Proper 25, Year C
Joel 2:23-32
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
Luke 18:9-15
The first item below is the text of the Lectionary Gospel reading for this coming Sunday. My overly-extensive exegetical notes on the passage are at the very bottom of this post. There is far too much detail there, but on the upside, if you can't sleep tonight open up this page and try reading my endnotes for a while, and I promise you'll be bored into deep pleasant sleep within moments.
Following the text are some more readable, general, thoughts on the passage and then a line-by-line commentary. Enjoy. If you have any additions or comments or know of a good taco recipe, feel free to leave a few words at the end.
Luke 18:9-15
Exegetical and Translation notes
9 He also told this parable[a] to some[b] who
trusted[c] in
themselves[d] that[e] they were
righteous[f] and regarded
others with contempt:[g]
10 “Two men went up[h] to the
temple to pray,[i]
one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.[j] 11The
Pharisee, standing by himself,[k] was
praying[l] thus,
‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers,
or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a
tenth of all my income.’[m]
General Comments:
This parable is
the last part of Luke’s Travel account (9:51-18:14), and the beginning of a new
section (18:9ff.). There are many themes in the parable that parallel others in
Luke. First, there are those that contrast the behavior of two people. See
15:11-32; 16:19—31; Mt. 21:28-32). Second,
is the motif of reversal that runs throughout the Gospel. See 1:51; 6:20-26;
16:19-31. And finally, in addition to its being about two separate types of
piety, it also reflects Jesus’ ongoing concern for those who were forgotten or
disdained in Palestinian society. See 5:29-32; 7:36-50.
It is a story
that has no parallel in the other gospels, and according to most commentators,
it is derived (like much before it) from Luke’s special source (“L”). Some
commentators (New Interpreters’, for
example) have suggested that this parable is intentionally linked to the previous
parable in last week’s Gospel reading (the one about the woman insisting on
justice from an unjust judge) because both are related to the theme of prayer. The
first parable’s theme was that we should pray incessantly and never give up. This
one is that we should pray for mercy. Interpreter’s
quotes Peter Rhea Jones’ characterization of the two parables as ‘the promise
of persistent prayer’ (18:1-8) and ‘the peril of presumptuous prayer’ (vv.
9-14).[v]
“The first is a word of encouragement,” says Raymond Bailey, “to those who may
find themselves in despair; the second is directed to those who err on the side
of spiritual self-sufficiency.”[w] It’s
an interesting theory, but for what it’s worth, Fitzmyer, in his commentary rejects
it. And in any case, few, if any, believe that Jesus told them back to back in
the way they are found here. Luke most likely wanted to show two different problems
with prayer, one the despair at not hearing an answer and the other of being
too full of oneself while praying. As such they could lend themselves to
pairing in a sermon. “Most congregations,” Bailey says, “will include persons
all along the spectrum who struggle with the efficacy of prayer and prayer as
an instrument of transformation.”[x]
In my personal experience,
many (perhaps most) of my parishioners have felt the first problem more often
than the second. That is, they have been taught (or believe genetically) that
when they pray for God to alleviate their pain or hardship or suffering, God will
do it. Of course, in real life God seldom, if ever, does that. So their faith
gets challenged and they lean towards quitting believing or quitting praying.
It’s an unnecessary choice, but forced on them by a belief in a magical instead
of spiritual religion. I’ve personally preached and counseled against magical
religion in all of my churches for over forty years and I have yet to meet one
person who I have convinced. People just can’t (don’t want to) let go of the
notion of a God who will heal my mother in the hospital and they can’t (easily,
without work) conceive of any other definition of “faith” that does not include
magic. It may well be that the failure of magical religion is at least one of
the key driving forces in the decline of faith and churches today.
The
actual boundaries of the parable itself are usually said to be vv. 10-14a.
Verses 9 and 14 b are probably additions, and probably added by Luke himself. They
are said to be commentary on the parable and not part of the parable itself.
