Chapter 11 Blaine Robison, M.A.Published 5 December 2024; Revised 12 March 2025
Chapter
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6
|
7
|
8
|
9 |
10 |
12
|
13 |
14 | 15 |
Scripture Text: The Scripture text used in this commentary is prepared by Blaine Robison and based on the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament. The essentially literal translation seeks to reflect the Jewish character of the author and writing. Scripture quotations may be taken from different Bible versions. Click here for Abbreviations of Bible Versions. Quotations marked with the initials "BR" indicate the translation of the commentary author. Sources: Bibliographic data for works cited may be found at the end of the chapter commentary. Works without page numbers are cited ad loc. Important early Jewish sources include the following: ● DSS: the Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of Jewish manuscripts of Scripture and sectarian documents found in the Qumran caves. Most of the Qumran MSS belong to the last three centuries B.C. and the first century A.D. Online DSS Bible; Vermes. ● LXX: The abbreviation "LXX" ("70") stands for the Septuagint, the Jewish translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek, in use among Jews by the mid-2nd century B.C. Online. The LXX also included the Apocrypha, Jewish works produced from 400 B.C. to A.D. 1. Online. ● Josephus: The Works of Flavius Josephus (c. 75–99 A.D.), Jewish historian, trans. William Whiston (1737). Online. ● Philo: Works by Philo of Alexandria, the Jewish philosopher (20 B.C.─A.D. 50), consisting of 45 monographs. Online. ● Targums: Aramaic translation of Hebrew Scripture with commentary: Targum Onkelos (A.D. 80-120), and Targum Jonathan (A.D. 150-250). Index of Targum texts. ● Talmud: References to the Talmud are from the Soncino Babylonian Talmud (1948); found at Halakhah.com. The Talmud incorporates the Mishnah, Jewish laws (A.D. 180-220) and the Gemara, legal analysis (A.D. 220-500). Click here for Talmud Abbreviations. Syntax: Unless otherwise noted definition of Greek words is from F.W. Danker, The Concise Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (2009), and definition of Hebrew words is from The New Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (1981), abbreviated as "BDB." See the Greek Guide for the meaning of grammar abbreviations. Special Terms: In order to emphasize the Hebrew and Jewish nature of Scripture I use the terms Yeshua (Jesus), Messiah (Christ), ADONAI (for YHVH), Torah (Pentateuch, Law), Tanakh (Old Testament), and Besekh (New Testament).
Part Three: The Mission of the Messiah (9:51−19:27) Chapter Summary Chapter Eleven begins with Yeshua teaching his disciples how to pray and then emphasizing the importance of boldness and persistence in prayer. He then delivered a mute man of a demon, after which adversaries accuse him of performing exorcism by the power of Beelzebul. Yeshua then vindicates his conduct while giving a lesson in the reality of spiritual warfare. He then encounters certain women who offer a blessing on his mother, but Yeshua corrects them to point out who is truly blessed. Yeshua then offers a discourse to the people on lessons from history, including Jonah and the repentance of Nineveh, and the visit of the Queen of Sheba with King Solomon. A Pharisee invites Yeshua to dine with him, but then takes offense at Yeshua neglecting to wash his hands. Yeshua exposes the Pharisee's hypocrisy and proceeds to pronounce woes against Pharisees and then against Law-experts. Yeshua's critics are greatly offended, and plot against him to entangle him in his words. Chapter Outline Instruction on Prayer, 11:1-4 The Friend at Midnight, 11:5-8 The Blessing of Boldness, 11:9-13 Defamation and Refutation, 11:14-20 Spiritual Warfare, 11:21-26 True Blessedness, 11:27-28 Lessons from History, 11:29-32 Parable of Light, 11:33-36 Woes upon Pharisees, 11:37-44 Woes upon Law-Experts, 11:45-52 Adversarial Plot, 11:53-54 Winter, A.D. 29 Instruction on Prayer, 11:1-4 The first section of the Chapter presents Yeshua teaching his disciples an important prayer. This prayer has been called the Lord's Prayer for centuries by Christians, since Yeshua authored it. In modern times the prayer has been dubbed the "Disciple's Prayer," since it was intended for Yeshua's disciples. In Matthew's account Yeshua presents the prayer in contrast to the "religious" prayer of hypocrites and pagans (Matt 6:5-14). Luke records the prayer as the result of one disciple requesting guidance on prayer. Geldenhuys notes that it would have been natural for Yeshua to repeat the prayer on two or more occasions in as part of his teaching (318). Lightfoot suggests that the Matthew form with its seven petitions was presented earlier by unilateral decision of Yeshua whereas the Luke form, having been given based on a specific request, emphasizes five key petitions of prayer. Meyer suggests that the distinctive and shorter form in Luke is one of the proofs that disciples in the apostolic era did not use the Lord's Prayer as a formula. Unfortunately patristic Christianity adopted the Lord's Prayer as a communal ritual for worship services instead of teaching it as a model of how to pray. In private use the phrases can be a topical list to help organize one's prayer time. Stern comments "All of its elements may be found in the Judaism of Yeshua's day, so in this sense it is not original with him" (32). The prayer is a beautiful combination or selection of petitions very similar to parts of the Amidah. Since Yeshua condemned those who "for appearance's sake offer long prayers" (Mark 12:40), the Lord's Prayer is a model of the brevity that Yeshua encouraged his disciples to employ in prayer. Leading rabbis of the day composed and used brief prayers of their own to conclude a standard ritual prayer (Berakoth 16b-17a). 1 And it came to pass in his being in a certain place praying, when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as Yochanan also taught his disciples." And: Grk. kai, conj. that marks a connection or addition of words or numbers ('and, also), as well as the introduction of clauses or sentences, sometimes with emphasis ('certainly, even, indeed, namely'). See my note on the significance of conjunctions in the Besekh. it came to pass: Grk. ginomai, aor. mid., to transfer from one state to another, and here means come to be, become, take place, happen, occur. The Greek construction which begins this verse is a peculiar characteristic of Luke's writing style, appearing in the Besekh only in his writings, 17 times in this narrative of Yeshua and 20 times in Acts. This syntax is considered a Hebraism because it imitates the frequent use of the Heb. v'hayah, "and it came to pass" in the historical narratives of the Tanakh (first in Gen 1:3). The verb is used to advance the temporal setting and introduce an important event that includes some dramatic action by God or an individual that impacts biblical history or serves God's sovereign planning. in: Grk. en, prep., with the root meaning of "within," generally marks position; among, at, in, on or with (DM 105). his: Grk. autos, an intensive personal pronoun, often used to distinguish a person or thing in contrast to another, or to give him (it) prominence. The pronoun may mean (1) self, (2) he, she, it, or (3) the same. The second meaning applies here in reference to Yeshua. being: Grk. eimi, pres. inf., a function word used in a wide variety of grammatical constructions, primarily to declare a state of existence, whether in the past ('was, were'), present ('are, is') or future ('will be'), often to unite a subject and predicate. in: Grk. en. a certain: Grk. tis, indefinite pronoun, a certain one, some one, any one. This pronoun is often used to distinguish someone or something of consequence in contrast to others. place: Grk. topos is used primarily to mean a spatial area, as a locality or a location for some activity. The location is left unstated, but it must have been in Perea (Santala 120). Gill notes that the Arabic version reads, "in a desert place." After observing Hanukkah in Jerusalem Yeshua went to place where Yochanan had been conducting his immersion ministry in Perea (cf. John 1:28; 10:40). See the timeline note above. This area is wilderness. praying: Grk. proseuchomai, pres. mid. part., to petition deity for some personal desire, to offer prayer. In the LXX proseuchomai translates Heb. palal, to intervene, mediate, intercede or pray, first in Genesis 20:7 (DNTT 2:862). The context of prayer in Scripture is addressing the Sovereign Judge of all the earth and appealing to Him to invoke decision-making with respect to an urgent need by the one praying. Typical of Luke, the narrative calls attention again to the fact of Yeshua withdrawing to seek quiet and communion with the Father in prayer. Rather than a ritual prayer the participle denotes a special communion that only exists between the Son and the Father. when: Grk. hōs, adv. with the primary function of connecting narrative components, often in a comparative sense, but used here with a temporal meaning; after, when. he had finished: Grk. pauō, aor. mid., engage in cessation of an activity or state; cease, finish, stop. The verbal clause may imply that Yeshua had been praying in a vocal manner and he could be heard. It was obvious that his prayer time had concluded. one: Grk. tis. of his: Grk. autos. disciples: pl. of Grk. mathētēs (from manthanō, to learn), one who learns through instruction from a teacher; adherent, learner, pupil, disciple. The term "disciple" is used most often for followers of Yeshua of which there were many (including women). Discipleship meant more than being a student. While the disciples valued Yeshua's superior knowledge, he was much more than a teacher to them. He was the Son of God and King of Israel (John 1:49). Through Yeshua promises made to their ancestors would be fulfilled. Moreover, he represented the future hope of the Messianic age. See my article The Call of Discipleship. The disciple is not identified, but was perhaps one of the Seventy who had not heard the prayer given on the mountain (Matt 5:1). said: Grk. legō, aor., to make a statement or utterance, whether oral or in written form; say, tell, declare. to: Grk. pros, prep. The root meaning is 'near' or 'facing,' but with the accusative case of the pronoun following the meaning is 'to, toward' (DM 110). him: Grk. autos. Lord: Grk. kurios, voc., may mean either (1) 'one in control through possession,' and therefore owner or master; or (2) 'one esteemed for authority or high status,' thus lord or master. In the Besekh members of the Jewish public sometimes addressed Yeshua as kurios as a polite form of respect (John 4:11, 49; 5:7; 20:15). Disciples, however, called Yeshua kurios to recognize his authority and leadership over them. teach: Grk. didaskō, aor. imp., to teach or instruct in order to impart knowledge. us: Grk. hēmeis, pl. pronoun of the first person, used in reference to the other disciples present. to pray: Grk. proseuchomai, pres. mid. inf. The infinitive here emphasizes result. The question as stated may seem strange. The Jewish disciples would have been accustomed to the prayer services conducted at the Temple and prayers offered in synagogue services, which consisted chiefly of benedictions and doxologies (Lightfoot). Taking the question seriously were they asking about method? In other words, "teach us to pray in a way that is guaranteed to get results from God." Were they asking about discipline? In other words, "we don't have the ability to get up early for prayer and stay awake late at night for prayer." Were they asking about ritual or liturgy? Plummer notes that the Jewish Sages sometimes drew up such forms for their disciples. In any event the question is qualified by a comparison, which some the disciples apparently had personal knowledge from previous experience (cf. John 1:35-42). just as: Grk. kathōs, adv. emphasizing similarity, conformity, proportion or manner; as, just as. Yochanan: Grk. Iōannēs, which attempts to transliterate the Heb. Yochanan, "John" in Christian versions. He was the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:13) and served as the forerunner of the Messiah who called Israel to repent and to immerse as a testimony of repentance. Yochanan was a cousin of Yeshua, born in Hebron just six months before Yeshua in 3 BC (cf. Luke 1:26, 36, 56-57). Yochanan's ministry began in the Autumn of AD 26 (Edersheim-Messiah 183). Yochanan conducted his immersion ministry in the Jordan River, although at different locations (John 1:28; 3:23). Yochanan's ministry lasted two years before he was executed by Herod Antipas (Mark 6:29; Luke 9:9). also: Grk. kai. taught: Grk. didaskō, aor. his: Grk. autos. disciples: pl. of Grk. mathētēs. Luke affirms that Yochanan had a group of disciples that followed him (cf. Matt 9:14; 11:2; Mark 2:18; Luke 5:33; 7:18-19; John 3:25; Acts 19:1-3). Nothing is known of Yochanan's prayer life or what he actually taught his disciples, although there is a reference to Yochanan's personal revelation from God (John 1:32-33). Lightfoot suggests that Yochanan taught his disciples a philosophy of prayer that was different than the ritual prayers employed in synagogue and Temple worship. Yochanan had given instruction in spiritual virtues (e.g. faith, repentance, being holy) and such virtues would be important in the supplication of prayer. It is noteworthy the request was not "teach us to pray as you do." 2 Then he said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Reference: Matthew 6:9-10. Then: Grk. de, conj. used to indicate (1) a contrast to something preceding, "but;" (2) a transition in subject matter, "now, then;" or (3) a connective to continue a thought, "and, also," sometimes with emphasis, "indeed," "moreover" (Thayer). The second usage applies here. he said: Grk. legō, aor. See the previous verse. to them: pl. of Grk. autos. When: Grk. hotan, temporal marker; when, whenever; "at the time when the condition is met" (HELPS). you pray: Grk. proseuchomai, pres. mid. subj., 2p-pl. See the previous verse. The plural form of the verb could intend individual ("each of you") or corporate compliance or both. The syntax of the clause assumes the practice of prayer. The first mention of prayer in the Bible is of Abraham (Gen 20:7) and there are many recorded prayers in the Tanakh by notable personalities. In Israelite culture prayer was generally accomplished by proxy, that is the high priest did the interceding. In the first century devout Jews, living at Jerusalem, went to the temple to pray every day (Luke 18:10; Acts 3:1). Jews who lived at a distance too far for a daily journey or in the Diaspora went to a synagogue and faced Jerusalem. say: Grk. legō, pres. imp., 2p-pl. The verb does not necessarily imply a rote word-for-word repetition, but rather introduces key subjects to include in prayer. Father: Grk. patēr, voc., normally of a male parent or ancestor, but frequently in reference to God, which emphasizes both his activity as creator and sustainer. The vocative case indicates a direct communication with the Father. In the Hebrew vernacular Yeshua would have used the word abba, as occurs in Mark 14:36. The address of "Father" alludes to God's special covenantal relationship with Israel, "His son" (Ex 4:22; Hos 11:1; cf. Deut 1:31; 8:5; 32:6; Ps 103:13; Isa 43:6; 63:16; 64:8; Jer 3:19; 31:9; Hos 1:10: Mal 1:6). Levine notes that "Father" is the Jewish address for God, especially in post-Tanakh prayers (Sirach 23:1; 51:10; Tobit 13:4). While Jews recognized the God of Israel as the "father" of mankind in the sense of creator (Acts 17:28; Josephus, Ant. IV, 8:24), the capitalized "Father" in the Besekh continues the Jewish covenantal meaning. The form of the prayer here omits "Our," but it is implied (cf. Rom 1:7; 1Cor 1:3; 2Cor 1:2; 6:18; Gal 1:3; Eph 1:2; Php 1:2; 2Th 1:1; Phm 1:3). hallowed be: Grk. hagiazō, aor. pass. imp., may mean (1) to sanctify, hallow, consecrate, or dedicate or (2) to treat as holy or to reverence. The second meaning applies here. Your: Grk. su, pronoun of the second person. name: Grk. onoma is used in its central sense of identifying someone. In Hebrew literature it also carries the idiomatic sense of qualities, attributes, reputation, powers or authority. The name which is to be hallowed is no doubt the sacred name, YHVH, given to Moses (Ex 3:14). The connection between YHVH and Father may be found in the Tanakh: "Do you O foolish and unwise people thus repay to ADONAI [Heb. YHVH]? Is He is not your Father who bought you? He had made you and established you!" (Deut 32:6 BR). "For You are our Father, though Abraham would not know us or Israel not recognize us. You, ADONAI [Heb. YHVH], are our Father, Our Redeemer, from everlasting is Your name.(Isa 63:16 TLV) "But now, ADONAI [Heb. YHVH], You are our Father. We are the clay, and You are our potter, we are all the work of Your hand." (Isa 64:7 TLV) Even though the sacred name occurs over 6,000 times in the Tanakh, Yeshua follows Jewish custom in not specifically saying the sacred name (cf. Amos 6:10). Jews typically used a substitute for saying the sacred name. See my web article The Blessed Name. This phrase follows the practice of Kedushat HaShem, "Sanctification of the Name," in Jewish prayers and recalls the first sentence of the synagogue prayer known as the Kaddish: "Magnified and sanctified be His great name in the world which He has created according to His will." The first subject in the prayer is more than just a verbal form of respect when addressing the Holy One. The intent of the Messiah is that his disciples sanctify the Name of the Father by how they live out that name. "Holy be Your Name in my life." This is the positive action required to avoid breaking the third commandment of not taking His name in vain (Ex 20:7). Israel took God's name when they agreed to the covenant with its commandments. To live contrary to the terms of the covenant dishonors the Name with which his disciples have been sealed (2Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13; Rev 7:2-3). This sense is captured in Paul's statement: "Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness." (2Tim 2:19 NASU) The phrase "hallowed by Your Name" is a reminder that God is a holy God, and hallowing is a pledge to live in accordance with His character. Your: Grk. su. kingdom: Grk. ho basileia, kingdom, sovereignty, or royal power, and used here to refer to the royal reign of God or the kingdom of God as announced by the Hebrew prophets (e.g. Isa 9:7; Dan 7:27) and Yeshua. In Scripture the concept of God's kingly rule is only presented in connection with the Israelite monarchy, not any Gentile ecclesiastical organization. Even in the eschatological kingdom the ruler will be a Jewish descendant of David (Jer 23:5; 33:15; Ezek 34:23-24; 37:24-25; Hos 3:5; Zech 12:7-10). For an explanation of the important doctrine of the Kingdom of God see my comment on Luke 4:43. come: Grk. erchomai, aor. imp., 'to come' or arrive, with focus on a position from which action or movement takes place or 'to go' with the focus on the goal for movement; here primarily the former. The challenge of interpretation is that Yeshua had already announced that the kingdom had come in his person (Matt 4:17; 12:28). Why is he now telling his disciples to pray "Your kingdom come (or go)?" Given the address of the prayer the phrase "Your kingdom" first refers to the kingdom or dominion of the Father as it exists in heaven where He is the sole authority and rules without any presence of evil. The "Father's kingdom" is then manifest in the reign of the King of Kings, which began in humility with the first advent and will be established on the earth when Yeshua returns in glory (Dan 7:27; Zech 14:4, 9, 16-19; Matt 5:5; 6:10; 25:31; Rev 5:10; 11:15; 21:1-3). Recognizing God as King means that the kingdom's citizens put complete trust in the King for their welfare, surrender their hearts, lives and fortunes to the King, accept the authority of the King for life, and obey the King's commands (Matt 5:3, 10, 19; 6:21, 33; 7:21; 18:3; Luke 12:31-34; 17:21; John 3:5). Such obedience reflects the primary character of God's kingdom, namely "righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Rom 14:17). There may be many congregations in the present age, but there is only one Kingdom in the present age and the age to come. The petition "your Kingdom come" might be explained as referring to the Second Coming of the Messiah and ushering in the eternal kingdom of God. The interpretation may be found in the wish prayer, "come Lord Yeshua" (Rev 22:20). Another approach is to consider that Yeshua's kingdom came in power through the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension in which he triumphed over Satan (Col 2:9-15) and then culminated on Pentecost with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Thus Yeshua's disciples pray that his kingdom which began in their hearts will "go" and spread around the earth, fulfilling the Great Commission. Yeshua may also have been alluding to a promise in the Torah, "and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Ex 19:6). Praying for his kingdom to come is praying that the sort of kingdom he wants will happen. Textual Note: A number of versions insert the clause "who is in heaven" after "Father" (AMPC, BRG, EHV, KJV, MEV, NKJV, NLV, NMB, RGT, WEB, WE). The earliest manuscripts from the second century (Marcion), the third century (p75, Origen, Tertullian), and fourth century (the Vulgate, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Syriac) all lack the clause (GNT 255). The clause was added to later manuscripts to make the verse conform to Matthew 6:9 (Metzger). The same manuscript evidence also applies to the inclusion of the clause: "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." 3 'Give us each day our daily bread. Reference: Matthew 6:11. Give: Grk. didōmi, pres. imp., to give, used in a wide variety of situations, often with the focus on generosity and the context determining whether the focus is on generosity or some other rationale for the giving. us: Grk. hēmeis, pl. pronoun of the first person. each: Grk. kata, prep., generally used to signify (1) direction, 'against, down;' (2) position, 'down, upon, in;' or (3) conformity or relation, 'according to, 'with regard to.' The third meaning applies here in a distributive sense. day: Grk. ho hēmera, "the day," which normally referred to the daylight hours from sunrise to sunset, or the civil or legal day that included the night. our: Grk. hēmeis. daily: Grk. epiousios, adj., what is needed for subsistence to sustain life. The adj. refers to God's provision that is needed for each day (HELPS). The noun occurs only twice in the Besekh (also in Matthew's version of the this prayer). bread: Grk. artos (for Heb. lechem), bread or food, which refers to a baked product made from cereal grain. Since bread was eaten at every meal in biblical lands, the term was often used as a synonym for food and the support of life in general quite apart from its literal meaning (DNTT 1:250). The prayer recalls the days of the wilderness wanderings when God literally provided the daily manna, the bread of heaven (Ps 105:40; John 6:31). Consider that in ancient times when there was no refrigeration, shopping for food was a daily necessity. Wages for workers were also paid daily in order to buy food. We should note that the plural pronouns focus on the community and not just the individual. Plummer notes that the straight forward meaning of the petition is: "Continually give us day by day our bread for the coming day." This petition is unselfish. We are praying that God will provide for the needs of the people of God. Some in our midst don't have money for food. By praying this prayer we are taking responsibility for their welfare and helping to bear their burdens (Gal 6:2). The petition also recognizes that God's blessings are shared as a people. What He gives is not the sole property of the recipient (Isa 58:7). The early disciples understood this principle and shared their bread with one another (Acts 2:44-46; cf. 1Jn 3:16-17). The petition contains profound spiritual meaning. Bread was a metaphor for the resources that sustain us (Eccl 11:1). Bread represents all the promises God made to Israel (Matt 15:26). Bread represents eternal life and that life is found in Yeshua. (John 6:27, 48). To pray for our daily bread is not to ask for just what our bodies need, but what will also nourish our souls and spirits. Just as the Israelites were provided manna to sustain them while they were pilgrims in the wilderness, so we pray for the bread that will sustain us during our sojourn on earth. 