9:23 Then 8 he said to them all, 9 “If anyone wants to become my follower, 10 he must deny 11 himself, take up his cross daily, 12 and follow me.
10:25 Now 19 an expert in religious law 20 stood up to test Jesus, 21 saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 22
1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast.
2 tn Grk “he said to them.”
3 tn Grk “Why is it that you were looking for me?”
4 tn Or “I must be about my Father’s business” (so KJV, NKJV); Grk “in the [things] of my Father,” with an ellipsis. This verse involves an idiom that probably refers to the necessity of Jesus being involved in the instruction about God, given what he is doing. The most widely held view today takes this as a reference to the temple as the Father’s house. Jesus is saying that his parents should have known where he was.
5 tn Or “roof; therefore.”
6 tn Grk “I did not consider myself worthy to come to you.” See BDAG 94 s.v. ἀξιόω 1. “Presume” assumes this and expresses the idea in terms of offense.
7 tc The aorist imperative ἰαθήτω (iaqhtw, “must be healed”) is found in Ì75vid B L 1241 sa. Most
tn The aorist imperative may be translated as an imperative of command (“must be healed” or, more periphrastically, “command [my servant] to be healed”) or as a permissive imperative (“let my servant be healed”), which lessens the force of the imperative somewhat in English.
8 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
9 sn Here them all could be limited to the disciples, since Jesus was alone with them in v. 18. It could also be that by this time the crowd had followed and found him, and he addressed them, or this could be construed as a separate occasion from the discussion with the disciples in 9:18-22. The cost of discipleship is something Jesus was willing to tell both insiders and outsiders about. The rejection he felt would also fall on his followers.
10 tn Grk “to come after me.”
11 tn This translation better expresses the force of the Greek third person imperative than the traditional “let him deny,” which could be understood as merely permissive.
12 sn Only Luke mentions taking up one’s cross daily. To bear the cross means to accept the rejection of the world for turning to Jesus and following him. Discipleship involves a death that is like a crucifixion; see Gal 6:14.
13 tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “Jesus answered.” Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
14 tn Grk “O.” The marker of direct address, ὦ (w), is functionally equivalent to a vocative and is represented in the translation by “you.”
15 tn Or “faithless.”
sn The rebuke for lack of faith has OT roots: Num 14:27; Deut 32:5, 30; Isa 59:8.
16 tn Grk “how long.”
17 tn Or “and put up with.” See Num 11:12; Isa 46:4.
18 sn The pronouns you…you are plural, indicating that Jesus is speaking to a group rather than an individual.
19 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
20 tn Traditionally, “a lawyer.” This was an expert in the interpretation of the Mosaic law (see also Luke 7:30, where the same term occurs).
21 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
22 sn The combination of inherit with eternal life asks, in effect, “What must I do to be saved?”
23 sn Jesus made clear that his coming could not be timed, and suggested it might take some time – so long, in fact, that some would not be looking for him any longer (at an hour when you do not expect him).
24 tn This is the frequent expression δεῖ (dei, “it is necessary”) that notes something that is a part of God’s plan.
25 tn Or “unthinkable.” See L&N 71.4 for both possible meanings.
26 tn Or “should perish away from.”
27 sn Death in Jerusalem is another key theme in Luke’s material: 7:16, 34; 24:19; Acts 3:22-23. Notice that Jesus sees himself in the role of a prophet here. Jesus’ statement, it is impossible that a prophet should be killed outside Jerusalem, is filled with irony; Jesus, traveling about in Galilee (most likely), has nothing to fear from Herod; it is his own people living in the very center of Jewish religion and worship who present the greatest danger to his life. The underlying idea is that Jerusalem, though she stands at the very heart of the worship of God, often kills the prophets God sends to her (v. 34). In the end, Herod will be much less a threat than Jerusalem.
map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
28 sn You must forgive him. Forgiveness is to be readily given and not withheld. In a community that is to have restored relationships, grudges are not beneficial.
29 tc Most
30 tn Grk “hastening, come down.” σπεύσας (speusa") has been translated as a participle of manner.
31 sn I must stay. Jesus revealed the necessity of his associating with people like Zacchaeus (5:31-32). This act of fellowship indicated acceptance.
32 sn On today here and in v. 9, see the note on today in 2:11.
33 tn Social and political chaos also precedes the end. This term refers to revolutions (L&N 39.34).
34 tn This is not the usual term for fear, but refers to a deep sense of terror and emotional distress (Luke 24:37; BDAG 895 s.v. πτοέω).
35 sn The end will not come at once. This remark about timing not only indicates that there will be events before the end, but that some time will also pass before it comes.
36 sn The call to be alert at all times is a call to remain faithful in looking for the Lord’s return.
37 tn For the translation of μέλλω (mellw) as “must,” see L&N 71.36.
38 tn Grk “But you are not thus.”
39 tn Or “the ruler.”
40 sn And the leader like the one who serves. Leadership was not to be a matter of privilege and special status, but of service. All social status is leveled out by these remarks. Jesus himself is the prime example of the servant-leader.
41 sn This scripture must be fulfilled in me. The statement again reflects the divine necessity of God’s plan. See 4:43-44.
42 tn Or “with the lawless.”
sn This is a quotation from Isa 53:12. It highlights a theme of Luke 22-23. Though completely innocent, Jesus dies as if he were a criminal.
43 tn Grk “is having its fulfillment.”
44 tn Grk “saying that,” but this would be redundant in English. Although the translation represents this sentence as indirect discourse, the Greek could equally be taken as direct discourse: “Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee: ‘the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’”
45 tn See Luke 9:22, 44; 13:33.
46 tn Because in the historical context the individuals who were primarily responsible for the death of Jesus (the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem in Luke’s view [see Luke 9:22]) would have been men, the translation “sinful men” for ἀνθρώπων ἁμαρτωλῶν (anqrwpwn Jamartwlwn) is retained here.
47 sn See the note on crucify in 23:21.
48 tn Here the infinitive ἀναστῆναι (anasthnai) is active rather than passive.