Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 10:35
And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave [them] to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
35. took out ] Literally, “ throwing out” of his girdle.
two pence ] i.e. two denarii; enough to pay for the man for some days. The Parable lends itself to the broader meaning which sees the state of mankind wounded by evil passions and spiritual enemies; left unhelped by systems of sacrifice and ceremonial (Gal 3:21); pitied and redeemed by Christ (Isa 61:1), and left to be provided for until His return by spiritual ministrations in the Church. But to see in the “two pence” any specific allusion to the Old and New Testaments, or to ‘the two sacraments,’ is to push to extravagance the elaboration of details.
to the host ] The word occurs here only in the N. T., and the fact that in the Talmud the Greek word for ‘an inn with a host’ is adopted, seems to shew that the institution had come in with Greek customs. In earlier and simpler days the open hospitality of the East excluded the necessity for anything but ordinary khans.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Two pence – About 27 cents, or 1 shilling, 2d. This may seem a small sum, but we are to remember that that sum was probably ten times as valuable then as now – that is, that it would purchase ten times as much food and the common necessaries of life as the same sum would now. Besides, it is probable that all the man wanted was attention and kindness, and for all these it was the purpose of the Samaritan to pay when he returned.
The host – The innkeeper.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 35. Two pence] Two denarii, about fifteen pence, English; and which, probably, were at that time of ten times more value there than so much is with us now.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
35. two penceequal to twoday’s wages of a laborer, and enough for several days’ support.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And on the morrow when he departed,…. Having taken care of him all night, and put him into a comfortable way, leaves him, though in good hands; as Christ does his people, to learn to live by faith upon him:
and he took out two peace; two Roman denarii, or pence; which amount to about fifteen pence of our money, and were equal to the half shekel, paid for the redemption of an Israelite: by which may be meant, not the law and Gospel; for though these both bear the image and superscription of God, and are his current coin, and are both delivered by Christ, and to be regarded and dispensed by the ministers of the word; yet they are not of equal value and use, as these two pence seem to be: wherefore, rather the two Testaments, Old ann New, may be designed, since they are both inspired by God, and dictated by the same Spirit, and bear the same impress; and are alike, and exactly agree, as two pence do; and are given to the ministers of the Gospel to handle, and make use of for the good of souls: unless the two ordinances of baptism, and the Lord’s supper, should rather be thought to be intended: these bear the same stamp and authority, and are both jointly necessary to communion, and church order; and are given by Christ to his ministers, to be administered by them, for the good of his church; and are similar, as two breasts are, they being both breasts of consolation, and agree in setting forth the sufferings and death of Christ: or rather, the gifts and graces of the Spirit of God, to qualify men for the work of the ministry; which both come from the selfsame Spirit of God, and are jointly necessary to fit a man for such service; and are given for the benefit and advantage of the Lord’s people, and in an eminent manner by Christ, on his departure from hence, when he ascended on high, and received gifts for men, and gave them to them:
and gave them to the host; or the keeper and master of the inn; by whom are meant, the ministers of the Gospel; who are governors, in the church, the masters of that spiritual inn; who have the provisions of God’s house under their care, and whose business it is to invite travellers in, and to dress their food for them, and set it before them, and bid them welcome:
and said unto him, take care of him: which is the work of Christ’s ministers to do, by feeding souls with the words of faith and sound doctrine; by ministering the Gospel to them in a faithful manner; and by a constant administration of the ordinances of it; and by keeping a diligent watch over them, both with respect to principles and practice; and by speaking a word in season to them:
and whatsoever thou spendest more: faithful ministers spend much, and are at great expense in taking care of the souls of men; in fervent and frequent prayer to God; in diligent searching the Scriptures; in the laborious ministry of the word and ordinances; and in the constant exercise and improvement of their spiritual gifts; and in the loss of reputation and credit, and of health, and sometimes of life itself:
when I come again, I will repay thee: Christ will certainly come again a second time, to judge both quick and dead; and then he will recompense his ministers, for all their toil and labour, care and expense; he will then bid them, as good and faithful servants, enter into the joy of their Lord; and when they shall every one receive the reward of his own work, in a way of grace, and shall shine as the stars in the firmament, for ever and ever.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
On the morrow ( ). Towards the morrow as in Ac 4:5. (Cf. also Ac 3:1). Syriac Sinaitic has it “at dawn of the day.” An unusual use of .
