Luke 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 officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. 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 OFFICER, AND THE OFFICER CAST THEE INTO PRISON. See the notes at Matthew 5:25. It was the urgency of the case with them, and the necessity of immediate decision for their own safety, that drew forth this repetition of those striking words of the Sermon of the Mount. Remarks: (1) It will be observed that in dealing with hypocrisy-as indeed with everything else-...

54-59 Christ would have the people to be as wise in the concerns of their souls as they are in outward affairs. Let them hasten to obtain peace with God before it is too late. If any man has found that God has set himself against him concerning his sins, let him apply to him as God in Christ reconciling the world to himself. While we are alive, we are in the way, and now is our time....

Verse Luke 12:58. _WHEN THOU GOEST WITH THINE ADVERSARY_] This and the next verse are a part of our Lord's sermon upon the mount. See them explained Matthew 5:25. St. Luke is very particular in collecting and relating every word and action of our blessed Lord, but seldom gives them in the order of time in which they were spoken or done. See the _Preface_ to this Gospel. _GIVE DILIGENCE_] δος ερασιαν, _Give labour_, do every thing in thy power to get free before a suit commences. _THE OFFICER_] πρακτωρ properly signifies such an officer as was appointed to levy the _fines_ imposed by the law for a violation of any of its precepts. See _Kypke_....

See the notes at Matthew 5:25....

EXPOSITION LUKE 12:1 _The Lord_,_ after leaving the Pharisee_'_s house_,_ speaks at great length to a numerous crowd waiting for him_,_ addressing his words principally to his own disciples. _The foregoing scene (Luke 11:1.), when the Master addressed his bitter reproaches to the learned and cultivated of the great Pharisee party, took place in a private house belonging to an apparently wealthy member of this, the dominant class. The name of the large village or provincial town where all this happened is unknown. The crowd who had been listening to the great Teacher before he accepted the Pharisee's invitation still lingered around the house. Many from the adjoining villages, hearing that Jesus was in this place and was publicly teaching, had

WHEN THOU GOEST WITH THINE ADVERSARY,.... The creditor, as the Persic version, and who is the prosecutor, that has commenced a suit of law against another, in order to obtain his right: for Christ is here speaking of a bad man, that will not pay his just debts, so that his creditor is obliged to prosecute him, and have him to the MAGISTRATE; ruler, or prince; the Nasi, or prince of the sanhedrim, who sat as judge there: as thou art in the way; going along with the creditor, or prosecutor, to the court of judicature; GIVE DILIGENCE THAT THOU MAYEST BE DELIVERED FROM HIM. The Persic version renders it, "give him the money"; and the Arabic version, "give what thou owest"; and the Syriac version, "give the gain"; or pay the interest, about which the dispute is, and so escape out of his hands; lest when the matter is brought into court, sentence should be given, to pay both interest and pri...

CHAPTER 12 _ 1. Warning Against Hypocrisy. (Luke 12:1)_ 2. Encouragements. (Luke 12:4) 3. Warning Against Covetousness. (Luke 12:15) 4. Warning Against Anxiety. (Luke 12:22) 5. The Disciples Comfort and Hope. (Luke 12:32) 6. The Parable of the Steward. (Luke 12:41) 7. The Purpose of God and the Resulting Division. (Luke 12:49) 8. Concerning signs.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES. For parallels see below. Jesus is oppressed with the thought of the future till it is accomplished. LUKE 12:49 F. Lk. only. Fire is what Jesus has come to cast on the earth (_cf._ Luke 3:16 f.); here it probably means division (Luke 12:51; Mt. sword). Would that the discord had set in it would mean that the Kingdom was nigh. But something else has to precede the Kingdom, perhaps also the discord, viz., His death, here referred to as a baptism, _i.e._ a new consecration (_cf._ Mark 10:38). The passage should be compared with the more formal predictions of the Passion, which may have been edited after the event

THE CREED OF COURAGE AND OF TRUST (Luke 12:1-12)...

WHEN THOU GOEST. For, when thou art brought. Introducing the reason for this conclusion of the whole argument. ADVERSARY. Shown in the last clause to be the _tax-gatherer._ TO. before. Greek. _epi._ App-104. THE. a. IN THE WAY. Emph. by Figure of speech _Hyperbaton_ (App-6). GIVE DILIGENCE. work hard, or take pains, or do your best. Not. Latinism, but found in the OxyrhyncusPapyri, second century B.C. DELIVERED. set free. Occurs only here, Acts 19:12, and Hebrews 2:15. HALE. haul. Anglo-Saxon _holian._ Occurs only here in N.T. OFFICER. tax-gatherer:i.e. the adversary of the first CLAUSE. Greek. _praktor_. doer, or executive officer. Thus used in the Papyri. Occurs only her