Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 7:5

For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.

5. he loveth our nation ] This shews that the centurion was a Gentile, probably a proselyte of the gate (though the term was invented later), i.e. one of those who embraced Judaism on the whole, but without becoming a ‘proselyte of righteousness’ by accepting circumcision. It is not impossible that he may have been a Roman, though there is no direct proof that Romans ever held such offices under Herod Antipas. More probably he was some Greek or Syrian, holding a commission under the tetrarch.

he hath built us a synagogue ] Rather, our Synagogue he himself built for us. The expression, “the synagogue,” does not necessarily imply that there was only one synagogue in Capernaum, but only that he had built the one from which this deputation came, which was probably the chief synagogue of Capernaum. If Capernaum be Tel Hum (as I became convinced on the spot itself), then the ruins of it shew that it probably possessed two synagogues; and this we should have conjectured beforehand, seeing that Jerusalem is said to have had 400. The walls of one of these, built of white marble, are of the age of the Herods, and stand just above the lake. It may be the very building here referred to. This liberality on the part of the Gentiles was by no means unfrequent. Wealthy Gentile proselytes not seldom sent splendid gifts to the Temple itself. The Ptolemies, Jos. Antt. xii. 2, 5; Sosius, id. xiv. 16, 4; Fulvia, id. xviii. 3, 5, &c. See on Luk 21:5.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 5. He loveth our nation] He is a warm friend to the Jews; and has given a full proof of his affection to them in building them a synagogue. This he had done at his own proper charges; having no doubt employed his own men in the work.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

5. loved our nationHavingfound that “salvation was of the Jews,” he loved them forit.

built, &c.His lovetook this practical and appropriate form.

Lu7:11-17. WIDOW OFNAIN’S SONRAISED TO LIFE.(In Luke only).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

For he loveth our nation,…. The Jewish nation, which was Christ’s nation, as well as theirs, he being a Jew; see Joh 18:35. This they mention as an argument to induce him to have a regard to the centurion, though he was a Gentile; since he was a friend of the Jews, and well affected and disposed to them, which was very rare: it was not common for the Gentiles to love the Jews, any more than the Jews the Gentiles; there was an hatred, yea, an enmity between them; but this man, very likely, was a proselyte to their religion, as the following instance seems to show:

and he hath built us a synagogue; at his own private charge, and by the assistance of his soldiers under him, whom he might employ in this work: sometimes a single person built a synagogue at his own expense, and gave it to the citizens; of which the Jews say, o

“if a man builds an house, and afterwards devotes it to a synagogue, it is as a synagogue.”

o Piske Harosh Megilia, c. 4. art. 1.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

For (). This clause gives the reason why the elders of the Jews consider him “worthy” (, drawing down the scale, , ). He was hardly a proselyte, but was a Roman who had shown his love for the Jews.

Himself (). All by himself and at his own expense.

Us (). Dative case, for us. It is held by some archaeologists that the black basalt ruins in Tell Hum are the remains of the very synagogue ( ). Literally,

the synagogue , the one which we have, the one for us.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

He hath built [ ] . He is emphatic; himself, at his own expense.

A synagogue [ ] . The article, “the synagogue,” marks the particular synagogue which these elders represented. Hence Rev., rightly, “our synagogue.” ” He did not merely avoid profaning the synagogue ” (Bengel).

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “For he loveth our nation,” (agapa gar to ethnos hemon) “For he loves our nation,” with a high priority kind of love, with love that is genuine, without pretence, Rom 12:9. He had a “good name,” that is better than riches and precious ointment, Ec 71; Pro 15:30; Pro 22:1.

2) “And he hath built us a synagogue.” (kai ten sunagogen autos oikodomesen hemin) “And he himself built the synagogue for us,” the one to which they belonged, one of the two then believed to have been in Capernaum, according to Josephus. He built it with his own money, is the basis of their appeal for Jesus to help the centurion’s dying slave. Herod had built the temple in Jerusalem, but this Roman centurion army captain had built the Jews a grand synagogue there in Capernaum.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

Luk 7:5

. For he loveth our nation This was, no doubt, a commendation given him by the Jews on account of his piety: (501) for his love of a nation universally hated could proceed only from zeal for the Law, and from reverence for God. By building a synagogue, he showed plainly that he favored the doctrine of the Law. The Jews had therefore good grounds for saying that, as a devout worshipper of God, he had claims on Christ for receiving such a favor. They discover, at the same time, a marvellous stupidity in admitting, by their own acknowledgment, that a Gentile possesses that grace of God which they despise and reject. If they consider Christ to be the minister and dispenser of the gifts of God, why do they not receive the grace offered to them before bringing foreigners to enjoy it? But hypocrites never fail to manifest such carelessness and presumption, as not to hesitate to look upon God as under some sort of obligations to them, and to dispose of his grace at their pleasure, as if it were in their own power; and then, when they are satisfied with it, or rather because they do not deign to taste it, they treat it as useless, and leave it to others.

(501) “ Il n’ y a point de doute que les Juifs recommandent cest homme pour l’affection et le bon zele qu’il avoit a la crainte de Dieu.” — “There is no doubt that the Jews recommend this man for the affection and the good zeal which he had for the fear of God.”

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(5) He hath built us a synagogue.Literally, the synagogue, a well-known and conspicuous building, probably the only one in Capernaum, and so identical with that of which the ruins have been lately discovered by the Palestine Exploration Society. (See Note on Mat. 4:13.)

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

5. He loveth our nation The Romans were tolerant, from motives of policy, of the religions of the nations they conquered. But this man did more. There were many even at Rome to whom the pure theism of the religion of Jehovah seemed true, and far superior to their own idolatry. This man loved the God of Israel and his worship so well that he built a house for his worshippers. This was a proof of both piety and wealth. It sometimes occurs though not frequently, even in a Christian land, that a wealthy Christian man, with a liberality equal to that of this pagan convert, munificently builds a Christian church.

The Jews divided converts into two classes, I. Proselytes of the gate, who had not entered into the complete adoption of the ritual of Moses. These stood on the patriarchal basis, aiming to keep the seven precepts of Noah’s dispensation. By these they were to abstain from 1, idolatry; 2, murder; 3, incest; 4, robbery; 5, profanity; 6, eating blood and strangled animal food, 7, rebellion. Those keeping these ethical principles would, according to Jewish opinion, be saved. These were commonly styled, Those worshipping God, in distinction from those worshipping gods. II.

Proselytes of righteousness Those who became circumcised, and accepted the whole law as complete naturalized Jews.

Whether the present centurion had progressed so far as complete Judaism or not, he seems to have progressed farther, even into the righteousness of Christ by faith.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

5 For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.

Ver. 5. Built us a synagogue ] Antiochus had burned the synagogues in various places. This man, new converted, is content to be at cost for God and his people. So the Israelites, received to favour again after their foul fall in setting up the golden calf, brought enough and to spare toward the work of the tabernacle.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

5. ] , at his own expense. ., our synagogue.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament