The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV, page 505
9:59, 60 See notes on Matt. 8:21, 22.
9:62 looking back. A plowman looking back cuts a crooked furrow.
Luke 10
10:1 seventy others. The commissioning of the 70 is recorded only in Luke. Moses also appointed 70 elders as his representatives (Num. 11:16, 24–26). The 12 disciples had been sent into Galilee (9:1–6); the 70 were sent into every city and place where He was about to go—i.e., into Judea, and possibly Perea (see note on Matt. 19:1). two by two. As the 12 had been sent (Mark 6:7; cf. Eccl. 4:9, 11; Acts 13:2; 15:27, 39, 40; 19:22; Rev. 11:3).
10:3 lambs among wolves. I.e., they would face hostility (cf. Ezek. 2:3–6; John 15:20) and spiritual danger (cf. Matt. 7:15; John 10:12).
10:4 neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals. I.e., travel without luggage. This does not mean they would be barefoot. See note on 9:3. greet no one. A greeting in that culture was an elaborate ceremony, involving many formalities, perhaps even a meal, and long delays (see note on 11:43). A person on an extremely urgent mission could be excused from such formalities without being thought rude. Everything in Jesus’ instructions speaks of the shortness of time and the great urgency of the task.
10:7 Do not go from house to house. I.e., for lodging (see note on Mark 6:10). They were to establish headquarters in a village and not waste time moving around or seeking more comfortable housing.
10:11, 12 See notes on Matt. 10:14, 15.
10:13–15 See notes on Matt. 11:21, 23.
10:16 These words elevate the office of a faithful minister of Christ, and magnify the guilt and the condemnation of those who reject the message.
10:17 returned with joy. How long the mission lasted is not recorded. It may have been several weeks. The 70 probably did not return all at once, but this dialogue appears to have occurred after they had all reassembled.
10:18 I saw Satan fall. In this context, it appears Jesus’ meaning was, “Don’t be so surprised that the demons are subject to you; I saw their commander cast out of heaven, so it is no wonder if his minions are cast out on earth. After all, I am the source of the authority that makes them subject to you” (v. 19). He may also have intended a subtle reminder and warning against pride—the reason for Satan’s fall (cf. 1 Tim. 3:6). For discussions of Satan’s fall, see notes on Is. 14:12–14; Ezek. 28:12–15.
10:19 serpents and scorpions. Cf. Ps. 91:13; Ezek. 2:6. These appear to be figurative terms for demonic powers (cf. Rom. 16:20).
10:20 do not rejoice in this. Rather than being so enthralled with extraordinary manifestations such as power over demons and the ability to work miracles, they should have realized that the greatest wonder of all is the reality of salvation—the whole point of the gospel message and the central issue to which all the miracles pointed. because your names are written in heaven. Cf. Phil. 4:3; Heb. 12:23; Rev. 21:27. By contrast, unbelievers are “written in the earth” (Jer. 17:13).
10:21, 22 See notes on Matt. 11:25, 26.
10:25 lawyer. I.e., a scribe who was supposedly an expert in the law of God. Aside from one usage of this word in Matt. 22:35 (see note there), Luke is the only one of the gospel writers who uses it (11:45, 46). what shall I do to inherit eternal life? The same question is raised by several inquirers (18:18–23; Matt. 19:16–22; John 3:1–15).
10:27 he answered. The lawyer summed up the requirements of the law (Lev. 19:18; Deut. 6:5) exactly as Christ did on another occasion (see notes on Matt. 22:37–40).
10:28 do this and you will live. Cf. Lev. 18:5; Ezek. 20:11. “Do and live” is the promise of the law. But since no sinner can obey perfectly, the impossible demands of the law are meant to drive us to seek divine mercy (Gal. 3:10–13, 22–25). This man should have responded with a confession of his own guilt, rather than self-justification (v. 29).
