Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 7:21
And in that same hour he cured many of [their] infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many [that were] blind he gave sight.
21. in that same hour ] Omit ‘same,’ which has no equivalent in the Greek.
plagues ] Literally, “ scourges.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 21. Infirmities and plagues] The following judicious note from Bp. PEARCE is worthy of deep attention: “Luke mentions here , , leprosias, and , i.e. diseases or ill habits of body, sores or lamenesses, and evil spirits: from whence we may conclude that evil spirits are reckoned by him (who speaks of distempers with more accuracy than the other evangelists) as things different from any disorders of the body, included in the two former words.”
Unto many that were blind he gave light.] Rather, he kindly gave sight – ; or, he graciously gave sight. This is the proper meaning of the original words. In all his miracles, Jesus showed the tenderest mercy and kindness: not only the cure, but the manner in which he performed it, endeared him to those who were objects of his compassionate regards.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And in that same hour,…. Or at that same time, for a precise hour is not intended: one exemplar reads, “in that day”, in which these men came to Christ,
he, Jesus, as the Persic version expresses it,
cured many of their infirmities; bodily weaknesses and disorders: and plagues; which were inflicted on them as scourges and corrections for sin, very severe diseases, as epilepsies, leprosies, palsies, c. and of evil spirits or devils, which he dispossessed and commanded out of the bodies of men; though sometimes evil spirits, with the Jews, signify some kinds of bodily diseases: as when it is said i
“whoever puts out a lamp because he is afraid of Gentiles, or of thieves, or of , “an evil spirit”, or because of a sick man that is asleep, he is free.”
Upon which Maimonides observes,
“an evil spirit they call all kinds of diseases, which, in the Arabic language, go by the name of “melancholy”; for it is one kind of the diseases mentioned, which makes a sick man to fly, and separate himself from mankind, as if he was afraid of the light, or of coming into the company of men:”
and unto many that were blind he gave sight; freely, as an act of grace and kindness, as the word signifies, without any merit, or motive, in them.
i Misn. Sabbat, c. 2. sect. 5. Vid Maimon. Hilchot Gerushin, c. 2. sect. 14.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
In that hour he cured ( ). This item is not in Matthew. Jesus gave the two disciples of John an example of the direct method. They had heard. Then they saw for themselves.
Diseases (),
plagues (),
evil spirits ( ), all kinds of bodily ills, and he singles out the
blind () to whom in particular he bestowed sight ( ), gave as a free gift (from , grace) seeing ().
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Diseases – plagues [] . See on Mt 4:23; Mr 3:10. Marking the two classes of disease recognized in medical writings, chronic and acute.
Evil spirits [] . On ponhrov, evil, see ch. Luk 3:19. It is applied to evil spirits by Luke only, with the single exception of Mt 12:45. In accordance with its signification of evil on its active side, it is applied in medicine to that which spreads destruction or corruption; as the poison of serpents. Note, moreover, that Luke distinguishes here between disease and demoniac possession, as often. See ch. Luk 6:17, 18; Luk 8:2; Luk 13:32. He gave [] . More is expressed by this verb than simple giving. He gave as a free, gracious, joy – giving gift. See on cariv, favor, ch. 1 30; and compare freely give, Rom 8:32. Also, 1Co 2:12.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And in that same hour he cursed many of their infirmities,” (en ekeine te hora etherapeusen pollous apo noson) “in that hour he healed many from diseases,” that they had contracted, from physical ailment. Seventeen of our Lord’s 34 miracles were performed in healing physical illnesses. All this was done to fulfill the Scriptures, Isa 53:4; Mat 8:16-17.
2) “And plagues, and of evil spirits;” (kai mastigon kai pneumaton poneron) “And even plagues or scourges and wicked spirits,” demons, unclean, or deranged spirits; Six of our Lord’s 34 miracles recounted in the New Testament were in healing mentally ill or demon possessed people, Mat 9:32-33.
3) “And unto many that were blind he gave sight.” (kai tuphlois- pollois echtisato blepein) “And he gave sight (vision) to many blind persons,” Mat 9:27-31; Mat 11:5. He granted the gift of sight to many who were blind.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(21) And in that same hour he cured . . . The statement of the facts is peculiar to St. Luke, and obviously adds much force to our Lords answer. He pointed to what was passing before the eyes of the questioners.
Plagues.See Note on Mar. 3:10.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many that were blind he bestowed sight.’
