Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 5:30
But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
30. their scribes and Pharisees ] Some MSS. read ‘ the Pharisees and their scribes,’ i. e. those who were the authorised teachers of the company present. The scribes ( Sopherm from Sepher ‘a book’) were a body which had sprung up after the exile, whose function it was to copy and explain the Law. The ‘words of the scribes’ were the nucleus of the body of tradition known as ‘the oral law.’ The word was a general term, for technically the Sopherm were succeeded by the Tanam or ‘repeaters’ from b. c. 300 to a. d. 220, who drew up the Halachth or ‘precedents;’ and they by the Amoraim. The tyranny of pseudo-orthodoxy which they had established, and the insolent terrorism with which it was enforced, were denounced by our Lord (Luk 11:37-54) in terms of which the burning force can best be understood by seeing from the Talmud how crushing were the ‘secular chains’ in which they had striven to bind the free conscience of the people chains which it became His compassion to burst (see Gfrrer, Jahrh. d. Heils, i. 140).
murmured against his disciples ] They had not yet learnt to break the spell of awe which surrounded the Master, and so they attacked the ‘unlearned and ignorant’ Apostles. The murmurs must have reached the ears of Jesus after the feast, unless we imagine that some of these dignified teachers, who of course could not sit down at the meal, came and looked on out of curiosity. The house of an Oriental is perfectly open, and any one who likes may enter it.
with publicans and sinners ] Rather, “with the publicans and sinners”. The article is found in nearly all the uncials.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Luk 5:30
But the scribes and Pharisees murmur
The Friend of sinners
We cannot wonder at the scribes and Pharisees asking this question.
I think that we should most of us ask it now, if we saw the Lord Jesus going out of His way to eat and drink with publicans and sinners. Make merry with them He could not, but He certainly so behaved to them that they were glad to have Him among them, though He was so unlike them in thought, and word, and look, and action. And why? Because, though He was so unlike them in many things, He was like them at least in one thing. If He could do nothing else in common with them, He could at least eat and drink as they did, and eat and drink with them too. Yes. He was the Son of Man, the man of all men, and what He wanted to make them understand was that, fallen low as they were, they were men and women still, who were made at first in Gods likeness, and who could be redeemed back into Gods likeness again. The only way to do that was to begin with them in the very simplest way–to meet them on common human ground. Self-respect would begin to rise in those poor sinners hearts when our Lord came to them and ate and drank with them. (Charles Kingsley.)
Practical sympathy
A city missionary was one day visiting one of the lowest and most degraded courts in London, and a woman said something like this to him:–You say you care for us, and are anxious about us; but it is a very easy thing for you to come from your clean, quiet home just to visit us. Would you come and bring your family, and live in this court, expose yourself to all these evils day by day, in order to lift us up? The missionary felt he had hardly enough love for that: but Jesus dwelt with sinners, ate and drank with them as well as died to save them. (Biblical Treasury.)
Sympathetic help
A Boston minister a short time ago had occasion to look up a very poor family, and climbed up four flights of stairs in a noisome tenement house on his errand. His tap at the door was answered by Dr. Phillips Brooks, with a baby in his arms. Inquiry revealed the fact that the woman had been very lit, and sorely needed fresh air, but had no one with whom to leave her little baby. Phillips Brooks found her out, gave her tickets for a tram-car ride, and was staying tending the baby while she enjoyed it. Only from a large heart filled with the spirit of Christ could such an act of real kindness have sprung. (American Paper.)
Frigid selfishness
A great poet has represented the souls of thoroughly selfish men as encased in ice, alternately shivering and benumbed, with only enough of life to be conscious of the surrounding all-pervading death. This supreme selfishness, or rather indifference–this insensibility to What is generous and lofty, this prudent self-complacent, self-indulgent regard for ones own interests, is what our modern civilization, with its wonderful development of material wealth, has been drifting towards. And nothing can be more fatal to the highest interests and happiness of man. A splendid frost-work of society-sparkling like what we sometimes see around us after snow or rain on a winters day–as beautiful, but also as cold and as fatal to all spontaneous outgushing of warm and generous life. (J. H.Thompson.)
Christ in the company of social outcasts
The Jews and Egyptians, and indeed other peoples, were very scrupulous with whom they ate, much as are the Hindoos to the present day. It will be remembered that Joseph Gen 43:32) ate with his brethren apart, and the Egyptians by themselves, for it was an abomination to the latter to eat with Hebrews. And so the old Tobias, during the Assyrian captivity, exhorted his son not to eat and drink with sinners. Christ, by sitting down to table with these despised and excommunicate publicans, add with heathen, broke through the caste rules, of which separation at table was the most conspicuous symbol. He showed that this holding aloof from others, whether it were national or individual, was contrary to the principles of the gospel, against the fundamental laws of His Church. (S. Baring-Gould, M. A.)