4 "And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation." Reference: Exodus 32:32; Numbers 14:18; Psalm 25:18; Matthew 6:12-13. And: Grk. kai, conj. forgive: Grk. aphiēmi, aor. imp., to release or send away, here meaning to release from an obligation, cancel, forgive. us: Grk. hēmeis. our: Grk. hēmeis. sins: pl. of Grk. hamartia may refer to (1) a behavioral action, a misdeed that creates liability, every departure from the way of righteousness; (2) the result of sinning or the condition of being sinful; or (3) an invasive evil power. The first meaning is intended here. Hamartia is the dominant word for sin in the Besekh. The noun occurs 9 times in Luke, always in the plural form, which points to the cumulative effect of living by one's own preferences and values. In Scripture sin is a conscious deviation from the right way and as a behavior is a violation of commandments given by God and recorded in the Torah by Moses (Rom 3:20; 4:15; 7:7; Jas 2:9; 1Jn 3:4). The earliest mentions of sin depict behavior that merits the judgment of God (cf. Gen 15:16; 18:20; 20:9; 42:21; Ex 10:17; 20:5). Behavioral sin may be one of commission, i.e., doing what is prohibited, or one of omission, i.e., failing to do what is commanded, and in both cases implies knowledge of God's will (Jas 4:17). The Torah recognizes that a transgression could be unintentional, a sin of error, inadvertence or negligence (Lev 4:1-3, 27-28; 5:18; Num 15:22-29; Deut 19:4-6). Nevertheless, atonement by a sin offering was still required (Lev 4:2-3). In Scripture hamartia does not include mistakes, the imperfections that separate humanity from divinity, "falling short of the glory" (Rom 3:23). The plural form of "sins" could allude to multiple offenses or the repetition of a single offense. for: Grk. gar, conj., is generally accepted as a contraction of ge ("yet") and ara ("then"), and in a broad sense means "certainly it follows that;" "for." The conjunction is used to express cause, explanation, inference or continuation of an idea or statement. we ourselves: pl. of Grk. autos. also: Grk. kai. forgive: Grk. aphiēmi, pres., 1p-pl. everyone: Grk. pas, adj., comprehensive in scope, but without statistical emphasis; all, every. indebted: Grk. opheilō, pres. part., to be under a prescribed obligation, to have a duty or to owe someone. to us: Grk. hēmeis. Yeshua makes a connection between "sins" and "debts" so that sin is no longer conceived of as simply disobedience, but as an outstanding debt. When we fail to meet God's expectations as expressed in the commandments we are in debt to Him. The declaration following the petition can have two layers of meaning. Relevant to this context is the legal fiction created by Hillel to prevent the forgiveness of debts every seven years as specified in the Torah (Deut 15:1-2, 7-9). See my comment on Matthew 5:42. This petition constitutes a rebuke of Hillel's policy. Thus, the disciple knowing that God is willing to forgive his "debt" of sin is willing to forgive a monetary debt in accordance with the Torah requirement. In addition followers of Yeshua who have sinned owe something to the congregation to which they belong, even if the sin was not committed against a member of the congregation. Yeshua provided instruction on confronting sin in order to reconcile the errant believer with the congregation (Matt 18:15-19). If someone confesses the commission of sin and manifests repentance to the congregation, then Yeshua expects forgiveness to be granted. and: Grk. kai. lead: Grk. eispherō, aor. subj., cause to be brought into a place or condition; lead into, bring in. us: Grk. hēmeis. not: Grk. mē, adv., a particle of qualified negation, ruling out any implications that could be involved with what should (could, would) apply; no, not (HELPS). It differs from the other standard negative particle, oú, in that oú is objective, dealing only with facts, while mē is subjective, involving will and thought (DM 265). into: Grk. eis, prep. that focuses on entrance, frequently in relation to a direction toward a goal or place and consequent arrival; into, to, unto. temptation: Grk. peirasmos may mean either (1) a means to determine quality or performance, test or trial; or (2) exposure to possibility of wrongdoing, temptation. Most Bible versions translate the noun as "temptation," but some have "testing" or "time of trial" (CJB, GNB, NRSV). Both meanings could apply here. The prayer "lead us not into temptation" is also is found in a Jewish daily blessing. "May it be Thy will, O Lord, my God, to make me lie down in peace, and set my portion in Thy law and accustom me to the performance of religious duties, but do not accustom me to transgression; and bring me not into sin, or into iniquity, or into temptation, or into contempt." (Berakoth 60b) One Rabbi cautioned: "Never should a man bring himself into temptation as David did, saying, 'Examine me, O Lord, and prove me' [Ps 36:2], and stumbled" (Sanhedrin 107a). Even so, the petition in the Lord's Prayer as translated by the most versions is paradoxical since God expressly says that He tempts no one (Jas 1:3), whereas Satan is the great tempter (Matt 4:1; Luke 4:13; 1Cor 7:5; 1Th 3:5). On the contrary, God does test His people (Ex 15:25; 16:4; Deut 8:2; Jdg 2:21-22; 3:1; Ps 11:4-5). Jacob (aka "James") offers this exhortation, "My brothers and sisters, when you might encounter various trials, consider every joy, 3 knowing that the testing of your faithfulness produces patience. 4 And let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (Jas 1:2-3 BR) The petition is appropriate for the disciple since Yeshua was "led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted [or tested] by the devil" (Matt 4:1). The petition would be like asking God not to take us where Yeshua had to go. So, by this prayer the disciple could be asking God (1) to spare him trials that would in fact destroy his faith; and/or (2) to give him overcoming faith to handle the trials that come his way. Textual Note Some versions add the clause "but deliver us from evil" (BRG, JUB, KJV, MEV, MW, NKJV, NMB, RGT, WEB, YLT). The clause does not appear in the earliest manuscripts in the 2nd to 4th century (Marcion, p75, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, Tertullian and Origen), but was added beginning in the 5th century (GNT 256). Additional Note: Doxology The doxology of the Lord's Prayer ["For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."] preserved by some Bible versions (Matt 6:13) is not included here. Moreover, the doxology does not occur in the earliest and best manuscripts of the Greek New Testament (GNT 18). Thus, Yeshua did not provide a doxology at all. Lightfoot suggests that Yeshua's purpose was simply to emphasize the petitionary nature of the prayer. The doxology is preserved in the second century works Didache Chap. 8 (with the omission of "kingdom"), and the Diatessaron 9:36, so it was not the invention of late MS copyists. The doxology echoes the praise of Ezra, "Yours, ADONAI, is the greatness, the power and the splendor, and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything in heaven and earth. Yours is the kingdom, ADONAI and You are exalted above all" (1Chr 29:11 TLV). Metzger notes that third century patristic commentaries on the Lord's Prayer (e.g., Tertullian, Origen, and Cyprian), suggest the doxology was composed in order to adapt the Prayer for liturgical use in congregational worship (14). The Friend at Midnight, 11:5-8 This parable is similar to that of the Unjust Judge in 18:1-8. Both of them are reported only by Luke. Plummer comments that the Gospel of Luke is in a special sense the Gospel of Prayer; as both parables teach that prayer should be importunate and persevering. So far as they differ, the one shows that prayer is never out of season, the other that it is sure to bring a blessing and not a curse. 5 And he said to them, "Who among you would have a friend, and would go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; And: Grk. kai, conj. he said: Grk. legō, aor. See verse 1 above. to: Grk. pros, prep. See verse 1 above. them: pl. of Grk. autos; the disciples mentioned in verse 1 above. Who: Grk. tís, interrogative pronoun indicating interest in establishing something definite; who, which, what, why. The pronoun introduces a rhetorical question that continues through verse 7 and poses a hypothetical situation. Many versions obscure the question form by translating the verse in a declarative form, most beginning with "suppose." among: Grk. ek, prep. used to denote derivation or separation, here the former; out of, out from among, from. you: Grk. humeis, pl. pronoun of the second person. would have: Grk. echō, fut., to have, hold or possess with a wide range of application. a friend: Grk. philos, which may serve as adj. to denote being friendly or kindly disposed toward or a noun to denote a degree of peaceful relationship, more than a casual acquaintanceship; friend. Note that Yeshua did not say "neighbor." The mention of friend suggests a relationship of trust and mutual service. and: Grk. kai. would go: Grk. poreuō, fut. mid., to move from one part of an area to another, to make one's way; go, journey, travel. The choice of this verb would suggest that the friend does not necessarily live next door. to: Grk. pros. him: Grk. autos. at midnight: Grk. mesonuktion, midnight, the middle of the period between sunset and sunrise. The term is not intended to be an exact time measurement, since there were no clocks. By Jewish reckoning midnight was the end-point of the second watch at the Temple in Jerusalem, which lasted about 9 pm to midnight. The time for the appeal seems most unreasonable, yet necessity requires urgency. The visiting friend probably arrived late in the evening and alludes to the practice of traveling at night to avoid the heat of the day. and: Grk. kai. say: Grk. legō, aor. subj. to him: Grk. autos. Friend: Grk. philos, voc. lend: Grk. kichrēmi, aor. imp., to loan or lend. me: Grk. egō, pronoun of the first person. Note that the request is not "give me." three: Grk. treis, adj., the numeral three. loaves: pl. of Grk. artos. See verse 3 above. The common translation of "loaves" may be misleading to modern readers. This was not the fluffy sliced white bread of modern times. The English term "loaf" refers to a molded mass, so it does not define size. The Israelites made bread in the form of an oblong or round cake, as thick as one's thumb, and as large as a plate or platter (Thayer). The verb "lend" recognizes that the loaves have monetary value and thus the loan would be repaid with money or in kind. Gill points out that it was usual of Jews to ask a neighbor to lend loaves, and certain rules are laid down, especially in relation to the Sabbath and a festival day. Such an exchange was not considered a gift, but a short-term arrangement with provision of a pledge of some kind (Shabbat 23:1). Hillel issued the rule that "a woman must not lend a loaf to her neighbor without first valuing it; lest wheat advances, and they come to usury'' (Baba Metzia 5:9). There is nothing particularly denoted by the number "three," but Ellicott suggests the three could be one for himself, one for the guest and one in reserve. 6 since a friend of mine has come from a journey to me, and I do not have anything to set before him;' since: Grk. epeidē, conj., aptly 'if indeed,' which assumes the preceding is something factual, and emphatically what aptly or predictably follows (HELPS). a friend: Grk. philos. See the previous verse. of mine: Grk. egō. has come: Grk. paraginomai, aor. mid., to make one's way so as to be present; come, arrive, be present. from: Grk. ek, prep. a journey: Grk. hodos, with the focus on the concept of going the word typically has the sense of a route for traveling, hence a way, a road or a highway. Here it refers to the act of traveling; journey, way, trip. to me: Grk. egō. The clause implies traveling a considerable distance. and: Grk. kai, conj. I do not: Grk. ou, adv., a particle used in an unqualified denial or negation; no, not. have: Grk. echō, pres. See the previous verse. anything: Grk. hos, relative pronoun used to specify or give significance to the mention of a person, thing, or piece of information in the text; who, which, what, that. to set before: Grk. paratithēmi, fut., to place something beside, to set before. him: Grk. autos. The explanation of the need does not necessarily imply a desire to serve a meal at midnight, but the lack of provisions to provide proper hospitality to the unexpected visiting friend during the next day. 7 and he from within answering says, 'Do not cause me trouble; already the door has been shut and my children are with me in the bed; I am not able having arisen to give to you?' and he: Grk. kakeinos (from kai, "and," and ekeinos, "that one"), demonstrative pronoun in reference to someone or something mentioned earlier in the narrative; 'also that one' or 'even that one.' from within: Grk. esōthen, adv., with focus on origin from within or inside, here of a house. answering: Grk. apokrinomai, aor. pass. part., to answer or reply to someone, whether to a question, request, exhortation, command, etc. says: Grk. legō, aor. subj. See verse 1 above. The use of "answered" and "says" is a typical Hebraic way of advancing the narrative of dialog. The verb "answered" emphasizes that a verbal response was made and "says" introduces the quotation. Do not: Grk. mē, adv. cause: Grk. parechō, pres. imp., to cause something to be present or cause one to have something. me: Grk. egō. trouble: Grk. kopos may mean (1) experience of distress, trouble, harassment or (2) engagement in fatiguing activity, labor, hard work. The first meaning applies here. already: Grk. ēdē, adv. with focus on temporal culmination, now, already. The adverb refers to a point of time preceding another point of time and implying completion (HELPS). the door: Grk. ho thura, a device for opening and closing an entranceway; door, gate. has been shut: Grk. kleiō, perf. pass., closed to prevent entry; locked, shut; in other words "shut for the night." and: Grk. kai, conj. my: Grk. egō. children: n.pl. of Grk. ho paidion (the diminutive form of pais, "child"); little one, whether boy or girl. In its literal use the term implies a child perhaps seven years old or younger (HELPS). There is no mention of a wife, but it would be implied. are: Grk. eimi, pres., 3p-pl. See verse 1 above. with: Grk. meta, prep. denoting either (1) association or accompaniment, among, with; or (2) sequence, after, behind; here the former. me: Grk. egō. in: Grk. eis, prep. the bed: Grk. ho koitē, a place for lying down and resting or sleeping; bed, couch. Ancient Jews had nothing resembling the modern bed with the sleeping surface elevated off the floor. Sleeping occurred on divans, or on mats laid upon the floor. Barnes notes that the statement does not mean that the children were in the same bed, but simply all were sleeping in the same room. There was no such thing as separate bedrooms for parents and children. In fact, bedrooms didn't come into existence until Medieval times, and then only in homes of the wealthy. In ancient times the number of rooms in a family dwelling depended on the wealth of the owner. See the article Houses in the Bible. The friend responds by pointing out that the request is outrageous because of the risk of wakening the entire family (Ellis). I am not: Grk. ou, adv. able: Grk. dunamai, pres. mid., the quality or state of being capable. having arisen: Grk. anistēmi, aor. part., to rise, stand up or get up and in its ordinary use refers to the physical motion of transition from a sitting or recumbent position or simply standing. to give: Grk. didōmi, aor. inf. See verse 3 above. to you: Grk. su. The parable keeps the conversation between the two men, whereas in reality the wife would handle the domestic task of borrowing or supplying bread. Plummer notes that it is the trouble that the friend minds, not the parting with the bread. 8 I say to you, even though he will not give to him, having arisen because of being his friend, yet because of his persistence having arisen he will give him as much as he needs. I say: Grk. legō, pres. See verse 1 above. to you: Grk. humeis; i.e., Yeshua's disciples. even: Grk. kai, conj. though: Grk. ei, conj., a contingency marker that introduces a current real condition, or an assumption for the sake of argument; here the former; if, whether, though. he will not: Grk. ou, adv. give: Grk. didōmi, fut. See verse 3 above. to him: Grk. autos. having arisen: Grk. anistēmi, aor. part. See the previous verse. because of: Grk. dia, prep. used as a prefix to a statement, which may express (1) instrumentality; through, by means of; or (2) causality; on account of, because of. The second usage applies here. being: Grk. eimi, pres. inf. See verse 1 above. his: Grk. autos. friend: Grk. philos. See verse 5 above. yet: Grk. ge, an emphatic particle with focus on the preceding words; assuredly, at least, indeed. because of: Grk. dia. his: Grk. autos. persistence: Grk. ho anaideia, lacking respect for convention, shameless persistence. The noun occurs only here in the Besekh. having arisen: Grk. egeirō, aor. part., to rise or raise from a recumbent or lower position. he will give: Grk. didōmi, fut. him: Grk. autos. as much as: Grk. hosos, correlative pronoun; how great, how much, how many, as much. he needs: Grk. chrēzō, pres., experience the lack of, need; here of bread. Christian theology explains the nature of God by using positive logical arguments. The Jewish method is to declare what God is like by illustrating what He is not. So, if a friend will grudgingly respond to a need, how much more will God do since He is good, gracious and loving and available 24/7? Nevertheless, this story illustrates three important elements in effective prayer. First, ask specifically for what is really desired (cf. Ps 37:4; 1Sam 1:10-11; John 14:13f). Second, pray boldly. Don't be afraid to pray for big things, even impossible things (cf. Gen 18:27; Ex 32:32; Mark 10:47; Luke 11:5-9; Acts 4:24-31). Third, be persistent in prayer. Keep praying until God answers, whether "yes," "no" or "wait" (cf. Isa 62:7; Luke 18:1; 2Cor 12:8-9; 1Th 5:17). In reality persistence is not strictly necessary for God to answer prayer, but persistence demonstrates the importance of the issue to the disciple. Yeshua did not present the illustration in order to justify making unreasonable demands of God in order to satisfy "desires of the eyes." Rather by following immediately upon the prayer in verses 2-4 Yeshua emphasizes that each of the petitions of the Lord's Prayer are urgent matters representing spiritual priorities. These petitions must be a regular part of the disciple's prayer life. The Blessing of Persistence, 11:9-13 9 "I also say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Reference: Matthew 7:7. I also: Grk. kagō (from kai, "also" and egō, "I"), conj., lit. "and I." The first person pronoun is emphatic. say: Grk. legō, pres. See verse 1 above. In the previous section the parable "spoke," but now Yeshua adds his personal instruction concerning prayer (Plummer). to you: Grk. humeis; his disciples. ask: Grk. aiteō, pres. imp., 2p-pl., to ask in expectation of a response; ask, ask for, request. Even though God knows our needs, Yeshua encourages his disciples to petition God for their needs and the needs of others. and: Grk. kai, conj. it will be given: Grk. didōmi, fut. pass. See verse 3 above. to you: Grk. humeis. seek: Grk. zēteō, pres. imp.,2p-pl., to seek or search for in order to find. Like the verb "ask" the verb "seek" may concerns basic needs (Luke 12:30), but also applies to intangible virtues, such as seeking wisdom for decision-making. and: Grk. kai. you will find: Grk. heuriskō, fut., 2p-pl., to discover or find something, especially after searching. knock: Grk. krouō, pres. imp., 2p-pl., to knock to gain admittance. and: Grk. kai. it will be opened: Grk. anoigō, fut. pass., to open, generally used of doors and objects or fig. of furnishing an opportunity. to you: Grk. humeis. The word picture of knocking can especially apply to praying for ministry opportunities (Col 4:3). This instruction is a spiritual application of the law of cause and effect. The action verbs all assume there will be a result. Yeshua gives assurance that the result will be positive, although the future tense of the result verbs would not necessarily indicate an immediate result. When associated with the imperative mood the present tense of each the three action verbs generally means to start and keep on doing the action. The present tense of the action verbs reinforces the boldness and persistence illustrated in the previous parable. The imperative mood of the action verbs, though normally the mood of command, is probably intended to convey an entreaty or even permission, rather than finality of a command with the force of law. Yeshua thus provides an important key to effective prayer and assures his disciples that perseverance in prayer will produce a result. There are other factors in gaining answers, such as praying in humility, praying explicitly and praying in faith. We should note that Yeshua does not guarantee the nature of the response from God or that the prayer will be answered exactly as requested. God might have a better answer. For a full discussion of this topic see my slide presentation Principles of Effective Prayer. 10 For everyone, the one asking, receives; and the one seeking, finds; and to the one knocking, it will be opened. Reference: Matthew 7:8. For: Grk. gar, conj. everyone: Grk. pas, adj. See verse 4 above. the one: Grk. ho, definite article, but used here as a demonstrative pronoun that reinforces the adjective "everyone." asking: Grk. aiteō, pres. part. See the previous verse. receives: Grk. lambanō, pres., to lay or take hold of, to take in the hand or receive. and: Grk. kai, conj. the one: Grk. ho. seeking: Grk. zēteō, pres. part. See the previous verse. finds: Grk. heuriskō, pres. See the previous verse. and: Grk. kai. to the one: Grk. ho. knocking: Grk. krouō, pres. part. See the previous verse. it will be opened: Grk. anoigō, fut. pass. See the previous verse. Yeshua reiterates the important principle that receiving answers to prayer relies on boldness and perseverance in asking, seeking and knocking. The problem is that too often people don't even ask God (Jas 4:2). Israelites were exhorted "Give Him no rest" (Isa 62:7). Bible examples demonstrate the value of persistence in prayer. ● Abraham gained significant concessions from God in his intercession for Sodom (Gen 18:18-33). ● Isaac's persistent prayer for his barren wife resulted in pregnancy (Gen 25:21). ● Jacob wrestled with God throughout the night, refusing to let go until he received a blessing (Gen 32:24-32). His persistence resulted in a profound transformation, a new name and a new revelation. ● Moses is lauded as being mighty in intercession for Israel and God answering, often with signs and wonders (Num 1:2; 10:35-36; 11:1-15; 12:13; 14:13-19;; 16:15-22; 21:7; 27:5; Ps 99:6). ● Hannah endured years of barrenness but persisted in prayer before the Lord for a son (1Sam 1:9-20). Her unwavering faith led to the birth of Samuel, who became a great prophet and leader in Israel. ● David was a man of prayer and the book of Psalms are full of his prayers with references to answers (Ps 3:4; 20:6; 34:4; 55:19; 118:5, 21; 119:26; 138:3). ● Elijah prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain in the land for three and a half years as a judgment on King Ahab (Jas 5:17; 1Kgs 17:1). ● When faced with a terminal illness, King Hezekiah pleaded to God for healing and deliverance from death (2Kgs 20:1-11). God answered and granted him an additional fifteen years of life as a sign of His mercy and faithfulness. So, we should keep on presenting our requests to God until He says "no" (cf. 2Cor 12:8-9). While not stated specifically in Yeshua's instruction here, prayer is most successful when done according to God's will. The apostle John reiterated this important principle: "Now this is the confidence we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests we have asked from Him." (1Jn 5:14-15 NASU) Praying according to God's will would mean to pray for those things that disciples are exhorted to pray: for those who persecute you and mistreat you (Matt 5:44; Luke 6:28); to the Father in secret (Matt 6:6), the Lord's Prayer (Matt 6:9), to not enter temptation (Matt 26:41; Mark 14:38; Luke 22:46), in faith (Mark 11:24), for interpretation of a language (1Cor 14:13), in the Spirit (Eph 6:18), for fellow believers (Eph 6:18), without giving up (1Th 5:17), for God's messengers and success in their proclaiming the good news (Eph 6:19; Col 4:3; 1Th 5:25; 2Th 3:1; Heb 13:18), for open doors of ministry (Col 4:3), for those who suffer (Jas 5:13), and for healing (Jas 5:16). In any particular situation disciples may safely follow the example of Yeshua and the apostles and make the same sorts of petitions to God as they did. The petitions in the Lord's Prayer are God's will and we may confidently pray for these things. Some believe that all petitions to God, particularly for healing, should always include the caveat "if God wills," since Yeshua prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, "Yet not as I will, but as You will" (Matt 26:39). However, Yeshua added the condition to his prayer precisely because he made a proposition directly contrary to the known will of the Father. While the apostles used the caveat in relation to planning (Acts 18:21; Rom 1:10; 15:32; 1Cor 4:19; Jas 4:13-15), they always prayed boldly without adding the conditional statement. Plans and prayers are two very different things. The promise of Scripture is that God always answers prayers according to His sovereign will. See my article The Will of God. 11 Now which among you who is a father, the son asking for a fish and instead of a fish he will give him a snake? Reference: Matthew 7:10. Now: Grk. de, conj. which: Grk. tis, indefinite pronoun. See verse 1 above. among: Grk. ek, prep. See verse 5 above. you: Grk. humeis, pl. pronoun of the second person. who is: Grk. ho, definite article, but used here as a demonstrative pronoun. a father: Grk. patēr. See verse 2 above. Yeshua alludes to the fact that generally his disciples were married and had children (Matt 19:29; Luke 18:29). the son: Grk. ho huios, generally a male offspring, whether by direct birth or by more remote ancestry. asking for: Grk. aiteō, fut. See verse 9 above. a fish: Grk. ichthus, a cold-blooded aquatic vertebrate, having fins and gills, and typically an elongated body covered with scales. Fish have been part of human diet since Noah's flood (Gen 9:2-3). God then directed a kosher diet plan for Israel, specifying that of aquatic animals only those with fins and scales were considered suitable for eating (Lev 11:9; Deut 14:9). Fish was a staple food for Israelites. There are a variety of fish species in the Sea of Galilee but those caught for food by Israelites include tilapia, barbel and sardine. and: Grk. kai, conj. instead of: Grk. anti, prep., over against, opposite, instead of. In this instance the preposition denotes a reaction of substitution. a fish: Grk. ichthus. he will give: Grk. epididōmi, fut., may mean (1) convey to; or (2) give up control. The first meaning applies here. him: Grk. autos, personal pronoun. a snake: Grk. ophis, a limbless scaly reptile in the literal sense. There are many species of snake indigenous to Israel. See this informative article. God designated all reptiles unclean for food by virtue of lacking a divided hoof and chewing the cud (Lev 11:3-4). The shocking suggestion would no doubt elicit an immediate negative response from his Jewish followers. No Jewish father would give his son meat of an unclean animal (cf. Acts 10:14). The fact that Yeshua asked the question in this manner proves that he did not cancel Torah food laws for his followers. (See my exposition of Mark 7:18-19.) 12 Or also if he asks for an egg, will he give him a scorpion? Or: Grk. ē, conj. involving options and is used as (1) a marker of an alternative, "or;" or (2) a marker indicating comparison; than, rather than. The first meaning applies here. The conjunction introduces a parallel illustration to the one in the previous verse. also: Grk. kai, conj. if he asks for: Grk. aiteō, fut. See verse 9 above. The subject of the verb is the son. an egg: Grk. ōon, egg of a bird. The species is not stated but probably a chicken. will he give: Grk. epididōmi, fut. See the previous verse. The subject of the verb is the father. him: Grk. autos; the son. a scorpion: Grk. skorpios, an arachnid having a long, narrow, segmented tail that terminates in a venomous sting; scorpion. At least 21 species of scorpion have been identified in Israel, three of which are poisonous (Haaretz.com). The scorpion is typically found in desert areas and sparse woodland. Plummer notes that when its limbs are closed round it, it is egg-shaped. The scorpion was one of the dangers Israel faced in the wilderness of Sinai (Deut 8:15). In Ezekiel 2:6 "scorpion" is employed as a metaphor of bitter, stinging words. Pliny the Elder, a Roman historian (A.D. 23-79), wrote that the scorpion produces maggots that look similar to eggs (Natural History, Book XI, Chap. 30). Gill suggests the allusion may be to a cruel practice in which a scorpion is put into an empty eggshell to be given to persons whose death has been desired; which it bursting from, at once strikes and kills. But what father would do so to a child!? 