4:9 Then 4 the devil 5 brought him to Jerusalem, 6 had him stand 7 on the highest point of the temple, 8 and said to him, “If 9 you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here,
1 tn The passive means that the prayer was heard by God.
2 tn Grk “a son, and you”; καί (kai) has not been translated. Instead a semicolon is used in the translation for stylistic reasons.
3 tn Grk “you will call his name John.” The future tense here functions like a command (see ExSyn 569-70). This same construction occurs in v. 31.
4 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
5 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the devil) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
7 tn Grk “and stood him.”
8 sn The reference to the highest point of the temple probably refers to the one point on the temple’s southeast corner where the site looms directly over a cliff some 450 feet (135 m) high. However, some have suggested the reference could be to the temple’s high gate.
9 tn This is another first class condition, as in v. 3.
7 tn Here the conjunction δέ (de) has been translated as contrastive.
8 sn The statement that Jesus knew their thoughts adds a prophetic note to his response; see Luke 5:22.
9 tn Grk “their reasonings.” The implication is that Jesus knew his opponents’ plans and motives, so the translation “thoughts” was used here.
10 sn Most likely synagogues were arranged with benches along the walls and open space in the center for seating on the floor.
11 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the man’s action was a result of Jesus’ order.
10 tn Grk “because behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this clause has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
11 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
12 sn Mistreatment of the prophets is something Luke often notes (Luke 11:47-51; Acts 7:51-52).
13 tn Or “in return.”
14 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the outcome or result. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started in the translation at this point.
15 sn The character of these actions reflects the grace and kindness of God, bearing witness to a “line of descent” or relationship of the individual to God (sons of the Most High). There is to be a unique kind of ethic at work with disciples. Jesus refers specifically to sons here because in the ancient world sons had special privileges which were rarely accorded to daughters. However, Jesus is most likely addressing both men and women in this context, so women too would receive these same privileges.
16 sn That is, “sons of God.”
17 tn Or “to the ungrateful and immoral.” The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
16 tn Grk “And seeing.” The participle ἰδών (idwn) has been taken temporally. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
17 tn Grk “and fell,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
18 tn Grk “What to me and to you?” (an idiom). The phrase τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί (ti emoi kai soi) is Semitic in origin, though it made its way into colloquial Greek (BDAG 275 s.v. ἐγώ). The equivalent Hebrew expression in the OT had two basic meanings: (1) When one person was unjustly bothering another, the injured party could say “What to me and to you?” meaning, “What have I done to you that you should do this to me?” (Judg 11:12; 2 Chr 35:21; 1 Kgs 17:18). (2) When someone was asked to get involved in a matter he felt was no business of his own, he could say to the one asking him, “What to me and to you?” meaning, “That is your business, how am I involved?” (2 Kgs 3:13; Hos 14:8). These nuances were apparently expanded in Greek, but the basic notions of defensive hostility (option 1) and indifference or disengagement (option 2) are still present. BDAG suggests the following as glosses for this expression: What have I to do with you? What have we in common? Leave me alone! Never mind! Hostility between Jesus and the demons is certainly to be understood in this context, hence the translation: “Leave me alone….”
19 sn On the title Most High see Luke 1:35.
20 sn The demons’ plea “do not torment me” is a recognition of Jesus’ inherent authority over evil forces. The request is that Jesus not bother them. There was an appointed time in which demons would face their judgment, and they seem to have viewed Jesus’ arrival on the scene as an illegitimate change in God’s plan regarding the time when their sentence would be executed.
19 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the people’s response to the report.
20 tn Grk “Jesus, and they.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
22 tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “Jesus answered.” Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
23 tn Grk “O.” The marker of direct address, ὦ (w), is functionally equivalent to a vocative and is represented in the translation by “you.”
24 tn Or “faithless.”
25 tn Grk “how long.”
26 tn Or “and put up with.” See Num 11:12; Isa 46:4.
27 sn The pronouns you…you are plural, indicating that Jesus is speaking to a group rather than an individual.
25 sn This is what past prophets and kings had wanted very much to see, yet the fulfillment had come to the disciples. This remark is like 1 Pet 1:10-12 or Heb 1:1-2.
