Luke
From the Original 1599 Geneva Bible Notes
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Lu 1:1
1:1 Forasmuch as {1} many
have {a} taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things
which are most surely believed among us,
(1) Luke commends the
witnesses that saw this present account.
(a) Many took it in hand, but did not perform: Luke wrote his gospel before
Matthew and Mark.
Lu 1:2
1:2 {b} Even as they
delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and
ministers of the word;
(b) Luke was not any eye
witness, and therefore it was not he to whom the Lord appeared when Cleopas
saw him: and he was taught not only by Paul, but by others of the apostles
also.
Lu 1:3
1:3 It seemed good to me
also, having had perfect understanding of all things {c} from the very first,
to write unto thee in order, {d} most excellent Theophilus,
(c) Luke began his gospel a
great deal further in the past than the others did.
(d) It is "most mighty", and therefore Theophilus was a very honourable man,
and in a place of great dignity.
Lu 1:4
1:4 That thou mightest {e}
know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
Lu 1:5
1:5 There {2} was {f} in the
days of {g} Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of
the {h} course of Abia: and his wife [was] of the daughters of Aaron, and her
name [was] Elisabeth.
(2) John, who was another
Elias and appointed to be the herald of Christ, coming from the family of
Aaron, and of two famous and blameless parents, has shown in his conception
(which was against the course of nature) a double miracle, to the end that
men should be more readily prepared for the hearing of his preaching,
according to the forewarning of the prophets.
(f) This is a Hebrew idiom which shows us how short and frail a thing the
power of princes is.
(g) Herod the great.
(h) For the posterity of Aaron was divided into courses.
Lu 1:6
1:6 And they were both {i}
righteous before God, {k} walking in all the {l} commandments and ordinances
of the Lord {m} blameless.
(i) The true mark of
righteousness is demonstrated when one is liked and accepted in the judgment
of God.
(k) Lived, as the Hebrews say, for our life is as a way in which we must
walk until we come to the mark.
(l) In all the moral and ceremonial law.
(m) Whom no man could justly reprove: now so it is that the fruits of
justification are set forth here, and not the cause, which is faith only,
and nothing else.
Lu 1:9
1:9 According to the custom
of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the {n}
temple of the Lord.
(n) The temple was one, and
the court another, for Zacharias went out of the court (or outward room)
where all the people were (and therefore they are said to be without) and
into the temple.
Lu 1:15
1:15 For he shall be great in
the {o} sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor {p} strong drink;
and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
(o) So the Hebrews say when
a rare kind of excellency is signified: so it is said of Nimrod in Ge 10:9 ,
"He was a mighty hunter before the LORD".
(p) Any drink that might make someone drunk.
Lu 1:16
1:16 And many of the children
of Israel shall he {q} turn to the Lord their God.
(q) Shall be a means to
bring many to repentance, and they will turn themselves to the Lord, from
whom they fell.
Lu 1:17
1:17 And he shall go {r}
before him {s} in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the {t} hearts of the
fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the {u} wisdom of the just; to
make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
(r) As they used to go
before kings, and when you see them, you know the king is not far off.
(s) This is spoken by the figure of speech metonymy, taking the spirit for
the gift of the spirit; as you would say, the cause of that which comes from
the cause.
(t) By the figure of speech synecdoche he shows that he will take away all
types of enmities which used to breed great troubles and turmoils among men.
(u) Wisdom and goodness are two of the main causes which make men revere and
honour their fathers.
Lu 1:19
1:19 And the angel answering
said unto him, I am Gabriel, {x} that stand in the presence of God; and am
sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
(x) That appears, for so
the Hebrews use this saying "to stand" to mean that they are ready to do his
commandment.
Lu 1:26
1:26 {3} And in the sixth
month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named
Nazareth,
(3) The angel, serving the
Lord who would be born, is sent to the virgin Mary, in whom the son of the
most high promised to David is conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Lu 1:27
1:27 To a virgin espoused to
a man whose name was Joseph, of the {y} house of David; and the virgin's name
[was] Mary.
(y) The same can be said of
Mary, otherwise Christ would not have been of the stock of David, nor his
son.
Lu 1:28
1:28 And the angel came in
unto her, and said, Hail, [thou that art] {z} highly favoured, the Lord [is]
with thee: {a} blessed [art] thou among women.
(z) It might be literally
rendered, "full of favour and grace", and he shows immediately after, laying
out plainly unto us, what that favour is in that he says, "The Lord is with
thee".
(a) Of God.
Lu 1:29
1:29 And when she saw [him],
she was {b} troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of
salutation this should be.
Lu 1:30
1:30 And the angel said unto
her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast {c} found favour with God.
(c) So the Hebrews said,
saying that those men have found favour who are in favour.
Lu 1:32
1:32 He shall be great, and
shall be {d} called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto
him the throne of his father David:
(d) He will be declared to
be so, for he was the Son of God from everlasting, but was made manifest in
the flesh in his time.
Lu 1:34
1:34 Then said Mary unto the
angel, {e} How shall this be, seeing {f} I know not a man?
(e) The greatness of the
matter causes the virgin to ask this question, not that she distrusted by
any means at all, for she asks only of the manner of the conceiving, so that
it is plain she believed all the rest.
(f) So speak the Hebrews, signifying by this modest kind of speech the
company of man and wife together, and this is the meaning of it: how will
this be, for as I will be Christ's mother I am very sure I will not know any
man: for the godly virgin had learned by the prophets that the Messiah would
be born of a virgin.
Lu 1:35
1:35 And the angel answered
and said unto her, The Holy Ghost {g} shall come upon thee, and the power of
the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that {h} holy thing which
shall be born of thee shall be {i} called the Son of God.
(g) That is, the Holy
Spirit will cause thee to conceive by his mighty power.
(h) That thing which is pure and void of all spot of uncleanliness: for he
that was to take away sin must of necessity be void of sin.
(i) Declared and shown to the world to be the Son of God.
Lu 1:36
1:36 And, behold, thy {k}
cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is
the {l} sixth month with her, who was called barren.
(k) Though Elisabeth was of
the tribe of Levi, yet it was possible for her to be Mary's cousin: for
whereas it was forbidden by the Law for maidens to be married to men of
other tribes, there was an exception among the Levites, who could take for
themselves wives out of any tribe: for the Levites had no portion allotted
to them when the land was divided among the people.
(l) This is now the sixth month from the time when she conceived.
Lu 1:39
1:39 {4} And Mary arose in
those days, and went into the {m} hill country with haste, into a {n} city of
Juda;
(4) Elisabeth being many
months pregnant with John, and Mary being pregnant with Christ, do rejoice
for each other by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
(m) Which is on the south side of Jerusalem.
(n) That is to say, Hebron: which was in times past called Kirjatharba:
which was one of the towns that were given to the Levites in the tribe of
Judah, and is said to be in the mountains of Judah; Jos 14:15; 21:11 .
Lu 1:41
1:41 And it came to pass,
that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe {o} leaped in her
womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
Lu 1:42
1:42 And she spake out with a
loud voice, and said, Blessed [art] thou among women, and {p} blessed [is] the
fruit of thy womb.
Lu 1:46
1:46 {5} And Mary said, My
soul doth magnify the Lord,
(5) Christ, the redeemer of
the afflicted and revenger of the proud, promised long ago to the fathers,
is now finally exhibited indeed.
Lu 1:48
1:48 For he hath {q} regarded
the {r} low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all
generations shall call me blessed.
(q) Has freely and
graciously loved.
(r) Literally, "My baseness", that is, my base estate: so that the virgin
did not boast of her deserts, but the grace of God.
Lu 1:50
1:50 And his mercy [is] on
them {s} that fear him from generation to generation.
(s) To those that live
godly and religiously, as the Hebrews say.
Lu 1:51
1:51 He hath shewed strength
with his {t} arm; he hath {u} scattered the proud in the {x} imagination of
their hearts.
(t) Here many more words
than necessary are used, which the Hebrews use very much: and "arm" here is
taken for strength.
(u) Even as the wind does to the chaff.
(x) He has scattered them, and the imagination of their hearts; or, by and
through the imagination of their own hearts; so that their wicked counsel
turned to their own destruction.
Lu 1:52
1:52 He hath {y} put down the
mighty from [their] seats, and exalted them of {z} low degree.
(y) The mighty and rich
men.
(z) Those of no account, who are vile in men's eyes, who are indeed the poor
in spirit, that is, those who claim nothing of themselves in the sight of
God.
Lu 1:53
1:53 He hath filled the {a}
hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
Lu 1:54
1:54 {b} He hath holpen his
servant Israel, in remembrance of [his] mercy;
(b) He has helped Israel up
with his arm, who had been completely cast down.
Lu 1:55
1:55 As he {c} spake to our
fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
Lu 1:57
1:57 {6} Now Elisabeth's full
time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
Lu 1:65
1:65 And fear came on all
that dwelt round about them: and all {d} these sayings were noised abroad
throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
Lu 1:66
1:66 And all they that heard
[them] {e} laid [them] up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall
this be! And the {f} hand of the Lord was with him.
(e) Thought upon them
diligently and earnestly, and as it were, printed them in their hearts.
(f) That is, the present favour of God, and a singular type of virtue
appeared in him.
Lu 1:67
1:67 {7} And his father
Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
(7) John, having just been
born, by the authority of the Holy Spirit is appointed to his office.
Lu 1:68
1:68 Blessed [be] the Lord
God of Israel; for he hath {g} visited and {h} redeemed his people,
(g) That he has shown
himself mindful of his people, to the extent that he came down from heaven
himself to visit us in person, and to redeem us.
(h) Has paid the ransom, that is to say, the price of our redemption.
Lu 1:69
1:69 And hath raised up an {i}
horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
(i) This word "horn", in
the Hebrew language, signifies strength, and it is a metaphor taken from
beasts that fight with their horns: And by raising up the might of Israel is
meant that the kingdom of Israel was defended, and the enemies of it laid on
the ground, even then when the strength of Israel seemed to be utterly gone.
Lu 1:72
1:72 To perform the mercy
[promised] to our fathers, and {k} to remember his holy covenant;
Lu 1:75
1:75 In holiness and
righteousness {l} before him, all the days of our life.
Lu 1:76
1:76 And thou, {m} child,
shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face
of the Lord to prepare his ways;
Lu 1:77
1:77 To {n} give knowledge of
salvation unto his people by the {o} remission of their sins,
Lu 1:78
1:78 Through the tender mercy
of our God; whereby the {p} dayspring from on high hath visited us,
(p) Or "bud", or "branch";
he alludes to Jer 23:5 Zec 3:8 6:12 ; and he is called a bud from on high,
that is, sent from God unto us, and not as other buds which bud out of the
earth.
Lu 1:79
1:79 To give light to them
that sit in darkness and [in] the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the
{q} way of peace.
Lu 2:1
2:1 And {1} it came to pass
in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the
{a} world should be {b} taxed.
(1) Christ, the son of God,
taking upon himself the form of a servant, and making himself of no
reputation, is poorly born in a stable: and by the means of Augustus, the
mightiest prince in the world, (thinking nothing of it) has his cradle
prepared in Bethlehem, as the prophets foretold.
(a) As far as the empire of the Romans stretched.
(b) That is, the inhabitants of every city should have their names recorded,
and their goods rated at a certain value, that the emperor might understand
how rich every country, city, family, and house was.
Lu 2:4
2:4 And Joseph also went up
from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the {c} city of
David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of
David:)
Lu 2:8
2:8 {2} And there were in the
same country shepherds {d} abiding in the field, keeping watch over their
flock by night.
