Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 14:3
And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
3. answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees ] See on Luk 5:22. He took the initiative, and answered their unspoken thoughts.
Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? ] We have already seen (Luk 6:1-11, Luk 13:11-17; comp. Joh 5:11; Joh 9:14), that these Sabbath disputes lay at the very centre of the Pharisaic hatred to him, because around the ordinance of the Sabbath they had concentrated the worst puerilities and formalisms of the Oral Law; and because the Sabbath had sunk from a religious ordinance into a national institution, the badge of their exclusiveness and pride. But this perfectly simple and transparent question at once defeated their views. If they said ‘It is not lawful’ they exposed themselves before the people to those varied and overwhelming refutations which they had already undergone (see on Luk 13:15). If they said ‘It is lawful’ then cecidit quaestio, and their plot had come to nothing.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Jesus, answering – To answer, in the Scriptures, does not always imply, as among us, that anything had been said before. It means often merely to begin or to take up a subject, or, as here, to remark on the case that was present.
Is it lawful … – He knew that they were watching him. If he healed the man at once, they would accuse him. He, therefore, proposed the question to them, and when it was asked, they could not say that it was not lawful.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
3-6. (See on Mt12:11, 12).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Jesus answering, spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees,…. All the Oriental versions, for “lawyers”, read “Scribes”: these, with the Pharisees, were got together in a body, in their brother Pharisee’s house, to watch the motions of Christ; who knew their designs upon him, and the thoughts of their hearts, and made answer to them, by putting the following question;
saying, is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? The occasion of the question was the object before him, whom Christ had a compassionate regard to, and determined to cure; but knowing that these men were catching at every thing, to traduce him, was desirous of having their sentiments first; not but that he knew full well, what was agreeable to the law of God, and what was not; and what also were the traditions of their elders, which they held, and which allowed of healing on the sabbath day, where life was in danger.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Answering (). First aorist passive participle without the passive meaning. Jesus answered the thoughts of those mentioned in verse 1. Here “lawyers and Pharisees” are treated as one class with one article () whereas in 7:30 they are treated as two classes with separate articles.
Or not ( ). The dilemma forestalled any question by them.
They held their peace (). Ingressive aorist active of old verb . They became silent, more so than before.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
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1)“And Jesus answering,” (kai apokritheis ho lesous) “And Jesus responding,” to the occasion, that appears to have been “set up,” by the Pharisees, perverters of the Law of Moses, and rejectors of Him as the Savior, Mar 7:1-12; Joh 1:11-12; Mat 5:20.
2) “Spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying,” (eipen pros tous nomikous kai Pharisaious legon) “Spoke directly to the Pharisees and the lawyers, saying,” or challenging them for a commitment on what they were about to face. He knew their thoughts and the wickedness of their unregenerated hearts, Jer 17:9-10; Joh 2:25.
3) “Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath?” (eksestin to sabbato therapeusai he ou) “Is it legal to heal, or not, on the sabbath?” Mat 12:10, according to your law and judgment? What is your eminent judgment and your practical action regarding such, in the light of your law? since you also feast on the sabbath? He inquired or quizzed them. They had entrapped themselves in a dilemma, a contradictory position much as that of Luk 13:14-15.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
3. Is it lawful to cure on Sabbath? The meaning of this question is, ought the curing of a man to be reckoned among the works which violate the Sabbath? If they had said that the observance of the Sabbath is violated in this way, the reply was obvious, that it is a work of God. Now the law of the Sabbath goes no farther, than that men shall rest from their own works. Christ first puts the question to them, and he does so for the purpose of guarding against offense. It would not have been necessary for him to pacify them, if they had not been instigated by hardened malice. Not that he always laid himself under this restriction; for in many cases he did what had been enjoined on him by the Father, without attending to the offense that might arise from it. But he intended to show by this example, that he did not inconsiderately perform miracles on Sabbath, because he was prepared to assign a reason for what he did. They, on the other hand, make it evident by their silence, that their desire of finding fault is stronger than their zeal for the law; and therefore Christ treats with utter indifference their opinion about his action, because it was evident that they intentionally sought out an occasion of offense.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) Unto the lawyers.See Note on Mat. 22:35. The teaching of our Lord is identical in substance, and nearly so in form, with that in Luk. 6:6-11, Mat. 12:9-14, Mar. 3:1-6. Here, however, it will be noticed, our Lord takes the initiative in the controversy, whereas before the scribes and Pharisees had asked Him the question. Possibly some report of what had then passed had reached the ears of those who were now present, and caused them to be silent both before and after the question.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Answering Answering, perhaps, their silent evil eye.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And Jesus answering spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath, or not?”
