Luke 7:32

Luk 7:32 . ὅμοιοί εἰσιν : referring to ἀνθρώπους , ὁμοία in Mt. referring to γενεὰν . The variations in Lk.’s version from Mt.’s are slight: both seem to be keeping close to a common source ἀλλήλοις for ἑτέροις , ἐκλαύσατε for ἐκόψασθε ; in Luk 7:33 ἄρτον is inserted after ἐσθίων and οἶνον after πίνων ; following a late tradition, think Meyer and Schanz. More probably they are explanatory editorial touches by Lk., as if to say: John did eat and drink, but not bread and wine . For ἦλθεν Lk. substitutes in Luk 7:33-34 ἐλήλυθεν = is come. Thus the two prophets have taken their place once for all in the page of history: the one as an ascetic, the other as avoiding peculiarity influencing men not by the method of isolation but by the method of sympathy . The malignant caricature of this genial character in Luk 7:34 glutton, drunkard, comrade of publicans and sinners originated doubtless in the Capernaum mission.

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

Verse 32. They are like unto children] See on Mt 11:16-19. It is probable that our Lord alludes here to some play or game among the Jewish children, no account of which is now on record.

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

32. They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace] Our Lord constantly drew His deepest instruction from the commonest phenomena of nature, and the everyday incidents of life. Such a method gave far greater force to the delivery of His Gospel “to the poor,” and it was wholly unlike the arid, scholastic, technical, and second-hand methods of the Rabbis.

calling one to another, and saying] This interesting comparison was doubtless drawn from the games which Jesus had witnessed, and in which perhaps He as a child had taken part, in Nazareth. Eastern children are fond of playing in groups at games of a very simple kind in the open air. Some have supposed that the game here alluded to was a sort of guessing game like that sometimes played by English children, and called ‘Dumb Show.’ This is not very probable. The point of the comparison is the peevish sullenness of the group of children who refuse to take part in, or approve of, any game played by their fellows, whether it be the merry acting of a marriage, or the imitated sadness of a funeral. So the men of that generation condemned the Baptist for his asceticism which they attributed to demoniacal possession; and condemned Christ for His genial tenderness by calling Him a man fond of good living. The difficulties and differences of explanation found in this simple parable are only due to a needless literalness. If indeed we take the language quite literally,

‘this generation’ is compared with the dancing and mourning children who complain of the sullenness of their fellows; and if this be insisted on, the meaning must be that the Jews complained of John for holding aloof from their mirth, and of Jesus for discountenancing their austerities. But it is the children who are looking on who are blamed, not the playing children, as is clearly shewn by the “and ye say” of Luk_7:33-34. In the explanation here preferred our Lord and the Baptist are included in this generation, and the comparison (just as in the Homeric similes) is taken as a whole to illustrate the mutual relations between them and their contemporaries. So in Mat_13:24, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a sower, &c.,” where the comparison is more to the reception of the seed.

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.

But wisdom is justified of all her children. That is, Christ, who is the wisdom of God, and who acted the wise part, in behaving in such a free manner with all sorts of men, and even with publicans and sinners, whereby he became useful to their souls, called them to repentance, converted and saved them: and these are his children, which were given him by the Father; for whose sake he partook of flesh and blood, and whom he redeemed, that they might receive the adoption of children; and to whom, believing in him, he gives power to become the children of God: and these justify him from all such scandalous imputations, and by their lives and conversations show, that the doctrine of Christ is not a licentious one, or leads to libertinism, and indulges men in their carnal sensual lusts and pleasures; but, on the contrary, teaches them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly: the word "all", is inserted by Luke, which is not in Matthew; signifying, that this is the universal sense and practice of all the real offspring of Christ, the sons of wisdom, who are wise to do good.

But wisdom is justified of all her children. That is, Christ, who is the wisdom of God, and who acted the wise part, in behaving in such a free manner with all sorts of men, and even with publicans and sinners, whereby he became useful to their souls, called them to repentance, converted and saved them: and these are his children, which were given him by the Father; for whose sake he partook of flesh and blood, and whom he redeemed, that they might receive the adoption of children; and to whom, believing in him, he gives power to become the children of God: and these justify him from all such scandalous imputations, and by their lives and conversations show, that the doctrine of Christ is not a licentious one, or leads to libertinism, and indulges men in their carnal sensual lusts and pleasures; but, on the contrary, teaches them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly: the word "all", is inserted by Luke, which is not in Matthew; signifying, that this is the universal sense and practice of all the real offspring of Christ, the sons of wisdom, who are wise to do good.

Luke 7:36

luk 7:36

luk 7:36

luk 7:36And one of the Pharisees,.... Whose name was Simon, Luk 7:40

Desired that he would eat with him; take a meal with him, either a dinner or a supper: this he did under a disguise of respect, and show of affection to him; though very likely with a design upon him to ensnare him, or take some advantage against him if he could; for it is certain, that he did not treat him with those civilities and ceremonies commonly used to guests; see Luk 7:44.

