Luke 11:35

11:35-36 Light and darkness are metaphors for good and evil (John 1:5; 3:19; 8:12; 12:35; Acts 26:18; Rom 13:12; 2 Cor 4:6; 6:14; Eph 5:8; 1 Thes 5:5; 1 Pet 2:9; 1 Jn 1:5; 2:8-9).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 11:35. Μὴ) whether.[110] For the Indicative, ἐστίν, follows.

[110] Not as Engl. Vers. that—not lest, which would require the Subjunctive after it.—ED. and TRANSL.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk_11:35. See therefore; take care, lest, etc. Beza well says: Considera, num. Comp. Buttmann, Neut. Gr. p. 209 [E. T. 243]. Gal_6:1 is not quite similar, for there μή stands with the subjunctive, and means: that not.

τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐν σοί] ὁ νοῦς ὁ φωταγωγὸς τῆς ψυχῆς σου, Euthymius Zigabenus.

σκότος ἐστίν] ὑπὸ τῶν παθῶν, Euthymius Zigabenus.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 11:35 . A counsel to take care lest the light in us become darkness, answering to that suggested in the parable: see that the lamp be properly placed.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(35) Take heed therefore that the light . . .—Better, See to it whether the light that is in thee be darkness. This takes the place in St. Luke’s report of St. Matthew’s (Luk_6:23) “If the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” The warning is one which calls men to self-scrutiny. They need to examine their primary beliefs, their very intuitions of right and wrong, lest all they do should be vitiated at its very source. The call to do this implies that they must have a Light by which to judge their light, a Standard by which to test their standard, and that Light and Standard are found in the teaching of the Light that lighteth every man, in the recorded words and acts of the Son of Man.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

35. that the light which is in thee be not darkness] It becomes so when we are ‘wise in our own conceit’ (Pro_16:12) which makes us think a way right when it is the way of death (Pro_16:25), and makes us call evil good, and good evil, put darkness for light, and light for darkness, Isa_5:20-21.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And as he spake,.... Either the above words, or others at another time:

a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: as one of the same sect had before, in Luk 7:36 and who either was better affected to Christ than the generality of them were; or had a design upon him to get him into company with others, in private, and ensnare him if they could, and overcome him, who was an overmatch for them before the people; among whom they feared, should they go on thus publicly to attack him, their credit and reputation would sink, and be lost.

And he went in and sat down to meat: whatever were the intentions of the Pharisee, Christ, who was always affable and free with all sorts of men, readily accepted of the invitation, and at once went along with him to his house; and dinner being ready, and on the table, he immediately sat down without any ceremony.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.

Ver. 35-36. See Mat 6:22-23

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

35. μὴ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐν σοὶ σκότος ἐστίν. The indicative following σκόπει μὴ shews the apprehension that such is the case. Hermann on Soph. Aj. 272 says “μὴ ἐστί verentis quidem est ne quid nunc sit, sed judicantis simul putare se ita esse ut veretur.” Comp. Gal 2:2 ἀνεθέμην … μήπως εἰς κενὸν ἔδραμον, Luk 4:11 φοβοῦμαι … μήπως εἰκῆ κεκοπίακα. The light in us becomes darkness when we are “wise in our own conceit” (Pro 16:12) which makes us think a way right when it is the way of death (Pro 16:25), and makes us call evil good, and good evil, put darkness for light, and light for darkness, Isa 5:20-21.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

35.] σκόπει … μὴ …, take heed, lest …, and the ἐστιν, more forcible than ᾖ, implies the actual existence, in the hearers, of the state against which they are cautioned:—σκόπει μὴ ὁ νοῦς ὁ φωταγωγὸς τῆς ψυχῆς σου σκοτισθῇ ὑπὸ τῶν παθῶν, Euthym.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

35. σκόπει οὖν. Here, and not in the middle of ver. 34, the meaning passes from the eye of the body to the eye of the soul.1

μὴ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐν σοὶ σκότος ἐστίν. This happens when the eye of the soul is so diseased that it cannot receive any ray of Divine truth. The μή is interrogative, and the indicative after it suggets that the case contemplated is an actual fact: “look whether it be not darkness”; considera num, schaue ob wahl nicht. The vide ne of Vulg. is not exact. Comp. Gal 4:11; Thuc. 3, 53:2. Win. lii. 2, a, p. 631; Simcox, Lang. of N.T. p. 109.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The light that is in thee. Lit., the light, that, namely, which is in thee; thus emphasizing the inward light. See on Mt 6:23.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.