13 If therefore you, being "evil," know to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father, the One of heaven, give the Holy Spirit to those asking Him?" Reference: Matthew 7:11. If: Grk. ei, conj. See verse 8 above. therefore: Grk. oun, conj. may be used to (1) denote that what it introduces is the result of or an inference from what precedes, "so, therefore, consequently, accordingly, then;" or (2) resume a subject once more after an interruption, "so, as has been said" (BAG). The first meaning applies here. you: Grk. humeis; the disciples. being: Grk. huparchō, pl. pres. part., to function or be in a state or condition as determined by circumstance; be, begin, exist, possess. As a verbal adjective the present participle is descriptive of character or personal condition as current. evil: pl. of Grk. ponēros (from poineō, "to toil"), adj., marked by lowness in social worth or deviation from an acceptable moral or social standard, and so in general "bad." The great majority of versions translate the adjective as "evil," assuming an ethical evaluation. Some versions have "bad" (CEV, CJB, ERV, EASY, EXB, GNB, ICB, MSG, NCV), no doubt because it is inconceivable that Yeshua was labeling his disciples as wicked. In Greek culture the term originally meant "oppressed by toils" (Abbott-Smith). Thayer has "full of labors, annoyances, and hardships." Thus, they are representative of Adam's race contending with the burden of the curse (Gen 3:17-19). BAG says men are called ponēroi in contrast to God who is holy and good (cf. Matt 19:17). Christian commentators typically interpret "evil" here and in Matthew 7:11 as referring to innate human sinfulness or depravity. In Christian theology depravity refers to the original pollution resulting from Adam's sin that affects every part of the human personality - physical, intellectual, and spiritual. A basic objection may be made to this term. Just how "total" is total depravity? (words mean things) Considering that Yeshua spoke in Hebrew it's reasonable to ask how he meant the term he used as descriptive of his disciples. In the LXX ponēros translates Heb. ra, which has a wide range of meaning, first as the opposite of good (Gen 2:9, 17; 3:5, 22) and then of an intention for wicked behavior (Gen 6:5; 8:21; 13:13). Then the term is used for something or someone that is displeasing, injurious, unhappy, unkind or unpleasant (e.g. Lev 27:10; Deut 22:14; 28:35; Prov 25:20; Isa 3:11). The broad range of meaning of the term requires close attention to the context to determine its usage. Yeshua may have employed standard Jewish theology here, which viewed Man as having been created with two impulses or inclinations: an evil inclination (the yetzer ra) and a good inclination (the yetzer tov) (Berachot 61a). Thus, Yeshua may have meant "you in bondage to the yetzer-ra." Now to the Jewish mind the yetzer ra is not specifically a desire to commit wicked acts, but rather self-interest, such as the desire to satisfy personal interests and needs. God understands ordinary human interest and human weakness (1Chr 28:9; Ps 103:14). However, when self-interest ignores God's desires, then sin invariably follows. Yeshua rebuked some of his disciples for their misdirected self-interest (Mark 8:33; 10:13-15; Luke 9:52-56). In this verse Yeshua asserts a paradox of human nature. While Yeshua does make a contrast between the disciples and the Father it is not their ethical character that is compared. They are not children of the devil like the Pharisees (John 8:44). Moreover, Yeshua immediately describes what his disciples do. He does not mention any sinful action, but in fact points out something good and lauds parental love. There is a possibility that Yeshua uses the description of "being evil" in a facetious manner to reflect Pharisee criticism of his disciples (Matt 12:2; 15:2; Mark 2:18, 23-24; 7:1-5; Luke 19:39). The disciples of Yeshua were uneducated and untrained by Pharisee standards (Acts 4:13). The critical Pharisees viewed the common people, which included Yeshua's disciples, as being accursed of God since they were not trained in rabbinic laws nor did they observe their legalistic traditions (John 7:49). know: Grk. oida, perf., 2p-pl., to know in an objective sense, to have information about; also to grasp the significance of the information received. Many versions translate the verb as "know how," but Yeshua is not using the verb to describe having knowledge of a method of doing something. Rather the verb implies having the inclination to do something because of being taught as a duty. The Torah has a number of instructions concerning the parental duty of teaching their children (Ex 12:24-26; Lev 10:11; Deut 6:6-7; 31:19; 33:10), and the book of Proverbs is devoted the instruction of children. to give: Grk. didōmi, pres. inf. See verse 3 above. good: Grk. agathos, adj., achieving a high standard of excellence in meeting a need or interest, beneficial, useful, helpful or good. gifts: pl. of Grk. doma, a thing given, a gift or present. The "good gift" is one that is beneficial, and given voluntarily without payment. to your: Grk. humeis. children: pl. of Grk. teknon, child of undetermined age beyond infancy, normally referring to a man or woman's immediate biological offspring and most often used of a son. The parental good gifts would including supplying food, clothing and shelter, as well as the virtues of love, compassion, tenderness and discipline. how much: Grk. posos, interrogative pronoun, how much, how great, how many. more: Grk. mallon, adv. of increase or additive to some aspect of activity, situation, or condition; (much) more. The phrase "how much more" introduces a kal v'chomer ("light and heavy") argument, corresponding to what philosophers call a fortiori reasoning. If A is true, then B must also be true. Kal v'chomer is the first of seven rules of hermeneutics compiled and taught by Hillel the elder (d. A.D. 10), who was president of the Sanhedrin when Yeshua was a child. will the Father: Grk. ho patēr. See verse 2 above. the One: Grk. ho, definite article but used here as a demonstrative pronoun. of: Grk. ek, prep., "from." heaven: Grk. ouranos refers to the area above the earth that encompasses three "heavens" (Ps 148:1-4). In terms of direction from the ground level of the earth the first heaven is the atmosphere in which birds fly (Gen 1:20; Rev 19:17). The second heaven is interstellar space (Gen 1:1, 8; Matt 24:29) and the third heaven is the location of the throne of God and the home of angels (1Kgs 8:30; 2Cor 12:2). The third heaven is intended here. give: Grk. didōmi, fut. the Holy: Grk. hagios, adj., consecrated, set apart or sanctified by or for God and therefore different; holy, hallowed and when used of God worthy of reverence. In the LXX hagios translates Heb. qadosh, which means separate, sacred, holy. Qadosh is first used of God in Leviticus 11:44. Spirit: Grk. pneuma, wind, breath or spirit. Pneuma is used in the Besekh for the human spirit, transcendent beings, and particularly the Holy Spirit. In the LXX pneuma translates Heb. ruach, with the same range of meaning, first in Genesis 1:2; referring to the Spirit of God. In Scripture "holy" is only used as an adjective of "spirit" to refer to the Holy Spirit. The "Holy Spirit" is not the title of a separate being, because God is Spirit (pneuma ho theos, John 4:24), just as God is the Word (verse 1 above). All of the passages mentioning the Holy Spirit indicate that He is divine, not less or other than God. The specific name "Holy Spirit" occurs only three times in the Tanakh (Ps 51:11; Isa 63:10, 11) given as Ruach Qodesh. The Holy Spirit is identified by three other forms in the Tanakh (Ruach Elohim, Gen 1:2; Ruach YHVH, Jdg 3:10; and Ruach Adonai YHVH, Isa 61:1). The Greek text of this verse does not have the definite article for either "Holy" or "Spirit," corresponding to the lack of the definite article in the three passages of Ruach Qodesh. to those: pl. of Grk. ho. asking: Grk. aiteō, pl. pres. part. See verse 9 above. Him: Grk. autos; i.e., the Father. The saying in Matthew has "what is good" rather than "Holy Spirit," no doubt reflecting what Yeshua said on that earlier occasion. However, here Yeshua emphasizes the supreme good that God will bestow on his disciples, alluding to the anticipation of the outpouring of the Spirit on Shavuot (Pentecost) that will result after ten days of prayer (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:9). To those lacking the perfection and power of God the Holy Spirit will cleanse the yetzer ra and empower the yetzer tov to accomplish the will of God (Ezek 11:19-20; 36:25-27; Acts 1:8; 15:9; 1Cor 6:11; 1Th 5:23; Heb 9:14; 10:22). Defamation and Refutation, 11:14-20 The narrative of an exorcism, blasphemy by adversaries and the following description of spiritual warfare may have parallels in Matthew 12:22-30 and Mark 3:22-30, but it is by no means certain that Luke describes the same incident. In Matthew the demonic victim has a double affliction and Mark does not mention the victim at all. Also Matthew and Mark locate their accounts in Galilee and near to the time of appointing the Twelve. In addition, Matthew says the adversaries were Pharisees and Mark says they were scribes, whereas Luke leaves the adversaries unidentified. Thus, it probably best to treat Luke's narrative as an independent account that occurred on a different occasion, probably in Perea. 14 And he was casting out a demon, and it was mute; now it came to pass the demon having gone out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled. Reference: Matthew 12:22. And: Grk. kai, conj. he was: Grk. eimi, impf. See verse 1 above. casting out: Grk. ekballō, pres. part., to cause to move out from a position, state or condition with variation in the degree of force or lack thereof as determined by the context; banish, cast out, drive out, expel. a demon: Grk. daimonion (from daimōn, "evil spirit, demon"), a supra-natural being inferior to God but superior to humans, a fallen angel. In Greek culture the term referred to a god or deity of the pagan pantheon (Acts 17:18). In Jewish culture the term referred to an evil hostile spirit. The terms "demon" and "unclean spirit" are essentially synonymous in Scripture (Luke 9:42). Scripture is silent on the origin of demons, but they are likely the angels who rebelled against God and were cast down to earth (Rev 12:9; cf. Job 4:18; 2Pet 2:4; Jude 1:6). In the book of Job the original sin of angels is alluded to in a demonic visitation to Eliphaz in which a spirit says, "against His angels He charges error" (Job 4:18; cf. 15:15). While active in the world, they are destined for judgment (Matt 8:29; 25:41). Worship in false religions brings people into contact with demons that are the true reality behind the pagan deities (Lev 17:7; Deut 32:17; 2Chr 11:15; Ps 106:37; Baruch 4:7; 1Cor 10:20f; Rev 9:20). According to Jewish belief in the first century demons ascend from beneath the earth (cf. 1Sam 28:13) and fill the world. God gives them authority to inflict punishments on sinners. Their power began in the time of Enosh (Gen 4:26), but will end in the days of the Messiah. Their main goal is to lead men into sin. They are the cause of some, but not all diseases, and they can also kill (DNTT 1:451). The many mentions of demon-possessed people in the apostolic narratives indicate an extraordinary invasion coincidental with the revelation of the Messiah. In fact, while there are a few anecdotes of evil spirits in the Tanakh (1Sam 16:14-23; 18:10; 19:19; 1Kgs 22:21-23; 2Kgs 19:7), there are no incidents of demon-possession and all the mentions of the phenomenon are in the apostolic narratives. In these stories the individual is never blamed for being afflicted with a demon. They were victims, not offenders. There is NO evidence that the demonic oppression resulted from personal misconduct. The demonic activity was unprecedented in Israelite history, and the evidence indicates that the victims were random targets. and: Grk. kai. it was: Grk. eimi, impf. mute: Grk. kōphos, blunted or dull, whether in tongue or the ears, here the former and unable to form sounds. The demon is called mute because it made the victim mute. now: Grk. de, conj. it came to pass: Grk. ginomai, aor. mid. See verse 1 above. the demon: Grk. ho daimonion. having gone out: Grk. exerchomai, aor. part., to move away from a place or position, to go or come out, depart. the mute man: Grk. kōphos. spoke: Grk. laleō, aor., to exercise the faculty of speech in order to make an oral statement; declare, say, speak. Noteworthy is that the man spoke and not the demon. And: Grk. kai. the crowds: pl. of Grk. ochlos, an aggregate of people or an assembled company of people; crowd, multitude, great number. The plural form suggests a diverse group. marveled: Grk. thaumazō, aor., 3p-pl., be extraordinarily impressed; to wonder, be amazed, astonished, impressed and thus to admire. The last clause confirms that the exorcism occurred in a public place. 15 But some of them said, "He casts out the demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons." Reference: Matthew 12:24; Mark 3:22. But: Grk. de, conj. some: m.pl. of Grk. tis, indefinite pronoun. See verse 1 above. of them: m.pl. of Grk. autos, personal pronoun. See verse 1 above. The opening phrase refers to unidentified men in the crowd. said: Grk. legō, aor. See verse 1 above. The ad hominem attack was evidently not addressed directly to Yeshua. On this occasion the whisperers were not Pharisees, as some commentators suggest (so Exell, Gill and Lumby), but men who had heard the slander while in Jerusalem for the Feast of Booths (John 8:48-52; 10:20). Otherwise a Pharisee would not have invited Yeshua to share a meal (verse 37 below). He casts out: Grk. ekballō, pres. See the previous verse. the demons: pl. of Grk. ho daimonion. See the previous verse. The plural form of the noun alludes to all the occasions of exorcism performed by Yeshua. by: Grk. en, prep. See verse 1 above. Here the preposition stresses means, "by means of." Beelzebul: Grk. Beelzeboul, which transliterates Ba'al-Zibbul (Stern 39). See the Textual Note below. Ba'al was the chief male deity of the Phoenicians and the Canaanites (Num 22:41). Ba'al means lord or master. As a deity Ba'al symbolized the productive forces of nature and worship of Ba'al involved much sensuality (Num 22:41; Jdg 2:13; 1Kgs 16:31-32). Zibbul is a variant spelling of Zebub, which means a fly. The combined name alludes to Ba'al-Zebub, the Philistine god of Ekron (2Kgs 1:2). Levine says that Ba'al-zebub is a parody of the name, meaning "lord of the flies" (125). the ruler: Grk. ho archōn, one who has eminence in a ruling capacity or one who has administrative authority; chief, governor, ruler. In the LXX archōn generally translates Heb. sar, chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince; first in Genesis 12:15. Some versions translate the noun here as "prince" (ASV, ESV, NABRE, NCB, NIV, NLT, RSV). of the demons: pl. of Grk. ho daimonion. Beelzebul is thus another name for Satan. The name occurs in no other Jewish writing (Lane 141). Yeshua's adversaries employed the tactic of the "big lie," a gross distortion of the truth repeated for effect. The uneducated public could be convinced of the lie because it was incomprehensible that the Pharisees and scribes, the very models of righteousness, would violate the Torah to distort the truth. Thus, Yeshua called his adversaries "children of the devil" (John 8:44; cf. Acts 13:10; 1Jn 3:10). Satan is a liar, and one of his chief weapons against the people of God has always been to spread malicious lies. By this false charge, the critics unwittingly malign the Holy Spirit with whom Yeshua was filled. The accusation also branded Yeshua's work as unlawful and consigned him to the category of a magician. The related charge of sorcery became widespread among Jews and the Talmud records that Yeshua was hanged because of practicing sorcery (Sanh. 43a; 107b; Sot. 47a). Various church fathers attest to this continuing calumny into the patristic age (cited in Lane). Textual Note: Beelzebul A number of versions incorrectly spell the Greek name of the demonic ruler as Beelzebub (ASV, AMPC, BRG, DARBY, DRA, JUB, KJV, MEV, NKJV, NMB, RGT, WE). This spelling originated in Matthew 10:25 of the Textus Receptus. Lightfoot notes that the spelling occurred in the Syriac, Persian, Vulgate and some other manuscripts of the Matthew passage (3:114). Even though the TR has Beelzebul in Mark 3:22 and Luke 11:15, the KJV and succeeding versions transposed Beelzebub from Matthew. 16 And others, testing, were seeking a sign from heaven from him. Reference: Matthew 12:38; 16:1; Mark 8:11. And: Grk. de, conj. others: m.pl. of Grk. heteros, adj., a distributive pronoun used to distinguish one item from another, other, another or different. The pronoun serves to distinguish these men from the speakers in the previous verse. These men are also unidentified, but they expressed a particular interest of the Pharisees and Sadducees as reported by Matthew and Mark. testing: Grk. peirazō, pl. pres. part., to try, make a trial of, put to the test; tempt, test, or try (Robertson 1:30). This is the same verb used to describe the testing of Yeshua in the wilderness for forty days (Luke 4:2). The critics could justify themselves on the ground of testing a prophet to determine whether he had been sent by God (Deut 13:2-6; 18:18-22). were seeking: Grk. zēteō, impf., 3p-pl. See verse 9 above. a sign: Grk. sēmeion usually refers to an extraordinary phenomenon, a portent or a miracle (Mounce). The presence of a sign confirms or validates through display of transcendent power. In the Tanakh a "sign" referred to a visible reminder of God's covenant, such as the rainbow, circumcision and the Sabbath (Gen 9:12f, 17; 17:11; Ex 31:13, 17). Sometimes a sign was a token that would serve as a future warning or reminder, such as Aaron’s rod (Num 17:25) and the stones in the Jordan (Josh 4:6). Most of the usages of "sign" in the Tanakh are related to miraculous wonders that only the Creator could perform, especially the many miracles for the deliverance and protection of Israel. Sēmeion is used in the apostolic narratives in reference to miracles that validate the identity of Yeshua as the Messiah and Son of God. John's narrative uses sēmeion of seven specific creation-type miracles Yeshua performed that proclaimed his divine power (John 2:11; 4:54; 5:8-9; 6:2, 14, 19; 9:16; 12:18). from: Grk. apo, prep. used generally as a marker of either separation or origin, here the latter, indicating direction in relation to persons. heaven: Grk. ouranos. See verse 13 above. The demand for a "sign from heaven" is something that signifies a public, definitive proof that God was with Yeshua (Lane 277). Lane argues that the "sign" would not necessarily be a miracle since Yeshua had already performed incredible miracles and his critics remained unbelieving. Rather, the "sign" should be something that proved Yeshua's truthfulness and trustworthiness. from: Grk. para, prep. that conveys association; beside, alongside of, from, with. him: Grk. autos, personal pronoun. Plummer notes that the demand for a mere wonder to compel conviction was a renewal of the third temptation in the wilderness (Luke 4:9-12). Like the slander in the previous verse this demand was repeated on previous occasions by adversarial Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes. The request was a test because the critics do not specify a sign. By leaving the decision to Yeshua they could then claim that his choice was inadequate. See the comment on verses 29-30 below. 17 But he knowing their thoughts said to them, "Every kingdom having been divided against itself is made desolate; and a house falls upon a house. Reference: Matthew 12:25; Mark 3:24-25. But: Grk. de, conj. he: Grk. autos, personal pronoun. knowing: Grk. oida, perf. part. See verse 13 above. their: m. pl. of Grk. autos. thoughts: pl. of Grk. ho dianoēma, reasoning or thought which prompts intent and purpose. said: Grk. legō, aor. See verse 1 above. to them: m. pl. of Grk. autos. Yeshua responds with a three-part logical refutation of the ad hominem attack. Every: Grk. pas, adj. See verse 4 above. kingdom: Grk. basileia. See verse 2 above. having been divided: Grk. diamerizō, aor. pass. part., cause to be in parts; divide, distribute, apportion. against: Grk. epi, prep. with the root meaning of "upon" is used primarily as a marker of position, but here stresses opposition (DM106). itself: Grk. heautou, reflexive pronoun of the third person. is made desolate: Grk. erēmoō (from erēmos, "desert, wilderness"), pres. mid., to make empty, to destroy or to make desolate (Rienecker). The present tense emphasizes the continuing result from the time of division. and: Grk. kai, conj. a house: Grk. oikos may mean (1) a structure for habitation; house, home; or (2) persons inhabiting a house, house, household, family. In the LXX oikos translates Heb. beit, house, household, first in Genesis 7:1. However, "house" could have a figurative meaning, e.g. "house of Jacob" (Ex 20:22; Luke 1:33), house of ADONAI (Ex 23:19), house of Aaron (Ps 115:10), house of David (Luke 1:69). While not mentioned in the Besekh the term was also applied to the Rabbinic schools or followers of a Sage, such as "house of Hillel" or "house of Shammai" (Stern 59). falls: Grk. piptō, pres., to drop from a relatively high position to a lower position. In this context the verb describes falling associated with perishing or coming to an end. upon: Grk. epi. a house: Grk. oikos. A kingdom viewed as royal power over a territory may be divided by virtue of civil war, which could easily mean the end of that kingdom. All Jews knew well the historical reality of the breakup of the kingdom of Israel after the death of Solomon (1Kgs 12:16-17). Geldenhuys notes that when a kingdom is internally divided and thus comes to a fall the separate houses, too, come into conflict with one another in the mutual struggle, and so go to ruin (332). The second clause reiterates the first but stresses its impact. In this regard Yeshua's statement may also be prophecy. Josephus records that in the first Jewish-Roman War of 66-70 A.D. seditions among Jews contributed to the downfall of the city and temple (Wars IV, 3:2-10). The Zealots expelled the Sadducean priests and occupied the temple area, allowing criminals to roam about freely in the Holy of Holies. The Zealots even carried out the farce of casting lots to replace the High Priest with one totally unqualified for the office. At the end of the war the Sadducees ceased to exist and only the Pharisees were left to define Judaism. During the war against Rome Messianic Jews in Jerusalem refused to support the rebellion and fled to Pella, east of the Jordan River (Eusebius, Church History, Book III, 5.3). The opportunity for flight occurred in October of 66 when the Roman army was repulsed from the city, and routed near Beth-horon in its retreat (Geldenhuys 532). Stern notes that non-Messianic Jews in the city viewed the departure of Yeshua's followers as an act of disloyalty to the nation, and became a major cause for resenting Jewish believers and taking later sanctions against them (139). 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say by Beelzebul I cast out demons. Reference: Matthew 12:26; Mark 3:26. And: Grk. de, conj. if: Gr. ei, conj. The conjunction introduces the second logical refutation. Satan: Grk. ho Satanas (for Heb. satan), adversary, the chief enemy of God and all who belong to God. Satanas may be a name, but functions more as a descriptive title of his function as heavenly prosecutor. Satan is a created supra-natural being and not equal to God in power or knowledge. Exactly when this evil character was created or became evil is not disclosed in Scripture. God's repeated emphasis in Job on His creation of the space-time-matter universe hints that Satan may have come to consciousness in the waters that were formed on the second day. Henry Morris wrote, "Even though they [the angels] had later observed God create the earth, stars, and living beings [Job 38:4-7], they had not seen him create the universe itself. Thus, Satan may have persuaded himself that God, like the angels, must have simply 'evolved' somehow, out of the eternal primordial chaos." (The Remarkable Record of Job, Baker Book House, 1988; p. 52). Thus, Satan inspired the original evolutionary mythology and its modern "scientific" incarnation that pervades human institutions. Bible commentators generally regard the taunt against the king of Babylon in Isaiah 14:11-15 and the lament for the king of Tyre in Ezekiel 28:11-19 as depicting the original perfection and downfall of this heavenly being. Of importance is that the Adversary is never identified as an angel, and is sometimes contrasted with angels (Matt 25:41; 2Cor 11:14; Rev 12:9). See my article The Host of Heaven. also: Grk. kai, conj. is divided: Grk. diamerizō, aor. pass. See the previous verse. against: Grk. epi, prep. himself: Grk. heautou, reflexive pronoun. how: Grk. pōs, adv. introducing a query concerning manner, way, or reason in respect to a matter; how? in what manner/way? will his: Grk. autos, personal pronoun. kingdom: Grk. basileia. See verse 2 above. stand: Grk. histēmi, fut. pass., cause to be in a place or position; place, set, stand. Yeshua proverbial statement alludes to the reality that Satan has a kingdom. Satan is the head of an hierarchical and territorial organization opposed to God (cf. Dan 10:13; Acts 26:18; Rom 8:38-39; Eph 6:12; Col 1:13; 2:15; Jude 1:6). Through his worldwide network Satan exercises power and influence over systems of government, education and false religion (John 12:31; 2Cor 4:4; 1Jn 5:19). Satan never works against himself, but Yeshua makes the obvious point that if he did so he would undermine that very control he seeks to maintain over people. Because: Grk. hoti, conj. that links two sets of data, whether (1) defining a demonstrative pronoun; that; (2) introducing a subordinate clause as complementary of a preceding verb; (3) introducing a direct quotation and functioning as quotation marks; or (4) indicating causality with an inferential aspect; for, because. The fourth usage applies here. you say: Grk. legō, pres., 2p-pl. See verse 1 above. by: Grk. en, prep. Here the preposition stresses means. Beelzebul: Grk. Beelzeboul. See verse 15 above. I cast out: Grk. ekballō, pres. inf. See verse 14 above. The infinitive expresses result. demons: pl. of Grk. ho daimonion. See verse 14 above. Yeshua asserts to his critics, "Just because you say it doesn't make it true." 19 And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Because of this they will be your judges. Reference: Matthew 12:27. And: Grk. de, conj. if: Grk. ei, conj. The conjunction introduces the third logical refutation of the defamation. I: Grk. egō. by: Grk. en, prep. Beelzebul: Grk. Beelzeboul. See verse 15 above. cast out: Grk. ekballō, pres. See verse 14 above. The verb alludes to exorcism. demons: pl. of Grk. ho daimonion. See verse 14 above. by: Grk. en. whom: Grk. tis, indefinite pronoun. do your: Grk. humeis. sons: pl. of Grk. huios. See verse 11 above. cast them out: Grk. ekballō, pres., 3p-pl. In Jewish practice the verb can refer to causing an evil spirit to depart a place or removing a demon from a person. The earliest mention of a method for bringing relief to a person afflicted by an evil spirit is David playing his harp for King Saul (1Sam 16:23), although it did not always work (cf. 1Sam 18:10-11; 19:9-10). Unlike Yeshua who delivered people from demonic possession or oppression by his spoken word, Jewish practitioners employed incantations (Acts 19:13) or a medicinal concoction or fumigation (Tobit 8:1-3; Josephus, Wars VII, 6:3). Justin Martyr (A.D. 100-165) also reported the practice in Jewish culture (Dialog with Trypho, Chap. LXXXV; Second Apology, Chap. VI). According to Josephus, Jewish exorcism had been practiced from the time of King Solomon, who first articulated a procedure for it (Ant. VIII, 2:5). Yeshua does not imply that the Jewish exorcists delivered people from the oppression of demons by the word of God, but rather by Beelzebul. Their methods were clearly occultic or sorcery as illustrated by the reported incident in Ephesus. Solomon's exploration of magic in disobedience to the Torah (Lev 19:26; Deut 18:10) no doubt occurred when he was old and he turned away from ADONAI to set up idols for his many foreign wives and permitted worship of the most detestable gods (1Kgs 11:1-8). In this context magic is not the art of producing illusions as entertainment by the use of sleight of hand or deceptive devices. Rather magic is exercising human control of supernatural agencies through extrasensory means with the aid of mystical and accompanying ceremonies (Koch 58). Magic may be considered "white," used for good, or "black," used for harm. Thus, Jewish exorcism would be labeled as "white magic," because it supposedly accomplishes good. But, the method had some serious deficiencies. See verses 24-26 below. Because of: Grk. dia, prep. See verse 8 above. this: Grk. houtos, demonstrative pronoun signifying a person, thing or action set forth in narrative; this. The pronoun refers to the occurrences of exorcism in Jewish culture. they: pl. of Grk. autos, personal pronoun. will be: Grk. eimi, fut. mid., 3p-pl. See verse 6 above. your: Grk. humeis. judges: pl. of Grk. kritēs, judge or magistrate, generally in reference to an official office of one presiding over a court. The noun is used here in a figurative sense of someone passing judgment on the character and deeds of others. Yeshua's critics would certainly not claim Jewish exorcists performed their service by the power of Satan. 