Luke 13:15

13:15-16 You hypocrites! The religious leaders would take care of their own animals on the Sabbath (to protect their investment) but then refuse to meet the needs of a fellow human being. In an ironic wordplay, the same word is translated untie (13:15) and released (13:16). The religious leaders would free their animals but not a daughter of Abraham—one of God’s chosen people and a recipient of his favor. • in bondage by Satan: Jesus’ exorcisms and healings manifested the Kingdom of God and the defeat of Satan (see 11:20).

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

Luk 13:15. Ὑποκριταὶ, ye hypocrites) The plural is used, including more persons, but addressed to one person; comp. Luk 13:17 [where all His adversaries are included]: as also in Luk 11:46, compared with Luk 11:45. There was some degree of reverence felt on the part of the ruler of the synagogue towards Jesus; and it was not owing to any peculiar prejudice of his own, but owing to the common error of the Jews on the subject, that he was led to oppose the Saviour.[130]—λύει, doth loose) A most apt illustration. Comp. λυθῆναι, to be loosed, applied to the woman in Luk 13:16.—ἀπαγαγὼν, having led away) Words are heaped together in order to show the amount of work [comp. ἐργάζεσθαι, Luk 13:14, in the complaint of the ruler] done on the Sabbath in such a case.

[130] However the Vers. Germ., following the margin of the 2d Ed., prefers the singular number in this passage.—E. B. Ὑποκριταὶ is the reading of ABabc Vulg. Iren. 236. Ὑποκριτὰ of the Rec. Text is only supported by D of the primary authorities.—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 13:15 . ὑποκριταί : plural less personal than the singular (T.R.), yet severe enough, though directed against the class. The case put was doubtless according to the prevailing custom, and so stated as to make the work done prominent ( λύει , looses, that one bit of work: ἀπάγων , leading the animal loosed to the water, that another, vide Bengel). ποτίζει , gives him drink, at least to the extent of drawing water from the well, if not of carrying it to the animal’s mouth (the former allowed, the latter disallowed in the Talmud, vide Lightfoot and Wünsche).

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

the Lord--(See on Luk 10:1).

hypocrite!--How "the faithful and true Witness" tears off the masks which men wear!

his ox, &c.--(See on Mat 12:9-13; and Luk 6:9).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(15, 16) Doth not each one of you . . .?—The principle is the same as that in Mat_12:11 (where see Note), but the case is put in even a stronger form. There the illustration is drawn from what might seem an exceptional act for an exceptional emergency; here from the regular practice of men, where their own interests were concerned. If they pleaded that it was not for their own interests, but those of humanity to the brutes committed to their charge, the answer was obvious that the daughter of Abraham was “better” than the ox or ass.

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

15. Thou hypocrite] Rather (with the best uncials), Hypocrites!

(א, A, B), classing the man with the whole sect to which he belonged, and whose shibboleths he used. They were hypocrites (i.e. they were acting a part) because they were disguising secret enmity under a pretence of sabbatical zeal.

on the sabbath loose his ox] Our Lord varied from time to time the arguments with which He abolished the fanatical formalism of the Pharisees respecting the Sabbath. Sometimes He appealed to His own inherent authority (Joh_5:17-47); sometimes to Scripture precedents (Luk_6:3-5); or to common sense and eternal principles (Luk_6:9). Here, as in Luk_14:5, He uses an argumentum ad hominem, refuting their traditional rules by the selfish insincerity with which they applied them. They allowed men to unloose and lead to water their cattle on the sabbath, and thus to break their own Sabbatic rules to save themselves the trouble of providing water overnight, or, at the best, to abridge a few hours’ thirst; was then this suffering woman not to be touched, not to be spoken to, to end 18 years of suffering?

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.

The Lord then answered him and said,.... Though he did not direct his speech to him, he knew that he struck at him, and suggested that he was a violator of the sabbath, as well as the people: and therefore in defence of himself, and of what he had done, and to expose the hypocrisy of this man, made answer as follows,

thou hypocrite; the Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read in the plural, "hypocrites"; as do the Complutensian edition, and four ancient copies of Beza's, and the Alexandrian copy; but the Syriac and Persic versions read in the singular, "hypocrite"; as this man was, who covered his malice and envy at Christ, with a show of zeal for the sabbath day; and yet did that upon it, which must be allowed by themselves, and others, to be a much greater violation of the sabbath, than this cure could ever be thought to be:

doth not each one of you, on the sabbath day, loose his ox, or his ass, from the stall, or rack, where he is fastened with a rope;

and lead him away to watering? to some place of water, where he may drink, after having filled himself at the rack: and that this was agreeably to their own canons and practice, that beasts may be led out on a sabbath day, is certain; for they deliver various rules concerning leading them out, with what they might, and with what they might not be brought out; and particularly, among others, mention asses and heifers (q); and they speak (r) of leading them to water, not only to drink of it, but to wash their chains in it, which, it seems, received pollution, and needed washing, and might be done on a sabbath day; yea, they allow, that not only a beast may be led out to watering, but a man might fill a vessel of water, and pour it out into a trough for it, provided he did not directly set it before it: the rule is this (s).

