Notes on Luke
From the Original 1599 Geneva Bible Notes
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.
(e) Have fuller knowledge of those
things which you know only partially.
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.
(b) Moved at the strangeness of the
matter.
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:
(o) This was no ordinary or usual
type of moving.
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.
(p) Christ is blessed with respect
to his humanity.
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.
(a) Those that are brought to
extreme poverty.
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.
(6) John's birth is accompanied by
new miracles.
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.
(d) All this which was said and
done.
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;
(k) Declare indeed that he was
mindful.
Lu 1:75
1:75 In holiness and righteousness {l}
before him, all the days of our life.
(l) To God's good liking.
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;
(m) Though you be at this present
time ever so little.
Lu 1:77
1:77 To {n} give knowledge of salvation
unto his people by the {o} remission of their sins,
(n) Open the way.
(o) Forgiveness
of sins is the means by which God saves us; Ro 4:7 .
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.
(q) Into the way which leads us to
true happiness.
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:)
(c) Which David was born and brought
up in.
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,
(k) Joseph and Mary: and he says
"parents" because that is what most of the people then thought.
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;
(p) As a sign set up in a high place
for all men to look upon.
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.
(t) Will most keenly wound and
grieve.
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.
(a) Josephus calls him
Ananus.
Lu 3:13
3:13 And he said unto them, Exact no
more than that which is {b} appointed you.
(b) Require no more than that sum
that is appointed for the tribute money.
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.
(c) Which was paid to them partly in
money and partly in food.
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.
(3) The gospel is the fan of the
world.
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,
(4) John's preaching is confirmed
with his death.
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.
(3) Who Christ is and for what
reason he came he shows from the prophet Isaiah.
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;
(h) Land of Israel; see Geneva (C)
"Mr 15:33".
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.
(b) The word signifies someone that
has rule over anything.
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.
(2) Charity is the rule of all
ceremonies.
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:
(10) Affliction at length discerns
true godliness from false and feigned godliness.
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.
(3) John sends from the prison his
unbelieving disciples to be confirmed by Christ himself.
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.
(b) When John's disciples came to
Christ.
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.
(8) To love Christ is a sure and
perpetual witness of the remission of sins.
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.
(g) He confirms with a blessing the
benefit which he had bestowed.
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:
(7) Christ shows by a double miracle
that he is Lord both of life and death.
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,
(n) All that she had to live
upon.
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.
(h) What death he would die in
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.
(i) Until Christ was risen again
from the dead.
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.
(k) As it happens in the falling
sickness.
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.
(10) Extraordinary things are
neither rashly to be allowed nor condemned.
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.
(13) Those who follow Christ must
prepare themselves to endure all discomforts.
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.
(15) Those who follow Christ must at
once renounce all worldly cares.
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.
(1) The seventy are sent as the
second forewarners of the coming of Christ.
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:
(d) Be content with the food that is
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,
(3) God is a most severe avenger of
the ministry of his gospel.
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].
(6) Whoever seeks the Father without
the Son wanders out of the way.
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:
(7) The difference between the Old
Testament and the New consists in the measure of revelation.
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.
(1) A form of true prayer.
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;
(2) We must pray with faith.
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.
(c) By the name and power of
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.
(12) Hypocrisy and ambition are
commonly joined together.
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].
(13) Hypocrites deceive men with an
outward show.
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.
(g) Be merry and make good
cheer.
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.
(8) They will lack nothing who are
diligent for the kingdom of heaven.
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.
(12) None need to watch more than
they that have some degree of honour in the household of God.
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.
(m) More than the one who did not
receive as much.
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?
(c) Make the ground barren in that
part which is otherwise good for vines.
Lu 13:10
13:10 {3} And he was teaching in one of
the synagogues on the sabbath.
(3) Christ came to deliver us from
the hand of Satan.
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].
(d) Troubled with a disease which
Satan caused.
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.
(8) The casting off of the Jews and
the calling of the Gentiles is foretold.
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.
(c) Wide and broad areas.
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.
(5) Those who truly fear God desire
to have all men join them in fearing him.
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.
(3) No man can love God and riches
simultaneously.
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.
(i) Heavenly and spiritual things
are expressed and set forth using language fit for our senses.
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.
(2) Our reprehensions must be just
and proceed from love and charity.
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.
(12) The only way to continue is to
cleave to Christ.
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?
(d) Though he seems slow in avenging
the harm done to his own.
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.
(e) Far from the Pharisee in a lower
place.
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.
(6) Childlike innocence is an
ornament of Christians.
Lu 18:21
18:21 {7} And he said, All these have I
kept from my youth up.
(7) The enticement of riches carries
many away from the right way.
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!
(8) To be both rich and godly is a
singular gift 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,
(9) They become the richest of all
who do not refuse to be poor for Christ'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.
(h) By this we see how ignorant the
disciples were.
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:
(11) Christ shows by a visible
miracle that he is the light of the world.
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.
(1) Christ especially guides by his
grace those who seem to be furthest from it.
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.
(4) We must patiently wait for the
judgment of God which will be revealed in his time.
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:
(6) Against those who idly spend
their life in deliberating and in contemplation.
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,
(7) Christ shows in his own person
that his kingdom is not of this world.
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,
(4) The resurrection of the flesh is
affirmed against the Sadducees.
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;
(6) We must avoid the example of the
glory-seeking and covetous pastors.
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.
(4) The final destruction of the
whole city is foretold.
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.
(e) By "wrath" are meant those
things which God sends when he is displeased.
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.
(5) After various severe trials the
Lord will at last plainly appear to deliver his Church.
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.
(h) On all men wherever they may
be.
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.
(5) Christ establishes his new
covenant and his communication with us by new symbols.
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.
(8) The pastors are not called to
rule but to serve.
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.
(9) Those who are partakers of the
affliction of Christ will also be partakers of his kingdom.
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,
(14) Prayers are a sure help against
the most perilous assaults of our enemies.
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?
(17) That zeal which carries us out
of the bounds of our God-given position does not please Christ.
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.
(p) The power that was given to
darkness to oppress the light for a time.
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].
(20) Christ bore the shame that was
due for our sins.
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.
(c) Accompanied with his nobles and
soldiers who followed him from Galilee.
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.
(3) The hatred of godliness binds
the wicked together.
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.
(7) An example of the outrageousness
and disorder of the soldiers.
Lu 23:27
23:27 {8} And there followed him a
great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented
him.
(8) The triumph of the wicked has a
most horrible end.
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.
(f) Whom God loves more than all
others.
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.
(11) Pilate is unknowingly made a
preacher of the kingdom of Christ.
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.
(16) Christ gathers together and
defends his little flock in the midst of the tormentors.
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.
(i) Until the Holy Spirit comes down
from heaven upon you.
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.
Index