PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels — St. Luke — Volume 2
Ryle, J. C. (John Charles), 1816–1900 · 212,601 words · 507 reading sections
462 BXF081T0RY THOUGHTS.
pestilence that can be conceived. Women are reported to have actually eaten their own children during the siege for want of food. Upon none did the last judg- ments sent upon the Jewish nation fall so heavily as up- on the wives, the mothers, and the little children. Let us beware of supposing that the Lord Jesus hold…
295 wordsSECTION 422LUKE, CHAP. XXIII. VBR. 26—^8. 463
our Lord's words of gracious intercession. We read that when He was crucified, His first words were, " Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." His own racking agony of body did not. make Him forget others. The first of His seven sayings on the cross was a prayer for the souls of His murderers. His prophet…
1,097 wordsSECTION 423466 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
;)0. — [To say to the mountains,., to the hills, lic] The expressions of this verse are figurative and parabolical. Thej signify the . intense misery and distress, and the desperate helplessness of all who would be found inside Jerusalem during its siege. See Isai. ii. 19. Heb. x. 8. Rev. vi. 16. Some have seen a …
433 wordsSECTION 424LUKE, CHAP. XXIII. VEK. 26 — 38. 467
Gospel-writers speak of it as " a place." Not one of them calls it a •' mount." 84. — [Father, forgive them.] These words were probably spoken while our Lord was being nailed to the cross, or as soon as the cross was reared up on end. It is worthy of remark that as soon as the blood of the Great Sacrifice began to flo…
987 wordsSECTION 425LUKE, CHAP. XXIH. VER. 39 — 43.
469 a crown, a kingdom, or an army, and therefore only fit to be ridiculed. — The Jew scoffed at His claim to be called the Messiah. The Gentile scoffed at His claim to be regarded as a King. The cross and the apparent weakness were, as usual, the stumbling- stone in both cases. 88. — [A superscription,,. Greek.., La…
330 wordsSECTION 426LUKE XXIII. 39—43.
39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, Raving, If thou be Christ, save thy- self and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, soeing thou art in the same condem- nation ? 41 And we indeed justly ; for we receive the due reward of our deeds : but this man hat…
110 wordsSECTION 427470 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
letters of gold. They have probably l^een the salvation of myriads of souls. Multitudes wiU thank God to all eternity that the Bible contains this story of the peni- tent thief. We see, firstly, in the history before us, the sovereignty of God in saving sinners. We are told that two male- factors were crucified togeth…
300 wordsSECTION 428LUKE, CHAP. XXIII. VKR. 39 — 43. 471
free, and general. " In all our doings," says the 17th Article, " that will of God is to be followed, which we have expressly declared to us in the word of God." God's sovereignty was never meant to destroy man's responsi- bility. One thief was saved that no sinner might despair, but only one, that no sinner might pres…
293 wordsSECTION 429472 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
six points should always be remembered in connection with the penitent thief. His time was very short for giving proof of his conversion. But it was time well- used. Few dying people have ever left behind them such good evidences as were left by this man. Let us beware of a repentance without evidences. Thousands, it …
591 wordsSECTION 430474 BXPOSITORT THOUGHTS.
no season of suspense, no purgatory, between his death and a state of reward. In the day that he breathes his last he goes to Paradise. In the hour that he departs he is with Christ. (Phil, i 23.) Let us remember these things, when our believing friends fall asleep in Christ. We must not sorrow for them as those who h…
355 wordsSECTION 431LUKE, CHAP. XXIII. VER. 39 — 43. 476
and what first struck his conscience and moved him to repent, we are not told. Some say, as Bengel, that he was a Gentile ; . and some, as Scott, that he was a Jew. — Some think, as Suarez, that he had heard our Lord preach, and seen Him work miracles at some former period. — Some think, as Euthymius, that he had heard…
492 wordsSECTION 432476 EXPOSITORY TUOUGH'IS.
42. — [Lord remember me, dc,] The remarks of Ness on this won- deiiul prayer are worth reading. ** This short prayer contained a very large and long creed, the articles whereof are these. 1. He believed that the soul died not with the body of man ; — 2. that there is a world to come for rewarding the pious and penitent…
464 wordsSECTION 433LUKE, CHAP. XXIII. VER. 38 — 43. 477
body was that day to be broken and mangled by Eoman soldiers. But the thief himself was to be with Christ. Maldonatus, the Roman Catholic commentator, struggles in vain to show that the passage before us does not disprove pur- gatory. He maintains that the thief must have believed in purgatory, from the fact of his pr…
455 wordsSECTION 434SZP06IT0RT THOUGHTS.
