Vincent's Word Studies In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: With observation (μετὰ παρατηρήσεως)
Only here in New Testament. The progress of the kingdom cannot be defined by visible marks like that of an earthly kingdom. Its growth in the world is a process of pervasion, like the working of the leaven through the lump. But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. Within
Better, in the midst of. Meyer acutely remarks that "you refers to the Pharisees, in whose hearts nothing certainly found a place less than did the ethical kingdom of God." Moreover, Jesus is not speaking of the inwardness of the kingdom, but of its presence. "The whole language of the kingdom of heaven being within men, rather than men being within the kingdom, is modern" (Trench, after Meyer). And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:
For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. Lighteneth (ἀστράπτουσα)
Only here and Luke 24:4. And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. Rejected
See on disallowed, 1 Peter 2:4; and tried, 1 Peter 1:7. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. Shall preserve (ζωογονήσει)
Only here and Acts 7:19. Originally to engender; thence to produce alive or endue with life, and so to preserve alive. Wyc., shall quicken it. And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? Eagles
See on Matthew 24:28. If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? To the end that men ought (πρὸς τὸ δεῖν)
Lit., with reference to its being necessary always to pray, etc. Faint (ἐγκακεῖν) To turn coward or lose heart. Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Regarded (ἐντρεπόμενος)
See on Matthew 21:37. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? Avenge (ἐκδικησον)
The word is too strong. It means do me justice. See on Romans 12:19. And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. Lest by her continual coming she weary me (ἵνα μὴ εἰς τέλος ἐρχομένη ὑπωπιάζῃ με)
Εἰς τέλος, lit., unto the end, may mean continually; but weary or wear out for ὑπωπιάζῃ is more than doubtful. That word is from ὑπώπιον, the part of the face under the eyes, and means to strike under the eye; to give one a black eye. It is used only once again, by Paul, 1 Corinthians 9:27, and in its literal sense: "I buffet my body;" treat it as the boxer does his adversary. The more literal sense of this word, and of εἰς τέλος, in the end, or finally, give a sound and much livelier meaning here. "Lest at last she come and assault me." So Goebel and Meyer, and so Wyc., "Lest at the last she, coming, strangle me;" and Tynd., "Lest at the last she come and rail on me." The judge fears lest importunity may culminate in personal violence. Perhaps, also, as Goebel suggests, he intentionally exaggerates his fear. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. The unjust judge
Lit., the judge of injustice. See on Luke 16:8. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. And shall not God
The emphasis is on God. In the Greek order, "and God, shall he not," etc. Though he bear long with them A very difficult passage, and interpretations vary greatly. (1.) The verb μακροθυμέω means to be long-suffering, or to endure patiently. Such is its usual rendering in the New Testament. (2.) Them (αὐτοῖς) refers not to the persecutors of God's elect, but to the elect themselves. The Rev. cuts the knot by the most literal of renderings: "and he is long-suffering over (ἐπι) them." (3.) The secondary meaning of restraining or delaying may fairly be deduced from the verb, and explained either (a) of delaying punishment, or (b) of delaying sympathy or help. The Am. Rev. adopts the former, and throws the sentence into the form of a question: "And is he slow to punish on their behalf" ( ἐπ' αὐτοῖς) ? I venture to suggest the following: Καὶ not infrequently has the sense of yet, or and yet. So Euripides' "Thou art Jove-born, and yet (καὶ) thy utterance is unjust "("Helena," 1147). Aristophanes: "O crown, depart, and joy go with thee: yet (καὶ) I part from thee unwillingly" ("Knights," 1249). So John 9:30 : "Ye know not from whence he is, and yet (καὶ) he hath opened my eyes." John 16:32 : "Ye shall leave me alone, and yet (καὶ) I am not alone," etc. Render, then, "Shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry unto him day and night; yet he delayeth help on their behalf," even as the unjust judge delayed to avenge the widow? Surely he will, and that ere long. This rendering, instead of contrasting God with the judge, carries out the parallel. The judge delays through indifference. God delays also, or seems to delay, in order to try his children's faith, or because his purpose is not ripe; but he, too, will do justice to the suppliant. Tynd., Yea, though he defer them. "He hides himself so wondrously, As though there were no God; He is least seen when all the powers Of ill are most abroad. O there is less to try our faith, In our mysterious creed, continued... Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. Nevertheless
