Begin. With the first accusing of your conscience. “ He anticipates even attempt at excuse” (Bengel). Matthew has think not, indicating a delusive fancy.
Father. The word stands first in the sentence, “ We have Abraham to our father,” and is therefore emphatic, and with reason; for it was on their descent that the answer of these Jews to John’s rebuke turned: “ Our father is Abraham.”
These stones. See on Matt, iii. 9. 9. See on Matt. ii. 10.
10. Asked (érnpotwv). Imperfect tense, indicating the fre- quent repetition of these questions.
11. Coats (yutevas). See on Matt. v. 40.
11. Publicans (teddvar). From tédos, a taw, and wvéopar, to buy. The collectors of Roman imposts. The Romans farmed out the direct taxes and cnstoms-duties to capitalists, on their payment of a certain sum én publicum, into the public treasury, whence they were called publicani, publicans. Sometimes this sum, being greater than any one person could pay, was paid by a company. Under these were the submagistri, living in the provinces; and under these again the portetores, or actual cus-
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tom-house officers, who are referred to by the term TeA@vau in the New Testament. They were often chosen from the dregs of the people, and were so notorious for their extortions that they were habitually included in the same category with harlots and sinners. “Ifa Jew could scarcely persuade himself that it was right to pay taxes, how much more heinous a crime must it have been in his eyes to become the questionably honest instru- ment for collecting them. If a publican was hated, how still more intense must have been the disgust entertained against a publican who was also a Jew ” (Farrar, “ Life of Christ”). The word “ publican,” as a popular term of reproach, was used even by our Lord (Matt. xviii. 17). Even the Gentiles despised them. Farrar cites a Greek saying, ‘ All publicans are rob- bers.”
13. Exact (zpdocere). The change of the Rev. to extort is unfortunate. The word is used of the exaction of legal tribute, and excessive exaction is expressed by the following words: John would hardly have commanded them to eatort in any case.
14. Soldiers (ctpatevdpevor). Strictly, soldiers on service: hence the participle, serving as soldiers, instead of the more comprehensive term otpatidrar, soldiers by profession. Some explain it of soldiers engaged in police inspection in connection with the customs, and hence naturally associated with the pub- licans.
What shall we do? The wein the Greek is emphatic, closing the question. Hence Rev., very aptly, and we, what must we do ?
Do violence (Svace/onte). Only here in New Testament. Lit., to shake violently ; hence to agitate or terrify ; and so to extort money from one by terrifying him. The corresponding Latin word concutere is used by later writers in the same sense. Xenophon says of Socrates: “I know of his once having heard from Crito that life at Athens was a hard thing for a man who desired to mind his own business. ‘For,’ said he, ‘they bring
284 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu. IIL
actions against me, not because they are wronged by me, but because they think I would rather pay money than have any trouble’” (‘“‘ Memorabilia,” ii., 9,1). For this process of black- mail, ceiw, to shake, was used. Thus Aristophanes (“ Knights,” 840) :
‘Thou shalt make much money by falsely accusing and frightening” (celwy te Kat TapdtTwv).
And again (“ Peace,” 639) : ‘‘And of their allies they falsely accused (rev) the substantial and rich.”
The word in this passage of Luke has the later, secondary meaning, to extort ; and therefore the American Revisers rightly insist on, extort from no man by violence. It is used by medical writers, as, for instance, by Hippocrates, of shaking the palsied or benumbed limbs of a patient ; or of a shaking by which the liver was relieved of an obstruction. Luke also uses two other compounds of the verb celw: xatacetw, to beckon, Acts xii. 17 (peculiar to Luke) ; and dvacétw, to stir up, which occurs also in Mark xv. 11. Both these are also used by medical writers.