Luke 18:14
Ver. 14. I tell you that this man,.... The publican that so freely owned himself to be a sinner, and by his carriage acknowledged he was unworthy of any favour; and who was treated with so much contempt by the Pharisee:went down to his house; from the temple which was built on a mountain,justified, [rather] than the other: accounted as a righteous person in the sight of God; justified from all his sins, and accepted by him, when the other was abhorred and neglected. The Syriac and Persic versions, and so Beza's most ancient copy, read, "than the Pharisee", who had such an high opinion of himself, and despised others: not that the Pharisee was justified at all, when the publican really was; but the sense is, that if judgment had been to have been made, and sentence passed according to the then conduct and behaviour of both parties, the publican had greatly the advantage, in the sight of God; an humble demeanour being well pleasing and acceptable to him, when pride, and arrogance, boasting of, and trusting in a man's own righteousness, are abhorred by him;for every one that exalteth himself, shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted. This was a proverbial expression, often mentioned by Christ on different occasions, and frequently used by the Jews; See Gill on "Mt 23:12" to which may be added the following passages;"whoever is of a haughty spirit, at last shall be made low {y}.''And again,"whosoever humbleth himself, the holy blessed God will lift him up {z}.''{y} T. Bab. Sota, fol. 5. 1. {z} Zohar in Lev. fol. 39. 1. Luke 18:15Ver. 15. And they brought unto him also infants,.... As well as grown persons, that were sick, to be healed by him:that he would touch them; in order, as some learned men think, to cure them of diseases that attended them; for one of the ways by which Christ healed persons, was by touching them; nor do we read of his touching in common for any other purpose, or of persons desiring him to touch them, or theirs, but for this end; in Mt 19:13 it is read, "that he should put his hands on them"; and so the Arabic and Persic versions here read, in order to pray over them, and bless them: but neither in one place, nor the other, is any mention of their baptism, or of their being brought for such a purpose; nor can it be concluded from hence;but when [his] disciples saw [it], they rebuked them; the persons that brought the infants; See Gill on "Mt 19:13". Luke 18:16Ver. 16. But Jesus called them unto him,.... Not the disciples, as the Ethiopic version reads, nor the persons that brought the children, but the children themselves; for the antecedent to the relative auta, "them", can be no other; which shows, that these infants were not new born babes, or children at the breast, but such as were more grown up, since they were capable of being called to, and of coming to Christ:and said; that is, to the disciples; so the Persic version expresses it:suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not;See Gill on "Mt 19:14"for of such is the kingdom of God; or "of heaven", as the Syriac version reads, and as in Mt 19:14 that is, the kingdom of God belongs to such, "who are as these"; or, "like to these": as the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions render the words; (see Gill on "Mt 19:14".) Luke 18:17Ver. 17. Verily I say unto you,...., Christ takes an occasion from hence to teach his disciples humility, and guard them against pride and vanity:whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God; the King Messiah, the doctrines of the Gospel, and the ordinances of it, even the whole Gospel dispensation;as a little child; without prejudice, pride, ambition, and vanity, with meekness, and humility:shall in no wise enter therein; a very unfit and improper person to be a professor of the Gospel; or to be admitted to Gospel ordinances: or be a member of a Gospel church; or be reckoned a subject of the Messiah's kingdom, which is of a spiritual nature; and as he has not a meetness for, and a right unto the kingdom of glory, he shall never see it, and enjoy it. Luke 18:18Ver. 18. And a certain ruler asked him,.... A young man, Mt 19:20 a ruler among the Jews, a civil magistrate, and a very rich man; he ran after Jesus, and overtook him in the way, as he was going towards Jericho, Mr 10:17saying, good master; "Rabbi"; or doctor,what shall I do to inherit eternal life?See Gill on "Mt 19:16". Luke 18:19Ver. 19. And Jesus said unto him,.... In answer to his question, beginning with the character he gave him:why callest thou me good? it being unusual to address men, even their Rabbins, under such a title:none is good, save one, [that is], God: or "but God alone"; as the Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions render it; or, "but the one God", as read the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions;See Gill on "Mt 19:17". Luke 18:20Ver. 20. Thou knowest the commandments,.... The ten commandments given to Moses, and delivered to people; and which they were careful to teach their children; though five are only here mentioned, and not in the order in which they stand: suggesting hereby that these must be kept, or the law must he fulfilled, and satisfaction made for the violation of it, or there can be no inheriting eternal life. The five commandments mentioned are, the seventh, sixth, eighth, ninth, and fifth:do not commit adultery; do not kill; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honour father and thy mother;See Gill on "Mt 19:17" andSee Gill on "Mr 10:19". Luke 18:21Ver. 21. And he said,.... That is, the ruler said to him, as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions add; "to Jesus", as the Persic version expresses it;all these have I kept from my youth up; See Gill on "Mt 19:20" where it is added, what lack I yet? Luke 18:22Ver. 22. Now when Jesus heard these things,.... That he had kept all these commandments, and that ever since he was a child, and to that very time:he said unto him, yet lackest thou one thing; not but that he lacked many other things, and even every thing: for he had performed no one thing as it should be: but Christ said, partly in answer to his pert question, "what lack I yet?" and partly by an ironical concession, granting he had kept them all, as he had said, yet one thing was wanting; and chiefly with a view to mortify his pride and vanity:sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me;See Gill on "Mt 19:21". Luke 18:23Ver. 23. And when he heard this,.... That one thing was wanting, and what that was, which was to part with all his worldly substance, and follow Christ;he was very sorrowful, for he was very rich;See Gill on "Mt 19:22". Luke 18:24Ver. 24. