Luke 13:27

But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

13:23-30 Our Saviour came to guide men's consciences, not to gratify their curiosity. Ask not, How many shall be saved? But, Shall I be one of them? Not, What shall become of such and such? But, What shall I do, and what will become of me? Strive to enter in at the strait gate. This is directed to each of us; it is, Strive ye. All that will be saved, must enter in at the strait gate, must undergo a change of the whole man. Those that would enter in, must strive to enter. Here are awakening considerations, to enforce this exhortation. Oh that we may be all awakened by them! They answer the question, Are there few that shall be saved? But let none despond either as to themselves or others, for there are last who shall be first, and first who shall be last. If we reach heaven, we shall meet many there whom we little thought to meet, and miss many whom we expected to find.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 7:23.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

27. But he shall say, &c.—(See on [1662]Mt 7:23). No nearness of external communion with Christ will avail at the great day, in place of that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Observe the style which Christ intimates that He will then assume, that of absolute Disposer of men's eternal destinies, and contrast it with His "despised and rejected" condition at that time.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Luke 13:26"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But he shall say, &c. The Persic version adds, "be gone from my sight, and be far from my door"; expressing indignation at them, an abhorrence of them, as not being able to bear them in his sight, or near unto him:

I tell you, I know you not whence you are; this is repeated, and with a strong asseveration, to denote the certainty of the truth expressed, and to cast off all hope in them, of ever succeeding by their entreaties and importunity:

depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; or "of a lie", as the Syriac and Persic versions render it: for they were deceitful workers, they professed what they did not from the heart believe; they said they were Christians, but were not, and now are found liars; they only attended on the word and ordinances in an hypocritical way, and trusted in, and depended upon, their outward profession of religion, and subjection to ordinances; and by so doing, instead of working righteousness, wrought iniquity; and so as they did not submit to Christ and his righteousness, they are bid to depart from him, as wicked and unrighteous men, as they were: the word "all" is here used, which is not in Matthew 7:23 which agrees with Psalm 6:8 to which there seems to be a reference, though it is omitted here, in the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions; See Gill on Matthew 7:23.

Geneva Study Bible

But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 13:27. οὐκ οἶδα, etc.: the same answer, iteration cum emphasi (Bengel).—ἀπόστητε, etc.: nearly as in Matthew 7:23. This answer goes entirely out of the parable into the moral sphere. In the parable exclusion is due to arriving too late; in the spiritual sphere to character.—ἀδικίας, Mt. has ἀνομίαν, lawlessness. Against the tendency-criticism Schanz remarks: “ἀνομία in Mt. is Jewish-Christian but not anti-Pauline, ἀδικία Pauline but not anti-Jewish”.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

27. I know you not depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity]

2 Timothy 2:19, “The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 13:27. Λέγω ὑμῖν, I say unto you, I tell you) He repeats the same words: His sentence stands fast and unchangeable; but in repeating them, He does so with emphasis.—ἀδικίας, of iniquity, of unrighteousness) Therefore the righteous shall enter the kingdom. See Matthew 5:20.

Luke 13:27

Vincent's Word Studies

I know not whence

"The sentence is fixed, but it is repeated with emphasis" (Bengel).

Shall sit down (ἀνακλιθήσονται)

Sit down at table. Jesus casts his thought into a familiar Jewish image. According to the Jewish idea, one of the main elements of the happiness of the Messianic kingdom was the privilege of participating in splendid festive entertainments along with the patriarchs of the nation. With this accords Luke 13:30, in allusion to places at the banquet. Compare Luke 14:7-9; Matthew 23:6.