Luke 1:21

1:21 Now the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they began to wonder why he was delayed in the holy place.

Luke 5:22

5:22 When Jesus perceived their hostile thoughts, he said to them, “Why are you raising objections within yourselves?

Luke 6:2

6:2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is against the law 10  on the Sabbath?”

Luke 12:26

12:26 So if 11  you cannot do such a very little thing as this, why do you worry about 12  the rest?

Luke 18:19

18:19 Jesus 13  said to him, “Why do you call me good? 14  No one is good except God alone.

Luke 22:46

22:46 So 15  he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you will not fall into temptation!” 16 

Luke 22:71

22:71 Then 17  they said, “Why do we need further testimony? We have heard it ourselves 18  from his own lips!” 19 


tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

tn The imperfect verb ἐθαύμαζον (eqaumazon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

tn Or “temple.” See the note on the phrase “the holy place” in v. 9.

sn Jesus often perceived people’s thoughts in Luke; see 4:23; 6:8; 7:40; 9:47. Such a note often precedes a rebuke.

tn Grk “reasonings.” This is the noun form of the infinitive διαλογίζεσθαι (dialogizesqai, “began to reason to themselves”) used in v. 21. Jesus’ reply to them in the latter part of the present verse makes clear that these reasonings were mental and internal, so the translation “thoughts” was used here. On the hostile or evil nature of these thoughts, see G. Schrenk, TDNT 2:97.

tn Grk “answering, he said to them.” This construction with passive participle and finite verb is pleonastic (redundant) and has been simplified in the translation.

tn The Greek verb διαλογίζεσθε (dialogizesqe, “you reason”), used in context with διαλογισμούς (dialogismous, “reasonings”), connotes more than neutral reasoning or thinking. While the verb can refer to normal “reasoning,” “discussion,” or “reflection” in the NT, its use here in Luke 5:22, alongside the noun – which is regularly used with a negative sense in the NT (cf. Matt 15:19; Mark 7:21; Luke 2:35, 6:8, 9:47; Rom 1:21; 1 Cor 3:20; G. Schrenk, TDNT 2:96-97; D. L. Bock, Luke [BECNT], 1:484) – suggests the idea of “contention.” Therefore, in order to reflect the hostility evident in the reasoning of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, the verb has been translated as “raising objections.”

sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.

tn Note that the verb is second person plural (with an understood plural pronominal subject in Greek). The charge is again indirectly made against Jesus by charging the disciples.

10 sn The alleged violation expressed by the phrase what is against the law is performing work on the Sabbath. That the disciples ate from such a field is no problem given Deut 23:25, but Sabbath activity is another matter in the leaders’ view (Exod 20:8-11 and Mishnah, m. Shabbat 7.2). The supposed violation involved reaping, threshing, winnowing, and preparing food. This probably explains why the clause describing the disciples “rubbing” the heads of grain in their hands is mentioned last, in emphatic position. This was preparation of food.

11 tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text.

12 tn Or “why are you anxious for.”

13 tn Grk “And Jesus.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

14 sn Jesus’ response, Why do you call me good?, was designed to cause the ruler to stop and think for a moment about who Jesus really was. The following statement No one is good except God alone seems to point the man in the direction of Jesus’ essential nature and the demands which logically follow on the man for having said it.

15 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus finding them asleep.

16 sn Jesus calls the disciples again to prayerful watchfulness with the words “Get up and pray” (see 22:40). The time is full of danger (22:53).

17 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

18 sn We have heard it ourselves. The Sanhedrin regarded the answer as convicting Jesus. They saw it as blasphemous to claim such intimacy and shared authority with God, a claim so serious and convicting that no further testimony was needed.

19 tn Grk “from his own mouth” (an idiom).