20 But if by the finger of God I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Reference: Matthew 12:28. But: Grk. de, conj. Yeshua now provides a powerful deduction to his three-fold refutation. if: Grk. ei, conj. See verse 8 above. Here the conjunction presents a reasonable assumption portrayed as true or valid. by: Grk. en, prep. the finger: Grk. daktulos, a terminal member of the hand, used here in a figurative sense. of God: Grk. theos, God, the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Creator of all things and God of Israel (Gen 1:1; Ex 5:1; Luke 1:68). Theos is not a philosophical construct for monotheism, the belief in one deity. God is a Person and the only God in existence is the God of Israel (Isa 44:6; 45:5-6; 46:9). The anthropomorphism "finger of God" occurs four previous times in Scripture: first to describe God causing a plague on Egypt (Ex 8:19), second to describe God writing the Ten Commandments on stone tablets (Ex 31:18; Deut 9:10), third to describe God's creation of the heavens, the moon and the stars (Ps 8:3) and fourth to describe the writing of judgment of the Babylonian king on a wall (Dan 5:5, 24-29). The idiomatic expression stresses the omnipotent power of God being employed in a very direct and specific action. Thus, Yeshua declared unequivocally that he performed exorcism by the power of the God of Israel. I: Grk. egō. cast out: Grk. ekballō, pres. See verse 14 above. demons: pl. of Grk. ho daimonion. See verse 14 above. In Matthew Yeshua says, "If by the Spirit of God I cast out demons," which equates "the finger of God" to the Holy Spirit. For Yeshua's critics to assert that his exorcisms were accomplished by demonic power insulted the Holy Spirit, which establishes the reason for the axiom following that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven (Matt 12:31-32; Mark 3:29). Luke does not record this saying concerning the greatest of all sins until the next chapter (12:10). then: Grk. ara, inferential conj. which intimates that 'under these circumstances, something either is so, or becomes so' (Thayer); since, therefore, then. the kingdom: Grk. ho basileia. See verse 2 above. of God: Grk. ho theos. The definite article stresses the only God in existence. has come: Grk. phthanō, aor., may mean (1) be first in arriving at a point; be ahead of, precede; or (2) reach a point; arrive, reach. The second meaning applies here. This is a dramatic verb normally relating to foot movement. upon: Grk. epi, prep. you: Grk. humeis. Yeshua's powerful conclusion affirms that the kingdom of God is personified in his physical presence of walking in the land and delivering people from the power of Satan by the power of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual Warfare, 11:21-26 21 When a strong man, being fully armed, guards his courtyard, his state of being is in peace. Reference: Isaiah 49:24-26; Psalms of Solomon 5:4; Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27. In verses 21-23 Yeshua switches from his three-fold logical argument to a parabolic argument to refute the defamation against him. Yeshua's description and analysis in verses 24-26 are likely based on an actual case from personal knowledge. When: Grk. hotan, conj. See verse 2 above. a strong man: Grk. ischuros, adj., highly capable for special exertion or activity; mighty, powerful, strong. As used here the adjective emphasizes combative strength. Since the adjective is masculine Bible versions add "man." Plummer suggests that "the strong man " alludes to Satan, and notes that the parable is very like Isaiah 49:24-26, which may be the source of it. being fully armed: Grk. kathoplizō, perf. pass. part., to completely or fully furnish with armor and/or weapons. guards: Grk. phulassō, pres. subj., to guard or watch, used here in the sense of carrying out uninterrupted vigilance. his: Grk. heautou, reflexive pronoun; of himself. courtyard: Grk. aulē, an enclosed open space or a dwelling complex. Matthew and Mark have oikia, the usual word for "house." In the Besekh aulē is used for the courtyard the high priest's house (Matt 26:3, 58; Mark 14:54; Luke 22:55; John 18:15), the courtyard of the Roman Praetorium (Mark 15:16), a sheepfold (John 10:1, 16), and the courtyard of the temple (Rev 11:2). In the LXX aulē is used mostly for a court or courtyard of the tabernacle (Ex 27:9), and the temple (1Kgs 7:12), but also for the courtyard of a private house (2Sam 17:18; Neh 8:16), or the palace of the king (Esth 1:5; 2:19; 3:2; 4:2; 5:1). Zodhiates notes that in the latter instances the courtyard served as a place of reception for visitors (288). Many versions translate aulē as "house," some have "palace," and a few have "estate." Plummer has "homestead." However, courtyard is the literal meaning and AMPC has the translation "from his courtyard guards his dwelling." his: Grk. autos, personal pronoun. state of being: Grk. huparchō, pres. part. See verse 13 above. Almost all versions translate the participle as a substantive ("possessions") denoting what belongs to the strong man. A few versions do emphasize the verbal action ("possesses") (DRA, NMB, RGT). However, Yeshua makes no mention of personal wealth. Thus, the literal meaning "to exist" seems to be the point here, and the participle describes the state of the strong man. is: Grk. eimi, pres. See verse 1 above. in: Grk. en, prep. peace: Grk. eirēnē, a state of harmony, whether as a result of cessation of hostility or mutual acceptance in a personal relationship. The biblical term "peace" is relational in scope and does not necessarily depict an emotional state. Many versions translate the noun as "safe," but a few have "secure" or "undisturbed." The clause is really idiomatic to denote the confidence of the strong man. He does not worry about threats from potential enemies because he is fully armed. 22 But when one stronger than he, having come upon him, shall overpower him and he takes away his complete armor on which he had relied and divides his plunder. Reference: Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27. But: Grk. de, conj. when: Grk. hotan, conj. one stronger: Grk. ischuroteros, comparative form of ischuros, one stronger. See the previous verse. than he: Grk. autos, personal pronoun. The one stronger than the strong man, being Satan, is Yeshua. having come upon him: Grk. eperchomai, aor. part., to come on or upon, here with the focus on approaching peril. The verb occurs 10 times in the Besekh, 8 of which are in Luke-Acts. In the LXX the verb is used of an adverse circumstance occurring to someone, especially as a result of divine judgment (Gen 42:21; Ex 10:1; Josh 24:20; Jdg 9:57; 2Sam 19:7; 1Kgs 14:10; 2Chr 20:9; 32:26; Job 1:19; 2:11; Isa 13:13; Dan 9:11; Mic 3:11; Zeph 2:2), and a military engagement (1Sam 30:23; 2Chr 22:1; Job 25:3; Ezek 33:4; 39:11; Mic 5:6; Zech 9:8). shall overcome: Grk. nikaō, aor. subj., to overcome or defeat, whether in a military battle, athletic contest, or a legal action. Nikaō occurs 28 times in the Besekh, over half of which occur in Revelation, often in a spiritual sense of overcoming evil. him: Grk. autos, personal pronoun; the strong man or Satan. The verbal phrase points to the reality of spiritual warfare and refers to victory over the chief enemy of God and His people – Satan (1Jn 2:13). and he takes away: Grk. airō, pres., may mean (1) to cause to move upward; raise up, lift; or (2) move by lifting or taking from one position to another; take away, remove, carry off. The second meaning applies here. his: Grk. autos. complete armor: Grk. panoplia, a complete set of defensive and offensive armor (weapons), i.e. everything needed to wage successful warfare (HELPS). on: Grk. epi, prep. which: Grk. hos, relative pronoun. he had relied: Grk. peithō, pluperf., to bring about a convinced state in regard to something; here to have confidence in. The verb alludes to all that Satan depended on for millennia to maintain his control over people. and: Grk. kai, conj. divides: Grk. diadidōmi, pres., to divide among several, distribute. his: Grk. autos; the strong man, Satan. plunder: Grk. skulon, arms stripped from a foe or spoils taken from a defeated enemy. The noun occurs only here in the Besekh. In this case the plunder taken from Satan is primarily people, but with personal victory the spoil could include territory, commercial enterprises and institutions. 23 The one not being with me is against me; and the one not gathering with me, scatters. Reference: Matthew 12:30. The one: Grk. ho, definite article but used here as a demonstrative pronoun. Since the article is masculine in form many versions translate the term as "he." However, the masculine form would include women. not: Grk. mē, adv. See verse 4 above. Since the negative particle concerns will and thought, then it properly introduces the warning of adversarial decision-making. being: Grk. eimi, pres. part. See verse 1 above. The participle is a verbal adjective so it attributes an essential character quality to a person. with: Grk. meta, prep. See verse 7 above. Here the preposition stresses association. me: Grk. egō. is: Grk. eimi, pres. against: Grk. kata, prep. See verse 3 above. Here the preposition properly means "down upon regarding to" and thus represents opposition (Thayer). me: Grk. egō. AMPC interprets the saying as meaning refusal to believe in Yeshua as Lord and Savior. However, in this Jewish context it has a broader meaning considering that it directed at those Jewish critics who had slandered Yeshua as working for the devil. Being "with Yeshua" acknowledges that he is the promised "son of David" (Matt 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30-31), "Messiah" (Matt 16:16; John 11:27) and "King of Israel" (Luke 1:32; John 1:49; 12:13). The word picture of being against Yeshua could be drawn from the history of Israel when there was opposition to the reign of King David, first when the northern tribes initially refused to accept him as king followed by civil war (2Sam 2:8-32), and years later when his son Absalom led a rebellion against him (cf. 2Sam 14−18; 1Kgs 12:19; Ps 2:2; 55:12). and: Grk. kai, conj. the one: Grk. ho. not: Grk. mē. gathering: Grk. sunagō, pres. part., to bring together in a collective manner; gather. Yeshua could be called the "gathering one," because Yochanan prophesied that the Messiah would gather the "wheat" into the barn (Matt 3:12), and during his ministry the crowds gathered to him (Matt 13:2; Mark 5:21). In addition his atoning death would result in the gathering of the dispersed of Israel to him (John 11:51-52; Acts 1:8) and in the Second Coming the Messiah will gather his people from heaven and the earth (Matt 13:30; 25:32; 1Th 4:14-17; 2Th 2:1). with: Grk. meta. me: Grk. egō. scatters: Grk. skorpizō, pres., cause to go in various directions; scatter, disperse. The verb is probably from the root, skarp, "to cut asunder," "cut to pieces" (Thayer). This proverb is taken from agriculture, in which Yeshua's followers are likened to a flock of sheep and the "one who scatters" is the wolf (John 10:12). Yeshua also likened the enemy of the sheep as a thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). The "thief" and the "wolf" are figures of Satan. Plummer observes that the connection of this saying with what precedes seems to be that the contest between Yeshua and Satan is such that no one can be neutral. Stern comments that with this verse and the next seven verses Yeshua presents his critics, especially the Pharisees, a last chance to stand with him. For Yeshua this is the proverbial "drawing a line in the sand," which also effectively divides the world into two groups, those "with Yeshua," the saved, and those "against Yeshua," the unsaved. 24 "When the unclean spirit goes out from the man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest and not finding any, it says, 'I will return to my house from where I came out.' Reference: Matthew 12:43-44. When: Grk. hotan, conj. See verse 2 above. the unclean: Grk. ho akathartos, adj., impure or unclean. The term "unclean" does not pertain to physical hygiene, but may be used (1) in a religious sense of that which would cause one to be isolated from contact with God (Acts 10:14; 11:8; 2Cor 6:17); or (2) in an ethical or moral sense contrary to holiness, generally associated with wicked behavior (Eph 5:5; Rev 17:4). The second usage is in view here in that it marks a complete rebellion against the rule and will of God. Involvement in idolatrous practices or the occult makes one unclean because the source is unclean (Lev 19:31; Jer 13:27). spirit: Grk. pneuma. See verse 13 above. The noun is used here of a supra-natural being. Describing the invasive entity as a "spirit" does not imply the lack of corporeal substance, but rather that the physical nature of the spirit is of an eternal quality in contrast to the flesh of humans created from the dust of the earth (Gen 2:7). In addition, the molecular structure of a spirit is also such as to permit cohabitation with a human. The Tanakh contains several anecdotes about the activity of "evil spirits" (Jdg 9:23; 1Sam 16:14-16, 23; 18:10; 19:9; 1Kgs 22:21-24), and one time a spirit is described as "unclean" (Zech 13:2). goes out: Grk. exerchomai, aor. subj. See verse 14 above. from: Grk. apo, prep. the man: Grk. ho anthrōpos, human being, man or mankind. The noun is used here of an adult male who has been afflicted with an unclean spirit. Yeshua alludes to the outcome of a typical exorcism performed by a Jewish practitioner using an occultic method. See verse 19 above. His acknowledgement that Jewish exorcists had apparent success in no way demonstrates approval of their method. it passes: Grk. dierchomai, pres. mid., to move within an area from one area to another; to go through or to travel a geographic area. through: Grk. dia, prep. waterless: Grk. anudros, adj., without water or sources of water. places: pl. of Grk. topos. See verse 1 above. The wilderness is the reputed home of evil spirits (cf. Isa 13:21; Baruch 4:35; Tobit 8:3; Rev 18:2). seeking: Grk. zēteō, pres. part. See verse 9 above. rest: Grk. anapausis, relief from activity or experience; rest, refreshment. Yeshua offers an answer to the question of what happens to an unclean spirit after it is removed from a person (cf. Luke 8:31). and: Grk. kai, conj. not: Grk. mē, adj. finding any: Grk. heuriskō, pres. part. See verse 9 above. The verb refers to finding a place of rest. it says: Grk. legō, pres. See verse 1 above. I will return: Grk. hupostrephō, fut., may mean to (1) turn about; (2) turn away; or (3) turn back (LSJ). In a physical sense the verb means to turn by the agency of moving the body in relation to the point of departure. to: Grk. eis, prep. my: Grk. egō. house: Grk. oikos. See verse 17 above. The noun is used here figuratively of the man's body. The expelled demon misses having a human to rest in. from where: Grk. hothen, adv., a marker of derivation, used here in a spatial sense, where, from whence. I came out: Grk. exerchomai, aor. The unclean spirit apparently viewed his human host as personal property. The decision to return proves that the Jewish exorcist has no real control over the spirit's actions. That is, the exorcist relying on occultic methods cannot prevent demonic oppression or possession. 25 And having come, it finds it swept and put in order. Reference: Matthew 12:44. And: Grk. kai, conj. having come: Grk. erchomai, aor. part. See verse 2 above. The verb refers to returning to the man-house mentioned in the previous verse. it finds it: Grk. heuriskō, pres. See verse 9 above. The verb continues the figurative use of "house" in the previous verse to refer to the man's body. swept: Grk. saroō, perf. pass. part., to clean by sweeping. and: Grk. kai. put in order: Grk. kosmeō, perf. pass. part., may mean (1) put in order, tidy, trim; or (2) effect a pleasant appearance, adorn, decorate. The first meaning applies here. The saying in Matthew includes "empty" as a characteristic. The verbs "swept" and "put in order" depict house cleaning and orderly arrangement of furnishings. Yeshua implies that some important action was omitted. With the demon gone the man simply resumes his life without action for spiritual improvement. Lumby comments that the mischief and danger of the emancipated soul is that it is not occupied by a New Indweller. Plummer suggests the description illustrates the case of a sinner who repents of his sins, but makes no effort to acquire holiness. 26 Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits just as evil as itself, and they having entered dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first." Reference: Matthew 12:45. Then: Grk. tote, temporal adv. that focuses on a time or circumstance that is closely associated with what precedes in the narrative; at that time, then, thereupon. it goes: Grk. poreuō, pres. mid. See verse 5 above. and: Grk. kai, conj. takes along: Grk. paralambanō, pres., to receive to one's side; take, receive, or to cause to go along; take. seven: Grk. hepta, adj., a primary number, seven. other: pl. of Grk. heteros, adj. See verse 16 above. spirits: pl. of Grk. pneuma; i.e., demons. See verse 24 above. just as evil: Grk. ponērotera, comparative form of ponēros. See verse 13 above. as itself: neut. of Grk. heautou, reflexive pronoun of the third person. Bible versions render the phrase ponērotera heautou as "more evil than itself," but I contend this is interpretation and not translation. Lexicons do not support the comparative form of ponēros meaning "more than" and the text does not include any term that means "more than" (e.g., epanō, huper or mallon). The term ponērotera does not appear in the LXX at all and in the Besekh only here and Matthew 12:45. All demons are evil and Scripture does not reveal anything about the relative difference between demons in terms of character. Thus, the other seven demons were just as malevolent and wicked as the first demon. and: Grk. kai. they having entered: Grk. eiserchomai, aor. part., to go or enter into a geographical area, manufactured structure or other place defined in the context. Repossession is accomplished by being unopposed. We should note that it did not happen because the man actively pursued the occult. He simply did nothing to prevent the demon's return. dwell: Grk. katoikeō, pres., to make a specific locale or area of residence, thus to dwell, reside or live in. there: Grk. ekei, adv., in that place. Possession by multiple demons seems extraordinary, but there is precedent in Miriam of Magdala (Luke 8:2) and the Gadarene (Luke 8:30). No explanation is offered of how this was accomplished in a practical sense. and: Grk. kai. the last state: Grk. ho eschatos, adj., coming at the end or after all others; end, final, last. of that: Grk. ekeinos, demonstrative pronoun typically used to refer to a noun (person or thing) immediately preceding in the Greek text; that, that one there. man: Grk. anthrōpos. See verse 24 above. The phrase is used of the man's condition after the demon's return. becomes: Grk. ginomai, pres. pass. See verse 1 above. worse: Grk. cheirōn, adj., a comparative word meaning 'worse,' in contrast to a condition noted in the context. than the first: Grk. ho prōtos, adj., may indicate (1) having primary position in a sequence; first, earlier, earliest; or (2) standing out in significance or importance; first, prominent. The first meaning applies here in reference to the state of the man's soul before being possessed. Being possessed by eight demons is markedly worse than being possessed by one demon. He could end up like the Gadarene (Luke 8:27-29). Yeshua provides a sober warning against the use of an evil method to do good. Plummer suggests that the outcome owes not to the method of exorcism, but the misconduct of the exorcised (304). "Such an one proves the impossibility of being neutral. He flees from Satan without seeking Christ, and thus falls more hopelessly into the power of Satan again." However, the exorcism being based on an occultic method does, in fact, contribute to the outcome. Kurt Koch, a German minister who conducted extensive ministry in occult deliverance, describes many cases in his book of how people "healed" by an occultic or magical method invariably suffer negative consequences, whether physical, psychological or spiritual. True Blessedness, 11:27-28 27 Then it came to pass in his saying these things, a certain one having raised her voice, a woman from the crowd, said to him, "Blessed is the womb having borne you and the breasts that you nursed." Reference: Matthew 12:47. Verses 27-28 are unique to Luke, which illustrates that his narrative especially highlights the role of women in connection with Yeshua's ministry. Then: Grk. de, conj. it came to pass: Grk. ginomai, aor. mid. See verse 1 above. The verb marks a significant event, mentioned only by Luke. in: Grk. en, prep. his: Grk. autos, personal pronoun; used of Yeshua. saying: Grk. ho legō, pres. inf. See verse 1 above. these things: neut. pl. of Grk. houtos, demonstrative pronoun. See verse 19 above. The clause "saying these things" alludes to the content of verses 21-26 concerning spiritual warfare. a certain one: Grk. tis, indefinite pronoun. See verse 1 above. having raised: Grk. epairō, aor. part., to lift up or raise up over, used here of vocal volume. her voice: Grk. phōnē, sound or voice, used here to mean the faculty of producing speech. Plummer notes that the idiomatic expression of "raising the voice" in the Besekh is peculiar to Luke (also Acts 2:14; 14:11; 22:22). The phrase denotes increasing the vocal volume in order to be heard. The expression also occurs in the LXX (Jdg 2:4; 9:7; Ruth 1:9, 14; 2Sam 13:36), which reinforces the thesis of Luke's proficiency with Hebrew as evidence of his Jewish identity. a woman: Grk. gunē, an adult female person, without respect to age, marital or social status except as defined in the context. from: Grk. ek, prep. the crowd: Grk. ho ochlos. See verse 14 above. The KJV and a few other versions incorrectly translate ochlos with "company." The phrase "from the crowd" reinforces Luke's report that the incident of verses 16-26 occurred in a public place and witnessed by a multitude. Plummer suggests that the woman having heard the defamation against Yeshua and his response and doubtless being a mother, had had experience of a lapsed penitent in her own family. Ellicott based on the KJV translation suggests that the woman was among the company of devout women that followed Yeshua (cf. Luke 8:1). Luke offers no confirmation of either of these suggestions, and the phrase "from the crowd" implies someone previously unknown to Yeshua. This woman may have even been in the crowd that witnessed Yeshua's mother and brothers coming to him (Matt 12:46-50; Luke 8:19-21). So, the woman's following declaration may have been motivated by her recollection of Miriam. said: Grk. legō, aor. See verse 1 above. to him: Grk. autos, personal pronoun. Blessed is: Grk. makarios, adj., possessing the favor of God, that state of being marked by fullness from God; blessed one (Zodhiates). In Hebrew culture a "blessing" is a purposeful endowment (cf. Gen 1:28), ordinarily transmitted from the greater to the lesser. Blessedness can never be self-imposed nor come by accident. The only source of true blessing is from God. the womb: Grk. ho koilia, the abdomen and here the female reproductive organ. having borne: Grk. bastazō, aor. part., sustain a burden; bear, carry. you: Grk. su, second person pronoun. The verbal phrase "having borne you" alludes to the nine months of pregnancy and perhaps even the months of carrying the baby before he begins to walk. and: Grk. kai, conj. the breasts: pl. of Grk. ho mastos, the mammary glands of a woman. that: Grk. hos, relative pronoun. you nursed: Grk. thēlazō, aor., to nurse, to suckle at the breast. Nursing continued until the baby was weaned, which in ancient Jewish culture might be as long as two or three years (cf. Gen 21:8; 1Sam 1:22-24; 1Kgs 11:20; Ps 131:2; Isa 28:9; Hos 1:8). Plummer notes that Yeshua's mother is once more declared by a woman to be blessed (Luke 1:42), and Miriam's prophecy about herself begins to be fulfilled (Luke 1:48). The woman's declaration could well have been a celebration of Yeshua's brilliant take down of his critics. (Imagine an arm pump with "Yes!") The blessing then would affirm a motherly pride, perhaps a mild form of envy. Any woman would be blessed of God to have such a wonderful son. 28 But he said, "On the contrary, blessed are those hearing the word of God and