Luke 5:21

Luk 5:21 . διαλογίζεσθαι : Lk. omits the qualifying phrases ἐν ἑαυτοῖς , ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις of Mt. and Mk., leaving it doubtful whether they spoke out or merely thought . λέγοντες does not settle the point, as it merely indicates to what effect they reasoned.

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

21. ἤρξαντο διαλογίζεσθαι. Not a mere periphrasis for διαλογε σαντο: see on 4:21. Hitherto they had found nothing in His words to excite criticism. Here they seemed to see the opportunity for which they had been watching, and their discussions forthwith began.1 The γραμματεῖς are evidently the same as the νομοδιδάσκαλοι in ver. 17. Neither Mt. nor Mk. mention the Pharisees here; and both of them imply that the criticisms were not uttered aloud: ἐν ἑαυτοῖς (Mt.), ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις (Mk.). Even here utterance is not stated, for λέγοντες may be used of thoughts (12:17; Mat 21:25).

Τίς ἐστιν οὖτος ὅς λαλεῖ βλασφημίας; An accidental iambic line. We have another ver. 39, if εὐθέως be admitted as genuine. The οὖτος is contemptuous, as often (4:22, 7:39, 49, 9:9, 14:30, 15:2, etc.). In N.T., as in class. Grk., βλασφημία has the two meanings of “evil speaking” (Col 3:8; Eph 4:31; 1Ti 4:4; Jud 1:9 : comp. Rom 3:8, Rom 14:16) and “blasphemy” (Mat 12:31, Mat 12:26:65; Rev 13:6). These cavillers assume that Jesus claimed to have pardoned the man on His own authority, not merely to have said that He knew that his sins have been forgiven by Got And Jesus does not say that they are mistaken in this. He acts on His own authority in accordance with the will of the Father, doing on earth what the Father does in heaven (Joh 5:19, Joh 5:21). For ἀφιέναι of sins comp. Mat 12:31; Mar 3:28; Rom 4:7, etc.

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

Verse 21. Who can forgive sins, but God alone?] If Jesus were not God, he could not forgive sins; and his arrogating this authority would have been blasphemy against God, in the most proper sense of the word. That these scribes and Pharisees might have the fullest proof of his Godhead, he works in their presence three miracles, which from their nature could only be effected by an omniscient and omnipotent Being. The miracles are:

1. The remission of the poor man's sins.

2. The discernment of the secret thoughts of the scribes.

3. The restoration of the paralytic in an instant to perfect soundness.

See note on Mt 9:5; Mt 9:6.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

21. Who is this] The word used for ‘this person’ is contemptuous. St Matthew puts it still more barely, ‘This fellow blasphemes,’ and to indulge such thoughts and feelings was distinctly “to think evil thoughts.”

blasphemies] In classical Greek the word means abuse and injurious talk, but the Jews used it specially of curses against God, or claiming His attributes (Mat_26:65; Joh_10:36).

Who can forgive sins, but God alone] The remark in itself was not unnatural, Psa_32:5; Isa_43:25; but they captiously overlooked the possibility of a delegated authority, and the ordinary declaratory idioms of language, which might have shewn them that blasphemy was a thing impossible to Christ, even if they were not yet prepared to admit the Divine Power which He had already exhibited.

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.

And the Scribes and the Pharisees began to reason,.... To think and say within themselves, and it may be to one another, in a private manner:

saying, who is this which speaketh blasphemies? what vain boaster, and blaspheming creature is this, who assumes that to himself, which is the prerogative of God?

Who can forgive sins but God alone? against whom they are committed, whose law is transgressed, and his will disobeyed, and his justice injured and affronted. Certain it is, that none can forgive sins but God; not any of the angels in heaven, or men on earth; not holy good men, nor ministers of the Gospel; and if Christ had been a mere man, though ever so good a man, even a sinless one, or ever so great a prophet, he could not have forgiven sin; but he is truly and properly God, as his being a discerner of the thoughts of these men, and his healing the paralytic man in the manner he did, are sufficient proofs. The Scribes and Pharisees therefore, though they rightly ascribe forgiveness of sin to God alone, yet grievously sinned, in imputing blasphemy to Christ: they had wrong notions of Christ, concluding him to be but a mere man, against the light and evidence of his works and miracles; and also of his office as a Redeemer, who came to save his people from their sins; and seem to restrain the power of forgiving sin to God the Father, whereas the Son of God, being equal with him, had the same power, and that even on earth, to forgive sin; See Gill on Mar 2:7.

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

How great is the madness of this unbelieving people, who confessing that God alone can forgive sins, will not believe God when he grants pardon. (St. Ambrose) --- They indeed spoke the truth, for none can forgive sins but God only, who forgives our offences by the ministry of others, to whom he has committed this power, both in baptism and penance. But Christ, by forgiving sins as God, i.e. with his own power, clearly proves to all his divinity. (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).

And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? It is very probable that some of those who stood by, had already, at Jerusalem, witnessed by the Bethesda Pool a wonder-work done by the same Jesus on the person of an impotent man lying there waiting for the troubling of the water, (Joh_5:5, Joh_5:9) and had taken part there in an angry expostulation with the Wonder-worker, who on that occasion, in his words, "made himself equal with God". (Joh_5:18) We know (see ver. 17) that some of the Jerusalem scribes were present that day in the Capernaum house. Again, thought these learned Jews, "this strange Man is uttering his dread blasphemies, but now in even more plain terms than there. "

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

21. τίς ἐστιν οὗτος ὃς λαλεῖ βλασφημίας; This is a perfect iambic line. The word οὖτος is contemptuous. St Matthew puts it still more barely, ‘This fellow blasphemes.’ To indulge such thoughts and feelings was distinctly “to think evil thoughts.”

βλασφημίας. In classical Greek the word means abuse and injurious talk, but the Jews used it specially of curses against God, or claiming His attributes (Mat 26:65; Joh 10:36).

τίς δύναται ἁμαρτίας ἀφεῖναι εἰ μὴ μόνος ὁ θέος; The remark in itself was not unnatural, Psa 32:5; Isa 43:25; but they captiously overlooked the possibility of a delegated authority, and the ordinary declaratory idioms of language, which might have shewn them that blasphemy was a thing impossible to Christ, even if they were not yet prepared to admit the Divine Power which He had already exhibited.

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.

To reason. See on Mr 2:6. The words who is this that speaketh blasphemy, form an iambic verse in the Greek.

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