Luke 7:30

7:30 However, the Pharisees ¹  and the experts in religious law ²  rejected God’s purpose ³  for themselves, because they had not been baptized ⁴  by John. ⁵ ) ⁶ 

Luke 11:45-46

11:45 One of the experts in religious law ⁷  answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things you insult ⁸  us too.” 11:46 But Jesus ⁹  replied, ¹⁰  “Woe to you experts in religious law as well! ¹¹  You load people ¹²  down with burdens difficult to bear, yet you yourselves refuse to touch ¹³  the burdens with even one of your fingers!

Matthew 22:35

22:35 And one of them, an expert in religious law, ¹⁴  asked him a question to test ¹⁵  him:

[7:30]  ¹ sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.

[7:30]  ² tn That is, the experts in the interpretation of the Mosaic law (see also Luke 5:17, although the Greek term is not identical there, and Luke 10:25, where it is the same).

[7:30]  ³ tn Or “plan.”

[7:30]  ⁴ tn The participle βαπτισθέντες (baptisqente") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle; it could also be translated as means (“for themselves, by not having been baptized”). This is similar to the translation found in the NRSV.

[7:30]  ⁵ tn Grk “by him”; the referent (John the Baptist) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:30]  ⁶ sn Luke 7:29-30 forms something of an aside by the author. To indicate this, they have been placed in parentheses.

[11:45]  ⁷ sn That is, an expert in the interpretation of the Mosaic law. They worked closely with the Pharisees.

[11:45]  ⁸ tn For this term, see Matt 22;6; Luke 18:32; Acts 14:5; 1 Thess 2:2.

[11:46]  ⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:46]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “said.”

[11:46]  ¹¹ tn Here “as well” is used to translate καί (kai) at the beginning of the statement.

[11:46]  ¹² tn Grk “men.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.

[11:46]  ¹³ tn Grk “you yourselves do not touch.” This could mean one of two things: (1) Either they make others do what they themselves do not (through various technical exceptions) or (2) they make no effort to help the others fulfill what they are required to do. Considering the care these religious figures are said to have given to the law, the second option is more likely (see L&N 18.11).

[22:35]  ¹⁴ tn Traditionally, “a lawyer.” This was an expert in the interpretation of the Mosaic law.

[22:35]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “testing.” The participle, however, is telic in force.