(2) The angels themselves
declare to poor shepherds (not at all regarding the pride of the mighty) the
Godhead and office of the child lying in the crib.
(d) Living outside, and in the open air.
Lu 2:9
2:9 And, lo, the angel of the
Lord {e} came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and
they were sore afraid.
(e) Came suddenly upon
them, when they were not at all thinking about such a matter.
Lu 2:13
2:13 And suddenly there was
with the angel {f} a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
(f) Whole armies of angels,
who compass the majesty of God round about, just as soldiers, as it were.
Lu 2:14
2:14 Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace, {g} good will toward men.
(g) God's ready, good,
infinite, and gracious favour towards men.
Lu 2:21
2:21 {3} And when eight days
were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called
JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
(3) Christ, the head of the
Church, made subject to the law in order to deliver us from the curse of the
law (as the name of Jesus well declares) being circumcised, ratifies and
seals in his own flesh the circumcision of the flesh.
Lu 2:22
2:22 {4} And when the days of
{h} her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they
brought him to Jerusalem, to present [him] to the Lord;
(4) Christ, upon whom all
our sins were laid, being offered to God according to the law purifies both
Mary and us all in himself.
(h) This is meant for the fulfilling of the law: for otherwise the virgin
was not defiled, nor unclean, by the birth of this child.
Lu 2:25
2:25 {5} And, behold, there
was a man in Jerusalem, whose name [was] Simeon; and the same man [was] just
and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the {i} Holy Ghost was
upon him.
(5) Simeon openly in the
temple foretells the death of the coming of Messiah, of the casting out of
the greatest part of Israel, and of the calling of the Gentiles.
(i) He was endued with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and this is said using
the figure of speech metonymy.
Lu 2:27
2:27 And he came by the
Spirit into the temple: and when the {k} parents brought in the child Jesus,
to do for him after the custom of the law,
Lu 2:29
2:29 Lord, now {l} lettest
thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy {m} word:
(l) Let me depart out of
this life, to be joined to my Father.
(m) As you promised me.
Lu 2:30
2:30 For {n} mine eyes have
seen thy {o} salvation,
(n) That is, for I have
seen with my very eyes: for he saw before in mind, as it is said of Abraham,
"He saw my day and rejoiced."
(o) That in which your salvation is contained.
Lu 2:31
2:31 Which thou hast prepared
{p} before the face of all people;
Lu 2:34
2:34 And Simeon blessed them,
and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this [child] is {q} set for the {r}
fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a {s} sign which shall be
spoken against;
(q) Is appointed and set by
God for a mark.
(r) Fall of the reprobate who perishes because of their own fault: and for
the rising of the elect, unto whom God will give faith to believe.
(s) That is, a mark, which all men will strive earnestly to hit.
Lu 2:35
2:35 (Yea, a sword shall {t}
pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be
revealed.
Lu 2:36
2:36 {6} And there was one
Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of
a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
(6) Another witness besides
Simeon, against whom no objection may be brought, inviting all men to the
receiving of the Messiah.
Lu 2:40
2:40 And the child grew, and
waxed strong in spirit, {u} filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon
him.
(u) As Christ grew up in
age, so the virtue of his Godhead showed itself more and more.
Lu 2:41
2:41 {7} Now his parents went
to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
(7) The scribes and
Pharisees are aroused to hear the wisdom of Christ in his time by an
extraordinary deed.
Lu 2:48
2:48 {8} And when they saw
him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus
dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
(8) All duties which we owe
to men, even though they are not to be neglected, so are they (according to
the position in life which God has set us) not to be preferred before the
glory of God.
Lu 2:51
2:51 {9} And he went down
with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother
kept all these sayings in her heart.
(9) Christ, very man, is
made like us in every way except sin.
Lu 3:1
3:1 Now {1} in the fifteenth
year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea,
and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of
Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of
Abilene,
(1) John comes at the time
foretold by the prophets and lays the foundation of the gospel which is
exhibited unto us, setting forth the true observing of the law and free
mercy in Christ, which comes after John, using also baptism which is the
outward sign both of regeneration and also forgiveness of sins.
Lu 3:2
3:2 {a} Annas and Caiaphas
being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in
the wilderness.
Lu 3:13
3:13 And he said unto them,
Exact no more than that which is {b} appointed you.
Lu 3:14
3:14 And the soldiers
likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them,
Do violence to no man, neither accuse [any] falsely; and be content with your
{c} wages.
Lu 3:15
3:15 {2} And as the people
were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he
were the Christ, or not;
(2) If we would rightly and
fruitfully receive the sacraments, we must neither rest in the signs,
neither in him that ministers the signs, but lift up our eyes to Christ, who
is the author of the sacraments, and the giver of that which is represented
by the sacraments.
Lu 3:17
3:17 {3} Whose fan [is] in
his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat
into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
Lu 3:19
3:19 {4} But Herod the
tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and
for all the evils which Herod had done,
Lu 3:21
3:21 {5} Now when all the
people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and
praying, the heaven was opened,
(5) Our baptism is
sanctified in the head of the Church, and Christ also by the voice of the
Father is pronounced to be our everlasting King, Priest, and Prophet.
Lu 3:23
3:23 {6} 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,
(6) Christ's lineage,
according to the flesh, is traced back even to Adam, and so to God, that it
might appear that it was only he whom God promised to Abraham and David, and
appointed from everlasting to his Church, which is composed of all sorts of
men.
Lu 4:1
4:1 And {1} Jesus being full
of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the
wilderness,
(1) Christ, being carried
away (as it were out of the world) into the desert, comes suddenly as if
from heaven, having fasted for forty days and overcoming Satan three times,
and thus begins his office.
Lu 4:3
4:3 {2} And the devil said
unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
(2) Christ, being tempted
by Satan, first to distrust in God, secondly to the desire of riches and
honour, and lastly to a vain confidence in himself, overcomes him three
times by the word of God.
Lu 4:6
4:6 And the devil said unto
him, All this {a} power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is
{b} delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
(a) By this word "power"
are meant the kingdoms themselves which have the power: and so this is said
using the figure of speech metonymy.
(b) This is surely so, for he is prince of the world, but not absolutely,
and is the sovereign of it only by permission and request, and therefore he
does not truly say that he can give it to whom he will.
Lu 4:7
4:7 If thou therefore wilt
worship me, all shall be {c} thine.
(c) Out of a high place,
from which would be seen a good and first-class country, and thus the devil
showed him all countries.
Lu 4:16
4:16 {3} And he came to
Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into
the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Lu 4:17
4:17 And there was delivered
unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had {d} opened the book,
he found the place where it was written,
(d) Their books in those
days were rolled up as scrolls upon a ruler: and so Christ unrolled or
unfolded it, which is here called "opened".
Lu 4:22
4:22 {4} And all {e} bare him
witness, and {f} wondered at the {g} gracious words which proceeded out of his
mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?
(4) Familiarity causes
Christ to be condemned and therefore he often goes to strangers.
(e) Approved those things which he spoke with common consent and voice: for
this word "witness" signifies in this place (and many others) "to allow and
approve a thing with open confession".
(f) Present at this meeting of the scriptures were not only the learned, but
also the common people: and besides that, their mother tongue was used, for
how else could the people have wondered? Paul appointed the same manner for
doing things in the Church at Corinth; 1Co 14:1-40 .
(g) Words full of the mighty power of God, which appeared in all his doings,
and as well allured men marvellously unto him; see Ps 45:2 , "grace is
poured into thy lips".
Lu 4:25
4:25 But I tell you of a
truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was
shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the
{h} land;
Lu 4:28
4:28 {5} And all they in the
synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
(5) The more sharply the
world is rebuked the more it openly rages: but the life of the godly is not
always subject to the desires of the wicked.
Lu 4:34
4:34 {6} Saying, Let [us]
alone; what have we to do with thee, [thou] Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come
to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.
(6) Christ astonishes not
only men, be they ever so stupid, but even the demons as well, whether or
not they want to be.
Lu 4:38
4:38 {7} And he arose out of
the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was
taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her.
(7) In that Christ heals
the diseases of the body with only his word, he proves that he is God
Almighty, sent for man's salvation.
Lu 4:41
4:41 {8} And devils also came
out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he
rebuking [them] suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.
(8) Satan, who is a
continual enemy of the truth, ought not to be heard, not even when he speaks
the truth.
Lu 4:42
4:42 {9} 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.
(9) No zealous response on
the part of the people ought to hinder us in the race that God has appointed
unto us.
Lu 5:1
5:1 And {1} it came to pass,
that, as the people {a} pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by
the lake of Gennesaret,
(1) Christ reveals to the
four disciples whom he had taken unto himself the office of the apostleship,
which would be committed unto them in the future.
(a) Did as it were lie upon him, so desirous were they both to see him and
hear him, and therefore he taught them out of a ship.
Lu 5:5
5:5 And Simon answering said
unto him, {b} Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing:
nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
Lu 5:12
5:12 {2} And 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.
(2) Christ, by healing the
leper with only his touch and sending him to the priest, witnesses that it
is he, through whom and by whom, apprehended by faith, all we who are
unclean according to the law are pronounced to be pure and clean by the
witness of God himself.
Lu 5:15
5:15 {3} 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.
(3) Christ would rather be
well known by his doctrine than by miracles, and therefore he departs from
those that seek him as a physician of the body, and not as the author of
salvation.
Lu 5:17
5:17 {4} 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 {c} was [present] to heal them.
(4) Christ, in healing him
that was sick from paralysis, shows the cause of all diseases, and the
remedy.
(c) The mighty power of Christ's Godhead showed itself in him at that time.
Lu 5:27
5:27 {5} And 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.
(5) The Church is a company
of sinners who are repentant through the grace of Christ, who banquet with
him to the great offence of the proud and envious people of the world.
Lu 5:33
5:33 {6} And they said unto
him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise
[the disciples] of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?
(6) Hypocrites and ignorant
men make a point of making fasting and unimportant things a matter of
holiness.
Lu 5:34
5:34 {7} And he said unto
them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom
is with them?
(7) Laws generally made
without any consideration of circumstances; for fasting and other things of
like sort are not only tyrannous but very harmful to the Church.
Lu 6:1
6:1 And {1} it came to pass
on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields;
and his disciples {a} plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing [them] in
[their] hands.
(1) Christ shows against
the superstitious, who dwell on every trifling matter, that the law of the
very sabbath was not given to be kept without exception: much less that the
salvation of man should consist in the outward keeping of it.
(a) Epiphanius notes well in his treatise, where he refutes Ebion, that the
time when the disciples plucked the ears of the corn was in the feast of
unleavened bread. Now, in those feasts which were kept over a period of many
days, as the feast of tabernacles and passover, their first day and the last
were very solemn; see Le 23:1-44 . Luke then fitly calls the last day the
second sabbath, though Theophylact understands it to be any of the sabbaths
that followed the first.
Lu 6:6
6:6 {2} And it came to pass
also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and
there was a man whose right hand was withered.
Lu 6:9
6:9 Then said Jesus unto
them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good,
or to do evil? to save life, or to {b} destroy [it]?
(b) Whoever does not help
his neighbour when he can, he kills him.
Lu 6:12
6:12 {3} 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.
(3) In using earnest and
long prayer in choosing twelve of his own company to the office of the
apostleship, Christ shows how religiously we ought to behave ourselves in
the choice of ecclesiastical persons.
Lu 6:17
6:17 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 {c} sea
coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their
diseases;
(c) From all the sea coast,
which is called Syrophoenecia.
Lu 6:20
6:20 {4} And he lifted up his
eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed [be ye] poor: for yours is the
kingdom of God.
