Charles Ellicott Commentary Luke 5:17

"And it came to pass on one of those days, that he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, who were come out of every village of Galilee and Judaea and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was with him to heal." — Luke 5:17 (ASV)

It came to pass . . .—See Notes on Matthew 9:1-8.

Pharisees and doctors of the law.—The description of the crowd of listeners is peculiar to Luke. The fact that many of the doctors of the law had come from Jerusalem is obviously important in its connection with John's account (John 2:5) of our Lord’s previous work in that city, and as explaining the part now taken by them.

Was present to heal them.—If we retain the plural pronoun, it must be taken generally as meaning those who sought healing. The better manuscripts, however, give the singular, and then it must be taken, “the power of the Lord (i.e., of God) was present for His (work of) healing.”