Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 4:27
And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
27. saving Naaman the Syrian ] 2Ki 5:1-14. Thus both Elijah and Elisha had carried God’s mercies to Gentiles.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Many lepers – For an account of the leprosy see the notes at Mat 8:1.
Time of Eliseus – Time of Elisha. The word Eliseus is the Greek way of writing the word Elisha, as Elias is of Elijah.
Saving Naaman the Syrian – The account of his cure is contained in 2 Kings 5.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 27. None of them was cleansed] This verse is to be understood as the 26th; for Naaman, being a Syrian, was no leper in Israel.
The meaning of these verses is, God dispenses his benefits when, where, and to whom he pleases. No person can complain of his conduct in these respects, because no person deserves any good from his hand. God never punishes any but those who deserve it; but he blesses incessantly those who deserve it not. The reason is evident: justice depends on certain rules; but beneficence is free. Beneficence can bless both the good and the evil; justice can punish the latter only. Those who do not make this distinction must have a very confused notion of the conduct of Divine Providence among men.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And many lepers were in Israel,…. The leprosy was a disease very common among the Jews; hence those laws concerning it in Le 13:1 and it seems by this account, that it was very prevalent,
in the time of Eliseus the prophet; that is, the prophet Elisha; who, by the Septuagint, in 1Ki 19:16 and, in other places, is called “Elisaie”: and none of them was cleansed; from their leprosy, by any direction of the prophet,
saving Naaman, the Syrian: or but Naaman, who was not an Israelite, but a Syrian: he was cleansed and cured of his leprosy, being ordered by Elisha to dip himself seven times in Jordan, which he did, and was healed, 2Ki 5:14.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
In the time of Elisha the prophet ( ). This use of with the genitive for “in the time of” is a good Greek idiom. The second illustration of the proverb is from the time of Elisha and is another heathen,
Naaman the Syrian ( ). He was the lone leper that was cleansed by Elisha (2Kgs 5:1; 2Kgs 5:14).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Lepers. Wyc., renders meselis, the middle English word for a leper, and derived from misellus, a diminutive of the Latin miser, wretched.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And many lepers were in Israel,” (kai polloi leproi esan en to Israel) “And many lepers were (existed) in (the land of) Israel,” leprous people with the contagious, incurable, ravaging disease, that required one to be quarantined and isolated from society, Lev 13:45-46; Lev 14:1-9.
2) “In the time of Eliseus the prophet;” (epi Elisaiou tou prophetou) “During (the time) of Eliseus the prophet,” who healed Naaman, or told him how to become healed, 2Ki 5:2-15.
3) “And none of them was cleansed,” (kai oudeis auton ekaristhe) “And not even one of them was cleansed,” of his leprosy so far as is recounted or known; For God’s ways are not man’s ways, Isa 55:8-9.
4) “Saving Naaman the Syrian.” (ei me Naiman ho Suros) “Except Naaman the Syrian” the Gentile or the heathen leper of valor and renoun as captain of the host of the King of Syria, 2Ki 5:1; 2Ki 5:14. These two Gentiles, in behalf of whom Elijah performed miracles, seem to have their parallel in our Lord’s healing, 1) The Syrophenician woman’s daughter, and 2) the Gentile ruler’s son, Mar 7:24-30; Joh 4:46.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(27) Eliseus the prophet.The original gives, as was natural, the Greek form of Elisha, as before of Elijah.
Saving Naaman.Better, but Naaman. as before.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
27. Many lepers See notes on Mat 8:2.
Eliseus Greek form for Elisha.
Naaman See 2Ki 5:14.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.’
His second illustration was of the healing of the leprosy of the Syrian general Naaman. He pointed out that there had been many lepers in Israel, and yet it had only been the foreigner, the Gentile, who was cleansed. Again His point is that Elijah’s countrymen did not come to him for healing. And again He was probably making the same point about why He had healed in Capernaum and not in Nazareth, with the double witness sealing His point. But it infuriated them even more. It appeared to them as though He was suggesting that God had rejected Israel and was only ready to show mercy to and heal the Gentiles. Such misunderstandings do occur when people are not listening properly because their minds are already made up. So Jesus’ innocent remarks appeared to them as blasphemy. Their fury had been roused to fever point, and they lost control of themselves.