And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat: he made no hesitation about it, but at once accepted of his invitation, though he knew both the man and his intentions; having nothing to fear from him, and being willing to carry it courteously to all men, and give proof of what he had just now said of himself, Luk 7:34.

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

Speaking one to another: (Greek: prosphonousin allelois) they seem to have been alternate choirs of youths, answering each other in the above words. (Menochius)

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).

They are like children sitting in the market place - So froward and perverse, that no contrivance can be found to please them. It is plain our Lord means, that they were like the children complained of, not like those that made the complaint.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

32. παιδίοις τοῖς ἐν ἀγορᾷ. Lit. ‘little boys, those in the marketplace.’ Our Lord constantly drew His deepest instruction from the commonest phenomena of nature, and the everyday incidents of life. Such a method gave far greater force to the delivery of His Gospel “to the poor,” and it was wholly unlike the arid, scholastic, technical, and second-hand methods of the Rabbis.

προσφωνοῦσιν ἀλλήλοις. This interesting comparison was doubtless drawn from the games which Jesus had witnessed, and in which perhaps He as a child had taken part, in Nazareth. Eastern children are fond of playing in groups at games of a very simple kind in the open air. Some have supposed that the game here alluded to was a sort of guessing game like that sometimes played by English children, and called ‘Dumb Show.’ This is not very probable. The point of the comparison is the peevish sullenness of the group of children who refuse to take part in, or approve of, any game played by their fellows, whether it be the merry acting of a marriage, or the imitated sadness of a funeral. So the men of that generation condemned the Baptist for his asceticism which they attributed to demoniacal possession; and condemned Christ for His genial tenderness by calling Him a man fond of good living. The difficulties and differences of explanation found in this simple parable are only due to a needless literalism. If indeed we take the language quite literally, “this generation” is compared with the dancing and mourning children who complain of the sullenness of their fellows; and if this be insisted on, the meaning must be that the Jews complained of John for holding aloof from their mirth, and of Jesus for discountenancing their austerities. But it is the children who are looking on who are blamed, not the playing children, as is clearly shewn by the “and ye say” of Luk 7:33-34. In the explanation here preferred our Lord and the Baptist are included in this generation, and the comparison (just as in the Homeric similes) is taken as a whole to illustrate the mutual relations between them and their contemporaries. So in Mat 13:24, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a sower, &c.,” where the comparison is more to the reception of the seed.

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.

32. There are two parties of children. This is more clearly marked by τοῖς ἑτέποις in Mt. than by ἀλλήλοις here. Which of the two groups is blamed? It has been taken both ways. (1) The children who invite the second group to play, first at dances and then at dirges, represent Jesus and the Baptist with their respective followers. The children who waywardly refuse to join in any kind of game are the Jews as represented by the hierarchy and the majority of the people. These rejected both the asceticism of John and the joyous freedom of the Gospel. Godet infers from ἀλλήλοις that the two groups of children change sides and take turns in proposing the form of play. But it is not necessary to give so much meaning to ἀλλήλοις. Yet such a change would not be difficult to interpret. The Jews may have proposed to the Baptist to become less stern. They certainly tried to force fasting on Jesus. And hence (2) the possibility of the other interpretation, which is preferred by Euthymius, Stier, and Afford, and is ably defended by Trench (Studies in the Gospels, pp. 150-153) The children sitting in the market-place and finding fault with their fellows are the Jews. John comes to them in his severity, and they want him to play at festivals. When he retains his strict mode of life, they complain and say, “We piped to you, and you did not dance.” Then Christ comes to them as the bringer of joy, and they want Him to play at funerals. When He retains His own methods, they say, “We wailed, and you did not weep.” This interpretation has two advantages. It makes the men of this generation, viz. the Jews, to be like the children who cry, “We piped,” etc. And it gives the two complaints a chronological order. “We piped,” etc., is a complaint against the Baptist, who came first; “We wailed,” etc., is a complaint against the Christ, who came afterwards.

With καθημένοις comp. 5:27; with ἀγορᾷ, Mar 6:56; with προσφωνοῦσιν ἀλλήοις Act 22:2; with ηὐλήσαμεν 1Co 14:7; with ὠρχήσασθε 2Sa 6:21; with ἐθρηνήσαμεν Joh 16:20. Of these προσφωνεῖν is a favourite word: see on 6:13. Both θρηνεῖν and κλαίειν refer to the outward manifestation of grief as distinct from the feeling; and here the outward expression only is needed.

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

Children [παιδιοις] . Diminutive; little children. See on Mt 11:16.

Market - place. See on Mt 11:16.

We piped. Playing at wedding.

Mourned [εθρηνησαμεν] . Rev., much better, wailed : playing at funeral. Weep [εκλαυσατε] . Of audible weeping. See on Mt 5:4. Matthew has ejkoyasqe, beaten your breasts. See on Mt 11:17.

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