keeping it." Reference: Matthew 12:49-50; Luke 8:21. But: Grk. de, conj. he said: Grk. legō, aor. See verse 1 above. On the contrary: Grk. menoun, particle used in response with emphatic feeling for a corrective purpose; indeed, on the contrary, nay rather. Yeshua's response is not critical or negative. Without vocally acknowledging the truth of the woman's blessing Yeshua suggests the woman consider something more important. blessed are: pl. of Grk. makarios, adj. See the previous verse. those: pl. of Grk. ho, definite article, but used here as a demonstrative pronoun. hearing: Grk. akouō, pl. pres. part., to hear aurally and in Scripture with the focus on willingness to listen or to heed the substance of what is said. the word: Grk. ho logos, vocalized expression of the mind; word, discourse, statement, message or speech. of God: Grk. ho theos. See verse 20 above. The expression "Word of God" (for Heb. dabar Elohim) occurs six times in the Tanakh as a divinely inspired prophetic message (Jdg 3:20; 1Sam 9:27; 2Sam 16:23; 1Kgs 12:22; 1Chr 17:3; Prov 30:5). The expression "Word of God" occurs 40 times in the Besekh and sometimes refers to Scripture, but primarily is used of a message proclaimed by Yochanan the Immerser, Yeshua or the apostles. Here Yeshua alludes to his own teaching. and: Grk. kai, conj. keeping it: Grk. phulassō, pl. pres. part. See verse 21 above. Here the verb essentially means obeying or observing. While not denying the good intentions of the woman offering a blessing on his mother, Yeshua stresses a Kingdom value. Yeshua's declaration also serves as an important corrective to the Mariolatry and use of the Rosary that sprang up in the Roman Catholic Church. Miriam is certainly considered blessed by God because she gave birth to the Messiah and King of Israel, but such blessing did not grant her mediatorial powers. Jacob the half-brother of Yeshua ("James") offers an exhortation in his letter that doing the word of God brings blessedness (Jas 1:22-25). Plummer suggests that the exhortation may owe to his presence on this occasion. Yeshua's siblings may not have believed in him until after his resurrection, but they did keep informed of his ministry (cf. John 7:3-5). Lessons from History, 11:29-32 29 Now of the crowds gathering together, he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation, it seeks a sign; indeed no sign will be given to it, except the sign of Jonah. Reference: Matthew 12:39-40; 16:4. Now: Grk. de, conj. of the crowds: pl. of Grk. ho ochlos. See verse 14 above. gathering together: Grk. epathroizō, pl. pres. part., to gather together with others already present (Thayer). The verb describes the crowd massing larger and larger (Danker). he began: Grk. archō, aor. mid., may mean (1) to rule or (2) to begin or commence something. The second meaning is intended here. The first meaning could even have application in the sense that Yeshua spoke with authority. to say: Grk. legō, pres. inf. See verse 1 above. This: Grk. houtos, demonstrative pronoun. See verse 19 above. generation: Grk. genea can mean (1) persons with common interests or kinship; (2) people linked as contemporaries; (3) a span of time loosely equal to a generation; or (4) an age or span of generations. The second meaning applies here, but the contemporaries are those who opposed Yeshua. is: Grk. eimi, pres. See verse 6 above. an evil: Grk. ponēros. See verse 13 above. generation: Grk. genea. The generalization was not directed at the entire population of Israel living at the same time as Yeshua, but rather targeted his enemies. Indeed Yeshua characterized his adversaries, those of the Pharisees and scribes, as children of the devil (John 8:44). He then clarified why his critics were an evil generation. it seeks: Grk. zēteō, pres. See verse 9 above. The singular form views the offending group as a unity. a sign: Grk. sēmeion. See verse 16 above. Yeshua's critics demanded a "sign from heaven" as a means of testing him to prove his truthfulness. indeed: Grk. kai, conj. A number of versions translate the conjunction as "but," which Gleason Archer contends is incorrect, saying that kai is never adversative (HELPS). Use of "but" would signal that Yeshua was about to absolutely refuse the desired action. The great majority of versions translate the conjunction as "and," but I suggest the conjunction provides a strong affirmation, not simply connection. no: Grk. ou, adv. See verse 6 above. sign: Grk. sēmeion. will be given: Grk. didōmi, fut. pass. See verse 3 above. to it: neut. sing. of Grk. autos, personal pronoun; the evil generation. except: Grk. ei mē, lit. "if not," reflects a strong Hebraic negation that limits the preceding statement and introduces a condition required to prove a proposition. There will be a sign, but not one desired or expected. the sign: Grk. ho sēmeion. of Jonah: Grk. Iōnas, which transliterates Heb. Yonah, whose name meant "dove." He is first introduced as the son of Amittai ("truthful") (Jon 1:1). See my commentary The Book of Jonah. Jonah was from Gath Hepher in Galilee (2Kgs 14:25), about 4 miles NE of the site of Nazareth and within the region originally given to the tribe of Zebulun (Josh 19:10, 13). Jonah prophesied during the reign of King Jeroboam II (c. 793-753 BC) (2Kgs 14:23-25), the same time period as Amos and Hosea, which makes him the earliest of the "minor prophets." Henry Morris suggests that Jonah may have been a contemporary of Elisha and even one of the "sons of the prophets" Elisha trained (cf. 2Kgs 6:1-7) (The Remarkable Journey of Jonah. Master Books, 2003, p. 18). Jonah was also an ancestor of the apostle Peter whom Yeshua addressed as "Simon Barjona" (Heb. bar Yona) (Matt 16:17). Luke does not include Yeshua's explanation of the sign of Jonah, but it is implied by the verb "will be given" (Plummer). Matthew records Yeshua's reference to Jonah 1:17, "For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so will be the Son of Man in the heart of the land three days and three nights" (Matt 12:40 BR). The territory known as "the land of Israel" (1Sam 13:19; Matt 2:20) is commonly referred to in the Tanakh as simply "the Land" (Heb. ha aretz) (e.g. Deut 1:8; Isa 60:21; Zech 2:12; 12:12). Moreover the "heart" of the Land was (and is) Jerusalem. In that holy place Yeshua would be put to death and be buried. When the sailors threw Jonah overboard they expected his death and pled for God's mercy (Jon 1:14). Being confined inside the fish and going to the depths of the sea (Jon 2:1, 6) serves as a word picture of death and burial (cf. Ps 68:22; 106:11; Lam 3:54; Ezek 28:8; Rev 20:13). Then after the designated time God commanded the fish to expel Jonah alive on the land (Jon 2:10), which for Jonah was equivalent to resurrection. Similarly God the Father will speak life into the dead body of the Son (Acts 2:24; Gal 1:1). Yeshua will not resurrect himself. The mention of "three days and three nights" should not be taken literalistically for 72 hours. By Jewish reckoning part of a day counted as a whole. After all, the first mention of "day" in the Bible is for a period of light (Gen 1:5). For example, in 1Samuel 30:12-13 David catches up with an Egyptian servant who served in the Amalekite army but had taken sick and was abandoned "three days and three nights" ago, and in the Hebrew text of verse 13 the Egyptian says this is "the third day." Also, Esther proclaimed a fast lasting three days and nights (Esth 4:16) and yet on the third day Esther went before the king (Esth 5:1). Finally, the manner of counting days inclusively is confirmed in Luke 13:32 where Yeshua says, "today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach my goal." Parallel passages stress that Yeshua's resurrection would occur "on the third day" (Matt 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; Luke 9:22; 18:33), which was confirmed by Yeshua himself (Luke 24:7, 46), then Peter (Acts 10:40) and finally Paul (1Cor 15:4). 30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, thus also the Son of Man will be to this generation. Reference: Jonah 1:17; 3:3; Matthew 12:40. For: Grk. gar, conj. See verse 4 above. just as: Grk. kathōs, adv. See verse 1 above. Jonah: Grk. Iōnas. See the previous verse. became: Grk. ginomai, aor. mid. See verse 1 above. a sign: Grk. sēmeion. See verse 16 above. to the Ninevites: pl. of Grk. ho Nineuitēs, residents of the city of Nineveh, which was the capital of Assyria. Nineveh was located on the Tigris River about 220 miles NNW of the present city of Baghdad. See the map here. It was originally built by Nimrod, grandson of Noah. The city flourished from 800 to 612 B.C. Nineveh is referred to as a "great city" four times in Jonah (1:2; 3:2-3; 4:11) and was of considerable size. Jonah became a "sign" to the Ninevites for two reasons. First, he proclaimed a message of God's wrath (Jon 3:4). The message was not "repent or else." The enigma is why the people repented at all. Why would the Ninevites believe Jonah? An answer perhaps lies in the appearance and message of Jonah, which is the second reason Jonah became a "sign." Three days and three nights in the fish's stomach likely bleached Jonah's skin white. Moreover he was swallowed by the fish because of God's judgment. While the message of Jonah recorded in his book only pronounces judgment, he likely appeared before the king and recounted his experience. This possibility is hinted at in Yeshua's reference to Jonah as "a sign to the Ninevites." If God would punish a disobedient prophet of the covenant people He would certainly not excuse the idolatrous Ninevites. In Matthew 12:39-40 Yeshua confirms the nature of the sign as having been in the fish for three days and three nights. The combination of his physical appearance and his unequivocal message made the Ninevites believe the message of Jonah and repent. thus: Grk. houtōs, adv. used to introduce the manner or way in which something has been done or to be done; thus, in this manner, way or fashion, so. also: Grk. kai, conj. the Son: Grk. ho huios. See verse 11 above. of Man: Grk. anthrōpos. See verse 24 above. During his earthly ministry Yeshua repeatedly used this title of himself without explanation, but no one ever addressed him by it. In Luke the title first occurs in 5:24. See the note there. From the Jewish point of view "Son of Man" is the Messiah. will be: Grk. eimi, fut. mid. See verse 1 above. to this: Grk. houtos, demonstrative pronoun. See verse 19 above. generation: Grk. genea. See the previous verse. Thus, the resurrected Yeshua, the Son of Man bearing the scars of crucifixion, will be a warning to the evil generation of future judgment, which will be detailed in Chapters Nineteen and Twenty-One. 31 The Queen of the South will be raised in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, one greater than Solomon is here. Reference: 1Kings 10:1-10; 2Chronicles 9:1-12; Matthew 12:42. Plummer notes that in this verse is a three-fold contrast. The Queen: Grk. basilissa, a female sovereign or monarch, queen. of the South: Grk. notos, the south wind or a directional point opposite of north, here the latter as a marker of an area that is south, that is Sheba. The direction alludes to Arabia, which in the first century was divided into three territories: Arabia Petraea, Arabia Deserta, and Arabia Felix. See the map here. Sheba lay in the southeastern corner of Arabia Felix (modern Yemen), thus due south of Israel. See the map here. The first mention of Sheba (Gen 10:7, 28; 25:3) indicates a people descended from Joktan son of Eber (Gen 10:26-28), and therefore a Semitic people. The story of the Queen of Sheba is recorded in 1Kings 10:1-13 (=2Chr 9:1-12). Josephus (Ant. VIII, 6:5) represents her as the queen of Egypt and Ethiopia, from which some commentators assume the historian locates Sheba in Africa. Josephus did not say Sheba was in Africa, only that the authority of the Queen who visited Solomon extended to Egypt and Ethiopia. Lumby notes that the presents which the queen brought with her represent the land from which she came. They are Arabian, certainly not African. will be raised: Grk. egeirō, fut. pass. See verse 8 above. The verb is used here with the sense to recall the dead to life. In other words, Yeshua alludes to the resurrection that will take place on the last day (John 6:39, 40, 44, 54; 11:24). in: Grk. en, prep. the judgment: Grk. ho krisis (from krinō, "to judge") is used primarily to mean scrutiny of conduct, either evaluation or procedure, mostly in a legal sense; judgment, justice. As used here "the Judgment" refers to a special event at the end of the present age, which is portrayed in the harvest parables (Matt 3:11-12; 13:24-50), the three parables of Matthew 25 and other declarations in the Besekh, of the judgment to be conducted by the Messiah on the "last day" at his Second Coming (cf. Matt 7:22; 25:31-33; Luke 10:14; John 5:29; 12:48; Acts 24:25; Rom 14:10; 2Cor 5:10; 2Th 1:6-10; 2Tim 1:12, 18). with: Grk. meta, prep. See verse 7 above. the men: pl. of Grk. ho anēr, an adult man as contrasted biologically with a woman without regard to marital status. In the LXX anēr translates several Heb. words for an adult man, but primarily ish (Gen 2:23) (DNTT 2:562). of this: Grk. houtos, demonstrative pronoun. generation: Grk. genea. See the verse 29 above. Plummer displays prejudice by saying that the first contrast is between the Queen and "the Jews," but the phrase "men of this generation" limits the scope of "generation" and refers to the religious authorities that opposed Yeshua. This declaration affirms that the Queen of Sheba will be resurrected at the same time as unrighteous Israelites of Yeshua's generation at his coming (cf. Matt 26:64; Mark 14:62; John 5:28-29; Rev 1:7). The harvest parables stress the general nature of the resurrection in which "tares and wheat," "good and bad fish" and "sheep and goats" will be gathered at the same time (Matt 13:24-30, 47-50; 25:31-46). The plain teaching of Yeshua contradicts the Dispensational doctrine that only Christians will be resurrected in the Rapture. See my article The Rapture. and: Grk. kai, conj. condemn: Grk. katakrinō, fut., declare worthy of punishment, pronounce a judicial verdict or condemn. them: pl. of Grk. autos, personal pronoun. This declaration suggests that the Queen will have a judicial function after Yeshua's coming. Yeshua will later inform his apostles that they will judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt 19:28; Luke 22:30) and Paul will declare that the holy ones will judge the world (1Cor 6:2). because: Grk. hoti, conj. See verse 18 above. The conjunction introduces the second contrast, between Sheba and Israel. she came: Grk. erchomai, aor. See verse 2 above. from: Grk. ek, prep., lit. "out of." the ends: pl. of Grk. ho peras, extreme point, here in a spatial sense; end. of the earth: Grk. ho gē can mean soil, land or the earth; here the earth in contrast to the heavens. Sheba was near the southern limits of the world as then known (Plummer). The phrase "ends of the earth" is idiomatic for the nations that will receive the salvation proclaimed by Israel (Ps. 2:8; 22:27; 67:7; 98:3; Isa 24:16; 52:10; Zech 9:10). to hear: Grk. akouō, aor. inf. See verse 28 above. the wisdom: Grk. ho sophia, exceptional endowment of discernment, understanding and insight, wisdom. of Solomon: Grk. Solomōn, which transliterates Heb. Shelomoh, a personal name meaning "his peace." Solomon was the tenth son of David and the fourth son of Bathsheba (2Sam 5:14; 1Chr 3:5). He became the third king of Israel by the expressed will of God (1Kgs 1:29-30) and reigned forty years, c. 970-930 B.C. (1Kgs 11:42). Solomon is remembered for his wisdom, illustrated by the anecdote of the judging of two harlots over a baby (1Kgs 3:16-27) and the authorship of three thousand proverbs and a thousand and five songs (1Kgs 4:32). The books of Proverbs (Heb. Mishlei), Ecclesiastes (Heb. Qohelet) and Song of Songs (Heb. Shir HaShirim) in the Bible are attributed to Solomon, as well as Psalm 72 and Psalm 127. The Queen visited Solomon halfway through his reign after the completion of the temple and other building projects (1Kgs 9:1, 10) and before his spiritual decline (1Kgs 11:4-6). Popular fiction and film have attempted to diminish the character of the Queen of Sheba in order to appeal to a prurient imagination. The Queen's spiritual nature is revealed in the blessing and covenantal affirmation she offered to Solomon: "Blessed be ADONAI your God, who delighted in you setting you on the throne of Israel, because ADONAI has loved Israel forever; therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness" (1Kgs 10:9 BR). Thus, this godly woman is qualified to render judgment. and: Grk. kai. The conjunction introduces the third contrast between two kings. behold: Grk. idou, aor. imp., demonstrative interjection that arouses the attention of hearers or readers; (you) see, look, behold (BAG). In the LXX idou often serves to enliven divine monologues and narratives, particularly to invite closer consideration of something (e.g. Gen 1:29). Luke uses the Hebraistic interjection 36 times in the narrative to alert the reader to something important. one greater than: Grk. pleiōn, adj., comparative form of polus ("much in number"); more excellent, very great, a greater than. The majority of versions have "something greater than." Ellis comments that the "greater" thing present in Yeshua is the Holy Spirit as the power and presence of the inbreaking new age (168). However, the Holy Spirit is not a thing, but a person! Yeshua was not talking about a "thing," some idea or concept, but himself (Geldenhuys). Some versions appropriately have "[some]one greater than" (CEB, ERV, EXB, GW, ICB, MJLT, MW, NOG, NCV, NLV, NLT). Solomon: Grk. Solomōn. The genitive case of the name, which is normally translated with "of," hints at the genealogy of Yeshua who descended from Solomon (Matt 1:5-7). is here: Grk. hōde, adv., in this place. The Queen of Sheba sought wisdom from the greatest king of her time. Yet Yeshua's adversaries rejected the wisdom of the greatest king of all time. 32 Men of the Ninevites will rise in the judgment with this generation and condemn it; because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah; and behold, one greater than Jonah is here. Reference: Jonah 3:2, 5, 10; Matthew 12:41. Men: pl. of Grk. anēr (pl. of Heb. ish). See the previous verse. of the Ninevites: pl. of Grk. Nineuitēs. See verse 30 above. The great majority of versions translate the noun as "Nineveh," but the Greek name for the city is Nineui (for Heb. Nineveh, Gen 10:11). Only the MSG correctly translates the plural noun. The phrase "men of the Ninevites" taken from Jonah 3:5 likely alludes to the king and community leaders of Nineveh (Jon 3:7). The leaders set the example and the population of the city followed suit (Jon 3:10; 4:11). Yeshua then offers the same prophecy as given for the Queen of Sheba. will rise: Grk. anistēmi, fut. mid., 3p-pl. See verse 7 above. The verb is used here in the sense of coming back to life after death. in: Grk. en, prep. the judgment: Grk. ho krisis. See the previous verse. with: Grk. meta, prep. this: Grk. houtos, demonstrative pronoun. generation: Grk. genea. See verse 29 above. Again "this generation" refers to the religious authorities that opposed Yeshua. As the Queen of Sheba so the Gentile leaders of Nineveh will share in the resurrection at the end of the age. and: Grk. kai, conj. condemn: Grk. katakrinō, fut., 3p-pl. See the previous verse. it: Grk. autos, personal pronoun; the evil generation. because: Grk. hoti, conj. they repented: Grk. metanoeō, aor., 3p-pl., to have a serious change of mind and heart about a previous point of view or course of behavior, generally translated as "repent." In Greek culture metanoeō did not fully convey the intent of the biblical concept. In Scripture repentance is not simply regret over the past or sorry about being caught. Rather repentance is action taken to remedy the past by getting right with God. Thus, in Scripture genuine repentance consists of four elements: (1) recognition of one's behavior as sinful (Luke 5:32); (2) imploring pardon with regret and remorse (2Cor 7:10); (3) abandonment of the sinful conduct (John 5:14; 8:11); and (4) becoming obedient to God's commandments (Luke 3:8). If any of these elements is missing repentance is not considered genuine, but deceitful. Repentance requires honest self-evaluation, which should lead the sincere person to identify any number of faults for which confession is necessary. Especially important is a commitment to change, to stop sinful practices, as the Scripture says, "Wash and make yourselves clean. Put away the evil of your deeds from before My eyes. Cease to do evil." (Isa 1:16 TLV) "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous one his thoughts, let him return to ADONAI, so He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." (Isa 55:7 TLV) at: Grk. eis, prep. the proclamation: Grk. ho kērugma (from kērusso, "to proclaim"), an important public announcement or proclamation. Kērugma occurs only four times in the LXX, each in reference to a special public proclamation: (1) the proclamation of Hezekiah for all Israel to celebrate Passover (2Chr 30:5); (2) the cry of Wisdom (personifying God) to seek understanding (Prov 9:3); (3) the proclamation of judgment against Nineveh (Jon 3:2) and (4) a proclamation by Ezra for all those who returned from captivity and had unlawfully taken pagan wives to come to Jerusalem for "civil" judgment (1Esdras 9:3; cf. Ezra 10:7). Of interest is that the term kērugma is only used by Yeshua in reference to the proclamation against Nineveh. The remaining occurrences of kērugma in the Besekh occur only in the letters of Paul to refer to apostolic teaching in general (1Cor 1:21; 15:14), and especially his own teaching (Rom 16:25; 1Cor 2:4; 2Tim 4:17; Titus 1:3). of Jonah: Grk. Iōnas. See verse 29 above. The proclamation of Jonah was "Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown" (Jon 3:4). Jonah actually did not call for repentance, but in fact desired the city to be destroyed (Jon 4:1). In contrast the Ninevites accepted the proclamation as a divine revelation of truth and responded with heartfelt and humble repentance. Therefore, having made themselves right with God they were qualified to be included in the resurrection of the righteous. and: Grk. kai. behold: Grk. idou, aor. imp. See the previous verse. Use of the interjection has the essential meaning "Look at me." one greater than: Grk. pleiōn, adj. See the previous verse. Again, the common translation of "something greater than" is inappropriate since the contrast is between two men. Jonah: Grk. Iōnas. is here: Grk. hōde, adv. See the previous verse. The adverb effectively means "right in front of you." Parable of Light, 11:33-36 The parable concerning light was first given in the Sermon on the Mount recorded by Matthew (5:14-16; 6:22-23). Ellis notes that "light" was a word picture employed in the Qumran community (168). (See the links given above for the Dead Sea Scrolls.) The elect are the children of light who are guided and helped by a prince of lights (1QS 3:17-19; CD 5:18). They walk in the ways of light (1QS 3:20) and have as their goal to stand in the glow of the Perfect light…where no darkness is" (1QH 18:29). In Qumran the "power of darkness" is a created evil spirit. The Qumran community lay to the northwest of the Dead Sea, about 15 miles from Yeshua was in Perea. So, the following parable might well remind Yeshua's disciples of Qumran beliefs, but present a very different message. 33 "No one having lit a lamp, sets it in a hidden place nor under a basket, but upon the lampstand, so that those entering may see the light. Reference: Matthew 5:15. No one: Grk. oudeis, adj., used to indicate negation of a person or thing as actually existing at a given place or moment; no one, not one, none. having lit: Grk. haptō, aor. part., lit. "to touch," to cause to be in a burning state by touching with fire. a lamp: Grk. luchnos, an oil-fed portable vessel for providing light. In the first century the term referred to small oil and wick lamps used in household dwellings. The translation of "candle" and "candlestick" in the KJV and a few other versions is misleading to modern readers, since the molded candle in use today was not invented until the Middle Ages. sets it: Grk. tithēmi, pres., to arrange for association with a site; lay, put, place or set. in: Grk. eis, prep. a hidden place: Grk. kruptē, a hidden or secret place, such as a burial crypt. The noun occurs only here in the Besekh. A number of versions translate the noun as "cellar" (CSB, ESV, NASB, NRSV, RSV, TLV), which was found only in homes of the wealthy and used to store wine or food. The translation is inappropriate because no one would go into their cellar without a lamp. The point is that a lamp would not be used in a room inaccessible to the public. nor: Grk. oude, conj., negative particle that links a negative statement as complementary to a preceding negative; neither, not even, nor. under: Grk. hupo, prep. used to indicate a position that is relatively lower; below, under. a basket: Grk. modios, a household container for dry-goods with a capacity of about one peck. Covering the lamp with a vessel would cut off oxygen needed for a fire to burn and effectively extinguish the flame and so deny light to the room. but: Grk. alla, conj., adversative particle used adverbially to convey a different viewpoint for consideration; but, on the other hand. upon: Grk. epi, prep. the lampstand: Grk. ho luchnia refers to the stand upon which a luchnos, or lamp, was placed or hung. After all, the purpose of the lamp is give light to a room, even in the daytime, since ancient houses had few windows. so that: Grk. hina, conj. used to add an idea that completes an intention expressed; in order that, so that. those: pl. of Grk. ho, definite article, but used here as a demonstrative pronoun. entering: Grk. eisporeuomai, pl. pres. mid. part., to go in, to come in, to enter, whether a locality or a structure, here the latter. may see: Grk. blepō, pres. subj., 3p-pl., to look at or see, here meaning to use one's eyes to take note of an object. the light: Grk. ho phōs, that which serves as a revealing or disclosing medium; light. Coming into a lighted room provides a sense of safety as well as practical use of the living space. For visitors entering the light represents the "welcome mat" of hospitality. This parable about light hints at deep truth. Jonah had been a light to the Ninevites. Solomon had been a light to the Queen of Sheba. Yet they were imperfect reflections of the light of God's nature. Yeshua is that perfect light (cf. John 8:12). 