Jesus ‘answers’ the lawyers and Pharisees. This may indicate His response to the man’s mute appeal, or it may signify that He recognised the unspoken question in the minds of the Pharisees who were watching Him. What follows may be seen as suggesting the latter, for, aware that He was being watched, Jesus turned to the Scribes and Pharisees who were present with a question. It was a very simple one, that nine times out of ten they would have dealt with very quickly. “Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath, or not?”
Now if He had been a doctor their answer would have been immediate and clear. ‘Only in the case of a life-threatening illness.’ But He was not just a doctor. And none other could heal like He did. How did you say to such a person, ‘You cannot ask God to heal on the Sabbath, for God is not allowed to heal on the Sabbath.’ But nor were they willing to give Him permission. So they were in a quandary.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
Ver. 3. And Jesus answering ] viz. Their thoughts, which were naked and open; naked (for the outside) and dissected, quartered, and, as it were, cleft through the backbone (for the inside), before him with whom they had to deal,Heb 4:13Heb 4:13 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Luk 14:3 . : Jesus addresses Himself to the double situation; on the one hand a sick man dumbly appealing for help, on the other jealous religionists aware of His free habit and expecting eccentric speech and action open to censure. , etc.: first He asks a question as to the legality of Sabbatic healing in a tone which amounts to an affirmative assertion, allowed to pass uncontradicted ( ); then He proceeds to answer His own question by healing the man (Luk 14:4 ), and finally He offers an apology for the act.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Jesus. App-98.
unto. Greek. pros. App-104.
lawyers = doctors of the law.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Luk 14:3. , answering) to the thoughts of His adversaries.-, lawyers) who, though the law was their profession, notwithstanding did not understand aright the law concerning the Sabbath.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
the lawyers: Luk 11:44, Luk 11:45
Is: Luk 6:9, Luk 13:14-16, Mat 12:10, Mar 3:4, Joh 7:23
Reciprocal: Mat 22:35 – a lawyer Luk 6:6 – he Tit 3:13 – the lawyer
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE SPIRIT OF SUNDAY OBSERVANCE
Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
Luk 14:3
It was at Capernaum that the controversy with our Lord about the Sabbath took place. What do we learn from our Lords teaching?
I. All the ceremonial prescription must give way to necessity.When the disciples of the Lord were hungry, and plucked the ears of corn and rubbed them in their hands, and so broke the law from necessity, He commended what they did. And so, we know, then, that when there is a case of necessity, the ceremonial law may be broken. And it comes into our lives in this waysome one says: If I do not keep my little shop open on Sunday, I shall starve. Very well, if it is a case of starvation, I wont say a word against it. If a man were to say, It is absolutely necessary for me to go right away on the Sundayif it is absolutely necessary, you may cover yourselves under your Master. But the question is, Is it absolutely necessary? The Lord certainly did tell us all prescriptive ceremonial must give way to necessity.
II. Prescriptive ceremonial must give way to serviceGods service.And if this first law of the Lord was for the people, this is for Gods ministers, The priests in the Temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless. They kept the law by breaking it. Their work was very arduous. So arduous was the priests work, that, month by month, he had to go and rest. And that covers Gods ministry. In most cases, the clergy have the hardest work to do upon the Sunday. We can cover ourselves under the law of our God and Master, and say, the priests who did Gods service were blameless.
III. All ceremonial observance must give way to mercy.If you are coming to church, and, in some necessity of life, some poor soul calls you away, needing your help, you must not say: If I help that poor chap, I shall miss church; or, I shall be late for church You must say: No; mercy is greater than sacrifice. You had much better stop and do a little work of mercy, and miss church, even on Sunday.
IV. The Sabbath was made for man.It was made, first of all, for the family; it was made for the nation, and now it is made for the whole world. He, the Son of Man, is Lord of the Day that He hath made, and that is the only reason why we have from our Lord the authority for keeping the Lords Day, His day.
We ought to be on the Sunday the Lords Day observers. That is as the Bible has indicated to us and the Church, and I tell you our one duty is to go to the Lords service on the Lords Day.
Rev. A. H. Stanton.
Illustration
In the French Revolution they wished to abolish it altogether, and the men in the time of the Revolution said: Let us have seven days work and seven days pay, and they had it; and now they have seven days work, but only six days pay. They have lost their day of rest, and long to get it back. It was made for them, and they destroyed it.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
3
Jesus answering. The text says nothing about whether the people said anything openly, but Jesus could read the thoughts of men, and he knew they were thinking of criticizing him. He anticipated them by speaking on the very subject of their wicked motives. But he did not put the question in the form they would have wished. He could have asked if it was lawful to do anything on the sabbath, but that form of question would have implied its own answer which would have been negative. So he put it on the humane basis of healing a man on the sabbath day.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
[Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?] A Jew will be ready to cavil against the truth of the evangelists upon the occasion of this and such like questions they report from our Saviour. What need had he (will such a one say) to ask this question, when he could not but know that, in danger of life, it was permitted them to do any thing towards the preservation of it. Nay, where there was no imminent danger, they were allowed to apply medicines, plasters, etc.; especially, which I must not omit, to apply leaven even in the time of Passover to a ‘Gumretha,’ some very burning distemper.
