3:5 Every valley will be filled, 2
and every mountain and hill will be brought low,
and the crooked will be made straight,
and the rough ways will be made smooth,
1 tn Or “a feeding trough.”
2 sn The figurative language of this verse speaks of the whole creation preparing for the arrival of a major figure, so all obstacles to his approach are removed.
3 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the implied contrast present in this context.
4 sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.
5 tn Or “and their scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.
6 tn Or “grumbled”; a term often used in the OT for inappropriate grumbling: Exod 15:24; 16:7-8; Num 14:2, 26-35; 16:11.
7 sn The issue here is inappropriate associations (eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners) and the accusation comes not against Jesus, but his disciples.
4 tn Grk “Behold a man.”
5 sn Neither were they happy with Jesus (the Son of Man), even though he was the opposite of John and associated freely with people like tax collectors and sinners. Either way, God’s messengers were subject to complaint.
5 tn Grk “and behold, a.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, καί (kai) has not been translated here; instead a new sentence was started in the translation. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
6 tn The Greek here is slightly ambiguous; the subject of the verb “screams” could be either the son or the spirit.
7 sn The reaction is like an epileptic fit (see L&N 14.27). See the parallel in Matt 17:14-20.
8 tn Or “bruising,” or “crushing.” This verb appears to allude to the damage caused when it throws him to the ground. According to L&N 19.46 it is difficult to know from this verb precisely what the symptoms caused by the demon were, but it is clear they must have involved severe pain. The multiple details given in the account show how gruesome the condition of the boy was.
6 sn The expression the wisdom of God is a personification of an attribute of God that refers to his wise will.
7 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
8 sn Note how often the first person pronoun is present in these verses. The farmer is totally self absorbed.
8 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
9 tn The participle πορευθέντες (poreuqente") has been taken as indicating attendant circumstance.
10 sn That fox. This is not fundamentally a figure for cleverness as in modern western culture, but could indicate (1) an insignificant person (Neh 4:3; 2 Esd 13:35 LXX); (2) a deceiver (Song Rabbah 2.15.1 on 2:15); or someone destructive, a destroyer (Ezek 13:4; Lam 5:18; 1 En. 89:10, 42-49, 55). Luke’s emphasis seems to be on destructiveness, since Herod killed John the Baptist, whom Luke calls “the greatest born of women” (Luke 7:28) and later stands opposed to Jesus (Acts 4:26-28). In addition, “a person who is designated a fox is an insignificant or base person. He lacks real power and dignity, using cunning deceit to achieve his aims” (H. W. Hoehner, Herod Antipas [SNTSMS], 347).
11 sn The third day is a figurative reference to being further on in time, not a reference to three days from now. Jesus is not even in Jerusalem yet, and the events of the last days in Jerusalem take a good week.
12 tn Or “I reach my goal.” The verb τελειόω (teleiow) is a key NT term for the completion of God’s plan: See Luke 12:50; 22:37; John 19:30; and (where it has the additional component of meaning “to perfect”) Heb 2:10; 5:8-9; 7:28.
9 tn Or “necessary.”
10 sn By referring to him as your brother, the father reminded the older brother that the younger brother was part of the family.
11 sn The theme he was lost and is found is repeated from v. 24. The conclusion is open-ended. The reader is left to ponder with the older son (who pictures the scribes and Pharisees) what the response will be. The parable does not reveal the ultimate response of the older brother. Jesus argued that sinners should be pursued and received back warmly when they returned.
10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the dilemma Jesus’ opponents faced.
11 sn Very few questions could have so completely revealed the wicked intentions of the religious leaders. Jesus’ question revealed the motivation of the religious leaders and exposed them for what they really were – hypocrites. They indicted themselves when they cited only two options and chose neither of them. The point of Luke 20:1-8 is that no matter what Jesus said in response to their question they were not going to believe it and would in the end use it against him.
11 sn When Peter went out and wept bitterly it shows he really did not want to fail here and was deeply grieved that he had.
12 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
13 sn On his words see Luke 9:22.