(4) Christ teaches against
all philosophers, and especially the Epicureans, that the greatest happiness
of man is laid up in no place here on earth, but in heaven, and that
persecution for righteousness' sake is the right way to achieve it.
Lu 6:22
6:22 Blessed are ye, when men
shall hate you, and when they shall {d} separate you [from their company], and
shall reproach [you], and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's
sake.
(d) Cast you out of their
synagogues, as John expounds in Joh 16:2 , which is the severest punishment
the Church has, if the elders judge rightfully, and by the word of God.
Lu 6:23
6:23 Rejoice ye in that day,
and {e} leap for joy: for, behold, your reward [is] great in heaven: for in
the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
(e) Leap for exceeding joy,
as cattle do who are spurred on by food.
Lu 6:24
6:24 But woe unto you that
are rich! for ye have {f} received your consolation.
(f) That is, you reap now
of your riches all the convenience and blessing you are ever likely to have,
and therefore you have no other reward to look for; Mt 6:2 .
Lu 6:27
6:27 {5} But I say unto you
which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
(5) Christian charity,
which is very different from worldly charity, not only does not revenge
injuries, but is even extended to our most grievous enemies, and that for
our Father's sake who is in heaven: in well doing it is not at all seeking
its own.
Lu 6:32
6:32 For if ye love them
which love you, {g} what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love
them.
(g) What is there in this
your work that is to be accounted of? For if you look to have reward by
loving, seek those rewards which are indeed rewards: love your enemies, and
so will you show to the world that you look for those rewards which come
from God.
Lu 6:35
6:35 But love ye your
enemies, and do good, and lend, {h} 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.
(h) When you will lend, do
it only to benefit and please with it, and not with the hope of receiving
the principal again.
Lu 6:37
6:37 {6} Judge not, and ye
shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: {i} forgive,
and ye shall be forgiven:
(6) Brotherly judgments
must not proceed from curiosity nor rudeness nor malice, but they must be
just, moderate and loving.
(i) He does not speak here of civil judgments, and therefore by the word
"forgive" is meant that good nature which the Christians use in patiently
suffering and pardoning wrongs.
Lu 6:38
6:38 Give, and it shall be
given unto you; good measure, {k} pressed down, and shaken together, and
running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that
ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
(k) These are borrowed
types of sayings, taken from those who used to measure dry things, as corn
and such things, who do it in a rather forceful manner, and thrust it down
and shake it together, and press it and put it into a pile.
Lu 6:39
6:39 {7} And he spake a
parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into
the ditch?
(7) Unskillful reprehenders
hurt both themselves and others: for as the teacher is, so is the student.
Lu 6:41
6:41 {8} And why beholdest
thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that
is in thine own eye?
(8) Hypocrites who are very
severe reprehenders of others are very quick to spitefully spot other men's
faults, but very blind to see their own.
Lu 6:43
6:43 {9} For a good tree
bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good
fruit.
(9) Skill in reprehending
others does not make a good man, but rather he that proves his uprightness
both in word and deed.
Lu 6:47
6:47 {10} Whosoever cometh to
me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is
like:
Lu 7:1
7:1 Now {1} when he had ended
all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.
(1) Christ admonishes the
Jews that for their obstinacy and rebellion he will go to the Gentiles, by
setting before them the example of the centurion.
Lu 7:11
7:11 {2} And it came to pass
the day after, that he went into a city called {a} Nain; and many of his
disciples went with him, and much people.
(2) Christ openly affirms
his power over death.
(a) Nain is the name of a town in Galilee which was situated on the other
side of the Kishon, which runs into the sea of Galilee.
Lu 7:18
7:18 {3} And the disciples of
John shewed him of all these things.
Lu 7:21
7:21 And {b} 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.
Lu 7:24
7:24 {4} 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?
(4) That which the prophets
showed long before, John shows presently: and Christ himself presents it
daily unto us in the gospel, but for the most part in vain, because many
seek nothing else than foolish toys and vain glory.
Lu 7:29
7:29 And all the people that
heard [him], and the publicans, {c} justified God, being baptized with the
baptism of John.
(c) Said that he was just,
good, faithful and merciful.
Lu 7:30
7:30 But the Pharisees and
lawyers rejected the counsel of God {d} against themselves, being not baptized
of him.
Lu 7:31
7:31 {5} And the Lord said,
Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they
like?
(5) Whatever manner God
uses in offering us the gospel, most men bring offences upon themselves: yet
nevertheless a Church is gathered together.
Lu 7:36
7:36 {6} And 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.
(6) Proud men deprive
themselves of the benefits of the presence of Christ, even when he is at
home with them in their houses; and these benefits the humble and base
enjoy.
Lu 7:39
7:39 {7} 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: {e} for she is a sinner.
(7) Rashness is the
companion of pride.
(e) The Pharisee respects the law, which holds that those who touch the
defiled are defiled.
Lu 7:40
7:40 {8} And Jesus answering
said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master,
say on.
Lu 7:47
7:47 Wherefore I say unto
thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; {f} for she loved much: but to
whom little is forgiven, [the same] loveth little.
(f) That is, says
Theophylact, she has shown her faith abundantly: and Basil in his "Sermon of
Baptism" says, "He that owes much has much forgiven him, that he may love
much more". And therefore Christ's saying is so plain in light of this that
it is a wonder to see the enemies of the truth so badly distort and
misinterpret this place in such a thorough manner in order to establish
their meritorious works: for the greater sum a man has forgiven him, the
more he loves him that has been so gracious to him. And this woman shows by
deeds of love how great the benefit was she had received: and therefore the
charity that is here spoken of is not to be taken as the cause of her
forgiveness, but as a sign of it: for Christ does not say as the Pharisees
did that she was a sinner, but bears her witness that the sins of her past
life are forgiven her.
Lu 7:50
7:50 And he said to the
woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; {g} go in peace.
Lu 8:4
8:4 {1} And when much people
were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a
parable:
(1) The same gospel is sown
everywhere, but does not everywhere yield the same fruit, and this is only
due to the fault of men themselves.
Lu 8:10
8:10 And he said, Unto you it
is given to know the {a} mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in
parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not
understand.
(a) Those things are called
secret which may not be uttered: for the word used here is equivalent to our
saying, "to hold a man's peace".
Lu 8:14
8:14 And that which fell
among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, {b} go forth, and are
choked with cares and riches and pleasures of [this] life, and {c} bring no
fruit to perfection.
(b) That is, as soon as
they have heard the word, they go about their business.
(c) They do not bring forth perfect and full fruit to the ripening: or, they
begin, but they do not bring to an end.
Lu 8:15
8:15 But that on the good
ground are they, which in an {d} honest and good heart, having heard the word,
{e} keep [it], and bring forth fruit with patience.
(d) Who seek not only to
seem to be such, but are indeed so: so that this word "honest" refers to the
outward life, and the word "good" refers to the good gifts of the mind.
(e) With much difficulty, for the devil and the flesh fight against the
Spirit of God, who is a new guest.
Lu 8:16
8:16 {2} No man, when he hath
lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth [it] under a bed; but
setteth [it] on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.
(2) That which every man
has received in private he ought to bestow to the use and profit of all men.
Lu 8:18
8:18 {3} Take {f} heed
therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and
whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that {g} which he seemeth to
have.
(3) Heavenly gifts are lost
when one is sparing with them, and increase when one is liberal with them.
(f) That is, with what minds you come to hear the word, and how you behave
yourselves when you have heard it.
(g) Either to himself, or to others, or to both: for there are none so proud
as these fellows, if it were possible to see those things which they
disguise: neither are there those that deceive the simple more than they do.
Lu 8:19
8:19 {4} Then came to him
[his] mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.
(4) There is no
relationship of flesh and blood among men so intimate and upright as the
band which is between Christ and those who embrace him with a true faith.
Lu 8:22
8:22 {5} 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.
(5) It is expedient for us
sometimes to come into extreme danger, as though Christ was not with us,
that we may have a better test, both of his power, and also of our weakness.
Lu 8:23
8:23 But as they sailed he
fell {h} asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and {i} they
were filled [with water], and were in jeopardy.
(h) Jesus fell asleep, and
it appears that he was very fast asleep, because they called him twice
before he awoke.
(i) Not the disciples, but the ship.
Lu 8:27
8:27 {6} 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.
(6) Christ shows by casting
out a legion of demons by his word alone that his heavenly power was
appointed to deliver men from the slavery of the devil: but foolish men for
the most part will not redeem this so excellent grace freely offered unto
them if it means the loss of even the least of their wealth.
Lu 8:29
8:29 (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 fetters; and he brake the bands, {k}
and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)
(k) By force and violence,
as a horse when he is spurred.
Lu 8:39
8:39 Return to thine own
house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way,
and published {l} throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done
unto him.
(l) That is, the city of
the Gadarenes: and though Mark says that he preached it in Decapolis, these
accounts do not differ, for Pliny records in lib. 5, chap. 18, that Gadara
is a town of Decapolis: so that Decapolis was partly on this side of Jordan,
and partly on the other side.
Lu 8:40
8:40 And it came to pass,
that, when Jesus was returned, the people {m} [gladly] received him: for they
were all waiting for him.
(m) The multitude was glad
he had come again, and greatly rejoiced.
Lu 8:41
8:41 {7} And, behold, there
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:
Lu 8:43
8:43 And a woman having an
issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her {n} living upon
physicians, neither could be healed of any,
Lu 8:52
8:52 And all wept, and {o}
bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
(o) The word signifies to
beat and strike, and is used in the mournings and lamentations that are at
burials, at which times men used this type of behaviour.
Lu 8:55
8:55 And her spirit came
again, and she {p} arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.
(p) The corpse was lying
there, and then the young girl received life, and rose out of the bed, that
all the world might see that she was not only restored to life, but also
void of all sickness.
Lu 9:1
9:1 Then {1} he called his
twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils,
and to cure diseases.
(1) The twelve apostles are
sent forth only at the commandment of Christ and equipped with the power of
the Holy Spirit: both that none of the Israelites might pretend ignorance,
and also that they might be better prepared for their general mission.
Lu 9:4
9:4 And whatsoever house ye
enter into, there {a} abide, and thence depart.
(a) When you depart out of
any city, depart from that place where you first took up your lodging: so
that in these few words the Lord forbids them to change their lodgings: for
this publishing of the gospel was as it were a publishing throughout the
whole land, that no one in Judea might pretend ignorance, as though he had
not heard that Christ had come.
Lu 9:7
9:7 {2} Now Herod the
tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he {b} was perplexed, because
that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;
(2) As soon as the world
hears tidings of the gospel it is divided into differing opinions, and the
tyrants especially are afraid.
(b) He stuck as it were fast in the mire.
Lu 9:10
9:10 {3} And the apostles,
when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them,
and went aside privately into a {c} desert place belonging to the city called
Bethsaida.
(3) They that follow Christ
will lack nothing, not even in the wilderness.
(c) The word signifies a desert: note, this was not in the town Bethsaida,
but part of the fields belonging to the town.
Lu 9:13
9:13 But he said unto them,
Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two
fishes; {d} except we should go and buy meat for all this people.
(d) This is said
imperfectly, and therefore we must understand it to mean something like
this: "We cannot give them to eat unless we go and buy, etc.".
Lu 9:16
9:16 Then he took the five
loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, {e} he blessed them, and
brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.
(e) He gave God thanks for
these loaves and fishes, and prayed at the same time that God would feed
this multitude which was so great with such a small quantity, and to put it
briefly, that this whole banquet might be to the glory of God.
Lu 9:18
9:18 {4} And it came to pass,
as he was {f} alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them,
saying, Whom say the people that I am?