This is all true indeed; and this no doubt our Saviour understood well enough: but withal he could not but observe with how ill an eye they looked at him, and would not allow that in him which was lawful in another man. He was always accused for healing on the sabbath day, which whiles he did with a word speaking, he could not violate the sabbath so much as even their own canons permitted him: and wherefore then should they accuse him? In mere hatred to his person and actions. There are two little stories we meet with in places quoted before, which perhaps may serve in some measure to illustrate this matter.
“The grandchild of R. Joshua Ben Levi had some disease in his throat, There came one and mumbled to him in the name of Jesus the son of Pandira, and he was restored.” Here we see the virtue and operation of Jesus not so utterly exploded, but they did allow of it.
“When R. Eliezer Ben Damah had been bitten with a serpent, and Jacobus Capharsamensis came in the name of Jesus the son of Pandira to heal him, R. Ismael forbade it.” And so the sick man died.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Luk 14:3. Answering, i.e., the thoughts of the Pharisees.
Is it lawful, etc.? This unexpected question evidently embarrassed them. If they answered yes, the occasion of finding fault was taken away; if no, they could be charged with want of compassion.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
HEALING OF PETERS MOTHER-IN-LAW
Mat 8:14-17; Mar 1:2-34; & Luk 14:3-35 Mark: And immediately coming out of the synagogue? came into the house of Simon and Andrew and James and John. The mother-in-law of Simon was lying down scorched with a fever; and immediately they speak to Him concerning her; and coming to her and taking her by the hand, He raised her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she continued to minister unto them. And it being evening, when the sun went down, they continued to carry to Him all the sick and the demonized; and the whole city was gathered at the door. And He healed many sick with various diseases, and continued to cast out many demons; and did not suffer the demons to speak, because they knew Him. Matthew gives a wonderful prophecy of Isa 53:4 :
He took our infirmities, and carried our diseases.
That prophecy, corroborated by our Savior, is really wonderful on Divine healing, certainly setting forth our blessed privilege in the atonement to have our bodies healed. We need physical health in order to do the work the Lord has given us, to bless mankind and glorify God in this life; our faith being the measuring-line of blessings for body as well as soul. This case of Peter’s mother-in-law, in his house in Capernaum, was really notable.
Luke says, She was afflicted with a great fever. The healing was so decisive that she got up at once, and proceeded to do her housework. I have seen that very case duplicated repeatedly. Last August, at Scottsville (Texas) Camp-meeting, we prayed for a lady in her tent who was burnt with a terrible fever, at the same time anointing her with oil. The fever left her immediately she got up and went to meeting within fifteen minutes. I saw her in the meetings constantly till the adjournment of the camp, with no sign of fever, and testifying to her healing. We see here that when the sun went down, they continued to bring the sick; as this was midsummer, and the sea of Galilee is seven hundred feet below the Mediterranean and surrounded by highlands, it gets exceedingly hot on the coast. Hence the importance of waiting until sunset, and perhaps in order to command necessary help, as men have more leisure at night than during the day. We see here that Jesus cast out the demons and healed the sick, thus ministering both to soul and body, converting, saving, and sanctifying the soul and healing the body. He is the same, Yesterday, today, and forever. O what a Savior we have! His mercies are boundless and free. It is our glorious privilege, not only to have all the demons cast out of our souls, but to have our bodily ailments healed. We should go to the ends of the earth, as our Lord commissioned us, casting out demons and healing the sick. We see here that, while all of those demons wanted to confess the Christhood of Jesus, His Divine Sonship, He prohibited them. How did they know Him? All these demons were once angels, as God never created a devil. During the bygone ages, before they forfeited their probation and were cast out of heaven, they all beheld the bright glory of the Son of God. Hence they recognized Him; but I am not astonished that He was unwilling for these fallen spirits to become the heralds of His Divinity. He preferred to let His mighty works vindicate His claims to the Messiahship.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Jesus took the initiative and asked the Pharisees and lawyers for their opinion thus shifting the burden of proof to them. He asked for their interpretation of what the Mosaic Law allowed (cf. Luk 6:9). When they raised no objection, He proceeded to heal the man (cf. Luk 6:10). Jesus could have waited a day, but He performed the miracle on the Sabbath to launch the teaching that followed. Perhaps he dismissed the man to remove him from the arena of controversy and to center the discussion on the issue rather than on a person.