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Luke 11:37-54

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

37. And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat. 38. And when the Pharisee saw [it], he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner. 39. And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. 40. [Ye] fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also? 41. But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you. 42. But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 43. Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. 44. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over [them] are not aware [of them]. 45. Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also. 46. And he said, Woe unto you also, [ye] lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. 47. Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. 49. Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and [some] of them they shall slay and persecute: 50. That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 51. From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. 52. Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. 53. And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge [him] vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: 54. Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

Luke 11:37-54 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Luke 11:37

Theological / Devotional

A certain Pharisee. [Dining With a Pharisee, Luke 11:37-54. Cf. on Matt. 23:1—39; Luke 20:45-47.] There seems to be no reason for not considering that the occasion referred to in vs. 37-54 is entirely distinct from that of Matt. 23:1-39; 47; Luke 20:45-47. The words “as he spake” (ch. 11:37) closely connect the remainder of the chapter with that which precedes it. Here, Jesus is dining in the home of a Pharisee, whereas upon the other occasion He was in the courts of the Temple in Jerusalem (see on Matt. 23:38; 24:1). This incident occurred a “few months” before the close of Jesus’ ministry (COL 253; see on Luke 12:1).

The higher critical contention that Luke took various source materials as he found them and, without understanding their connection with other events in the life of Jesus, arranged them as he saw fit, has no factual basis. Modern preachers often use the same sermon material, with major or minor variations, upon many different occasions, and there is no reason whatever to think that Jesus did not do similarly in the presentation of His messages. In fact, it would be strange indeed if, in His teaching from village to village and from district to district, He had never repeated the same general truths. The verbal similarity between accounts which, as the context reveals, were clearly spoken at different times is not at all strange either. If at times the words of Luke are similar to what others wrote, even in the recording of different incidents in the life of Christ, that is no reason to deny that he was guided by the Spirit of inspiration. At the same time it should also be remembered that the gospel writers do not always follow a strictly chronological order in the presentation of the gospel narrative (see EGW Supplementary Material on 2 Peter 1:21).

Although the incident described in ch. 11:37-54 is distinct from that presented in Matt. 23:1-39, the great similarity of content makes it desirable to give the principal comment there rather than here.

Dine with him. Concerning Jewish table customs see on Mark. 2:15.

By SdaBc