Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 6:30
Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask [them] not again.
30. Give to every man that asketh of thee ] Literally, “ be giving implying a habit, not an instant act. Here again we have a broad, general principle of unselfishness and liberality safely left to the common sense of mankind, Deu 15:7-9. The spirit of our Lord’s precept is now best fulfilled by not giving to every man that asks, because in the altered circumstances of the age such indiscriminate almsgiving would only be a check to industry, and a premium on imposture, degradation, and vice. By ‘giving,’ our Lord meant ‘conferring a boon;’ but mere careless giving now, so far from conferring a boon, perpetuates a curse and inflicts an injury. The spirit of the precept is large-handed but thoughtful charity. Love must sometimes violate the letter as the only possible way of observing the spirit (Mat 15:26; Mat 20:23).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 30. Ask them not again.] Or, Do not beg them off. This probably refers to the way in which the tax-gatherers and Roman soldiers used to spoil the people. “When such harpies as these come upon your goods, suffer the injury quietly, leaving yourselves in the hand of God, rather than attempt even to beg off what belongs to you, lest on their part they be provoked to seize or spoil more, and lest you be irritated to sue them at law, which is totally opposite to the spirit and letter of the Gospel; or to speak bad words, or indulge wrong tempers, which would wound the spirit of love and mercy.” Of such as these, and of all merciless creditors, who even sell the tools and bed of a poor man, it may be very truly said: –
Tristius haud illis monstrum, nec saevior ulla
Pestis et ira deum Stygiis sese extulit undis: –
Diripiunt dapes, contactaque omnia faedant
Immundo: –
VIRG. AEn. iii. ver. 214
“Monsters more fierce offended heaven ne’er sent
From hell’s abyss, for human punishment: –
They snatch the meat, defiling all they find.”
DRYDEN.
However, it is probable that what is here spoken relates to requiring a thing speedily that had been lent, while the reason for borrowing it still continues. In Ecclus. 20:15, it is a part of the character of a very bad man, that to-day he lendeth, and tomorrow will he ask it again. From Lu 6:27 to Lu 6:30 our blessed Lord gives us directions how to treat our enemies.
1. Wish them well.
2. Do them good.
3. Speak as well of them as possible.
4. Be an instrument of procuring them good from others; use your influence in their behalf.
5. Suffer patiently from them contempt and ill treatment.
6. Give up your goods rather than lose your meekness and charity towards them.
The retaliation of those who hearken not to their own passion, but to Christ, consists in doing more good than they receive evil. Ever since our blessed Saviour suffered the Jews to take away his life, it is by his patience that we must regulate our own. Quesnel.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Matthew hath much the same passage, only he saith, Give to him that, &c., not to every man that asketh of thee; and for the latter clause, he hath, from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away, which seems more agreeing to the precept. Deu 15:8. These precepts of our Saviour must be interpreted, not according to the strict sense of the words, as if every man were by them obliged, without regard to his own abilities, or the circumstances of the persons begging or asking of him, to give to every one that hath the confidence to ask of him; but as obliging us to liberality and charity according to our abilities, and the true needs and circumstances of our poor brethren, and in that order which Gods word hath directed us; first providing for our own families, then doing good to the household of faith, then also to others, as we are able, and see any of them true objects of our charity. Nor must the second part of the verse be interpreted, as if it were a restraint of Christians from pursuing of thieves or oppressors, but as a precept prohibiting us private revenge, or too great contending for little things, &c. See Poole on “Mat 5:42“.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And give to every man that asketh,….
[See comments on Mt 5:42]
And of him that taketh away thy goods; not by force, but by consent, having either lent them, or sold them to him: for if they were taken away by force, the person so taking them was to be deemed a thief and a robber, and to be treated as such; but one that takes them by agreement, and is not able to make a return of them, or to give a valuable consideration for them, of such an one ask them not again: do not exact or demand them, but give him a release, as the law requires, in De 15:2 which seems to be respected here; and where the same word is used by the Septuagint, as here.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Ask them not again ( ). Here the present active imperative in a prohibition, do not have the habit of asking back. This common verb only here in the N.T., for is the correct text in Lu 12:20. The literary flavour of Luke’s Koine style is seen in his frequent use of words common in the literary Greek, but appearing nowhere else in the N.T.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Everyone. Peculiar to Luke. Augustine remarks, “omni petenti, non omnia petenti; give to every one that asks, but not everything he asks.” Asketh [] . See on Mt 14:23. Compare Mt 5:42.
Ask again [] , Only here and chapter Luk 12:20. Used in medical language of diseases demanding or requiring certain treatment.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Give to every man that asketh of thee;” (panti aitouni se didou) “Give to everyone who asks of you,” Mat 5:42; Deu 15:7-11, and lend, but do not borrow, Deu 28:12.
2) “And of him that taketh away thy goods,” (kai apo tou airontos ta sa) “And from one who takes your goods,” borrows your goods, by request and you lend to him, Deu 15:10.
