, one on the right hand, and the other on the
left. 34 Then said Jesus, Father,11 forgive them ; for they

know not what they do. And they parted his raiment,
and cast lots.
35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers
also with them1 derided him, saying, He saved others;
let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him,
and offering him vinegar,
37 And saying, if thou be the king of the Jews, save
thyself.

f Prov. 11:31; Jer. 26:29; Ezek. 20:47; 21:4; 1 Pet. 4 : 17.. ..g Isa. 53 : 12.... h Matt. 6 : 44 ; Acts 7: 60; 1 Cor. 4 : 12.... 1 Ps, 22 : 7.

Koman government, conspiring together, crucify
the Messiah of the nation and of the world, as
the beginning of their work, what will they
bring upon the nation in its consummation ? If
this is the leaf and blossom of the springtime of
their malice, what will be the autumn end ? This
appears to me better than the ordinary interpre
tation of what is a confessedly difficult proverb.
That interpretation represents the green tree as
Christ, and the dry tree as the Jewish nation,
and thus renders the contrast equivalent to that
of 1 Pet. 4 : 18, "If the righteous scarcely be
saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner ap
pear?" So Alford, Lange, Farrar, Schenckel,
Meyer, Lightfoot, Barnes, etc. But the contrast
here is not between what is done to the green
tree and to the dry tree, but what is done in the
tree when green, that is, in the beginning, and
when dry, that is, at the end. And observe, it
was the spirit of intolerance for the Gentiles in
the Jews, which was the secret of their hate for
a Messiah who promised redemption to all na
tions (ch. 4 : 28, 29 ; comp. Acta 22 : 21, 22), and the Spirit
of contempt for the Jews in the Komans, which
manifested itself in the scourging and mockery,
and the spirit of inhumanity and cruelty in both,
which manifested itself in the crucifixion of
Christ ; and it was these qualities in Jew and
Gentile which brought on the war between
Roman and Jew, and the scenes of carnage which
accompanied the destruction of Jerusalem. The
spirit exhibited in the conflict between Pi
late and priests was exactly the same as that
exhibited in the long conflict between Titus and
the besieged Jews in Jerusalem.
The practical lesson of this incident is plain,
though often forgotten. He who endures the
cross, despising the shame, is not an object of
pity (Heb. 12 ; 2). There is nothing pitiable in the
sight of one dying, even a cruel death, and in
the very prime of life, if he dies in the fulfill
ment of duty, for the sake of others, a death in
whose fruits others shall rejoice. "He could
have been an object of pity only had he, from fear
of the horrors of death, preferred a broken life
to death." — (Schenckel.) We are to weep, not
over Christ's suffering, but at the remembrance
of our sins, which crucified him, and in reflect
ing upon the judgments which these sins entail.
For his death, wrought out by sin in the green

tree, is itself a prophecy of the woes which sin
will bring upon the persistent sinner when sin
has finished its course. This passage impliedly
forbids all attempts to excite tears of commisera
tion by dramatic oratorical portraitures of
Christ's sufferings, and its spirit is violated by
much in so-called " sacred art."
32, 33. The word malefactors is emphatic,
and distinguishes them from Jesus. See below,
on vers. 39-43. Calvary is not a correct render
ing of the original. It is an anglicized form of
the Latin translation, calvaria, correctly ren
dered in the parallel passages (Matt. 27 : 33 ; Mark
is : 22 ; John 19 : 17) a skull. The proper translation
here would be, When they were come to the place
which is called a skull. The Hebrew name was
Golgotha. As to its supposed site, see Matt.
27 : 33, note.
34. Father, forgive them, for they know
not what they do. This prayer is reported
only by Luke. " The living and divine beauty
of this prayer is disclosed, when we understand
it as having burst from his lips when they were
nailing him to the cross, and as immediately re
ferring to his brutal and ignorant executioners."
— (Furness.) This is true ; yet it is also true
that we may regard it as including all who di
rectly participated in the crucifixion, of all of
whom it may be truly said that they knew not
what they did. Compare Peter's language in
his address to the people of Jerusalem (Acts 2 : as,
39 ; 3 : 17) ; the latter passage expressly includes
both people and rulers in this prayer of inter
cession : "I wot that through ignorance ye did
it, as did also your rulers." Thus it may be re
garded as the beginning of Christ' b intercession
for sinners, though preceded by the prayer of
intercession for his church (John, ch. 17), and as a
true interpretation of the language of his cross,
for all the world and for all time. It is noted by
Alford as a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah
53:12, "He made intercession for the trans
gressors. ' ' It was only by coming to a knowledge
of what they had done that the crucifiers could
be brought to a sense of sin, repentance, confes
sion, and so to divine forgiveness ; hence the
first apostolic preaching is directed to bringing
home to the mind of Jew and Gentile the enor
mity of this sin of crucifying the "Prince of
Life." Observe in this prayer a wonderful

142

LUKE.

