--- title: "Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation" author: "Adam Clarke" languages: [en] shelf: "Commentaries" section: 305 of 769 url: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/305/ cite: "Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation, section 305. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/305/" --- # Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation *Adam Clarke* Clarke's learned notes on the Hebrew and Greek, verse by verse, from Genesis to Revelation: volume 2 of 2. ## 305. Luke · 39 of 51 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/305/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/305/#p-N ### Verse 18 [¶1] A certain ruler - See the case of this person largely explained on [Mat 19:16-22] (note), and [Mar 10:21], [Mar 10:22] (note). ### Verse 24 [¶3] How hardly shall they that have riches, etc. - See the notes on this discourse of our Lord, on [Mat 19:21-30] (note), and [Mar 10:30] (note). ### Verse 25 [¶5] It as easier for a camel - Instead of καμηλον, a camel, S, and four other MSS., read καμιλον, a cable. See the same reading noticed on the parallel place, [Mat 19:24] (note). ### Verse 28 [¶7] We have left all - Our trades, our houses, and families. The reader is desired to consult the notes on [Mat 4:20] (note); [Mat 19:27] (note), etc. ### Verse 29 [¶9] That hath left house, or parents, etc. - See on [Mat 19:28], [Mat 19:29] (note), and [Mar 10:29], [Mar 10:30] (note). [¶10] Or brethren - Η αδελφας, Or Sisters, is added by the Cod. Bezae, and some others. ### Verse 31 [¶12] Behold, we go up to Jerusalem - See the notes on this discourse, [Mat 20:17-19] (note), and [Mar 10:32] (note). ### Verse 33 [¶14] And the third day he shall rise again - See [Hos 6:2]; and let the reader observe that the passage should be read thus: In the third day he will raise Him up, (יקמנו) and we shall live before him: his resurrection shall be the pledge, token, and cause of ours. ### Verse 34 [¶16] They understood none of these things - Notwithstanding all the information which Christ had given them concerning this awful subject, they could not as yet fully comprehend how the Messiah should suffer; or how their Master, whose power they knew was unlimited, should permit the Jews and Gentiles to torment and slay him as he here intimates they would. ### Verse 35 [¶18] A certain blind man - Bartimeus. See this transaction explained at large, on [Mat 20:29-34] (note), and [Mar 10:46] (note), etc. ### Verse 40 [¶20] And when he was come near - See the remarkable account of the negro and white man, related on [Mar 10:50] (note). ### Verse 43 [¶22] And all the people - gave: praise unto God - They saw the finger of God in what was done; and they gave him that praise which was due to his name. The Pharisees either saw not, or would not acknowledge this. The common people are often better judges of the work of God than the doctors themselves. They are more simple, are not puffed up with the pride of learning, and are less liable to be warped by prejudice or self-interest. Happy are those spiritually blind persons, to whom Christ has given eyes, that they may know him: feet, that they may follow him: a tongue, that they may praise him: and a heart, that they may love him! A true conversion, which no way contradicts itself, but is followed by an edifying life, makes known the majesty and power of God in a more eminent manner than the greatest external miracles. Quesnel. [¶23] For a practical use of the principal subjects in this chapter, see the parallel places in Matthew and Mark. How shall I be justified? is a most important question, which the parable of the Pharisee and the publican most distinctly answers. A deep consciousness of sin, humiliation of heart, and taking refuge by faith in the great atonement, is the way, and the only way. Even the worst transgressors, coming thus to God, are accepted. Blessed news for penitent sinners! - for though they cannot boast of a righteousness equal to that of the scribes and Pharisees, yet they find they can, coming as the publican, be justified freely, through the blood of the cross, from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses. If this be so, how shall they escape who neglect so Great a Salvation! ### Introduction [¶25] The conversion of Zaccheus, [Luk 19:1-10]. The parable of the nobleman, his ten servants, and the ten pounds, vv. 11-27. Christ sends his disciples for a colt on which he rides into Jerusalem, [Luk 19:28-40]. He weeps over the city, and foretells its destruction, [Luk 19:41-44]. Goes into the temple, and casts out the buyers and sellers, [Luk 19:45], [Luk 19:46]. The chief priests and the scribes seek to destroy him, but are afraid of the people, who hear him attentively, [Luk 19:47], [Luk 19:48]. ### Verse 1 [¶27] Entered and passed through - Was passing through. Our Lord had not as yet passed through Jericho - he was only passing through it; for the house of Zaccheus, in which he was to lodge, [Luk 19:5], was in it. ### Verse 2 [¶29] Zaccheus - It is not unlikely that this person was a Jew by birth, see [Luk 19:9]; but because he had engaged in a business so infamous, in the eyes of the Jews, he was considered as a mere heathen, [Luk 19:7]. [¶30] Chief among the publicans - Either a farmer-general of the taxes, who had subordinate collectors under him: or else the most respectable and honorable man among that class at Jericho. [¶31] He was rich - And therefore the more unlikely to pay attention to an impoverished Messiah, preaching a doctrine of universal mortification and self-denial. ### Verse 3 [¶33] And he sought to see Jesus who he was - So the mere principle of curiosity in him led to his conversion and salvation, and to that of his whole family, [Luk 19:9]. ### Verse 4 [¶35] He ran before - The shortness of his stature was amply compensated by his agility and invention. Had he been as tall as the generality of the crowd, he might have been equally unnoticed with the rest. His getting into the tree made him conspicuous: had he not been so low of stature he would not have done so. Even the imperfections of our persons may become subservient to the grace of God in our eternal salvation. As the passover was at hand, the road was probably crowded with people going to Jerusalem; but the fame of the cure of the blind man was probably the cause of the concourse at this time. ### Verse 5 [¶37] Make haste, and come down - With this invitation, our blessed Lord conveyed heavenly influence to his heart; hence he was disposed to pay the most implicit and cheerful obedience to the call, and thus he received not the grace of God in vain. ### Verse 6 [¶39] Received him joyfully - He had now seen Who he was, and he wished to hear What he was; and therefore he rejoiced in the honor that God had now conferred upon him. How often does Christ make the proposal of lodging, not only in our house, but in our heart, without its being accepted! We lose much because we do not attend to the visitations of Christ: he passes by - he blesses our neighbors and our friends; but, often, neither curiosity nor any other motive is sufficient to induce us to go even to the house of God, to hear of the miracles of mercy which he works in behalf of those who seek him. ### Verse 7 [¶41] To be guest with a man that is a sinner - Meaning either that he was a heathen, or, though by birth a Jew, yet as bad as a heathen, because of his unholy and oppressive office. See the note on [Luk 7:37]. ### Verse 8 [¶43] The half of my goods I give to the poor - Probably he had already done so for some time past; though it is generally understood that the expressions only refer to what he now purposed to do. [¶44] If I have taken any thing - by false accusation - Εσυκοφαντησα, from συκον, a fig, and φαινω, I show or declare; for among the primitive Athenians, when the use of that fruit was first found out, or in the time of a dearth, when all sorts of provisions were exceedingly scarce, it was enacted that no figs should be exported from Attica; and this law (not being actually repealed, when a plentiful harvest had rendered it useless, by taking away the reason of it) gave occasion to ill-natured and malicious fellows to accuse all persons they found breaking the letter of it; and from them all busy informers have ever since been branded with the name of sycophants. Potter's Antiq. vol. i. c. 21, end.