34 The lamp of the body is your eye; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is light; but when the eye is evil, your body also is darkness. Reference: Matthew 6:22-23. The lamp: Grk. ho luchnos. See the previous verse. of the body: Grk. ho sōma, a structured physical unit in contrast to its parts, body of human or animal, whether living or dead, but normally of a human body. While Greek dualism distinguished between the soul and the body, in Hebraic thought the body represents the whole person. is: Grk. eimi, pres. See verse 1 above. your: Grk. su, second person pronoun. eye: Grk. ho ophthalmos, the anatomical organ of the eye, and fig. of perception or insight (cf. Eph 1:8). Eyesight gives the body the capacity to apprehend surroundings and move through spatial or environmental structures. Here the term has a figurative meaning. In the Tanakh the mention of "eyes" functions as a parallelism of the heart (Num 15:39; Deut 15:9; 28:65; 29:4; Ps 19:8; 36:1; 73:7; 131:1; Prov 21:4; Jer 22:17; Ezek 24:25). when: Grk. hotan, conj. See verse 2 above. your: Grk. su. eye: Grk. ho ophthalmos. is: Grk. eimi, pres. clear: Grk. haplous, adj., single, without admixture. Thus many versions have "sound" or "healthy." The physical description means the opposite of having double vision, which may be caused by astigmatism, cataracts or other abnormalities. In a figurative sense the word picture depicts singleness of heart or complete devotion toward God. your: Grk. su. whole: Grk. holos, adj., signifier of a person or thing understood as a complete unit and not necessarily every individual part; all, whole, entire. body: Grk. ho sōma. also: Grk. kai, conj. is: Grk. eimi, pres. light: Grk. ho phōs. See the previous verse. but: Grk. de, conj. when: Grk. epan, conj., after, when, as soon as. the eye is: Grk. eimi, pres. subj. The subject of the verb is "your eye." evil: Grk. ponēros, adj. See verse 13 above. As a physical description of an eye the adjective signifies the organ is diseased. Here the adjective is used in a figurative or spiritual sense. The idiom of "evil eye" could have two applications. First, in Judaism having a "good eye" (Heb. ayin tovah) means "being generous" and "having an evil eye" (Heb. ra ayin) means "being stingy" (Stern 32). An "evil eye" might be expressed in denying loans or neglecting the poor. "Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, 'The seventh year, the year of remission, is at hand,' and your eye be evil [LXX Grk. ponēros] against your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he cry to ADONAI against you, and it become sin in you." (Deut 15:9 BR) R. Joshua b. Korha said, "Any one who shuts his eye against charity is like one who worships idols" (Kethuboth 68a; Baba Bathra 10a). The rabbis in the school of Hillel taught that an individual who gave one-fortieth of his income had a good eye, but a person who gave only one-sixtieth of his income had a bad eye (Terumoth 4:3). An "evil eye" also represents the related vice of greed and grasping after more, even to the point of harming others (see verse 39 below). King Solomon wrote, "20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished. 21 To show partiality is not good, because for a piece of bread a man will transgress. 22 A man with an evil eye (Heb. ra ayin) hastens after riches, and does not consider that poverty will come upon him." (Prov 28:20-22 NKJV) Yeshua used the same idiom to represent the response of the landowner in a parable in which the landowner who pays all the laborers the same but some expected more money than what they had agreed to (Matt 20:1-14). The landowner replied to the complainers, "Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye evil [Grk. ponēros] because I am generous?" (Matt 20:15) Second, the expression "evil eye" was used of a person employing occultic powers to cause harm. Paul alludes to this practice in his comment to the Galatians, "who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Yeshua the Messiah was publicly portrayed as having been crucified?" (Gal 3:1 BR). The verb "bewitched" is Grk. baskainō, to cast an evil spell, but Paul uses it to describe the act of leading someone astray through deception or false influence. It conveys the idea of bewitching someone in a way that causes them to deviate from the truth. This verb is used in the LXX of Proverbs 23:6, "Do not dine with a bewitching man, nor desire his foods." In this verse baskainō translates the word picture of a ra ayin, "evil eye" in the Hebrew text. Therefore Yeshua likely used the idiom to describe the evil intention of his accusers to deceive the public by slandering his character, identity, ministry and teaching. your: Grk. su. body: Grk. ho sōma. also: Grk. kai. is darkness: Grk. skoteinos, adj., the absence of light, full of darkness, covered with darkness, dark. The adjective is used here in a figurative sense. In John's narrative "darkness" is used as a description of the spiritual condition of Yeshua's adversaries (John 1:5; 3:19; 8:12; 12:35, 46). Because their "eye" was evil, they were self-deceived. 35 Therefore consider whether the light that is in you be darkness. Reference: Psalm 119:105; Proverb 6:23. Therefore: Grk. oun, conj. See verse 13 above. consider: Grk. skopeō, pres. imp., give special consideration to something, regard attentively; beware, consider, take heed, watch. whether: Grk. mē, adv. See verse 4 above. Plummer suggests that the adverb is interrogative, in effect posing an indirect question to consider whether there is the presence of an undesirable attitude; lest, whether possibly. the light: Grk. ho phōs. See verse 33 above. that is: Grk. ho, definite article but used here as a relative pronoun. in: Grk. en, prep. you: Grk. su, second person pronoun. be: Grk. eimi, pres. See verse 1 above. darkness: Grk. skotos, absence of light or darkness, but used here as a moral and spiritual condition. Yeshua engages in a clever play on words in order to call his hearers to self-scrutiny. Ellicott suggests that the phrase "light in you" alludes to primary beliefs, the very intuitions of right and wrong. The warning implies that they must have a Light by which to judge their light, a Standard by which to test their standard, and that Light and Standard are found in the teaching of the Light that enlightens every man (John 1:9). Plummer observes that the condition of the internal light becoming darkness happens when the eye of the soul is so diseased that it cannot receive any ray of Divine truth. The evidence of personal contamination of inner "light" among the Pharisees was attributing the good work of Yeshua to an evil source. Isaiah rightly warned, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness" (Isa 5:20). In modern times this demonic reversal may be seen in the public acceptance of perversion as normal, even in some churches. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, not having any part darkness, it will be wholly illuminated, as when the Lamp shining illumines you." Reference: 2Samuel 22:29; Psalm 132:17. If: Grk. ei, conj. then: Grk. oun, conj. your: Grk. su, second person pronoun. whole: Grk. holos, adj. See verse 34 above. body: Grk. ho sōma. See verse 34 above. The phrase "whole body" properly signifies the whole person, body, soul and spirit. is full of light: Grk. phōteinos (from phōs, "light"), adj., having the characteristics of light; bright, illuminated, full of light. The clause conveys the spiritual condition of being knowledgeable about and convinced by the truth. not: Grk. mē, adv. See verse 4 above. having: Grk. echō, pres. part. See verse 5 above. any: Grk. tis, indefinite pronoun. See verse 1 above. part: Grk. meros, a piece or segment of a whole, used here in a biological and spiritual sense. darkness: Grk. skoteinos, adj. See verse 34 above. The "blinders" (cf. 2Cor 4:4) have been removed so as to be able to recognize the deception and false teaching of Yeshua's accusers, as Isaiah said, "Then the eyes of those who see will not be blinded" (Isa 32:3). it will be: Grk. eimi, fut. mid. See verse 1 above. wholly: Grk. holos. illuminated: Grk. phōteinos. The phrase "it will be illuminated" is redundant, but characteristic of Hebrew prose. as: Grk. hōs, adv. See verse 1 above. The adverb as used here has a comparative purpose with a pattern or model in mind. when: Grk. hotan, conj. See verse 2 above. the Lamp: Grk. ho luchnos. See verse 33 above. It seems very possible that Yeshua uses "lamp" in a figurative sense of himself to illustrate his mediatorial role. Being the Lamp is a natural progression from being the Son of David, since David was considered the lamp of Israel (2Sam 21:17). Yeshua also said that Yochanan the Immerser was a lamp to Israel for a time until his light was extinguished by Herod Antipas (John 5:35). However, Yeshua is the true Lamp of Israel (cf. Ps 132:17; 2Pet 1:19; Rev 21:23). shining: Grk. astrapē, a stream of light, used most often of lightning (Luke 10:18), but here as rays of light given by the lamp. illumines: Grk. phōtizō, pres. subj., cause to be bright with light; enlighten, light up, provide illumination. you: Grk. su. Archer says the verbal clause signifies God sharing His life, exposing and overcoming darkness, like the ignorance or prejudice caused by sin (HELPS). Thus, Yeshua came into the world to enlighten every man (cf. John 1:4-9; 8:12; 9:15, 39). Plummer observes that those who possess complete illumination have no need of a sign from heaven in order to recognize the truth. Woes upon Pharisees, 11:37-44 37 Now at the speaking, a Pharisee asked him so that he would dine with him; then having entered, he reclined. Now: Grk. de, conj. at: Grk. en, prep. See verse 1 above. Here the preposition stresses location. Many versions incorrectly give the preposition a temporal meaning with "as," "when" or "while." the: Grk. ho, definite article. speaking: Grk. laleō, aor. inf. See verse 14 above. The verb alludes to the discourse Yeshua gave in the preceding verses. The infinitive stresses the result. The clause does not depict an interruption to the speech, but simply a meeting at the location of the discourse. a Pharisee: Grk. Pharisaios, a rough transliteration of Heb. Parush, meaning "separatist." The title was born of the fact that they devoted themselves to study and observance of the Torah. The Talmud mentions the party as existing during the Hasmonean (2nd c. B.C.) reign of John Hyrcanus (Kiddushin 66a). Josephus identifies the Pharisees were one of four major Jewish parties in the first century (Ant. XIII, 5:9; XVII, 2:4; XVIII, 1:1-6; Wars, II, 8:1-14). In the Judaism of the Pharisees they focused on law rather than sacrifice and as a result developed customs or traditions based on their interpretations of Torah. For more information on the Pharisees see my comment on Luke 5:17. The verse opens by noting that a Pharisee came to where Yeshua had been speaking. There is no indication that the Pharisee heard Yeshua's speech, but probably had been told that Yeshua was in the area and so came to find him. As Edersheim observes, "Indeed, we can scarcely imagine that, immediately after such a charge by the Pharisees as that Jesus acted as the representative of Beelzebul, and such a reply on the part of Jesus, a Pharisee would have invited Him to a friendly meal, or that 'Lawyers,' would have been present at it. … Up to that moment, then, it would seem that the Pharisee had only regarded him as a celebrated Rabbi, though perhaps one who taught strange things" (Edersheim-Messiah 616). asked: Grk. erōtaō, pres., to ask, here in the sense of making a request. The Pharisee presented a personal invitation. him: Grk. autos, personal pronoun. so that: Grk. hopōs, adv., so that. This adverb is stronger than simple "that," because it emphasizes the method involved to accomplish the objective at hand (HELPS). he would dine: Grk. aristaō, aor. subj., to take a meal, to dine. A week-day meal such as this could include bread, wine, meat, fish or vegetables (Edersheim-Messiah 617). with: Grk. para, prep., lit. "beside." See verse 16 above. him: Grk. autos. The preposition "with" stresses that Yeshua would be given a place of honor, which was either to the left or right of the host. At a dinner hosted by a Sage it was customary for the one next in rank to be on the Sage's left and the third in rank on his right (Ber. 46b). The Talmud provides a detailed description of the procedure of a typical feast of a Sage and invited guests (Ber. 43a). However, Luke only highlights a few points of the dining protocol. then: Grk. de. having entered: Grk. eiserchomai, aor. part. See verse 26 above. he reclined: Grk. anapiptō (from ana, "up" or "back," and piptō, "to fall"), aor., to fall back, then recline, especially at a meal. Some versions have "sat down," but the verb for sitting is kathēmai (Luke 5:27). The physical posture is between sitting erect and lying prone, essentially sitting and leaning backward. Many versions add "at table," although it is not certain that there was a table. If there was a table it would have been low to the floor appropriate for reclining. See a work of art here depicting reclining for a meal. Pharisee rules specified that reclining was not lying on the back or reclining on the right side, but only on the left side to facilitate eating with the right hand (Pes. 108a). Yeshua's relative position at the table is not mentioned, but in his humility he took the place offered. As the narrative proceeds it becomes obvious that other guests were in attendance (verses 42 and 45 below). 38 And the Pharisee having seen it, was surprised that he had not first washed before the meal. Reference: Matthew 15:2; Mark 7:3-4. And: Grk. de, conj. the Pharisee: Grk. ho Pharisaios. See the previous verse. having seen it: Grk. horaō, aor. part., may mean (1) to perceive with the physical eyes, see; or (2) to experience something, including extraordinary mental or inward perception. The first meaning is intended here but there is a hint of the second. was surprised: Grk. thaumazō, aor. See verse 14 above. The verb alludes to the fact that the Pharisee host had an expectation that was not fulfilled. that: Grk. hoti, conj. he had not: Grk. ou, adv. first: Grk. prōton, having to do with beforeness, here emphasizing sequence of action. washed: Grk. baptizō (from baptō, "dip" or "plunge"), aor. pass. inf., to dip, immerse, plunge or wash. In the Besekh the verb is only used of a religious rite of washing or submerging in water. Here the verb is used of washing the hands. The choice of the verb is unusual since all previous uses of baptizō in Luke refer to bodily immersion and the parallel passages uses the verb niptō for washing the hands. However, in Jewish culture baptizō was used generally of religious ablutions (Abbott-Smith), so no more than washing the hands is meant (Plummer). before: Grk. pro, prep. indicating precedence, here regarding sequence of action. the meal: Grk. ho ariston, a meal eaten anytime before the main meal of the day (HELPS). The term could refer to a morning or mid-day meal. Clarke notes the mention of Josephus that the legal hour of the ariston on the Sabbath was the sixth hour, or at twelve o'clock at noon (Life §54). The meal time on the other days of the week was probably much the same. Washing was important since there were no food implements, such as forks, knives and spoons, and serving and eating was done with the hands. Edersheim points out that for a meal as reported here the rules of etiquette were strictly observed (Edersheim-Messiah 619). A special tractate was added to the Talmud that describes the general etiquette of meals, especially those conducted by religious teachers, called "The Way of the World" (Derek Erets, Chap. V and VII), being a sort of code of good manners. According to some, it was not good manners to speak while eating. The learned and most honored occupied not only the chief places, but were sometimes distinguished by a double portion. According to Jewish etiquette, a guest should conform in everything to his host, even though it were unpleasant. Thus, Yeshua shocked his host by not following expected etiquette. Luke does not explain how the washing proceeded. Water could have been made available or a servant could have brought the water to each guest. The Pharisee host did not verbalize his surprise, but Yeshua clearly read his thoughts. Yeshua had just come from contact with the multitude, and, moreover, he had cast out a demon. The Pharisee took for granted that he would purify himself from any possible pollution before eating. Stern comments that the rationale for washing has nothing to do with hygiene but was based on the idea that "a man’s home is his Temple," with the dining table his altar, the food his sacrifice and himself the priest (92). Since the Torah requires priests to be "clean" before offering sacrifices on the sanctuary altar, Pharisees determined the same requirement applied before eating a meal. The written Torah contains no instructions regarding washing in relation to eating a meal. A prominent Sage asserted that King Solomon instituted the hand washing ritual based on a message from God (Erubin 21b). The Pharisees conducted three washings of the hands in relation to a meal (Chullin 105a). The first washing before the meal was considered a meritorious act, the last washing after the meal was a bounden duty. The middle washing or washing at any point during a meal was a matter of free choice. The rules prescribing how to conduct the ritual handwashing are set forth in Mishnah Tractate Yadayim. Impurity is removed by rinsing up to the wrist. Yeshua knew that the written Torah only required washing after coming into contact with specific uncleanness (cf. Lev 15:11). Nevertheless the Pharisees tried to make the practice binding upon all (Mark 7:3). On a previous occasion certain Pharisees had criticized Yeshua's disciples for eating with unwashed hands (Matt 15:2), implying that he kept the practice. In contrast to this story is the occasion of eating at a Pharisee's house in which Yeshua chided the host for failing to provide water for washing feet (Luke 7:36, 44). Yet this time Yeshua purposely neglected washing. Plummer suggests that Yeshua's omission to wash before coming to table, or refusal of the water offered to him at table, was a protest against the attempt to "bind burdens" upon men, and to substitute trivialities for the weightier matters of the Law." What should be noted is that Yeshua did not offer an explanation for his omission, but it did provide a starting point for his analysis of Pharisee practices. 39 Then the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter; but the inside of you is full of robbery and wickedness. Reference: Matthew 23:25; Mark 7:4; Luke 16:14. Then: Grk. de, conj. the Lord: Grk. ho kurios. See verse 1 above. Luke frequently uses the title where the other Synoptic Narratives have the name Yeshua. It is no accident that the Lord's name does not appear in this chapter. Luke likely employed the title here to emphasize Yeshua's authority for the following pronouncement. said: Grk. legō, aor. See verse 1 above. to: Grk. pros, prep. See verse 1 above. The preposition stresses the act of face-to-face communication. him: Grk. autos, personal pronoun; the Pharisee host. Yeshua begins a series of denunciations that will be repeated and expanded in Jerusalem after his return (Matt 23:4-35). The narrative does not clarify whether the comments began during the meal or were offered after the meal had ended. Criticizing the host and other guests during the meal would be just as shocking as failing to wash. Translation of Yeshua's words cannot account for his tone or facial expressions, but what he says is nevertheless quite confrontational. Now: Grk. nun, adv., marker of time in the present; now or just now. you: Grk. humeis, pl. pronoun of the second person. Plummer suggests that the adverb implies "it was not so formerly." Pharisees: pl. of Grk. ho Pharisaios. See verse 37 above. The definite article could emphasize "the ones called." Yeshua appears to make a sweeping generalization of the religious party that was true regardless of some exceptions (Luke 13:31; 23:50; John 3:1). The generalization of the plural "you" could be explained by the old Jewish saying, "If five sons are faithful and two are not, you may cry, 'Woe is me, for my sons are unfaithful!'" (Stern 386). cleanse: Grk. katharizō, pres., 2p-pl., to clean or cleanse, usually with a religious meaning and here with water. The verb emphasizes a major focus of the Pharisee's life. the outside: Grk. ho exōthen, adv., from without, outside. The washing begins on the outside. of the cup: Grk. ho potērion, a domestic item used for drinking, cup, with both literal and figurative uses. and: Grk. kai, conj. of the platter: Grk. ho pinax, a household item varying in size, a dish or platter. Washing household items used for meals was extremely important to Pharisees (cf. Mark 7:4), but the activity took on religious significance and an important element in their piety. Yeshua uses food containers to represent bodily parts that are washed and follows with a sharp contrast. The emphasis of washing vessels illustrates the principle of "majoring on minor things." but: Grk. de. the inside: Grk. ho esōthen, adv., with focus on origin from within or inside, in this case a person. The adverb alludes to the internal condition of the heart or soul. of you: Grk. humeis. The plural pronoun does not consider exceptions. Yeshua now draws attention to their spiritual condition. is full: Grk. gemō, pres., be full. HELPS adds "especially with the sense of fully occupied with or by, i.e. filled or loaded to capacity; laden with; totally characterized by in every sense." of robbery: Grk. harpagē, the act of plundering fueled by greed; plunder, robbery, spoil. Many versions translate the noun with "greed." and: Grk. kai. wickedness: Grk. ponēria, a mindset of hurtful scheming; cunning, baseness, maliciousness or sinfulness. Thayer adds depravity and iniquity. The dramatic description implies Yeshua knew their secret sins (Ellicott). 40 Fools! Did not the One having made the outside also make the inside? Reference: Genesis 2:7. Fools: pl. of Grk. aphrōn, adj., voc., not making use of common sense or ordinary intelligence, characteristic of one who fails to take account of various aspects before drawing a conclusion or adopting a course of action; senseless, foolish. Using this pejorative term implies that the Pharisees had misapplied their intelligence in constructing their world view and religious system. The Pharisee movement had begun as a way to preserve Torah values from being replaced by pagan practices enforced by their Hellenistic overlords. Yet by Yeshua's generation the Pharisees had reduced Torah virtues and values to an oppressive legalistic system. Yeshua follows the direct address with an important question. Did not: Grk. ou, adv., used here with interrogative effect. the One: Grk. ho, definite article, but used here as a demonstrative pronoun. Among Jews "The One" was a circumlocution for God (cf. Ps 3:3; 37:24; Isa 40:26; 45:7; 49:7; Amos 9:5-6; John 1:33; 6:46; 7:18; 11:27; 12:45; 15:21; Acts 10:42; Rom 5:17; 2Cor 4:6). having made: Grk. poieō, aor. part., a verb of physical action that may refer to (1) producing something material; make, construct, produce, create; or (2) to be active in bringing about a state of condition; do, act, perform, work. The first meaning applies here. the outside: Grk. ho exōthen, adv., from without, outside. The adverb refers to the human body with its many intricate and complex systems. The verbal phrase alludes to the creation of Adam's body from dirt (Gen 2:7; 3:19). Yeshua affirms the simple truth of the Bible and Jewish anthropology that God created the human race after creating the plants and animals (Gen 1:27; 5:1; Deut 4:32; Job 10:10-11; Ps 139:13-15; Mal 2:10; Acts 17:24-26). Every ancient culture developed an origins mythology, but the Jewish belief in divine creation contrasted sharply with the naturalistic views held in other lands. (See Creation Stories from Around the World.) Alfred Edersheim observed, "It is scarcely possible to imagine a greater contrast than between the heathen accounts of the origin of all things and the scriptural narrative" (Edersheim-Bible 11). Ancient cultures widely varied in their view of the origin of man, some believing in spontaneous generation, others believing in creation by a deity such as the Greek Prometheus, or others asserting evolution from a lower animal. Lucian of Samosata (c. 125–180 AD), an Assyrian satirist, noted that the Athenians believed they originally grew up from the soil like radishes and the Spartans believed they descended from dragon's teeth (The Liar 3, cited by Clarke on Acts 17:26). People in modern times are probably unfamiliar with the frauds of alleged human ancestors: Lucy, Java Man, Peking Man, Piltdown Man and others. Naturalism begins with an assumption of atheism and omitting God from the study of origins makes them fools. The complex structures that form the physical human body could not come into existence by spontaneous generation, creation by a non-existent deity or transitioning from an animal. Anyone who pauses long enough to contemplate the wondrous complexity of the human body must give praise to the Creator. also: Grk. kai, conj. make: Grk. poieō, aor. the inside: Grk. ho esōthen. See the previous verse. Yeshua refers to the narrative of Genesis: Then Elohim said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27 So Elohim created man in His own image, in the image of Elohim He created him; male and female He created them." (Gen 1:26-27 BR) "And ADONAI, God, formed [Heb. vayyitzer] man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living soul [Heb. nephesh]" (Gen 2:7 BR). God's declaration of creating man in His image does not refer to the physical structure of the human body, because God is spirit (John 4:24). This imagio dei made man qualitatively distinctive, something not possessed in any degree by the animals (Henry Morris, The Genesis Record, Baker Book House, 1976; p. 73). Thus, the adverb esōthen does not refer to the internal organs, but the image of God manifest in the soul and spirit of man. The Pharisee Sages noted something else in Genesis 2:7 that made man qualitatively different from animals. The spelling of the verb vayyitzer is unusual. It uses two consecutive Yods instead of the one that would be expected. The Sages inferred that these Yods stand for the word "yetzer," which means impulse or inclination. The existence of two Yods must mean that the soul was formed with two impulses: a good impulse (the yetzer tov) and an evil impulse (the yetzer ra) (Berachot 61a). The yetzer tov is the moral conscience guided by God's commandments. The yetzer ra is self-interest focused on personal needs and expectations. In the beginning the yetzer ra was good (Gen 1:31), meaning that Adam and Chavah would work to supply their needs (Gen 2:9, 15). Then the Serpent came with temptation resulting in corruption of the yetzer ra. The Pharisee inclination reflecting the Serpent (John 8:44) was to oppose Yeshua, but he now employs their theology to exhort them to change their thinking and their behavior. 