Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 11:12
Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
Verse 12. Offer him a scorpion?] . The Greek etymologists derive the name from , scattering the poison. But is there any similitude between a scorpion and an egg, that the one might be given and taken in place of the other? We know there is the utmost similitude between some fish, especially those of the eel kind, and serpents: and that there are stones exactly similar to bread in their appearance; from which we may conjecture that our Lord intended to convey the same idea of similitude between an egg and a scorpion. Perhaps the word scorpion here may be used for any kind of serpent that proceeds from an egg, or the word egg may be understood: the common snake is oviparous; it brings forth a number of eggs, out of which the young ones are hatched. If he asks an egg, will he, for one that might nourish him, give him that of a serpent. But Bochart states, that the body of a scorpion is like to an egg, especially if it be a white scorpion; which sort Nicander, AElian, Avicenna, and others, maintain to be the first species. Nor do scorpions differ much in size from an egg in Judea, if we may credit what the monks of Messua say, that there are about Jerusalem, and through all Syria, great scorpions, c. Hieroz. l. iv. cap. xxix. col. 641, edit. 1692. To this it may be said, there may be such a similitude, between a white scorpion and an egg, if the legs and tail of the former be taken away but how there can be a resemblance any other way, I know not. It is, however, a fact, that the alligator and crocodile come from eggs; two of those lie now before me, scarcely so large as the egg of the goose, longer, but not so thick. Now, suppose reference be made to one such egg, in which the young crocodile is hatched, and is ready to burst from its enclosure, would any father give such an egg to a hungry child? No. If the child asked an egg, he would not, instead of a proper one, give him that of the crocodile or the alligator, in which the young serpent was hatched, and from which it was just ready to be separated.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion…. Of which there are three sorts; some are terrestrial, or land scorpions, scorpions of the earth, a kind of serpents, very venomous and mischievous, to whom the wicked Jews are compared, Eze 2:6 and the locusts in Re 9:3 others are airy, or flying scorpions, a sort of fowl; and others are sea scorpions; of the fish kind: it is not easy to say which of them is here meant. There is an herb which is called n, “the scorpion”: it leaves are like unto a scorpion, as the Jewish commentators say o. This is observed with the same view as the former. By it may be meant here, either the fish that is so called, since a fish is mentioned before; or rather, the land scorpion, which is of the serpent kind; this brings forth little worms, in the form of eggs, as p Pliny says: and it is said, that a scorpion put into an empty eggshell, has been used to be given to persons, whose death has been desired; which it bursting from, at once strikes and kills: but what father would do so to a child!
n Misn. Erubin, c. 2. sect. 6. o Maimon. & Bartonora in lb, p Lib. 11. c. 25.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
1) “Of If he shall ask an egg?” (e kai aitesei oon) “Or if he will ask an egg,” for food or nourishment, to satisfy his hunger, for He your Father is “rich unto all who call upon Him,” Rom 10:12.
2) “Will he offer him a scorpion?” (epidosei auto scorpion) “Will a father hand a scorpion to him?” which when rolled up looks like an egg? Would a father deceive or badger an hungry son in such a manner? The rhetoric response inferred is, surely he would not, neither will your Heavenly Father chide or disappoint you, if you pray in faith and in perseverance, never giving up; See Heb 4:14-16; Mat 7:7-10; Jas 1:5.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
12. A scorpion Most scorpions in Palestine are black and long, looking like a lobster and not like an egg. But Burckhardt and other old writers say that there was a white scorpion which when folded up had the latter resemblance.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Luk 11:12. If he shall ask an egg, Naturalists tell us, that the body of a scorpion is very like an egg, especially if the scorpion be of the white kind, which is the first species mentioned by AElian and others. Bochart has produced testimonies to prove, that the scorpions were about the bigness of an egg; and therefore, in Judea a white scorpion, nearly resembling an egg, might, to children, who were not capable of distinguishing the one from the other, be offered in the place thereof, if the person so doing meant that it should sting them to death. The author of the Observations informs us, that St. Jerome reckons wine, fish, and eggs, together with honey, in his catalogue of delicacies: so that possibly, on being told that the disciples gave our Lord a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honey-comb, Ch. Luk 24:42 we, who have been ready to look upon it as a strange association of dishes, (if understood of a proper honeycomb, and not of a sort of bread,) have suffered this surprize from not entering into the views of the disciples; they probably not attending to Milton’s order,
So contrived, as not to mix Tastes not well joined, inelegant, and bring Taste after taste, upheld by kindliest change; but only designing to express their great veneration for their Master, by setting before him the most grateful things in their power, and leaving it to him to eat of which he pleased. I am not sure that there was no view, in like manner, to the delicacy of eggs in the passage before us, where our Lord is speaking of fish and eggs. On the contrary, perhaps it may add to the beauty of the passage, if we understand it as signifying, that, if a child should ask an earthly parent for bread, a necessary of life, he will not deny him what is requisite for his support, putting him off with a stone; and if he should ask him for a sort of food of a more delicious kind, a fish, or an egg, he will not, we may assure ourselves, give his child what is hurtful, a serpent or a scorpion. If sinful men then will give good gifts to their children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the necessary gifts of his Spirit to them that supplicate for them?not giving up to hurtful illusions, those who affectionately pray for the hallowing of his name, and the coming of his kingdom, Luk 11:2. But, whatever might be the view of our Lord, it is certain that St. Jerome was right in putting eggs into his list of Eastern delicacies; for nothing is more common than to meet with eggs in modern entertainments there, when they would treat persons in the most respectful manner. So Dr. Pocock describes a very grand morning collation, given in Egypt to a person of distinction, as consisting of the best sort of bread, with butter, fried eggs, honey, green salted cheese, olives, and several other small things. He mentions also eggs very often in the accounts that he gives of the entertainments made for him by the Sheiks in the Holy Land: agreeably to which, M. D’Arvieux tells us, that a supper prepared by the peasants of a village near Mount Carmel for him and for their governor, and attended with all the marks of respect which they were capable of expressing, consisted of wine, fried fish, eggs, and some other things. It must be the reputed delicacy of eggs also, one would imagine, that occasions them so frequently to be sent to persons of figure for presents in those countries; fifty eggs being sent at one time to the English consul, whom Bishop Pocock attended to Cairo, and a hundred at another. See Observations, p. 168.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
Ver. 12. See Mat 7:9-11 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
if. Greek. ean, App-118. b.
offer = give to.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Luk 11:12. , or even) His confidence in asking is increased.-, an egg) The requests of the children proceed on from necessaries to what are more of luxuries than necessaries: yet not only the bread, but the fish also, and the egg, are not denied.-, a scorpion) which is a most deadly reptile.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
offer: Gr. give
a scorpion: Luk 10:19, Eze 2:6, Rev 9:10
Reciprocal: Psa 103:13 – Like