Luke 11:36

Luk 11:36. Ὅλον φωτεινὸν—φωτεινὸν ὅλον, all full of light—full of light all over or wholly) An instance of Ploce [when the same word is twice employed, so as that in one instance the notion of the word itself simply, in the other an attribute of it, is understood]. The perfection of the parts [ὅλον in the first instance] tends to the perfection of degrees [ὅλον in the second instance: light wholly and perfectly in degree]. [Often two words are put in inverted order, in two successive clauses, in such a way, as that in each clause the word that stands first is to have the emphasis. Mat 24:33 (where see the note on the present passage), 34; Joh 8:21; Joh 8:24; Joh 14:1, et seqq.; 1Co 7:22; Gal 4:25; Eph 2:1; Eph 2:5; Php 2:7-8; Jas 2:18; Jas 2:22. The analogy of examples shows that this is no vain subtlety of hyper-criticism.—Not. Crit.]—ὁ λύχνος [a candle] the lamp) that lamp [candle] of which in Luk 11:33 He had spoken.—τῇ ἀστραπῇ) with its utmost degree of bright shining (brilliancy).

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

Luk_11:36. Οὖν] taking up again the thought of Luk_11:34 : καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου φωτεινόν ἐστιν.

In the protasis the emphasis lies on ὅλον, which therefore is more precisely explained by μὴ ἔχον τὶ μέρ. σκοτ.; but in the apodosis φωτεινόν has the emphasis, and the kind and degree of this light are illustrated (comp. Luk_11:34) by ὡς ὅταν κ.τ.λ.: If therefore thy body is absolutely and entirely bright, without having any part dark, then bright shall it be absolutely and entirely, as when the light with its beam enlightens thee. For then is the eye rightly constituted, fulfilling its purpose (see on Mat_6:22); but the eye stands to the body in the relation of the light, Luk_11:34. It is complete enlightenment, therefore, not merely partial, of which this normal condition of light (ὡς ὅταν κ.τ.λ.) is affirmed. Ἀπὸ τοῦ κατὰ τὸ σῶμα παραδείγματος περὶ τῆς ψυχῆς δίδωσι νοεῖν … Ἐὰν αὕτη ὅλη φωτεινὴ εἴη, μὴ ἔχουσα μηδὲν μέρος ἐσκοτισμένον πάθει, μήτε τὸ λογιστικὸν, μήτε τὸ θυμικὸν, μήτε τὸ ἐπιθυμικὸν, ἔσται φωτεινὴ ὅλη οὕτως, ὡς ὅταν ὁ λύχνος τῇ ἀστραπῇ αὐτοῦ φωτίζῃ σε, Euthymius Zigabenus. The observation of the above diversity of emphasis in the protasis and apodosis, which is clearly indicated by the varied position of ὅλον with respect to φωτεινόν, removes the appearance of tautology in the two members, renders needless the awkward change of the punctuation advocated by Vogel (de conjecturae usu in crisi N. T. p. 37 f.) and Rinck: εἰ οὖν τὸ σῶμά σου ὅλον, φωτεινὸν μὴ ἔχον τι μέρος, σκοτεινὸν, ἔσται φωτεινὸν ὅλον κ.τ.λ., and sets aside the conjectures that have been broached, such as those of Michaelis (Einl. I. p. 739): ἔσται φωτ. τὸ ὅλον (body and soul), or ὁλοόν; of Bornemann: that the first ὅλον is a gloss; of Eichthal: that instead of thy body must be meant thine eye (comp. already Maldonatus).

ὁ λύχνος] the lamp of the room, Luk_11:33.

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 11:36 . This verse is very puzzling both critically and exegetically. As it stands in T.R. (and in W.H [105] ) it appears tautological (De Wette), a fault which some have tried to surmount by punctuation, and some by properly placed emphasis on ὅλον in the protasis and on φωτεινόν in the apodosis, giving this sense: if thy body be wholly lighted, having no part dark, then will it be lighted indeed, as when the lamp with its lightning illumines thee (so Meyer). Even thus the saying seems unsatisfactory, and hardly such as Lk., not to say our Lord, could have been responsible for. The critical question thus forces itself upon us: is this really what Lk. wrote? Westcott and Hort think the passage contains “a primitive corruption,” an opinion which J. Weiss (in Meyer, p. 476, note) endorses, making at the same time an attempt to restore the true text. Such attempts are purely conjectural. The verse is omitted in [106] , some Latin codd., and in Syr. Cur [107] The new Syr. Sin [108] has it in a form which Mrs. Lewis thus renders: “Therefore also thy body, when there is in it no lamp that hath shone, is dark, thus while thy lamp is shining, it gives light to thee” a sentence as dark as a lampless body.

[105] Westcott and Hort.

[106] Codex Bezae

[107]yr. Cur. Curetonian Syriac. (For Greek equivalent vide Baethgen’s Evangelienfragmente .)

[108]yr. Sin. Sinaitic Syriac (recently discovered).

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

Verse 36. The whole shall be full of light] Or, altogether enlightened; i.e. when the eye is perfect, it enlightens the whole body. Every object within the reach of the eye is as completely seen as if there was an eye in every part. So the eye is to every part of the body what the lamp is to every part of the house.