Verse 14b usually thought of
as a “doublet,” by which they do not
mean a snug British jacket with double lining, but a phrase or aphorism
repeated twice within the same Gospel or Gospel tradition (like “Q”). The other
half of the doublet is found in Luke 14:11 (where it is paired with Matthew 23:12
and both are drawn from “Q”)[y]
Luke 14:11, “For all who exalt themselves will be humbled,
and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Mt. 23:12, “All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all
who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Joseph Fitzmyer (Anchor
Bible Series) thinks it unlikely that Luke added the line to end the
parable. Instead, he suspects that Luke found it in a general form in his
sources (“L” since this story is not found in either Mark or Matt.), and perhaps
redacted it a bit to make it sound more like Luke 14:11. In general, Fitzmyer says,
Luke does not care much for “doublets,” and wouldn’t typically create one on
his own.[z] Other
passages to which this parable has some connection include:
1. Luke 15, the chapter with
the “lost” parables. Because of its emphasis on mercy.
2. Luke 5:29-32, the story of
Jesus being invited to a meal with the toll collectors and the self-righteous
Pharisees chastising him for it.
Another
thing that is unclear in the passage, and possibly more important, is to whom
Jesus was speaking (see my exegetical notes on v. 9). Is he speaking to a group of Pharisees who were vain
bloviators, or simply talking about
them? And he isn’t really suggesting that only Pharisees were like this (after
all, his own disciples were guilty of a little elitism on occasion), or even
that all of them did it. The addition
of his favorite expression at the end, “all
who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all
who humble themselves will be exalted” disallows an application of the parable
to any one group.
Given
that there was a strong pursuit of righteousness (and self-righteousness) among the Pharisees and religious leaders of his
time, it is likely that people occasionally (or often) called on Jesus to weigh
in on the subject of prayer. It is possible that this story reflects his
opinion on that contemporary debate. Fitzmyer agrees, saying that “this parable
records his [Jesus’] attitude toward such a pursuit”[aa]
The
emphasis on righteousness being achieved by confession of sin sounds like Paul
(who may have been a colleague of Luke’s). While, on the one hand, as Jeremias
says, “the Pauline doctrine of justification has its roots in the teaching of
Jesus”[bb]
on the other hand, as Fitzmyer says, “it’s still a far cry from justification
by grace through faith,”[cc]
meaning that neither one go as far as Martin Luther and Lutheran theology. No
reference to the saving act of the cross. It is justification rooted in the
Hebrew Scriptures. It never transcends,
or goes beyond, the theology of the Old Testament. Craddock adds that this
theology “is as old as the Garden of Eden, the tower of Babel and Jonah’s
mission to Nineveh.”[dd]
The
story of the Pharisee and the Toll Collector appeals to people because it connects
to real life (though exaggerated), and may well have represented two authentic
people. (See the prayer quoted below from a contemporary of Jesus in the Qumran community.) The story contrasts one person who believes
that rigidly fulfilling the law will contribute to bringing in the Kingdom of God
It
might be interesting to reflect on the ways that politicians handle confession.
Typically (though not universally) conservatives want to stand strong, not
admit weakness and never ask for forgiveness. Liberals say that you can’t be
strong until you stare at your shortcomings and admit them. Liberals want to
admit that we have been a nation of slave owners and racists and war mongers
and that in spite of our good things we have wreaked a lot of havoc upon
minorities at home and other nations abroad. Conservatives are far more kind
about our history and tend to say that we can’t dwell on the past we need and
need to move on. Those are both generalities, but basically do describe our
national stances on our past shortcomings. Are those positions totally
political or do they represent something deeper and more theological? Is there
a tendency within the conservative mind that blocks introspection? Is there a
tendency within the liberal mind that wallows in it? Do conservatives tend to overdo
pride and self-congratulation? Do liberals tend to succumb to self-deprecation
and depression? And, is there a way of pondering that thought in a sermon
without alienating one side or the other?
Verse by verse comments
Verse 9, “…told this parable
to some who trusted in themselves.”
The word pros
(some or many), at the beginning of
this sentence may indicate the persons to whom the parable is addressed or
possibly the people ‘against’ whom it is directed (cf. 20:19). That the
Pharisees are meant becomes clear from v. 10, and probably did not need to be
spelled out here.[ee]
Verse 10 “Two men went up to
pray, one a Pharisee…”
“Went up to pray” They went up from the lower
city to the temple mount. “Whether coming from north, south, east or west,
people always ‘went up’ to Jerusalem and the Temple was situated at the highest point in the city,
above the Kidron Valley
to the east and the older city of David
“Pharisee.” The Greek word, pharisaios, is telling, in that it means
the “separated one,” “denoting their aloofness from others, including many
other Jews.”[gg]
Verses 11-12 The Pharisee, “Standing by himself”
Implies
taking up his position ostentatiously; striking an attitude. Normally
people would sit down to pray.