cause DO man shall say. that he lacked time to do good works, for else he would have done them, truth it is, I will not contend therein : but this I will surely affirm that faith only sared him/' Luther, quoted by Stier, says, " This is a comfortable symbol and example for all Christians, how that God will nerer let f…
455 wordsSECTION 435LUKE, CHAP. XXIII. VEU. 44 — 49. 479
hours. "The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst." It was meet and right that the attention of all around Jerusalem should be arrested in a marked way, when the great sacrifice for sin was being offered and the Son of God was dying. There were signs and wonders wrought in the sight of all…
310 wordsSECTION 436480 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
fulfil His words, " Yet once more, I shake not the earth only, but also the heavens." " The moon shall be ccm- founded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion." (Heb. xii. 26 ; Isaiah xxiv. 23.) Let us observe, secondly, in these verses, the remark- able words which our Lord spoke when H…
304 wordsSECTION 437LX3K£^ CHAP. XXIII. VEK. 44 — 49. 481
taken away by Christ's death. We should think of him as a foe who can hurt the body for a little season, but after that has no more that he can do. We should await his approaches with calmness and patience, and beUeve that when flesh fails our soul will be in good keeping. This was the mind of dying Stephen ; " Lord Je…
297 wordsSECTION 438482 BXP081T0RY THOUGHTS.
men ! It can strike terror into the minds of monarchs on their thrones. It can make multitudes tremble and shake before a few bold Mends of truth, like a flock of sheep. Blind and mistaken as conscience often is, unable to convert man or lead him to Christ, it is still a most blessed part of man's constitution, and the…
337 wordsSECTION 439LUKE, CHAP. XXIII. VBR. 44 49. 483
always kept at the full moon» when an eclipse of the sun is im- possible. [Over all the earth.'] Tlie marginal reading of this expression seems preferable, — " over all the land." There seems no necessity for supposing that the darkness extended beyond Palestine. Our Lord's ministry was specially directed to Israel, a…
471 wordsSECTION 440484 KXP081TOKT TH0UOBI8.
His death, when stated as one great fact." Matthew says that He "yielded up the ghost." Mark, Luke, and John, though in different Greek words, say much the same, " He gave up the ghost." I add to this remark that in all the five Old Testament pas- sages which our translators have rendered, "giving up the ghost," the S…
305 wordsSECTION 441LUKE XXIII. 50—56.
50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor ; and he was a good man and a just : 51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them ;) he teas of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews : who also himself waited for the king- dom of God. 52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. 5…
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Wi see from these verses that Christ has same disciples of whom little is knoum. We axe told of one Joseph, ^* a good man and a just," — a man who " had not consented to the counsel " of those who condemned our Lord, — a man who "himself waited for the kingdom of God." This man went boldly to Pilate after the crucifixi…
303 wordsSECTION 443486 BXP06IT0RT THOUGHTS.
Let us learn firom the case of Joseph of Arimathsea, to be charitable and hopeful in our judgments. All is not barren in this world, when our eyes perhaps see nothing. There may be some latent sparks of light when all appear dark. Little plants of spiritual life may be existing in some remote Romish, or Gfreek, or Arme…
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died in our stead, as well as taught us truth, the original penalty would have continued in full force against Adam and all his children. It was the life-blood of Christ -which was to save our souls. For ever let us bless God that our great Redeemer's death is a fact beyond all dispute. The centurion who stood by the …
279 wordsSECTION 445488 BXP08IT0RY THOUGHTS.
breaches of the fourth oommandment. But nowhere do we find Him teaching that the Sabbath was not to be kept at all. And here, in the verse before us, we find His disciples as scrupulous as any about the duty of keeping holy a Sabbath Day. Surely they could never have been taught by their Master that the fourth com- man…
773 wordsSECTION 446490 BXF06IT0RT THOUGHTS.
Lightfoot says, " The Sabbatical candles which were lighted iD honour of the Sabbath were now set up." He also gives a quotation from a Rabbinical writer, which says, " By the light of the fourteenth day they made a search for leayen by the light of a candle/' Poole says that some refer the expression to the eveniiig …
419 wordsSECTION 447LUKE XXIV. 1—12.
1 Now upon the first day of the "week, very early in the morning, they came imto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which thej had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it came to pass,…
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again at the last day. — ^Above all it ought to fill our hearts with a joyful sense of the fulness of Gospel sal- vation. Who is he that shall condemn us ? Our Great Surety has not only died for us but risen again. (Rom. viii. 34.) He has gone to prison for us, and come forth triumphantly after atoning for our sins. Th…
308 wordsSECTION 449494 EXPOSITORY THOVOHT8.
minds that they heard them long ago ! They find that they had heard, but heard in vain. The true cure for a dull memory in religion, is to get deeper lore toward Christ, and affections more thorougfaly set on things above. We do not readily foi^t ihe things we love, and the objects which we keep continnally under our …
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most proYokiiig, most imaccountable. But shall we not do well to look at home? Do we not see around us in the Christian Churches a mass of unbelief far more unreasonable and far more blameworthy than that of the apostles P Do we not see, after eighteen centuries of additional proofs that Christ has risen from the dead,…
773 wordsSECTION 451LTJKE, CHAP. XXIV. VER. 13 — 35.