Took out (). Second aorist active participle of . It could mean, “fling out,” but probably only means “drew out.” Common verb.
Two pence ( ). About thirty-five cents, but worth more in purchasing power.
To the host ( ). The innkeeper. Here only in the N.T.
Whatsoever thou spendest more ( ). Indefinite relative clause with and the aorist active subjunctive of , to spend besides (), a late verb for the common and here only in the N.T.
I will repay ( ). Emphatic. What he had paid was merely by way of pledge. He was a man of his word and known to the innkeeper as reliable.
When I come back again ( ). Luke’s favourite idiom of and the articular infinitive with accusative of general reference. Double compound verb .
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Two pence. About thirty – five cents. See on Mt 20:2.
I will repay. The I is expressed [] , and is emphatic. Trouble him not for the reckoning; I will repay.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And on the morrow when he departed,” (kai epi ten aurion) “And on the following day,” when he was ready to continue his journey, when duty required his departure.
2) “He took out two pence, and gave them to the host,” (ekballon duo dunaria edoken to pandochei) “He took two denari (pence) and gave it to the innkeeper,” about two days wages, as a further expression of a caring person, one of human kindness, a person of exemplary character, Though the two pence indicates the Samaritan was a poor man.
3) “And said unto him,” (kai eipen) “And directed the inn-keeper,” with a pledge of honor, supporting a good name, worth more than silver or gold or much riches, Pro 22:1.
4) “Take care of him;” (epimelethete autou) “You care for him.” until he can care for himself, as Paul wrote Philemon concerning a slave, Phm 1:18-19. The host had confidence in him.
5) “And whatsoever thou spendest more,” (kai ho ti an prosdapaneses) “And whatever you spend beyond this amount,” for his needed care, showing a willingness of heart to extend an helping hand to the poor and suffering, 2Co 8:12.
6) “When I come again, I will repay thee.” (ego en to epanerchesthai me apokoso soi) “When I return I will repay you,” for your expense to care for this man. It was a good work, an expression of grace not shown by, lacking in, the priest and the Levite, Eph 2:10; 1Jn 3:17; 1Jn 4:20; Jas 2:15-16.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(35) Two pencei.e., two denarii, according to Mat. 20:2 the average wages of a labourer for two days; or, taking the estimate of Mar. 6:37, enough for a meal of twenty-five men. It was therefore a sufficient and liberal provision for all probable contingencies. This, however, was not, in the Samaritans judgment, enough, and he gave a carte blanche for whatever else might be required.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
35. Two pence Which, being the amount of the wages of a labourer for two days, was more than as many dollars’ worth in our time.
Take care of him The inns of the ancients supplied nothing but room and lodging, it being expected that the traveller carried his own supplies.
I will repay He asked no aid in his charity, as if the doing of good was his own business and its own reward.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“And on the morrow he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said, ‘Take care of him, and whatever you spend more, I, when I come back again, will repay you.’ ”
In the chiasmus this verse parallels, ‘You shall love God with all your heart — and your neighbour as yourself’. Nothing could be greater revelation of that than this love that the Samaritan showed for the Jew. He not only paid his costs at the inn for at least a month, but guaranteed payment for any future costs, and it was all of grace, with no thought of compensation, a fitting picture of God’s love offered to Israel through Jesus Christ.