When the light of Christ dwells fully in the heart, it extends its influence to every thought, word, and action; and directs its possessor how he is to act in all places and circumstances. It is of the utmost importance to have the soul properly influenced by the wisdom that comes from above. The doctrine that is contrary to the Gospel may say, Ignorance is the mother of devotion; but Christ shows that there can be no devotion without heavenly light. Ignorance is the mother of superstition; but with this the heavenly light has nothing to do.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(36) If thy whole body therefore be full of light.—The statement reads at first like an identical proposition. “If thy whole body be full of light, it shall be full of light all over.” The apparent truism is, however, the most expressive utterance of a truth. If the “whole body”—life in all its various manifestations—is illumined by the divine light; if the character is in its measure perfect, as that of the Father is perfect, who is Light, and in whom is no darkness at all (1Jn_1:5); if passion, prejudice, ignorance are no longer there—then that character is . . .” We expect to hear something else as a climax of praise, but there is no higher word possible; the whole character is “full of light,” illumined, flooded by the eternal Light.

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

36. doth give thee light] The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord.

“God will light my candle,” Psa_18:28. “Thy word is a lantern unto my feet.” In these words we catch an echo of those thoughts on the diffusiveness and divineness of light which are so fully developed in St John’s Gospel (Luk_8:12).

“War nicht das Auge sonnenhaft,

Wie konnten wir das Licht erblicken?”

Goethe.

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 when the Pharisee saw it,.... That Christ laid himself down on one of the couches and began to eat:

he marvelled; that so great a prophet as he was, and a man of so much religion and holiness, should show no regard to a common custom with them, and which was one of the traditions of their elders, and which they put upon a level with the commands of God. The Vulgate Latin version, and so Beza's most ancient copy, and another exemplar, read, "he began to say, thinking" (or judging) "within himself": he was "moved" at it, as the Persic version renders it; he was filled with astonishment and indignation,

that he had not first washed before dinner; especially since he had been in a crowd of people, Luk 11:29 for the Pharisees not only washed their hands, by immersing them up to the elbow before eating; but when they had been at market, or among any large number of people, or had reason to think they had, or feared they had touched any unclean person or thing, they immersed themselves all over in water: and which is the sense of the word here used; See Gill on Mar 7:2, Mar 7:3 and See Gill on Mar 7:4.

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

36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.

Ver. 36. Having no part dark] The regenerate man is totus diaphanus, like a crystal glass, with a lamp in the midst.

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.

The whole shall be lightsome. Not only all thy body, but all about thee; all thy ways and actions. (Witham)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light. The Lord here completes his allegory, still preserving the same images, with a sketch of the condition of a holy and humble man of heart, who with a single eye," that is, honestly, trustfully, lovingly, has looked upon the sign and believed. Godet"s comment on this hard and mystic saying of the Blessed is very beautiful: When, through the fact of the clearness of thine eye, thy whole body shall be penetrated with light, without there being in thee the least trace of darkness, then the phenomenon which will be wrought in thee will resemble what takes place on thy body when it is placed in the rays of a luminous focus. Jesus means that from the inward part of a perfectly sanctified man there rays forth a splendor which glorifies the external man, as when he is shone upon from without. It is glory as the result of holiness. The phenomenon described here by Jesus is no other than that which was realized in himself on the occasion of his transfiguration, and which he now applies to all believers." There is little doubt that this teaching had been spoken by the Master on one, if not on more than one, previous occasion. In St. Matthew"s report, in almost identical language, (Mat_5:15 and Mat_6:22) the immediate application was different, and the reference of the lamp put in a prominent place was not to the Resurrection.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

If thy whole body be full of light - If thou art filled with holy wisdom, having no part dark, giving way to no sin or folly, then that heavenly principle will, like the clear flame of a lamp in a room that was dark before, shed its light into all thy powers and faculties.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

36. φωτίζῃ σε. The verse may be rendered literally, ‘If then thy body be wholly illumined … it shall be illumined wholly as when the lamp with its bright shining illumines thee.’ The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord. “God will light my candle,” Psa 18:28. “Thy word is a lantern unto my feet.” In these words we catch an echo of those thoughts on the diffusiveness and divineness of light which are so fully developed in St John’s Gospel (Luk 8:12).

“Wär nicht das Auge sonnenhaft,

Wie könnten wir das Licht erblicken?”

GOETHE.

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.

36.] “Tautological: the second member contains the same assertion as the first.” (De Wette.)—Let us examine this. ‘When thine eye is single (ver. 34),—i.e. simple,—straight and single-seeing,—thy whole body will be light.’ Then (ver. 36),—‘if this be so,—if thy whole body be light, having no part dark,—then it shall all be light as when a lamp with its brightness illuminates thee.’ Of what is our Lord speaking? Of His teaching, as apprehended by the simple, single-seeing soul. If then the soul be so,—having no part darkened by prejudice or selfish lusts, and approach thus to His teaching, it shall be wholly illuminated by it, as by the candle of the Lord, searching its inward parts. So this saying, which, even as it stands, is not tautological,—for the second clause expresses the further result and waxing onward of the shining light, arising from the singleness of the eye,—becomes, in its spiritual significance, a weighty declaration of truth, answering to ch. 8:15:—see also Joh 8:12.

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

36. The tautology is only apparent In the protasis the emphasis is on ὅλον, which is further explained by μὴ ἔχον μέρος τι σκοτινόν: in the apodosis the emphasis is on φωτινόν, which is further explained by ὡς ὅταν ὁ λύχνος κ.τ.λ. “If thy whole body … it shall be wholly full of light.” Complete illumination is illumination indeed, and those who possess it have no need of a sign from heaven in order to recognize the truth. Syr-Sin. condenses.

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

The bright shining of a candle [ο λυχνος τη αστραπη] . More correctly, as Rev., the lamp with its bright shining. jAstraph means lightning : see ch. Luk 10:18; and that is the usual meaning in classical Greek, though it occurs, rarely, of the light of a lamp. It is used here to emphasize the idea of moral illumination.

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