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful,.... As he might, by his looks and gestures; and perceived that he was determined not to part with his possessions, and follow him:he said to his disciples, how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! embrace the Gospel, and submit to the ordinances of it; deny themselves, part with their worldly substance for the cause of Christ, and interest of religion. Riches, which should be a reason for, are often a bar unto a profession of Christ, and his Gospel. This is delivered as an affirmation, or by way of assertion, See Gill on "Mt 19:23". Luke 18:25Ver. 25. For it is easier for a camel,.... These words were spoken to the disciples again, and were a second address to them, after they had shown astonishment at the former;See Gill on "Mt 19:24" andSee Gill on "Mr 10:24". Luke 18:26Ver. 26. And they that heard it, said, who then can be saved?] These were the disciples of Christ, who so said; see Mt 19:25. Luke 18:27Ver. 27. And he said,.... That is, Jesus, as the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions express it:the things which are impossible with men, are possible with God;See Gill on "Mt 19:26". Luke 18:28Ver. 28. Then Peter said,.... "To him", as the Syriac and Arabic versions add; that is, to the Lord Jesus, as the Ethiopic version expresses it; who was always the most forward to speak on any occasion: he observing what was required of the young man, and how unwilling he was to comply with it, and the difficulty in every rich man's way of entrance into the kingdom of God, spoke as follows;lo, we have left all: the Arabic version reads, "all ours"; all we had, our friends, trades, and worldly substance;and followed thee: in Mt 19:27 it is added, "what shall we have therefore"; referring to the promise of Christ, to the young man, that should he sell all he had, and give it to the poor, he should have treasure in heaven; See Gill on "Mt 19:27". Luke 18:29Ver. 29. And he said unto them,.... To his disciples, as the Ethiopic version reads; though the Syriac and Persic versions read, "and Jesus said to him"; that is, to Peter; he particularly replied to him:verily I say unto you, there is no man: not only you shall have peculiar honour done you, as to sit on thrones, and judge the twelve tribes of Israel; but there is not a single person of a more private character,that hath left house, or "houses", as read the Syriac and Persic versions;or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake: that is, for Christ's sake, and for the sake of his Gospel, as the other evangelists have it; and which teaches us how to understand the kingdom of God here, and elsewhere. Luke 18:30Ver. 30. Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time,.... Not more houses, parents, brethren, &c. but that which is abundantly preferable to them; such comfort, peace, satisfaction, and pleasure, as are not to be found in such enjoyments:and in the world to come life everlasting; which was what the young man was desirous of inheriting, Lu 18:18. Luke 18:31Ver. 31. Then he took unto him the twelve,.... His twelve disciples, as the Ethiopic version expresses it; he took them aside from the rest of the company, as they were travelling on the road, and privately delivered to them, what follows; see Mt 20:17and said unto them, behold, we go up to Jerusalem; to the feast of the passover, which was drawing near, and the last Christ was to eat with his disciples, the time of his sufferings, and death, being now at hand; and of which he thought fit to give his disciples notice: and therefore he called them aside, and in a private manner, told them,that all things that are written by the prophets, concerning the son of man, shall be accomplished; particularly, Ps 2:1 Ps 22:6 for to these the following things have respect. Luke 18:32Ver. 32. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles,.... As he was by the chief priests, Scribes, and elders, to Pilate, the Roman governor, and by him to the soldiers:and shall be mocked; as he was by the latter, when they crowned him with thorns, arrayed him in a purple robe, and put a reed into his hand, and bowed the knee to him, saying, hail king of the Jews; and likewise by the Jews when he hung upon the cross:and spitefully entreated. The Syriac and Persic versions leave out this clause here, and read it the next verse. It may regard the injuries done him, the abuses and affronts he received, both by words and blows:and spitted on; as he was both by officers in the high priest's palace, and by the Roman soldiers in Pilate's hall; see Isa 50:6. Luke 18:33Ver. 33. And they shall scourge him,.... As he was by Pilate's order, before he was crucified:and put him to death; a shameful, and a painful one, the death of the cross:and the third day he shall rise again; as he accordingly did. Luke 18:34Ver. 34. And they understood none of these things,.... "Not one of them", as the Syriac and Persic versions render it; every article of his sufferings and death were unintelligible by