Luke 11:1. As he was praying— While Jesus was in the country beyond Jordan, he happened to pray publicly with such fervency, that one of his disciples, exceedingly affected both with the matter and manner of his address, begged that he would teach them to pray. This disciple probably had not been present, when our Lord, in the beginning of his ministry, gave his hearers directions concerning their devotions. Wherefore Jesus, who always rejoiced to find his hearers desirous of instruction, willinglyembraced this opportunity, and repeated the discourse on prayer, which he had formerly delivered in his sermon on the mount; but with this difference, that he now handled the arguments which he had offered as motives to the duty, a little more fully than before. Many learned men suppose, that the Jewish masters used to give their followers some short form of prayer, as a peculiar badge of their relation to them. John the Baptist had probably done this; in which view only we can suppose the disciples could now ask Jesus to teach them to pray; for it is not to be thought, that, in the three preceding years of his ministry, he had not often given them instructions both as to the matter and manner of prayer.

Luke 11:12. If he shall ask an egg,— Naturalists tell us, that the body of a scorpion is very like an egg, especially if the scorpion be of the white kind, which is the first species mentioned by AElian and others. Bochart has produced testimonies to prove, that the scorpions were about the bigness of an egg; and therefore, in Judea a white scorpion, nearly resembling an egg, might, to children, who were not capable of distinguishing the one from the other, be offered in the place thereof, if the person so doing meant that it should sting them to death. The author of the Observations informs us, that St. Jerome reckons wine, fish, and eggs, together with honey, in his catalogue of delicacies: so that possibly, on being told that the disciples gave our Lord a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honey-comb, Ch. Luk 24:42 we, who have been ready to look upon it as a strange association of dishes, (if understood of a proper honeycomb, and not of a sort of bread,) have suffered this surprize from not entering into the views of the disciples; they probably not attending to Milton's order,
——— So contrived, as not to mix Tastes not well joined, inelegant, and bring Taste after taste, upheld by kindliest change; but only designing to express their great veneration for their Master, by setting before him the most grateful things in their power, and leaving it to him to eat of which he pleased. I am not sure that there was no view, in like manner, to the delicacy of eggs in the passage before us, where our Lord is speaking of fish and eggs. On the contrary, perhaps it may add to the beauty of the passage, if we understand it as signifying, that, if a child should ask an earthly parent for bread, a necessary of life, he will not deny him what is requisite for his support, putting him off with a stone; and if he should ask him for a sort of food of a more delicious kind, a fish, or an egg, he will not, we may assure ourselves, give his child what is hurtful, a serpent or a scorpion. If sinful men then will give good gifts to their children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the necessary gifts of his Spirit to them that supplicate for them?—not giving up to hurtful illusions, those who affectionately pray for the hallowing of his name, and the coming of his kingdom, Luke 11:2. But, whatever might be the view of our Lord, it is certain that St. Jerome was right in putting eggs into his list of Eastern delicacies; for nothing is more common than to meet with eggs in modern entertainments there, when they would treat persons in the most respectful manner. So Dr. Pocock describes a very grand morning collation, given in Egypt to a person of distinction, as consisting of the best sort of bread, with butter, fried eggs, honey, green salted cheese, olives, and several other small things. He mentions also eggs very often in the accounts that he gives of the entertainments made for him by the Sheiks in the Holy Land: agreeably to which, M. D'Arvieux tells us, that a supper prepared by the peasants of a village near Mount Carmel for him and for their governor, and attended with all the marks of respect which they were capable of expressing, consisted of wine, fried fish, eggs, and some other things. It must be the reputed delicacy of eggs also, one would imagine, that occasions them so frequently to be sent to persons of figure for presents in those countries; fifty eggs being sent at one time to the English consul, whom Bishop Pocock attended to Cairo, and a hundred at another. See Observations, p. 168.

Luke 11:14. And he was casting out a devil,— Δαιμονιον, a demon. By this word the ancient heathens understood inferior deities or spirits both good and bad; but the ancientJewsdistinguished good and evil spirits by several different names; the former of which are, in the version of the LXX, generally called αγγελοι, angels, and the latter δαιμονια, demons. As for the good spirits or angels, they are frequently mentioned as appearing to the patriarchs, and other pious men; but in Deu 32:17 the Israelites are charged with having sacrificed unto demons, [δαιμονιοις, ] and not to God; by which it appears, that they worshipped evil spirits so early: See also Psalms 106:37. In both which passages, as well as many others both of the Old and New Testament, the word δαιμονιον is translated devil in our version; whereas the Greek word διαβολος, whence comes the English name devil, signifies, as we have before observed, an adversary, or one who brings a charge against another; and is never applied in the sacred writings to evil spirits, in the plural number, but always attributed to Satan only, in the singular; agreeably to which he is also called the accuser of the brethren. Revelation 12:10. See on Matthew 4:1. And it seems highly probable, that the notion of Satan, as an enemy to mankind in general, was in some measure retained from the fall of our first parents, and the promise made consequent upon it. Compare Gen 3:15 and Revelation 12:9; Revelation 20:2. In our Saviour's time, the name given to the prince of demons by the Jews, was Beelzebub, with whom they charged him as being a confederate (see the next verse); and by their allowing that he cast out demons by his assistance, it is plain that they retained the belief of the existence of evil spirits in general. The like also appears from the several instances of demoniacs who were cured by our Saviour. In Acts 23:8., we are told, the Sadducees say, that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. From the different sentiments therefore of these two sects of the Jews, it is plain, that the latter of them believed the existence of good spirits, here called angels: and that they believed the same of evil ones, (whatever may be meant by the following word πνευμα, ) appears from their charge above mentioned against our Saviour.