41 But of the things being within give alms, and behold all things are clean to you. Reference: Isaiah 58:10. But: Grk. plēn, adv. functioning here as a conjunction; but, nevertheless. of the things: n. pl. of Grk. ho, definite article but used here as a relative pronoun. being within: Grk. eneimi, pl. pres. part., to be in, what is within. The verb occurs only here in the Besekh. Commentators offer two interpretations of the first clause, one that it refers to the contents of the vessels on the table, and two, the internal characteristics of the person. It would not be contrary to Yeshua's manner of teaching to convey layers of meaning so that both interpretations could have application here. give: Grk. didōmi, aor. imp., 2p-pl. See verse 3 above. alms: pl. of Grk. eleēmosunē, merciful disposition, regard for the needs of others; benevolence, kindness, charity, specifically gifts of alms. The practice of almsgiving to help the poor was an important principle in Jewish culture. Indeed every synagogue had a charity box for collecting donations. Mercy in the form of charity was viewed as an act of righteousness because it conformed to the Torah standard of caring for the poor (Lev 19:15; Deut 15:7-11; 24:12-15). Interpreting the meaning of Yeshua's exhortation in this verse must consider Pharisee practice. In a previous discourse Yeshua accused Pharisees of making a show of giving to the poor (Matt 6:2). Moreover what they did give was not significant. One Sage declared, "A man should never neglect to give the third of a shekel [for charity] in a year (Baba Bathra 9a). A third of a shekel would be about equivalent to a denarius, which was the daily wage of a farm worker. Another Sage said, "If a man gives but a farthing to a beggar, he is deemed worthy to receive the Divine Presence" (B.B. 10a). A farthing was equal to a tenth of a denarius. What generosity!! Considering the first interpretation of the opening clause Yeshua could mean give of the bounty on your table that you serve yourself. In a future meal in a Pharisee's house Yeshua will exhort his audience "when you give a reception invite the poor" (Luke 14:13). Plummer suggests that benevolence is a better way of keeping meals free from defilement than scrupulous cleaning of vessels. Considering the second interpretation of the opening clause Yeshua exhorts his Pharisee host to make a heart change. The first clause could mean, "Give your souls as alms," i.e. give not merely food or money, but your heart. The syntax is similar to the LXX reading of Isaiah 58:10, "You should give to the ones hungering the bread from your soul." Devoting yourself to the needs of the poor from heartfelt concern is more important than compliance with ceremonial regulations. and: Grk. kai, conj. behold: Grk. idou, aor. imp. See verse 31 above. all things: n.pl. of Grk. pas, adj. See verse 4 above. Plummer suggests the adjective refers to the vessels used in the meal. are: Grk. eimi, pres. See verse 1 above. clean: Grk. katharos, adj., may mean (1) free from contamination, clean, cleansed; or (2) free from guilt or blame or moral impurity. The second meaning applies here. to you: Grk. humeis; the Pharisees. Yeshua does not mean that almsgiving provides any kind atoning merit (cf. Sirach 3:30; Tobit 12:8-9), but as Yochanan the Immerser exhorted the Pharisees, such almsgiving is the outcome of genuine repentance (Matt 3:7-8; Luke 3:8). It's far more important to be clean on the inside than the outside. 42 "But woe to you Pharisees! Because you pay tithe of mint and rue and every herb, and you neglect the judgment and the love of God. But these things you ought to have done and those not to neglect. Reference: Leviticus 27:30; Matthew 23:23. But: Grk. alla, conj. See verse 33 above. woe: Grk. ouai, an interjection expressing a sense of profound grief, especially in the face of impending disaster or expressing certainty of assured disaster. A "woe" is a calamity of such proportions that it stretches the mind to think of anything worse. In the LXX ouai translates six different Hebrew words (hoy, oy, ho, i, and hovah), which may express grief, despair, lamentation, dissatisfaction, pain, or a threat (DNTT 3:1051). The announcing of woe occurs especially in the Hebrew prophets in rebuking sinful behavior in Israel and predicting judgment on enemies of Israel. to you: Grk. humeis, pl. pronoun of the second person. Typical of Luke's fondness for "threes" Yeshua pronounces the first of three woes on the party of the host. Pharisees: pl. of Grk. ho Pharisaios. See verse 17 above. For: Grk. hoti, conj. See verse 18 above. The conjunction introduces a statement of causality. you pay tithe: Grk. apodekatoō (from apo, "from" and dekatoō, to give a tenth), pres., 2p-pl., to pay a tenth of anything. The verb is unknown in Greek literature, so it was coined by the Jewish translators of the LXX to translate Heb. asar, "give a tenth," first in Genesis 28:22. The Hebrew word for tithe is maasar, a tenth, first in Genesis 14:20. Israelites were commanded to bring a tenth of crops and livestock to provide support for the priests and Levites who were prohibited from owning hereditary land (Lev 27:30–33, Num 18:21-24). In addition, the Levites were to give a tenth of the tithes they received to the high priest (Num 18:26-28). A second tithe was to be brought every year and consumed by the owner in Jerusalem (Deut 14:22–27). Then another tithe was to be brought every third year for the Levite, the alien, the orphan and the widow (Deut 14:28-29). of mint: Grk. ho hēduosmon, a sweet-smelling garden plant, mint. The tithing of mint is not mentioned in any Jewish source. The mention of mint in Scripture occurs only here and the parallel passage in Matthew 23. The scarcity of the mention of mint and the tithing of it does not make Yeshua's observation any less historically accurate. He was an eyewitness to the practice. and: Grk. kai, conj. rue: Grk. ho pēganon, a small shrub with a strong, bitter taste, and valued for its medicinal properties and culinary uses. The term occurs only here in the Besekh. and: Grk. kai. every: Grk. pas, adj. See verse 4 above. herb: Grk. lachanon, a garden plant or vegetable, typically those cultivated for food. Tithing was a particular point of virtue signaling for Pharisees (cf. Luke 18:12). Regulations of tithing may be found in the Talmud tractates Maaseroth (Tithes), Ma'aser Sheni (Second Tithe) and Demai (Doubtful). Liefeld suggests the Pharisees were tithing possessions that they should have shared with or that rightfully belonged to the needy, but that is not the point Yeshua makes. Rather he stresses the scrupulous nature of their tithing. It might seem inconsistent that Yeshua, while not practicing ritual washing, commended meticulous tithing, but tithing was a Torah commandment. and: Grk. kai. you pass by: Grk. parerchomai, pres. mid., 2p-pl., may mean either (1) to move spatially from one position to another, to go past or pass by, (2) or to come to an end and so no longer be on the scene, to pass away. The first meaning applies here, but in a figurative sense of disregarding or neglecting an important duty. the judgment: Grk. ho krisis. See verse 31 above. Most versions render the noun as "justice," but the normal word for justice is dikaiosunē (e.g., Matt 5:20). Here the word krisis refers to the overall administration of justice, or jurisprudence in accordance with Torah standards. In the LXX krisis translates primarily Heb. mishpat, judgment (e.g., Gen 18:19, 25; Ex 23:6; Lev 19:15, 35; Num 35:12; Deut 1:17; 4:5), which most often refers to the act of deciding a case, the decision itself, or the execution of the judgment. Mishpat could be considered "case law" because it is casuistic, i.e., it applies in particular circumstances ("If…then"). See my web article Biblical Justice. and: Grk. kai. the love: Grk. ho agapē (from agapaō, "to love"), a relatively high level of interest in the well-being of another; affection, esteem, love. This is the only verse in Luke-Acts with the noun. Agapē is one of the four Greek words for "love" and the one that occurs most frequently in the Besekh. In the LXX agapē occurs only 12 times and translates Heb. ahavah (first in 2Sam 13:15), which is used of both human and divine love. The Jewish translators of the LXX apparently coined the noun agapē, since there is no Greek literature earlier than the LXX that uses the noun (DNTT 2:539). Agapē, unlike the verb agapaō, is never used in a negative sense (cf. Luke 6:32). God's nature and actions are the epitome of agapē (John 3:16; 1Jn 4:8) and the preeminent virtue (1Cor 13:1-13). The essential factor in every passage employing agapē is the willingness to sacrifice for an object, which sets it apart from the affection of phileō, the family loyalty of storgē and the passion of eros. of God: Grk. ho theos. See verse 20 above. The genitive case of theos could be subjective or objective. Rendered as a subjective genitive, it would mean that the judgment and the love are manifested by God. Rendered as an objective genitive, the judgment and the love are demanded by God. Considering the criticism of what the Pharisees "pass by" then Yeshua alludes to God's expectations of His people. God intended that Israelites apply the principles of His judgments to determine justice, not invent their own casuistry to avoid doing justice (cf. Matt 15:3). Similarly God mandated that love be given first to Himself (Deut 6:5) and secondly to others (Lev 19:18). But: Grk. de, conj. these things: n.pl. of Grk. houtos, demonstrative pronoun. you ought: Grk. dei, impf., impersonal verb from deō ('lack, stand in need of') and thus conveys the idea of something that's necessary, something that must or needs to happen. to have done: Grk. poieō, aor. inf. See verse 40 above. The infinitive expresses result here so the verbal clause focuses on the failure of the past. and those: pl. of Grk. kakeinos, demonstrative pronoun. See verse 7 above. Most versions translate the pronoun as "the others," alluding to the tithing of garden plants. not: Grk. mē, adv. to neglect: Grk. pariēmi, aor. inf., let go, pass by; disregard, neglect, omit. The infinitive here expresses purpose, so it is future-oriented. Plummer affirms that it is not correct to say that Yeshua abolished the "ceremonial" (i.e., tithing) part of the Law while retaining the moral part. Yeshua does not condemn the Pharisee's legalistic tithing (adding to the Torah requirement, cf. Deut 12:32), but focuses on their failure to obey two essential points of Torah, which reveals a serious flaw in Pharisee character. Yeshua offers a contrast between two practices, or between obeying "heavy" commandments (e.g., judgment and love) versus obeying "light" commandments (e.g., tithing). This issue was addressed in the Sermon on the Mount. See my comment on Matthew 5:19. Commandments may be "weighed" based on the punishment prescribed for violation, or the time, effort and resources required to obey, or its importance to a holy life or its importance to the shalom of relationships. However, a commandment is not so "light" that it's not to be taken seriously. All the commandments contained in the Torah were given by God to Moses for Israel, so all of His instructions are important and benefit the covenant community. Moreover the New Covenant did not cancel God's commandments nor exempt followers of Yeshua from the commandments. Indeed the very purpose of the New Covenant was to enable God's people to live by His laws (Jer 31:33; Heb 8:10). See my commentary on Hebrews 8:8-13 in which Paul reminds his readers of God's promise of a New Covenant and its implications for discipleship. Since the New Covenant did not cancel God's commandments then the obligation for tithing is still in force. For more discussion of this topic see my article Tithing. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! Because you love the chief seat in the synagogues and the greetings in the market places. Reference: Matthew 23:6-7. Woe to you Pharisees: Yeshua repeats the negative interjection in the previous verse verbatim. For: Grk. hoti, conj. you love: Grk. agapaō, pres., 2p-pl., may mean (1) to have such an interest in another that one wishes to contribute to the other's well-being, even if it means making a personal sacrifice to do so; or (2) to take delight in, value, esteem. The second meaning is intended here. The verb is generally devoid of strong emotion. Yeshua's comment is not a compliment. the chief seat: Grk. ho prōtokathedria, chief seat or place of honor. Many versions incorrectly translate the singular noun as plural. Apparently the "chief seat" referred to the bench in front of the ark where the Scriptures were contained while facing the congregation. It was reserved for officials and persons of high distinction (Rienecker 1:123). in: Grk. en, prep. the synagogues: pl. of Grk. ho sunagōgē, a place of assembly, or the people gathered together in one place. In the Besekh sunagōgē typically refers to the place at which Jews gathered for worship and learning. The origin of the Jewish synagogue is not known for certain, but scholars generally date its beginning during the Babylonian exile (NIBD 1019). Pious Jews, far from their homeland, without the ministry of the temple, felt the necessity to gather on the Sabbath in order to listen to the reading of Scripture and to pray (cf. Jer 29:7; Ezek 14:1; 20:1; Dan 9:2). Eventually meetings came also to be held on other days, and at the same hours as the morning and evening services in the temple. According to Philo, the Jewish philosopher (20 B.C.─A.D. 50), synagogues were houses of prayer and schools of wisdom (On the Life of Moses II, 39). As Jews emigrated west synagogues followed. In any community where at least ten Jewish men lived, the Jews would meet together for study and prayer and eventually build a sanctuary (Heb. shul) for their meetings. The building would be positioned so that when the congregation stood for prayer they would be facing Jerusalem. By the first century, synagogues emerged as the central institution of Jewish life as a place where study, worship, exhortation, celebration, and various other kinds of meetings take place. Ceremonies were conducted in full view of the participants, with the masses of people no longer being relegated to outer courtyards, as was the case in the Jerusalem Temple (OCB 722). In contrast to the Sadducees who exercised supervision over the temple, Pharisees supervised the learning of Torah in the synagogue. Moseley, citing the Jerusalem Talmud (Meg. 3:1; Ket. 105a; Sot. 7:7, 8; Yom. 7:1) says there were between 394 and 400 synagogues in Jerusalem during the first century (8), although one might infer from the Babylonian Talmud that the number 394 was the sum total of synagogues, houses of study and schools in Jerusalem (Ket. 105a). There were certainly many synagogues, especially in each quarter of expatriate Jews residing in Jerusalem (cf. Acts 2:5, 9-11; 6:9) (Jeremias 62). and: Grk. kai, conj. the greetings: pl. of Grk. ho aspasmos, salutation, greeting. The noun refers to the address of "favored one." in: Grk. en. the market places: pl. of Grk. ho agora, a place for gathering, especially of a marketplace as the center of civic life. The greetings here would be from fellow religious figures or others of social prominence. Visiting the marketplace was not just for shopping, but for being seen and recognized. 44 Woe to you! Because you are like unmarked graves, and the men walking over them have not known it." Reference: Matthew 23:27. Woe to you: Yeshua repeats the negative interjection in two previous verses. Because: Grk. hoti, conj. you are: Grk. eimi, pres., 2p-pl. See verse 1 above. like: Grk. hōs, adv. See verse 1 above. unmarked: pl. of Grk. ho adēlos, adj., not being clear to one's senses; hidden, inconspicuous, invisible, unseen. graves: pl. of Grk. ho mnēmeion, a place for depositing remains of a deceased person held in memory, and the focus may be on either (1) celebrating a distinguished deceased person, monument, memorial; or (2) identifying a place of internment, burial place, grave or tomb. It stresses the remembrance of the dead. Laws of burial and bereavement may be found in the Talmud Tractate Moed Katan. In Bible times corpses were typically placed in natural caves (Gen 23:19; 49:30-31), other above-ground tombs cut into soft rock (Jdg 8:32; Matt 27:60; John 11:17; Acts 2:29), or in the ground (Gen 35:8, 19; 2Kgs 23:6; Jer 26:23; Matt 27:5-10). The burial places would be outside but near the town where the person lived. The mention of "unmarked graves" could allude to the fact that most people that died in history were buried without any marker being left to identify the dead. More specifically the mention of "unmarked" alludes to the practice of whitewashing graves or grave-sites with lime before pilgrim festivals as a warning to pilgrims against accidental defilement. Touching a corpse could cause uncleanness lasting seven days (Num 19:11) and that condition was extended to the place of burial (Num 19:16). Becoming unclean in this circumstance required a washing ceremony on the third and seventh days (Num 19:19). Such uncleanness would effectively prevent the pilgrim from participating in the festival (Lev 7:21; Num 19:20), thus the need for the visible warning. and: Grk. kai, conj. the men: pl. of Grk. ho anthrōpos. See verse 24 above. Many versions translate the plural noun with "people," but the noun likely hints at the men attending required pilgrim festivals (Deut 16:16). walking: Grk. peripateō, pl. pres. part., to engage in pedestrian activity; go about; walk about, walk around, walk. over them: Grk. epanō, adv., in a spatial sense on the top of, above, over. The adverb alludes to gravesites in the ground, not tombs located in caves. have not: Grk. ou, adv. known it: Grk. oida, perf., 3p-pl. See verse 13 above. Yeshua makes the simple assertion that members of the public interact with the Pharisees unaware that the pietistic zealots were morally and spiritually unclean and thereby unfit to be judges of the behavior of others. The observation also hints that if the Pharisees would "wash" themselves "white" they could be acceptable to God and be positive examples to the people (cf. Isa 1:18; Rev 7:14). Woes upon Law-Experts, 11:45-52 45 Now answering, a certain one of the law-experts said to him, "Teacher, saying these things also insult us." Now: Grk. de, conj. answering: Grk. apokrinomai, aor. pass. part. See verse 7 above. a certain one: Grk. tis, indefinite pronoun. See verse 1 above. of the law-experts: pl. of Grk. nomikos, adj., having to do with laws or points of law. The term is derived from nomos ("law") and the "ikos" suffix, which denotes "having the characteristic of." In Hellenistic culture the term was used as a noun for someone performing legal functions such as a notary or an adviser to a magistrate (LSJ). The term is used only as a noun in the Besekh to refer to a man learned in the laws given through Moses to Israel and the regulations that comprised contemporary Jewish law or applied halakhah ("way to walk"). The synonym grammateus ("scribe," verse 53 below) may be considered a generic term whereas nomikos is a specialist (Zodhiates). Archer concurs saying that the nomikos was someone even more learned in the Law than a typical scribe (HELPS) and LSJ says that in Jewish culture a nomikos was a doctor of the Jewish law. Nomikos occurs 9 times in the Besekh, six of which are in Luke. The term is rare in Jewish literature outside the Besekh and found only in 4Maccabees 5:4 and Sibylline Oracles 8:145. Of interest is that one nomikos is identified by name in the Besekh: Zenas (Titus 3:13), who is also listed among the Seventy. Many versions render the word as "lawyer," which could be misleading to the modern reader. These men did not provide services associated with modern lawyers. The plural form of the noun indicates that several legal specialists were in attendance at the meal hosted by the Pharisee. Meyer suggests the speaker was not likely to be a Sadducee, because he would not have applied the criticism of the Pharisees to himself. Moreover the Pharisees and Sadducees were sharply divided in theology (cf. Acts 23:6-8), so socializing together seems unlikely. In fact, the nomikoi could be considered the theological leaders of the Pharisees (DNTT 2:443). The speaker could have been directly across the table from Yeshua. said: Grk. legō, aor. See verse 1 above. to him: Grk. autos, personal pronoun; Yeshua. Teacher: Grk. didaskalos, voc., teacher or instructor who regularly engaged in the imparting of knowledge or skills, a vocation of special status in Jewish culture. Some Messianic versions translate the noun as "Rabbi" (CJB, MW, OJB). In the first century "Rabbi" was not the title of a congregational shepherd, but denoted a prominent Sage or Torah scholar of the era. Didaskalos is a functional synonym of "Rabbi" (cf. John 1:38), but the fact that the Law-expert did not say "Rabbi" is significant. Acknowledging Yeshua as a teacher did not mean that he was accorded the status equal to Hillel and Shammai. Indeed the title may have been spoken with a tone of condescension. saying: Grk. legō, pres. part. these things: pl. of Grk. houtos, demonstrative pronoun. The plural pronoun alludes to the three woes Yeshua pronounced on Pharisees. also: Grk. kai, conj. insult: Grk. hubrizō, pres., to subject to abusive and demeaning treatment, thus causing shame to the victim. us: Grk. hēmeis, pl. pronoun of the first person. The Law-expert apparently considered himself as having equivalent status and worth as the Pharisee host. Moreover, as a partner in enforcing religious observance any offense against the Pharisees would be considered as having been directed against the Law-experts as well. 46 But he said, "Woe also to you law-experts! Because you load the people with burdens heavy to bear, and yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Reference: Matthew 23:4. But: Grk. de, conj. he said: Grk. legō, aor. See verse 1 above. The subject of the verb is Yeshua. Woe: Grk. ouai. See verse 42 above. Again Yeshua pronounces the first of three woes, this time on others at the table. also: Grk. kai, conj. to you: Grk. humeis, pl. pronoun of the second person. law-experts: pl. of Grk. nomikos, adj. See the previous verse. Because: Grk. hoti, conj. See verse 18 above. you load: Grk. phortizō, pres., 2p-pl., to put a load on or place a burden on. the people: pl. of Grk. ho anthrōpos. See verse 24 above. The plural noun has a broad application for the people of Israel, referring to adult men and women. with burdens: pl. of Grk. phortion, something carried as a load; burden, cargo. The noun is used for physical burdens borne by animals or laborers or cargoes of ships. heavy to bear: pl. of Grk. dusbastaktos, adj., problematic, difficult, doubly heavy, describing what is difficult or oppressive to carry because of the weight (HELPS). The expression of heavy burdens is used metaphorically for the imposition of legal, religious and social obligations based on traditions that went beyond the written Torah, properly called "legalism." See the Additional Note below. and: Grk. kai. yourselves: pl. of Grk. autos, personal pronoun. do not: Grk. ou, adv. touch: Grk. prospsauō, pres., 2p-pl., apply a touch to. The verb occurs only here in the Besekh. The verb is used figuratively of lifting or removing. the burdens: pl. of Grk. ho phortion. with one: Grk. heis, the numeral one. of your: Grk. humeis. fingers: pl. of Grk. ho daktulos. See verse 20 above. The criticism indicates that the Law-experts had no consideration for the number of strict pietistic regulations imposed on people that was more about their control of the people than the actual expectations of God. Additional Note: Legalism Peter will eventually rebuke the zeal of Messianic Pharisees regarding their insistence on circumcising Gentile converts by pointing out that the legalistic traditions were "a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear" (Acts 15:10). Christians typically define legalism as doing good works to earn salvation, but this is incorrect. Pharisees didn't keep their picky rules to earn salvation. They were members of the elect nation and confident in their own righteousness (cf. Php 3:6). Rather legalism was the unlawful use of the laws God gave to Israel or using God's Law in a way He never intended, as Paul affirmed to Timothy, "Now we know that the Torah is good if someone uses it lawfully" (1Tim 1:8 BR). The misuse of the Torah was at least fourfold. The first misuse was the casuistic application of Torah, i.e., pitting one commandment against another or elevating lesser commandments over major commandments (Matt 5:19; 12:1-12; 23:23). The second misuse of the Torah was treating man-made traditions and rules as equivalent to or having more authority than the written commandments given to Israel (Matt 15:1-6; 23:1-3, 14; Acts 16:4; 23:6; Gal 1:14). The third misuse of the Torah was treating God's commandments as a wall to separate the righteous from the sinners (cf. Matt 9:11-13; 23:13; Luke 10:29-37; 18:9-14). The fourth misuse of the Torah was parsing the meaning of words in the Torah in order to excuse selfish decisions and injustice, such as divorcing wives for personal expedience (Matt 19:3) and classifying healing as work and thereby condemning Yeshua's ministry on the Sabbath (Matt 12:10). For a complete analysis of this subject see my article Law vs. Legalism. 