Luke 23:29

23:29 Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless: Childlessness was normally a cause of great shame (see study note on 1:7), but during this catastrophe, those who didn’t have to see their children starve to death would be the fortunate ones.

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

Luk 23:29. Ἐροῦσι) viz. “your children” shall say.

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

Luk 23:29 . ( μακάριαι , etc.: blessed the women that have no children, barren, or unmarried: nobody to care for but themselves. The reflection implies keen sympathy with human feeling.

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

(29) Blessed are the barren.—We must enter into all the passionate desire of Israelite women for offspring, as we see it, e.g., in Rachel (Gen_30:1) and in Hannah (1Sa_1:10-11), in order to estimate the strangeness of such a beatitude. With some of those who heard it, its force may have been emphasised by its contrast between it and the blessing which had been once uttered by a woman who may, perhaps, have been one of them (Luk_11:27).

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

29. Blessed are the barren] Comp. Luk_11:27; Hos_9:12-16. The words received their most painful illustration in the incident of the Siege, which had long been foretold in prophecy (Deu_28:53-57; Jer_19:9), that women were driven even to kill and eat their own children: Jos. B. J. v. 10, vi. 3. The ‘Blessed’ shewed an awful reversal of the proper blessedness of motherhood.

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.

Then shall they begin to say,.... The Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions read, "then shall ye begin to say"; the tribulation being so great, as never was the like since the creation of the world, nor never will be to the end of it; and being so sore pressed with the sword and famine; with the enemy without, and divisions, robberies, and murders within; and their miseries being inexpressible, and intolerable, they will seek to go into the holes of the rocks, and caves of the earth, as is prophesied of them, Isa 2:19 and as Josephus says, many of them did, when the city was taken; and, like those in Hos 10:8 will say, "to the mountains fall on us, and to the hills cover us"; will choose rather that the mountains and hills round about Jerusalem, should fall upon them, and they be buried under the ruins of them, than live in such terrible distress, or fall into the hands of their enemies! Compare with this Rev 6:15.

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Luke 23:31

luk 23:31

luk 23:31

luk 23:31For if they do these things in a green tree,.... Or it may be rendered impersonally, "if these things are done in a green tree"; by which is meant the Lord Jesus Christ, who is often compared to a tree, as to a green fir tree, an apple tree, a vine, and is called the tree of life: and may be said to be a moist or green tree; because, as a green tree is full of juice, so is he of grace and goodness; as that is flourishing, so was he in the fame of his doctrine and miracles, in the spread of his Gospel, and in the increase of his kingdom and interest; and as that is fruitful and useful, so was he in preaching the Gospel, and healing diseases; and as that is not proper to be cut down, nor fit fuel for the fire, so he was not deserving of death, or to be used in the manner he was; the metaphor seems designed to express the righteousness and innocence of Christ; see Eze 20:47 who was pure in his nature, without sin in his life, harmless in his conversation, and did no hurt to any man's person or property: his enemies could find nothing, nor prove any thing against him; nor even the devil himself, but owned him to be the Holy One of God; and he was also declared innocent by his judge, the Roman governor: and yet, how many hard and grievous things were done unto him! He was persecuted in his infancy, and his life was sought for; he was despised and reproached by men all his days; he was apprehended as if he had been a thief, and was bound as a malefactor; and arraigned at the bar of men, as if he had been the greatest criminal on earth; he was mocked, buffeted, and spit upon in the palace of the high priest; be was scourged by Pilate, and misused by his soldiers, who arrayed him with a scarlet robe, put a crown of thorns on his head, and a reed in his hand, and in a mock way bowed the knee to him, and saluted him as King of the Jews; they crucified him between two thieves, and as he hung on the cross mocked him, and gave him gall and vinegar to drink. To which may be added, that he was forsaken by his God, and Father, and his wrath was poured out upon him, as he sustained the persons, and bore the sins of his people; the curse of the law was executed on him: and justice drew its sword, and sheathed it in him: and now if all these things were done to such an useful, holy, harmless, and innocent person, what shall be done in the dry? by whom wicked men are designed; who, as dry trees are without juice, so are they destitute of grace and righteousness, and all that is good, and bring forth no fruit, neither to God, nor themselves, nor others; but, like dead and withered trees, are dead in trespasses and sins, and full of all manner of sin, and rottenness, and impurity; and are deserving to be cut down, and are fit fuel for the fire of divine wrath and displeasure, both in this, and in the other world. The wicked Jews that rejected Christ, and crucified him, are particularly meant; and if such evil things were done by them to so just a person, what may not be expected will fall on them in retaliation for such usage? and if the Roman soldiers, under their encouragement acted such a part to Christ, who had never done them any injury, what will they not do to these men, when provoked by their insults and rebellions? and if such things were done to Christ by his Father, according to the requirement of the law, and the strictness of divine justice, when he was made sin for his people, though he knew none, nor committed any himself, what vengeance will fall on them, who must answer for their sins in their own persons? What devouring flames, and everlasting burnings, will such dry trees be exposed to, as being fit for them, and deserving of them? so the children of men are, by the Jews, in their writings, called, , "dry trees" (u); the Targumist on Eze 17:24 paraphrases the words thus;

"I have humbled the kingdom of the nations, which was strong as a green tree, and I have strengthened the kingdom of the house of Israel, which was weak as a dry tree.''