"a man may not fill water (a vessel of it), and put it on a sabbath day before his beast, but he may fill it, and pour it out, and it may drink of it.''

And particularly on a feast day, their rule is (t), that

"they do not water nor slay beasts of the desert, but they water and slay domestic ones. Domestic ones are such as lie in the city (i.e. as Maimonides says (u), within the sabbatical border, 2000 cubits from the city), and those of the desert are such as lie in pastures.''

And therefore very justly does our Lord observe to the ruler of the synagogue their own practices towards a beast, in defence of his works of mercy to men.

(q) Misn. Sahbat, c. 5. sect. 1, 2, 3, 4. & 18. 2. T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 51. 2. & Piske Tosephot in ib. art. 226, 227, 228, 233. (r) Bartenora in Misn. Sabbat, c. 5. sect. 1. (s) T. Bab. Erubin, fol. 20. 2. (t) Misn. Betza, c. 5. sect. 7. (u) In ib.

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

15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?

Ver. 15. Thou hypocrite] The Syriac rendereth it Assumens vultum, thou that settest a good face upon it, thou that impersonate a better man than thou art; thou picture of piety, &c.

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.

Thou hypocrite! - You condemn “me” for an action, and yet you perform one exactly similar. You condemn “me” for doing to a woman what you do to a beast. To her I have done good on the Sabbath; you provide for your cattle, and yet blame me for working a miracle to relieve a sufferer on that day.

Stall - A place where cattle are kept to be fed, and sheltered from the weather.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Our Saviour here calleth this ruler of the synagogue hypocrite, for his impudence in so severe a reflection on him for doing on the sabbath day a work of that nature which he himself did, and thought himself blameless in the doing of, and his friends ordinarily did, upon whom for so working he did not reflect, thereby teaching us one note of a hypocrite, viz. to reflect upon others for things which we do ourselves. This ruler of the synagogue aud his party indeed did not heal on the sabbath day. But what kind of work was healing? Was it not a work of mercy? What servile labour was there in it? It is only said Christ called this poor creature, and she came, not she was brought to him. What did Christ do? He only laid his hands upon her, and pronounced her loosed from her infirmity. Now the Jews would ordinarily upon the sabbath day loose a beast from the stall to go and drink at a pit, or lead it thither; was not this a greater labour? How came this to be lawful, and not that act of mercy which Christ did show to this poor creature? Their act was capable of no other excuse, than that it was an act of mercy, and a good man will show mercy to his beast: it could be no act of piety, nor of necessity; for a beast may live one day without water, or at least might have had water set by it the night before. Nay, our Lord’s work of mercy was much more noble. Theirs was to a beast; his to one of mankind, to a woman, and she a Jewish woman, a daughter of Abraham, a father upon whom they much valued themselves, and their whole nation, Mat 3:9; Joh 8:39. Their beast might not be sick; she was under an infirmity, and that no ordinary infirmity, she was in the hands of the enemy of mankind, bound by Satan; nor was her affliction of a few days’ continuance, she had been so bound eighteen years.

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

15. Hypocrite—He belongs to that class whom Jesus has stamped with that terrible name. This man might well have withered, had he known and felt the awfulness of that epithet, pronounced from such lips. It is applied to this man as his share of the name, as applied by our Lord to the whole class of his teachers and masters. Early in his ministry our Lord gave out that there was such a standing class. See Mat_6:2; Mat_6:5; Mat_6:16. Later he began to tell who and which they generally were, (Luk_15:7; Luk_16:3; Luk_22:18.) Later to denounce woes upon them, (Luk_23:14-15,) and finally to assign them their portion, (Luk_24:51.) This cavilling at healing on the Sabbath day was one of the stereotype tests of the hypocrite. See note on Mat_12:1-9.

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

The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? The older authorities here read "hypocrites," and thus join the cavilling synagogue ruler with the whole sect of men who taught an elaborate ritual in place of a high, pure life. The Lord, in a few master-touches, exposes the hollowness of such sabbath-keeping. Every possible indulgence was to be shown in cases where their own interests were involved; no mercy or indulgence was to be thought of, though, where the sick poor only were concerned. He vividly draws a contrast between the animal and the human being. The ox and the ass, though, were personal property; the afflicted daughter of Abraham was but a woman, friendless and poor.

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

Thou hypocrite - For the real motive of his speaking was envy, not (as he pretended) pure zeal for the glory of God.

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

The Lord answered him

"The Lord responded to the synagogue ruler"

Hypocrites

Jesus speaks directly to the synagogue ruler, but the plural form includes the other religious rulers also. This can be stated explicitly. AT: "You and your fellow religious leaders are hypocrites" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

Does not each of you untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead it to drink on the Sabbath?

