Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 13:26
Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
26. then shall ye begin to say ] All excuse shall be cut short at once, Luk 3:8.
thou hast taught in our streets ] Here again (see Luk 13:28) we see how our Lord discouraged all notions of any privilege derived from fleshly privileges, or even proximity to Himself. Rom 2:17-20.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
We have eaten … – Compare Mat 7:22-23. To have eaten with one is evidence of acquaintanceship or friendship. So the sinner may allege that he was a professed follower of Jesus, and had some evidence that Jesus was his friend. There is no allusion here, however, to the sacrament. The figure is taken from the customs of people, and means simply that they had professed attachment, and perhaps supposed that Jesus was their friend.
In thy presence – With thee – as one friend does with another.
Thou hast taught – Thou didst favor us, as though thou didst love us. Thou didst not turn away from us, and we did not drive thee away. All this is alleged as proof of friendship. It shows us:
- On how slight evidence people will suppose themselves ready to die. How slender is the preparation which even many professed friends of Jesus have for death! How easily they are satisfied about their own piety! A profession of religion, attendance on the preaching of the word or at the sacraments, or a decent external life, is all they have and all they seek. With this they go quietly on to eternity – go to disappointment, wretchedness, and woe!
- None of these things will avail in the day of judgment. It will be only true love to God, a real change of heart, and a life of piety, that can save the soul from death. And oh! how important it is that all should search themselves and see what is the real foundation of their hope that they shall enter into heaven!
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
26, 27. See on the similarpassage (Mat 7:22; Mat 7:23).
eaten and drunk, &c.Wehave sat with Thee at the same table. (See on Mt7:22).
taught in our streetsDowe not remember listening in our own streets to Thy teaching? Surelywe are not to be denied admittance?
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then shall ye begin to say,…. Or ye shall say; in favour of themselves, and in order to be admitted within, the following pleas will be made by them:
we have eaten and drank in thy presence: which may be understood both literally of many, who were miraculously led by Christ, or at whose tables he had ate and drank, and they with him; as did not only publicans and sinners, but some of the Pharisees, who invited him to their houses; and in a religious sense, of many who eat of the legal sacrifices; and of others, who eat the bread, and drink the wine at the Lord’s table; all which will be insufficient to introduce men into the kingdom and glory of Christ: natural relation to Christ, which the Jews may claim, being born of them, and personal acquaintance with him, and a bare profession of him, will be of no avail another day:
and thou hast taught in our streets; in the streets of many cities in Galilee and Judea: it was customary with the Jewish doctors to teach in the streets:
“says Rabba, behold I am as Ben Azzai, in the streets of Tiberias a;”
the gloss upon it is,
“who was , “expounding in the streets of Tiberias.””
And it is said b of Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai,
“that he was sitting in the shade of the temple, and expounding all the whole day;”
the gloss on the place is,
“the temple being an hundred cubits high, its shade went very far “in the street”, which is before the mountain of the house; and because “the street” was large, and held abundance of men, he was expounding there by reason of the heat, for no school could hold them:”
and it is also said of R. Chija c, that
“he went out and taught his brother’s two sons, , “in the street”.”
So that what our Lord did, was no other than what was usual with their doctors; nor is this contrary to what is said in
[See comments on Mt 12:19]: this is also a fruitless plea and which will be of no service; it will signify nothing, to have heard Christ preached, or Christ himself preach, unless there is faith in him, which works by love; for not hearers of the word only, but doers of it are regarded.
a T. Bab. Erubin, fol. 29. 1. b T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 26. 1. c T. Bab. Moed Katon, fol. 16. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Shall ye begin (). Future middle, though Westcott and Hort put (aorist middle subjunctive of ) and in that case a continuation of the ‘ construction. It is a difficult passage and the copyists had trouble with it.
In thy presence ( ). As guests or hosts or neighbours some claim, or the master of the house. It is grotesque to claim credit because Christ taught in their streets, but they are hard run for excuses and claims.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
In thy presence [ ] . Not as beloved and familiar guests. Compare with you [ ] , Mt 26:29.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Then shall ye begin to say,” over and over, repeatedly, calling too late, without excuse, Pro 1:28-29; Rom 2:1.