497 0. — [Told aU these things, dc.'] Augustine remarks that these women were " the first preachers of the resurrection of Christ." [To all the rest!] Who these were we do npt kDow. It is evident that our Lord had other disciples in Jerusalem beside the eleven. On the day of His ascension the number of names was a " …
245 wordsSECTION 452LUKE XXIV. 13—36.
13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called £mmau8, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these thin^ which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reason- ed, Jesus himself drew near, and went w'ith them. 16…
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Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remem- brance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord, in that day when I make up my jewels." (Mai. iii. 16, 17.) What do we know ourselves of spiritual conversation with other Christians ? …
318 wordsSECTION 454500 EXPOBITORY THOUGHTS.
Let us mark, secondly, in these verses, how weak and imperfect was the knowledge of some of our Lord^s disciples. We are told that the two disciples confessed frankly that their expectations had been disappointed by the cmd- iixion of Christ. " We trusted," said they, " that it had been he which should have redeemed Is…
289 wordsSECTION 455LUKE, CHAP. XXIV. VBR. 13 35. 501
Testament is of Christ, We are told that our Lord be- gan " at Moses and all the prophets, and expounded in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." How shall we explain these words P In what way did our Lord show "things concerning himself," in every part of the Old Testament field P The answer to these que…
301 wordsSECTION 456502 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
''made as though he would have gone further." He desired to see if they were wearj of His conversation. But it was not so. ''They oonslrained Him, sajring, abide with us: for it is toward evening, and ike day is far spent. And He went in to tarry with them." Gases like this are not uncommon in Scripture. Our Lord sees…
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Notes. Luke XXIV. 13—35. 13. — {Two qftheni.'] We are not told who these two disciples were, except that one of them was named Cleopas. Several conjectures have heen made about the other one. Epiphanius supposes he was Nathanael. Origen calls him Simeon. Ambrose calls him Amaon. Theophylact suggests that it was Luke h…
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not aU that they say about Christ coming the second time iu glory. 26. — [Ought not!] This means, "was it Dot fitting, meet, and needful;" — "did it not behove," in order to the fulfilment of prophecies and types, that Christ should sufier? It is the same Greek word translated " behoved," at the 46th verse. [Suffered…
459 wordsSECTION 459506 BXP081XORT THOUGKIS.
I have quoted this passage from a desire to meet the possible objections of scrupulous consciences. To my own mind it seems surprising that any one can stumble at the expression before us, or can find ground for supposing that our Lord meant to deceive. Our Lord used the readiest and most natural means to draw out the …
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posdible that there is a reference to our Lord's demeanour at the miracle of feeding the multitude with a few loaves and fishes. Alford suggests thai the marks of the nails in our Lord's hands may have been first noticed as He was breaking bread. That it could not be the Lord's Supper appears clear to my own mind for…
479 wordsSECTION 461508 1IXF061T0RY THOUGHTS.
coDcerDing our Lord's risen body* show plainly that it was a body in some wonderful way different from the common body of roan. It was a real material body, and true flesh and blood. But it was a body capable of moving, appearing, and disappear- ing after a manner that we cannot explain. We may fairly suppose that it w…
481 wordsSECTION 462LUKE, CHAP. XXIV. VEE. 36 — 43. 609
It may be well to mention here the eleven distinct appear- ances of our Lord after His resurrection. He appeared, 1 . To Mary Magdalene alone. Mark xvi ; John xx. 14. 2. To the women returning from the sepulchre. Matt, xxviii. 9, 10. 3. To Simon Peter alone. Luke xxiv. 34. 4. To the two disciples going to Emmaus. L…
249 wordsSECTION 463LUKE XXIV. 36—43.
36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto tliem, Peace be unto you. 37 But they were terrified and af- frighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled ? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts ? 39 Behold my hands and my fee…
146 wordsSECTION 464II
510 EXPOsrroBT thoughts. Wb should observe, in this passage, the singularly gracious words iffith which our Lord introduced Himself to His dis- ciples after His resurrection. We read that He suddenly stood in the midst of them and said, "Peace be unto yaa." This was a wonderful saying, when we consider the men to who…
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understand them. At this we need not wonder. Free, full, and undeserved forgiveness to the very uttermost is not the manner of man. But it is the manner of Christ. Where is the sinner, however great his sins, who need be afraid of beginning to apply to such a Saviour as this P In the hand of Jesus there is mercy enoug…
307 wordsSECTION 466512 EKPOSITORY XHOXJGHTS.