[Oh. XXIII.

38 And a superscription also was written over him, !
in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS
THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 And oneJ of the malefactors which were hanged
railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself
and us.
40 But the other answering, rebuked him, saying,
D ost not thou fear * God, seeing thou art in the same '
condemnation ?

41 And we indeed justly ; for we receive the due re
ward of our deeds : but this man hath done nothing m
amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember11 me
when thou comest into thy kingdom.
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily0 I say unto thee,
To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.0
44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a
darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

j ch. 17: 34-36.... k Pa. 36: 1....1 Jer. B

3,...m IPel. 1 : 19. ...n Ps. 106:4, 6; Rom.
p 2 Cor. 12:4; Rev. 2: 7.

10:9,10; 1 Cor. 6 : 10, 11....0 Rom. 5 : 20, 21....

exemplification of our Lord's instruction to his
followers, "Pray for them which despitefully
use you." — They parted his raiment, etc.
See John 18 : 23, 24, notes.
35-37, Comp. Matt. 27 : 39-44, notes. The
statement that the soldiers mocked him, is pecu
liar to Luke. On the offering of the vinegar in
mockery, see Matt. 27 : 47-49, notes. Alford re
gards this as distinct from the incidents there
narrated. ' ' It was about the time of the mid
day meal of the soldiers, and they in mockery
offered him their pasca or sour wine,- to drink
with them." But I see no reason for this sup
position, nor even how such an offering to the
thirsty sufferer can be regarded as a mockery,
except in some such connection as is indicated in
the accounts of the other Evangelists.
38, On the variation in the four reports of this
inscription, and on Pilate's refusal to modify it,
see John 19 : 19-22, notes. •
39-13. This incident of the penitent thief is
recorded only by Luke. Matthew and Mark
represent both malefactors as reviling Christ.
On the reconciliation of this discrepancy, see
Matt. 27 : 44, note. — If thou be the Messiah.
The language of the brigands (Matt. 27 : 88, note)
here and in verse 42, indicates that both were
Jews. They were probably Galilean zealots,
who believed in a coming Judean kingdom,
made their patriotism a cover for robbery and
murder, and had finally been arrested an(l con
demned. It is a reasonable hypothesis that they
belonged to the band of which Barabbas was the
leader. On the character of this band, see Mark
15 : 7. In that case, the outbreak for which they
were condemned, had taken place in Jerusalem,
and had been accompanied by murder (ch. 23 : 19).
— Dost thou not then tear God because we
are in the same condemnation ? The brig
ands and Jesus were condemned to death on the
same charge, viz., sedition against the Eoman
government (ch. 23 : 2). The one brigand, because
Christ was subject to the same condemnation
aud punishment, makes that fact an occasion of
reviling his claim to be MeBsiah ; the other, de
clares that it is known to them both that Christ's
condemnation was unjust, that he had no share
In their violence or their seditious designs. —
This man hath done nothing amiss. This
was more true than he thought. Comp. John

8 : 46 ; 1 Pet. 2 : 22. Observe in the language
here an important testimony, if one were needed,
to the injustice of the sentence pronounced
against Jesus by the Roman governor. — When
thou contest in thy kingdom. Not into thy
kingdom (hg), but in thy kingdom (Ir). Parallel
to this expression is Christ's own language re
specting himself (Matt. 25 : 31), " When the Son of
man shall come in his glory." Comp. Col. 3 : 4.
The dying brigand refers to a future and glo
rious coining of Christ, as a revealed and recog
nized Messiah, of which coming the ancient
prophets had spoken, and to which Christ in
both public and private instructions, had expli
citly and repeatedly referred. It is hardly possi
ble that the petitioner would have used this lan
guage if he had not been a Jew and known some
thing of Jesus prior to this time, by reputation if
not personally. — To-day shalt thou be with
me in paradise. Observe how the promise of
grace transcends the prayer of penitence. The
repentant brigand only asks a remembrance in
some far future day in Christ's second coming ;
Christ promises a remembrance to-day. The
construction which joins "to-day," with, "Isay
unto thee," rendering the declaration, "I, to
day, say unto thee that thou shalt be (i. e., at
some future time) with me in paradise," only
deserves mention as a curious illustration of the
extent to which perversion ol Scripture has been
carried, for the purpose of avoiding its real or
supposed inconsistency with preconceived sys
tems of theology.
We must look, not to the literature of later
patristic theology, nor to that of Jewish scholas
ticism, but to the usage of the common people
in Palestine, for an interpretation of this word
paradise, and so for the meaning of this promise ;
for only thus shall we understand it as the thief
would have understood it. The word is of Per
sian origin, and signifies beautiful land. It iB
said (Kitto) to have first appeared in Greek liter
ature about 400 b. c, and is employed in the
Septuagint as a term to designate the first abode
of man, the Garden of Eden. Hence it came to
be employed as a designation of the future home
into which the holy will be admitted by the
grace of God, and thence, in Jewish popular be
lief, as the name of that portion of Hades, or the
abode of the dead, in which the patriarchs and

Ch. XXIII.]