It’s interesting to note that both prayers
begin with the simple “God.” But the one of the Pharisee continues immediately
in the first person, and the initial characterization of the Pharisee as
someone who viewed others with contempt is born out by the words of his prayer.
Jeremias quotes an
interesting parallel to the prayer of the Pharisee found in the Talmud of the
first century. It shows that the prayer of our Pharisee is not impossible, and
perhaps not even unusual:
I thank thee, O Lord, my God, that thou hast
given me my lot with those who sit in the seat of learning, and not with those
who sit at the street-corners; for I am early to work, and they are early to
work; I am early to work on the words of the Torah, and they are early to work
on things of no moment. I weary myself, and they weary themselves; I weary myself
and profit thereby, while they weary themselves to no profit. I run and they
run; I run towards the life of the Age to Com, and they run towards the pit of
destruction.[hh]
Matthew
6:5
“... whenever you pray, do not be like the
hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street
corners, so that they may be seen by others....” See also Mark 11:25.
“I fast twice a week”
“While the law prescribed only one annual
fast, namely that on the Day of Atonement, he fasted voluntarily twice a week,
on Monday and Thursday, probably in intercession for the sins of the people.”[ii]
Wanting to distance themselves from the Pharisees, the early Christians chose
different days on which to fast. The Didache
(about the year 120), said to Christians, “Let not your fasts be with the
hypocrites, for they fast on Mondays and Thursdays, but do you fast on
Wednesdays and Fridays.”[jj]
“I give a tenth of all of my income”
For examples and teachings on tithing, see
Luke 11:42; Gen. 14:20; Num 18:21-24; Deut 14:22-26; Mal 3:8-10. Interesting to
note that “the Pharisee does not just offer a tithe on those foods or animals
for which a tithe is specifically required, but tithes all of is income.”[kk]
Note that Jesus “does not dispute the toll
collector’s self-evaluation: the man is correct—he is a ‘sinner.’ And Jesus
does not dispute the Pharisee’s self-evaluation—he does fast and give tithes,
and in this respect he is different from the notorious ‘sinners’ whom he
meets.”[ll]
Verse 13 “But the tax
collector, standing far off…”
“Tax collector”:
“Publicani were tax-farmers who bid on
contracts to collect taxes in the provinces. ‘These publicani paid the
stipulated sum-total of the impost directly into the Roman treasury and
recouped themselves in the provinces by means of their trained staffs of
collectors.’ In essence, having paid the tax up front, they subsequently
extorted what they could from the populace, keeping the difference as profit.”[mm]
“The public
revenues of the Greeks and Romans were usually farmed out. Among the latter,
the purchasers were chiefly of the equestrian order and were distinguished as
being of a higher class because they rode horses, or they were at least persons
of wealth and rank like Zacchaeus who is called the chief tax collector (architelṓnēs ) in Luke19:2). These
farmers also had subcontractors or employed agents who collected the taxes and
customs at the gates of cities, in seaports, on public ways and bridges. These,
too, were called telṓnai (pl.), publicans, or eklégontes (n.f.), (from ek , out of, and légō , in its original sense
meaning to collect), those who collected out of the people. Such publicans in
countries subject to the Roman Empire were the
objects of hatred and detestation so that none but persons of worthless character
were likely to be found in this employment. They were called hárpages (n.f.), extortioners, from harpagḗ, extortion. Chrysostom
calls them kapḗlous (n.f.), hucksters, from kapēleúō, to retail, adulterate,
take advantage of, corrupt, and pornoboskoús (n.f.), shepherds of
fornication. They were also called kólakes (n.f.), flatterers, from kolakeía, flattery.”[nn]
Craddock describes them this way: He was “working
for a foreign government collecting
taxes from his own people, a participant in a cruel and corrupt system,
politically a traitor, religiously unclean (cf. 5:29-32)[oo]
“Standing far off”
Note that the Pharisee stood upright by
himself, while the Toll Collector stood far away from the crowd. Also, the
accepted form of prayer was to look up to heaven when you spoke (cf. 1 Tim 2:8),[pp]
which presumably the Pharisee did, but the Toll Collector could not bring
himself to lift his head. Later Christian prayer practice adopted his praying
style, and not that of the Pharisee, as the intent of prayer changed from pronouncements
to God to remorse before God.
“Went down
to his home justified.”
