Luke 11 Luke 11:1–13 Christ teacheth to pray, assuring that God will give all good things to them that ask him. Luke 11:14–26 He casteth out a devil, and reproveth the blasphemy of the Pharisees, who ascribed the miracle to the power of Beelzebub.

This seemeth to be a different time from that mentioned by Matthew, where our Saviour directed his disciples to pray; there his direction was part of his sermon on the mount. Besides, the doxology or conclusion is there left out. It is said here, as he was praying in a certain place.

See Poole on “Matt. 6:9–13”. Whoso compares this prayer as it is recorded by Matthew will find the form of words differing in more things than one; not only the doxology or conclusion is left out wholly by Luke, but for σημερον, there we have χαθ’ ημεραν, here, for οφειληματα Luke hath αμαρτιας,…

The plain meaning of our Saviour in this parable, is to teach us that we ought not only to pray, but to be importunate with God in prayer; to continue in prayer, as the apostle phrases it, Col. 4:2, and to watch thereunto with all perseverance, Eph. 6:18.

See Poole on “Matt. 7:8” and following verses to Matt. 7:11. As our Saviour’s design in the former words appeareth to be our information, that thought the hand of God be full of good things proportioned to all the necessities of his creatures, yet they must not expect to have them without asking,…

The devil is here called dumb, from his effect upon the demoniac, in restraining the use of his tongue.

See Poole on “Matt. 9:34”. See Poole on “Matt. 12:24”, and following verses to Matt. 12:30. See Poole on “Mark 3:22”, and following verses to Mark 3:27.

See Poole on “Matt. 12:43–45”. From these verses we may observe, 1. That the devil may in some sort and degree be cast out of persons and places, while yet in other respects they may be his house, and he may dwell in and amongst them.

We are very prone to bless persons from external privileges, and the favours of Divine Providence, which do not at all change or affect the hearts of those to whom they are given; but God looketh with another eye upon persons.

See Poole on “Matt. 12:38”, and following verses to Matt. 12:42. Matthew saith, they were the Pharisees that came to him, desiring to see a sign from heaven: they did the same again, Matt. 16:1.

We met with this similitude Luke 8:16, Matt. 5:15; See Poole on “Luke 8:16”, See Poole on “Matt. 5:15”. It was a kind of proverbial speech, and so applicable to divers subjects. Some think that our Saviour bringeth in these words as a reason why he would show the Pharisees no sign, viz.

See Poole on “Matt. 6:22”, See Poole on “Matt. 6:23”. Our Saviour’s speech in these verses is plainly both elliptical (something being in itself to be understood) and also metaphorical. The sense is this, What the eye is to the body, that the soul, the mind and affections, are to the whole man.

This is the second time we meet with our Saviour at a Pharisee’s house. He saith of himself, that he came eating and drinking, that is, allowing himself a free, though innocent, converse with all sorts of people, that he might gain some.

Matt. 15:2, the Pharisees quarrelled with the disciples upon this account; here this Pharisee is offended at Christ himself. Mark gives us the reason of it, Mark 7:3, For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

We have much the same, though delivered in another form, with a denunciation of a woe, See Poole on “Matt. 23:25”. We must not imagine that our Saviour here reflects upon the cleansing of vessels in which we put our meat and drink, for undoubtedly, as to them, the Pharisees washed both the inside…

πλὴν τὰ ἐνόντα δότε ἐλεημοσύνην. The word ενοντα being a word not ordinarily used in a sense which will fit this place, hath made a great abounding in their own senses amongst interpreters; some translating it, Give such things as are within for alms; others, such things as you have; others, such…

See Poole on “Matt. 23:23”. There are two great notes of hypocrites: 1. To be more exact, in and zealous for the observation of rituals and the traditions of men, than in and for the observation of the moral law of God. 2.

See Poole on “Matt. 23:6”, See Poole on “Matt. 23:7”. Their fault was not in their taking them, but in their affecting them, and in being ambitious of them.

See Poole on “Matt. 23:27”, where our Saviour compares the Pharisees to whited sepulchres: here he compares them to sepulchres, but not as there to denote their hypocrisy, appearing white, but having nothing within but rottenness; but upon the account of the contagion of them, and their pollution…

This lawyer was a scribe of the law, Luke 11:44. The work of these men was to interpret the law; the Pharisees strictly observed their decrees and interpretations.

See Poole on “Matt. 23:4”.

See Poole on “Matt. 23:29” and following verses to Matt. 23:36. The Pharisees, like a company of wretched hypocrites, under a pretence of their honouring the memories of the prophets under the Old Testament, took great care to repair and to adorn their sepulchres, while in the mean time their…

Matthew saith, Matt. 23:13, for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men, &c. I take the sense of these words to be, You have taken away knowledge, which is the key by which men enter into the kingdom of God.

Herein the vile genius of these wretched men was seen, Christ was become their enemy because he told them the truth; his reproofs in order to their reformation and amendment do but fill them with madness against him. Nor are wicked and malicious men at any time fair enemies.