Luke 11:31. The utmost parts— The remote parts.

Luke 11:40. Ye fools, &c.— "What a silly as well as hypocritical part do you herein act, as if you could impose upon the all-seeing and heart-searching God, who desires truth in the inward parts? Did not he create the soul as well as the body? and can you suppose, that he is pleased with your ceremonious washings of the flesh, and takes no notice of the impurity of your spirits?"

Luke 11:41. But, &c.— But rather give alms of such things as you are able. Or, in proportion to your substance. Doddridge. We are not to imagine, that alms-giving was particularly mentioned by Christ in his exhortation to the Pharisees, because it is of greater value and necessity than the other virtues and graces. He recommended it to that sect, because they were generally remarkable for their covetousness and extortion; vices which must be repented of, by making restitution to those who have been injured by them; and when these cannot be known or found, the compensation must be made to the poor, as having the next right, because what is given to them is lent tothe Lord. But the Pharisees were of an incorrigibly stubborn disposition, which no instruction, whether mild or persuasive, could influence; wherefore our Lord, on this occasion, wisely treated them with a kind of wholesome severity; denouncing most dreadful woes against them, for being so zealous in the ceremonial institutions of religion, while they utterly neglected the precepts of morality. see on Matth

Luke 11:44. Woe unto you, scribes, &c.— The scribes were called, in the Hebrew language, sopherim,—writers, and are often mentioned in the sacred history as persons of great authority in the Jewish commonwealth. They were generally secretaries in the church, thestate, the army, revenue, &c. to which offices those were intitled who could write, because anciently that art was practised but by few. When Ezra made the reformation, which has rendered him so famous among the Jewish doctors, he was assisted by the scribes in revising the canon of Scripture, and ordering matters so, that thenceforth a sufficient number of them should always be employed in multiplying the copies of it. This class of men, therefore, being much conversant in the sacred writings, acquired a singular knowledge of them, and in process of time expounded them to the common people with such reputation, that at length they obtained the title of doctors or teachers, and were consulted upon all difficult points of faith. See Matthew 7:29. Luke 2:46. Matthew 2:4. Hence they are said by our Lord to sit in Moses's chair, and to determine what doctrines are contained in Scripture; and hence an able minister of the New Testament is called a scribe instructed unto the kingdom of heaven. See Matthew 23:2-3.Mark 12:35; Mark 12:35. But as the Jews were divided into several religious sects, it is natural to imagine, that each sect gave such interpretations of Scripture as best agreed with their peculiar tenets. Wherefore it cannot be doubted, that the doctors studied and expounded the sacred writings with a view to authorize the several opinions of the party they espoused. Accordingly, in Act 23:9 mention is made of the scribes that were of the sect of the Pharisees:— οι γραμματεις του μερους των φαρισαιων, which plainly implies that some of the scribes were of the other sects. It is true, the scribes are distinguished from the Pharisees in the woes which our Lord now pronounced, and in several other passages, particularly Matthew 5:20; Mat 23:2 but from the latter of these passages it seems evident, that by the scribes and Pharisees, are commonly meant the Pharisaic scribes, according to the idiom of the Hebrew language: for as the name Pharisees denoted a sect, and not an office, it could by no means be said of the whole sect that they sat in Moses's chair. A character of this sort was applicable only to the doctors, or scribes of the sect. In other instances, where the scribes are distinguished from the Pharisees, the Sadducean doctors may be intended. The badge of a Pharisee was his placing the tradition of the elders on an equality with Scripture; whereas the Sadducees rejected all the pretended oral traditions, and adhered so closely to the text, that they acknowledged nothing as a matter of faith, which was not expressly contained in the sacred books. And in this they were followed by the Karaites, or Scripturists, a sect which subsists among the Jews to this day. It is generally supposed indeed, that the Sadducees acknowledged the authority of none of the sacred books, except the writings of Moses; nevertheless, there is reason to believe that they received all these books: for had they denied the authority of any of them, it is not probable that our Lord, who so sharply reproved their other corruptions, would have let this pass uncensured. Nay, Josephus himself, who was no friend to the Sadducees, does not, in the whole compass of his writings, charge them with rejecting any of the sacred books. He says, they rejected the traditions of the elders, so much cried up by the Pharisees; affirming, that nothing ought to be held as an institution or rule, but what was written. Perhaps of all the sacred writings, the Sadducees preferred the books of Moses; all the Jews did so, and do still; but whether in this point the Sadducees outstripped the rest of the sects, is hard to say. In the mean time, considering the veneration which the Jews had for the books of the law, it is reasonable to suppose, that some of the doctors of each sect would apply themselves more especially to the study of these books in private, and to the explication of them in public; and that such as did, might obtain the appellation of lawyers. Accordingly, the same person is called a Pharisee and a lawyer, Mat 22:35 whom St. Mark calls a scribe. Farther, it is not improbable that the Pharisean lawyers, fond of their own particular study, might exalt the law, not only above the rest of the sacred writings, but above the traditions of the elders; in which respect, they were distinguished from the rest of their sect, paying only a secondary sort of regard to these traditions. It was on this account, that one of them was now so displeased, when he heard Jesus join the whole body of the scribes indiscriminately, and consequently the lawyers with the Pharisees, in the woes which he now denounced against them, for the hypocritical shew of piety by their zeal in giving tithes of mint, anise and cummin, according to the precepts of the divine law, while they omitted judgment and the love of God, expressly enjoined by that law. It seems he thought the rebuke undeserved on the part of the lawyers, even of the Pharisean sect; because they did not pay that superlative regard to tradition, for which the rest were so remarkable.
