Luke 7:21

Luk 7:21. Νόσων καὶ μαστίγων, diseases and plagues) The νόσοι were lingering diseases; the μάστιγες, plagues, were attended with acute pain.—ἐχαρίσατο, He freely gave) A magnificent expression. To bestow as a free gift, χαρίσασθαι, was not a prerogative of the Apostles in their miracles. Comp. ἔδωκεν, He gave, in Luk 7:15.

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

Luk 7:21 . Lk. makes Jesus reply not merely by word, as in Mt. (Mat 11:5 ), but first of all by deeds displaying His miraculous power. That Jesus wrought demonstrative cures there and then may be Lk.’s inference from the expression ἀκούετε καὶ βλέπετε , which seems to point to something going on before their eyes. ἐχαρίσατο : a word welcome to Lk. as containing the idea of grace = He granted the boon (of sight).

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

When John’s disciples came to Christ.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 21. Infirmities and plagues] The following judicious note from Bp. PEARCE is worthy of deep attention: "Luke mentions here νοσοι, μαϚιγες, leprosias, and πνευματα πονηρα, i.e. diseases or ill habits of body, sores or lamenesses, and evil spirits: from whence we may conclude that evil spirits are reckoned by him (who speaks of distempers with more accuracy than the other evangelists) as things different from any disorders of the body, included in the two former words."

Unto many that were blind he gave light.] Rather, he kindly gave sight - εχαρισατο το βλεπειν; or, he graciously gave sight. This is the proper meaning of the original words. In all his miracles, Jesus showed the tenderest mercy and kindness: not only the cure, but the manner in which he performed it, endeared him to those who were objects of his compassionate regards.

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

(21) And in that same hour he cured . . . The statement of the facts is peculiar to St. Luke, and obviously adds much force to our Lord’s answer. He pointed to what was passing before the eyes of the questioners.

Plagues.—See Note on Mar_3:10.

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

21. in that same hour] Omit ‘same,’ which has no equivalent in the Greek.

plagues] Literally, “scourges.”

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 Jesus answering said unto them,.... "To the disciples", as the Persic; to both, as the Arabic: when he had wrought these cures, he turned himself to the disciples of John, and made answer to their question. The Vulgate Latin leaves out the word "Jesus", rendering it, "and he answering"; in the following words:

go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard. They had just seen many cured of infirmities, plagues, and evil spirits, and they had heard the doctrines of the Gospel preached by him; and the former were in confirmation of the latter, and both were proofs of his being the Messiah: the particulars of which follow,

how that the blind see; that is, they that had been blind, and some that were born blind received their sight, which was what was never heard of before, from the beginning of the world; and which, as it is an instance of Christ's almighty power, showing him to be God; so it was a fulfilment of a prophecy concerning him as the Messiah, who, when he came, was to open the eyes of the blind, Isa 35:5 and this was true, not only in a corporeal, but in a spiritual sense: and generally so it was, that when the blind received their bodily sight, they also received their spiritual sight; and both were evidences of the true Messiahship of our Lord Jesus.

The lame walk; these were among those who were cured of their infirmities; and this also was prophesied of the Messiah, and was now accomplished by Jesus, that "the lame man" should "leap as an hart", Isa 35:6 and so was to be considered by John, and his disciples, as another proof of his being the true Messiah:

the lepers are cleansed; of this sort were they who were cured of their plagues: the leprosy was called a plague; hence the treatise of leprosy, in the Misna, is, by the Jews, called Negaim, or "plagues".

The deaf hear; so in the above prophecy in Isaiah, it is predicted, that "the ears of the deaf should be unstopped" in the days of the Messiah; and which therefore must be considered as a further confirmation of Jesus being he that was to come, and that another was not to be looked for.

The dead are raised: whether there were any raised at this time, or no, is not certain; but certain it is, that there had been one raised from the dead, if not in the presence of these disciples, yet just before they came to Christ, of which John had been informed by some of his disciples, if not these; and of which an account is given before in this chapter, and which is what none but the mighty God can do.

To the poor the Gospel is preached: it was preached both by the poor, the disciples of Christ, and to the poor, mean, base, and illiterate among the Jews; and also to the poor, meek, and lowly in heart, as was prophesied should be, by the Messiah, Isa 61:1 so that put all together, here were undoubted proofs, and a full demonstration, that Jesus was the Messiah; See Gill on Mat 11:4. See Gill on Mat 11:5.

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

21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.

Ver. 21. {See Trapp on "Mat 11:4"} {See Trapp on "Mat 11:5"}

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.

And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. "He knew as God what John"s design was in sending to him, and he put it into his heart to send at that very time when he himself was working many miracles which were the true answer to the question" (Cyril, quoted by Wordsworth).

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

Christ’s reference to the prophecy:

v. 21. And in that same hour He cured many of their infirmities and plagues and of evil spirits, and unto many that were blind He gave sight.

v. 22. Then Jesus, answering, said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the Gospel is preached.

v. 23. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Me.

