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Text: Luke 17:20-21 (NA27):
Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (NKJV):
Grammatical Analysis (Zerwick):
I have read many commentaries on the text. The following are the two that I find to be most persuasive.
From Commentary on the Gospel of Luke (Zondervan reprint from the 4th edition of the translation from the second French edition by E. W. Shalders printed by T. and T. Clark in 1887), by Frederick Louis Godet (via Accordance):
From Word Pictures in the New Testament (Harper & Brothers, 1930), by Archibald Thomas Robertson:
To be continued...
Text: Luke 17:20-21 (NA27):
2021
Transliteration (Accordance):
20 Eperōtētheis de hypo tōn Pharisaiōn pote erchetai hē basileia tou theou apekrithē autois kai eipen; ouk erchetai hē basileia tou theou meta paratērēseōs, 21 oude erousin; idou hōde ē; ekei, idou gar hē basileia tou theou entos hymōn estin.
Translation (NKJV):
2021
Grammatical Analysis (Zerwick):
ἐπερωτηθείς : being asked, aorist passive participle of ἐπερωτάω ask (a question).
πότε : as indirect interrogative when.
ἀπεκρίθη : aorist of ἀποκρίνομαι answer.
παρατήρησις : (< παρατηρέω watch closely) close observation, i.e. the Kingdom will not come with watching, or the Kingdom is not susceptible of observation.
ἐροῦσιν : future of λέγω say ; in the light of verse 23 understand "they will not (know to) say (with truth).
ἐντός : within, hence ἐντὸς ὑμῶν within you, i.e. in your hearts. In view of the fact Christ was addressing the Pharisees modern exegetes generally prefer to translate "among" but this meaning is elsewhere unknown. Secular and patristic evidence has been adduced (by C. H. Roberts) for an extension of the meaning "within", viz. in your hands (referring to that for which one is responsible), in your power of choice (cf "it lies with you"), i.e. from the human side the Kingdom is yours if you choose it, if you will it.
πότε : as indirect interrogative when.
ἀπεκρίθη : aorist of ἀποκρίνομαι answer.
παρατήρησις : (< παρατηρέω watch closely) close observation, i.e. the Kingdom will not come with watching, or the Kingdom is not susceptible of observation.
ἐροῦσιν : future of λέγω say ; in the light of verse 23 understand "they will not (know to) say (with truth).
ἐντός : within, hence ἐντὸς ὑμῶν within you, i.e. in your hearts. In view of the fact Christ was addressing the Pharisees modern exegetes generally prefer to translate "among" but this meaning is elsewhere unknown. Secular and patristic evidence has been adduced (by C. H. Roberts) for an extension of the meaning "within", viz. in your hands (referring to that for which one is responsible), in your power of choice (cf "it lies with you"), i.e. from the human side the Kingdom is yours if you choose it, if you will it.
I have read many commentaries on the text. The following are the two that I find to be most persuasive.
From Commentary on the Gospel of Luke (Zondervan reprint from the 4th edition of the translation from the second French edition by E. W. Shalders printed by T. and T. Clark in 1887), by Frederick Louis Godet (via Accordance):
1st. verses 20 and 21. are now putting, Jesus replies exactly in the same way. The expression: μετὰ παρατηρήσεως, in such a way as to be observed, relates to the observation of objects falling under the senses. The present ἔρχεται, cometh, is that of the idea. Now, since the kingdom is not established in a visible manner, it might happen that it should be present without men suspecting it (11:20). And this is exactly the case (11:20: has surprised you).
Lo here, lo therebehold. This last relates to the surprise which should be felt by His hearers on learning that the kingdom is already present. The words ἐντὸς ὑμῶν are explained by almost all modern interpreters in the sense of, in the midst of you. Philologically this meaning is possible; it may be harmonized with the γάρ. But the verb ἐστιν [is] would in this case necessarily require to be put before the regimen; for this verb isamong you would be secondary. If the regimen ἐντὸς ὑμῶν has the emphasis (and its place proves that it has), it can only be because these words contain the reason introduced by for. They should therefore serve to prove that the kingdom of God may have come without its coming being remarked; and this is what follows from its internal, spiritual nature. The meaning of this regimen is therefore, within you. Besides, the preposition ἐντός, within, always includes a contrast to the idea without. If, therefore, we give to it here the meaning of among, we must still suppose an understood contrast, that between the Jews as people within, and the Gentiles as people without. There is nothing in the context giving rise to such an antithesis. In giving to ἐντός the meaning within
Lo here, lo therebehold. This last relates to the surprise which should be felt by His hearers on learning that the kingdom is already present. The words ἐντὸς ὑμῶν are explained by almost all modern interpreters in the sense of, in the midst of you. Philologically this meaning is possible; it may be harmonized with the γάρ. But the verb ἐστιν [is] would in this case necessarily require to be put before the regimen; for this verb isamong you would be secondary. If the regimen ἐντὸς ὑμῶν has the emphasis (and its place proves that it has), it can only be because these words contain the reason introduced by for. They should therefore serve to prove that the kingdom of God may have come without its coming being remarked; and this is what follows from its internal, spiritual nature. The meaning of this regimen is therefore, within you. Besides, the preposition ἐντός, within, always includes a contrast to the idea without. If, therefore, we give to it here the meaning of among, we must still suppose an understood contrast, that between the Jews as people within, and the Gentiles as people without. There is nothing in the context giving rise to such an antithesis. In giving to ἐντός the meaning within
From Word Pictures in the New Testament (Harper & Brothers, 1930), by Archibald Thomas Robertson:
20. With observation (meta paratēseōs). Late Greek word for paratēreō, to watch closely. Only here in the N.T. Medical writers use it of watching symptoms of disease. It is used also of close astronomical observations. But close watching of external phenomena will not reveal the signs of the kingdom of God.
21. Within you (entos humōn). This is the obvious, and, I think, the necessary meaning of entos. The examples cited of the use of entos in Xenophon and Plato where entos means "among" do not bear that out when investigated. Field (Ot. Norv.) "contends that there is no clear instance of entos in the sense of among" (Bruce), and rightly so. What Jesus says to the Pharisees is that they, as others, are to look for the kingdom of God within themselves, not in outward displays and supernatural manifestations. It is not a localized display "Here" or "There." It is in this sense that in Luke 11:20 Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God as "come upon you" (ephthasen eph' humās), speaking to Pharisees. The only other instance of entos in the New Testament (Matt. 23:26) necessarily means "within" ("the inside of the cup"). There is, beside, the use of entos meaning "within" in the Oxyrhynchus Papyrus saying of Jesus of the Third Century (Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, p. 426) which is interesting: "The kingdom of heaven is within you" (entos humōn) as here in Luke 17:21).
21. Within you (entos humōn). This is the obvious, and, I think, the necessary meaning of entos. The examples cited of the use of entos in Xenophon and Plato where entos means "among" do not bear that out when investigated. Field (Ot. Norv.) "contends that there is no clear instance of entos in the sense of among" (Bruce), and rightly so. What Jesus says to the Pharisees is that they, as others, are to look for the kingdom of God within themselves, not in outward displays and supernatural manifestations. It is not a localized display "Here" or "There." It is in this sense that in Luke 11:20 Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God as "come upon you" (ephthasen eph' humās), speaking to Pharisees. The only other instance of entos in the New Testament (Matt. 23:26) necessarily means "within" ("the inside of the cup"). There is, beside, the use of entos meaning "within" in the Oxyrhynchus Papyrus saying of Jesus of the Third Century (Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, p. 426) which is interesting: "The kingdom of heaven is within you" (entos humōn) as here in Luke 17:21).
To be continued...
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