For ye are as graves, &c.— In the repetition of the woes, Mat 23:27 this is differently expressed: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness. Persons of fortune among the Jews, often raised fine stone structures over their deceased relations, especially when they buried them in the fields; and these they whitened from time to time, to make them look beautiful. Dr. Shaw (Travels, p. 219.) gives us the following account of those sepulchres: "If we except a few persons, who are buried within the precincts of the sanctuaries of the Marabutts,—or tutelar saints of the country,—the rest are carried out at a small distance from their cities and villages, where a great extent of ground is allotted for the purpose. Each family has a particular part of it walled in, like a garden, where the bones of their ancestors have remained for many generations; for in these inclosures the graves are all distinct and separated, each of them having a stone placed upright at the head and feet, inscribed with the name or title of the deceased, (2 Kings 23:17.) while the intermediate space is either planted with flowers, bordered round with stones, or paved with tiles. The graves of the principal citizensarefarther distinguished by having cupolas or vaulted clambers, of three, four, or more square yards, built over them; and as these very frequently lie open, and occasionally shelter us from the inclemency of the weather, the demoniac, Mar 5:5 might with propriety enough have had his dwelling among the tombs; as others are said, Isa 65:4 to remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments (mountains). And as all these different sorts of tombs and sepulchres, with the very walls likewise of their respective cupolas and inclosures, are constantly kept clean, white-washed, and beautified, they continue to illustrate those expressions of our Saviour, where he mentions the garnishing of sepulchres, and compares the scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites to whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and all uncleanness."—But though the sepulchres of the rich were thus beautified, the graves of the poor were oftentimes so neglected, that if the stones by which they were marked, happened to fall, they were not set up again: by which means the graves themselves did not appear; they were αδηλα, as they are called in the text, so that men might tread upon them inadvertently. By the law, Num 19:16 graves of all sorts polluted the persons who touched them, as well those sepulchres which were kept perfectly neat and beautiful, as those which were neglected. Hence, to shew the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, our Lord, in the one woe, likened them to graves which did not appear,—had no mark to know them by,—and which being covered with grass, men were polluted by going over them ere they were aware: in the other woe, he likened them to whited sepulchres, which, though they looked fair and beautiful outward, were full of uncleanness. The scribes and Pharisees, however holy they might appear by their exactness in the externals of religion, were polluted with the grossest vices; insomuch, that by the contagion of their example they defiled all who were much in their company.

Luke 11:46. Ye lade men with burdens— See on Matthew 23:4. Perhaps the consciences of these lawyers might charge them with some private contempt of the injunctions which they most rigorously imposed upon others, in ceremonial precepts as well as moral; or it may refer to a want of due tenderness for the comfort of men's lives, which they embittered by such rigour.

Luke 11:48. That ye allow— That ye approve.

Luke 11:49. Therefore also said the wisdom of God,— If, as some suppose, Christ himself here spoke of that divine perfection which we call the wisdom of God, it is difficult to make any tolerable sense of this verse, unless the things here mentioned, as said by the wisdom of God, were to be found in the Old Testament, which, I think, is silent about them: and therefore I take this phrase to be the evangelist's appellation of Christ, who is expressly said to have spoken these things, Mat 23:34-35 and who was represented under the character of Wisdom, in Proverbs 8 and so is called the wisdom of God, 1 Corinthians 1:24.

Luke 11:52. For ye have taken away the key, &c.— Vitringa understands this of one fundamental truth, which would have led them into the knowledge of the rest: but all their endeavours to embarrass and bias the minds of men in their inquiries after truth, might be intended here, as well as more especially their disguising the prophesies which relate to the Messiah. If a key was delivered to the Rabbies, when they were admitted into their office, in token of the power given them to open and expound the Scripture, as the writers of antiquities inform us was the custom, here may be a beautiful allusion to that circumstance; as if he had said, "You take that key, not to use, but to secrete it." It is certain, that the heathen priests were called χλειδουχοι, key-bearers. Instead of ye entered not,—ye hindered, some read, ye have not entered,—ye have hindered.