3) “Ask them not again.” (me apaitei) “Do not ask that he return them,” or that he bring them back, Mat 5:42. For blessing shall be to those who show pity and charity to the poor.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Luk 6:30
. To every one that asketh of thee. The same words, as we shall presently see, are found in Matthew: for it may readily be inferred from the context, that Luke does not here speak of a request to obtain assistance, but of actions at law, which bad men raise for the purpose of carrying off the property of others. From him who takes away what are thine, ask them not again. If it is thought better to read the two clauses separately, I have no objection: and then it will be an exhortation to liberality in giving. As to the second clause, in which Christ forbids us to ask again those things which have been unjustly taken away, it is undoubtedly an exposition of the former doctrine, that we ought to bear patiently “ the spoiling of our goods.” But we must remember what I have already hinted, that we ought not to quibble about words, as if a good man were not permitted to recover what is his own, when God gives him the lawful means. We are only enjoined to exercise patience, that we may not be unduly distressed by the loss of our property, but calmly wait, till the Lord himself shall call the robbers to account.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(30) Give to every man that asketh of thee.See Note on Mat. 5:42.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
30. Give to every man that asketh of thee Whether Jew, Samaritan, or Gentile. Let thy charity be bounded by no personal motives, and limited by nothing but the golden rule which immediately follows this precept.
Ask them not again See note on Mat 5:38.
Some commentators understand the phrase taketh away, in the Greek, to mean the expense of our charitable bestowments. In the paragraph 32-34 our Lord beautifully expands on the duties of the Christian to be better than anybody else. A Christian, says Cecil, if he be a shoemaker, should be the best shoemaker in the town. The assurance is given, in Luk 6:35, that of all these efforts to do eminent goodness, our reward shall be great.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Luk 6:30. Give to every man that asketh of thee; As the words ask not again, are used by the LXX to express a claim of interest due upon money and goods, some interpreters have chosen to render the words lend to every man that asketh of thee; and from him that receiveth thy goods, exact not interest. But the word cannot well signify the exaction of interest, because the word , to which it relates, never signifies to borrow. But whatever sense we put on our Lord’s precept, it must be understood with the limitations which common sense directs us to make; namely, that we give and lend freely to all who ask, or permit them to retain what they have unjustly taken; provided only that it be a thing which we can really spare, and the persons who ask or take such things be in real necessity; which without doubt was the meaning of the Mosaical precepts alluded to by our Lord in this part of his sermon.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Luk 6:30 . Comp. Mat 5:42 . Exegetically , the unconditional submission here required cannot to any extent be toned down by means of limitations mentally supplied (in opposition to Michaelis, Storr, Kuinoel, and others). The ethical relations already subsisting in each particular case determine what limitations must actually be made. Comp. the remark after Mat 5:41 .
] to every one . Exclude none, not even your enemy. But Augustine says appropriately: “ Omni petenti te tribue, non omnia petenti; ut id des, quod dare honeste et juste potes.”
] demand back what he has taken from thee. Herod. i. 3 : , .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
Ver. 30. Give to every man, &c. ] General Norrice never thought he had that which he gave not away. It is not lack, but love of money, that maketh men churls. Men believe not that of Martial,
” Extra fortunam est quicquid donatur egenis;
Quas dederis solas semper habebis opes.
Ask them not again ] Or if thou take the benefit of the law to recover them, do it without hate or heat; as tilters break their spears on each other’s breasts, yet without wrath or intention of hurt.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Luk 6:30 . Lk. passes over Mt.’s instance of compulsory service (Mat 5:41 ), perhaps because it would require explanation, or was not a practical grievance for his readers, and goes on to the duty of generous giving, which is to be carried the length of cheerfully resigning what is taken from us by force.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Luk 6:30. [ , but to every one) There is in this respect too much accumulation of exceptions by human ingenuity.-V. g.]-, that taketh away) without asking.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Give: Luk 6:38, Luk 11:41, Luk 12:33, Luk 18:22, Deu 15:7-10, Psa 41:1, Psa 112:9, Pro 3:27, Pro 3:28, Pro 11:24, Pro 11:25, Pro 19:17, Pro 21:26, Pro 22:9, Eze 11:1, Eze 11:2, Isa 58:7-10, Ecc 8:16, Mat 5:42-48, Act 20:35, 2Co 8:9, 2Co 9:6-14, Eph 4:28
and: Exo 22:26, Exo 22:27, Neh 5:1-19, Mat 6:12, Mat 18:27-30, Mat 18:35
Reciprocal: Psa 37:21 – righteous Pro 14:21 – he that hath Ecc 11:2 – a portion
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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This is explained at Mat 5:42 with its comments.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
These and the like precepts of our Saviour are not to be taken strictly, but restrainedly: we are thereby obliged to charity according to others’ necessities, and our own abilities, but not bound to give to every one that has the confidence to ask for what we have. Indeed every man that really wants is the proper object of our Christian charity: and we must with a compassionate heart and open hand, relieve him according to his necessity, but answerable to our ability.
Nor must the second part of the verse be understood as forbidding Christians to seek the recovery of their just rights, by pursuing thieves, and following the law upon oppressors; but requiring us to forbear all acts of private revenge, as directly contrary to the spirit and temper of Christianity.
As jealousy is the rage of a man, so revenge is the rage of the devil, it is the very soul and spirit of the apostate nature.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Verse 30
Another strong mode of expression. It is simply intended to urge, in a very emphatic manner, the duty and of disinterestedness and universal good will.