We should note here that this illustration of offering care is then in context followed by one of Mary choosing spiritual food from the Lord rather than literal food, by the Lord’s prayer where the bread sought is probably ‘Tomorrow’s bread’ (the bread of life) rather than just literal daily bread, and by an illustration where the neighbour seeking food at night turns out to be a picture of seeking the Holy Spirit. The idea behind all these passages is thus seen as to bring out the search for spiritual truth. Here then is a picture of One Who cares for His own and provides to him what is needful, and the picture of one who receives this blessing.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 10:35. Andhe took out two pence, The value of two denarii was about fifteen pence sterling; and from the smallness of the sum, it is reasonable to conclude that this charitable man was but poor: if so, this circumstance greatly enhances his kindness to the Jew. It is a very probable circumstance, that a man travelling without any attendance, and now going out to a considerable distance from home, should not have more to spare, especially as he was to travel through so dangerous a road; and so it would have been very imprudent to charge himself with much more money than he was likely to want in his journey; which would be the less, because travellers, as we have shewn in the preceding note, used in those countries to carry their provision with them. Compare Gen 28:18 and Jos 9:12-13. Another circumstance of the Samaritan’s kindness is observable, in his becoming answerable for the whole expences incident to the man’s unhappy case: Whatsoever thou spendest more, &c. It seems as if he was afraid that the mercenary temper of thehost might have hindered him from furnishing what was necessary, if he had no prospect of being repaid. Indeed all the circumstances of this beautiful parable are formed with the finest skill imaginable, to work the conviction designed; so that had the lawyer been ever so much disposed to reckon none as his neighbours but men of his own religion, it was not in his power to do it on this occasion. And althoughfavours from a Samaritan had always been represented to him as an abomination more detestable even than the eating of swine’s flesh, he was obliged to acknowledge, that not the priest or the Levite, but this Samaritan, bydischarging a great office of genuine charity towards the Jew in distress, was truly his neighbour, and deserved his love more than some of his own nation, who sustained the most venerable characters; that the like charity was due from any Israelite to any Samaritan who stood in need of it; and that all men are neighbours to all men, how much soever they may be distinguished from one another in respect of country, or kindred, or language, or religion. Mankind are intimately knit together by their common wants and weaknesses, being so formed that they cannot live without the assistance of each other. And therefore the relation which subsists between them is as extensive as their natures; and the obligations under which they lie to aid one another by mutual good offices are as strong and urgent as every man’s own manifold necessities. By this admirable parable, therefore, our Lord has powerfully recommended that universal benevolence which is so familiar in the mouths, but foreign to the hearts, of many hypocritical pretenders to religion and morality. It would appear that the presumption of the Jews in matters of religion exceeded all bounds; for though the Supreme Beingpays very little regard to outward worship, and is much more delighted with the inward homage of a holy and benevolent mind, yet, because they prayed daily in his temple, and offered sacrifices there, and carried about his precepts written on their phylacteries, and had God and the law always in their mouths, they made no doubt that they worshipped God acceptably, notwithstanding they were so enormously wicked, that they would not put themselves to the smallest expence or trouble, though they could have saved life by it; and therefore had no real love to God or their neighbour. This monstrous presumption being utterly subversive of true religion, our Lord thought fit to condemn it, in the severest manner, and to brand it with the blackest, and most lasting note of infamy, in this charming parable. We may just observe, that as Jesus was now in Samaria, he shewed great tenderness, as well as justice, in assigning the benevolent charitable character in the parable, to a native of this country. A fine writer well observes,thatnothingcanbe more judiciously circumstanced than the principal figure in this piece. “Had the calamity befallen a Samaritan, it would have made but feeble impressions of pity, and those, perhaps, immediately effaced by stronger emotions of hate. But when it was a Jew that lay bleeding to death, the representation was sure to interest the hearer in the distress, and awaken a tender concern. Had the relief been administered by aJew, the benevolence would have shone, but in a much fainter light; whereas, when it came from the hands of a Samaritan, whom all the Jews had agreed to abjure, to execrate, and to rank with the very fiends of hell: how bright,how charmingly and irresistibly bright,was the lustre of such charity! Let the reader consider the temper expressed in that rancorous reflection,Thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil, Joh 8:48.Let him compare that inveterate malevolence, with the benign and compassionate spirit of our amiable traveller: then let him say, whether he ever beheld a finer or a bolder contrast? Whether, upon the whole, he ever saw the ordonnance of descriptive painting more justly designed, or more happily executed? I would beg leave to observe farther, that the virulent animosity of the Jew discovers itself even in the lawyer’s reply, He that shewed mercy on him. He will not so much as name the Samaritan, especially in a case where he could not be named without an honourable distinction. So strongly marked, and so exactly preserved, are the manners or distinguishable qualities of each person in the