The Saviour and the publicans
This question was asked partly in ignorance and partly in ill-will. Our Lord would not leave to His simple and timid disciples the task of answering the critics. First, He rebukes with stern irony the self-righteousness of the questioners, and then He explains.
I. THE ANSWER SET FORTH THE GLORY OF OUR DIVINE SAVIOUR. The Friend of sinners is one of our Lords most glorious titles. Gods condescensions reveal His glory more completely than His magnificence.
1. The glory of His work-To call Sinners to repentance.
2. The glory of His character–, Which of you convinceth Me of sin?
II. A COMMENT ON THE ACTION AND HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. Like her Lord, the Church of Christ has entered into the life of sinful humanity to purify and elevate it. She may not cease to eat and drink with publicans and sinners.
III. SUGGESTIVE AS TO THE DUTY AND CONDUCT OF PRIVATE CHRISTIANS. In consorting with those who openly deny the truth of religion, or who live in flagrant violation of its precepts, there are two dangers to be guarded against.
1. We must keep clear of Pharisaism, that rank weed which so soon springs up in the souls of believers.
2. We must not voluntarily expose our souls to risks which are palpable and overwhelming, when no good can be done for the souls of others. Let us endeavour, when we arc thrown with others, be they who they may, to think of our Lord at Matthews feast, and pray Him for His gracious help that we too, sinners though we be, may speak a word in season to him that is weary. (Canon Liddon.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 30. Why do ye eat and drink, c.] See what passed at this entertainment considered at large on Mt 9:10-17 Mr 2:15-22.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
30. their scribesa mode ofexpression showing that Luke was writing for Gentiles.
Lu5:33-39. FASTING.
(See on Mt9:14-17.)
The incongruities mentionedin Lu 5:36-38 wereintended to illustrate the difference between the genius ofthe old and new economies, and the danger of mixing up the onewith the other. As in the one case supposed, “the rent is madeworse,” and in the other, “the new wine is spilled,”so by a mongrel mixture of the ascetic ritualism of the old withthe spiritual freedom of the new economy, both are disfigured anddestroyed. The additional parable in Lu5:39, which is peculiar to Luke, has been variously interpreted.But the “new wine” seems plainly to be the evangelicalfreedom which Christ was introducing; and the old, the oppositespirit of Judaism: men long accustomed to the latter could not beexpected “straightway”all at onceto take a liking forthe former; that is, “These inquiries about the differencebetween My disciples and the Pharisees,” and even John’s, arenot surprising; they are the effect of a natural revulsion againstsudden change, which time will cure; the new wine will itselfin time become old, and so acquire all the added charms of antiquity.What lessons does this teach, on the one hand, to those whounreasonably cling to what is getting antiquated; and, on the other,to hasty reformers who have no patience with the timidity of theirweaker brethren!
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But their Scribes and Pharisees,…. Not the Scribes of the publicans and sinners that sat down, but the Scribes of the people in general; the Scribes of the Jewish nation: all the eastern versions leave out the word “their”:
murmured against his disciples, saying; or, “murmured, and said unto his disciples”, as the Syriac and Persic versions render it: that is, they either murmured at the publicans and sinners sitting down at meat; or “against him”, as the Ethiopic version reads: either against Matthew for inviting them; or rather against Christ for sitting down with them: and not caring to speak to him, address themselves to his disciples in these words,
why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? The other evangelists represent these as saying, why does he, or your master, eat with such? doubtless, they included both Christ, and his disciples; though they chiefly designed him, and to bring an accusation against him, and fix a charge upon him, in order to render him odious to the people.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Pharisees and their scribes ( ). Note article with each substantive and the order, not “scribes and Pharisees,” but “the Pharisees and the scribes of them” (the Pharisees). Some manuscripts omit “their,” but Mr 2:16 (the scribes of the Pharisees) shows that it is correct here. Some of the scribes were Sadducees. It is only the Pharisees who find fault here.
Murmured (). Imperfect active. Picturesque onomatopoetic word that sounds like its meaning. A late word used of the cooing of doves. It is like the buzzing of bees, like of literary Greek. They were not invited to this feast and would not have come if they had been. But, not being invited, they hang on the outside and criticize the disciples of Jesus for being there. The crowd was so large that the feast may have been served out in the open court at Levi’s house, a sort of reclining garden party.
The publicans and sinners ( ). Here Luke is quoting the criticism of the critics. Note one article making one group of all of them.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
THE MURMURING SCRIBES AND PHARISEES ANSWERED V. 30-35
1) “But their scribes and Pharisees murmured,” (kai egonguzon hoi Pharisaioi kai hoi grammateis auton) “And the Pharisees and scribes who were guests grumbled and grouched,” found fault, Mat 9:11.
2) “Against his disciples, saying,” (pros tous mathetas autou legontes) “Toward his disciples, repeatedly saying,” faulting them, as also recounted Mat 11:19; Mar 2:16. They considered them to be “unlearned and ignorant,” Act 4:13.
