Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 7:26
But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
26. A prophet? ] “All accounted John as a prophet,” Luk 21:26.
more than a prophet ] Namely, an actual personal herald and forerunner; the Angel or Messenger of Malachi, Mal 3:1, and so the only Prophet who had himself been announced by Prophecy.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But what went ye out for to see?…. What led your curiosity to go into the wilderness after him, since it could not be any of the above things? was it to see
a prophet? which was the case; for John was a prophet, and was known to be one; and the fame of him, as such, drew vast numbers to see and hear him, there not having been a prophet among the Jews, for some hundreds of years:
yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet; not that he was the prophet Moses did say should come; nor was he the priest that should arise with the “Urim” and “Thummim”, that the “Tirshatha”, Nehemiah spoke of; nor was he the king Messiah; but he was his forerunner, he saw him and baptized him, and so was greater than any of the prophets that went before him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
A prophet? (;). A real prophet will always get a hearing if he has a message from God. He is a for-speaker, forth-teller (–). He may or may not be a fore-teller. The main thing is for the prophet to have a message from God which he is willing to tell at whatever cost to himself. The word of God came to John in the wilderness of Judea (Lu 3:2). That made him a prophet. There is a prophetic element in every real preacher of the Gospel. Real prophets become leaders and moulders of men.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
A prophet [] . The popular conception of a prophet is limited to his foretelling future events. This is indeed included in the term, but does not cover its meaning entirely. The word is from fhmi, to speak, and pro, before, in front of. This meaning of the preposition may have reference to time, viz., before, beforehand; or to place, viz., in front of, and so, publicly; and this latter meaning, in turn, easily runs into that of in behalf of; for. The prophet is, therefore, primarily, one who speaks standing before another, and thus forming a medium between him and the hearer. This sense runs naturally into that of instead of. Hence it is the technical term for the interpreter of a divine message. So Plato : “For this reason it is customary to appoint diviners or interpreters to be judges of the true inspiration. Some persons call them diviners, seers [] ; they do not know that they are only repeaters of dark sayings and visions, and are not to be called diviners at all, but interpreters, [] of things divine” (” Timaeus, “72). Similarly of an advocate to speak for, or instead of one. The central idea of the word is, one to whom God reveals himself and through whom he speaks. The revelation may or may not relate to the future. The prophet is a forth – teller, not necessarily a foreteller. The essence of the prophetic character is immediate intercourse with God. One of the Hebrew names for” prophet, ” and, as some maintain, the earlier name, signified a shewer or seer. See 1Sa 9:10; and in 1Co 14:26 – 30, Paul shows that revelation stands in necessary connection with prophesying.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But what went ye out for to see? A prophet?” (alla to elselthate idein propheten) “But just what did you all go out to perceive? Was it a prophet?” Just another of many common prophets?
2) “Yea, I say unto you,” (nai lego humin) “Indeed it was I tell you,” Isa 40:3.
3) “And much more than a prophet.” (kai perissoteron prophetou) “And considerably more than a prophet,” for the coming of no foretold prophet had preceded John. He was a special prophet who had been foretold, Isa 40:3; Mal 31; Mat 11:9.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
“But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet.”
What did they go out to see? They went to see a prophet, a prophet from God. And yes, even more than that, they went out to see one who was more than just a mere prophet, he was the prophet who was the Preparer of the way as prophesied by Isaiah, the Messenger of Mal 3:1. After him would come the Coming One.
‘More than (just) a prophet.’ He was the Elijah who was for to come (Mat 11:14), the one who came in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luk 1:17), although not strictly Elijah himself (Joh 1:21).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 7:26-27 are = Luk 7:9-10 in Mt., with the exception that Lk. inverts the words , , making it possible to render: why went ye out? to see a prophet? or, what went ye out to see? a prophet? In Mt., only the former rendering is possible.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
A prophet. See App-49. One who spoke for God. Not necessarily beforehand. Compare Exo 4:16; Exo 7:1.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 11:9-14, Joh 3:26-30, Joh 5:35
A prophet: Luk 1:76, Luk 20:6
and: Luk 16:16
Reciprocal: Mal 3:1 – I will Mal 4:5 – I will Mat 11:10 – General Mar 11:32 – for Joh 10:41 – John did
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6
More than a prophet. John not only uttered prophecies, but his life and work in preparing a people for Christ constituted a fulfillment of the sayings of other prophets, which made him more than a mere prophet.