Luke 4:36

4:36 What authority and power this man’s words possess! Magicians and exorcists often used elaborate rituals and incantations. The people were amazed that Jesus merely spoke a word on his own authority and cast out the demon.

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

Luk 4:36. Λόγος, a word) דבר.—ἐν ἐξουσίᾳ, with authority) which cannot be contradicted.—καὶ δυνάμει, and power) which cannot be resisted.

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

Luk 4:36 . ὁ λόγος οὗτος refers either to the commanding word of Jesus, followed by such astounding results (“quid est hoc verbum?” Vulg [47] ), or = what is this thing? what a surprising affair! (“quid hoc rei est?” Beza, and after him Grotius, De Wette, etc.). In either case Lk.’s version at this point is altogether secondary and colourless as compared with Mk.’s, q.v.

[47] Vulgate (Jerome’s revision of old Latin version).

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

What a word--a word from the Lord of spirits.

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

And the fame of him went out,.... From hence on account of his dispossessing this unclean spirit, which seems to be the first instance of this kind:

into every place in the country round about; into every city, town, and village in Galilee, and even into all places round about Galilee; Mar 1:28.

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

36 And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.

Ver. 36. {See Trapp on "Mar 1:27"}

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.

36. τίς ὁ λόγος οὗτος; Vulg[105] Quod est hoc verbum? ‘What is this word?’

[105] Vulg. Vulgate.

ἐξέρχονται. In strict Attic Greek the singular verb would have followed the neut. plur.

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. ἐγένετο θάμβος. Mk. has ἐθαμβήθησαν; but Lk. is fond of these periphrases with γίνομαι (1:65, 6:49, 8:17, 12:40, 13:2, 4, 18:23, etc.): see on 3:22. The word exrresses amazement akin to terror, and the subst. is peculiar to Lk (5:9; Act 3:10). Just as Christ’s doctrine amazed them in comparison with the formalism of the scribes, so His authority over demons in comparison with the attempts of the exorcists: all the more so, because a single word sufficed for Him, whereas the exorcists used incantations, charms, and much superstitious ceremonial (Tob. 8:1-3; Jos. Ant. viii. 2. 5; Justin, Apol. ii. 6; Try. lxxxv.)

τὶς ὁ λόγος οὖτος. Not, Quid hoc rei est? “What manner a thinge is this?” (Beza, Luth. Tyn. Cran. Grotius), but Quod est hoc verbum ? “What is this word?” (Vulg. Wic Rhem. RV.). It is doubtful whether in N.T. λόγος has the meaning of “event, occurrence, dead”: but comp. 1:4 and Mar 1:45. Whether λόγος is here to be confined to the command given to the demon, or includes the previous teaching (ver, 32), is uncertain. Mar 1:27 is in favour of the latter. In this case we have an ambiguous ὅτι to deal with; and once more “because” or “for” is more probable than “that” (see on 1:45). But if “that” be adopted, ὁ λόγος has the more limited meaning: “What is this word that with authority?” etc.

ἐν ἐξουσίᾳ καὶ δυνάμει. ἐξουσίᾳ, cui non potest contradici; δυνάμει, cui non potest resisti (Beng.). Mk. has κατʼ ἐξουσίαν only. The beloved physician is fond of δύναμις esp. in the sense of “inherent power of healing” (5:17, 16:19, 8:46, 9:1; Act 3:12, Act 4:7, Act 6:8). Mk. has it only once in this sense (5:30), and Mt. not at all. The plural in the sense of “manifestations of power, miracles”(10:13, 19:37),is freq. in Mt. and Mk. See on Rom 1:16.

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

They were all amazed [εγενετο θαμβος επι παντας] . Lit., as Rev., amazement came upon all. Qambov, amazement, is used by Luke only. The kindred verb, qambeomai, to be amazed, occurs only once in Luke (Act 9:6), and three times in Mark; while Mark alone has the strong compound ejkqambew, to be greatly amazed (Mr 9:15).

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