John Gill Commentary Luke 7:21

"In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and on many that were blind he bestowed sight." — Luke 7:21 (ASV)

And in that same hour Or at that same time, for a precise hour is not intended: one exemplar reads, "in that day", in which these men came to Christ,

he , Jesus, as the Persic version expresses it, cured many of their infirmities ; bodily weaknesses and disorders: and plagues; which were inflicted on them as scourges and corrections for sin, very severe diseases, as epilepsies, leprosies, palsies and of evil spirits; or devils, which he dispossessed and commanded out of the bodies of men;

though sometimes evil spirits, with the Jews, signify some kinds of bodily diseases: as when it is said ^F9 ``whoever puts out a lamp because he is afraid of Gentiles, or of thieves, or of (her xwr) , "an evil spirit", or because of a sick man that is asleep, he is free.'' Upon which Maimonides observes, ``an evil spirit they call all kinds of diseases, which, in the Arabic language, go by the name of "melancholy"; for it is one kind of the diseases mentioned, which makes a sick man to fly, and separate himself from mankind, as if he was afraid of the light, or of coming into the company of men:''

and unto many that were blind he gave sight; freely, as an act of grace and kindness, as the word signifies, without any merit, or motive, in them.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F9: Misn. Sabbat, c. 2. sect. 5. Vid Maimon. Hilchot Gerushin, c. 2. sect. 14.