sacred narrations!” It may be proper just to observe, after having given a literal interpretation of this parable, that many writers, ancient and modern, have also given a spiritual interpretation of it; which, it must be acknowledged, is not only extremely ingenious, but very instructive, and certainly can be attended with no ill effects, while the literal meaning is preserved and adhered to: however, in the present commentary, havingingeneralrefrainedfrominterpretations of that kind, I shall only subjoin a brief exposition of the parable in this way, as given us by Dr. Stanhope, whose judgment was certainly as mature, as his piety was indisputable. “This account,” say he, “is a most lively representation of the merciful and loving Jesus. He was the good Samaritan indeed, who found poor human nature wounded and bruised, left more than half dead, and stript of all its valuable perfections, by the merciless robber and adversary of souls. His bowels yearned over our distressed condition; and when neither the Levitical law, nor the sacrifices offered by Jewish priests, had administered any comfort or relief, He came, a stranger, from his blessed dwelling, kindly made towards us, bound up our wounds and bruises, poured out his soul unto the death, and applied the sovereign balsam of his own Blood. He took us up, and removed us away into a more saving dispensation, and has made a perfect atonement for our sins, at the expence of many miracles, and mighty condescensions, and infinite hardships and sufferings to himself. His occasions indeed would not allow him to stay with us till all the effects of his goodness were accomplished; but he has committed us into safe hands; he has sent his Holy Spirit to us, even the Comforter, and has not left us orphans: he has given commission for aconstant supply of spiritual sustenance and remedies; which those who distribute faithfully, he willcertainly, when he comes again, repay; and those who receive regularly, thankfully, and perseveringly, he will as certainly heal and nourish unto life eternal. And ought not such a pattern as this to have the weight of ten thousand arguments with us? How can they grudge suitable expressions of love to their brethren in distress, who at all remember what the Son of God did not, in their utmost, their desperate extremity, esteem too much to do for them? Who can have the confidence to think himself excused towards those of a differing judgment, or disobliging behaviour, or most wrongful malice and spite, when they reflect, that herein chiefly God commended his love towards us, that while we were yet sinners,the most fatally mistaken, the worst and most disingenuous of his creatures here below, the bitterest and most detestable of all enemies,Christ died for us? For which inestimable benefit and love, all honour and praise, thanksgiving and obedience be unto Him, who left us an example that herein we should follow his steps.” See this Epistle’s and Gospels, vol. 3: p. 436.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Luk 10:35-36 . ] as in Mar 15:1 ; Act 3:1 : towards the morrow , when it was about to dawn.
] out of the inn. He gave the money to the landlord outside ( past participle). The small amount, however, that he gave him presupposes the thought of a very early return.
] a vivid picture; out of his purse. Comp. Mat 13:52 .
.] thou shalt have expended in addition thereto , besides; Lucian, Ep. Sat. xxxix.; Corp. inscr. 108, 8.
] with emphasis; the unfortunate man was not to have the claim made on him.
] signifies “reditum in eum ipsum locum,” Tittmann, Synon. p. 232. Very frequently in use in the classical writers.
] to have become by what he had done. On , in the sense of se praestare , see Khner, ad Xen. Anab. i. 7. 4. Flacius, Clav . II. p. 330, well says: “omnes quidem tres erant jure, sed unicus facto aut officio.”
. . .] who fell among the thieves . See Sturz, Lex. Xen. II. p. 153 Bernhardy, p. 329.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
Ver. 35. Two pence ] The Old and New Testament, say Optatus and Ambrose.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Luk 10:35 . , casting out (of his girdle or purse). ., two “pence,” small sum, but enough for the present; will pay whatever more is needed; known in the inn, and known as a trusty man to the innkeeper ( ). , etc.: the speech of a man who in turn trusts the host, and has no fear of being overcharged in the bill for the wounded man. : with a slight emphasis which means: you know me. : he expects to return to the place on his business, a regular customer at that inn. This verb, as well as , is used here only in N. T.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
pence = denarii, See App-51.
Two denarii= half a shekel, theransom money for a life (Exo 30:12, Exo 30:13).
the host. Greek. pandocheus. Compare “inn”, above.
spendest more. Greek. prosdapanao. Occurs only here,
when I come again = in (Greek. en. App-104.) my coming back.
I. Emph.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Luk 10:35. , two denarii) twenty asses. He might be able to return in two days: the expense of one day would be a denarius.-, to return) On the way from Jerusalem, through Jericho, to Samaria.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
pence
The Roman penny is the eighth part of an ounce, which at five shillings the ounce is seven pence half penny, or 15 cents.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
two pence: Mat 20:2
the host: Rom 16:23
whatsoever: Luk 14:13, Pro 19:17
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
TAKE CARE OF HIM
Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
Luk 10:35
The parable of the good Samaritan is familiar to us all; what is the deeper and mystic intention of each successive line of this picture?
I. A representative man.The certain man who fell among thieves is every one of us. There is not one who has not proved the Satanic power, and the evil which is in the world, and the evil which is in his heart; who has not been robbed of his best possession, and become mortally wounded. And we are left wounded and suffering in body or soul; perhaps both.