The time of their coming to Jesus could not have been arranged more auspiciously. For just then Jesus was busily engaged with performing miracles of all kinds: He cured many of sicknesses, of plagues which were scourges upon their backs; He healed some of evil spirits; to many that were blind He granted the priceless favor or boon of sight. With reference to these and other miracles Jesus reminded the messengers of the Baptist of a prophecy which had been spoken concerning the Messiah, Isa 35:5-6; Isa 61:1-2. There miracles of all kinds, also in the field of physical healing, had been foretold as taking place through the power of. the Messiah. See Mat 11:4-6. Any one that pays the slightest attention to the Old Testament prophecy, and compares it with the present visible fulfillment, cannot doubt that Jesus is the Christ. And Jesus adds a word of warning for the special benefit of the two disciples: Blessed is he that shall not be offended in Me. That was the danger for all those disciples of John that were not satisfied with the manner in which the disciples of Jesus were conducting themselves, without regard to the rules of the elders about fasting and washing of hands, etc. , chapter 5:30. If a person is so carried away with a false asceticism that he wants to curtail the liberty of the New Testament, and for that reason is offended at Jesus the Christ, he has only himself to blame for the evil consequences.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In that hour

"At that time"

from evil spirits

It may be helpful to restate the healing. AT: "he healed them from evil spirits" or "he set people free from evil spirits" (See: Ellipsis)

said to them

"said to John's messengers" or "said to the messengers that John sent"

report to John

"tell John"

people who have died are being raised back to life

"dead people are being caused to live again"

needy people

"poor people"

The person who does not stop believing in me because of my actions is blessed

This can be stated in active form. AT: "God will bless the person who does not stop believing in me because of my actions" (See: Active or Passive)

The person who does not ... is blessed

"People who do not ... are blessed" or "Anyone who does not ... is blessed" or "Whoever does not ... is blessed." This is not a specific person.

not stop believing in me because of

This double negative means "continues to believe in me despite" (See: Double Negatives)

believing in me

"trusting me completely"

translationWords

hour, hours

cure

afflicted

demon

John (the Baptist)

leper

clean

good news

believe

bless

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

21. μαστίγων. ‘Scourges.’ It is used here only by St Luke of diseases, and elsewhere only by St Mark (Mar 3:10; Mar 5:29; Mar 5:34).

καὶ τυφλοῖς πολλοῖς ἐχαρίσατο βλέπειν. ‘And to many blind He granted the boon of seeing. The καὶ indicates the greatness of the miracle, and the ἐχαρίσατο (which Bengel calls magnificum verbum) the graciousness of it, and the preciousness of the result. The Rec[159] reads τὸ βλέπειν, but the τὸ is not essential and probably rose from homoeoteleuton. χαρίζεσθαι in the N. T. is only used by St Luke and St Paul.

[159] Rec. The Textus Receptus.

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.

21.] This fact follows by inference from Matt. ver. 4: for they could not tell John ἃ ἔβλεπον, unless our Lord were employed in works of healing at the time. Observe that Luke, himself a physician, distinguishes between the diseased and the possessed.

22 f.] Nearly verbatim as Matt. The expression νεκροὶ ἐγ. does not necessarily imply that more than one such miracle had taken place: the plural is generic.

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

21. θεραπεύειν ἀπό. See on 5:15: it is peculiar to Lk.

μαστίγων. “Distressing bodily diseases”; Mar 3:10, Mar 3:5:29, Mar 3:34. In LXX it is used of any grievous trouble, but not specially of disease: Psa 35:15, 88:32 ; Ecclus. 40:9?; 2 Mac. 7:37: comp. Hom. Il. xii. 37, xiii. 812.; Aesch. Sept. 607; Ag. 642 The notion that troubles are Divine chastisements is implied in the word. It is used literally Act 22:24 and Heb 11:36.

ἐχαρίσατο. “He graciously bestowed, made a free present of”; magnificum verbum (Beng.) ; Comp. 2 Mac. 3:31.

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

Diseases - plagues [νοσωνμαστιγων] . See on Mt 4:23; Mr 3:10. Marking the two classes of disease recognized in medical writings, chronic and acute.

Evil spirits [πνευματων] . On ponhrov, evil, see ch. Luk 3:19. It is applied to evil spirits by Luke only, with the single exception of Mt 12:45. In accordance with its signification of evil on its active side, it is applied in medicine to that which spreads destruction or corruption; as the poison of serpents. Note, moreover, that Luke distinguishes here between disease and demoniac possession, as often. See ch. Luk 6:17, 18; Luk 8:2; Luk 13:32. He gave [εχαρισατο] . More is expressed by this verb than simple giving. He gave as a free, gracious, joy - giving gift. See on cariv, favor, ch. 1 30; and compare freely give, Rom 8:32. Also, 1Co 2:12.

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