3) “Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?” (dia ti meta telonon kai hamartolon esthiete kai pinete) “Just why do you all eat and drink with tax collectors and law-breakers?” or why do you show friendship toward tax-collectors and criminals? They were themselves religious sinners, rebels against Jesus Christ, Mat 5:20; They later smeared Him as a “glutton and a winebibber,” Luk 7:34; Luk 15:2. He came to seek and to save sinners; That was His mission, Joh 3:17; Luk 19:10.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(30) Murmured.Better, were murmuring. In reporting what was said by others, St. Luke naturally gives the word sinners as it was actually spoken.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And the Pharisees and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the public servants and sinners?”
The Pharisees and scribes were wary of approaching Jesus. He had bested them once and they did not want to be bested again. Or it may be that they did not want to come in too close a contact with those enjoying the feast, for to them they were ritually ‘unclean’. So they rather approached His disciples. And they asked why they were eating and drinking like this with public servants and sinners. Did they not realise that they were degrading themselves and themselves risking ritual uncleanness? By sinners they meant people who did not observe the niceties of the Pharisees, not necessarily bad living people.
We do not actually know whether this took place while the feast was going on, or afterwards, but it makes no difference to the points at issue. However, the news that Jesus had called a tax-collector to be His disciple would surely have brought them hurrying to the spot. Surely they had got Him now?
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 5:30 . . , the Pharisees, and the scribes connected with them, the professional men of the party. They were not of course guests, but they might if they chose look in: no privacy on such occasions in the East; or they might watch the strange company as they dispersed. : addressed to the disciples. In the parallels the question refers to the conduct of Jesus though put to the disciples.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
their scribes and Pharisees = the scribes and Pharisees among them: “their” referring to Galilean scribes, as distinguished from those of Jerusalem (Mat 15:1). Note the same distinction as to synagogues in Mat 4:23; Mat 9:35, &c.
against. Greek. pros. App-104.
publicans = the publicans. See Luk 5:27.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Luk 5:30. , do ye eat) The Plural is used by them; but they were aiming at Jesus especially, as Luk 5:31 shows.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
sinners
Sin. (See Scofield “Rom 3:23”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Luk 5:17, Luk 5:21, Luk 7:29, Luk 7:30, Luk 7:34, Luk 7:39, Luk 15:1, Luk 15:2, Luk 18:11, Luk 19:7, Isa 65:5, Mat 21:28-32, Mar 7:3
Reciprocal: Mat 9:11 – Why Mat 11:19 – came Mat 15:1 – scribes Mat 20:11 – they murmured Mar 2:15 – General Mar 9:16 – What Mar 10:2 – the Pharisees Luk 7:37 – which Luk 15:28 – he Joh 6:41 – murmured 1Co 10:27 – bid
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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See the notes on Mat 9:11 about eating with others.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Luk 5:30. Why do ye eat, etc. Matthew and Mark represent the objection as raised against the conduct of our Lord. But the disciples also ate with the publicans and sinners. The result would be a protest from the Pharisees against both the Master and His disciples.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Luk 5:30-32. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured The Pharisees of Capernaum, who knew both Matthews occupation and the character of his guests, were highly offended that Jesus, who pretended to be a prophet, should have deigned to go into the company of such men; so offended that they could not forbear condemning his conduct openly, by asking his disciples, with an air of insolence, in the hearing of the whole company, why he sat with publicans and sinners. Jesus answering, said, They that be whole, &c. The Pharisees had not directed their discourse to Jesus, but having spoken so loud as to let all the guests hear their censure, he could not with propriety let it pass without showing the unreasonableness of it; which he does in a forcible manner, in these words: As if he had said, They that are in perfect health do not need the converse and advice of the physician, but those that are sick; and therefore, because of their need of him, he visits and converses with them, though it cannot otherwise be agreeable to him to do it; and I act on the same principles; for I am not come to call the righteous As you arrogantly suppose yourselves to be, but such poor sinners as these; to repentance Or, the persevering penitence, faith, and holiness of such as are truly righteous, is not so much the object of my attention, as the conversion of sinners. See a like form of expression, 1Co 1:17. Some commentators imagine that self- righteous persons are here spoken of; but the scope and connection of the passage evidently confirm the former meaning. Indeed it is not true that our Lord did not come to call self-righteous persons to repentance: he certainly came as much to call them as any other class of sinners. Such were the scribes and Pharisees, and many of his discourses were evidently levelled at them, and intended to bring them to a sense of their sin and danger, in order to their humiliation, self-abasement, and conversion. See this paragraph more fully explained in the notes on Mat 9:9-13; Mar 2:13-17.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Verse 30
Their scribes, &c.; the scribes and Pharisees of the place.–Eat and drink with, &c.; associate with.