Luke 23:51

Luk 23:51. Οὗτος) He, i.e. he alone. [If aught that is wrong goes forward without thy consent, do not at least give your approval to the act.—V. g.] Nicodemus, we know, was ἄρχων, a ruler, but he is not called βουλευτὴς, a counsellor.—τῇ βουλῇ, to the counsel) See Luk 23:1. The phraseology approaches nearly to that in Psa 1:1 [“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly”].—τῇ πράξει, the deed) Luk 23:33.

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

Luk 23:51 . οὐκ ἦν συγκατατεθειμένος , was not a consenting party, here only in N. T. Alford thinks the meaning is that he absented himself from the meeting. Let us hope it means more than that: present at the meeting, and dissenting from its proceedings. τ . βουλῇ καὶ τ . πράξει , their counsel and their subsequent action in carrying that counsel into effect. ὅς προσεδέχετο , etc.: this describes his religious character. Thus we have first social position, a counsellor; next ethical character, generous and just: finally religious character, one who was waiting for the Kingdom of God.

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

(51) The counsel and deed of them.—The first word includes all the earlier stages of the action of the Sanhedrin, from the counsel given by Caiaphas (Joh_11:49) to the final condemnation; the second, the unofficial acts, such as the compact with Judas, and the delivery to Pilate.

Who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.—The description agrees in form with St. Mark, but not with St. Matthew or St. John. Nicodemus, who acted with him, is mentioned in the fourth Gospel only.

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

51. the same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them] It is remarkable that Joseph is the only Sanhedrist of whom this exception is recorded. We cannot, however, doubt that it was true of Nicodemus also, since he was “the teacher of Israel” (Joh_3:10), which may possibly mean the third officer of the Synagogue, who was known by the name of the Chakam or ‘Wise Man.’ The word ‘deed’ might almost be rendered ‘crime.’

Arimathea] The name is a modification of the later Hebrew Ramtha, ‘a hill,’ and is the same name as Ramah, Ramathaim, &c. Hence the town of Joseph has been variously identified with Ramleh in Dan, Ramathaim in Ephraim (1Sa_1:1), and Ramah in Benjamin (Mat_2:18).

also] i.e. as well as Christ’s open followers. The same word is preserved in Mat_27:57, “who also himself was a disciple,” though as St John (Joh_19:38) adds, “secretly for fear of the Jews.”

waited for the kingdom of God] See Luk_2:25, and p. 382.

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.

51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

Ver. 51. The same had not consented] This proved him to be a good man and a just, as Psa 1:1. Sir John Cheek was drawn in for fear of death to be present at the condemnation of some of the martyrs. The remorse whereof so mightily wrought upon his heart, that not long after he left this mortal life; whose fall, though it was full of infirmity, yet his rising again by repentance was great, and his end comfortable, saith Master Fox. So by the malice and subtilty of Stephen Gardiner, Cromwell was commanded by King Henry VIII to read the sentence of condemnation against Mr Lambert the martyr, for the which Cromwell afterwards asked him forgiveness.

Waited for the kingdom of God] Gr. προσεδεχετο, entertained and embraced it.

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.

Arimathea. In other parts of Scripture it is called Ramatha, a city of Judea, where Samuel, the prophet, was born. (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).

51. οὐκ ἧν συνκατατιθέμενος, κ.τ.λ. It is remarkable that Joseph is the only Sanhedrist of whom this exception is recorded. We cannot, however, doubt that it was true of Nicodemus also, since he was “the teacher of Israel” (Joh 3:10), which may possibly mean the third officer of the Synagogue, who was known by the name of the Chakam or ‘Wise Man.’ The word πρᾶξις might almost be rendered ‘crime.’ See Rom 8:13; Col 3:9.

αὐτῶν. I.e. τῶν βουλευτῶν, of his fellow Sanhedrists.

Ἀριμαθαίας. The name is a modification of the later Hebrew Ramtha, ‘a hill,’ and is the same name as Ramah, Ramathaim, &c. Hence the town of Joseph has been variously identified with Ramleh in Dan, Ramathaim in Ephraim (1Sa 1:1), and Ramah in Benjamin (Mat 2:18).

[καί.] As well as Christ’s open followers. The same word is preserved in Mat 27:57, “who also himself was a disciple,” though as St John (Joh 19:38) adds, “secretly for fear of the Jews.”

προσεδέχετο. See Luk 2:25, and p. 382.

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.

51. οὗτος …] Peculiar to Luke. The meaning is, he had absented himself, and taken no part in their (the council’s) determination against Jesus.

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

51. οὐκ ἦν συνκατεθειμένος. We do not know whether he had absented himself, or abstained from voting, or voted in opposition to the sentence: the verb occurs Exo 23:32. Apparently he was not present when the sentence recorded Mar 14:64 was pronounced, for that was unanimous.

τῇ βουλῇ. Excepting 1Co 4:5; Eph 1:11; Heb 6:17. βουλή is peculiar to Lk. in N.T. See on 7:30. In LXX it is very common. Syr-Sin. has “to the accusers.”

τῇ πράξει. When the word is used in a bad sense, the plur. is more common (Act 19:18; Rom 8:13; Col 3:9), as in our “practices”: but Polybius uses the sing. in this sense. Here the method by which they compassed the death of Jesus is specially meant.

ἀτῶν. Who these are is suggested rather than stated by the preceding βουλευτής: αὐτῶν means “of the Sanhedrin.” Win. 22:3(2), P. 182.

ἀπὸ Ἀριμαθαίας πόλεως τ. Ἰ. The ἀπό probably means birth-place or former residence (Mat 21:11): his having a burial-place at Jerusalem shows that be had settled there; and his being one of the Sanhedrin confirms this. Arimathæa is commonly identified with Ramah, the birthplace and home of Samuel. Its full name was Ramathaim-zophim = “Double Height of the Watchers.” In LXX it is called Ἀρμυαθαίμ (1Sa 1:19), and the identification of its site “is, without exception, the most complicated and disputed problem of sacred topography” (Stanley, Sin. & Pal. p. 224). The addition of πόλεως τῶν Ἰουδαίων points to Gentile readers.

προσεδεδέχετο τ.βασιλείαν τ. Θεοῦ. “He was waiting for the Messianic Kingdom”: that he recognized Jesus as the Messiah is not implied. Comp. 2:25, 38; Act 23:21, Act 24:15. The verb is not found in Mt. or Jn, and only once in Mk., but occurs seven times in Lk. and Acts.

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

Consented [συγκατατεθειμενος] . Only here in New Testament.

Another of Luke's numerous compounds. the Greek student will be struck with the array of compounds, from ver. 49 to 56, inclusive. The verb means to put [τιθημι] , down [κατα] , along with [συν] . Hence to put down the same vote or opinion with another : to agree with or assent to.

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