(4) Although the world be
tossed up and down between different errors, yet we ought not to condemn the
truth but be all the more desirous to know it, and be more steadfast to
confess it.
(f) Alone from the people.
Lu 9:22
9:22 {5} 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.
(5) Christ himself attained
to the heavenly glory, by the cross and invincible perseverance.
Lu 9:23
9:23 And he said to [them]
all, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross {g} daily, and follow me.
(g) Even as one day follows
another, so does one cross follow another, and the cross is by the figure of
speech metonymy taken for the miseries of this life: for to be hanged on the
cross was the most grievous and cruel punishment that there was amongst the
Jews.
Lu 9:28
9:28 {6} And 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.
(6) So that his disciples
do not stumble at his debasing himself in his flesh, he teaches them that it
is voluntary, showing in addition for a moment the brightness of his glory.
Lu 9:31
9:31 Who appeared in glory,
and spake of his {h} decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
Lu 9:36
9:36 And when the voice was
past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept [it] close, and told no man in {i}
those days any of those things which they had seen.
Lu 9:37
9:37 {7} And it came to pass,
that on the next day, when they were come down from the hill, much people met
him.
(7) Nothing offends Christ
as much as incredulity, although he bears with it for a time.
Lu 9:39
9:39 And, lo, a spirit taketh
him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and
{k} bruising him hardly departeth from him.
Lu 9:43
9:43 {8} And they were all
amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all
things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,
(8) We have no reason to
promise ourselves rest and quietness in this world, seeing that they
themselves who seemed to fawn upon Christ crucify him shortly after.
Lu 9:44
9:44 {l} Let these sayings
sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands
of men.
(l) Give diligent ear to
them, and once you have heard them see that you keep them.
Lu 9:46
9:46 {9} Then there arose a
reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.
(9) Ambition results in
dishonour, but the result of modest obedience is glory.
Lu 9:49
9:49 {10} 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.
Lu 9:51
9:51 {11} And it came to
pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly {m}
set his face to go to Jerusalem,
(11) Christ goes willingly
to death.
(m) Literally, "he hardened his face": that is, he resolved with himself to
die, and therefore ventured upon his journey and cast away all fear of
death, and went on.
Lu 9:54
9:54 {12} And when his
disciples James and John saw [this], they said, Lord, wilt thou that we
command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
(12) We must take heed of
zeal and fond imitation which is not moderated, even in good causes, that
whatever we do, we do it to God's glory, and the profit of our neighbour.
Lu 9:55
9:55 But he turned, and
rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of {n} spirit ye are of.
(n) So the Hebrews say,
that is, you do not know what will, mind, and counsel you are of: so the
gifts of God are called the spirit because they are given by God's Spirit,
and so are the things that are contrary to them also called the spirit,
which proceed from the wicked spirit, such as the spirit of covetousness, of
pride, and madness.
Lu 9:57
9:57 {13} 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.
Lu 9:59
9:59 {14} And he said unto
another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my
father.
(14) The calling of God
ought to be preferred without any question, before all duties that we owe to
men.
Lu 9:60
9:60 Jesus said unto him, Let
the dead bury {o} their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
(o) Who, even though they
live in this frail life of man, yet are strangers from the true life, which
is everlasting and heavenly.
Lu 9:61
9:61 {15} And another also
said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which
are at home at my house.
Lu 10:1
10:1 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.
Lu 10:3
10:3 {2} Go your ways:
behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
(2) The faithful ministers
of the word are in this world as lambs among wolves: but if they are
diligent to do their duty, he who sent them will also preserve them.
Lu 10:4
10:4 Carry neither purse, nor
scrip, nor shoes: and salute {a} no man by the way.
(a) This is spoken
figuratively, which manner of speech men use when they put down more in
words than is meant. This is usual among the Hebrews when they command a
thing to be done speedily without delay, as is found in 2Ki 4:29 ; for in
any other case courteous and gentle salutations are matters of Christian
duty: as for the calling, it was only for a limited time.
Lu 10:6
10:6 And if {b} the son of
peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you
again.
(b) So say the Hebrews:
that is, he that favours the doctrine of peace and embraces it.
Lu 10:7
10:7 And in the same house
{c} remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is
worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.
(c) Take up your lodging in
that house which you enter into first, that is, do not be concerned about
comfortable lodging, as men do who plan to stay in a place a long time: for
here that solemn preaching of the gospel, which was used afterward when the
Churches were settled, is not instituted: but these are sent abroad to all
the coasts of Judea to show them that the last jubilee is at hand.
Lu 10:8
10:8 And into whatsoever city
ye enter, and they receive you, {d} eat such things as are set before you:
Lu 10:10
10:10 {3} But into whatsoever
city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of
the same, and say,
Lu 10:17
10:17 {4} And the seventy
returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us {e}
through thy name.
(4) Neither the gift of
miracles, neither any other excellent gift, but only our election gives us
an occasion of true joy. And only the publishing of the gospel is the
destruction of Satan.
(e) For Christ's disciples used no absolute authority, but performed the
miracles they did by calling upon Christ's name.
Lu 10:18
10:18 And he said unto them,
I beheld Satan as lightning {f} fall from heaven.
(f) Paul writes that the
location of the devil and his angels is in the air, as is found in Eph 6:12
, and he is said to be cast down from there by force, when his power is
abolished by the voice of the Gospel.
Lu 10:19
10:19 Behold, I give unto you
power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy:
and nothing shall by any means {g} hurt you.
Lu 10:21
10:21 {5} 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 {h} wise and prudent, and hast
revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
(5) The Church is
contemptible, if we consider its outward appearance, but the wisdom of God
is most marvellous in it.
(h) Of this world.
Lu 10:22
10:22 {6} All things are
delivered to me of my Father: and no 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].
Lu 10:23
10:23 {7} And he turned him
unto [his] disciples, and said privately, Blessed [are] the eyes which see the
things that ye see:
Lu 10:25
10:25 {8} And, behold, {i} a
certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to
inherit eternal life?
(8) Faith does not take
away but establishes the doctrine of the law.
(i) One of those who proclaimed himself to be learned in the rites and laws
of Moses.
Lu 10:29
10:29 {9} But he, willing {k}
to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
(9) The law defines our
neighbour as anyone at all that we may help.
(k) That is, to vouch his righteousness, or show that he was just, that is,
void of all faults: and Jas 5:1-20 uses the word of justification in this
sense.
Lu 10:38
10:38 {10} Now it came to
pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain
woman named Martha received him into her house.
(10) Christ does not desire
to be waited upon in a delicate manner, but to be heard diligently; this is
that which he especially requires.
Lu 11:2
11:2 And he said unto them,
When ye pray, say, {1} Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Lu 11:3
11:3 Give us {a} day by day
our daily bread.
(a) That is, as much as is
needed for us this day, by which we are not prevented from having an honest
care for the maintenance of our lives; but that complaining care, which
kills a number of men, is cut off and restrained.
Lu 11:5
11:5 {2} 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;
Lu 11:8
11:8 I say unto you, Though
he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his
{b} importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
(b) Literally, "impudence":
but that impudency which is spoken of here is not to be found fault with,
but is very commendable before God, for he is well pleased by such
importunity.
Lu 11:15
11:15 {3} But some of them
said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.
(3) An example of horrible
blindness, and such as cannot be healed, when the power of God is blasphemed
by an evil conscience and pretended malice.
Lu 11:17
11:17 {4} But he, knowing
their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is
brought to desolation; and a house [divided] against a house falleth.
(4) The true way to know
the true Christ from the false is this, that the true Christ has no harmony
or agreement with Satan: and once we know him it is left for us to
acknowledge him.
Lu 11:18
11:18 If Satan also be
divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I
cast out devils {c} through Beelzebub.
Lu 11:20
11:20 But if I with the {d}
finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
(d) That is, by the power
of God: so it says in Geneva "Ex 8:19".
Lu 11:21
11:21 When a strong man armed
keepeth his {e} palace, his goods are in peace:
(e) The word properly
signifies an open and empty room in front of a house, and so in translation
is taken for noblemen's houses.
Lu 11:23
11:23 {5} He that is not with
me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
(5) Against indifferent
men, and such as love to have a compromise, who seek means to reconcile
Christ and Satan together.
Lu 11:24
11:24 {6} 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 I came out.
(6) He that does not
continue, but is in a worse case, than he that never began.
Lu 11:27
11:27 {7} And it came to
pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her
voice, and said unto him, Blessed [is] the womb that bare thee, and the paps
which thou hast sucked.
(7) Christ does not seek
praise for himself, but in our salvation.
Lu 11:33
11:33 {9} 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.
(9) Our minds are therefore
lightened with the knowledge of God, that we should give light unto others,
and therefore our main labour ought to be to pray for that light.
Lu 11:37
11:37 {10} And as he spake, a
certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down
to meat.
(10) The service of God
consists not in outward cleanliness and planned rites or ceremonies, but in
the spiritual righteousness of the heart and charity.
Lu 11:41
11:41 But rather give alms
{f} of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
(f) That is, according to
your ability: as one would say, instead of your extortion which hindered you
so that you could not eat cleanly, use charity, and in accordance with your
ability be good to the poor, and in this way will that which is within the
platter be sanctified even though the platter is unwashed.
Lu 11:42
11:42 {11} But woe unto you,
Pharisees! for ye {g} tithe mint and rue and {h} all manner of herbs, and pass
over {i} judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to
leave the other undone.
(11) It is the
characteristic of hypocrites to stand firmly for little trifles and to let
greater matters pass.
(g) You decide by God's law that the tenth part is due to be paid.
(h) Of all types of herbs, some as Augustine expounds it in his Enchiridion
to Laurence, chap. 99, where he shows in like manner how that place of Paul,
(God "will have all men to be saved"), 1Ti 2:4 , is to be expounded after
the same manner.
(i) That is to say, that which is right and reasonable to do, for this word
"judgment" contains the commandments of the second table, and the other
words, "the love of God", contain the commandments of the first.
Lu 11:43
11:43 {12} Woe unto you,
Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in
the markets.
Lu 11:44
11:44 {13} Woe unto you,
scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and
the men that walk over [them] are not aware [of them].
Lu 11:45
11:45 {14} Then answered one
of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us
also.
(14) Hypocrites are very
severe against other men, but think that all things are lawful for
themselves.
Lu 11:47
11:47 {15} Woe unto you! for
ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
(15) Hypocrites honour
those saints when they are dead whom they persecute most cruelly when they
are alive.
Lu 11:48
11:48 Truly {k} ye bear
witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them,
and ye build their sepulchres.
(k) When you persecute
God's servants like mad men, even as your fathers did, though you try and
cover it with a pretence of godliness, yet nonetheless, by beautifying the
sepulchres of the prophets, what else are you doing but glorying in your
father's cruelty, and setting up monuments (as it were) in glory and triumph
of it?
Lu 11:49
11:49 Therefore also said the
wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and [some] of them they
shall slay and {l} persecute:
(l) They will so vex them
and trouble them, that at length they will banish them.
Lu 11:50
11:50 That the blood of all
the prophets, which was {m} shed from the foundation of the world, may be
required of this generation;
(m) That you may be called
to give an account for it, yea, and be punished for the shedding of that
blood of the prophets.
Lu 11:52
11:52 {16} Woe unto you,
lawyers! for ye have {n} taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in
yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.
(16) Those who ought to be
the door keepers of the Church have for a long time mainly hindered the
people from entering into the knowledge of God.
(n) You have hidden and taken away, so that it cannot be found anywhere.
Lu 11:53
11:53 {17} And as he said
these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge [him]
vehemently, and to {o} provoke him to speak of many things:
(17) The more the world is
reprehended, the worse it is, and yet we must not betray the truth.
