Only here in New Testament. Wyc., cope, which is originally cap or hood. The word is used in medical language both of the eyebrows and of other projections of the body. It would naturally occur to a physician, especially since the same epithets were applied to the appearance of the eyebrows in certain diseases as were applied to kills. Thus Hippocrates, describing a deadly fever, says, "The eyebrows seem to hang over," the same word which Homer uses of a rock. So Aretaeus, describing the appearance of the eyebrows in elephantiasis, depicts them as προβλῆτες, projecting, and όχθώδεις, like mounds. Stanley says: "Most readers probably from these words imagine a town built on the summit of a mountain, from which summit the intended precipitation was to take place. This is not the situation of Nazareth; yet its position is still in accordance with the narrative. It is built upon, that is, on the side of a mountain, but the brow is not beneath, but over the town, and such a cliff as is here implied is found in the abrupt face of a limestone rock about thirty or forty feet high, overhanging the Maronite convent at the southwest corner of the town" ("Sinai and Palestine").

Cast him down headlong (κατακρημνίσαι)

Only here in New Testament, and in the Septuagint only in 2 Chronicles 25:12.

Correctly, as Rev., was teaching. The finite verb and participle denoting continuance.

On the Sabbath-days (τοῖς σάββασιν)

Rev., day. The word is often used in the plural form for the single day, as in Luke 4:16; probably after the analogy of plural names of festivals, as τὰ ἄζυμα, the feast of unleavened bread; τὰ γενέσια, the birth-day; or perhaps following the Aramaic plural.

See on Matthew 7:28.

Where the rendering should be demon. This is the only case in which Luke adds to that word the epithet unclean.

Lit., what is there to us and to thee? i.e., what have we in common? So Wyc.

Lit., be muzzled or gagged. See on Matthew 22:12.

Had thrown (ῥῖψαν)

Used in connection with disease by Luke only, and only here. In medical language, of convulsions, fits, etc.

Hurt him not (μηδὲν βλάψαν αὐτόν)

Lit., in no possible way. Mark omits this detail, which a physician would be careful to note. Βλάπτειν, to injure, occurs but twice in New Testament - here and Mark 16:18. It is common in medical language, opposed to ὠφφελεῖν, to benefit, as of medicines or diet hurting or benefiting.

Lit., as Rev., amazement came upon all. Θάμβος, amazement, is used by Luke only. The kindred verb, θαμβέομαι, to be amazed, occurs only once in Luke (Acts 9:6), and three times in Mark; while Mark alone has the strong compound ἐκθαμβέω, to be greatly amazed (Mark 9:15).

Lit., noise. Rev., rumor. Only here, Luke 21:25, where the correct reading is ἤχους, the roaring, and Acts 2:2. Hebrews 12:19 is a quotation from the Septuagint. It is the word used in Acts 2:2 of the mighty rushing wind at Pentecost. Mark uses ἀκοὴ, in its earlier sense of a report. The same word occurs in Luke, but always in the sense in which medical writers employed it - hearing or the ears. See Luke 7:1; Acts 17:20; Acts 28:26. Ἦχος, was the medical term for sound in the ears or head. Hippocrates uses both words together: "the ears (ἀκοαὶ) are full of sound (ἤχου);" and Aretaeus of the noise of the sea, as Luke 21:25.

Rev., holden. So Wyc. See on Matthew 4:24. The word is used nine times by Luke, and only three times elsewhere. Paul uses it of the constraining of Christ's love (2 Corinthians 5:14), and of being in a strait (Philippians 1:23). In Acts 28:8, it is joined with fever, as here, and is a common medical term in the same sense.

A great fever (πυρετῷ μεγάλῳ)

Another mark of the physician. The epithet great is peculiar to Luke. The ancient physicians distinguished fevers into great and small.

As a physician might do. Peculiar to Luke.

Rebuked

Peculiar to Luke.

The people brought their sick at that hour, not only because of the coolness, but because it was the end of the Sabbath, and carrying a sick person was regarded as work. See John 5:10.

Diseases (νόσοις)

See on Matthew 4:23. Wyc., Sick men with divers languishings.

Laid his hands on

Peculiar to Luke.

Every one

"Implying the solicitude and indefatigableness of this miraculous ministry of love" (Meyer).

The inarticulate demoniac scream.

Saying

The articulate utterance.

Mr. Hobart ("Medical Language of St. Luke") remarks that the medical bias of Luke may be seen from the words he abstains from using as well as from those he does use in respect of disease. Thus he never uses μαλακία for sickness, as Matthew does (Matthew 4:23; Matthew 9:35; Matthew 10:1), since this word is never so used in medical language, but is confined to the meaning of delicacy, effeminacy. So, too, he never uses βασανίζειν, to torment, of sickness, as Matthew does (Matthew 8:6), as it is never so used in medical language, the word there meaning to examine some part of the body or some medical question.

Imperfect tense: were seeking.

Came unto him (ἦλθον ἕως αὐτοῦ)

Stronger than came to; for ἕως is even up to, showing that they did not discontinue their search until they found him. Mark's narrative here is fuller and more graphic.

Lit., were laid upon.

To hear

The A. V. is correct according to the reading τοῦ ἀκούειν, which it follows. The true reading is καὶ ἀκούειν, and heard. So Rev.

He stood (αὐτὸς ἦν ἑστὼς)

The pronoun distinguishes him from the crowd which pressed upon him: he on his part stood. Render the participle and finite verb as Rev., was standing.

Lake (λίμνην)

An illustration of the more classical style of Luke as compared with Matthew and Mark. They and John also use θάλασσα, sea. See on Matthew 4:18.

Used of vessels in general. Some texts read πλοιάρια, a diminutive form, meaning little boats.

Were washing

From the sand and pebbles accumulated during the night's work. Luke uses four different words for washing or cleansing: πλύνω, here, see also Revelation 7:14; ἀπομάσσω, of wiping the dust from the feet, only at Luke 10:11; ἐκμάσσω, of the woman wiping Christ's feet with her hair, Luke 7:38, Luke 7:44; ἀπολούω, of washing away sins, Acts 22:16; λούω, of washing the prisoners' stripes and the body of Dorcas, Acts 16:33; Acts 9:37. The reading ἀποπλύνω is rejected by the best texts, so that ἀπομάσσω is the only one peculiar to Luke. All the words were common in medical language.