Notwithstanding God is certain to vindicate, will the Son of man find on earth a persistence in faith answering to the widow's For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Despised (ἐξουθενοῦντας)
Lit., made nothing of. Rev., set at nought. Others (τοὺς λοιποὺς) The expression is stronger. Lit., the rest. They threw all others beside themselves into one class. Rev., correctly, all others. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; The other (ἕτερος)
With an implication of his being a different man. See on Matthew 6:24. Publican See on Luke 3:12. And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Stood (σταθεὶς)
Lit., having been placed. Took his stand. It implies taking up his position ostentatiously; striking an attitude. But not necessarily in a bad sense. See on Luke 19:8; and compare Acts 5:20. Standing was the ordinary posture of the Jews in prayer. Compare Matthew 6:5; Mark 11:25. Prayed (προσηύχετο) Imperfect: began to pray, or proceeded to pray. Other men (οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων) Lit., the rest of men. See on Luke 18:9. A Jewish saying is quoted that s true Rabbin ought to thank God every day of his life; 1, that he was not created a Gentile; 2, that he was not a plebeian; 3, that he was not born a woman. Extortioners As the publicans. This publican Lit., this (one), the publican. This publican here. "He lets us see, even in the general enumeration, that he is thinking of the publican, so, afterward, he does not omit directly to mention him" (Goebel). Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. Twice in the week
The law required only one fast in the year, that on the great day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29; Numbers 29:7); though public memorial fasts were added, during the Captivity, on the anniversaries of national calamities. The Pharisees fasted every Monday and Thursday during the weeks between the Passover and Pentecost, and again between the Feast of Tabernacles and that of the Dedication of the Temple. I give tithes (ἀποδεκατῶ) See on Matthew 23:23. Possess (κτῶμαι) Wrong. The Israelite did not pay tithes of his possessions, but only of his gains - his annual increase. See Genesis 28:22; Deuteronomy 14:22. Besides, the verb, in the present tense, does not mean to possess, but to acquire; the meaning possess being confined to the perfect and pluperfect. Rev., get. Compare Matthew 10:9 (Rev.); Acts 22:28; Luke 21:19 (on which see note); 1 Thessalonians 4:4 (Rev.). And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. Standing (ἑστὼς)
In a timid attitude: merely standing not posturing as the Pharisee. See on Luke 18:11. Afar off. Some explain, from the sanctuary; others, from the Pharisee. Lift up his eyes As worshippers ordinarily. Be merciful (ἱλάσθητι) Lit., be propitiated. A sinner (τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ) With the definite article, "the sinner." "He thinks about no other man" (Bengel). And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? Suffer
See on Matthew 19:14. Only Mark notes the taking in his arms. And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Ruler
Peculiar to Luke. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; Why callest thou me good?
See on Matthew 19:17. Do not commit adultery, etc Compare the different arrangement of the commandments by the three synoptists. The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. Yet lackest thou one thing (ἔτι ἕν σοι λείπει)
Lit., still one thing is lacking to thee. Mark alone adds that Jesus, looking upon him, loved him. Come (δεῦρο) Lit., hither. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. He was very sorrowful
Rev., more correctly renders ἐγενήθη, he became. See on Mark 10:22. Very rich. The Greek order forms a climax: "rich exceedingly" I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! Camel
See on Matthew 19:24. To go through the eye of a needle (διὰ τρήματος βελόνης εἰσελθεῖν) Rev., more literally, to enter in through a needle's eye. Both Matthew and Mark use another word for needle (ῥαφίς); see on Mark 10:25. Luke alone has βελόνη, which, besides being an older term, is the peculiar word for the surgical needle. The other word is condemned by the Greek grammarians as barbarous. Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. All (πάντα).
The best texts read τὰ ἴδια, our own. So Rev. And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.
And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.
Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? By the prophets (διά)
Lit., through; the preposition expressing secondary agency. Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.
I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite. Saying (ῥῆμα) See on Luke 1:37. Were said (λεγόμενα) Or, more correctly, which were being said to them at the moment. Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]. Text Courtesy of Internet Sacred Texts Archive. Bible Apps.com |