Jesus uses a question to get them to think about something they already knew. AT: "Every one of you unties his ox or his donkey from the stall and leads it to drink on the Sabbath." (See: Rhetorical Question)

ox ... donkey

These are animals that people care for by giving them water.

on the Sabbath

"on a Sabbath." Some languages would say "a Sabbath" because we do not know which particular Sabbath day it was.

daughter of Abraham

This is an idiom that means, "descendant of Abraham" (See: Idiom)

whom Satan bound

Jesus compares people tying animals to the way Satan restricted the woman with this disease. AT: "whom Satan kept crippled by her illness" or "whom Satan bound with this disease" (See: Metaphor)

eighteen long years

"18 long years." The word "long" here emphasizes that eighteen years was a very long time for the woman to suffer. Other languages may have other ways of emphasizing this. (See: Numbers)

should her bonds not be untied ... day?

Jesus uses a question to tell the synagogue rulers that they are wrong. Jesus speaks about the women's disease as if it were ropes that bound her. This can be translated as an active statement. AT: "it is right to release her from the bonds of this illness ... day." (See: Rhetorical Question and Active or Passive)

translationWords

lord

hypocrite

donkey

cow

Sabbath

Abraham

Satan

bind

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

15. ὑποκριταί. The address is in the plural, not only to the ruler of the synagogue but to all his class.

15. ὑποκριταί. ‘Hypocrites!’ (אAB), classing the man with the whole sect to which he belonged, and whose shibboleths he used. They were hypocrites (i.e. they were acting a part) because they were disguising secret enmity under a pretence of sabbatical zeal.

τῷ σαββάτῳ … λύει τὸν βοῦν. Our Lord varied from time to time the arguments with which He abolished the fanatical formalism of the Pharisees respecting the Sabbath. Sometimes He appealed to His own inherent authority (Joh 5:17-47); sometimes to Scripture precedents (Luk 6:3-5); or to common sense and eternal principles (Luk 6:9). Here, as in Luk 14:5, He uses an argumentum ad hominem, refuting their traditional rules by the selfish insincerity with which they applied them. They allowed men to unloose and lead to water their cattle on the sabbath, and thus to break their own Sabbatic rules, in order to save themselves the trouble of providing water overnight, or, at the best, to abridge a few hours’ thirst; was then this suffering woman not to be touched, not to be spoken to, even in order to end 18 years of suffering?

ἀπὸ τῆς φάτνης. ‘From the manger,’ Luk 2:7.

ἀπαγαγών. The pictorial participle—“ad opus demonstrandum.” Bengel.

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.

15. ὑποκριταί] The Lord saw the real thoughts of his heart, that they were false, and inconsistent with his pretended zeal, and addressed the multitude as represented by him, their leader. A man hardly could give forth a doctrine so at variance with common sense and common practice, without some by-end, with which he covered his violation of truth. That by-end here was enmity to and jealousy of Jesus.

The instance chosen exactly fits the circumstances. A beast tied to the manger is confined down as this poor woman was.

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

15. Ὑποκριται. All who sympathize with this faultfinder are addressed, especially of οἱ ἀντικείμενοι αὐτῷ (ver. 17). There was hypocrisy in pretending to rebuke the people, when he was really censuring Jesus; and in professing to have a zeal for the Law, when his motive was animus against the Healer. There was no evidence that people had come in order to be healed. And, if they had done so, would they have broken the Law? Cyril has a very animated attack on this man, whom he addresses as βασκαίας ἀνοδράποδον, rebuking him for not seeing that Jesus had not broken even the letter of the Law in keeping its spirit (Migne, vol. lxxii.770; Payne Smith, p. 454). See also Iren. iv. 8, 2. For ὁ Κύριος see on 5:17 and 7:13.

The sing. ὑποκριτά (D U X and some Versions) is an obvious correction. All English Versions prior to RV., even Wic. and Rhem., have the sing., in spite of hypocritæ in Vulg.

λύει τὸν βοῦν αὐτοῦ. Christ appeals from his perverted interpretation of the law to a traditional and reasonable interpretation. But here the Talmud makes the characteristic reservation that, although water may be drawn for the animal, it must not be carried to the animal in a vessel (Edersh. L. & T. 2.Rev_17). For other arguments used by Christ respecting the Sabbath, see 6:3, 5, 9; Mar 2:27, Mar 2:28; Joh 5:17. We may place them in an ascending scale. Jewish tradition; charity and common sense; the Sabbath is a blessing, not a burden; the Son of Man is Lord of it; Sabbaths have never hindered the Father’s work, and must not hinder the Son’s. Such appeals would be varied to suit the occasion and the audience.

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

Loose [λυει] . Compare thou art loosed, ver. 12.

Stall. See on ch. Luk 2:7.

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