LUKE.

143

45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the
temple was rent in the midst.
46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he
said, Father, into 1 thy hands I commend my spirit :
andr having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he
glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous
man. 48 And all the people that came together to that
sight, beholding the things which were done, smote
their breasts, and returned.

49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that
followed him from Galilee, stood afar8 off, beholding
these things.
50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a
counsellor ; and he was a good man, and a just : ,
51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and
deed of them ;) he was of Arimathea, a city of the Jews :
who l also himself waited for the kingdom of God.
52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body
of Jesus.
53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and

q Ps. 31 :6; 1 Pet. 2 : 23. ...r Matt. 27 : 50, etc. ; Mark 15 : 37, etc. ; John 19 : SO.... s Pa. 38 : 11; 142 : 4.... t ch. 2:25,38; Mark 15

prophets dwelt, and into which the saints were
believed to enter to await the final judgment and
consequent admission to their everlasting home.
Hence to repose in Abraham's bosom (Luke io : 23),
was to have a high place of honor in this abode
of the blessed. This brigand would then have
understood Christ's promise as one of immediate
entrance into a state of conscious peace and joy..
The promise throws little light on the Question
of an intermediate state, for there was no time to
correct erroneous' or even superstitious ideas
concerning the future. But it is certainly incon
sistent with (1) the Roman Catholic doctrine of
purgatory ; for if ever one needed the fire of dis
cipline to purge away the evil of his nature and
atone for that of his life, this tardily repentant
brigand did ; (2) the doctrine of an unconscious
state between death and the judgment ; for this
promise was to be fulfilled, not in the future,
but to-day ; (3) the idea of a mere gradual devel
opment going on in the next life from the stage
of progress reached by habit of life and educa
tion in this; for then this brigand would have
entered on that development at almost the low
est point in the scale. This promise can be
reconciled with the facts subsequently stated of
Christ's resurrection and appearance to his disci
ples, only by the reasonable supposition, appa
rently confirmed by other passages of Scripture
(1 Pet. 3 : is, 19 ; 4 ; 6), that Christ entered immedi
ately after death into paradise, and remained
with the dead, during the time when, to sight, he
appeared to be reposing in the grave. This, too,
accords with his declaration that to those that
believe in him, and much more therefore to him
self, there is no such thing as death (joim 11 : 26).
In respect to the spiritual lessons of this inci
dent, observe, (1) That the penitent thief illus
trates true repentance and faith ; repentance in
the confession, "We receive the due reward of
our deeds ; " faith in the appeal, " Lord, remem
ber me when thou comest in thy kingdom." At
a time when even the disciples despair of that
kingdom, and lose faith in the king, this man
hopes for the one and trusts in the other ; (2)
that Jesus Christ illustrates this nature of divine
mercy. Though one's whole life has been
wasted and misspent, there is divine forgiveness
and redemption to the penitent and believing

bouI, who has nothing to carry to Christ but his
need ; (3) that the lesson is often misread.
There is no evidence that this brigand had ever
known personally of Jesus Christ before, and
therefore in this acceptance of his tardy repent
ance there is no encouragement for those to
whom Christ is presented in life and health, and
who deliberately reject him, with an expectation
of accepting his redemption at the laBt. \\ He
who pardons the sinner that repents, will, grant
no repentance to the sinner that presumes." —
(Augustine.) Comp. note on Parable of the La
borers, Matt. 20 : 1-16. (4.) That the Gospel is
both a savor of life and of death (2 Cor. 2 .¦ is). To
both -malefactors Christ crucified is presented ;
one is hardened, and blasphemes; the other is
softened, and prays.
44-46. On the discrepancy in time between
the statement here and in John 19 : 14, see note
there. On the nature and significance of the
supernatural darkness and the rending of the
veil here mentioned, see on Matt. 27 : 45, 51-53.
The rending of the veil took place, according to
Matthew's more precise account, not at noon,
but at 3 p. M. ; the darkness lasted from noon till
3 p. M., and was followed by an earthquake.
The cry "with a loud voice " was that reported
by Matthew and Mark, "Eli, Eli, lama Sabaeh
thani ; " this was followed by the words, re
ported only by John, "It is finished;" the
words here reported, "Father, into thy hands I
commit my spirit," were Christ's last words.
They do not seem to me to justify the inference
of Alford, that his death was "a determinate
delivering up of his spirit to the Father," if I
understand aright his meaning, viz., that
Christ's death was a voluntary act of his own
divine will, and not a succumbing of the ppwer
¦of nature to grief and exhaustion. The language
is appropriate for any child of God, whose
death, if it be in consciousness, should always be
a calm and trustful committal of the soul to the
Heavenly Father. The language is borrowed
from Ps. 31 : 5 ; comp. Acts 7 : 59. On the physi
cal cause of Christ's death, see John 19 : 34, -note.
47-49. See notes on Matt. 27 : 54-56. Ver. 48
is peculiar to Luke, and shows that the centurion
was not the only one affected by the darkness
and the earthquake. •:.'