10:29 wanting to justify himself. This reveals the man’s self-righteous character. who is my neighbor? The prevailing opinion among scribes and Pharisees was that one’s neighbors were the righteous alone. According to them, the wicked—including rank sinners (such as tax collectors and prostitutes), Gentiles, and especially Samaritans—were to be hated because they were the enemies of God. They cited Ps. 139:21, 22 to justify their position. As that passage suggests, hatred of evil is the natural corollary of loving righteousness. But the truly righteous person’s “hatred” for sinners is not a malevolent enmity. It is a righteous abhorrence of all that is base and corrupt—not a spiteful, personal loathing of individuals. Godly hatred is marked by a broken-hearted grieving over the condition of the sinner. And as Jesus taught here and elsewhere (6:27–36; Matt. 5:44–48), it is also tempered by a genuine love. The Pharisees had elevated hostility toward the wicked to the status of a virtue, in effect nullifying the second Great Commandment. Jesus’ answer to this lawyer demolished the pharisaical excuse for hating one’s enemies.
10:30 down from Jerusalem to Jericho. A rocky, winding, treacherous descent of about 3,300 feet in 17 miles. That stretch of road was notorious for being beset with thieves and danger.
10:32 Levite. These were from the tribe of Levi, but not descendants of Aaron. They assisted the priests in the work of the temple.
10:33 Samaritan. For a Samaritan to travel this road was unusual. The Samaritan himself was risking not only the thieves, but also the hostility of other travelers.
10:34 oil and wine. Probably carried by most travelers in small amounts as a kind of first-aid kit. The wine was antiseptic; the oil soothing and healing.
10:35 two denarii. I.e., two days’ wages (see notes on Matt. 20:2; 22:19). Probably more than enough to permit the man to stay until he recovered.
10:36 neighbor to him. Jesus reversed the lawyer’s original question (v. 29). The lawyer assumed it was up to others to prove themselves neighbor to him (see note on v. 29). Jesus’ reply makes it clear that each has a responsibility to be a neighbor—especially to those who are in need.
10:38 a certain village. Bethany, two mi. E of the temple in Jerusalem, on the E slope of the Mt. of Olives. This was the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (cf. John 11:1).
10:40 distracted. Lit. “dragging all around.” The expression implies that Martha was in a tumult. with much serving. Martha was evidently fussing about with details that were unnecessarily elaborate.
10:42 one thing…good part. Jesus was not speaking of the number of dishes to be served. The one thing necessary was exemplified by Mary, i.e, an attitude of worship and meditation, listening with an open mind and heart to Jesus’ words.
Luke 11
11:1 Lord, teach us to pray. Rabbis often composed prayers for their disciples to recite. Having seen Jesus pray many times, they knew of His love for prayer, and they knew prayer was not just the reciting of words (see note on Matt. 6:7).
11:2 Our Father in heaven. Virtually the same prayer was given as a model on two separate occasions by Christ, first in the Sermon on the Mount (see notes on Matt. 6:9–13), and then here, in response to a direct question. That accounts for minor variations between the two versions. Your name. God’s name represents all His character and attributes. Cf. Pss. 8:1, 9; 9:10; 22:22; 52:9; 115:1.
11:4 sins. See note on Matt. 6:12.
11:7 my children are with me in bed. The one-room houses that were common in Israel had a common sleeping area shared by the whole family. If one person arose and lit a lamp to get bread, all would be awakened.
11:8 persistence. The word can even mean “impudence.” It conveys the ideas of urgency, audacity, earnestness, boldness, and relentlessness—like the persistent asking of a desperate beggar.
11:13 being evil. I.e., by nature. See note on Matt. 7:11.
11:14 it was mute. I.e., the demon. the mute spoke. I.e., the man.
11:15 Beelzebub. Originally this referred to Baal-Zebul (“Baal, the prince”), chief god of the Philistine city of Ekron; the Israelites disdainfully referred to him as Baal-Zebub (“Lord of Flies”). See note on 2 Kin. 1:2.
11:16 a sign from heaven. I.e., a miraculous work of cosmological proportions, like the rearranging of the constellations, or something far greater than the casting out of a demon, which they had just witnessed. See note on Matt. 12:38.
11:17 knowing their thoughts. Jesus was God with full omniscience if He used it (see notes on 2:52; Mark 13:32; John 2:23–25). kingdom divided against itself. This may have been a subtle jab at the Jewish nation, a kingdom divided in the time of Jeroboam, and still marked by various kinds of bitter internal strife and factionalism, right up to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
11:19 by whom do your sons cast them out? There were Jewish exorcists who claimed power to cast out demons (Acts 19:13–15). Jesus’ point was that if such exorcisms could be done via satanic power, the Pharisaical exorcists must be suspect as well. And in fact, the evidence in Acts 19 suggests that the sons of Sceva were charlatans who employed fraud and trickery to fabricate phony exorcisms. your judges. I.e., witnesses against you. This seems to suggest that the fraudulent exorcisms (which had their approval) stood as a testimony against the Pharisees themselves, who disapproved of Christ’s genuine exorcisms.
