Luke 6:23

Luke 6:23 . σκιρτήσατε , leap for joy; the word occurs in Luke 1:41 ; Luke 1:44 , and this and other terms found in the sermon have led some to infer that Lk. uses as his source a version of the discourse emanating from a Jewish-Christian circle. Vide the list of words in J. Weiss, Meyer, note, p. 387. Vide also Feine, Vork. Überlief .

Luke 6:23 . Ἐν , in ) See Romans 2:16 , note.— σκιρτήσατε , leap for joy ) The reward must surely be a great one: since He who thus commands us, is One whose words contain no hyperbole.— κατὰ ταῦτα , according to these things ) Characteristics and means of distinguishing character may be derived from examples: so Luke 6:26 . Hebr. כָּאֵלֶּה , LXX. κατὰ ταῦτα , Numbers 28:24 ; but κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ is the formula, Ezekiel 45:25 . And this is the reading of Epiphanius and the Cambridge MS. here.[62] [62] BDQ read κατὰ τὰ αὐτά ; ‘eadem’ in c ; ‘similiter’ in a ; ‘sic’ in d . But b and Vulg. have “secundum hæc;” and AP Orig. 3,466 a with Rec. Text, κατὰ ταῦτα .—ED.

Verse 23. - Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. Well and faithfully did his followers in after, days fulfil their Master's prophetic charge. Not only did men like Paul and his brother apostles welcome persecution "for the Name" with joy, but long after Paul and his fellows had "fallen asleep," Christians in well-nigh every populous centre of the empire followed the same glorious lead. Indeed, we find the great teachers of the faith positively condemning the fiery zeal of men and women who even too literally obeyed this and other like charges of their adored Master, who positively courted a painful martyrdom, too willingly throwing away their lives, so deeply had words like these burned into their souls. The terrible persecutions which many of the old Hebrew prophets underwent were well known. These men of God endured this treatment during several generations, while evil princes sat on the thrones of Judah and Israel. Thus Elijah mourned the wholesale massacre of his brother prophets when Ahab and Jezebel reigned ( 1 Kings 19:10 ). Urijah was slain by Jehoiakim ( Jeremiah 26:23 ). Jeremiah himself underwent long and painful persecution. Amos was accused and banished, and, according to tradition, beaten to death. Isaiah, so the Jews said, was sawn asunder by order of King Manasseh.

23 . Rejoice ye in that day ] See Acts 5:41 . “We glory in tribulation;” Romans 5:3 ; James 1:2-3 ; Colossians 1:24 ; Hebrews 11:26 . They accepted with joy that ‘ignominy of Christ’ which made the very name of ‘Christian’ a term of execration; 1 Peter 4:14 ; 1 Peter 4:16 . in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets ] Elijah and his contemporaries, 1 Kings 19:10 . Hanani imprisoned by Asa, 2 Chronicles 16:10 . Micaiah imprisoned, 1 Kings 22:27 . Zechariah stoned by Joash, 2 Chronicles 24:20-21 . Urijah slain by Jehoiakim, Jeremiah 26:23 . Jeremiah imprisoned, smitten and put in the stocks, Jeremiah 32:38 . Amos slandered, expelled, and perhaps beaten to death (Amos 7). Isaiah (according to tradition) sawn asunder, Hebrews 11:37 , &c. See the same reproach against the Jews in Hebrews 11:36-38 ; Acts 7:52 ; 1 Thessalonians 2:14-15 .