144

LUKE.

[Ch. XXIV.

laid it in a n sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein
never man betore was laid.
54 And that day was theT preparation, and the sab
bath drew on.
55 And the women w also, which came with him from
Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and
how his body was laid.
56 And they returned, and* prepared spices and
ointments ; and rested the sabbath day, according y to
the commandment.

N'

CHAPTER XXIV.
[O W z upon the first day of the week, very early in
I the morning, they came unto the ' sepulchre,

bringing the spices which they had prepared, and cer
tain others with them.
2 And they found the stone rolled away from the
sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of
the Lord Jesus.
4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed
thereabout, behold," two men stood by them in shin
ing garments :
5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their
faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye
the living among the dead ?
6 He is not here, but is risen : remember how he
spake b unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the

u Isa. 53 : 9...
John 1

v Matt. 27 : 62. . .
) : 1, etc  a Job

.w verse 49; ch. 8:2  x Mark 16 : 1. ..y Exod. 20 : 8-10... z Matt.
i 20: 12; Acta 1 : 10.... b ch. 9:22; Matt. 16 : 21 ; 17:22,23; Mark 8 :

3:1, etc. ; Mark 16:2, etc. ;
; 9 : 81 ; John 2 : 22.

50-56. The Burial of Jesus. — Comp. Matt.
27 : 57-61 ; Mark 15 : 42^7 ; John 19 : 36^3. See
John for notes on what is common to the four
Evangelists. — A counsellor. A member of
the Jewish Sanhedrim. — A good man and
just. Peculiar to Luke. Mark only describes
his position ; Luke his character. — The same
had not consented to the counsel and
deed of them. That is, of the Sanhedrim.
The report of the trial indicates that the con
demnation of Christ was unanimous (Mark ie : 64) ;
the implication, therefore, is that Joseph was not
present. — The sabbath was approaching.
The Sabbath began at sunset (Lev. 23 : 32). It was
then not quite sunset. The Greek (irtupwoxia), to
dawn, is here used metaphorically for, to ap
proach. 
Ch. 24 : 1-53. THE RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION.
He that honors Christ crucified finds Christ
risen. — Seek not the living Christ in the tomb of
the dead past.— seek not living friends in the
habitations of the dead. — communing about
Christ leads to communion with Christ. — Faith in
Christ as an inspired prophet and faith in Christ
as a divine Redeemer contrasted. — Christ's fa
miliarity with the Old Testament. — His inter
pretation of the Old Testament. — Christ comes
to those that invite him ; he passes bt those that
no not. — Christ reveals himself in the breaking
op bread.— Christ's resurrection body charac
terized.— The mission of Christ's church defined
by its Lord.
PBEXiMnfAKT Note. — The four Gospels give
four very different, though not inconsistent, ac
counts of the events connected with and subse
quent to the resurrection. For a tabular state
ment showing these differences, and a probable
harmony of the three accounts, see Vol. I, p.
3,0. Godet suggests an ingenious explanation
of the difference. " As friends, who for a time
have traveled together, disperse at the end of
the journey, to take each the way which brings
him to his own home, so in this last part the pe
culiar object of each Evangelist exercises an in
fluence on his narrative yet more marked than

