Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 10:32
And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked [on him,] and passed by on the other side.
32. came and looked on him ] This vivid touch shews us the cold curiosity of the Levite, which was even baser than the dainty neglect of the Priest. Perhaps the Priest had been aware that a Levite was behind him, and left the trouble to him: and perhaps the Levite said to himself that he need not do what the priest had not thought fit to do.
By choosing Gal 3:16-23 as the Epistle to be read with this Gospel (13th Sunday after Trinity) the Church indicates her view that this Parable implies the failure of the Jewish Priesthood and Law to pity or remove the misery and sin of man.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
A Levite – The Levites, as well as the priests, were of the tribe of Levi, and were set apart to the duties of religion. The special duty of the priest was to offer sacrifice at the temple; to present incense; to conduct the morning and evening services of the temple, etc. The office or duty of the Levites was to render assistance to the priests in their services. In the journey of the Israelites through the wilderness, it was their duty to transport the various parts of the tabernacle and the sacred utensils. It was their duty to see that the tabernacle and the temple were kept clean; to prepare supplies for the sanctuary, such as oil, incense, wine, etc. They had also the care of the sacred revenues, and after the time of David they conducted the sacred music of the temple service, Num. 8:5-22; 1Ch 23:3-5, 1Ch 23:24-32; 1Ch 24:27-31.
Came and looked on him – It is remarked by critics, here, that the expression used does not denote, as in the case of the priest, that he accidentally saw him and took no farther notice of him, but that he came and looked on him more attentively, but still did nothing to relieve him.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place,…. Where the poor man lay in this deplorable condition:
came and looked on him; and that was all; but neither spoke a comfortable word, nor administered any relief to him, or in the least assisted him:
and passed by on the other side; as the priest had done before him: by the “priest” may be meant, the moral law, and by the Levite the ceremonial law; and so by both, the whole law of Moses; and intimates, that no mercy is to be expected from thence: the law makes no abatement in its demands, nor any allowance for the fall and weakness of man: nor is it become milder under the Gospel dispensation; nor will it accept of an imperfect, though sincere obedience, in the room of a perfect one; and is deaf to all repentings, cries, and tears: no relief is to be had from thence, for a naked, wounded, and dead man; no robe of righteousness to cover a naked soul; for by the law is the knowledge of sin, but not a justifying righteousness by the deeds of it: for the deeds of the law, performed by sinful men, are impure and imperfect; and were they pure and perfect, they would be unprofitable, and could not justify in the sight of God from former sins; for could they, they would establish boasting, and disannul the death of Christ, and frustrate the grace of God; and therefore righteousness cannot be by the law, that leaves a man as naked as it finds him: nor is there any healing by it to a wounded conscience; there is no pity from it, no justification by it, no pardon through it, no expiation or atonement of sin, by obedience to it; no word of comfort is spoken by it; so far from it, that when it comes with power, it opens the wounds of sin, fills the conscience with wrath and terror, destroys all the man’s former hopes of happiness, and leaves him where it found him; without healing him itself, or pointing out a physician to him: much less can it give life to a dead sinner: spiritual life is not communicated by it, nor can eternal life, or any true hope of it, be attained through it; it is so far from it, that it is the killing letter, and the ministration of condemnation and death.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Came and looked. Rev., saw. Seeming to imply that the Levite went farther than the priest in coming near to the wounded man, and, having observed his condition, passed on.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And likewise a Levite,” (homoios de kai Levites) “Then a Levite did likewise,” did the identical thing, passed by on the opposite side, offering no help or compassion for a wounded racial brother, though he himself was of the sanctified tribe whose duties brought him in contact with the officers of religion.
2) “When he was at the place,” (kata ton topon) “When he had come upon the place of the attack,” where the wounded lay.
3) “Came and looked on him,” (elthon kai idon) “He came and upon beholding what had happened,” after looking over the situation, Num 8:5-22; The Levite looked on him with curiosity, not compassion or humanity, a further aggravation.
