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Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 7:29

Justified God - Or, declared God to be just - εδικαιωσαν τον Θεον . The sense is this: John preached that the Divine wrath was coming upon the Jews, from which they might flee by repentance, Luke 3:7 . The Jews, therefore, who were baptized by him, with the baptism of repentance, did thereby acknowledge that it is but justice in God to punish them for their wickedness unless they repented, and were baptized in token of it. Bp. Pearce proves that this is the sense in which the word ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 7:30

Rejected the counsel of God - Or, frustrated the will of God - την βουλην του Θεου ηθετησαν . Kypke says the verb αθετειν has two meanings: - 1, to disbelieve; 2, despise, or disobey: and that both senses may be properly conjoined here. The will of God was that all the inhabitants of Judea should repent at the preaching of John, be baptized, and believe in Christ Jesus. Now as they did not repent, etc., at John's preaching, so they did not believe his testimony concerning Christ: thus... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 7:31

And the Lord said - Almost every MS. of authority and importance, with most of the versions, omit these words. As the Evangelistaria (the books which contained those portions of the Gospels which were read in the Churches) began at this verse, the words were probably at first used by them, to introduce the following parable. There is the fullest proof that they never made a part of Luke's text. Every critic rejects them. Bengel and Griesbach leave them out of the text. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 7:32

They are like unto children - See on Matthew 11:16-19 ; (note). It is probable that our Lord alludes here to some play or game among the Jewish children, no account of which is now on record. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 7:35

Wisdom is justified, etc. - Probably the children of wisdom is a mere Hebraism here for the products or fruits of wisdom; hence the Vatican MS., one other, and some versions, have εργων , works, instead of τεκνων , sons, in the parallel place, Matthew 11:19 . True wisdom shows itself by its works; folly is never found in the wise man's way, any more than wisdom is in the path of a fool. Theophylact's note on this place should not be overlooked. Εδικαιωθη, τουτ ' εστιν ετιμηθη ,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 7:29

Verse 29 Luke 7:29.And all the people hearing. This part is left out by Matthew, though it throws no small light on the connection of the words; for it was this circumstance which gave rise to Christ’s expostulation, when he perceived that the scribes persisted so obstinately in despising God. The substance of this passage is, that the common people and the publicans gave glory to God; while the Scribes, flattering themselves with confidence in their own knowledge, cared little for what Christ... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 7:30

Verse 30 30.Despised the counsel of God within themselves. The counsel of God is mentioned by way of respect, as contrasted with the wicked pride of the scribes; for the term counsel carries along with it a dignity, which protects the doctrine of God against the contempt of men. Literally, Luke says, that they despised Against Themselves : and indeed I do not disapprove of the meaning which is preferred by some, that the scribes were rebellious to their own destruction. But as Luke’s narrative... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 7:31

Verse 31 31.To what shall I compare? He does not include all the men of his age, but speaks particularly of the scribes and their followers. He charges them with this reproach, that while the Lord endeavored, by various methods, to draw them to himself, they repelled his grace with incorrigible obstinacy. He employs a comparison, which was probably taken from a common amusement of children; for there is probability in the conjecture, that the children divided themselves into two bands, and sang... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 7:33

Verse 33 33.For John the Baptist came. Leading an austere life, he thundered out repentance and severe reproofs, and sung, as it were, a plaintive song; while the Lord endeavored, by a cheerful and sprightly song, to draw them more gently to the Father. Neither of those methods had any success, and what reason could be assigned except their hardened obstinacy? This passage also shows us, why so wide a difference existed, as to outward life, between Christ and the Baptist, though both had the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 7:34

Verse 34 34.The Son of man came. To eat and drink means here nothing more than to live in the customary way; as Christ says that John came neither eating nor drinking, because he confined himself to a peculiar diet, and even abstained from ordinary food. This is more fully expressed by the words of Luke, neither eating bread nor drinking wine. Those who think that the highest perfection consists in outward austerity of life, and who pronounce it to be an angelical life when a person is... read more

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