before." Thus he supposes that Luke prepares
for the account of the growth of the Christian
work which he intends to give in Acts ; Matthew
closes his demonstration of the Messiahship of
Jesus by an account of the great commission ;
Mark shows the glory and activity of Christ co
operating from heaven with his disciples ; John
perfects his history of the development of faith
by his account of the victory of faith over unbe
lief, as in the case of Thomas. This view, how
ever, seems to me more ingenious than sound ;
it attributes a definite dogmatic purpose to each
of the Evangelists which is foreign to the art
less and simple character of their narratives. I
should rather believe that each historian has re
corded those events of which he was personally
cognizant, or which he heard from eye-witnesses,
and only those, without any attempt to make a
complete or a connected narrative of the events
subsequent to the crucifixion.
1-3. Compare Matt. 28 : 1-8, note. — Very
early in the morning. Literally, in the deep
dawn, i. e., just at the beginning of the dawn.
Comp. Mark 16 : 2 with John 20 : 1, and see
Matt. 28 : 1, note. — They came unto the sep
ulchre. These were Mary Magdalene and Mary
the mother of Joses (Matt, ss : 1), Salome the
mother of James and John (Mark ie : 1), and Joan
na the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward (ver. 10 ;
comp. ch. 8 : 3). — Bringing the spices. To com
plete the anointing of the body, which had been
interrupted by the sabbath. See Mark 16 : 1,
note. The Christian disciples were still Jews,
and not even their reverence for their Lord
seemed to them to justify breaking over the
rigorous rules of Rabbinical sabbath observance.
—They found the stone rolled away. This •
stone was a circular door closing the entrance to
the tomb. See Mark 16 : 2-4, note and illustra
tion. 4-7. They were much perplexed. To
know what had become of the body.— Two
men. Described in Mark and Luke as men, ac
cording to their appearance; in Matthew and
John as angels, according to the reality. — Bowed

Ch. XXIV.]

LUKE.

145

hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third
day rise again.
8 And they remembered his words.
9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all
these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
10 It was Mary Magdalene, and c Joanna, and Mary
the mother of James, and other women that were with
them, which told these things unto the apostles.
xx And their words seemed to them as idle tales,d
and they believed them not.
i2 Then c arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre :
and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by
themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that
which was come to pass.
13 And behold, two' of them went that same day to

a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem
about threescore furlongs.
14 And they talked together of all these things
which had happened.
15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed b
together and reasoned, Jesus himselt drew near, and
went with them.
16 But their eyes were holden,h that they should not
know him.
17 And he said unto them, What manner of commu
nications are these that ye have one to another, as ye
walk, and are sad ?
18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas,1
answering said unto him. Art thou only a stranger in
Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are
come to pass there in these days ?

,d Gen. 19: 14; 2 Kings 7:2; Job 9:16; Ps. 126 : 1 ; Acls 12:9. 16.... e John 20 : S, 6....f Mark 16 : 12... ,g verse I
Mal. 3 : 16 ; Matt. 18 : 20. . . .h John 20 : 14, 16 : 21 : 4. . . .1 John 19 : 26.

down their faces to the earth. A form of
salutation used among the Orientals before a su
perior. — Why seek ye the living among the
dead ? Christ is the Living One. It is still a
mistaken and a misleading love, which goes into
the past and seeks him only there ; which stops
at the cross and at the tomb, forgetting that the
Lord is risen (Eom. 6 : 10 ; 2 cor. 5 : 16). The angels'
question addresses itself also to every Christian
mourner whose heart goes with the body to the
grave and seeks among the dead those who are
among the Hying. — When he was yet in Gal
ilee. The women were from Galilee ; this lan
guage, therefore, brings to their recollection
Christ's prophecies of his Passion and his resur
rection in that most joyous period of his minis
try. For those prophecies, see marg. refs.
8-11. They remembered his words.
These had never been fully comprehended (Mark
9 : 10; Luke is : 34), and had therefore passed, not
indeed wholly from the disciples' memory, yet
from their thoughts. The meaning of these
prophecies was interpreted by events, and so
they were recalled. — Told all these things.
This is not inconsistent with Mark 16 : 8, " Nei
ther said they anything to any man." On their
way to tell the disciples they said nothing to
any whom they met upon the road. — Mary
Magdalene, etc. See on ver. 24. — Seemed to
them as idle tales. One of the many evi
dences that the disciples were not anticipating
the resurrection of their Lord, and quite conclu
sive against Eenan's theory that they were eaijiiy
imposed upon by their own imaginations. On
the contrary, they were skeptical and despairing
(Mark 16 : 10-14; John 20 : 9, 11-13, J4, 25).
12. Compare John 20 : 1-10. Luke gives from
the accounts of others a brief and imperfect ref
erence to an event reported much more fully by
John, who was an eye-witness.
13, 14. The account of the appearance of
Christ to the two disciples on their walk to Em
maus is referred to by Mark (ch. 16 : 12), but is
otherwise peculiar to Luke. The narrative is
apparently derived from an eye and ear- witness ;

