Luke 9:14

Luk 9:14. Ἀνὰ πεντήκοντα, by fifties) A convenient number, on account of there being five loaves: and also the men thus formed one hundred fifties; Mar 6:40.

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

Luk 9:14 . Hence also he does not think it worth while to mention the amount of money at their disposal (200 denarii, Mar 6:37 ). κλισίας , dining parties, answering to Mk.’s συμπόσια . Mk.’s πρασιαὶ , describing the appearance to the eye. like flower beds, with their gay garments, red, blue, yellow, Lk. omits.

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

(14) Make them sit down.—Literally, recline, or lie down.

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

14. Jive thousand men) “Besides women and children,” Mat_14:21. These would probably not be numerous, and would not (in accordance with Eastern usage) sit down with the men, but would stand apart.

by fifties in a company] The vivid details of Mark shew the eyewitness of St Peter. He compares them to parterres of flowers (prasiai prasiai, ‘by garden beds’) as they sat on the green grass in their bright Oriental robes of red and blue and yellow. St Luke’s word, klisiai, means literally in dining-parties, from klisia, ‘a couch.’ This systematic arrangement made it easy to tell the number of the multitude.

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.

For they were about five thousand men,.... Beside women and children, Mat 14:21,

and he said to his disciples, make them to sit down by fifties in a company; and by hundreds also; some companies had a hundred apiece in them, and others fifty; and which was done partly, for the more easy numbering of them, and partly and chiefly for the more convenient distribution of food to them; See Gill on Mar 6:39. See Gill on Mar 6:40.

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

14 For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.

Ver. 14. {See Trapp on "Luk 9:13"}

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.

They were about five thousand men. St. Matthew adds, "besides women and children." The multitude generally had come from a considerable distance, we know; there would not be, comparatively speaking, many women and children among them. These were grouped together apart, and, of course, fed, hut were not counted among the five thousand. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company. "Jesus has no sooner ascertained that there are five loaves and two fishes, than he is satisfied. He commands them to make the multitude sit down. Just as though he had said, "I have what I want; the meal is ready; let them be seated!" But he takes care that his banquet shall be conducted with an order worthy of the God who gives it. Everything must be calm and solemn; it is a kind of Passover meal. By the help of the apostles, he seats his guests in rows of fifty each (St.. Matthew), or in double rows of fifty, by hundreds (Mark). This orderly arrangement allowed of the guests being easily counted. St. Mark describes in a dramatic manner the striking spectacle presented by these regularly formed companies, each consisting of two equal ranks, and all arranged upon the slope of the hill. The pastures at that time were in all their spring glory. SS. John and Mark both bring forward the beauty of this natural carpet. "Much grass" (St. John); "on the green grass" (St. Mark)" (Godet). St. Mark"s vivid picturesque details show the observant eve-witness. The words rendered "in ranks" ("they sat down in ranks") literally mean they were like flower-beds set in the green grass. The bright-coloured Eastern robes of these men, as they sat in long rows, suggested the happy comparison.

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

14. πεντακισχίλιοι. “Besides women and children,” Mat 14:21. These would probably not be numerous, and would not (in accordance with Eastern usage) sit down with the men, but would stand apart.

κλισίας ἀνὰ πεντήκοντα. ‘In companies about fifty each.’ The accusative is attributive, in apposition with the meaning of the verb, Winer, p. 286. The vivid details of Mark shew the eyewitness of St Peter. He compares them to parterres of flowers (πρασιαί πρασιαί, ‘by garden beds’) as they sat on the green grass in their bright Oriental robes of red and blue and yellow. St Luke’s word, κλισίας, means literally in dining-parties, from κλισία, ‘a couch.’ It therefore resembles the συμπόσια συμπόσια of St Mark. St Luke passes over the χόρτος πολύς (John), χλωρὸς χ. (Mk.), χόρτοι (Matt.). The details would be more striking to Jews. This systematic arrangement made it easy to tell the number of the multitude.

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.

14.] κλισίας—by companies—the accusative of the manner, or situation, or time, in which: see Winer, § 32. 4, edn. 6.

ὡσεὶ ἀνὰ π.] Mark gives κατὰ ἑκατὸν καὶ κατὰ π. with his usual precision. Besides these companies, there were the women and children unarranged: see on Joh 6:10.

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

14. ὡσεὶ ἄνδρες πεντακισχίλιοι. They were roughly counted as about a hundred companies with about fifty men in each. Note the ἄνδρες: not ἄνθρωποι. The women and children, as Mt. tells us, were not included in the reckoning. They would be much less numerous than the men. Lk. says nothing about the grass, which all the others mention, and which made the companies in their Oriental costumes look like flower-beds (πρασιαί), as Mk. indicates.

Κατακλίνατε αὐτοὺς κλισίας. The verb is peculiar to Lk. in N.T. (7:36, 14:8, 24:30); in LXX Num 24:9; Exo 21:18; Jdg 5:27; Judith 12:15. The κλισίας is cogn. acc. It occurs 3 Mac. 6:31 and here only in bibl. Grk. Comp. Jos. Ant. xii. 2, 11; Plut. Sertor. xxvi.

ὡσεὶ ἀνὰ πεντήκοντα. In the spaces between the groups the Apostles would be able to move freely and distribute the food. That the arrangement (50, 5000) has any relation to the five loaves is not likely. The ἀνά is distributive: comp. 10:1 ; Mat 20:9; Joh 2:6; Rev 4:8.

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

In a company [κλισιας] . The plural, in companies. Lit., table - companies. The word is also used in classical Greek of a couch for reclining at table. Only here in New Testament. See on Mr 6:39.

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