--- title: "John Wesley's Notes on the Whole Bible" author: "John Wesley" languages: [en] shelf: "Commentaries" section: 290 of 398 url: https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/290/ cite: "John Wesley, John Wesley's Notes on the Whole Bible, section 290. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/290/" --- # John Wesley's Notes on the Whole Bible *John Wesley* Wesley's short, plain notes on the Old and New Testaments, verse by verse. ## 290. Luke · 4 of 13 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/290/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/290/#p-N [¶0] Miserable are ye rich - If ye have received or sought your consolation or happiness therein. [¶1] Full - Of meat and drink, and worldly goods. That laugh - That are of a light trifling spirit. [¶2] Wo to you when all men shall speak well of you - But who will believe this? [¶3] But I say to you that hear - Hitherto our Lord had spoken only to particular sorts of persons: now he begins speaking to all in general. Mt 5:44. [¶4] To him that smiteth thee on the cheek - Taketh away thy cloak - These seem to be proverbial expressions, to signify an invasion of the tenderest points of honour and property. Offer the other - Forbid not thy coat - That is, rather yield to his repeating the affront or injury, than gratify resentment in righting your self; in any method not becoming Christian love. Mt 5:39. [¶5] Give to every one - Friend or enemy, what thou canst spare, and he really wants: and of him that taketh away thy goods - By borrowing, if he be insolvent, ask them not again. Mt 5:42. [¶6] Mt 7:12. [¶7] It is greatly observable, our Lord has so little regard for one of the highest instances of natural virtue, namely, the returning love for love, that he does not account it even to deserve thanks. For even sinners, saith he, do the same: men who do not regard God at all. Therefore he may do this, who has not taken one step in Christianity. [¶8] Mt 7:1. [¶9] Into your bosom - Alluding to the mantles the Jews wore, into which a large quantity of corn might be received. With the same measure that ye mete with, it shall be measured to you again - Amazing goodness! So we are permitted even to carve for ourselves! We ourselves are, as it were, to tell God how much mercy he shall show us! And can we be content with less than the very largest measure? Give then to man, what thou designest to receive of God. [¶10] He spake a parable - Our Lord sometimes used parables when he knew plain and open declarations would too much inflame the passions of his hearers. It is for this reason he uses this parable, Can the blind lead the blind? - Can the scribes teach this way, which they know not themselves? Will not they and their scholars perish together? Can they make their disciples any better than themselves? But as for those who will be my disciples, they shall be all taught of God; who will enable them to come to the measure of the stature of the fulness of their Master. Be not ye like their disciples, censuring others, and not amending yourselves. Mt 15:14. [¶11] Mt 10:24; John 15:20. [¶12] Mt 7:3. [¶13] And why call ye me Lord, Lord - What will fair professions avail, without a life answerable thereto? Mt 7:21. [¶14] Mt 7:24. [¶15] Mt 8:5. [¶16] Hearing of Jesus - Of his miracles, and of his arrival at Capernaum. [¶17] Mt 11:2. [¶18] To the poor the Gospel is preached - Which is the greatest mercy, and the greatest miracle of all. [¶19] When the messengers were departed - He did not speak the following things in the hearing of John's disciples, lest he should seem to flatter John, or to compliment him into an adherence to his former testimony. To avoid all suspicion of this kind, he deferred his commendation of him, till the messengers were gone; and then delivered it to the people, to prevent all imaginations, as if John were wavering in his judgment, and had sent the two disciples for his own, rather than their satisfaction. [¶20] Mal 3:1. [¶21] There is not a greater prophet than John - A greater teacher. But he that is least in the kingdom of God - The least teacher whom I send forth. [¶22] And all the people - Our Lord continues his discourse: justified God - Owned his wisdom and mercy in thus calling them to repentance, and preparing them for Him that was to come. [¶23] But the Pharisees and scribes - The good, learned, honourable men: made void the counsel, the gracious design, of God toward them - They disappointed all these methods of his love, and would receive no benefit from them. [¶24] They are like children sitting in the market place - So froward and perverse, that no contrivance can be found to please them. It is plain our Lord means, that they were like the children complained of, not like those that made the complaint. [¶25] But wisdom is justified by all her children - The children of wisdom are those who are truly wise unto salvation. The wisdom of God in all these dispensations, these various methods of calling sinners to repentance, is owned and heartily approved by all these. [¶26] And one of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him - Let the candour with which our Lord accepted this invitation, and his gentleness and prudence at this ensnaring entertainment, teach us to mingle the wisdom of the serpent, with the innocence and sweetness of the dove. Let us neither absolutely refuse all favours, nor resent all neglects, from those whose friendship is at best very doubtful, and their intimacy by no means safe. [¶27] A woman - Not the same with Mary of Bethany, who anointed him six days before his last passover. [¶28] And Jesus said, Simon, I have somewhat to say to thee - So tender and courteous am address does our Lord use even to a proud, censorious Pharisee! [¶29] Which of them will love him most? - Neither of them will love him at all, before he has forgiven them. An insolvent debtor, till he is forgiven, does not love, but fly his creditor. [¶30] Thou gavest me no water - It was customary with the Jews to show respect and kindness to their welcome guests, by saluting them with a kiss, by washing their feet, and anointing their heads with oil, or some fine ointment. [¶31] Those many sins of hers are forgiven; therefore she loveth much - The fruit of her having had much forgiven. It should carefully be observed here, that her love is mentioned as the effect and evidence, not the cause of her pardon. She knew that much had been forgiven her, and therefore she loved much. [¶32] Thy faith hath saved thee - Not thy love. Love is salvation. [¶33] Mary Magdalene - Or Mary of Magdala, a town in Galilee: probably the person mentioned in the last chapter. [¶34] Mt 13:1; Mr 4:1. [¶35] Who - keep it - Not like the highway side: And bring forth fruit - Not like the thorny ground: With perseverance - Not like the stony. [¶36] No man having lighted a candle - As if ho had said, And let your good fruit appear openly. Mt 5:15; Mr 4:21; Lu 11:33. [¶37] For nothing is hid - Strive not to conceal it at all; for you can conceal nothing long. Mt 10:26; Mr 4:22; Lu 12:2. [¶38] The word commonly translated seemeth, wherever it occurs, does not weaken, but greatly strengthens the sense. Mt 13:12; Mr 4:25; Lu 19:26. [¶39] Mt 12:46; Mr 3:31. [¶40] Mt 8:23; Mr 4:35. [¶41] Mt 8:28; Mr 5:1. [¶42] For many times it had caught him - Therefore our compassionate Lord made the more haste to cast him out. [¶43] The abyss - That is, the bottomless pit. [¶44] To enter into the swine - Not that they were any easier in the swine than out of them. Had it been so, they would not so soon have dislodged themselves, by destroying the herd.