the graphic and pictorial details indicate this.
Alford supposes Luke's informant to have been
Cleophas, the other disciple not being named,
perhaps because not known to Luke. The the
ory that the other disciple was Luke himself,
though defended by Godet, seems to me incon
sistent with Luke's introduction (ch. 1 : 1-4). — A
village called Emmaus. There were three
places in Palestine bearing this name, one on the
Sea of Galilee, another on the Philistine plain,
and this village, six or eight miles from Jerusa
lem, and referred to by Josephus (Wars of the
Jews, 7 : 6, 6). This Emmaus is the only one
mentioned in the Bible. Scholars are disagreed
in respect to the location of this village. It is
variously placed at Kubeibeh, about nine miles
north-west of Jerusalem, at Kolonieh, about
four miles east-south-east from Jerusalem, and
at Kuriet-el-Enab, north-west of Jerusalem. The
furlong was equivalent to 606 feet, making the
distance as indicated by Luke about seven miles.
15-17. While they communed together
and reasoned. Rather, talked and inquired.
The Passion and reported resurrection of Christ
were the themes of their conversation, and their
spirit was that of seekers after the truth. — Their
eyes were holden. This was their own sub
sequent explanation to themselves of their fail
ure to recognize their Lord. It would be idle
to attempt any other interpretation of the fact
than Christ's will ; he did not choose to be rec
ognized. According to Mark he appeared to
them "in another form" (Mark it:ic). So Mary
thought him to be the gardener until he spoke
her name (John 20 : 15, 16).— That they should
not know him. The original implies result
rather than purpose, and may be rendered,.*
that they did not know him.— And are sad.
Their sadness showed itself in their counte
nances. For the nature of their feeling, see
ver. 21, note.
1 8-24. Cleophas. According to John 19 : 25,
the mother of James and Joses was the wife of
Cleophas ; according to Matt. 10 : 3, the father
of James was Alphasus. The two words are

146

LUKE.

[Ch. XXIV.

io And he said unto them, What things ? And they
said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which
was a J prophet mighty k in deed and word before God
and all the people :
20 And ! how the chief priests and our rulers deliv
ered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified
him. 21 But we trusted that it had been m he which should
have redeemed Israel ; and beside all this, to-day is
the third day since these things were done.
22 Yea, and certain women" also of our company
made us astonished, which were early at the sepul
chre :
23 And when they found not his body, they came,
saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels,
which said that he was alive.

24 And certain ° of them which were with us went
to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women
had said : but him they saw not.
25 Then he said unto them," O fools, and slow of
heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken !
26 Ought « not Christ to have suffered these things,
and to enter r into his glory?
27 And beginning at Moses,8 and all the prophets,1
he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the
things concerning himself.
28 And they drew nigh unto the village whither they
went : and he u made as though he would have gone
further. 20 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us :
for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And
he went in to tarry with them.

j ch. 7 : 16; John 3: 2; Acts 2 : 22  k Acta 7 : 22  1 ch. 23 : 1; Acts 13 : 27,28  m ch. 1 :66; Acts 1:6  n vers. 9, 10  o verse 12...
p Heb. 6 : 11, 12. . . .0 verse 46 ; Acts 17 : 3 ; Heb. 9 : 22, 23  r 1 Pet. 1:3, 11  B verse 44 ; Acts 3 : 22  t Acts 10 : 43 ; 26 : 22. . .
u Gen. 38 : 26 ; Mark 6 : 48.

only different forms of the same Hebrew word.
Hence the supposition that Cleophas and Alphse-
us are the same. But it is not certain that the
disciple here named is to be identified with the
father of James and Joses. Nothing else is
known of him. — Art thou only a stranger in
Jerusalem ? The language of Cleophas inci
dentally confirms the report in Matthew of the
great darkness and the earthquake which accom
panied the crucifixion ; for there was nothing
remarkable in the simple execution of a Jew in
Jerasalem. Had the crucifixion not been ac
companied by extraordinary portents, the seem
ing ignorance of the unknown would not have
surprised Cleophas. — What things ? Christ
does not ask in order to know their thoughts ;
but in answering him they reveal to themselves
the limits of their faith and the bitterness of
their disappointment, and prepare the way for
him to instruct them in the Scriptures. — Which
was a prophet * * * but we hoped that
it had been he, etc. First they declare their
unshaken conviction in the prophetic and inspired
character of their Master; then they describe
the hope which they had entertained that he
was the promised Messiah — a hope utterly over
thrown by his crucifixion. It was this ruin of
the very foundations of their religious faith
which filled the souls of the disciples with unut
terable anguish. They could not distrust the
Jesus whom they knew and loved ; but they knew
that he was dead, and his life and the hopes
which they had built upon it were of the past ;
they could not conceive that a crucified prophet
was the Redeemer and King of Israel. — Certain
women also * * * came, saying that
they had also seen a vision of angels,
which said that he was alive. "Hearsay
of a hearsay. This form shows how little faith
they put in those reports." — (Godet.) — Compare
ver. II, note and refs. there. — And certain
of them which were with us went to
the sepulchre. The language of ver. 12 would
lead to the impression that Peter went alone;