We must remember that these were troubled times and that Galilee was a hotbed of seething rebellion, waiting to burst into the open. They were ever ready for a fight. Thus it seemed to them that Jesus was a traitor and a blasphemer. And there was only one thing to do with people like that. His words were like a spark on tinder dry wood.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 4:27 . See 2Ki 5:14 .
] at the time , Luk 3:2 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
Ver. 27. Naaman the Syrian ] Nor he neither so long as he looked upon God’s Jordan with Syrian eyes.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
27. ] Stier remarks that these two examples have a close parallelism with those of the Syro-Phnician woman ( Mar 7:26 ) and the ruler’s son at Capernaum ( Joh 4:46 ).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 4:27 . . Naaman and the widow of Sarepta both Gentiles: these references savouring of universalism were welcome to Lk., but there is no reason to suspect that he put them into Christ’s mouth. Jesus might have so spoken ( vide Mat 8:11 ).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
in the time of. Greek. epi. App-104.
Eliseus = Elisha.
Naaman. See 2Ki 5:.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
27.] Stier remarks that these two examples have a close parallelism with those of the Syro-Phnician woman (Mar 7:26) and the rulers son at Capernaum (Joh 4:46).
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 4:27. , many lepers) For instance those, concerning whom 2Ki 7:3, treats.-) denotes an epoch: so high is the account in which a prophet is held in the eyes of God [that his name marks an epoch].
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Eliseus: 1Ki 19:19-21, Elisha
saving: Mat 12:4, Joh 17:12
Naaman: 2Ki 5:1-27, Job 21:22, Job 33:13, Job 36:23, Dan 4:35
Reciprocal: Gen 25:20 – the Syrian Lev 14:3 – be healed 1Ki 19:16 – Elisha 2Ki 5:14 – and he was clean Mat 8:2 – a leper
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Eliseus is the same as Elisha in 2Ki 5:1-14.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
[Naaman the Syrian.] These instances galled those of Nazareth upon a twofold account:
I. That they looked upon themselves as vilified by these examples; especially if we consider the occasion upon which our Saviour brought them. ‘Thou hast wrought miracles in Capernaum; do something also here in thine own city.’ ‘No, you are unworthy of it, as Israel of old was unworthy of the prophets Elijah and Elisha, who were therefore sent amongst the Gentiles.’
II. That by these instances he plainly intimated the calling of the Gentiles, than which nothing could be more grating in the ear of the Jews. Elijah was sent to a heathen woman, and a heathen man was sent to Elisha: and both of them were turned from heathenism to the true religion. Those words therefore of Naaman, 2Ki 5:17-18; I would thus render; “Thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to strange gods, but unto Jehovah. And concerning this thing the Lord pardon thy servant [viz. concerning my former idolatry], that when my master went into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and leaned upon my hand, I also bowed myself in the house of Rimmon; for that I bowed myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant concerning this thing.”
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Luk 4:27. Many lepers. In 2Ki 7:3, four are spoken of, in the time of Elisha the prophet.
Naaman the Syrian, see 2Ki 5:1-19. The miracles wrought by Elijah and Elisha in the cases referred to have a close parallelism with those of the Syro-Phoenician woman (Mar 7:26) and the rulers son at Capernaum (Joh 4:46). This early reference to blessing on the Gentiles would rejoice the heart of Theophilus.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 27
Eliseus; Elisha. None of the lepers in Israel were cleansed, but a Syrian leper was cleansed. (See 2 Kings 5:1-27:)
Luke 4:28. They were highly pleased with the commencement of the discourse, but exceedingly irritated and angry at its close. They could not endure this calm but plain assertion of the absolute sovereignty of God, in dispensing and in withholding his favors, both in regard to Jew and Gentile, according to his own good pleasure.