Luke 22:52

Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(52) Then Jesus said unto the chief priests.—St. Luke stands alone in recording the presence of the men of higher rank with the officers and multitude. On the “captains of the Temple,” see Note on Luke 22:4.

As against a thief, with swords and staves.—Better, as against a robber, and with swords and clubs. (See Note on Matthew 26:55.)

Benson Commentary

Luke 22:52-53. Jesus said unto the chief priests, captains, &c. — The soldiers and servants were sent to apprehend Jesus, but these chief priests, &c. came of their own accord; and, it seems, kept at a distance during the scuffle, but drew near when they understood that Jesus was taken. Be ye come out as against a thief? — See on Matthew 26:55-56. This is your hour — Before which you could not take me; and the power of darkness — The time when Satan has power.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

22:47-53 Nothing can be a greater affront or grief to the Lord Jesus, than to be betrayed by those who profess to be his followers, and say that they love him. Many instances there are, of Christ's being betrayed by those who, under the form of godliness, fight against the power of it. Jesus here gave an illustrious example of his own rule of doing good to those that hate us, as afterwards he did of praying for those that despitefully use us. Corrupt nature warps our conduct to extremes; we should seek for the Lord's direction before we act in difficult circumstances. Christ was willing to wait for his triumphs till his warfare was accomplished, and we must be so too. But the hour and the power of darkness were short, and such the triumphs of the wicked always will be.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? - By the "Son of man" was evidently meant "the Messiah." Judas had had the most satisfactory evidence of that, and did not doubt it. A kiss was the sign of affection. By that slight artifice Judas thought to conceal his base purpose. Jesus with severity reproaches him for it. Every word is emphatic. "Betrayest" thou - dost thou violate all thy obligations of fidelity, and deliver thy Master up to death? Betrayest "thou" - thou, so long with him, so much favored, so sure that this is the Messiah? Betrayest thou "the Son of man" - the Messiah, the hope of the nations, the desire of all people, the world's Redeemer? Betrayest thou the Son of man "with a kiss" - the sign of friendship and affection employed in a base and wicked purpose, intending to add deceit, disguise, and the prostitution of a mark of affection to the "crime of treason?" Every word of this must have gone to the very soul of Judas. Perhaps few reproofs of crime more resemble the awful searchings of the souls of the wicked in the day of judgment.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Lu 22:47-54. Betrayal and Apprehension of Jesus—Flight of His Disciples.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Ver. 52,53. See Poole on "Matthew 26:55". See Poole on "Mark 14:48". See Poole on "Mark 14:49". It speaketh a great degree of rage and malice against our Saviour, that so great men, as the chief of the priests and the elders, should come out at midnight, in the company of the officers and soldiers, to apprehend Christ. From these verses it appeareth that some of them were there in the height of their zeal.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Then Jesus said unto the chief priests,.... After he had wrought this miracle, and had quieted the mob, and restrained them from falling upon the apostles, and cutting them to pieces, which in all likelihood they would otherwise have done; he addressed himself to "the chief priests", who were members of the Jewish sanhedrim, and

the captains of the temple; See Gill on Luke 22:4.

And the elders which were come to him; which came along with Judas and the multitude, in order to see things done to their mind, and to animate both Judas and the soldiers and their officers, by their presence, lest they should come without him, as they had before done, John 7:45.

Be ye come out as against a thief, with swords and staves? See Gill on Matthew 26:55.

Geneva Study Bible

{18} Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?

(18) Even the very fear of those who took Christ partly proves their evil conscience, and partly also that all these things were done by God's providence.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 22:52. ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ, etc.: Lk. alone represents the authorities as present with the ὄχλος—priests, captains of the temple and elders—some of them might be. though it is not likely. Farrar remarks: “these venerable persons had kept safely in the background till all possible danger was over”.—ὡς ἐπὶ λῃστὴν. Lk. gives the reproachful words of Jesus nearly as in the parallels.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

52. unto the chief priests...which were come to him] The expression shews that these venerable persons had kept safely in the background till all possible danger was over. It is evident that the whole band dreaded some exertion of miraculous power.

as against a thief] Rather, a brigand or robber. Am I one of the Sicarii, or bandits? It is a reproach to them for their cowardice and secrecy. ‘If I had really done wrong, how is it that you did not arrest me in the Temple?’

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 22:52. Παραγενομένους, who were come to Him) The servants and attendants had been sent, whereas the priests had come of their own accord.—στρατηγοὺς τοῦ ἱεροῦ) The Jewish Captains of the watches stationed in the temple.—ἐξεληλύθατε, ye have come out) with sudden tumult.[249]

[249] No interrogation is marked by Bengel or Tischendorf; but there is in the English Version.—E. and T.

Luke 22:52

Vincent's Word Studies

Thief (λῃστὴν)

See on Matthew 26:55; and Luke 10:30; Mark 11:17.