the language here recognizes the fact that he had
a companion, as reported in John 20 : 1-10.
25-29. O unthinking, and slow of heart
to believe all that the prophets have spo-
; ken. Christ points out the two fruitful causes
of religious error, (l)lack of personal, individual,
independent thought, the habit of taking with
out consideration the traditional views and in
terpretations of the church ; (2) reluctance to
receive truth which is opposed to pride and pre
judice ; in other words, intellectual sloth and
spiritual torpor. The disciples did believe much
tha the prophets had spoken, but they did not
believe all, partly because they had not made an
independent study of those prophecies, partly
because they were not willing to receive the
doctrine that true victory is achieved only by
self-sacrificing love. — Ought not the Messiah
to have suffered these things ? That is, Were
not these sufferings necessary to the fulfillment
of O. T. prophecy ? See Isaiah, eh. 53.— And to
enter into his glory ? That is, through self-
sacrifice ; for the glory of love is the glory of
self-sacrifice. See Phil. 2 : 9-11 ; Heb. 2 : 10, 18.
— And beginning at Moses * * * he ex
pounded unto them in all the Scriptures
the things concerning himself. As be
could not have had a complete copy of the O. T.
Scriptures with him, since the manuscript copy
would have been too bulky for that purpose,
this passage indicates a very thorough, perhaps
even a verbal, knowledge of the Bible. His
treatment of the O. T. here also indicates both
his recognition of its inspired character and di
vine authority, and its essential prophetic char
acter as a book of preparation for the clearer
revelations of divine love and law in the life and
teachings of Christ himself. What he expounded
was the things concerning himself. "The whole
Scriptures are a testimony to Him ; the whole
history of the chosen people, with its types, and
its laws, and its prophecies, is a showing forth of
Him ; and it was here the whole that He laid out
before them. This general leading into . the

Ch. XXIV.]

LUKE.

147

30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them,
he « took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to
them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him ;
and he vanished out of their sight.
32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart
burnw within us, while he talked with us by the way,
and while.he opened to us the scriptures ?
33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to
Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together,
and them that were with them,
34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath * ap
peared to Simon.
35 And they told what things were done in the way,
and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
36 Andy' as they thus spake, Jesus himselfstood in the
midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and sup
posed z that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled ?
and why do thoughts arise in your hearts ?
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself:
handle me, and see ; for a spirit hath not flesh and
bones, as ye see me have.
40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them
his hands and his feet.
4r And while they yet believed ¦ not for joy, and
wondered, he said unto them, Haveb ye here any
meat ?
42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and
of an honeycomb.
43 And he took it, and did eat ° before them.
44 And he said unto them, These d are the words
which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you,

v Matt. 14 : 19  w Ps. 39 : 3 ;

Jer. 20:9; 23 : 29... .* 1 Cor. 15 :
46 : 26  b John 21 : 6, etc...

5  y Mark 16 : 14, etc, ; John 20 : 19, eLc. .
.0 Acts 10 ¦ 41 ... .il Malt. 16 : 21.

z Mark 6 : 49  a Gen.

meaning of the whole, as a whole, fulfilled in
Him, would be much more opportune to the
place and time occupied than a direct exposition
of selected passages." — (Alford.) — He made as
though he would have gone further. Not
a deception ; he would have gone further had
they not constrained him. The delicacy of
Christ's love forbids his intrusion of himself
uninvited. Had the disciples been satisfied with
the disclosures of truth already made to them,
they would not have received the fuller disclo
sure of Christ himself. "Every gift of God is
an invitation to claim a greater. Grace for grace
(John 1 : ie). But most men stop very quickly on
this way, and thus they never reach the full
blessing (2 Kings 13 : 14-19)." — (Godet.) — Abide
with us, i. e., for the night. — To tarry with
them. As if to do so.
30-32. He took bread and blessed it.
Taking position as the householder, not as a
guest. So, when we invite him to come in and
sup with us, he becomes our host (Rev. 3 : 20). —
And their eyes were opened. In this familiar
act there was that which brought him to their
minds. It was thus the natural means to make
him known to them, which was especially chosen
by him for that purpose. There is no reason
whatever to regard this bread-breaking as a cel
ebration of the Last Supper, though the Roman
ists so regard it, and cite it in defence of the
doctrine that only one kind is to be distributed
to the laity. — Did not our heart burn within
us. A graphic suggestion of the warmth en
kindled by his words. — While he opened to
us the Scriptures. Which had been to them
before as a closed book.
33-35. And they rose up the same hour.
Eager to tell the news., — Found the eleven
gathered together, and them that were
with them. This appears to have been an
evening service in which the apostles, or some
of them, had gathered the other disciples to
communicate to them the story of the resurrec
tion. This meeting is probably the same as that

