Luke 7:27

7:27 This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, ¹  who will prepare your way before you.’ ² 

Luke 8:45

8:45 Then ³  Jesus asked, ⁴  “Who was it who touched me?” When they all denied it, Peter ⁵  said, “Master, the crowds are surrounding you and pressing ⁶  against you!”

[7:27]  ¹ tn Grk “before your face” (an idiom).

[7:27]  ² sn The quotation is primarily from Mal 3:1 with pronouns from Exod 23:20. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.

[8:45]  ³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[8:45]  ⁴ tn Grk “said.”

[8:45]  ⁵ tc Most mss, especially the later ones (א A C*^,3 D L W Θ Ξ Ψ Ë^1,13 33 Ï latt), also have “and those together with him” (with two different Greek constructions for the phrase “with him”), while several important witnesses omit this phrase (Ì⁷⁵ B Π 700* al sa). The singular verb εἶπεν (eipen, “he said”) could possibly suggest that only Peter was originally mentioned, but, if the longer reading is authentic, then εἶπεν would focus on Peter as the spokesman for the group, highlighting his prominence (cf. ExSyn 401-2). Nevertheless, the longer reading looks like a clarifying note, harmonizing this account with Mark 5:31.

[8:45]  ⁶ sn Pressing is a graphic term used in everyday Greek of pressing grapes. Peter says in effect, “How could you ask this? Everyone is touching you!”