A mighty principle is contained in this circumstance, which we shall do well to store up in our hearts. Our Lord permits us to use our senses in testing a fact or an assertion in religion. Things above our reason we must expect to find in Christianity. But things contrary to reason, and contradictory to our own senses,…
297 wordsSECTION 467LUKE, CHAP. XXIV. VBB. 36 — 43. 613
remember. That lesson is the duty of dealing gently with weak disciples, and teaching them as they are able to bear. Like our Lord, we must be patient and long- suffering. Like our Lord, we must condescend to the feebleness of some men's faith, and treat them as tenderly as little children, in order to bring them into …
858 wordsSECTION 468LUKE, CHAP. XXTV. VBK. 44 49.
615 idle story about ghosts and apparitions is foolish and unreason- able. But we must take care that we do not go into the other extreme, and deny the existence of spirits altogether. Our Lord's words about them are clear and unmistakeable. 41. — [Believed not for joy.] Poole remarks, ** If they had not be- lieved n…
1,396 wordsSECTION 469LUKE, CHAP. XXIV. VER. 44 — 49. 519
points. The brightest saint is the man who has the most heart-searching sense of his own sinfulness, and the liveliest sense of his own complete acceptance in Christ. Let ns observe, fourthly, what was the first place at which the disciples were to begin preaching. They were to begin " at Jerusalem." This is a striki…
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"Behold the realization of the words." — It si^ifies, "You now see actually fulfilled, the words which I so often spake to you, saying that the predictions ahout my sufferings roust be accom- plished. You could not then believe that I was really going to suffer and afterwards rise again. You see now that it was true." …
467 wordsSECTION 471522 EXPOSITORY TH0DGHX8.
▼ed " therefore that 8o it should he. If Christ had not suffered and risen again, Scripture would not have heen fulfilled. The chief reference here, no douht, is to Isaiah liii. Psakn xxii. and Dan. ix. 26. [Rise from the dead the third day.] The question has been raised here, "Where does the Old Testament say that Ch…
933 wordsSECTION 472524 KXPOSITORT THOUGHTS.
go forth into all nations immediately after the day of Pentecost and wait at Jerusalera no longer. Their backwardness to do this, when compared with the expression before us, is note-worthy. lEndued.^ This word means literaUy, " Be clothed upon, or invested with." It is frequently used in the New Testament, and implie…
271 wordsSECTION 473LUKE XXIV. 60—63.
60 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 61 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. 62 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 63 And were continually in the temple, praising and bles…
134 wordsSECTION 474LUKE, CHAP. XXIV. VBR. 50 — 53. 525
''He lifted up His hands and blessed them. And it came to pass^ while He blessed them, He was parted from them.'* In one word, He left them when in the very act of blessing. We cannot for a' moment doubt that there was a meaning in this circumstance. It was intended to remind the disciples of all that Jesus had brough…
320 wordsSECTION 475526 SXF06IT0RT THOUGHTS.
He is at the right hand of God. He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, — a Saviour ever ready to bless, abounding in blessings. Let us notice, secondly, in this passage, the place to which our Lord went when He left the world. We read that He was " carried up into heaven." The full meaning of these words we …
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Jewish high priest, to bless the people, to gather His saints together, and to restore all things. (Lev. ix. 23. Acts iii. 21.) For that day let us wait, and long, and pray. Christ dying on the cross for sinners,— Christ Uving in heaven to intercede, — Christ coming again in glory, are three great objects which ought t…
293 wordsSECTION 477528 EXF06IT0RT THOUGHTS.
degree of joy which many believers feel arises often from want of knowledge. Weak faith and inconsistent prac- tice are doubtless two great reasons why many of Good's children enjoy so little peace. But it may well be sus- pected that dim and indistinct views of the Gospel are the true cause of many a believer's discom…
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offered the offerings for them, (Lev. ix 22.) so Christ as the great High Priest, navisg offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of His people, lifted up His hands toward them and hlessed them in an authoritatiye way." 51. — [He was parted from them.'] The Greek word so rendered is somewhat remarkable. It signifie…
486 wordsSECTION 479EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
Burgon says, " They repaired to the temple, and so the temple service became henceforth filled with new meaning. The song of Moses has become to them the song of the Lamb. For them the Psalms speak henceforth another language, for they speak to them only of Christ. Well may they have been henceforth *' continually in t…
105 wordsSECTION 480CHAP.
1. — The vision of Zacharias, and conception of Elizabeth The salutation of the virgin Mary . Mary's visit to Elizabeth The birth of John the Baptist, and hymn of Zacharias 2.- 3.- 4.—' 5. — The decree of Caesar Augustus 6.— The birth of Christ at Bethlehem 7. — The appearance of angels to the shepherds 8. — The c…
95 wordsSource & rights
Public-domain historical edition (1856). Text from OCR of an original Internet Archive scan; OCR may contain recognition errors.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.