While John’s disciples were there Jesus continued performing His wonders, He healed diseases and plagues, He cast out evil spirits, He gave sight to the blind. He revealed the power, love and compassion of God.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Christ’s reference to the prophecy:
v. 21. And in that same hour He cured many of their infirmities and plagues and of evil spirits, and unto many that were blind He gave sight.
v. 22. Then Jesus, answering, said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the Gospel is preached.
v. 23. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Me. The time of their coming to Jesus could not have been arranged more auspiciously. For just then Jesus was busily engaged with performing miracles of all kinds: He cured many of sicknesses, of plagues which were scourges upon their backs; He healed some of evil spirits; to many that were blind He granted the priceless favor or boon of sight. With reference to these and other miracles Jesus reminded the messengers of the Baptist of a prophecy which had been spoken concerning the Messiah, Isa 35:5-6; Isa 61:1-2. There miracles of all kinds, also in the field of physical healing, had been foretold as taking place through the power of. the Messiah. See Mat 11:4-6. Any one that pays the slightest attention to the Old Testament prophecy, and compares it with the present visible fulfillment, cannot doubt that Jesus is the Christ. And Jesus adds a word of warning for the special benefit of the two disciples: Blessed is he that shall not be offended in Me. That was the danger for all those disciples of John that were not satisfied with the manner in which the disciples of Jesus were conducting themselves, without regard to the rules of the elders about fasting and washing of hands, etc. , chapter 5:30. If a person is so carried away with a false asceticism that he wants to curtail the liberty of the New Testament, and for that reason is offended at Jesus the Christ, he has only himself to blame for the evil consequences.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Luk 7:21. He gave sight. The original is emphatical, and seems to express in how general, how compassionate, and kind a manner our Lord performed these miracles: ‘ , he graciously bestowed sight.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.
Ver. 21. See Trapp on “ Mat 11:4 “ See Trapp on “ Mat 11:5 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
21. ] This fact follows by inference from Mat 11:4 ; for they could not tell John , unless our Lord were employed in works of healing at the time. Observe that Luke, himself a physician, distinguishes between the diseased and the possessed .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 7:21 . Lk. makes Jesus reply not merely by word, as in Mt. (Mat 11:5 ), but first of all by deeds displaying His miraculous power. That Jesus wrought demonstrative cures there and then may be Lk.’s inference from the expression , which seems to point to something going on before their eyes. : a word welcome to Lk. as containing the idea of grace = He granted the boon (of sight).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
same. Omit. No equivalent in the Greek.
cured = healed.
of = from. App-104.
infirmities = diseases (chronic).
plagues = scourges (acute). Medical terms (Col 4:14).
evil. Greek. poneros. App-128.
spirits. See App-101.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
21.] This fact follows by inference from Mat 11:4; for they could not tell John , unless our Lord were employed in works of healing at the time. Observe that Luke, himself a physician, distinguishes between the diseased and the possessed.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 7:21. , diseases and plagues) The were lingering diseases; the , plagues, were attended with acute pain.-, He freely gave) A magnificent expression. To bestow as a free gift, , was not a prerogative of the Apostles in their miracles. Comp. , He gave, in Luk 7:15.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
plagues: 1Ki 8:37, Psa 90:7-9, Mar 3:10, Mar 5:29, Mar 5:34, 1Co 11:30-32, Heb 12:6, Jam 5:14, Jam 5:15
evil spirits: [Strong’s G4151], [Strong’s G4190], are here clearly distinguished from bodily disorders.
Reciprocal: Lev 14:48 – shall come in Mat 9:27 – two Mat 11:5 – blind Mat 15:30 – great Mat 20:30 – two Luk 4:40 – and he Luk 7:22 – how Joh 9:39 – that they Joh 14:11 – or Act 1:1 – of Act 10:38 – who
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Luk 7:21. In that hour, etc. This is implied in the answer given by Matthew (Luk 7:4-5).
Diseases and plagues (Greek, scourges), and of evil spirits. Luke, the physician, distinguishes the possessed from the diseased.
Luk 7:22-28 are almost word for word the same as Mat 11:4-11. In Luk 7:28 the word prophet is to be omitted.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
7:21 And {b} in that same hour he cured many of [their] infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many [that were] blind he gave sight.
(b) When John’s disciples came to Christ.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Luke recorded and Jesus listed several messianic works that He had done (cf. Isa 29:18-19; Isa 35:5-6; Isa 42:7; Isa 61:1). Isaiah did not predict that Messiah would cleanse lepers. Perhaps Jesus mentioned that because His ministry fulfilled Elisha’s ministry, and he cleansed a leper (cf. 2 Kings 5).
Acts of judgment are conspicuously absent from this list since that was not the time for judgment. Apparently in Jesus’ day the Jews believed that Messiah would not claim to be the Messiah before He performed many messianic works. [Note: R. Longenecker, The Christology of Early Jewish Christianity, pp. 71-74.] Jesus pronounced "blessed" those who accepted the evidence that He presented and concluded that He was the Messiah rather than stumbling over it. John was in danger of stumbling, namely, drawing the wrong conclusion and thereby falling into a trap (Gr. skandalisthe, cf. Isa 8:13-14). Stumbling is the opposite of believing here.
"There is a difference between doubt and unbelief. Doubt is a matter of the mind: we cannot understand what God is doing or why He is doing it. Unbelief is a matter of the will: we refuse to believe God’s Word and obey what He tells us to do." [Note: Wiersbe, 1:196-97.]