(o) They proposed many questions to him, to draw something out of his mouth
which they might traitorously find fault with.
Lu 12:1
12:1 In {1} the mean time,
when there were gathered together {a} an innumerable multitude of people,
insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples
first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
(1) The faithful teachers
of God's word, who are appointed by him for his people, must both take good
heed of those who corrupt the purity of doctrine with smooth speech, and
also take pains through the help of God to set forth sincere doctrine,
openly and without fear.
(a) Literally, "ten thousand of people", a certain number which is given for
an uncertain number.
Lu 12:4
12:4 {2} 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.
(2) Although hypocrites
have princes to execute their cruelty, yet there is no reason why we should
be afraid of them, even by the smallest amount that may be, seeing that they
can do nothing except that which pleases God, and God does not will anything
that may be against the salvation of his elect.
Lu 12:5
12:5 But I will {b} 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.
(b) He warns them of
dangers that presently hang over their heads, for those that come upon one
suddenly make a greater wound.
Lu 12:8
12:8 {3} Also I say unto you,
Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess
before the angels of God:
(3) Great is the reward of
a constant confession: and horrible is the punishment for denying Christ;
yea, it will be impossible to call the punishment back again, if on purpose,
both with mouth and heart we blaspheme a known truth.
Lu 12:11
12:11 {4} 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:
(4) It is a great and
difficult conflict to confess the truth, yet God who can do all things and
is almighty will provide strength to the weakest who struggle greatly and do
battle in God's appointed time.
Lu 12:13
12:13 {5} And one of the
company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the
inheritance with me.
(5) For three reasons
Christ would not be a judge to divide an inheritance. First, because he
would not support and uphold the fleshly opinion that the Jews had of
Messiah: secondly, because he wanted to distinguish the civil government
from the ecclesiastical: thirdly, to teach us to beware of those which abuse
the show of the gospel, and also the name of ministers, for their own
private well-being.
Lu 12:15
12:15 And he said unto them,
Take heed, and beware of {c} covetousness: for a man's life {d} consisteth not
in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
(c) By covetousness is
meant that greedy desire to get, commonly causing hurt to other men.
(d) God is the author and preserver of man's life; goods are not.
Lu 12:16
12:16 {6} And he spake a
parable unto them, saying, The {e} ground of a certain rich man brought forth
plentifully:
(6) There are none more mad
than rich men who depend upon their riches.
(e) Or rather country, for here is set forth a man that possesses not only a
piece of ground, but a whole country, as they do who join house to house,
and field to field; Isa 5:8 .
Lu 12:17
12:17 And he {f} thought
within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to
bestow my fruits?
(f) Reckoned with himself,
which is the characteristic of covetous surly men who spend their life in
those trifles.
Lu 12:19
12:19 And I will say to my
soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat,
drink, [and] {g} be merry.
Lu 12:21
12:21 So [is] he that layeth
up treasure {h} for himself, and is not rich toward God.
(h) Caring for no man but
for himself, and making sure to trust in himself.
Lu 12:22
12:22 {7} And he said unto
his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what
ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
(7) Earnestly thinking upon
the providence of God is a present remedy for this life against the most
foolish and wasting worry of men.
Lu 12:29
12:29 And seek not ye what ye
shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither {i} be ye of doubtful mind.
(i) A metaphor taken of
things that hang in the air, for those that care too much for this worldly
life, and rely upon the arm of man, always have wavering and doubtful minds,
swaying sometimes this way, and sometimes that way.
Lu 12:31
12:31 {8} But rather seek ye
the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Lu 12:32
12:32 {9} Fear not, little
flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
(9) It is a foolish thing
not to look for small things at the hands of him who freely gives us the
greatest things.
Lu 12:33
12:33 {10} Sell that ye have,
and give {k} alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in
the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth
corrupteth.
(10) A godly bountifulness
is a proper way to get true riches.
(k) This is the figure of speech metonymy, for by this word "alms" is meant
that compassion and friendliness of a heart that cares tenderly for the
misery and poor condition of a man, and shows this feeling by some gift, and
has the name given to it in the Greek language of mercy and compassion: and
therefore he is said to give alms who gives something to another, and gives
to the poor, showing by this that he pities their poor condition.
Lu 12:35
12:35 {11} Let your loins be
girded about, and [your] lights burning;
(11) The life of the
faithful servants of God in this world is certainly a diligent journey,
having the light of the word going before the journey.
Lu 12:40
12:40 {12} Be ye therefore
ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
Lu 12:42
12:42 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] {l} portion of meat in due season?
(l) That is, every month
the measure of corn that was given to them.
Lu 12:48
12:48 But he that knew not,
and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few [stripes].
For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom
men have committed much, of him they will ask {m} the more.
Lu 12:49
12:49 {13} I am come to send
fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
(13) The gospel is the only
reason of peace between the godly, and so it is the occasion of great
trouble among the wicked.
Lu 12:54
12:54 {14} And he said also
to the people, When ye see a cloud {n} rise out of the west, straightway ye
say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.
(14) Men who are very quick
to see with regard to earthly things are blind with regard to those things
which pertain to the heavenly life, and this through their own malice.
(n) Which appears, and gathers itself together in that part of the air.
Lu 12:57
12:57 {15} Yea, and why even
of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
(15) Men that are blinded
with the love of themselves, and therefore are detestable and stubborn, will
bear the punishment of their folly.
Lu 12:58
12:58 When thou goest with
thine adversary to the magistrate, [as thou art] in the way, give diligence
that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and
the judge deliver thee to the {o} officer, and the officer cast thee into
prison.
(o) To him that has to
demand and gather the fines from those who were fined at the discretion of
the court, people who had wrongly troubled men: moreover, the magistrate's
officers make those who are condemned pay what they owe, yea and often if
they are obstinate, they not only take the fine, but also imprison them.
Lu 13:1
13:1 There {1} were present
at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood {a} Pilate
had mingled with their sacrifices.
(1) We must not rejoice at
the just punishment of others, but rather we should be instructed by it to
repent.
(a) Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea almost ten years, and about the
fourth year of his government, which might be about the fifteenth year of
Tiberius' reign, Christ finished the work of our redemption by his death.
Lu 13:4
13:4 Or those eighteen, upon
whom the tower in {b} Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were
sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
(b) That is, in the place,
or river: for Siloam was a small river from which the conduits of the city
came; see Joh 9:7 Isa 8:6 ; and therefore it was a tower or a castle, built
upon the conduit side, which fell down suddenly and killed some.
Lu 13:6
13:6 {2} He spake also this
parable; A certain [man] had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came
and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
(2) Great and long
suffering is the patience of God, but yet he eventually executes judgment.
Lu 13:7
13:7 Then said he unto the
dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on
this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why {c} cumbereth it the ground?
Lu 13:10
13:10 {3} And he was teaching
in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
Lu 13:11
13:11 And, behold, there was
a woman which had a {d} spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed
together, and could in no wise lift up [herself].
Lu 13:12
13:12 And when Jesus saw her,
he called [her to him], and said unto her, Woman, thou art {e} loosed from
thine infirmity.
(e) For Satan had the woman
bound, as if she had been in chains, to the extent that for eighteen years
time she could not hold up her head.
Lu 13:14
13:14 {4} And the {f} ruler
of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on
the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men
ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath
day.
(4) A graphic image of
hypocrisy, and the reward of it.
(f) One of the rulers of the synagogue, for it appears that there were many
rulers of the synagogue, see Mr 5:22 Ac 13:15 .
Lu 13:19
13:19 {5} 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.
(5) God begins his kingdom
with small beginnings so that its growth, which is not looked for, may
better set forth his power.
Lu 13:22
13:22 {6} And he went through
the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
(6) Against those who had
rather err with many than go right with a few, and because of this through
their own indifference they are shut out of the kingdom of God.
Lu 13:26
13:26 {7} Then shall ye begin
to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our
streets.
(7) It is vain to be in the
Church if one is not of the Church; and whether or not one is in the Church
is shown by the purity of life.
Lu 13:28
13:28 {8} 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.
Lu 13:29
13:29 And they shall come
from the {g} east, and [from] the west, and from the north, and [from] the
south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
(g) From all the corners of
the world, and the places mentioned here are four of the main ones.
Lu 13:31
13:31 {9} The same day there
came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart
hence: for Herod will kill thee.
(9) We must go forward in
regards to our calling, through the midst of terrors, whether they be real
or imagined.
Lu 13:32
13:32 And he said unto them,
Go ye, and tell that {h} fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures {i} to
day and to morrow, and the third [day] I shall be {k} perfected.
(h) That deceitful and
treacherous man.
(i) That is, a small time, and Theophylact says it is a proverb: or else by
"to day" we may understand the present time, and by tomorrow the time to
come, meaning by this the entire time of his ministry and office.
(k) That is, when the sacrifice for sin is finished.
Lu 13:33
13:33 {10} Nevertheless I
must walk to day, and to morrow, and the [day] following: for it cannot be
that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.
(10) Nowhere else are there
more cruel enemies of the godly than within the sanctuary and Church itself:
but God sees it and will in his time have an account for it from them.
Lu 13:34
13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how
often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen [doth gather] her
{l} brood under [her] wings, and ye would not!
(l) Literally, "the nest":
now the brood of chickens is the nest.
Lu 14:1
14:1 And {1} it came to pass,
as he went into the house of {a} one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on
the sabbath day, that they watched him.
(1) The law of the very
sabbath ought not to hinder the offices of charity.
(a) Either one of the elders, whom they called the sanhedrin, or one of the
chiefs of the synagogue: for all the Pharisees were not chief men of the
synagogue Joh 7:48 ; for this word Pharisee was the name of a sect, though
it appears by viewing the whole history of the matter that the Pharisees had
much authority.
Lu 14:7
14:7 {2} And he put forth a
parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the
chief rooms; saying unto them,
(2) The reward of pride is
dishonour, and the reward of true modesty is glory.
Lu 14:12
14:12 {3} Then said he also
to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy
friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor [thy] rich neighbours;
lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.
(3) Against those who spend
their goods either for the glory of man or for hope of recompence, whereas
Christian charity considers only the glory of God, and the profit of our
neighbour.
Lu 14:18
14:18 {4} And they all with
{b} one [consent] began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought
a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me
excused.
(4) For the most part even
those to whom God has revealed himself are so mad, that any help which they
have received of God they willingly turn into obstructions and hindrances.
(b) On purpose, and a thing agreed upon before: for though they give
different reasons why they cannot come, yet all of them agree in this, that
they have their excuses so that they may not come to supper.
Lu 14:21
14:21 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 {c} streets and lanes of the
city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the
blind.
Lu 14:25
14:25 {5} And there went
great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
(5) Even those affections
which are in themselves worthy of praise and commendation must be controlled
and kept in order, so that godliness may have the upper hand and have
preeminence.
Lu 14:26
14:26 If any [man] come to
me, and {d} hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and
brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
(d) If anything stands
between God and him, as Theophylact says: and therefore these words are
spoken in a comparative way, and not by themselves.
Lu 14:27
14:27 {6} And whosoever doth
not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
(6) The true followers of
Christ must at once build and fight, and therefore be ready and prepared to
endure all types of miseries.
Lu 14:28
14:28 For which of you,
intending to build a tower, {e} sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost,
whether he have [sufficient] to finish [it]?
(e) At home, and calculates
all his costs before he begins the work.
Lu 14:34
14:34 {7} Salt [is] good: but
if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
(7) The disciples of Christ
must be wise, both for themselves and for others: otherwise they become the
most foolish of all.