4) “And passed by on the other side. (antiparelthen) “He deliberately by-passed the wounded and dying one, offering no help or compassion,” leaving his fellowman to perish, without an act of mercy, Mic 6:8; Mat 23:23. Whatever the priest and Levite had learned at the temple in Jerusalem, they had not learned the message of I will have mercy, and not sacrifice,” Hos 6:6; Mat 9:13; Mat 12:7.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(32) Likewise a Levite.The passage is memorable as the only mention of Levites in the Gospels. He is represented as at once better and worse than the priestbetter in that he does not altogether turn aside, but comes and looks; worse in that his second thoughts are at variance with his first, and prevail against them. If he has more light, he also sins more against it. He, too, may have been coming, like the priest, from his week of service in the Temple.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
32. A Levite A Levite was one of the tribe of Levi; a priest was of the family of Aaron in that tribe. The Levites performed the humble services of the temple, as cleaning, carrying fuel, and acting as choristers. Levites were also writers, teachers, preachers, and literati. The scribes and lawyers were frequently of this tribe, which, in fact, was set apart by Moses as the intellectual body in the nation.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“And in the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side.”
The lesson is doubly rammed home by then speaking of a Levite who did the same thing, for the same reason. Levites were cultic officials and served in the Temple as ‘servants’ to the priests. They too would not want to become ‘unclean’. This is therefore a doubly-emphasised witness to the failure of the servants of the Temple. And the fact that Jesus included only Temple servants as illustrations suggests that He wanted to emphasise the lesson of the corruption of the Temple and those who served in it, and prevents us from seeing this as just a story with one simple point, although it is true that a large number of the officials working in the Temple did in fact live in Jericho. We should remember that in the not too distant future He will call that Temple also ‘a den of robbers’ (Luk 19:46).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 10:32. Came, and looked on him, Came nearer and took a leisurely and attentive survey of the case; which seems to be the import of the words .
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Luk 10:32 . Observe the climax in the description having reached the place (in question), he went, when he had come (approached) and seen (the state of the case), by on the other side . On . , comp. Herod. iii. 86: ; Xen. Cyrop . vii. 1. 14, and elsewhere. Comp. Luk 10:33 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him , and passed by on the other side.
Ver. 32. Passed by on the other side ] . For fear of legal pollution. But two duties never meet so as to cross one another; the one of them yields, and the execution of the yielding duty for the present hath reason of an offence. This Levite’s legal strictness was here a vice; he should rather have showed mercy to his brother in misery. So that the rule, negatives always bind, intends not that they are of an indispensable nature; but that every particular instant of time is to be observed for their obedience, while and where they stand of force. (Huet. of Cons.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
32. ] The Levite, the inferior minister of the Law, did even worse; when he was at the place, he came and saw him; came near, and then passed, as the other.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 10:32 . ., likewise a Levite passed by, the repetition of has a rhetorical monotony suggestive of the idea: such the way of the world to pass by, “in nine cases out of ten that is what you may expect” ( The Parabolic Teaching of Christ , p. 348).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
when he was = being. at. Greek. kata. App-104.
place = spot.
looked on him, and = seeing (as in Luk 10:31) him.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
32.] The Levite, the inferior minister of the Law, did even worse; when he was at the place, he came and saw him;-came near, and then passed, as the other.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Psa 109:25, Pro 27:10, Act 18:17, 2Ti 3:2
Reciprocal: Deu 22:1 – hide thyself Psa 38:11 – stand Pro 24:11 – General Luk 17:16 – and he Act 16:28 – cried
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Luk 10:32. In like manner a Levite also. An inferior minister of the law, engaged in the service of the temple.
Came to the place, etc. The nearest English equivalent for both the Levites office and conduct would probably be found in the word beadle.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
The Levite repeated the priest’s act. He was a less likely person to offer help since his duty, assuming he fulfilled it, involved just assisting the priests in the mundane affairs involved in worship. By omitting his motives Jesus again focused attention on the man’s unloving act.