Lukas 9:35 Kommentar

In this chapter we have, I. The commission Christ gave to his twelve apostles to go out for some time to preach the gospel, and confirm it by miracles (Luk 9:1-6). II. Herod's terror at the growing greatness of our Lord Jesus (Luk 9:7-9). III. The apostles' return to Christ, his retirement with them into a place of solitude, the great resort of people to them notwithstanding, and his feeding five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes (Luk 9:10-17). IV. His discourse with his disciples concerning himself and his own sufferings for them, and their for him (Luk 9:18-27). V. Christ's transfiguration (Luk 9:28-36). VI. The cure of a lunatic child (Luk 9:37-42). VII. The repeated notice Christ gave his disciples of his approaching sufferings (Luk 9:43-45). VIII. His check to the ambition of his disciples (Luk 9:46-48), and to their monopolizing the power over devils to themselves (Luk 9:49, Luk 9:50). IX. The rebuke he gave them for an over-due resentment of an affront given him by a village of the Samaritans (Luk 9:51-56). X. The answers he gave to several that were inclined to follow him, but not considerately, or not zealously and heartily, so inclined (Luk 9:57-62).

Then he called his twelve disciples together,.... The Persic version reads, "all his twelve disciples", the other nine, besides the three that were with him, when he raised Jairus's daughter, recorded in the foregoing chapter; the Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read, "the twelve apostles", for so Christ had named his disciples; See Gill on Mat 6:13. The Syriac version only reads, "his own twelve"; and this is agreeably to Luke's way of speaking; see Luk 8:1. And gave them power and authority over all devils; that is, all kinds of devils, particularly to cast them out of the bodies of men, possessed by them: and to cure diseases; of all sorts.

And behold, a man of the company,.... One that was in the company, and among the multitude, that met him: cried out; with great vehemence and earnestness: saying, Master; doctor, or "Rabbi": I beseech thee: most humbly, for he was now on his knees: look upon my son: with pity and compassion, and help him: for he is mine only child; wherefore he was dear unto him, and he was greatly concerned for him, and earnestly desirous of his being restored to health; and this he mentions, to move the compassion of Christ.

This, to be sure, was what he wished to be understood as the meaning of that voice from heaven: "This is my beloved Son, hear Him" -Him, that is, not Moses or Elias any longer.

Well, but the admonition, says Marcion, of our God from heaven has commanded us not to hear Moses and the prophets, but Christ; Hear Him is the command. This is true enough. For the apostles had by that time sufficiently heard Moses and the prophets, for they had followed Christ, being persuaded by Moses and the prophets.

Now observe, that the cloud was not black from the darkness of condensed air, and such as to overcast the sky with a horrible gloom, but a shining cloud, from which we were not moistened with rain, but as the voice of Almighty God came forth the dew of faith was shed upon the hearts of men. For it follows, And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear ye him. Elias was not His Son. Moses was not. But this is the Son whom you see alone.

“While he spoke, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them.” That is the overshadowing of the divine Spirit, who is not dark with the emotions of humankind but unveils secrets. This is also revealed in another place when an angel says, “And the power of the Most High shall overshadow you.” The effect of this is shown when the voice of God is heard, saying, “This is my beloved Son; hear him.” Elijah is not the Son, and Moses is not the Son. This is the Son whom only you see, because they had withdrawn when he began to be described as Lord.… It was a luminous cloud that does not soak us with rainwater or the downpour of storm, but from dew that sprinkles the minds of men with faith sent by the voice of almighty God.

How then should men suppose Him who is really the Son to be made or created, when God the Father thundered from above, This is my beloved Son! as if He said, Not one of My sons, but He who is truly and by nature My Son, according to whose example the others are adopted, He ordered them then to obey Him, when He added, Hear ye him. And to obey Him more than Moses and Elias, for Christ is the end of the Law and the Prophets. Hence the Evangelist adds significantly, And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone.

And they were afraid as they entered into the cloud, and a voice came from the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son, hear him. Human fragility cannot bear the sight of greater glory, and trembling with the whole mind and body, it falls to the ground. The more one seeks greater things, the more he collapses to lower things, if he does not know his own measure. Indeed, the voice of the Father speaking from heaven is heard, which bears witness to the Son, and teaches Peter the truth, removing his error, and indeed teaches the other apostles through Peter. This is (he says) my beloved Son, it is he who should have a tabernacle built, it is him who should be obeyed. This is the Son; Moses and Elijah are servants to him, they too should prepare a tabernacle for the Lord in the inner rooms of their hearts along with you. And note, just as when the Lord was baptized in the Jordan, so also on the glorified mountain, the mystery of the whole Trinity is declared, whose glory we confess in baptism, and which we will see in the resurrection. Nor is it in vain that the Holy Spirit appears here in a bright cloud, there in a dove, because he who now keeps the faith which he perceives with a simple heart, will then behold what he had believed with the clear light of vision, and by the same grace will be protected forever.

The Father’s voice did not forbid them to listen to Moses and Elijah (that is, to the Law and the Prophets). It rather suggested to all of them that listening to his Son was to take precedence since he came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. It impressed on them that the light of gospel truth was to be put ahead of all the types and obscure signs of the Old Testament. By the benevolent, divinely arranged plan when the moment of the cross was drawing near, he strengthened them so that the disciples’ faith might not falter when the Lord was crucified. He revealed to them how also his humanity was to be lifted up by heavenly light through his resurrection. The heavenly voice of the Father gave assurance that the Son was coeternal to the Father in his divinity so that when the hour of the passion approached, they would be less sorrowful at his dying. They remembered that after his death he would soon be glorified as a human being, although in his divinity he had always been glorified by God his Father.Since the disciples were fleshly and still fragile in substance, they were afraid and fell upon their faces when they heard God’s voice. Since the Lord was a benevolent master in everything, he consoled them at the same time by his word and his touch, and he lifted them up.

Lest in truth any one should suppose that these words, This is my beloved Son, were uttered about Moses or Elias.

Christ sends his apostles to preach and work miracles, Luk 9:1-6. Herod, hearing of the fame of Jesus, is perplexed; some suppose that John Baptist is risen from the dead; others, that Elijah or one of the old prophets was come to life, Luk 9:7-9. The apostles return and relate the success of their mission. He goes to a retired place, and the people follow him, Luk 9:10, Luk 9:11. He feeds five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes, Luk 9:12-17. He asks his disciples what the public think of him, Luk 9:18-21. Foretells his passion, Luk 9:22. Shows the necessity of self-denial, and the importance of salvation, Luk 9:23-25. Threatens those who deny him before men, Luk 9:26. The transfiguration, Luk 9:27-36. Cures a demoniac, Luk 9:37-43. Again foretells his passion, Luk 9:44, Luk 9:45. The disciples contend who shall be greatest, Luk 9:46-48. Of the person who cast out devils in Christ's name, but did not associate with the disciples, Luk 9:49, Luk 9:50. Of the Samaritans who would not receive him, Luk 9:51-56. Of the man who wished to follow Jesus, Luk 9:57, Luk 9:58. He calls another disciple who asks permission first to bury his father, Luk 9:59. Our Lord's answer Luk 9:60-62.

This is my beloved Son - Instead of ὁ αγαπητος, the beloved one, some MSS. and versions have εκλεκτος, the chosen one: and the Ethiopic translator, as in several other cases, to be sure of the true reading, retains both. In whom I am well pleased, or have delighted - is added by some very ancient MSS. Perhaps this addition is taken from Mat 17:5.

MISSION OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES. (Luk 9:1-6) power and authority--He both qualified and authorized them.

my beloved Son . . . hear him--reverentially, implicitly, alone.