2) “We have eaten and drunk in thy presence,” (ephagonomen enopion sou kai epiomen) “We ate and drank in your presence,” a very different thing from “eating and drinking with Him,” as He fed the thousands, Mat 14:13-21; Mar 6:32-44; Luk 9:10-17.
3) “And thou hast taught in our streets.” (kai en tais plateiais hemon edidaksas) “And you taught in our streets,” a thing He did not do, because the Word says “His voice was not heard in the streets,” Mat 12:19. They were seeking entrance on the basis of presumed earthly friendship, which they shall exaggerate, as a basis of ticket-entrance into the presence of the Lord, at His coming, See? Mat 7:22; Tit 1:16.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
26. Thou hast taught in our streets Christ expressly states, that it will be of no advantage to the Jews, that he approached near to them, and permitted them to enjoy familiar intercourse with him, if, when called, they do not answer at the appointed day. But he does not follow out his comparison: for, after having spoken about the master of a house, he now states, without a figure, that he is himself the judge; and indeed the words, thou hast taught in our streets, can apply to no one but himself. We now perceive his design, which was, to warn the Jews not to allow themselves to lose, by their own neglect, the salvation which it is in their power to obtain.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(26) We have eaten and drunk . . .Better, we ate and drank . . ., and Thou didst teach. The words differ slightly from those in Mat. 7:22, which put higher claims into the mouths of the speakers, Did we not prophecy in Thy name . . .? They are, i.e., the representatives of those who hold office in the Church of God, yet have not truly submitted themselves to the guidance of the Divine Teacher. Here the words clearly point to actual companionship, to the hopes that men were building on the fact that they had once sat at meat, in the house of Publican or Pharisee, with the Prophet whom they acknowledged as the Christ. In its wider application it, of course, includes all who in any sense eat and drink with Him now in visible fellowship with His Church, and who rest their hopes of eternal life on that outward communion.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. We have eaten and drunk They had perhaps partaken of his miraculous feedings with the five thousand.
In thy presence At the same table, so as to be acquaintances.
Taught in our streets We have heard thee preach. Our Lord here slightly changes the man from householder to preacher; that is, from his parabolic to his real self.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“Then will you begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets,’ ”
Their desperate reply will be to try to call to His mind past times. They had eaten and drunk with Him, He had taught in their streets. As we know there are many who could have said such, so many that He could not possibly, in His humanness, remember them. There is no doubt now as to Who is indicated by the Master of the house. These are those who have had much to do with Him, but who had rejected His word. They had rejected the fire of His word, now the fire of His anger must come on them.
There are some today who base their confidence and hope on the fact that they participate in the Lord’s Table and hear the Lord’s teaching through His word and though His ministers. But it is not enough to do that. We must enter through the door of full commitment and yielding of ourselves to Him. We must believe in Him. We must open our lives to Him calling on Him that we might be saved and asking Him to do it. But we must ask Him before it is too late. Then He will work faith in our hearts and transformation in our lives.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 13:26. We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, “Over and above the privileges which you have enjoyed by the Mosaic dispensation, you shall plead on that occasion the peculiar favour which I shewed you in the days of my flesh, by exercising myministry among you, and by conversing familiarly with you.” Perhaps some of the nine thousand whom Jesus had fed by miracle, may at last be in this miserable number. Compare Joh 6:26. Brennius refers it to their having eaten the sacrifices presented to God according to the Mosaic constitution; but different persons may use this plea in different senses. The paraphrase of Erasmus on this verse deserves attention: “Wherefore, Lord, dost thou not know us, or acknowledge us to be thine; whereas thou wast born among us, we have eaten and drank in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets; nay, we are thy disciples, and have more than once healed the sick, and cast out devils in thy name?”Upon this the Master of the family shall answer, “All those things which ye have enumerated, are insufficient to prove you mytrue disciples. He that walks in my steps, shall be acknowledged for my disciple. But if you have not followed my example, it will avail you nothingto have known the law, to have heard me, to have been my countrymen, my disciples, or to have wrought miracles in my name; for whoever has impenitently lived in the neglect of internal piety and the social virtues, him I will never own to belong to me. Go your ways therefore, and receive your due reward from him whom you have obeyed and served.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
Ver. 26. We have eaten and drunk, &c. ] These pretenders to Christ perish by catching at their own catch, hanging on their own fancy, making a bridge of their own shadow, &c.; they verily believe that Christ is their sweet Saviour, &c., when it is no such matter; they trust to Christ, as the apricot tree that leans against the wall, but is fast rooted in the earth: so are these in the world, &c.