Lu 15:1
15:1 Then drew near unto {1}
him {a} all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
(1) We must not give up on
those who have gone out of the way, but according to the example of Christ
we must take great pains for them.
(a) Some publicans and sinners came to Christ from all areas.
Lu 15:11
15:11 {2} And he said, A
certain man had two sons:
(2) Men by their voluntary
falling from God, having robbed themselves of the benefits which they
received from him, cast themselves headlong into infinite calamities: but
God of his singular goodness, offering himself freely to those whom he
called to repentance, through the greatness of their misery with which they
were humbled, not only gently receives them, but also enriches them with far
greater gifts and blesses them with the greatest bliss.
Lu 15:17
15:17 {3} 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!
(3) The beginning of
repentance is the acknowledging of the mercy of God, which encourages us to
hope expectantly.
Lu 15:18
15:18 I will arise and go to
my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against {b} heaven,
and before thee,
(b) Against God, because he
is said to dwell in heaven.
Lu 15:21
15:21 {4} And the son said
unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no
more worthy to be called thy son.
(4) In true repentance
there is a consciousness of our sins, joined with sorrow and shame, and from
this springs a confession, after which follows forgiveness.
Lu 15:25
15:25 {5} Now his elder son
was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick
and dancing.
Lu 16:1
16:1 And he said also unto
his disciples, {1} There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the
same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.
(1) Seeing that men often
purchase friendship for themselves at the expense of others, we are to be
ashamed if we do not please the Lord or procure the good will of our
neighbours with the goods which the Lord has bestowed on us freely and
liberally, making sure that by this means riches, which are often occasions
of sin, are used for another end and purpose.
Lu 16:8
16:8 And the lord commended
{a} the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the {b} children of
this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
(a) This parable does not
approve the steward's evil dealing, for it was definitely theft: but
parables are set forth to show a thing in a secret way, and as it were, to
present the truth by means of an allegory, even though it may not be exact:
so that by this parable Christ means to teach us that worldly men are more
clever in the affairs of this world than the children of God are diligent
for everlasting life.
(b) Men that are given to this present life, contrary to whom are the
children of light: Paul calls the former carnal and the latter spiritual.
Lu 16:9
16:9 And I say unto you, Make
to yourselves friends of the mammon {c} of unrighteousness; that, when ye
fail, they may receive you into everlasting {d} habitations.
(c) This is not spoken of
goods that are gotten wrongly, for God will have our bountifulness to the
poor proceed and come from a good fountain: but he calls those things riches
of iniquity which men use wickedly.
(d) That is, the poor Christians: for they are the inheritors of these
habitations; Theophylact.
Lu 16:10
16:10 {2} He that is faithful
in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the
least is unjust also in much.
(2) We ought to take heed
that we do not abuse our earthly work and duty and so be deprived of
heavenly gifts: for how can they properly use spiritual gifts who abuse
worldly things?
Lu 16:11
16:11 If therefore ye have
not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the
{c} true [riches]?
(c) That is, heavenly and
true riches, which are contrary to material wealth which is worldly and
quickly departing.
Lu 16:12
16:12 And if ye have not been
faithful in that which is {f} another man's, who shall give you that which is
your own?
(f) In worldly goods, which
are called other men's because they are not ours, but rather entrusted to
our care.
Lu 16:13
16:13 {3} 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.
Lu 16:15
16:15 {4} And he said unto
them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your
hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the
sight of God.
(4) Our sins are not hidden
to God, although they may be hidden to men, yea although they may be hidden
to those who committed them.
Lu 16:16
16:16 {5} The law and the
prophets [were] until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached,
and every man presseth into it.
(5) The Pharisees despised
the excellency of the new covenant with respect to the old, being ignorant
of the perfect righteousness of the law; and Christ declares by the seventh
commandment how they were false expounders of the law.
Lu 16:18
16:18 Whosoever putteth away
his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth
her {g} that is put away from [her] husband committeth adultery.
(g) They that gather by
this passage that a man cannot be married again after he has divorced his
wife for adultery, while she lives, reason incorrectly: for Christ speaks of
those divorces which the Jews had which were not because of adultery, for
adulterers were put to death by the law.
Lu 16:19
16:19 {6} There was a certain
rich man, which was clothed in {h} purple and fine linen, and fared
sumptuously every day:
(6) The end of the poverty
and misery of the godly will be everlasting joy, as the end of riotous
living and the cruel pride of the rich will be everlasting misery, without
any hope of mercy.
(h) Very gorgeously and sumptuously, for purple garments were costly, and
this fine linen, which was a kind of linen that came out of Achaia, was as
precious as gold.
Lu 16:23
16:23 And in hell {i} he lift
up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his
bosom.
Lu 16:27
16:27 {7} Then he said, I
pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
(7) Seeing that we have a
most sure rule to live by, laid forth for us in the word of God, men seek
rashly and vainly for other revelations.
Lu 17:1
17:1 Then said he unto the
disciples, {1} It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe [unto
him], through whom they come!
(1) The Church is of
necessity subject to offences, but the Lord will not suffer them unpunished,
if any of the least be offended.
Lu 17:3
17:3 {2} Take heed to
yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he
repent, forgive him.
Lu 17:5
17:5 {3} And the apostles
said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
(3) God will never be
utterly lacking to the godly (although he may not be as thorough with them
as they wish) even in those difficulties which cannot be overcome by man's
reason.
Lu 17:6
17:6 And the Lord said, If ye
had faith as {a} 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.
(a) If you had no more
faith, but the quantity of the grain of mustard seed.
Lu 17:7
17:7 {4} But which of you,
having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when
he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
(4) Seeing that God may
rightfully claim for himself both us and all that is ours, he cannot be
indebted to us for anything, although we labour mightily until we die.
Lu 17:10
17:10 {5} So likewise ye,
when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are
unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
(5) No matter how perfectly
we may keep the law, it deserves no reward.
Lu 17:11
17:11 {6} And it came to
pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and
Galilee.
(6) Christ does good even
to those who will be unthankful, but the benefits of God to salvation only
profit those who are thankful.
Lu 17:20
17:20 {7} 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 {b} observation:
(7) The kingdom of God is
not discerned by many although it is most present before their eyes, because
they foolishly persuade themselves that it is to come with outward pomp.
(b) With any outward pomp and show of majesty to be known by: for there were
still many plain and evident tokens by which men might have understood that
Christ was the Messiah, whose kingdom had been so long looked for: but he
speaks in this place of those signs which the Pharisees dreamed of, who
looked for an earthly Messianic kingdom.
Lu 17:21
17:21 Neither shall they say,
Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is {c} within you.
(c) You look around for the
Messiah as though he were absent, but he is amongst you in the midst of you.
Lu 17:22
17:22 {8} And he said unto
the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see {d} one of the
days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see [it].
(8) We often neglect those
things when they are present which we afterward desire when they are gone,
but in vain.
(d) The time will come when you will seek for the Son of Man with great
sorrow of heart, and will not find him.
Lu 17:23
17:23 {9} And they shall say
to you, See here; or, see there: go not after [them], nor follow [them].
(9) Christ forewarns us
that false Christs will come, and that his glory will suddenly be spread far
and wide through the world after the shame of the cross is put out and
extinguished.
Lu 17:26
17:26 {10} And as it was in
the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
(10) The world will be
taken by surprise with the sudden judgment of God, and therefore the
faithful ought to continually watch.
Lu 17:31
17:31 {11} 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 likewise not return
back.
(11) We must pay careful
attention that neither distrust nor the enticements of this world, nor any
consideration of friendship hinder us in the least way.
Lu 17:33
17:33 Whosoever shall seek to
save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall {e}
preserve it.
(e) That is, will save it,
as Matthew expounds it: for the life that is spoken of here is everlasting
salvation.
Lu 17:37
17:37 {12} And they answered
and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body
[is], thither will the eagles be gathered together.
Lu 18:1
18:1 And {1} he spake a
parable unto them [to this end], that men ought always to pray, and not to {a}
faint;
(1) God will have us to
continue in prayer, not to weary us, but to exercise us; therefore we must
fight against impatience so that a long delay does not cause us to quit our
praying.
(a) Yield to afflictions and adversities as those do who have lost heart.
Lu 18:2
18:2 {b} Saying, There was in
a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
(b) He does not compare
things that are of equal stature, but the less with the greater: If a man
receives what is rightfully his at the hands of a most unrighteous judge,
much more will the prayers of the godly prevail before God.
Lu 18:5
18:5 Yet because this widow
troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she {c} weary
me.
(c) Literally, "beat me
down with her blows", and it is a metaphor taken of wrestlers who beat their
adversaries with their fists or clubs: in the same way those that are
persistent beat the judge's ears with their crying out, even as it were with
blows.
Lu 18:7
18:7 And shall not God avenge
his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though {d} he bear long with
them?
Lu 18:9
18:9 {2} And he spake this
parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and
despised others:
(2) Two things especially
make our prayers void and of no effect: confidence of our own righteousness,
and our contempt of others; but a humble heart is contrary to both of these.
Lu 18:11
18:11 {3} The Pharisee stood
and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men
[are], extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
(3) Although we confess
that whatever we have, we have it from God, yet we are despised by God as
proud and arrogant if we put even the least trust in our own works before
God.
Lu 18:13
18:13 And the publican,
standing {e} afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven,
but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Lu 18:15
18:15 {f} And they brought
unto him also infants, that he would touch them: {4} but when [his] disciples
saw [it], they rebuked them.
(f) The children were
tender and young in that they were brought, which appears more evidently in
that they were infants. (Ed.)
(4) To judge or think of Christ after the reason of the flesh is the cause
of infinite corruptions.
Lu 18:16
18:16 {5} But Jesus {g}
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.
(5) The elect children of
the faithful are included in the free covenant of God. (Ed.)
(g) Those that carried the children, whom the disciples drove away.
Lu 18:17
18:17 {6} Verily I say unto
you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in
no wise enter therein.
Lu 18:21
18:21 {7} And he said, All
these have I kept from my youth up.
Lu 18:24
18:24 {8} And when Jesus saw
that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches
enter into the kingdom of God!
Lu 18:29
18:29 {9} And he said unto
them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents,
or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake,
Lu 18:31
18:31 {10} 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.
(10) As sure and certain as
persecution is, so sure is the glory which remains for the conquerors.
Lu 18:34
18:34 And they understood {h}
none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the
things which were spoken.
Lu 18:35
18:35 {11} And it came to
pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the
way side begging:
Lu 18:39
18:39 {12} And they which
went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much
the more, [Thou] Son of David, have mercy on me.
(12) The more snares and
hindrances that Satan lays in our way, even by those who profess Christ's
name, so much the more ought we to go forward.
Lu 19:1
19:1 And {1} [Jesus] entered
and passed through Jericho.
Lu 19:2
19:2 And, behold, [there was]
a man named Zacchaeus, which was the {a} chief among the publicans, and he was
rich.
(a) The overseer and head
of the publicans who were there together: for the publicans were divided
into companies, as we may gather from many places in the orations of Cicero.
Lu 19:7
19:7 {2} And when they saw
[it], they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that
is a sinner.
(2) The world forsakes the
grace of God, and yet is unwilling that it should be bestowed upon others.
Lu 19:8
19:8 {3} And Zacchaeus stood,
and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor;
and if I have taken any thing from any man by {b} false accusation, I restore
[him] fourfold.
(3) The example of true
repentance is known by the effect.
(b) By falsely accusing any man: and this agrees most fitly to the master of
the tax gatherers: for commonly they have this practice among them when they
rob and spoil the commonwealth, that they claim to be concerned for nothing
else except the profit of the commonwealth, and under this pretence they are
thieves, and to such an extent that if men reprove them and try to redress
their robbery and thievery, they cry out that the commonwealth is hindered.