11:20 with the finger of God. In Ex. 8:19 the phony magicians of Egypt were forced to confess that Moses’ miracles were genuine works of God, not mere trickery such as they had performed. Here Jesus made a similar comparison between His exorcisms and the work of the Jewish exorcists. the kingdom of God has come. See note on Matt. 12:28.
11:21 a strong man. I.e., Satan.
11:22 a stronger than he. I.e., Christ. divides his spoils. Probably a reference to Is. 53:12. When a demon is defeated by the power of Christ, the soul vacated by the power of darkness is taken over by Christ. Cf. vv. 24–26.
11:23 He who is not with Me is against Me. See note on 9:50.
11:24 unclean spirit goes out. Christ was characterizing the work of the phony exorcists (see note on v. 19). What appears to be a true exorcism is merely a temporary respite, after which the demon returns with 7 others (v. 26).
11:26 worse than the first. See note on Matt. 12:45.
11:28 More than that. This has the sense of, “Yes, but rather….” While not denying the blessedness of Mary, Christ did not countenance any tendency to elevate Mary as an object of veneration. Mary’s relationship to Him as His physical mother did not confer on her any greater honor than the blessedness of those who hear and obey the word of God. See note on 1:47.
11:29 It seeks a sign. See note on v. 16. Jesus always declined to give signs on demand. Evidences were not the means by which He appealed to unbelievers. See note on 16:31.
11:30 Jonah became a sign. I.e., a sign of judgment to come. Jonah’s emergence from the fish’s belly pictured Christ’s resurrection. Jesus clearly regarded Jonah’s account as historically accurate. See notes on Matt. 12:39, 40.
11:31, 32 See notes on Matt. 12:41, 42.
11:33 See note on 8:16.
11:34 The lamp of the body. This is a different metaphor from the one in v. 33. There the lamp speaks of the Word of God; here the eye is the “lamp”—i.e., the source of light—for the body. See note on Matt. 6:22, 23. when your eye is bad. The problem was their perception, not a lack of light. They did not need a sign; they needed hearts to believe the great display of divine power they had already seen.
11:38 He had not first washed. The Pharisee was concerned with ceremony, not hygiene. The Gr. word for “washed” refers to a ceremonial ablution. Nothing in the law commanded such washings, but the Pharisees practiced them, believing the ritual cleansed them of any accidental ceremonial defilement. See notes on Mark 7:2, 3.
11:39 full of greed and wickedness. I.e., they were preoccupied with external ceremonies but overlooked the more important issue of internal morality. See note on Matt. 23:25.
11:40 Foolish ones! I.e., persons who lack understanding. This was the truth and not the sort of coarse name-calling Christ forbade in Matt. 5:22.
11:41 alms of such things as you have. Lit. “Give that which is within as your alms.” This contrasts inner virtues with external ceremonies. Alms are to be given not for show, but as an expression of a faithful heart (cf. Matt. 6:1–4)—and the true almsgiving is not the external act, but one’s attitude before God.
11:42 tithe. See note on Matt. 23:23.
11:43 greetings. These were ostentatious ceremonies that were more or less elaborate depending on the rank of the person being greeted.
11:44 graves which are not seen. Hidden sources of defilement. They had carefully concealed their own inward corruption, but it still was a source of defilement. See note on Matt. 23:27.
11:45 lawyers. I.e., scribes. See note on 10:25.
11:46 burdens. See note on Matt. 23:3.
11:47 you build the tombs of the prophets. They thought they were honoring those prophets, but in reality they had more in common with those who killed the prophets (v. 48). See note on Matt. 23:30.
11:49 the wisdom of God also said. There is no OT source for this quotation. Christ is prophetically announcing the coming judgment of God, not quoting a previously written source, but giving them a direct warning from God.
11:49–51 See notes on Matt. 23:34–36.
11:52 the key of knowledge. They had locked up the truth of the Scriptures and thrown away the key by imposing their faulty interpretations and human traditions on God’s Word. See note on Matt. 23:13.