them; they knew not how to understand him in any one point: or how to reconcile these things to the notions they had entertained of the temporal grandeur, and glory, of the Messiah, and his kingdom; and which shows their great ignorance of the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning these things.And this saying, or "thing"; for it answers to the Hebrew wordrbd, which signifies any affair, or matter, as well as a word, or saying: and so here, the whole of this affairwas hid from them; unless it should have a peculiar regard to that part of it, which expresses his resurrection from the dead; see Mr 9:10 or the delivery of him to the Gentiles, Lu 9:44neither knew they the things which were spoken; the meaning of them. The Ethiopic version leaves out this, and puts the former clause, by way of question, "and he said unto them, and is this saying hid from you?" Luke 18:35Ver. 35. And it came to pass that as he was come nigh unto Jericho,.... Which lay in his way to Jerusalem;a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: this was not blind Bartimaeus, nor his companion, for they were cured by Christ as he went out of Jericho; but this man before he came to it; for we afterwards read of his entrance into, and passing through Jericho, Lu 19:1 though much the same things are related in this account, as in that of the other two blind men; See Gill on "Mt 20:30". Luke 18:36Ver. 36. And hearing the multitude pass by,.... Their "voice", as the Syriac version expresses it; the noise of their feet, and especially of their tongues;he asked what it meant? what was the meaning of this concourse of people, and of this clamorous noise; or, as the Syriac version reads, "who it should be?" what person of note was passing by, that there was such a multitude after him? to which the answer best agrees. Luke 18:37Ver. 37. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. Some of the company answered him, that Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth, so much talked of, and said to be the Messiah, who was become so famous for his doctrines and miracles, for healing diseases, and dispossessing devils, was just "then" passing by; and this occasioned the noise and clamour. Luke 18:38Ver. 38. And he cried, saying, Jesus thou son of David,.... Believing him, at once, to be the Messiah; whence he calls him the son of David, which was a character and title of the Messiah, well known to the Jews; See Gill on "Mt 1:1" and therefore immediately called out unto him, being willing to take that opportunity as he passed, and whilst he was within hearing, to make his suit to him for his sight:saying, have mercy on me: a poor, blind, and miserable creature, and restore me to my sight, which will be an act of singular mercy, and goodness, and will always be gratefully owned as such. Luke 18:39Ver. 39. And they that went before,.... In the company that preceded Christ; for he, as yet, was not come right over against the blind man:rebuked him that he should hold his peace; being not well pleased that he should call him the son of David, which was acknowledging him to be the Messiah; or that he might not be troublesome to Christ, and retard his journey:but he cried so much the more, thou son of David, have mercy on me; he neither dropped the character of Christ, nor his request to him; but called out more loudly, and with greater vehemence, earnestness, and importunity: so persons sensible of their need of Christ, and of his worth, excellency, and ability, are not to be discouraged from an application to him, by whatsoever they meet with from men, or devils. Luke 18:40Ver. 40. And Jesus stood,.... He stood still; he made a full stop, and went no further, when, it is very likely, he was just over against him:and commanded him to be brought unto him; either by the disciples, or by some of the multitude:and when he was come near he asked him; the following question. Luke 18:41Ver. 41. Saying, what wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?.... Is it alms thou askest? or is it thy sight thou wouldst have restored?and he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight; this he chose, this was his request, and what he cried so vehemently for; and which he believed Christ, the son of David, was able to do for him. Luke 18:42Ver. 42. And Jesus said unto him, receive thy sight,.... Be it to thee as thou desirest, look up and see: thus by a word speaking, and power going along with it, without making use of any means, he fulfilled his desire.Thy faith hath saved thee; or has obtained salvation for thee, a temporal salvation; and it may be also a spiritual and an eternal one: for that is the concern faith has in salvation; it is the means of obtaining and enjoying it: Christ, the object of faith, is the author of it. Luke 18:43Ver. 43. And immediately he received his sight,.... As soon as ever the word was gone out of Christ's mouth, virtue went forth from him, and cured the man of his blindness; his eyes were at once opened, and he saw as other men;and followed him; his kind benefactor, with a grateful sense of his goodness, with strong affection for him, and faith in him;glorifying God, who had sent such a Saviour to him; who had wrought such a wonderful miracle for him: for he was sensible that none but God could do this.And all the people, when they saw [it]; what was done, how that the man they just before saw was blind, and begging by the way side, now had his sight restored to him, in an instant, and was following Jesus, in the crowd, along with them:gave praise unto God; or, as Beza's most ancient copy reads, "glory"; they ascribed the glory to God, and praised his name, that he had raised up the Messiah among them; of which this was a clear proof, inasmuch as the eyes of the blind were opened, according to Isa 35:5.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.