Luke 4:40
in Luke 4At sunset, all who were ill with various diseases were brought to Jesus, and laying His hands on each one, He healed them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
KJV
Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
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This verse in Luke 4
Commentary
14 notes on this verseWhen the sun was setting - And consequently the Sabbath ended, for before this it would have been unlawful to have brought their sick to be healed.
This site's exposition
At sunset, all who were ill
on Luke 4:40-41
At sunset, the close of the Sabbath by Jewish reckoning, the sick were brought to Jesus. He refuses the demons' testimony as He did in the synagogue and keeps the time of His disclosure.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
It was ordered about sun-set, that is, when the day was gone, that they should bring them out, either because during the day they were employed about other things, or because they thought that it was not lawful to heal on the sabbath. But He healed them, as it follows, But he laid his hands upon every one of them.
In short, He did himself touch others, upon whom He laid His hands, which were capable of being felt, and conferred the blessings of healing, which were not less true, not less unimaginary, than were the hands wherewith He bestowed them.
His successor was Ebion, not agreeing with Cerinthus in every point; in that he affirms the world to have been made by God, not by angels; and because it is written, "No disciple above his master, nor servant above his lord, " sets forth likewise the law as binding, of course for the purpose of excluding the gospel and vindicating Judaism.
Jesus laid his hands upon the sick one by one and freed them from their malady. He demonstrated that the holy flesh, which he had made his own and endowed with godlike power, possessed the active presence of the might of the Word. He intended us to learn that, although the only-begotten Word of God became like us, yet he is nonetheless God. He wants us to know that he is easily able, even by his own flesh, to accomplish all things. His body was the instrument by which he performed miracles. Jesus, then, entered Peter's house, where a woman was lying stretched upon a bed, exhausted with a violent fever. As God, he might have said, "Put away the disease, arise," but he adopted a different course of action. As a proof that his own flesh possessed the power of healing, because it is the flesh of God, he touched her hand. "Immediately," it says, "the fever left her." Let us therefore also receive Jesus. When he has entered into us and we have received him into mind and heart, then he will quench the fever of unbefitting pleasures. He will raise us up and make us strong, even in spiritual things, so that we might serve him by performing those things that please him. But observe again, I ask, how great is the usefulness of the touch of his holy flesh. For it both drives away diseases of various kinds, and a crowd of demons, and overthrows the power of the devil. It heals a very great multitude of people in one moment of time. Although he was able to perform these miracles by a word and the preference of his will, yet to teach us something useful for us, he also lays his hands upon the sick. For it was necessary, most necessary, for us to learn that the holy flesh which he had made his own was endowed with the activity of the power of the Word by his having implanted in it a godlike might. […]
Let us therefore receive Jesus. For when He has visited us, we carry Him in our heart and mind; He will then extinguish the flames of our unlicensed pleasures, and will make us whole, so that we minister unto Him, that is, do things well-pleasing to Him.
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church4 voices
We must observe the zeal of the multitude, who after the sun had set bring their sick unto Him, not deterred by the lateness of the day; as it is said, Now when the sun was setting, they brought their sick. Because, "praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner." Or, because He did not wish to inflame the envy of the Jews by being praised of all.
Here after the healing of the male and the female sex is subjoined the universal healing with respect to every sex, age, and infirmity. In which the admirable power of Christ is manifested from four things, namely, from the variety of diseases, from the ease …
The devils confess the Son of God, and as it is afterwards said, they knew him to be Christ; for when the devil saw Him distressed by fasting, he perceived Him to be truly man, but when he prevailed not in his trial he doubted whether or not He were the Son of God, but now by the power of Christ's miracles he either perceived or suspected Him to be the Son of God. He did not then persuade the Jews to crucify Him because he thought Him not to be Christ or the Son of God, but because he did not foresee that by this death he himself would be condemned. Of this mystery hidden from the world the Apostle says, that none of the princes of this world knew, for if they had known they would never have crucified the Lord of Glory. (1 Cor. 2:8.) But the Apostles themselves are commanded to be silent concerning Him, lest by proclaiming His divine Majesty, the dispensation of His Passion should be delayed.