11:54 to catch. The same word is used in Gr. literature for the hunting of animals.
Luke 12
12:1 innumerable. The Gr. word is the same from which we get the word “myriads.” leaven. See notes on Matt. 16:12; Mark 8:15.
12:2, 3 See notes on 8:17; Mark 4:22.
12:5 Fear Him. See note on Matt. 10:28.
12:6 two copper coins. Gr., assario¯n, a Roman coin equal to a 16th of a denarius. One assarius would be less than an hour’s wage. not one of them is forgotten before God. Divine providence governs even the most inconsequential details of God’s creation. He cares for all that He created, regardless of how insignificant. See note on Matt. 10:29.
12:8 before the angels of God. I.e., in the day of judgment. Cf. Matt. 25:31–34; Jude 24. See note on Matt. 10:32.
12:9 he who denies Me before men. This describes a soul-damning denial of Christ—not the sort of temporary wavering Peter was guilty of (22:56–62)—but the sin of those who through fear, shame, neglect, delay, or love of the world reject all evidence and revelation and decline to confess Christ as Savior and King, until it is too late.
12:10 blasphemes against the Holy Spirit. See notes on Matt. 12:31, 32. This was not a sin of ignorance, but a deliberate, willful, settled hostility toward Christ—exemplified by the Pharisees in Matt. 12, who attributed to Satan the work of Christ (cf. 11:15).
12:11 do not worry. I.e., do not be anxious. This does not suggest that ministers and teachers should forego preparation in their normal spiritual duties. To cite this passage and others like it (21:12–15; Matt. 10:19) to justify the neglect of study and meditation is to twist the meaning of Scripture. This verse is meant as a comfort for those under life-threatening persecution, not an excuse for laziness in ministry. The exact same expression is used in v. 22, speaking of concern for one’s material necessities. In neither context was Jesus condemning legitimate toil and preparation. He was promising the Holy Spirit’s aid for times of persecution when there can be no preparation. See note on Mark 13:11.
12:13 tell my brother to divide the inheritance. “The right of the firstborn” was a double portion of the inheritance (Deut. 21:17). Perhaps this man wanted an equal share. In any case, Jesus seemed unconcerned about the implied injustice, and refused the man’s request to arbitrate the family dispute.
12:14 who made Me a judge? One of Christ’s roles is that of Judge of all the earth (John 5:22), but He did not come to be an arbiter of petty earthly disputes. Settling an inheritance dispute was a matter for civil authorities.
12:22–31 See notes on Matt. 6:26–33.
12:22 do not worry. See note on v. 11.
12:32 good pleasure. See note on 2:14. Christ stressed the Father’s tender care over His little flock as an antidote to anxiety (vv. 22–30).
12:33 Sell what you have and give alms. Those who amassed earthly possessions, falsely thinking their security lay in material resources (vv. 16–20), needed to lay up treasure in heaven instead. See note on Matt. 6:20. Believers in the early church did sell their goods to meet the basic needs of poorer brethren (Acts 2:44, 45; 4:32–37). But this commandment is not to be twisted into an absolute prohibition of all earthly possessions. In fact, Peter’s words to Ananias in Acts 5:4 make it clear that the selling of one’s possessions was optional. money bags which do not grow old. These purses that do not wear out (so as to lose the money) are defined as “treasure in the heavens that does not fail.” The surest place to put one’s money is in such a purse—in heaven, where it is safe from thieves and decay as well.
12:34 your heart will be also. Where one puts his money reveals the priorities of his heart. Cf. 16:1–13; Matt 6:21.
12:35 girded. Speaks of preparedness. Long, flowing robes would be tucked into the belt to allow freedom to work. Cf. Ex. 12:11; 1 Pet. 1:13.
12:36 when he will return. The servants were responsible to meet him with burning torches.
12:37 watching. The key here is readiness at all times for Christ’s return. See note on Matt. 25:1–13. gird himself. I.e., he will take the servant’s role and wait on them. This remarkable statement pictures Christ, at His return, ministering as a servant to believers.
12:38 second watch. 9:00 p.m. to midnight. third. Midnight to 3:00 a.m.
12:40 an hour you do not expect. Cf. 21:34; Matt. 24:36, 42–44; 1 Thess. 5:2–4; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 3:3; 16:15.