The “righteousness” which was gained by the
Toll Collector in the end goes no further, in terms of redemption, etc., than
Pss. 51, 24:3-5, or 2 Esdras 12:7. It shouldn’t be confused with the more advanced
thought of Paul or that of later Reformed theology.
Jeremias notes that this passage is “the only
one in the Gospels in which the verb (“to be made righteous”) is used in a
sense similar to that in which Paul generally uses it. Nevertheless Pauline
influence is not to be assumed here…Our passage shows, on the other hand, that
the Pauline doctrine of justification has its roots in the teaching of Jesus.”[rr]
“God, be
merciful to me a sinner”
The two psalms that are possibly behind the prayer
of the Tax (toll) collector are 51 and 24:
|
Psalm 51:1-5
1 Have
mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash
me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and
cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I
know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against
you, you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
and blameless when you pass judgment.
5 Indeed,
I was born guilty,
a sinner
when my mother conceived me.
3 Who
shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 Those
who have clean hands and pure hearts,
who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
and do not swear deceitfully.
5 They
will receive blessing from the Lord,
and vindication from the God of their salvation.
|
|
And finally…
Good quote from Joseph Fitzmyer
about the concluding verse:
“If the thrust of it is to
insinuate that the disciples should identify themselves with the toll-collector
rather than with the Pharisee, it should be remembered that with all the
willingness thus to identify oneself there undoubtedly remains in everyone more
than a little of the Pharisee”[ss]
And this one from Fred
Craddock:
The Pharisee is not a venomous villain and
the publican is not a generous Joe the Bartender or Goldie the good-hearted
hooker…If the Pharisee is pictured as a villain and the tax collector as a
hero, then each gets what he deserves, there is no surprise of grace and the
parable is robbed. In Jesus’ story, what both receive is ‘in spite of,’ not
‘because of.’ When the two men are viewed in terms of character and community
expectations, without labels or prejudice, the parable is still a shock, still
carrying the power both to offend and to bless. But perhaps most important, the
interpreter of this parable does not want to depict the characters in such a
way that the congregation leaves the sanctuary saying ‘God, I thank thee that I
am not like the Pharisee.’ It is possible that the reversal could be reversed.”[tt]
[a] “The phrase ‘this parable’
appears at the end of the verse and is omitted in ms. D; without it the verse
would begin, ‘Then he said to some…’” (Joseph Fitzmyer, Anchor Bible 28a, The Gospel According to Luke [Garden
City” Doubleday, 1983], p. 1185)
[b] “To some who” This
expression, pros timas, could as
easily be translated “about some” as
“to some.” Is Jesus talking about people who pray this way, or to those people? “It may indicate the
persons to whom the parable is addressed or possibly the people ‘against’ whom
it is directed (cf. 20:19). That the Pharisees are meant is clear from v . 10,
and did not need to be spelled out here.” (The
Gospel of Luke: The New International Greek Testament Commentary, I. Howard
Marshall (Grand Rapids: Eerdman’s: 1977), p. 678.
[c] “Trusted” (πεποιθοτας:
πείθω peíthō) fut. peísō, aor. pass. epeísthēn, perf. pass. pépeismai, 2d perf. pépoitha. In the active voice, it
generally means to persuade,
particularly to move or affect by kind words or motives. In the passive voice,
it means to assent to. In the 2nd
perf. (pépoitha), it can mean trust, as it is usually translated here.
For other similar uses, cf. Mar 10:24; Luke 11:22; 2Co 1:9; Heb 2:13. Ezekiel
also criticized his people for “trusting” in their own “righteousness (33:13).
[d] “Who trusted in themselves”
(πεποιθότας ἐφ᾿ ἑαυτοῖς) Jeremias believes that this
expression is meant to say that they trusted in themselves instead of God. (Joachim Jeremias, The Parables of Jesus (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, Rev. Ed.
1972), p. 139. If that is the case, says I. H. Marshall, then the following hóti must be translated “because” rather
than “that.” “That” gives the content
of their self-confidence. “Because” gives the reason for their self-confidence. (Marshall, NIGTC, p. 678-679)
[f] “Righteous” (δίκαιος dikaios) δικαιοι , n. masc. from díkē (G1349), right, just.
