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« Lk. xi. αχ. ἴδού, πλεῖον "lava ὧδε. 42. "βασίλισσα νότου ἐγερθήσεται ἐν τῇ
"πλεῖον Σολομῶντος ὧδε.
‘ > ε 0 καὶ OUX εὑρίσκει.
&1 Cor. vii. 5 (to have
leisure). k Lk. xi. 25; xv. 8.
1S9BDZ read ets τον οικον pov επιστρεψω.
to Lk. (xi. 24).
good writers. J. Alberti also (Observ. Philol.) cites an instance from Athenzus, lib. xiii. 595: βασίλισσ᾽ ἔσει Βαβυλῶνος. The reference is to the story in 1 Kings x. and 2 Chron. ix. concerning the Queen of Sheba visiting Solomon.—é« τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς. Elsner quotes in illustration the exhortation of lsocrates not to grudge to go a long way to hear those who profess to teach anything useful.—rAetov Σ., again a claim of superiority for the present over the great persons and things of the past. On the apparent egotism of these comparisons, vide my Apologetics, p. 367; and re- member that Jesus claimed superiority. not merely for Himself and His. work, but even for the least in the Kingdom of Heaven (xi. 11).
Vv. 43-45. A comparison. Cf. Lk. xi. 24-26. Formerly Jesus had likened the evil race of Pharisaic religionists to children playing in the market-place (xi. 16-19). Now He uses expelled demons to depict their spiritual condition. The similitude moves in the region of popular opinion, and gives a glimpse into the superstitions of the time. We gather from it, first, that the effects of the arts of exorcists were temporary ; and, second, the popular theory to explain the facts: the demon returned because he could not find a comfortable home anywhere else. On this vide Lightfoot, Hor. Heb. The parable was naturally suggested by the cure of the demoniac (ver. 22).— Ver. 43. δι ἀνύδρων τόπων: the haunts of demons, as popularly conceived, were places uninhabited by men, deserts and graveyards. Thedemon in Tobit viii. 3 flies to the uppermost parts of Egypt; and in Baruch iv. 35 a land desolated by fire is to become tenanted by demons.— διέρχεται ζητοῦν: the spirit keeps moving on in quest of a resting place; like a human being he feels ill at ease in the mo- notonous waste of sand.—ovx« εὑρίσκει:
43-
.,, Rev. κρίσει μετὰ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης, καὶ κατακρινεῖ αὐτήν : ὅτι ἦλθεν ἐκ «τῶν Ἡ περάτων τῆς γῆς ἀκοῦσαι τὴν σοφίαν Σολομῶντος καὶ ἴδού. Ὅταν δὲ τὸ ἀκάθαρτον πνεῦμα ἐξέλθῃ «ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, διέρχεται δι | ἀνύδρων τόπων, ζητοῦν ἀνάπαυσιν, 44. τότε λέγει, ᾿Επιστρέψω eis τὸν οἶκόν pou,! ὅθεν ἐξῆλθον: καὶ ἐλθὸν εὑρίσκει ) σχολάζοντα,
* σεσαρωμµένον καὶ The reading in T. R. is assimilated
in Luke εὑρίσκον The change from participle to finite verb is expressive. The failure to find a resting place was an important fact, as on it depended the re- solve to return to the former abode.— Ver. 44. σχολάζοντα σ. καὶ x. = un- tenanted and ready for a tenant, invit- ing by its clean, ornamented condition. The epithets simply describe in lively pictorial manner the risk of repossession. But naturally commentators seek spiritual equivalents for them. Ornamented how? With grace, say some (Hilary, Chrys., Godet), with sim, others (Orig., Jer., Euthy., Weiss, etc.). The ornamenta- tion must be to the taste of the tenant. And what is that? Neither for sin nor for grace, but for sin counterfeiting grace; a form of godliness without the power ; sanctity which is but a mask for iniquity. The house is decorated re- putedly for God’s occupancy, really fo: the devil’s—cecapwpévov; σαροῦν is condemned by Phryn.; ‘‘ when you hear one say σάρωσον bid him say παρα- Képyngov”’.—Ver. 45. ἑπτὰ ἕτερα πνεύ- para, etc. This feature is introduced to make the picture answer to the moral condition of the Pharisees as conceived by Jesus. The parable here passes out of the region of popular imagination and natural probability into a region of deeper psychological insight. Why should the demon want associates in occupancy of the house? Why not rather have it all to himself as before ?— οὕτως ἔσται, etc. Ethical application. The general truth implied is: moral and religious reform may be, has been, succeeded by deeper degeneracy. The question naturally suggests itself: what is the historical range of the application ? It has been answered variously. From the lawgiving till the present time (Hil., Jer.); from the exile till now (Chrys., Grotius, etc.); from the Baptist till now (Weiss. etc.). Christ gives no hint of: