CHAPTER XVIII. _The parable of the importunate widow_, 1-8. _Of the Pharisee and the publican_, 9-14. _Infants brought to Christ_, 15-17. _The ruler who wished to know how he might inherit eternal life_, 18-23. _Our Lord's reflections on his case_, 24-27. _What they shall receive who follow C... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:2. _A JUDGE, WHICH FEARED NOT GOD, NEITHER REGARDED MAN_] It is no wonder that our Lord calls this person an _unrighteous judge_, Luke 18:6. No person is worthy to be put in the sacred office of a _judge_ who does not deeply fear God, and tenderly respect his fellow creatures. Because... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:3. _AVENGE ME OF MINE ADVERSARY._] The original, εκδικησον με απο του αντιδικου μου, had better be translated, _Do me justice_ _against_, or _vindicate me from, my adversary_. If the woman had come to get _revenge_, as our common translation intimates, I think our blessed Lord would ne... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:4. _HE SAID WITHIN HIMSELF_] How many actions which appear _good_ have neither the _love of God_, nor _that_ of our _neighbour_, but only _self-love_ of the basest kind, for their principle and motive!... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:5. _SHE WEARY ME._] υπωπιαζη με, _Stun me_. A metaphor taken from boxers, who _bruise_ each other, and by beating each other about the face _blacken the eyes_. See 1 Corinthians 9:27.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:6. _HEAR WHAT THE UNJUST JUDGE SAITH._] Our blessed Lord intimates that we should reason thus with ourselves: "If a person of such an infamous character as this judge was could yield to the pressing and continual solicitations of a poor widow, for whom he felt nothing but contempt, how... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:7. _AND SHALL NOT GOD AVENGE HIS OWN ELECT_] And will not God the righteous Judge _do justice for his chosen_? Probably this may refer to the cruel usage which his disciples had met with, and were still receiving, from the disobedient and unbelieving Jews; and which should be finally v... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:8. _HE WILL AVENGE THEM SPEEDILY._] Or, _He will do them_ _justice speedily _- εν ταχει, _instantly, in a trice_. 1. Because he has _promised_ it; and 2. Because he is _inclined_ to do it. _WHEN THE SON OF MAN COMETH_] To require the produce of the seed of the kingdom sown among thi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:9. _DESPISED_] εξουθενουντας, _Disdained, made nothing of_ others, _treated them with sovereign contempt_. Our Lord grants that the Pharisees made clean the outside: but, alas! what pride, vain glory, and contempt for others, were lodged within!... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:10. _A PHARISEE_] For a description of the Pharisees and their tenets, Matthew 16:1, Matthew 16:1. _PUBLICAN._] See an account of these on Matthew 5:46. Both these persons _went to the temple to pray_, i.e. to worship God: they were probably both _Jews_, and felt themselves led by dif... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:11. _STOOD AND PRAYED THUS WITH HIMSELF_] Or, _stood by_ _himself and prayed_, as some would translate the words. He probably supposed it disgraceful to appear to have any connection with this penitent publican: therefore his conduct seemed to say, "Stand by thyself; I am more holy tha... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:12. _I GIVE TITHES OF ALL THAT I POSSESS._] Or, _of all I_ _acquire_, κτωμαι. _Raphelius_ has well observed, that this verb, in the _present tense_, signifies to _acquire _- in the _preter_, to _possess_: the Pharisee's meaning seems to be, "As fast as I gain any thing, I give the tent... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:13. _THE PUBLICAN, STANDING AFAR OFF_] Not because he was a _heathen_, and dared not approach the _holy place_; (for it is likely he was a _Jew_;) but because he was a _true penitent_, and felt himself utterly unworthy to appear before God. _WOULD NOT LIFT UP _- his _eyes_] Holding do... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:14. _WENT DOOM TO HIS HOUSE JUSTIFIED_] His sin blotted out; and himself accepted. _RATHER THAN THE OTHER_] Η εκεινος: that is, the other was _not_ accepted, because he _exalted_ himself - he made use of the mercies which he acknowledged he owed to _God_, to make claims on the Divine... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:15. _THEY BROUGHT UNTO HIM ALSO INFANTS_] On these verses the reader is requested to consult the notes on Matthew 19:13; Matthew 19:14, and on Mark 10:16. When a spiritual guide (a gooroo) visits his disciple, the latter takes his child to him for his blessing, forcing the head of the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:18. _A CERTAIN RULER_] See the case of this person largely explained on Matthew 19:16, and Mark 10:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:24. _HOW HARDLY SHALL THEY THAT HAVE RICHES_, c.] See the notes on this discourse of our Lord, on Matthew 19:21, and Mark 10:30.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 25. _IT AS EASIER FOR A CAMEL_] Instead of καμηλον, _a camel_, S, and _four_ other MSS., read καμιλου, _a cable_. See the same reading noticed on the parallel place, Matthew 19:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 28. _WE HAVE LEFT ALL_] Our trades, our houses, and families. The reader is desired to consult the notes on Matthew 4:20; Matthew 19:27, c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _THAT HATH LEFT HOUSE, OR PARENTS_, c.] See on Matthew 19:28, and Mark 10:29. _OR BRETHREN_] Η αδελφας, OR SISTERS, is _added_ by the _Cod._ _Bezae_, and some others.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 31. _BEHOLD, WE GO UP TO JERUSALEM_] See the notes on this discourse, Matthew 20:17, and Mark 10:32.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 33. _AND THE THIRD DAY HE SHALL RISE AGAIN._] See Hosea 6:2; and let the reader observe that the passage should be read thus: _In the third day he will raise HIM up_, (יקמנו) and we shall live _before him_: his resurrection shall be the _pledge, token_, and _cause_ of ours.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 34. _THEY UNDERSTOOD NONE OF THESE THINGS_] Notwithstanding all the information which Christ had given them concerning this awful subject, they could not as yet fully comprehend how the Messiah should suffer; or how their Master, whose power they knew was unlimited, should permit the Jews and... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 35. _A CERTAIN BLIND MAN_] Bartimeus. See this transaction explained at large, on Matthew 20:29, and Mark 10:46, c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:40. _AND WHEN HE WAS COME NEAR_] See the remarkable account of the _negro_ and _white man_, related on Mark 10:50.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 18:43. _AND ALL THE PEOPLE - GAVE: PRAISE UNTO GOD._] They saw the finger of God in what was done; and they gave him that praise which was due to his name. The Pharisees either saw not, or would not acknowledge this. The common people are often better judges of the work of God than the d... [ Continue Reading ]