Luke 7:33
in Luke 7For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For John the Baptist is come eating no bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a demon.
KJV
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.
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This verse in Luke 7
Commentary
11 notes on this verseFor John the Baptist,.... Who is designed by the children that mourned in the above simile, with whom his character and conduct agree; he preached very mournful doctrine, delivered it in a very solemn and awful manner, and lived a very austere life, and fasted much, as did also his disciples. The word "Baptist" is here added by Luke, which Matthew has not, to distinguish him from others; and it may be, because he had just spoke of his baptism.
This site's exposition
All the people who heard this
on Luke 7:29-35
The tax collectors acknowledged God’s justice, while the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves. Luke states the divide as history before Jesus states it as parable, children in the marketplace refusing both John and the Son of Man.
This site's exposition
neither eating bread nor drinking wine
The fasting of John drew the charge of a demon. Cyril of Alexandria says they slandered a man who put to death the sin in his own members. John Gill notes that John and his disciples lived an austere life and fasted much.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
(de Quæst. Ev. l. ii. q. 11.) Now these words have reference to John and Christ. For when he says, We have mourned, and ye have not wept, it is in allusion to John, whose abstinence from meat and drink signified penitential sorrow; and hence he adds in explanation, For John came neither eating bread, nor drinking wine, and ye say he hath a devil. (ubi sup.) But his words, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced, refer to the Lord Himself, who by using meats and drinks as others did, represented the joy of His kingdom. Hence it follows, The Son of man came eating and drinking, &c.
They take upon themselves to slander a man worthy of all admiration. They say that he who mortifies the law of sin which is in his members hath a devil.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Third, as to the mark of detraction in speech, by which they turn good into evil, it is said: John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and thus in the way of severity and justice, as is said in Matthew 21: "John …
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, "He has a demon." The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, "Behold, a glutton, and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners." Just as …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Christ comforting a poor penitent that applied herself to him, all in tears of godly sorrow for sin, assuring her that her sins were pardoned, and justifying himself in the favour he showed her against the cavils of a proud Pharisee,
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
We learn, in the first place, from these verses — that the hearts of unconverted men are often desperately perverse as well as wicked. Our Lord brings out this lesson in a remarkable comparison — describing the generation of men among whom He lived while He was on earth. He compares them to children . He says, that children at play were not more wayward, perverse, and hard to please — than the Jews of His day. Nothing would satisfy them. They were always finding fault. Whatever ministry God employed among them — they took exception to it.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
CHRIST'S FEET WASHED WITH TEARS. 37, 38. a sinner--one who had led a profligate life. Note.--There is no ground whatever for the popular notion that this woman was Mary Magdalene, nor do we know what her name was.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
We learn, in the first place, from these verses — that the hearts of unconverted men are often desperately perverse as well as wicked. Our Lord brings out this lesson in a remarkable comparison — describing the generation of men among whom He lived while He was on earth. He compares them to children . He says, that children at play were not more wayward, perverse, and hard to please — than the Jews of His day. Nothing would satisfy them. They were always finding fault. Whatever ministry God employed among them — they took exception to it. Whatever messenger God sent among them — they were not pleased. First came John the Baptist — living a retired, ascetic, self-denying life. At once the Jews said, "He has a demon!" After him the Son of Man came — eating and drinking, and adopting habits of social life like the ordinary run of men. At once the Jews accused Him of being a glutton and a drunkard! In short, it became evident that the Jews were determined to receive no message from God at all. Their pretended objections, were only a cloak to cover over their hatred of God's truth. What they really disliked was, not so much God's ministers — as God Himself. Perhaps we read this account with wonder and surprise. We think that never were men so wickedly unreasonable, as these Jews were. But are we sure that their conduct is not continually repeated among Christians? Do we not know that the same thing is continually going on around us at the present day? As strange as it may seem at first sight — the generation which will neither "dance" when their companions "play the flute," nor "lament" when they "sing a dirge" — is only too numerous in the Church of Christ. Is it not a fact that many who strive to serve Christ faithfully, and walk closely with God — find their neighbors and relations always dissatisfied with their conduct?
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐλήλυθεν | eleluthen | Has come | G2064 → | 628 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| Ἰωάννης | ioannes | John | G2491 → | 134 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βαπτιστὴς | baptistes | Baptist | G910 → | 12 times |
| μὴ | me | neither | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ἐσθίων | esthion | eating | G2068 → | 65 times |
| ἄρτον | arton | bread | G740 → | 97 times |
| μήτε | mete | nor | G3383 → | 34 times |
| πίνων | pinon | drinking | G4095 → | 72 times |
| οἶνον, | oinon | wine | G3631 → | 34 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| λέγετε· | legete | you say; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| δαιμόνιον | daimonion | A demon | G1140 → | 61 times |
| ἔχει. | echei | He has. | G2192 → | 707 times |
ἐλήλυθενHas come
eleluthenG2064 →628 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἸωάννηςJohn
ioannesG2491 →134 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
βαπτιστὴςBaptist
baptistesG910 →12 times
μὴneither
meG3361 →1066 times
ἐσθίωνeating
esthionG2068 →65 times
ἄρτονbread
artonG740 →97 times
μήτεnor
meteG3383 →34 times
πίνωνdrinking
pinonG4095 →72 times
οἶνον,wine
oinonG3631 →34 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
λέγετε·you say;
legeteG3004 →1325 times
δαιμόνιονA demon
daimonionG1140 →61 times
ἔχει.He has.
echeiG2192 →707 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Mark 1:6John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
it leads to
- 2 Kings 1:8
“He was a hairy man,” they answered, “with a leather belt around his waist.” “It was Elijah the Tishbite,” said the king.
- Leviticus 11:22
Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket, or grasshopper.
- 2 Kings 1:8
Through
Luke 1:15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 1:5
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
- Ephesians 5:18
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
- Numbers 6:2–4
“Speak to the Israelites and tell them that if a man or woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the LORD,
- Galatians 1:15
But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased
- Judges 13:4–6
Now please be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, and not to eat anything unclean.
- Jeremiah 1:5
Through
John 10:20Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?”
it leads to
- John 7:20
“You have a demon,” the crowd replied. “Who is trying to kill You?”
- John 7:20
About Luke

This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 7; Cyril of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Luke; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