We have eaten and drunk in thy presence ] Even at thy table, but it became a snare to them.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
26. . . . . ] As applied to the then assembled crowd , these words refer to the miracles of feeding, perhaps also to His having so often sat at meat in the houses of various persons (the . must not be pressed as meaning any thing different from .: the expression is a general one for taking a meal); as applied to Christians , to the eating and drinking whereof those miracles were anticipatory.
Both these are merely, in His presence; very different from the drinking of which He speaks Mat 26:29 , and from the , Rev 3:20 .
. . . ., applicable directly to those to whom the words were spoken; and further, in its fuller sense, to all among whom the gospel is preached, even till the end.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 13:26 . This verse is viewed by many as the apodosis of a long sentence beginning with (Luk 13:25 ), and the emotional character of the passage, in which parable and moral are blended, goes far to justify them. But it is better on the whole to find here a new start. , before thee, either, as thy guests or hosts (Capernaum feast, dinners in the houses of Pharisees), i.e. , with thee; or. under thine eve involving a claim simply of neighbourhood. The former is the more likely, because it puts the case more strongly in their favour.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
in Thy presence = before Thee.
Thou hast taught, &c. This shows to whom these words are addressed, and thus limits the interpretation to “this generation”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
26. . . . .] As applied to the then assembled crowd, these words refer to the miracles of feeding,-perhaps also to His having so often sat at meat in the houses of various persons (the . must not be pressed as meaning any thing different from .:-the expression is a general one for taking a meal);-as applied to Christians, to the eating and drinking whereof those miracles were anticipatory.
Both these are merely,-in His presence;-very different from the drinking of which He speaks Mat 26:29, and from the , Rev 3:20.
. . . ., applicable directly to those to whom the words were spoken; and further, in its fuller sense, to all among whom the gospel is preached, even till the end.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 13:26. , then ye shall begin) though previously having relied on other pretexts. [They who have remained estranged from Christ heretofore, when they had the opportunity of intimate communion with Him presented to them, shall, at the time when they would wish that they had been His familiar friends, be banished by Him from His presence.-V. g.]-, to say) Meaning to say this, Why shouldest Thou not know us? [Thou hast seen into our daily conversation and walk: we have had Thee in the midst of us.-V. g.] This properly applies to those who were living at that time.- , in Thy presence; in our streets) Therefore we must not merely eat and drink in the presence of Christ, but we must be partakers of (have a share in) Christ [if we are to be acknowledged by Him at last]; and not merely throw open our streets, but our hearts, to His saving doctrine.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
We: Isa 58:2, 2Ti 3:5, Tit 1:16
Reciprocal: Gen 4:16 – went 2Sa 22:42 – unto the Lord Pro 10:29 – but Mat 7:22 – have we Mat 13:41 – and them Mat 25:12 – I know Luk 12:9 – shall 1Co 9:27 – lest
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6
They thought Jesus meant he would be literally unacquainted with them, hence they made the argument about their personal association with him.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Luk 13:26. We did eat and drink in thy presence. The plea is previous acquaintanceship. As applied to those then addressed, it refers to actual participation in ordinary meals with our Lord. More generally it refers to external connection with Christ, without actual communion with Him. Undoubtedly we may accept here an allusion to the Lords supper.
Didst teach in our streets. The figure is dropped for a moment here: the householder represents our Lord. The clause had a literal application then, but it also refers to all among whom the gospel is preached.Notice the earnestness is not that of those seeking for mercy, but of those claiming a right, and basing their claim on something merely external. It is the mistake of Phariseeism to the very last.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
13:26 {7} Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
(7) It is vain to be in the Church if one is not of the Church; and whether or not one is in the Church is shown by the purity of life.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
When the kingdom began no amount of appeal based only on friendship or familiarity with Jesus would avail. Jesus had extended fellowship to His hearers and had taught them the way of salvation, but they had rejected His offers. Here Jesus identified the person who shut the door as Himself (cf. Mat 7:22-23). He will also be the person who will utterly forsake and pronounce judicial rejection on unbelievers for their lack of righteousness (cf. Psa 6:8).