Upright, virtuous, keeping the commandments. When used, as here, in the masc.,
it refers to the one who acts conformably to justice and right without any
deficiency or failure, as the Pharisee here seems to see himself. It can
occasionally be applied to God (John17:25; Rom 3:26), Christ (Matt 27:19, 24;
Luke 23:47), and the self-righteous, as
here. When so, it is usually rejected as being mere appearance (Matt. 23:28;
Luke 20:20). Cf. 15:7, “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who
repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
[g] “Regarded others with
contempt” (exouthenountas tous loipous). ἐξουθενέω, past tense, active voice.
From ek and outhenéō (n.f.). To despise, treat as
nothing, scorn. The thought is found mainly in Luke and Paul. Jeremias, Op.Cit. p. 141, says it means more than just to see others with contempt, but “is much
more severe.” For similar uses, cf. especially Luke 23:11, also Rom 14:3, Rom
14:10; 1Co 1:28; 1Co 6:4; 1Co 16:11; 2Co 10:10 .
[h] “Went up” (ἀνέβησαν,
anabaínō); from aná, up, and baínō, to go. To go or come up, to
ascend, cause to ascend from a lower to a higher place. Verb Indicative Aorist
Active Third Person Plural. “Since Jerusalem stood on a hill,
Píáâáßíù became
the appropriate verb to use of visits to the temple. Daily prayer took place in
the morning and afternoon, but at any time individuals might engage in their
own private prayers.” (Marshall, NIGTC,
p. 679).
[i] “To pray” (προσεύχομαι
proseúchomai) From the prep. prós, to, and eúchomai, to wish, pray, offer
prayer. In the NT this compound verb almost totally supplants the simple verb eúchomai in designating “to pray.”
(Zodhiates, ed., The Complete Word Study
Dictionary).
[j] “Tax collector” (τελώνης telṓnēs)
gen. telṓnou, masc. noun from télos, tax, and ōnéomai, to buy. “A reaper of the
taxes or customs, tax-collector, one who pays to the government a certain sum
for the privilege of collecting the taxes and customs of a district.” (The Complete WordStudy Dictionary,
Zodhiates, ed, Chatnooga, TN: AMG International, Inc., 1992).
[k] “Standing by himself”
(Standing: σταθεὶς statheis). Lit. “Having been placed,”
“having taken his stand.” “Standing was the common Jewish posture in prayer
(Matt 6:5; Mark 11:25)” but the Pharisee “struck an attitude ostentatiously
where he could be seen.” (A.T. Robertson, Word
Pictures in the New Testament [Kreigel, 1930]. “In Luke always used of a
person who is about to make an important statement (cf. v. 40; 19:8; Acts 2:14;
5:20; 17:22; 27:21)…Here it may suggest that the Pharisee took a position where
he could be seen by the public.” (Reiling and Swellengrebel, Translator’s Handbook on the Gospel of Luke
[London: United Bible Society, 1971]). Jeremias says that this phrase can be
translated, “took a prominent position and uttered this prayer.” (The Parables of
Jesus [Scribner's, 1963]). “We are not told where the Pharisee
stood, but the contrast with v. 13 would imply that he moved far to the front
of the Court of Israel within the Temple precincts.” (Fitzmyer, p. 1186.)
[l] “Praying” The wording in
Greek is such that the expression could be translated either as “standing by
himself, was praying” or most interestingly, “standing, praying to himself.” “The majority of the evidence
favors the reading, ταῦτα πρὸς ἑαυτόν, but internally the more difficult sequence
seems to be πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ταῦτα. The latter was ameliorated to read καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ταῦτα, ‘[standing] by himself …’ Because of the difficulty of construing πρὸς ἑαυτόν
(especially when the words stood next to σταθείς), several witnesses omit
the phrase entirely.” (Bruce Metzger, A textual commentary on the Greek New
Testament, second edition a companion volume to the United Bible Societies'
Greek New Testament [4th rev.
ed.] [London; New York: United Bible Societies, 1994], p. 143.
It
is interesting to note that in another context pros
heauton would
mean “With himself.” Robertson describes
it as a “soliloquy with his own soul, a complacent recital of his own virtues
for his own self-satisfaction, not fellowship with God, though he addresses
God.” (A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in
the New Testament).
[m] “Fast…give” (νηστευω
δις του σαββατου αποδεκατω) Present tense suggests habitual behavior, unlike most pastors.
[n] “Standing far off” (makrothen
hestōs μακροθεν
εστως). Contrast
with the Pharisee who was “standing
by himself” (σταθεις προς εαυτον statheis
pros eauton). The Toll Collector is
standing far off from the Pharisee, not from the crowd in the Temple
(Robertson, Word Pictures in the New
Testament).
