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Selected Verse: Luke 10:31 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Lu 10:31 |
King James |
And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
came down a . . . priest . . . and a Levite--Jericho, the second city of Judea, was a city of the priests and Levites, and thousands of them lived there. The two here mentioned are supposed, apparently, to be returning from temple duties, but they had not learnt what that meaneth, 'I will have mercy and not sacrifice' [TRENCH].
saw him--It was not inadvertently that he acted.
came and looked--a further aggravation.
passed by--although the law expressly required the opposite treatment even of the beast not only of their brethren, but of their enemy (Deu 22:4; Exo 23:4-5; compare Isa 58:7). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
By chance - Accidentally, or as it happened. It means that he did not do it with a "design" to aid the man that was wounded.
A certain priest - It is said that not less than 12,000 priests and Levites dwelt at Jericho; and as their business was at Jerusalem, of course there would be many of them constantly traveling on that road.
When he saw him - He saw him lie, but came not near him.
Passed by on the other side - On the farther side of the way. Did not turn out of his course even to come and see him. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
By chance (κατὰ συγκυρίαν)
Only here in New Testament. The word means, literally, a coincidence. By coincidence of circumstances.
There came down
Imperfect, was going down, as Rev.
Priest
The Talmudists said that there were almost as many priests at Jericho as at Jerusalem.
Passed by on the other side (ἀντιπαρῆλθεν)
The verb occurs only here and Luk 10:32. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| The common translation is, by chance - Which is full of gross improprieties. For if we speak strictly, there is no such thing in the universe as either chance or fortune. A certain priest came down that way, and passed by on the other side - And both he and the Levite no doubt could find an excuse for passing over on the other side, and might perhaps gravely thank God for their own deliverance, while they left their brother bleeding to death. Is it not an emblem of many living characters, perhaps of some who bear the sacred office? O house of Levi and of Aaron, is not the day coming, when the virtues of heathens and Samaritans will rise up in judgment against you? |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
And by chance - Κατα συγκυριαν properly means the coincidence of time and circumstance. At the time in which the poor Jew was half dead, through the wounds which he had received, a priest came where he was. So the priest's coming while the man was in that state is the coincidence marked out by the original words.
Priest and Levite are mentioned here, partly because they were the most frequent travelers on this road, and partly to show that these were the persons who, from the nature of their office, were most obliged to perform works of mercy; and from whom a person in distress had a right to expect immediate succor and comfort; and their inhuman conduct here was a flat breach of the law, Deu 22:1-4. |
7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
4 If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.
4 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again.
32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
1 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother.
2 And if thy brother be not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it, and thou shalt restore it to him again.
3 In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all lost thing of thy brother's, which he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: thou mayest not hide thyself.
4 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again.