Luke 12:3

Luk 12:3. Εἴπατε, ye have spoken) with some degree of fear.

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

Luk 12:3 . ἀνθʼ ὧν , either = quare , inferring the particular case following from the general statement going before, or = because, assigning a reason for that statement. This verse = Mat 10:27 , but altered. In Mt. it is Christ who speaks in the darkness, and whispers in the ear; in Lk. it is His disciples. In the one representation the whispering stage has its place in the history of the kingdom; in the latter it is conceived as illegitimate and futile. What you whisper will become known to all, therefore whisper not but speak from the housetop.

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

(3) Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness.—See Note on Mat_10:27. There is, it will be noted, a difference of the same character as in the last verse. As recorded in St. Matthew, it is “What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light.” The disciples were warned of their responsibility and duty as hearers, bound to teach publicly what had been heard in secret. Here they are told of their responsibility as teachers. Every word, however secret, spoken in darkness, in the closet or cabinet, which was the symbol of secresy (see Note on Mat_6:6); every whisper of false security or groundless fear, spoken in the ear of sinner or of penitent, would one day be made manifest, as in the presence of men and angels.

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

3. whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness] The application of the similar language in Mat_10:26, Mar_4:22, is different. See Luk_8:17.

in closets] Literally, “in the treasuries or storehouses,” i.e. in closed, secret places.

upon the housetops] i.e. in the most public places of resort, so as to be heard in the streets below.

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.

Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness,.... In the most private manner, to one another:

shall be heard in the light; which makes all things manifest, the day shall declare it:

and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets; whispered to persons in their bedchambers, and places of the most secret retirement;

shall be proclaimed upon the housetops; declared in the most public manner: in Mat 10:27 these words are so expressed, as to carry in them such a sense as this; that what was told the disciples by Christ, in the most private place and way, should be published by them, in the most free and open manner; See Gill on Mat 10:27.

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

3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

Ver. 3. {See Trapp on "Mat 10:27"}

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.

House-tops. Our divine Saviour speaks here according to the custom of his own nation, where it was not uncommon for men to preach from the house-top, when they wished to deliver anything to the public; for their houses had flat roofs. (Ven. Bede)

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).

We have something very like this Mat 10:27, spoken by way of precept. It seemeth to be a sentence also variously applied: it may be left indifferent to the reader, whether he will understand it as a promise of the publication of the gospel, (to which purpose it seems to be spoken in the form of a precept, Mat 10:27), or as a further enlargement of his former discourse, Luk 12:2.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. In closets—Any close room for stealth, or chamber for privacy.

Proclaimed upon the housetops—The practice continues to the present day in Palestine, of making proclamations in the country villages from the flat roofs of the houses. “These proclamations are generally made,” says Dr. Thomson, “in the evening, after the people have returned from their labors in the field. The public crier ascends the highest roof at hand, and lifts up his voice in a long drawn call upon all faithful subjects to give ear and obey. He then proceeds to announce, in a set form, the will of their master, and demand obedience thereto.” So from the summit of final judgment will Christ proclaim the guilt of the hypocrite.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Matt. x, 27.

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

3. ἀνθ’ ὧν. ‘Wherefore,’ comp. ἀντὶ τούτου, ‘therefore,’ Eph 5:31; it means ‘because’ in Luk 1:20, Luk 19:44.

ὅσα ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ εἴπατε. The ἐν σκοτίᾳ here means ‘in obscurity.’ The application of the similar language in Mat 10:26; Mar 4:22, is different. See Luk 8:17.

ἐν τοῖς ταμείοις. Literally, ‘in the treasuries or storehouses,’ i.e. in closed, secret places. Mat 6:6; Mat 26:26.

ἐπὶ τῶν δωμάτων. In the most public places of resort, so as to be heard in the streets below.

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.

3. ἀνθʼ ὧν] wherefore.

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

3. ἀνθʼ ὦν. This is commonly rendered “wherefore,” like ἀντὶ τούτου, “for this cause” (Eph 5:31). But in 1:20, 19:44, Act 12:23 it = ἀντὶ τούτων, ὅτι; and it may have the same meaning here. “There is nothing hid, that shall not be known: because whatever ye have said in the darkness shall be heard in the light,”—quoniam quæ in tenebris dixistis in lumine dicentur (Vulg.). Christ is continuing to insist that hypocrisy is folly, for it is always unmasked at last. There was a saying of Hillel, “Think of nothing that it will not be easily heard, for in the end it must be heard” See small print on 1:20. It is in wording that this is parallel to Mat 10:26, Mat 10:27: the application is very different.

ἐν τοῖς ταμείοις … ἐπὶ τῶν δωμάτων. “Store chambers” are commonly “inner chambers, secret rooms,” especially in the East, where outer walls are so easily dug through: comp. Mat 6:6, Mat 6:24:26; Gen 43:30; Jdg 16:9; 1Ki 22:25. To this day proclamations are often made from the housetops: comp. ἐπὶ τωσν δωμάτων (Isa 15:3; Jer 19:13, Jer 48:38). See D. B.2 i. p. 1407; Renan, Les Evangelis, p. 262 n.

The Latin Versions give a variety of renderings: in cellariis (i l r), in promptalibus (d), in promptuariis (e), in cubilibus (Vulg. (f); om, b q). Comp. ver. 24.

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

Closets [ταμειοις] . The word has the same root as temnw, to cut or divide, and means an apartment where supplies are divided and apportioned : a treasury, magazine, and therefore a secret and well - guarded place. There the steward [ταμιας] , the distributor, has his seat.

House - tops. See on Mt 24:17.

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