Luke 11:42

(Hom. 73. in Matt.) Where indeed the subject treated was the Jewish cleansing, He altogether passed it by, but as the tithe is a kind of almsgiving, and the time was not yet come for absolutely destroying the customs of the law, therefore He says, these ought ye to have done.

For because they despised God, treating sacred things with indifference, He commands them to have love to God; but by judgment He implies the love of our neighbour. For when a man judges his neighbour justly, it proceeds from his love to him.

But woe to you, Pharisees, etc. After the rebuke of duplicity, there is here subjoined against the double-minded and hypocrites a threatening of calamity: whence in Matthew twenty-three this determination is as it were added: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!" And since these …

The Pharisees, precisely in order not to transgress the Law, tithed even from the most insignificant items, and if anyone reproached them for pettiness, they would appeal to the Law, which commanded that a tithe of everything be brought to the priests (Deut. 14:22-23). Therefore …

But woe to you, he said, Pharisees. As if he said, I indeed warned you to give alms, by which everything would be clean to you: but woe to you, because you tithe mint and rue and every herb; for I know these as your …

And you neglect justice and the love of God. By this alms you might be cleansed of all inner impurity, so that the bodies you wash might also be clean to you, for this is indeed everything, both the inner and the outer, as it …

These things, however, you ought to have done. That is, justice and the love of God, so that judging rightly of our own misery and loving the charity of God that He has bestowed, we may live piously and rightly, confessing His righteous judgment, which …

These things you ought to have done, and not leave the others undone, that is, alms from the fruits of the earth. Therefore, let them not deceive themselves who think that by giving the most generous alms from their fruits, or any money, they are …

Woe to you - That is, miserable are you. In the same manner is the phrase to be understood throughout the chapter.

But woe unto you Pharisees,....

Prayer is one of the great laws of natural religion. That man is a brute, is a monster, that never prays, that never gives glory to his Maker, nor feels his favour, nor owns his dependence upon him. One great design therefore of Christianity is to assist us in prayer, to enforce the duty upon us, to instruct us in it, and encourage us to expect advantage by it.

See Mat 23:23. Rue - This is a small garden plant, and is used as a medicine. It has a rosy flower, a bitter, penetrating taste, and a strong smell.

Let us notice in this passage — our Lord Jesus Christ's readiness, when needful, to go into the company of the unconverted. We read that a certain Pharisee invited Jesus to eat with him. The man was evidently not one of our Lord's disciples. Yet we are told that "Jesus went in and reclined at the table." The conduct of our Lord on this occasion, as on others — is meant to be an example to all Christians. Christ is our pattern — as well as our atoning sacrifice .

Our Lord purposely names the most trifling products of the earth, as examples of what they punctiliously exacted the tenth of. judgment and the love of God--in Mt 23:25, "judgment, mercy, and faith." The reference is to Mic 6:6-8, whose third element of all acceptable religion, "walking humbly with God," comprehends both "love" and "faith." (See on Mr 12:29;

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

Let us notice in this passage — our Lord Jesus Christ's readiness, when needful, to go into the company of the unconverted. We read that a certain Pharisee invited Jesus to eat with him. The man was evidently not one of our Lord's disciples. Yet we are told that "Jesus went in and reclined at the table." The conduct of our Lord on this occasion, as on others — is meant to be an example to all Christians. Christ is our pattern — as well as our atoning sacrifice . There are evidently times and occasions when the servant of Christ must mix with the ungodly and the people of this world. There may be seasons when it may be a duty to hold social dealings with them, to accept their invitations, and sit down at their tables. Nothing, of course, must induce the Christian to be a partaker in the sins or frivolous amusements of the world. But he must not be discourteous. He must not entirely withdraw himself from the society of the unconverted, and become a hermit or an ascetic. He must remember that good may be done in the private room — as well as in the pulpit. One qualification, however, should never be forgotten, when we act upon our Lord's example in this matter. Let us take heed that we go down into the company of the unconverted — in the same spirit in which Christ went. Let us remember His boldness in speaking of the things of God. He was always "about His Father's business." Let us remember His faithfulness in rebuking sin. He did not even spare the sins of those who entertained Him, when His attention was publicly called to them. Let us go into company in the same frame of mind — and our souls will take no harm. If we feel that we dare not imitate Christ in the company which we are invited to join — then we may be sure that we had better stay at home.

Ye tithe mint and rue - See on Mat 23:23 (note).