described in John 20 : 19-23. Both were held
the first day of the week, in the evening ; in both
assemblages Christ suddenly appeared ; and in
both he overcame their fear and skepticism by
showing them the wounds in his hands and feet.
36-40. Jesus himselfstood in the midst.
Though the doors were shut for fear of the Jews
(John 20 : io).— Peace be unto you. A common
Jewish salutation. — But they were terrified
and affrighted. The two words are used sim
ply to emphasize the fact of their fear. — Why
are ye agitated ? and why do question
ings arise in your hearts ? He first seeks to
pacify them, then to instruct them. Their ter
ror and their questionings show how little they
were prepared for his appearance, and how small
was their faith in, or at least their realization of
his resurrection. — Behold my hands and niy
feet. * * * handle me and see; for a
spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye
see me have. He showed them the print of
the nails in his hands, and the sword-thrust in
his side. This throws some light on the subse
quent language of Thomas (John 20 : 25) ; he desired
the same evidence which had been vouchsafed '
to his co-disciples. Christ's language here shows
clearly that his body after the resurrection was
his natural earthly body. I believe that he re
tained it until the ascension, when it was changed
"in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye," and
the corruptible put on incorruption and the mor
tal put on immortality. His entrance into a
room through a closed door, with a natural body,
is no more inexplicable than his walking upon
the water ; it was simply a miracle. If this
opinion be correct, then in his ascension, as in
his resurrection, Christ was the "first-fruit,"
illustrating both the resurrection of the dead
and the mysterious change which Paul tells us
will take place in the "bodies of the living at the
last day (1 Cor. 15 : 51-53).
41-43. And while they yet believed not
for joy. First fear, then joy, produced skepti
cism ; they were too excited calmly to consider

148

that all e tilings must be fulfilled, which were written
in the law of Moses, and in the' prophets, and in the
psalms/ concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they
might understand the scriptures.
46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus
it behoved Christ " to suffer, and to rise ' from the dead
the third day :
47 And that repentance and 1 remission of sins should
be preached in his name among all nations, beginning
at Jerusalem.
48 And ye are witnesses" of these things.

LUKE. [Ch. XXIV.
49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father
upon you : but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until
ye be endued with power ' from on high.
50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he
lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he
was parted from them, and carried m up into heaven.
53 And Q they worshipped him, and returned to Je
rusalem with great joy :
53 And were continually in the temple, praising0
and blessing God. Amen.

e flh. 21 :
k Acta 1

2; Acta 3: 18: 13: 27, 33  f verse 21  g Ps. 22, 90. etc  h Isa. 53 : 3. 5; Acta 4 : IS  1 1 Pet. 1 : 3...J Acts 5: 31; 13:38..
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and intelligently to understand and receive the
truth that their Lord, though crucified, had con
quered death, and thus had proved himself a
greater King and a mightier Messiah than they
had ever dreamed of. — And he took it and
did eat before them. Another evidence of
his bodily resurrection. If his were a spiritual
body this eating would have been but a pretence.
44-49. In these words Luke gives a summary
of the events and teachings prior to the ascen
sion. This is a much more reasonable interpre
tation than the hypothesis that he believed that
the ascension took place immediately after the
resurrection, and at the close of this interview
with the disciples, on the very evening of the day
on which Christ rose from the dead. For in
Acts 1 : 3 Luke distinctly avers that Christ for
forty days after his resurrection was seen by his
disciples, and taught them. If, as is maintained
by the rationalistic commentators, Lnke's Gospel
contained an earlier tradition and the Book of
Acts a later one, he would certainly have cor
rected the error of the former treatise, to which
he explicitly refers in the subsequent one. In
studying the Lord's commission given to the Chris
tian church, the student should compare the ac

counts in Matt. 38 : 18-20 and in John SO : 33, 23,
with vers. 47-49 here. Christ here defines the
preacher's subject, field, mission, and power.
The subject of preaching is repentance on the
part of man, and release from sin, both its pres
ent power and its future penalty, by the act of
God and in the name of Christ ; the field of the
preacher is the world (Matt. 13 : ss) ; he is to go
out carrying his message among all nations; his
work begins at home, but does not end there ;
his mission is that of witness — he is to testify to
the truth of a Gospel the power of which he
has first personally experienced ; and his power
is in the possession of the Spirit of God, prom
ised by the Father through Jesus Christ (Mm
14 : 16-26 ; 15 : 26 j 16 : 7-11, 13, 14). Until this promise
of the Father is fulfilled, the church is without
power to do its work. Compare Acts 1 : 8.
50-53. The account of the ascension is given
only by Mark (ie : 19, 20) and by Luke here and in
Acts 1 : 9. See note there. Ver. 53 here forms
a connecting link between Luke's Gospel and the
Book of Acts, and comprises in a sentence a sug
gestion of that era in the Church's history graph
ically pictured in the first five chapters of the
Book of Acts.

TRADITIONAL SITE OP THE ASCENSION.

' LIBRARY

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