Charles Ellicott Commentary Luke 7
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Luke 7
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Luke 7
"After he had ended all his sayings in the ears of the people, he entered into Capernaum." — Luke 7:1 (ASV)
In the audience of the people.—This is better understood as in the hearing, or in the ears, since the older meaning of “audience” has become obsolete.
He entered into Capernaum.—The sequence of events is the same as that in Matthew 8:5-13. As far as it goes, this is an element of evidence against the conclusion that the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain were altogether independent.
However, considering the manifest dislocation of facts in one or both of the Gospels—Matthew, for instance, places the healing of the leper (which Luke records in Luke 5:12-16) between the Sermon on the Mount and the healing of the centurion’s servant—the agreement in this instance can hardly be considered more than accidental.
"And a certain centurion`s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick and at the point of death." — Luke 7:2 (ASV)
A certain centurion’s servant.—See Notes on Matthew 8:5-13.
Was dear to him.—Literally, was precious, the dearness of value, but not necessarily of affection. St. Luke is here, contrary to what we might have expected, less precise than St. Matthew, who states that the slave was “sick of the palsy.” Had the physician been unable to satisfy himself from what he heard as to the nature of the disease? The details that follow show that he had made inquiries, and was able to supply some details which St. Matthew had not given.
"And when he heard concerning Jesus, he sent unto him elders of the Jews, asking him that he would come and save his servant." — Luke 7:3 (ASV)
He sent unto him the elders of the Jews.—The noun has no article. Better, He sent unto Him elders; not as the English suggests, the whole body of elders belonging to the synagogue or town. This is peculiar to St. Luke, and is obviously important as bearing on the position and character of the centurion. He was, like Cornelius, at least half a proselyte.
"And they, when they came to Jesus, besought him earnestly, saying, He is worthy that thou shouldest do this for him;" — Luke 7:4 (ASV)
They besought him instantly.—Better, earnestly, or urgently, the adverb “instantly” having practically lost the meaning which our translators attached to it.
"for he loveth our nation, and himself built us our synagogue." — Luke 7:5 (ASV)
He hath built us a synagogue.—Literally, the synagogue, a well-known and conspicuous building, probably the only one in Capernaum, and thus identical with the one whose ruins have recently been discovered by the Palestine Exploration Society. (See Note on Matthew 4:13.)
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