Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 11:28
But he said, Yea rather, blessed [are] they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
28. Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it ] See Luk 8:21. Our Lord invariably and systematically discouraged all attempt to exalt the merely human relationship or intercourse with Him, and taught that the Presence of His Spirit was to be a nearer and more blessed thing than knowledge of Him “after the flesh” (Joh 14:16; 2Co 5:16).
and keep it ] Hearing without obedience was more than valueless, Mat 7:21; Mat 12:50; Rom 2:13.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But he said,…. Christ said “to the woman”, Persic version reads, as correcting her, though not denying it, nor reproving her for it, but improving upon it:
yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it; intimating, that though his mother was happy in bearing and suckling such a son, yet it was a far greater happiness to hear the word of God; meaning either himself, the eternal “Logos”, so as to embrace him, believe on him, and have him formed in the heart; or the Gospel preached by him, so as to understand it, receive it as the ingrafted word, and bring forth fruit, and act in obedience to it, observe it, and abide by it, and never relinquish it. This is a greater happiness than to be related to Christ in the flesh, though ever so nearly. The Ethiopic version reads, “that hear the word of God, and believe, and keep it”: for faith comes by hearing, and shows itself in doing. Barely to hear the word, and even give an assent to it, will be of little avail, unless what is heard and believed is put in practice.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But he said ( ). Jesus in contrast turns attention to others and gives them a beatitude (). “The originality of Christ’s reply guarantees its historical character. Such a comment is beyond the reach of an inventor” (Plummer).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “But he said, Yea, rather,” (autos de eipen menoun) “Then he said, rather or instead,” blessed to a greater degree and greater in number.
2) “Blessed are they that hear the word of God,” (makarioi hoi akouontes ton logon tou theou) “Blessed are the ones who hear, heed, or obey the word of God,” to repent, believe on, confess, be baptized and respond to the word of God, proclaimed by His Son, Luk 14:35; Luk 13:3; Luk 13:5; Luk 9:23.
3) “And keep It.” (kai phulassontes) “And keep, guard, or lay hold on it,” Joh 2:5; Joh 14:15; Joh 15:14; Jas 1:22; Eph 2:10; 1Co 15:58; Gal 6:9. The doers of the word are more blessed than the virgin mother. The doers of the word were more blessed than the parents or the preacher, Luk 8:21; Psa 119:1-2; Mat 7:21.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(28) Blessed are they that hear the word of God.The term thus used clearly designates here the message of the Kingdom spoken by our Lord Himself, as in the parable of the Sower (Mat. 13:20). In its wider application, it of course includes, though it must not be confined to it, the record of that spoken Word, or of subsequent revelations of the Truth in what we know as Scripture.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
28. Yea Jesus accepts the mother’s blessing upon his mother. His mother is blessed in being his mother, as she herself had predicted. Luk 1:48. Yea, she was blessed with the maternity of the Messiah because she heard the word of God and kept it. The blessedness of such a doing is thus superior to the bodily blessing of being mother to even such a son. And how repeatedly does Jesus pronounce the securement of our own salvation to be superior to every other interest. It is superior to gaming the whole world, superior to subjecting devils unto us, superior even to being the parent of the Saviour! Truly, whatever man may think, in God’s esteem the salvation of the soul is precious.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘But he said, “Yes rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it.” ’
This all now leads on to the crunch saying. Those who are truly blessed are those who have responded to the word of God as He has proclaimed it, and who are now keeping it, meditating on it, holding it in their hearts, and living it out in their lives. They are under the Kingly Rule of God. They enjoy true blessing. There is no far of them being open to evil spirits. (The same lesson is in mind here as in Luk 8:19-21).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
Ver. 28. Yea, rather, blessed ] His disciples were more blessed in hearing Christ than his mother in bearing him.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Luk 11:28 . might be confirmatory ( utique ) or corrective ( imo vero ), or a little of both; the tone of voice would show which of the two the speaker meant to be the more prominent. Correction probably was uppermost in Christ’s thoughts. Under the appearance of approval the woman was taught that she was mistaken in thinking that merely to be the mother of an illustrious son constituted felicity (Schanz). Viger (Ed. Hermann), p. 541, quotes this text as illustrating the use of in the sense of imo vero, rendering: “Quin imo, vel imo vero, beati qui audiunt verbum Dei”. Its position at the beginning of the sentence is contrary to Attic use: “reperitur apud solos Scriptores Macedonicos,” Sturz, De Dial. Mac. el Alex. , p. 203. . ., those who hear and keep the word of God , the truly blessed. Cf. “His word” in Luk 10:39 ; an established phrase.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Luk 11:28. ) The mother of One who teaches so well is pronounced blessed: but in truth rather blessed are they who follow the Teacher. So , [Nay but, O man, etc.] Rom 9:20; Rom 10:18 [ , etc.: Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth].- , they who hear) including even that pious woman herself.-, who keep it) viz. they who bear Christ and His word in their heart, as His mother had borne the Saviour Himself in her womb. [She however was one who herself also kept the word, being on that very account blessed. Luk 1:45 (Luk 2:19).-V. g.]
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Luk 6:47, Luk 6:48, Luk 8:21, Psa 1:1-3, Psa 112:1, Psa 119:1-6, Psa 128:1, Isa 48:17, Isa 48:18, Mat 7:21-25, Mat 12:48-50, Joh 13:17, Jam 1:21-25, 1Jo 3:21-24, Rev 22:14
Reciprocal: Lev 18:26 – keep Deu 5:29 – keep all Deu 11:27 – General Deu 27:1 – Keep all Deu 28:1 – If thou shalt Deu 29:9 – General Jos 1:8 – observe 1Ki 10:8 – happy are these 2Ch 9:7 – General Psa 32:1 – Blessed Psa 106:3 – Blessed Pro 7:1 – keep Pro 7:4 – Thou Pro 8:32 – for Pro 8:34 – watching Pro 10:17 – the way Pro 19:16 – keepeth the Pro 23:25 – and she Pro 29:18 – but Isa 2:3 – he will teach Isa 56:2 – Blessed Eze 18:11 – that Eze 33:31 – and they Mat 5:3 – Blessed Mat 7:24 – whosoever Mat 11:6 – blessed Mat 12:50 – do Mat 25:34 – Come Mar 3:34 – Behold Luk 1:28 – blessed Luk 1:45 – blessed Luk 8:15 – keep Joh 14:21 – that hath Rom 10:17 – and hearing 1Th 2:13 – the word of God 2Ti 4:7 – I have kept Jam 1:22 – be Jam 1:25 – this 1Jo 2:5 – whoso Rev 1:3 – Blessed
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8
Jesus did not go even to the extent of endorsing what the woman said, but stated what he would rather be done, which was to keep the word of God.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Luk 11:28. Yea, rather. Our Lord does not deny that His mother was blessed, but He nevertheless rectifies the womans view. The ground of her blessedness, as in the case of all the human race, unto whom in the highest sense, a child is born, a son is given, is that she too belonged to them that hear the word of God and keep it. Comp. chap. Luk 1:45; Luk 2:19; Luk 2:51. This woman truly represents devout Roman Catholics in their Adoration of the Virgin. The Ave Maria, as they use it, is but a repetition of her words; and their religious enthusiasm too often manifests the same unintelligent wonder, which is here kindly reproved by our Lord. His answer gives prominence not to His own word, but to the word of God; for though they are the same, the woman was thinking solely of His human birth, and not of His heavenly Father; and this mistake He would correct. The blessing our Lord pronounces may be the portion of all believers, as of His mother. Comp. Mat 12:50.