28 tn Grk “answering, said.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “replied.”
29 sn The journey from Jerusalem to Jericho was 17 mi (27 km), descending some 1800 ft (540 m) in altitude. It was known for its danger because the road ran through areas of desert and caves where the robbers hid.
30 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
31 map For location see Map5-B2; Map6-E1; Map7-E1; Map8-E3; Map10-A2; Map11-A1.
32 tn Grk “and beat,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
33 sn That is, in a state between life and death; severely wounded.
31 sn The term distracted means “to be pulled away” by something (L&N 25.238). It is a narrative comment that makes clear who is right in the account.
32 tn Grk “with much serving.”
33 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that the following was a result of Martha’s distraction.
34 tn The negative οὐ (ou) used with the verb expects a positive reply. Martha expected Jesus to respond and rebuke Mary.
35 tn Grk “has left me to serve alone.”
36 tn The conjunction οὖν (oun, “then, therefore”) has not been translated here.
34 tn Grk “will show,” but in this reflective context such a demonstration is a warning or exhortation.
35 sn The actual performer of the killing is not here specified. It could be understood to be God (so NASB, NRSV) but it could simply emphasize that, after a killing has taken place, it is God who casts the person into hell.
36 tn The direct object (“you”) is understood.
37 sn The word translated hell is “Gehenna” (γέεννα, geenna), a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew words ge hinnom (“Valley of Hinnom”). This was the valley along the south side of Jerusalem. In OT times it was used for human sacrifices to the pagan god Molech (cf. Jer 7:31; 19:5-6; 32:35), and it came to be used as a place where human excrement and rubbish were disposed of and burned. In the intertestamental period, it came to be used symbolically as the place of divine punishment (cf. 1 En. 27:2, 90:26; 4 Ezra 7:36).
37 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
38 sn The phrase against heaven is a circumlocution for God. 1st century Judaism tended to minimize use of the divine name out of reverence.
39 sn The younger son launches into his confession just as he had planned. See vv. 18-19.
40 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the reports the man received about his manager.
41 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the manager) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
42 sn Although phrased as a question, the charges were believed by the owner, as his dismissal of the manager implies.
43 tn Or “stewardship”; the Greek word οἰκονομία (oikonomia) is cognate with the noun for the manager (οἰκονόμος, oikonomo").
43 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
44 tn Grk “said.”
45 tn This is a mixed condition, with ἄν (an) in the apodosis.
46 tn Grk “faith as,” “faith like.”
47 sn A black mulberry tree is a deciduous fruit tree that grows about 20 ft (6 m) tall and has black juicy berries. This tree has an extensive root system, so to pull it up would be a major operation.
48 tn The passives here (ἐκριζώθητι and φυτεύθητι, ekrizwqhti and futeuqhti) are probably a circumlocution for God performing the action (the so-called divine passive, see ExSyn 437-38). The issue is not the amount of faith (which in the example is only very tiny), but its presence, which can accomplish impossible things. To cause a tree to be uprooted and planted in the sea is impossible. The expression is a rhetorical idiom. It is like saying a camel can go through the eye of a needle (Luke 18:25).
49 tn The verb is aorist, though it looks at a future event, another rhetorical touch to communicate certainty of the effect of faith.
46 tn Grk “answering him, said.” This is redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
47 sn There is irony and almost a sense of mocking disbelief as the question “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that have happened there in these days?” comes to Jesus; but, of course, the readers know what the travelers do not.
48 tn Grk “in it” (referring to the city of Jerusalem).
49 tn Grk “that it is I myself.”
50 tn See tc note on “ghost” in v. 37.
52 tn Grk “sending on you.”
53 tn Grk “the promise of my Father,” with τοῦ πατρός (tou patros) translated as a subjective genitive. This is a reference to the Holy Spirit and looks back to how one could see Messiah had come with the promise of old (Luke 3:15-18). The promise is rooted in Jer 31:31 and Ezek 36:26.
54 sn The city refers to Jerusalem.
55 sn Until you have been clothed with power refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. What the Spirit supplies is enablement. See Luke 12:11-12; 21:12-15. The difference the Spirit makes can be seen in Peter (compare Luke 22:54-62 with Acts 2:14-41).