Lu 19:9
19:9 And Jesus said unto him,
This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a {c} son of
Abraham.
(c) Beloved of God, one
that walks in the steps of Abraham's faith: and we gather that salvation
came to that house because they received the blessing as Abraham had. (Ed.)
Lu 19:11
19:11 {4} 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.
Lu 19:13
19:13 {5} And he called his
ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I
come.
(5) There are three sorts
of men in the Church: the one sort fall from Christ whom they do not see;
the other, according to their God given position, bestow the gifts which
they have received from God to his glory, with great pains and diligence;
the third live idly and do no good. As for the first, the Lord when he comes
will justly punish them in his time; the second he will bless according to
the pains which they have taken; and as for the slothful and idle persons,
he will punish them like the first.
Lu 19:16
19:16 Then came the first,
saying, Lord, {d} thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
(d) This was a piece of
money which the Greeks used, and was worth about one hundred pence, which is
about ten crowns.
Lu 19:20
19:20 {6} And another came,
saying, Lord, behold, [here is] thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a
napkin:
Lu 19:23
19:23 Wherefore then gavest
not thou my money into the {e} bank, that at my coming I might have required
mine own with usury?
(e) To the bankers and
money changers. Usury or loaning money at interest is strictly forbidden by
the Bible, Ex 22:25-27 De 23:19,20 . Even a rate as low as one per cent
interest was disallowed, Ne 5:11 . This servant had already told two lies.
First he said the master was an austere or harsh man. This is a lie for the
Lord is merciful and gracious. Next he called his master a thief because he
reaped where he did not sow. Finally the master said to him that why did you
not add insult to injury and loan the money out at interest so you could
call your master a "usurer" too! If the servant had done this, his master
would have been responsible for his servant's actions and guilty of usury.
(Ed.)
Lu 19:28
19:28 And when he had thus
spoken, {f} he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.
(f) The disciples were
staggered and stopped by what Christ said, but Christ goes on boldly even
though death was before his eyes.
Lu 19:29
19:29 {7} And 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,
Lu 19:39
19:39 {8} And some of the
Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy
disciples.
(8) When those linger who
ought to preach and set forth the kingdom of God the most, he will
extraordinarily raise up others in spite of them.
Lu 19:41
19:41 {9} And when he was
come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
(9) Christ is not delighted
with destruction, no not even of the wicked.
Lu 19:42
19:42 {g} Saying, {h} If thou
hadst known, even thou, {i} at least in this {k} thy day, the things [which
belong] unto thy {l} peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
(g) Christ stops his
speech, which partly shows how moved he was with compassion over the
destruction of the city that was surely to come: and partly to reprove them
for their treachery and stubbornness against him, such as has not been heard
of before.
(h) You at the very least, O Jerusalem, to whom the message was properly
sent.
(i) If after slaying so many prophets, and so often refusing me, the Lord of
the prophets, if only now, especially in my last coming to you, you had any
concern for yourself.
(k) The good and prosperous time is called the day of this city.
(l) That is, those things in which your happiness stands.
Lu 19:44
19:44 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 {m} the time of thy
visitation.
(m) That is, this very
instant in which God visited you.
Lu 19:45
19:45 {10} And he went into
the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that
bought;
(10) Christ shows after his
entry into Jerusalem by a visible sign that it is his duty, given and
admonished unto him by his Father, to purge the temple.
Lu 20:1
20:1 And {1} 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,
(1) The Pharisees, being
overcome with the truth of Christ's doctrine, propose a question about his
outward calling, and are overcome by the witness of their own conscience.
Lu 20:9
20:9 {2} Then began he to
speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it
forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.
(2) It is nothing new for
those who are knowledgable of the very sanctuary of God's holy place to be
the greatest enemies of Christ, but in due time they will be punished.
Lu 20:20
20:20 {3} And they {a}
watched [him], and sent forth {b} spies, which should feign themselves just
men, {c} that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver
him unto the power and {d} authority of the governor.
(3) The last refuge the
false prophets have to destroy the true prophets is to charge them with
rebellion and treason against the state.
(a) An appropriate time to take him in.
(b) Whom they had hired deceitfully.
(c) That they might latch on to something he said, and by this forge some
false accusation against him.
(d) Put him to death.
Lu 20:21
20:21 And they asked him,
saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither
acceptest thou the {e} person [of any], but teachest the way of God truly:
(e) You are not moved by
favour of any man: and by "person" he means outward circumstances, for if a
man judges according to these, there will be those who are truly alike whom
he will judge to be different.
Lu 20:23
20:23 But he perceived their
{f} craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?
(f) Craftiness is a certain
diligence and subtle knowledge to do evil, which is achieved by much use and
great practise in matters.
Lu 20:27
20:27 {4} Then came to [him]
certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they
asked him,
Lu 20:34
20:34 And Jesus answering
said unto them, The {g} children of this world marry, and are given in
marriage:
(g) "The children of this
world" refers here to those who live in this world, and not those that are
wholly given to the world (and therefore contrary to the children of light),
as above in Lu 16:8 .
Lu 20:36
20:36 Neither can they die
any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God,
being the {h} children of the resurrection.
(h) That is, men who
partake in the resurrection: for as we truly say that they will indeed live
who will enjoy everlasting bliss, so do those indeed rise who rise to life;
though if this word "resurrection" is taken generally, it refers also to the
wicked, who will rise to condemnation, which is not properly life, but
death.
Lu 20:38
20:38 For he is not a God of
the dead, but of the living: for all {i} live unto him.
(i) That is, before him: a
saying to take note of, for the godly do not die, though they die here on
earth.
Lu 20:41
20:41 {5} And he said unto
them, How say they that Christ is David's son?
(5) Even though Christ is
the son of David according to the flesh he is also his Lord (because he is
the everlasting Son of God) according to the spirit.
Lu 20:46
20:46 {6} Beware 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;
Lu 20:47
20:47 Which devour widows'
{k} houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater
damnation.
(k) By the figure of speech
metonymy, "houses" is understood to mean the goods and substance.
Lu 21:1
21:1 And {1} he looked up,
and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
(1) According to the
judgment of God, the poor may even exceed the rich in generosity and
liberality.
Lu 21:5
21:5 {2} And as some spake of
the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and {a} gifts, he said,
(2) The destruction of the
temple is foretold so that the true spiritual building may be built, whose
chief builders must and ought to be cautious.
(a) These were things that were hung up on walls and pillars.
Lu 21:8
21:8 And he said, Take heed
that ye be not deceived: for many shall come {b} in my name, saying, I am
[Christ]; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
Lu 21:9
21:9 {3} 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.
(3) The true temple of God
is built up even in the midst of incredible tumults and most severe
miseries, and this through invincible patience, so that the end result can
be nothing else but most happy.
Lu 21:13
21:13 And it shall turn to
you for {c} a testimony.
(c) This will be the result
of your troubles and afflictions: they will be witnesses both before God and
man of the treacherous and cruel dealing of your enemies, as well as of your
steadfastness: A noble saying, that the afflictions of the godly and holy
men pertain to the witness of the truth.
Lu 21:19
21:19 In your patience {d}
possess ye your souls.
(d) Though you are
surrounded on all sides with many miseries, yet nonetheless be valiant and
courageous, and bear out these things bravely.
Lu 21:20
21:20 {4} And when ye shall
see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is
nigh.
Lu 21:23
21:23 But woe unto them that
are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be
great distress in the land, and {e} wrath upon this people.
Lu 21:24
21:24 And they shall fall by
the {f} edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and
Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the
Gentiles be fulfilled.
(f) Literally, "mouth", for
the Hebrews call the edge of a sword the mouth because the edge of the sword
bites.
Lu 21:25
21:25 {g} And there shall be
signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth
distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
(g) When the times have
expired which are appointed for the salvation of the Gentiles and the
punishment of the Jews: And so he changes topics from the destruction of
Jerusalem to the history of the latter judgment.
Lu 21:26
21:26 {5} 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.
Lu 21:29
21:29 {6} And he spake to
them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
(6) We must be sober and
watchful both day and night for the Lord's coming, so that we are not taken
unexpectedly.
Lu 21:35
21:35 For as a snare shall it
come {h} on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Lu 21:36
21:36 Watch ye therefore, and
pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that
shall come to pass, and to {i} stand before the Son of man.
(i) You will appear before
him in a condition such that you will abide the presence and sentence of the
Judge without fear.
Lu 22:1
22:1 Now the {1} feast of
unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.
(1) Christ is taken upon
the day of the Passover rather by the providence of his Father, than by the
will of men.
Lu 22:3
22:3 {2} Then entered Satan
into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.
(2) God by his wonderful
providence causes him to be the minister of our salvation who was the author
of our destruction.
Lu 22:4
22:4 And he went his way, and
communed with the chief priests and {a} captains, how he might betray him unto
them.
(a) Those that had the
charge of keeping the temple, who were not from among the priests and
bishops, as is shown below in Lu 22:52 .
Lu 22:6
22:6 And he promised, and
sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the {b} absence of the
multitude.
(b) Without tumult, doing
it without the knowledge of the people who used to follow him: and therefore
they indeed waited patiently until they knew he was alone in the garden.
Lu 22:7
22:7 {3} Then came the day of
unleavened bread, when the passover {c} must be killed.
(3) Christ teaches his
disciples by an obvious miracle that although he is going to be crucified,
yet nothing is hidden from him, and therefore that he is going willingly to
death.
(c) By the order appointed by the law.
Lu 22:8
22:8 And he sent Peter and
John, saying, Go and prepare us the {d} passover, that we may eat.
(d) The lamb which was the
symbol of the passover: And this is said using the figure of speech
metonymy, which is often used when talking about the sacraments.
Lu 22:14
22:14 {4} And when the {e}
hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.
(4) Christ, having ended
the passover according to the order of the law, forewarns them that this
will be his last banquet with them in terms of this earthly life.
(e) The evening and twilight, at which time this supper was to be kept.
Lu 22:15
22:15 And he said unto them,
With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I {f} suffer:
Lu 22:19
22:19 {5} 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.
Lu 22:20
22:20 Likewise also the cup
after supper, saying, This {g} cup [is] {h} the new testament in my blood,
which is shed for you.
(g) Here is a double use of
metonymy: for first, the vessel is taken for that which is contained in the
vessel, as the cup is spoken of for the wine which is within the cup.
Second, the wine is called the covenant or testament, whereas in reality it
is but the sign of the testament, or rather of the blood of Christ by which
the testament was made: neither is it a vain sign, although it is not the
same as the thing that it represents.
(h) This word "the" shows the excellency of the testament, and corresponds
to Jer 31:31 where the new testament is promised.
Lu 22:21
22:21 {6} But, behold, the {i}
hand of him that betrayeth me [is] with me on the table.
(6) Christ shows again that
he goes willingly to die, although he is not ignorant of Judas' treason.
(i) That is, his practice; the Hebrews used to speak in this way, as in 2Sa
14:19 : "Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this?"
Lu 22:22
22:22 {7} And truly the Son
of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is
betrayed!
(7) Although the decree of
God's providence necessarily comes to pass, yet it does not excuse the fault
of those who bring it to pass.
Lu 22:24
22:24 {8} And there was also
a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
Lu 22:25
22:25 And he said unto them,
The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise
authority upon them are called {k} benefactors.
(k) Have great titles, for
so it was the custom to honour princes with some great titles.
Lu 22:28
22:28 {9} Ye are they which
have continued with me in my temptations.
