Luke 7:31

7:31 “To what then should I compare the people ¹  of this generation, and what are they like?

Luke 13:18

On the Kingdom of God

13:18 Thus Jesus ²  asked, ³  “What is the kingdom of God ⁴  like? ⁵  To ⁶  what should I compare it?

Luke 13:20

13:20 Again ⁷  he said, “To what should I compare the kingdom of God? ⁸ 

Luke 14:34

14:34 “Salt ⁹  is good, but if salt loses its flavor, ¹⁰  how can its flavor be restored?

[7:31]  ¹ tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"). The comparison that follows in vv. 32-34 describes “this generation,” not Jesus and John.

[13:18]  ² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:18]  ³ tn Grk “said,” but what follows is a question.

[13:18]  ⁴ sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.

[13:18]  ⁵ sn What is the kingdom of God like? Unlike Mark 4 or Matt 13, where the kingdom parables tend to be all in one location in the narrative, Luke scatters his examples throughout the Gospel.

[13:18]  ⁶ tn Grk “And to.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[13:20]  ³ tn Grk “And again.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[13:20]  ⁴ sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.

[14:34]  ⁴ tn Grk “Now salt…”; here οὖν has not been translated.

[14:34]  ⁵ sn The difficulty of this saying is understanding how salt could lose its flavor since its chemical properties cannot change. It is thus often assumed that Jesus was referring to chemically impure salt, perhaps a natural salt which, when exposed to the elements, had all the genuine salt leached out, leaving only the sediment or impurities behind. Others have suggested the background of the saying is the use of salt blocks by Arab bakers to line the floor of their ovens: Under the intense heat these blocks would eventually crystallize and undergo a change in chemical composition, finally being thrown out as unserviceable. A saying in the Talmud (b. Bekhorot 8b) attributed to R. Joshua ben Chananja (ca. a.d. 90), when asked the question “When salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again?” is said to have replied, “By salting it with the afterbirth of a mule.” He was then asked, “Then does the mule (being sterile) bear young?” to which he replied: “Can salt lose its flavor?” The point appears to be, both are impossible. The saying, while admittedly late, suggests that culturally the loss of flavor by salt was regarded as an impossibility. Genuine salt can never lose its flavor. In this case the saying by Jesus here may be similar to Matt 19:24, where it is likewise impossible for the camel to go through the eye of a sewing needle.