It is a common proverb with the Jews (x);

"two dry sticks, or brands, and one green, the dry burn up the green:''

intimating, that a few righteous persons among wicked men suffer with them; but if righteous men suffer, how much more the wicked? see Pe1 4:17.

(u) Zohar in Lev. fol. 14. 2. (x) T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 93. 1.

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

29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.

Ver. 29. Blessed are the barren] Better be so than bring forth children to the murderer. Hence Hosea prays for barrenness as a blessing on his people, Hos 9:14.

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.

29. They shall say—Here is a significant change from the second person to the third; from ye to they. Perhaps the they refers to children; perhaps impersonally to the wicked in the day of Jerusalem’s destruction.

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

Blessed are the barren. A strange beatitude to be spoken to the women of Israel, who, through all their checkered history, so passionately longed that this barrenness might not be their portion!

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

Connecting Statement:

Jesus finishes speaking to the crowd.

For see

This introduces the reason why the women of Jerusalem should weep for themselves.

the days are coming

"there will soon be a time"

in which they will say

"when people will say"

the barren

"women who have not given birth to children"

the wombs that did not bear ... the breasts that did not nurse

These clauses are used to more fully describe "the barren." Those women neither gave birth nor nursed children. It may be helpful to combine these together with "the barren." AT: "the women who have never given birth to children or nursed babies"

Then

at that time

to the hills

Words are left out to keep the phrase short. AT: "they will say to the hills" (See: Ellipsis)

For if they do these things while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?

Jesus uses a question to help the crowd understand that people are doing bad things now in good times, so certainly they will do worse things in the bad times in the future. AT: "You can see that they are doing these bad things while the tree is green, so you can be sure that they will do worse things when the tree is dry." (See: Rhetorical Question)

the tree is green

The green tree is a metaphor for something that is good. If your language has a similar metaphor, you should use it here. (See: Metaphor)

it is dry

The dry wood is a metaphor for something that will be useful only to burn. (See: Metaphor)

they

This can refer to either the Romans or the Jewish leaders, or no one in particular.

translationWords

bless

barren

womb

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

29. ἔθρεψαν. אBL, La[389] Ti[390] ἐξέθρεψαν D, ἐθήλασαν Rec[391]

[389] La. Lachmann.

[390] Ti. Tischendorf.

[391] Rec. The Textus Receptus.

29. μακάριαι αἱ στεῖραι. Comp. Luk 11:27; Hos 9:12-16. The words received their most painful illustration in the incident of the Siege, which had long been foretold in prophecy (Deu 28:53-57; Jer 19:9), that women were driven even to kill and eat their own children: Jos. B. J. Luk 23:10, VI. 3. The ‘Blessed’ shewed an awful reversal of the proper blessedness of motherhood.

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.

29. ἔρχονται ἡμ.] Between this and then would be time for that effectual weeping, which might save both themselves and their children: see Act 2:37, Act 2:38,—but of which few availed themselves. These few are remarkably hinted at in the change to the third person, which excludes them—ἐροῦσιν, i.e. not ‘men in general,’ nor ‘My enemies,’—but ‘the impenitent among you,—those who weep merely tears of idle sympathy for Me, and none of repentance for themselves;—those who are in Jerusalem and its misery, which My disciples will not be.’

On the saying itself, compare the whole of Hos_9, especially vv. 12-16.

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

29. ἔρχονται ἡμέραι. “Days are coming”: comp. Heb 8:8; Jer 7:32, Jer 7:9:25, Jer 7:16:14, Jer 7:19:6, Jer 7:23:5, Jer 7:7, etc. In all these cases ἰδού precedes ἔρχονται. In Lk. the fut. is more common: 5:35, 17:22, 19:43, 21:6. Here the nom. to ἐροῦσιν is not τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν, but “people, the world in general”: man wird sagen.

Μακάριαι αἱ στεῖραι. As a rule childless women are commiserated or despised (1:25, 36), but in these dreadful times they will be congratulated. Comp. Eur. Androm. 395; Alc. 882; Tac. Ann. ii. 75, 1. See on 1:24.

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