47 Woe to you! Because you build the monuments of the prophets; indeed your fathers killed them. Reference: Matthew 23:29; Luke 6:23; Acts 7:52. Woe: Grk. ouai. See verse 42 above. to you: Grk. humeis, pl. pronoun of the second person. Yeshua presents the second of three woes against the Law-experts. Because: Grk. hoti, conj. you build: Grk. oikodomeō, pres., 2p-pl., to erect a structure, which can be new construction, restoration of a structure or adding on to an existing structure. the monuments: pl. of Grk. ho mnēmeion. See verse 44 above. The majority of versions translate the plural noun as "tombs," but Yeshua does not refer to the typical caves in which the remains of deceased persons were placed. of the prophets: pl. of Grk. ho prophētēs, one who is gifted with the ability for interpretation or revelation transcending normal insight or awareness, i.e., a prophet. In Scripture the term refers to one who spoke on God's behalf, whether in foretelling or forth-telling. The Hebrew prophets were a diverse group with different personalities, vocations and manner of ministry, but they all spoke for God under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2Pet 1:21). The literary works of the prophets in the Tanakh are authoritative Scripture (Matt 5:17-19; Luke 24:44-45; 2Tim 3:16-17). See my graphic presentation The Hebrew Prophets. The phrase "monuments of the prophets" does not refer to actual burial places of the ancient prophets, which would be unknown, but to memorials that had been constructed by religious leaders at the Mount of Olives, which Exell says were at the foot of the mountain in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. Nineteenth century commentators note that four such monuments could be seen by travelers in their time. indeed: Grk. de, conj. See verse 2 above. The conjunction is used with intensity. your: Grk. humeis. fathers: pl. of Grk. ho patēr. See verse 2 above. The noun is used here in the sense of ancestors, though not in a genealogical sense. The term is intended as a figurative reference to those who modeled the behavior that the Torah-experts imitated. killed: Grk. apokteinō, aor., 3p-pl., put an end by force the existence of someone, here of homicide; kill. In the LXX apokteinō is used for homicide (Gen 4:8), mass revenge killing (Gen 34:25), and penal execution (Ex 32:27). The verb is used particularly in reference to the killing of prophets of God in the past (Matt 14:5; 23:37; Acts 7:52). them: pl. of Grk. autos, personal pronoun. Often the prophets suffered the wrath of wicked leaders. Yeshua's audience knew the historical record of the suffering experienced by the prophets, which Paul summarizes in Hebrews 11:32-38. Levine contends that the erection of monuments represented repudiation of rather than complicity in the murders (127). However, Yeshua's criticism is a revelation of their hypocrisy. The legal professionals endeavored to convince the public of their piety and respect for history while hiding a malevolent spirit toward anyone that spoke the truth of God. 48 So you are witnesses and approve the deeds of your fathers; because they killed them, and you build their monuments. Reference: Matthew 23:30. So: Grk. ara, conj. you are: Grk. eimi, pres., 2p-pl. witnesses: pl. of Grk. martus, one who attests the fact or truth of something, often used in a legal context of who testifies before a legal proceeding regarding first hand knowledge. In other words these legalists have first-hand knowledge of what Yeshua alleges. and: Grk. kai, conj. approve: Grk. suneudokeō, pres., 2p-pl., to join in approving, here used of endorsing someone's activity. the deeds: pl. of Grk. ergon generally means a deed, action or accomplishment. of your: Grk. humeis, pl. pronoun of the second person. fathers: pl. of Grk. patēr. See verse 2 above and the previous verse. Yeshua then repeats the charge of the previous verse. because: Grk. hoti, conj. they: pl. of Grk. autos, personal pronoun; used of the murderers. killed: Grk. apokteinō, aor., 3p-pl. See the previous verse. them: pl. of Grk. autos; the prophets. and: Grk. de, conj. you: Grk. humeis. build their monuments: Grk. oikodomeō, pres., 2p-pl. See the previous verse. The accusation is not that the monuments celebrate the ministry of the prophets but they represent the tyranny of their ancestors in persecuting the prophets. 49 Because of this also the wisdom of God said, 'I will send to them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute, Reference: Jeremiah 35:15; Matthew 23:34. Because: Grk. dia, prep. See verse 8 above. of this: Grk. houtos, demonstrative pronoun. also: Grk. kai, conj. the Wisdom: Grk. ho sophia. See verse 31 above. of God: Grk. ho theos. See verse 20 above. The phrase "the wisdom of God" does not refer to a written literary work. Solomon used "wisdom" as a personification of God (Prov 8:1, 12). Here Yeshua uses Wisdom of God as a circumlocution for himself, which is appropriate being the Word of God (John 1:1). See the parallel statement in Matthew 23:34. said: Grk. legō, aor. See verse 1 above. Yeshua introduces an important prophecy of the future. I will send: Grk. apostellō, fut., to cause to move from one position to another, but often to send as an authoritative personal representative. Originally in Greek culture apostellō was used of sending an envoy to represent a king or a personal representative with legal powers. In the LXX apostellō translated Heb. shalach ("to stretch out or to send"), often in contexts of commissioning and empowering an agent or messenger (e.g. Gen 19:13). to: Grk. eis, prep. See verse 4 above. them: pl. of Grk. autos, personal pronoun. The plural noun refers to rebellious Israelites. prophets: pl. of Grk. prophētēs. See verse 47 above. Yeshua could allude to declarations found in the Tanakh regarding sending prophets (Jer 35:15; Mal 4:5), but here he anticipates the prophesying ministry of men and women in the Body of Messiah (Acts 2:17; 13:1; 21:9). and: Grk. kai. apostles: pl. of Grk. apostolos, a delegate, ambassador, envoy, messenger, emissary or official representative. Apostolos occurs one time in the LXX (1Kgs 14:6) where it translates the participle shaluach ("sent") and once in Josephus for a group of Jewish ambassadors sent to Rome to complain about the appointment of Archelaus (Ant. XVII, 11:1). Apostolos appears in no other early Jewish literature, but it is grounded in Jewish culture in the office of shaliach. First century Judaism recognized the office of "apostle," Heb. shaliach, who acted as an agent or messenger for someone with the full authority of the sender (Jastrow 1579). Yeshua appointed the Twelve as apostles (Luke 6:13). Plummer commits a faux pas by interpreting Yeshua's statement here as meaning "It is of the Divine Providence (Prov. 8:22-31), sending Prophets to the Jewish Church and Apostles to the Christian Church." It is an oxymoron to speak of a "Jewish Church" and no such separation is envisioned in this verse. The apostles were Jewish messengers to the Jews. Indeed the book of Acts details the ministry of the Jewish apostles proclaiming the good news of Messiah in Jewish cities in Israel and synagogues in the Diaspora. The Greek term Christianos ("Christian") actually means "Messianic." See my article The First Christians. The sending commission will take place just after the resurrection (Matt 28:19; Luke 24:47; John 20:21) and then repeated just before the Ascension (Acts 1:8). and: Grk. kai. some of: Grk. ek, prep., lit. "out of." See verse 5 above. them: pl. of Grk. autos; i.e. the prophets and apostles that will be sent. they will kill: Grk. apokteinō, fut., 3p-pl. See verse 47 above. Yeshua does not refer to the later martyrdoms that occurred under Roman emperors. "They who kill" are those upon whom Yeshua pronounced woes and their allies. The first Messianic martyr was Stephen (Acts 7:57-60) and then Jacob brother of John (Acts 12:2), both murdered by unbelieving Jewish leaders. and: Grk. kai. persecute: Grk. diōkō, fut., 3p-pl., to chase or pursue and here conveys an aggressive hostility to harass, mistreat or persecute. Yeshua predicts the open hostility of Jewish leaders to the message of the Messiah, first experienced by the chief Messianic leaders (Acts 4:1-3; 5:17-18, 40; 6:9-12), but then began in earnest against all disciples after the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 8:1-3). Paul later confirms the killing of Messianic prophets and general persecution by Jewish leaders (1Th 2:14-15). The book of Acts records numerous incidents of persecution by unbelieving Jewish leaders against the Jewish disciples of Yeshua: in Damascus (Acts 9:23), in Jerusalem (Acts 9:29; 12:2-3; 21:27; 22:22; 23:1-22), in Paphos (Acts 13:6-8), in Antioch (Acts 13:45), in Iconium (Acts 14:2,5), in Lystra (Acts 14:19), in Thessalonica (Acts 17:5), in Berea (Acts 17:13), in Corinth (Acts 18:5-6), in Macedonia (Acts 20:3, 19), and in Caesarea (Acts 24:9; 25:2, 7). In contrast the book of Acts records only three incidents of Gentile hostility (Acts 14:5; 16:16-24; 19:23ff). 50 so that the bloodshed of all the prophets, having been poured out from the foundation of the universe, may be exacted from this generation, Reference: Matthew 23:35. so that: Grk. hina, conj. See verse 33 above. the bloodshed: Grk. ho haima, the fluid that circulates in the principal vascular system of human beings and vertebrate animals, blood. The noun is here intended figuratively for bloodshed, that is, blood spilled in murderous action. of all: pl. of Grk. pas, adj. See verse 4 above. the prophets: pl. of Grk. ho prophētēs. See verse 47 above and the previous verse. The plural noun refers to all who proclaimed the Word of God, both past and future. having been poured out: Grk. ekcheō, perf. pass. part., to cause to come out in a stream; pour out, shed. The verb is a graphic depiction of murder, such as the severing of an artery. from: Grk. apo, prep. See verse 16 above. Here the preposition stresses origin. the foundation: Grk. katabolē, a founding or laying down a foundation. In Greek culture the noun referred to a foundation, cast according to a blueprint consisting of the substructure and the foundation-plan, upon which the entire super-structure is built (HELPS). The noun is used here of the creation in the beginning. The noun is used in the Besekh to denote something that took place before creation (John 17:24; Eph 1:4; 1Pet 1:20; Rev 13:8) or after creation (Matt 13:35; 25:34; Heb 4:3; 9:26; Rev 17:8). The noun alludes especially to the physical structure of the earth (cf. 1Sam 2:8; Ps 104:5; Prov 8:29; Isa 40:21; 51:13). of the universe: Grk. kosmos, world, originally meant an harmonious arrangement and then ornament, decoration, and adornment. To Greek philosophers the term meant the sum total of everything in existence here and now, the orderly universe (BAG). Pythagoras (570-495 BC) is credited as the first to use the word in this sense (Thayer). The LXX of the Tanakh uses kosmos five times for Heb. tsaba, host, in reference to the arrangement of the stars, 'the heavenly hosts,' as the ornament of the heavens (Gen 2:1; Deut 4:19). The meaning of kosmos as the "orderly universe" is found especially in the Apocrypha (2Macc. 7:23; 8:18; 4Macc. 5:25; Sir. 6:30; 21:21; Wis. 7:17; 9:3; 11:18). Moreover, the work of creation was completed. Bible characters affirmed many times that ADONAI (Heb. YHVH) made the heavens and the earth (Ex 20:11; 31:17; Ps 121:2; 124:8; 134:3; 146:6; Isa 37:16; Jer 32:17). God spoke the universe into existence according to biblical revelation (Gen 1:1-31; Ex 20:11; Ps 33:6, 9; Heb 11:3). God did not use elements already in existence and the orderly universe did not create itself. See my article The Truth of Creation. may be exacted: Grk. ekzēteō, aor. pass. subj., engage in a thorough search and by extension in a judicial sense, with focus on the fact that escape is impossible; demand, exact. from: Grk. apo. Some versions improperly translate the preposition as "against," which owes to translating the verb as "charged." this: Grk. houtos, demonstrative pronoun. generation: Grk. ho genea. See verse 29 above. The last clause is not saying that a charge or accusation will be laid against this generation, as charges might be brought in court, but that punishment will be exacted because of judgment already rendered. 51 from the bloodshed of Abel to the bloodshed of Zechariah, the one having perished between the altar and the house of God. Yes, I say to you, it will be exacted from this generation.' Reference: Genesis 4:8; 2Chronicles 24:20-21; Matthew 23:35. from: Grk. apo, prep. See verse 16 above and the previous verse. the bloodshed: Grk. haima. See the previous verse. of Abel: Grk. Habel, which transliterates Heb. Hebel (Gen 4:2, "breath, vapor"), the proper name of the son of Adam (Heb. Adam) and Eve (Heb. Chavvah). Abel's name is associated with the shortness of life. Abel may have been a twin because Genesis 4:2 literally reads, "And she continued to bear his brother Abel" (HBD). The Genesis narrative does not mark the year of birth for Adam's first children as in the genealogy of Genesis 5, but the birth likely took place in the first year after being expelled from the Garden. As an adult Abel became a shepherd (Gen 4:2) and the narrative leaps forward by decades to recount the murder of Abel by his brother Cain (Gen 4:8). The motive for the killing was jealousy over the fact that God regarded Abel's offering with greater favor than Cain. This was the first murder in recorded history. to the bloodshed: Grk. haima. of Zechariah: Grk. Zacharias, which transliterates the Heb. Z'karyah ("Yah remembers"). There are thirty men identified in the Tanakh with the name Zechariah (Barker 361-362). Yeshua does not identify him as the prophet Zechariah (6th cent. BC), but as a the son of Jehoiada the priest who lived in the time of King Joash (ca. 835 BC) (2Chr 24:20). His identity is confirmed by the following historical reference. the one: Grk. ho, definite article, but used here as a demonstrative pronoun. having perished: Grk. apollumi, aor. mid. part., to destroy fully, here to completely cut off from life. between: Grk. metaxu, prep., between, a marker noting a point at which one entity is separate from another, used here in a spatial sense. the altar: Grk. thusiastērion, a structure used in worship as the place for presenting sacrifices to God; here the altar of burnt offering. and: Grk. kai, conj. the house of God: Grk. ho oikos. See verse 17 above. Matthew 23:35 has naos, "sanctuary," but oikos is used in reference to the Temple (Luke 19:46). The Tanakh passage states that Zechariah was stoned in "the court of the house [Heb. bet; LXX oikos] of ADONAI" (2Chr 24:21). The murders of Abel and Zechariah are the first and last murders in the Tanakh, which in the Jewish Canon ends with Chronicles. Plummer notes that in the cases of Abel and Zechariah the divine call of retribution is indicated: "The voice of your brother's blood is crying out to Me from the ground" (Gen 4:10 TLV); "May ADONAI see and avenge!" (2Chr 24:22 TLV). Between these "bookend murders" a number of passages in the Tanakh point out the killing of the messengers of God or prophets by various leaders (1Sam 22:18; 1Kgs 18:4, 13; 19:10, 14; 1Chr 16:22; Neh 9:26; Jer 26:23; Lam 4:13). A record of the Hebrew prophets murdered may be found in the Jewish apocryphal work Lives of the Prophets, which is repeated in the medieval Nestorian book The Book of the Bee, Chap. XXXII. Yes: Grk. nai, a primary particle of strong affirmation. I say: Grk. legō, pres. See verse x above. to you: Grk. humeis, pl. pronoun of the second person. it will be exacted: Grk. ekzēteō, fut. pass. See the previous verse. from: Grk. apo. this: Grk. houtos, demonstrative pronoun. generation: Grk. genea. See verse 29 above and the previous verse. Yeshua repeats the confident affirmation of future judgment. As Clarke noted in his comment on Matthew 23:35 God fully exacted justice for the murder of Zechariah so that within a year all the leading officials in Judah and Jerusalem were destroyed by the Syrians, and Joash, who commanded the murder, was slain by his own servants (2Chr 24:23-25). So it would also be in the future. Accountability will be imposed, not because the present generation killed the prophets of the past, but because as stated in verse 48 they manifest the same evil propensity to oppose God as their ancestors. Before the end of the first century God would visit upon the present generation judgment for their rejection and murder of the Messiah (cf. Acts 2:23; 4:10; 7:52), and their violent opposition to the Kingdom message (1Th 2:14-16) until at last the temple and the city of Jerusalem should be destroyed by the Romans (Matt 24:2; Luke 19:43-44; 21:20-24). In a strange coincidence Josephus recounts that during the Jewish war of A.D. 67/68 the Zealots murdered an eminent citizen named "Zacharias son of Baruch" in the middle of the temple (Wars IV, 5:4). Since the murders of Abel and Zechariah set up the basis for the divine judgment to come on Jerusalem, then there is the possibility that Yeshua prophetically hints of that future murder by the Zealots. This is not impossible since Isaiah prophesied the existence of King Cyrus (Isa 44:28; 45:1) almost two hundred years before he was born. 52 Woe to you Law-experts! Because you have taken away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered the ones entering." Woe: Grk. ouai, interjection. See verse 42 above. to you: Grk. humeis, pl. pronoun of the second person. Law-experts: pl. of Grk. nomikos. See verse 45 above. Because: Grk. hoti, conj. See verse 18 above. you have taken away: Grk. airō, aor., 2p-pl. See verse 22 above. the key: Grk. ho kleis, an instrument used to lock or unlock a door or gate. In a metaphorical sense, it can denote authority or power to open and close, grant or deny access, or reveal and conceal knowledge or truth. of knowledge: Grk. gnōsis, knowledge with special reference to insight relating to matters involving God and spiritual perception. Such understanding is personal and experiential. In the LXX gnōsis translates Hebrew words formed from the root yada, to know (e.g. Josh 23:13) (DNTT 2:395). Gnōsis especially stands for Heb. daath, knowledge, which is used for knowledge possessed by God (Ps 119:66; Prov 2:6), knowledge God provides to man (Ps 19:2; Prov 2:7), discernment and understanding (Prov 8:9), and in highest sense, knowledge of God that includes obedience (Isa 11:2; Hos 4:6). The word "knowledge" could be shorthand for "knowledge of God" (cf. Prov 2:5; Hos 4:1; 6:6), but combined with "key" then this expression pertains to Yeshua. The term "key" is used figuratively twice in the book of Revelation in reference to Yeshua. First, he holds the keys of death and Hades (Rev 1:18). Then he holds the "key of David" (Rev 3:7), which is an allusion to the prophecy in Isaiah, "Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder, when he opens no one will shut, when he shuts no one will open" (Isa 22:22 NASU). Isaiah's prophecy originally referred to Eliakim (Isa 22:20), who was given full authority to act on behalf of King Hezekiah in his household (2Kgs 18:18). Yeshua asserts the dual nature of the prophecy and applies the metaphorical language to himself, meaning that as the Root and Offspring of David he has full authority over the house of Israel, which he has inherited (Matt 28:18), as well as the Kingdom that he shall rule. The key of David is also the key to the city of David, i.e., the exclusive right to grant admission into His Kingdom (Rev 3:21; 19:11-16; 20:4; 22:16; cf. Matt 25:10; Eph 1:22). The "key of knowledge" would then be belief that Yeshua is the Messiah. Believing leads to knowing (John 4:42; 6:69; 10:38; 1Jn 5:13). Plummer suggests that the scribes had cut off all access to this knowledge, first, by their false interpretations (cf. John 7:52); and, secondly, by their contempt for the people (Sotah 22a; Pesachim 49b), whom they considered to be unworthy of instruction or incapable of enlightenment (John 7:49). you yourselves: pl. of Grk. autos, personal pronoun. The plural form makes the pronoun reflexive. did not: Grk. ou, adv. enter: Grk. eiserchomai, aor., 2p-pl. See verse 26 above. The verb implies "enter the kingdom" (cf. Matt 5:20; 7:21; 18:3; Luke 18:20; John 3:5). In other words the Law-experts did not enter the Kingdom of the Messiah because of their unbelief. and: Grk. kai, conj. you hindered: Grk. kōluō, aor., 2p-pl., to stop someone from doing something; forbid, hinder, prevent. the ones: pl. of Grk. ho, definite article, but used here as a demonstrative pronoun. entering: Grk. eiserchomai, pl. pres. part. The unbelieving religious leaders endeavored to discourage people from following Yeshua by impugning his good works (Luke 11:15; John 9:16) and by threatening reprisals against those who accepted Yeshua as Messiah (John 7:13; 9:22; 12:42; 16:2). Adversarial Plot, 11:53-54 53 He having departed from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be terribly hostile and to question him about many things, He: Grk. autos, personal pronoun; i.e., Yeshua. having departed: Grk. exerchomai, aor. part. See verse 14 above. from there: Grk. kakeithen, conj., (derived from kai, "and," and ekeithen "from there, from that place"), a marker of movement from a position of place or time, here of the former. Without naming the actual locality Luke simply affirms that Yeshua departed the place where he had been teaching and where the Pharisee dinner host lived. the scribes: pl. of Grk. ho grammateus refers to a legal specialist. In the Tanakh scribes were officials who served as secretaries to kings (2Sam 8:17; 1Kgs 4:3; 2Kgs 18:18; Esth 3:12; 8:9) or a professional class of learned men, 'scribes' able to read and write (Jer 8:8; 36:23, 26, 32; Ezek 9:2-3). By the first century their vocation was devoted to the preservation and interpretation of Torah and application of Jewish law. Scribes served as teachers, legal experts, judges, priests and members of the ruling council. For more information on the professional development and service of scribes see the comment on Luke 5:21. and: Grk. kai, conj. the Pharisees: pl. of Grk. Pharisaios. See verse 37 above. The coupling of the scribes and Pharisees occurs often in the Synoptic narratives and depicts their close collaboration. began: Grk. archō, aor. mid., 3p-pl. See verse 29 above. to be terribly: Grk. deinōs, adv. describing strength of emotion arising from fear; grievously, terribly, vehemently. hostile: Grk. enechō, pres. inf., refers to internalized hostility, to bear ill-will, to hold a grudge. and: Grk. kai. to question: Grk. apostomatizō, pres. inf., to question sharply, to interrogate, to catch in speech. him: Grk. autos. about: Grk. peri, prep. with an orientational aspect relating to being near or having to do with something; about, concerning. many things: n.pl. of Grk. pleiōn, adj. See verse 31 above. These adversarial questions will be especially featured in the narrative of Yeshua's final week in Jerusalem (Luke 20:1-2, 21-22, 28-33). 54 watching him to catch him in something from his mouth. watching: Grk. enedreuō, pl. pres. part., to engage in a conspiracy, here with the focus on waiting to conduct an ambush. him: Grk. autos, personal pronoun; Yeshua. to catch him: Grk. thēreuō, aor. inf., to hunt, seek to catch or entrap. The verb occurs only here in the Besekh. in something: Grk. tis, indefinite pronoun. from: Grk. ek, prep. his: Grk. autos. mouth: Grk. stoma, the anatomical organ of the mouth. The plot to discredit Yeshua in the eyes of the public was to elicit comments from him that would contradict public policy or rulings of the Sanhedrin. Yeshua was a threat to the continued authority of the scribes and Pharisees, but they wanted maintain the illusion of themselves as defenders of the Torah.
Works Cited BAG: Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. trans. W.F. Arndt & F.W. Gingrich. The University of Chicago Press, 1957. Barnes: Albert Barnes (1798-1870), Notes on the New Testament: Explanatory and Practical (1884). Online BDB: The New Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. London: Oxford University Press, 1907. Reprinted by Associated Publishers and Authors, Inc., 1981. Online. Clarke: Adam Clarke (1760-1832), Commentary on the Holy Bible (1826). Ed. Ralph Earle. Baker Book House, 1967. Online. Danker: F.W. Danker, The Concise Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. The University of Chicago Press, 2009. DM: H.E. Dana & Julius R. Mantey, A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament. The Macmillan Co., 1955. DNTT: Dictionary of New Testament Theology, 3 Vols. Colin Brown, ed. Zondervan Publishing House, 1975. Edersheim-Messiah: Alfred Edersheim (1825-1889), The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (1883). New Updated Edition. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1993. Also Online. Edersheim-Bible: Alfred Edersheim, Bible History Old Testament (1876-87). Hendrickson Publishers, 1995. Online. Ellicott: Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905), Commentary for English Readers (1878). Online. Ellis: E. Earle Ellis, The Gospel of Luke. Rev. ed. William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1981. [New Century Bible Commentary]. Exell: Joseph S. Exell (d. 1910), Luke, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 16. eds. Joseph Exell and H.DM. Spence. Hendrickson Pub., 1985. Online. Geldenhuys: Norval Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of St. Luke. William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1951. (NICNT) Gill: John Gill (1697-1771), Exposition of the Entire Bible. Online. GNT: The Greek New Testament, eds. Kurt Aland, Matthew Black, Bruce M. Metzger, & Allen Wiegren. American Bible Society, 1966. [NA25] HBD: Trent C. Butler, ed., Holman Bible Dictionary. Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1991. Online. HELPS: The Discovery Bible New Testament: HELPS Word Studies. eds. Gleason L. Archer and Gary Hill. Moody Press, 1987, 2011. (Online at BibleHub.com) Jastrow: Marcus Jastrow, Dictionary of Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushlami, and the Midrashic Literature. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1903, 1926. Online. Jeremias: Joichim Jeremias, Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus. Fortress Press, 1975. Josephus: Flavius Josephus (Yosef ben Matityahu; c. 75-99 A.D.), Wars of the Jews. trans. William Whiston (1737). Online. Koch: Kurt E. Koch (1913-1987), Between Christ and Satan. Kregel Publications, 1971. Lane: William L. Lane, The Gospel According to Mark. William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1974. (NICNT) Levine: Amy-Jill Levine, Annotations on "Luke," Jewish Annotated New Testament, eds. Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Brettler. Oxford University Press, 2011. Liefeld: Walter L. Liefeld, Luke, Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol. 8. Software version 2.6. Zondervan Corp, 1989-1999. Lightfoot: John Lightfoot (1602-1675), A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica (1859 ed.), 4 Vols. Hendrickson Pub., 1989. Online. LSJ: Henry George Liddell and Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon. Revised and augmented by Sir Henry Stuart Jones. Clarendon Press, 1940. Online. Lumby: J. Rawson Lumby (1831–1895), Luke, The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. Cambridge University Press, 1891. Online. Metzger: Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, 2nd ed. German Bible Society, 1994. Meyer: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer (1800-1873), Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (1859). 21 vols. T&T Clark, 1880. Online. Moseley: Ron Moseley, Yeshua: A Guide to the Real Yeshua and the Original Church. Lederer Books, 1996. Mounce: William D. Mounce, Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament. 2011. Online. NIBD: Nelson's Illustrated Dictionary of the Bible. Herbert Lockyer, ed. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1986. OCB: The Oxford Companion to the Bible. ed. Bruce M. Metzger and Michael D. Coogan. Oxford University Press, 1993. Plummer: Alfred Plummer (1841-1926), A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on The Gospel According to S. Luke. 5th edition. T&T Clark, 1922. Online. Rienecker: Fritz Rienecker, A Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament. 2 vol. Zondervan Pub. House, 1980. Robertson: Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, 6 Vols. Broadman Press, 1933. (Parsons CD-ROM Version 2.0, 1997) Online. Santala: Risto Santala, The Messiah in the New Testament in the Light of Rabbinical Writings. Keren Ahvah Meshihit, 1984, 1992. Online. Stern: David Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary, Jewish New Testament Publications, 1996. Thayer: Joseph Henry Thayer, Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament. Harper Brothers, 1889. Online. Zodhiates: Spiros Zodhiates (1922-2009), ed. The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. AMG Publishers, 1992, 1993. Copyright © 2024 Blaine Robison. All rights reserved. |