[o] “Breast” (στῆθος stē̄́thos) gen. stḗthous, neut. noun from hístēmi, to stand, pl. tá stêthē. The breast. Jeremias says that it should more accurately be
“beating his heart because the heart
was more properly seen as the “seat of sin.” (Parables of Jesus, p. 141). It should also be noted that there is a
word that more properly means “breast,” which is not stêthos, but mastós.
[p] “Merciful” (ἱλάσκομαι, hiláskomai); from hílaos. To bring about forgiveness,
be gracious, kind, gentle. The kjv
translates this a propitiousness
(which means to cover up, rather than to erase). This and other translations of
this verb were instrumental in creating the notion among conservatives that
redemption covers up our sins rather than eliminating or forgiving sins.
[q] “A sinner” (ἁμαρτωλός, hamartōlos) “The use of the
demonstrative article before ‘sinner’ is significant, indicating that the
tax-collector sees himself as ‘the’
sinner,’ the most despicable person present, the least worthy to pray. (Susan
Eastman, Lectionary Homiletics, Vol.
XVIII, No. 6, p. 27.)
[r] “This man went down
to his home” (καταβαίνω, katabaino) contrasts with anabaino
(“went up”) in v. 10.
[s] “Justified” (dikaióō) Contracted dikaiṓ, fut. dikaiṓsō, from díkaios (G1342), just, righteous.
Since díkaióō means generally to received
the favor of God, Jeremias suggests that this could be translated, “(he went
home) as one to whom God had extended his favors.” (p. 414).
[t] “Exalt” (ὑψόω,
hupsoō).
Verb Participle
Present Active Nominative Masculine Singular. From húpsos, height. to heighten, raise
high, elevate, lift up. Generally, and especially in this case, to raise
someone up in dignity, honor, or income.
[u] “Humbled” (ταπεινόω tapeinoō) Verb, future, passive voice, first person plural. From tapeinós. To humble, to make low, bring low,
to bring into a humble condition, reduce to meaner circumstances.
[v] Alan Culpepper, New Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. IX
(Nashville: Abingdon, 1996), p. 340.
[w] Raymond Bailey,
“Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost, Year C,” ed. Roger E. Van Harn, The Lectionary Commentary: Theological
Exegesis for Sunday’s Texts, Volume Three (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans,
2001), p. 432.
[x] Bailey, Ibid.
[y] And perhaps in a much more altered
form in Mt 18:4, “Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the
kingdom of heaven.”
[z] See Joseph Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke, X-XXIV,
Vol. 28A, Anchor Bible series (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., 1964), p. 1183.
[aa] Fitzmyer, Luke, 28a, p. 1184.
[bb] Jeremias, The Parables of Jesus, p. 141.
[cc] Fitzmyer, p. 1185.
[dd] Fred Craddock Luke (Louisville: John Knox Press,
1990), p. 210.
[ee] The Gospel of Luke: The New International Greek Testament Commentary,
I. Howard Marshall (Grand Rapids: Eerdman’s: 1977), p. 678.
[ff] Culpepper, New Interpreter’s Bible, 341.
[gg] Susan Eastman, Lectionary Homiletics, Vol. XVIII, No.
6, p. 27
[jj] Eastman, p. 342.
[kk] Eastman, p. 342.
[ll] Susan Eastman, Lectionary Homiletics, p. 27.
[mm] M. Cary and H. H. Scullard, A History of
Rome Third Edition, Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1975, 1979), cited in Chris
Haslam , http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/cpr30l.shtml?
[nn] The Complete Word Study Dictionary, Zodhiates, ed, Chatnooga, TN:
AMG International, Inc., 1992
[oo] Craddock, Luke, p. 211.
[pp] “I desire, then, that in
every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument”
[qq] Jeremias, p. 141.
[rr] Ibid.
[ss] Fitzmyer, p. 1185.
[tt] Craddock, Luke, p. 211
c “Early rain” “The text is obscure. One scholar says that “early rain”
could be teacher: the words in Hebrew are sufficiently similar.
Whether or not this is the case, rain, justice and teaching are connected in
Isaiah 30:19-26;
1 Kings 8:35-36;
2 Chronicles 6:26-27.”
(Haslam, http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/cpr30l.shtml?)
[uu] “Vindication” Or “righteousness.”
d Ch 3.1 in Heb