When the sun was setting, all those who had sick people with various diseases brought them to him. And he, laying hands on each of them, cured them. The setting of the sun signifies the passion and death of the one who said: "As long …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Now when the sun was setting,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
We should notice, in this passage — the clear religious knowledge possessed by the devil and his agents. Twice in these verses we have proof of this. "I know you who you are — the holy one of God!" was the language of an demon in one case. "You are Christ the son of God," was the language of many demons in another case. Yet this knowledge was a knowledge unaccompanied by faith, or hope, or charity. Those who possessed it were miserable evil beings — full of bitter hatred both against God and man.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
We should notice, in this passage — the clear religious knowledge possessed by the devil and his agents. Twice in these verses we have proof of this. "I know you who you are — the holy one of God!" was the language of an demon in one case. "You are Christ the son of God," was the language of many demons in another case. Yet this knowledge was a knowledge unaccompanied by faith, or hope, or charity. Those who possessed it were miserable evil beings — full of bitter hatred both against God and man. Let us beware of an unsanctified knowledge of Christianity. It is a dangerous possession, but a fearfully common one in these latter days. We may know the Bible intellectually, and have no doubt about the truth of its contents. We may have our memories well stored with its leading texts — and be able to talk glibly about its leading doctrines. And all this time the Bible may have no influence over our hearts, and wills, and consciences. We may, in reality, be nothing better than the demons! Let it never content us to know religion with our heads only. We may go on all our lives saying, "I know this — and I know that," and sink at last into Hell, with the words upon our lips. Let us see that our knowledge bears fruit in our lives. Does our knowledge of sin make us hate it? Does our knowledge of Christ make us trust and love Him? Does our knowledge of God's will make us strive to do it? Does our knowledge of the fruits of the Spirit make us labor to show them in our daily behavior? Knowledge of this kind is really profitable. Any other religious knowledge will only add to our condemnation at the last day. We should notice, secondly, in this passage — the almighty power of our Lord Jesus Christ. We see sicknesses and devils alike yielding to His command. He rebukes evil spirits — and they come forth from the unhappy people whom they had possessed.
The words behind it
24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Δύνοντος | dunontos | When is setting | G1416 → | |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἡλίου | heliou | sun | G2246 → | 32 times |
| ἅπαντες | hapantes | all | G537 → | 33 times |
| ὅσοι | hosoi | as many as | G3745 → | 110 times |
| εἶχον | eichon | had [any] | G2192 → | 707 times |
| ἀσθενοῦντας | asthenountas | ailing | G770 → | |
| νόσοις | nosois | with diseases | G3554 → | 10 times |
| ποικίλαις | poikilais | various | G4164 → | |
| ἤγαγον | egagon | brought | G71 → | 68 times |
| αὐτοὺς | autous | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| αὐτόν· | auton | Him; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | and | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἑνὶ | heni | on one | G1520 → | 343 times |
| ἑκάστῳ | hekasto | each | G1538 → | 81 times |
| αὐτῶν | auton | of them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χεῖρας | cheiras | hands | G5495 → | 175 times |
| ἐπιτιθεὶς | epititheis | having laid | G2007 → | 38 times |
| ἐθεράπευεν | etherapeuen | He was healing | G2323 → | 43 times |
| αὐτούς. | autous | them. | G846 → | 5565 times |
ΔύνοντοςWhen is setting
dunontosG1416 →
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
ἡλίουsun
heliouG2246 →32 times
ἅπαντεςall
hapantesG537 →33 times
ὅσοιas many as
hosoiG3745 →110 times
εἶχονhad [any]
eichonG2192 →707 times
ἀσθενοῦνταςailing
asthenountasG770 →
νόσοιςwith diseases
nosoisG3554 →10 times
ποικίλαιςvarious
poikilaisG4164 →
ἤγαγονbrought
egagonG71 →68 times
αὐτοὺςthem
autousG846 →5565 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
αὐτόν·Him;
autonG846 →5565 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
δὲand
deG1161 →2765 times
ἑνὶon one
heniG1520 →343 times
ἑκάστῳeach
hekastoG1538 →81 times
αὐτῶνof them
autonG846 →5565 times
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
χεῖραςhands
cheirasG5495 →175 times
ἐπιτιθεὶςhaving laid
epititheisG2007 →38 times
ἐθεράπευενHe was healing
etherapeuenG2323 →43 times
αὐτούς.them.
autousG846 →5565 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
Matthew 11:5The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
it leads to
- Isaiah 35:4–6
Say to those with anxious hearts: “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance. With divine retribution He will come to save you.”
- Isaiah 61:1–3
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty…
- Isaiah 42:6–7
“I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a…
- Luke 4:18
“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight…
- Isaiah 29:18
On that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of the deep darkness the eyes of the blind will see.
- Isaiah 35:4–6
Through
Mark 5:23and pleaded with Him urgently, “My little daughter is near death. Please come and place Your hands on her, so that she will be healed and live.”
it leads to
- Luke 13:13
Then He placed His hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and began to glorify God.
- Mark 16:18
they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”
- Acts 28:8
The father of Publius was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after praying and placing his hands on him, he healed the man.
- Luke 13:13
Where this verse is studied
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About Luke
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 4; Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 12; Cyril of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; 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; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Origen of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book IV; Tertullian, Pseudo-Tertullian Against All Heresies and Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.