II. Then comes the Good Samaritanthe Lord Jesus Christ. Despised by the world, but exceeding kind, and exactly what we wanted. And of His own free, loving goodness He came to us, quite close, and He was all we required, exactly what met our casethe binding for our wounds, the oil of the Spirit to cleanse, and the wine of the Gospel to cheer us. And He lifted us up, and He really changed places with us; and put us on the high and easy place, and Himself down in the dust. Then he brought us to an appointed spot, a place where we could rest and be cared for; and that resting place is the Church
III. In charge of the Church.Christ commends and commits these suffering ones to us, the Church, and we are responsiblewe His ministers, and you His peoplewe are responsible for their proper treatment, for their comfort, for their recoverytill Christ comes again. The diseased, whether suffering in body or suffering in soul, are committed to us by the great Friend and Master of us all, and He will come presently to see how we have fulfilled our trust, and deal with us accordingly. This is a solemn view of our position in such a world as this, that, as the Church, we are the caretakers, we are the restorers of the diseased and wounded soul, and diseased and wounded body, or else it might die. And we should look upon all these thus committed to us as those for whom we have a personal account one day to render. What an inn might be to a wounded traveller on the road, such should the Church be to sinful souls and diseased bodies!
Rev. James Vaughan.
Illustration
(1) The kindness of a Christian towards others should not be in word and in tongue only, but in deed and in truth. His love should be a practical lovea love which entails on him self-sacrifice and self-denial, both in money, and time, and trouble. His charity should be seen not merely in his talking, but his actingnot merely in his profession, but in his practice. He should think it no misspent time to work as hard in doing good to those who need help, as others work in trying to get money. He should not be ashamed to toil as much to make the misery of this world rather smaller, as those toil who hunt or shoot all day long. He should have a ready ear for every tale of sorrow, and a ready hand to help every one in affliction, so long as he has the power. Such brotherly love the world may not understand. The returns of gratitude which such love meets with may be few and small. But to show such brotherly love is to walk in the steps of Christ, and to reduce to practice the parable of the good Samaritan.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
5
The assistance given by the Samaritan did not consist in words of sympathy only, but he assumed the full expense of the case.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
[He took out two pence.] Aruch; “A shekel of the law is selaa; and is of the value of four pence.” So that the half shekel is two pence; a price that was to be paid yearly by every one as a ransom for his soul or life. Whence, not unfitly, we see two pence are paid down for the recovery of this man’s life that had been wounded and half dead.
[And gave them to the host.] The Rabbins retain this Greek word, however the author of Aruch calls it Ismaelitic; or Arabic. A tavern or inn (saith he), in the Ismaelitish language, is called ‘pondak.’ It is true, indeed, the Arabic version useth this word in this place; but it is well known whence it takes its original. “Two men went into an inn; one a just, the other a wicked man. They sat down apart. The wicked man saith to the host; ‘Let me have one pheasant; and let me have conditum or hippocras.’ The just man said to the host, ‘Let me have a piece of bread and a dish of lentils.’ The wicked man laughed the just man to scorn, ‘See how this fool calls for lentils when he may have dainties.’ On the contrary, the just man, ‘See how this fool eateth, when his teeth are to be immediately dashed out.’ The just man saith to the host; ‘Give me two cups of wine, that I may bless them’: he gave them him, and he blessed them, and rising up gave to the host a piece of money for the portion that he had eaten, and departed in peace. But there was a falling out betwixt the wicked man and his host about the reckoning, and the host dashed out his teeth.”
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Luk 10:35. He took out. Vivid narration.
Two pence. Roman denarii. The value of the denarius has been variously estimated, from seven and a half to eight and a half pence English (fifteen to seventeen cents). The sum was sufficient to meet the mans necessities for some days at least
I. This is emphatic.
When I come back again. It has been inferred from this that the Samaritan was a travelling merchant, who would soon return.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 35
Two pence. The denominations and the value of money were so different in ancient times from the present, that such expressions give us no idea of the amount intended. The true way of estimating the value of any sum of money, in any age of the world, is to ascertain its relation to the prices of food and clothing, and the other common necessaries of life. The apostles spoke of two hundred pence as the sum required to buy sufficient food to supply, for one occasion, the wants of five thousand men. Two pence would, in that proportion, have provided once for fifty; which shows that the sum was sufficient for the emergency.