Lu 22:31
22:31 {10} And the Lord said,
Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may {l} sift
[you] as wheat:
(10) We must always think
about the ambush that Satan lays for us.
(l) To toss you and scatter you, and also to cast you out.
Lu 22:32
22:32 {11} But I have prayed
for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy
brethren.
(11) It is through the
prayers of Christ that the elect never utterly fall away from the faith: and
because of this they should encourage one another on.
Lu 22:33
22:33 {12} And he said unto
him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.
(12) In setting before us
the grievous example of Peter, Christ shows that faith differs much from a
vain security.
Lu 22:36
22:36 {m} 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.
(m) He says all this using
an allegory, as if he said, "O my friends and fellow soldiers, you have
lived until now in relative peace: but now there is at hand a most severe
battle to be fought, and you must therefore lay all other things aside and
think about dressing yourselves in armour." And what this armour is, is
shown by his own example, when he prayed afterward in the garden and
reproved Peter for striking with the sword.
Lu 22:40
22:40 {13} And when he was at
the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
(13) Christ has made death
acceptable unto us by overcoming for our sake all the horrors of death,
which had the curse of God accompanying them.
Lu 22:41
22:41 {14} And he was
withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
Lu 22:44
22:44 And being in an {n}
agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great {o} drops
of blood falling down to the ground.
(n) This agony shows that
Christ struggled hard and was in great distress: for Christ struggled hard
not only with the fears of death as other men do (for in this regard many
martyrs might seem more constant then Christ), but also with the fearful
judgment of his angry Father, which is the most fearful thing in the world:
and this was because he took the burden of all our sins upon himself.
(o) These do not only show that Christ was true man, but also other things
which the godly have to consider of, in which the secret of the redemption
of all mankind is contained in the Son of God when he debased himself to the
state of a servant: such things as these no man can sufficiently declare.
Lu 22:45
22:45 {15} And when he rose
up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for
sorrow,
(15) Men are utterly
sluggish, even in their greatest dangers.
Lu 22:47
22:47 {16} And while he yet
spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve,
went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.
(16) Christ is willingly
betrayed and taken so that by his obedience he might deliver us who were
guilty of betraying God's glory.
Lu 22:49
22:49 {17} When they which
were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite
with the sword?
Lu 22:52
22:52 {18} Then Jesus said
unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were
come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?
(18) Even the very fear of
those who took Christ partly proves their evil conscience, and partly also
that all these things were done by God's providence.
Lu 22:53
22:53 When I was daily with
you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your
hour, and the {p} power of darkness.
Lu 22:54
22:54 Then took they him, and
led [him], and brought him into the high priest's house. {19} And Peter
followed afar off.
(19) We have to behold in
Peter an example both of the fragility of man's nature, and the singular
goodness of God towards his elect.
Lu 22:63
22:63 {20} And the men that
held Jesus mocked him, and smote [him].
Lu 22:66
22:66 {21} And as soon as it
was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came
together, and led him into their council, saying,
(21) Christ is wrongly
condemned of blasphemy before the high priest's judgment seat in order that
we might be acquitted before God from the blasphemy which we deserved.
Lu 23:1
23:1 And {1} the whole
multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.
(1) Christ, who is now
ready to suffer for the rebellion which we raised in this world, is first of
all pronounced guiltless, so that it might appear that he suffered not for
his own sins (which were none) but for ours.
Lu 23:2
23:2 And they began to accuse
him, saying, We found this [fellow] {a} perverting the nation, and forbidding
to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.
(a) Corrupting the people,
and leading them into errors.
Lu 23:6
23:6 {2} When Pilate heard of
Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean.
(2) Christ is a laughing
stock to princes, but to their great pain.
Lu 23:7
23:7 And as soon as he knew
that he belonged unto {b} Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who
himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.
(b) This was Herod Antipas
the Tetrarch, in the time of whose period of rule (which was almost
twenty-two years long) John the Baptist preached and was put to death, and
Jesus Christ also died and rose again, and the apostles began to preach, and
various things were done at Jerusalem almost seven years after Christ's
death. This Herod was sent into banishment to Lyons, about the second year
of Gaius Caesar.
Lu 23:11
23:11 And Herod with his {c}
men of war set him at nought, and mocked [him], and arrayed him in a gorgeous
robe, and sent him again to Pilate.
Lu 23:12
23:12 {3} And the same day
Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity
between themselves.
Lu 23:13
23:13 {4} And Pilate, when he
had called together the chief priests and the {d} rulers and the people,
(4) Christ is acquitted the
second time, even by him of whom he is condemned, so that it might appear in
what way he who is just, redeemed us who were unjust.
(d) Those whom the Jews called the sanhedrin.
Lu 23:16
23:16 {5} I will therefore
chastise him, and release [him].
(5) The wisdom of the flesh
is to choose the lesser of two evils, but God curses such plans.
Lu 23:22
23:22 {6} 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.
(6) Christ is acquitted the
third time before he is condemned, so that it might appear that it was for
our sins that were condemned in him.
Lu 23:26
23:26 {7} 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.
Lu 23:27
23:27 {8} And there followed
him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented
him.
Lu 23:31
23:31 For if they do these
things in a {e} green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
(e) As if he said, "If they
do this to me who is always fruitful and flourishing, and who lives forever
by reason of my Godhead, what will they do to you who are unfruitful and
void of all active righteousness?"
Lu 23:33
23:33 {9} And when they were
come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the
malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
(9) Christ became accursed
for us upon the cross, suffering the punishment which the ones who would
belong to God deserved.
Lu 23:34
23:34 {10} Then said Jesus,
Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his
raiment, and cast lots.
(10) Christ, in praying for
his enemies, shows that he is both the Sacrifice and the Priest.
Lu 23:35
23:35 And the people stood
beholding. And the rulers also with them derided [him], saying, He saved
others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the {f} chosen of God.
Lu 23:38
23:38 {11} And a
superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and
Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Lu 23:39
23:39 {g} And {12} one of the
malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save
thyself and us.
(g) Therefore we must
either take Matthew's account to be using the figure of speech synecdoche,
or that both of them mocked Christ. But one of them who was eventually
overcome with the great patience of God breaks forth in that confession
worthy all memory.
(12) Christ, in the midst of the humbling of himself upon the cross, indeed
shows that he has both the power of life to save the believers and the power
of death to avenge the rebellious.
Lu 23:41
23:41 And we indeed justly;
for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing {h}
amiss.
Lu 23:43
23:43 And Jesus said unto
him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in {i} paradise.
(i) God made the visible
paradise in the eastern part of the world: but that which we behold with the
eyes of our mind is the place of everlasting joy and salvation, through the
goodness and mercy of God, a most pleasant rest for the souls of the godly,
and a most quiet and joyful dwelling.
Lu 23:44
23:44 {13} And it was about
the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth
hour.
(13) Christ, even being at
the point of death, shows himself to be God almighty even to the blind.
Lu 23:45
23:45 {14} And the sun was
darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
(14) Christ enters bravely
and resolutely into the very darkness of death, and he does this so that he
might overcome death even within its most secret places.
Lu 23:47
23:47 {15} Now when the
centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a
righteous man.
(15) Christ, as often as it
pleases him, causes his very enemies to give honourable witness that he is
right.
Lu 23:49
23:49 {16} And all his
acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off,
beholding these things.
Lu 23:50
23:50 {17} And, behold,
[there was] a man named Joseph, a counsellor; [and he was] a good man, and a
just:
(17) Christ, through his
well known burial, confirms both the truth of his death as well as his
resurrection, by the plain and evident witness of Pilate.
Lu 23:54
23:54 And that day was the
preparation, and the sabbath {k} drew on.
(k) Literally, "dawning",
and now beginning, for the light of the former day drew toward the going
down of the sun, and that was the day of preparation for the feast, that is,
the feast which was to be kept the following day.
Lu 23:55
23:55 {18} And the women
also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the
sepulchre, and how his body was laid.
(18) Christ, being set upon
by the devil and all his instruments, and being even in death's mouth,
places weak women in his service, bearing in mind to immediately triumph
over these terrible enemies, and that without any great endeavour.
Lu 24:1
24:1 Now upon the {1} first
[day] of the week, very {a} early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre,
bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain [others] with them.
(1) Poor humble women, who
were certainly not expecting it, are chosen to be the first witnesses of the
resurrection, so that there might not be any suspicion of either deceit or
violence.
(a) Very early, as Mark says: or as John says, while it was yet dark, that
is, when it was yet hardly the dawning of day.
Lu 24:9
24:9 {2} And returned from
the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
(2) The cowardly and
dastardly mind of the disciples is reproved by the brave courage of women
(made so by God's great mercies) to show that the kingdom of God consists in
an extraordinary power.
Lu 24:12
24:12 {3} Then arose Peter,
and ran unto the sepulchre; and {b} stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes
laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come
to pass.
(3) Christ uses the
incredulity of his disciples for the fuller setting forth of the truth of
his resurrection, lest they should seem to have believed that too lightly
which they preached afterward to all the world.
(b) As it were holding down his head, and bowing his neck, looked diligently
in.
Lu 24:13
24:13 {4} And, behold, two of
them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem
[about] threescore furlongs.
(4) The resurrection is
proved by two other witnesses who saw it, and all the circumstances
surrounding it declare that it was no forged event thought up on purpose in
their own minds.
Lu 24:16
24:16 {c} But their eyes were
holden that they should not know him.
(c) Were held back and
stayed, God no doubt appointing this to be so: and therefore his body was
not invisible, but rather their eyes were dimmed.
Lu 24:18
24:18 And {d} the one of
them, whose name was Cleopas, 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) Some of the old fathers
think that the other disciple was the same evangelist who wrote this book,
but Epiphanius, writing against the Saturnilians, says it was Nathanael; but
none of these are certainties.
Lu 24:20
24:20 {5} And how the chief
priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have
crucified him.
(5) It appears by
conferring the prophecies of the prophets that all those things are true and
certain which the evangelist have put down in writing about Christ.
Lu 24:31
24:31 And their eyes were
opened, and they knew him; and he {e} vanished out of their sight.
(e) Suddenly taken away,
and we may not therefore imagine that he was there in an invisible body, but
indeed believe that he suddenly changed the place where he was.
Lu 24:35
24:35 And they told what
things [were done] in the way, and how he was known of them in {f} breaking of
bread.
(f) When he broke bread,
which that people used to do, and as the Jews still do today at the
beginning of their meals and say a prayer.
Lu 24:36
24:36 {6} And as they thus
spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace
[be] unto you.
(6) The Lord himself shows
by certain and necessary signs that he was risen again, and risen in the
same body which he had taken upon himself.
Lu 24:38
24:38 And he said unto them,
Why are ye troubled? and why do {g} thoughts arise in your hearts?
(g) Various and doubtful
thoughts which fall often into men's heads, when any strange thing occurs,
thoughts of which there is no great likelihood.
Lu 24:44
24:44 {7} And he said unto
them, These [are] the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you,
that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and
[in] the prophets, and [in] the psalms, concerning me.
(7) The preaching of the
gospel, which was promised to the prophets, and performed in his time, is
committed unto the apostles, the sum of which is repentance and remission of
sins.
Lu 24:47
24:47 And that repentance and
remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, {h}
beginning at Jerusalem.
(h) The apostles, who are
the preachers of the gospel, beginning at Jerusalem.
Lu 24:49
24:49 And, behold, I send the
promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, {i}
until ye be endued with power from on high.
Lu 24:50
24:50 {8} And he led them out
as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
(8) Christ ascends into
heaven, and departing bodily from his disciples, fills their hearts with the
Holy Spirit.
