Luke 7:25

Luk 7:25 . ἰδοὺ οἱ : Lk. changes the expression here, substituting for οἱ τὰ μαλακὰ φοροῦντες (Mt.), οἱ ἐν ἱματισμῷ ἐνδόξῳ καὶ τρυφῇ ὑπάρχοντες = those living in (clothed with) splendid apparel and luxury.

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

(25) They which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately.—The words are more vivid than those in St. Matthew (“they that wear soft clothing”), and bring out the idea of ostentatious display and extravagant excess of luxury, as well as effeminate self-indulgence. Such forms of selfishness were common among the house of Herod and their followers. So Josephus describes the “royal apparel” of Agrippa (Act_12:21) as glittering with gold and silver tissues. The words must have gone home to some of the Herodians, and we may trace a touch of brutal vindictiveness in the “gorgeous” or “bright robe,” in which they arrayed the Prophet of Nazareth when they had Him in their power. (See Notes on Luk_23:11; Mat_11:8.)

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

25. A man clothed in soft raiment?] A contrast to the camel’s hair mantle and leathern girdle of the Baptist; Mat_3:4.

they which are gorgeously apparelled and live delicately] Rather, they who are in glorious apparel and luxury. The Herods were specially given both to ostentation in dress (Act_13:21) and to luxury, Mar_6:21; Jos. B. J. 1. 20, § 2; Antt. xix. 8, § 2; 18, § 7.

in kings courts] Rather, in palaces. Such as the palaces of the Herods which they had seen at Tiberias, Caesarea Philippi, and Jerusalem. We might almost fancy an allusion to Manaen the Essene, who is said in the Talmud to have openly adopted gorgeous robes to shew his allegiance to Herod. To the Herodians generally, and to all whose Judaism was a mere matter of gain and court favour, might have been applied the sneering nickname of the Talmud ‘Proselytes of the royal table’ (Gere Shulchan Melachim. Kiddushin, f. 65. 2; Gratz, in. 308). John had been in palaces, but only to counsel and reprove. Our Lord on the only two occasions on which He entered palaces—on the last day of His life—was mocked by “bright apparel” (Luk_23:11), and a purple or scarlet robe (Mat_27:28).

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.

This is he of whom it is written,.... In Mal 3:1. See Gill on Mat 11:10. See Gill on Mar 1:2.

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Luke 7:28

luk 7:28

luk 7:28

luk 7:28For I say unto you----here is not a greater prophet,.... The word "prophet" is left out in the Arabic and Ethiopic versions, as in Mat 11:11. See Gill on Mat 11:11.

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

But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously appareled, and live delicately, are in kings" courts. Was it, again, to see one of earth"s so-called great ones a favourite of the reigning monarch, a courtier of the magnificent Herod? John was no court favourite, no powerful or princely noble. Dean Plumptre thinks that here a reference is made to the fact that, in the early days of Herod the Great, a section of the scribes had attached themselves to his policy and party, and in doing so had laid aside the sombre raiment of their order, and had appeared in the gorgeous raiment worn by Herod"s other courtiers. "We may trace," adds the dean, "with very little hesitation, a vindictive retaliation for these very words in the "gorgeous robe" with which Herod arrayed him in mockery, when the tetrarch and Christ stood for one brief hour face to face with each other". (Luk_23:4)

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

25. ἄνθρωπον ἐν μαλακοῖς ἱματίοις ἠμφιεσμένον. A contrast to the camel’s hair mantle and leathern girdle of the Baptist; Mat 3:4.

οἱ ἐν ἱματισμῷ ἐνδόξῳ καὶ τρυφῇ. St Luke’s classical dislike to repetition makes him substitute ἱμ. ἐνδ. for ἐν μαλακοῖς ἱματίοις (Mat 11:8). ‘They are in glorious apparel and luxury.’ The Herods were specially given both to ostentation in dress (Act 13:21) and to luxury, Mar 6:21; Jos. B. J. I. 20, § 2; Antt. XIX. 8, § 2; 18, § 7. τρυφῇ occurs in the N.T. only here and in 2Pe 2:13.

ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις. ‘In the palaces.’ Such as the palaces of the Herods which His hearers had seen at Tiberias, Caesarea Philippi, and Jerusalem. We might almost fancy an allusion to Manaen the Essene, who is said in the Talmud to have openly adopted gorgeous robes to shew his allegiance to Herod. To the Herodians generally, and to all whose Judaism was a mere matter of gain and court favour, might have been applied the sneering nickname of the Talmud ‘Proselytes of the royal table’ (Gere Shulchan Melachim. Kiddushin, f. 65. 2; Grätz, III. 308), which may be compared with the sneering Hindoo phrase “rice-Christians.” John had been in palaces, but only to counsel and reprove. Our Lord on the only two occasions on which He entered palaces—on the last day of His life—was mocked by being robed in “bright apparel” (Luk 23:11), and a purple or scarlet robe (Mat 27:28).

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.

25. ἄνθρωπον ἐν μαλακοῖς. Such a person would not be found in the wilderness; although he might have attracted them. This seems to show that the κάλαμον is not metaphorical, for this is obviously literal. Hastings, D.C.G. art. “Reed.”

οἱ ἐ ἱματισμῷ ἐδόξῳ καὶ τρυφῇ ὑπάρχοντες “Those who live in gorgeous apparel and luxury.” The word ἱματισμός is of late origin, and is seldom used excepting of costly vesture (9:29; Act 20:33; Joh 19:24; 1Ti 2:9; 24:53; Exo 3:22, Exo 3:12:35; 1Ki 10:5). See Trench, Syn. l. For ἐνδόξῳ comp. 13:17, and for ὑπάρχοντες see on 8:41. In N.T. τρυφή occurs only here and 2Pe 2:13; in LXX only as v.l. Lam 4:5. But it is freq. in class. Grk. It means an enervating mode of life (θρύπτομαι, “I am broken up and enfeebled”).

26 περισσότερον προγήτηυ This completes the Climax : κάλαμον, ἄνθρωπον, προφήτην, περισσότερον προφήτου. In περισσότερον we have a late equivalent of πλέον. It may be masc. or neut., but is probably neut., like πλεῖον in 11:32. Comp. 12:4, 20:47. They went out to see something more than a Prophet, and they did see it.

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

Gorgeously apparelled [εν ιματισμω ενδοξω] . Lit., in splendid clothing.

Live delicately [τρυφη υπαρχοντες] . Lit., are in luxury. On uJparcontev, are, see on Jas 2:15. On trufh, luxury, see on 2Pe 2:13, the only other place where it occurs. Compare the kindred verb trufaw, to live in luxury, Jas 5:5.

Kings' courts [βασιλειοις] . Only here in New Testament. Often rendered palaces. Sometimes, in later Greek, applied to a capital or royal city, a royal treasury, and a royal diadem.

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