Luke 21:38

And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(38) All the people came early in the morning.—The Greek verb, which answers to the five last words, does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament, but is not uncommon in the Greek version of the Old, as in Genesis 19:2; Genesis 19:27; Song Song of Solomon 7:12; and figuratively, in Job 8:5; Jeremiah 25:3; Wisdom Of Solomon 6:14. It may be that the general statement thus given includes the fourth and fifth days of the week of the Passion, but it is remarkable that all three Gospels are silent as to anything that happened on those days till we come to the Paschal Supper. We may, perhaps, reverently conjecture that they were spent by our Lord, in part at least, in Gethsemane (John 18:2), in prayer and meditation, in preparing Himself and the disciples for the coming trials of the Passion. Possibly, also, the narrative of the Woman taken in Adultery, which occupies so strangely doubtful a position in St. John’s Gospel, may find its true place here. (See Note on John 8:1.)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

21:29-38 Christ tells his disciples to observe the signs of the times, which they might judge by. He charges them to look upon the ruin of the Jewish nation as near. Yet this race and family of Abraham shall not be rooted out; it shall survive as a nation, and be found as prophesied, when the Son of man shall be revealed. He cautions them against being secure and sensual. This command is given to all Christ's disciples, Take heed to yourselves, that ye be not overpowered by temptations, nor betrayed by your own corruptions. We cannot be safe, if we are carnally secure. Our danger is, lest the day of death and of judgment should come upon us when we are not prepared. Lest, when we are called to meet our Lord, that be the furthest from our thoughts, which ought to be nearest our hearts. For so it will come upon the most of men, who dwell upon the earth, and mind earthly things only, and have no converse with heaven. It will be a terror and a destruction to them. Here see what should be our aim, that we may be accounted worthy to escape all those things; that when the judgements of God are abroad, we may not be in the common calamity, or it may not be that to us which it is to others. Do you ask how you may be found worthy to stand before Christ at that day? Those who never yet sought Christ, let them now go unto him; those who never yet were humbled for their sins, let them now begin; those who have already begun, let them go forward and be kept humbled. Watch therefore, and pray always. Watch against sin; watch in every duty, and make the most of every opportunity to do good. Pray always: those shall be accounted worthy to live a life of praise in the other world, who live a life of prayer in this world. May we begin, employ, and conclude each day attending to Christ's word, obeying his precepts, and following his example, that whenever he comes we may be found watching.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 21:17.

Came early in the morning - He returned early from the Mount of Olives, and taught in the temple. Our Saviour did not waste his mornings in idleness or sleep. He rose early and repaired to the temple. The people, also, flocked to the sanctuary to hear him. This example is at once an encouragement to early rising and to the early worship of God. It is a reproof of those who spend the part of the day best fitted for devotion in unnecessary sleep; and it shows the propriety, where it can be done, of assembling early in the morning for prayer and the worship of God. Early prayer-meetings have the countenance of the Saviour, and will be found to be eminently conducive to the promotion of religion. The whole example of Jesus goes to show the importance of beginning the day with God, and of lifting up the heart to him for direction, for the supply of our wants, and for preservation from temptation, before the mind is engrossed by the cares, and distracted by the perplexities, and led away by the temptations of this life. Commencing the day with God is like arresting evil at the fountain; prayer at any other time, without this, is an attempt to arrest it when it has swollen to a stream and rolls on like a torrent. Let the day be begun with God, and the work of piety is easy. Let the world have the ascendency in the morning, and it will be likely to have it also at noonday and at evening.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

37, 38. in the daytime—of this His last week.

abode in the mount—that is, at Bethany (Mt 21:17).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Luke 21:37"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And all the people came early in the morning,.... Not all the people in Jerusalem, every inhabitant of the city; this word "all", is often to be taken with a restriction, and here it designs a large number; the Persic version renders it, "vast multitudes": these, some out of curiosity, and others from a real love to him, and his ministry, rose betimes, and came early,

to him in the temple, to hear him; which is said, in commendation of Christ's hearers, and is worthy of imitation; as the former verse is a commendation of the preacher, in his constancy and diligence in his work, and following it with his prayers.

Geneva Study Bible

And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 21:38. ὤρθριζεν, came early, or sought Him eagerly (Meyer). ὀρθρεύω, the Greek form, always is used literally or temporarily.—ὀρθρίζω, its Hellenistic equivalent, seems sometimes to be used tropically, as in Psalm 78:34 (“early,” R.V[182], “earnestly” in margin), Sir 4:12; Sir 6:36. The one meaning easily runs into the other: he who rises early to learn is in earnest. Earliness in the people implies earliness in Jesus, and corresponding devotion to the work.

[182] Revised Version.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

38. came early in the morning] The verb, which does not occur elsewhere in the N.T., means ‘resorted to Him at early dawn? Jeremiah 29:19, ‘rising up early’ (LXX.). ‘

in the temple] Comp. Luke 19:47; Acts 5:21. They came for the last time on Tuesday morning. On the Thursday morning, Nisan 13, our Lord woke never to sleep on earth again.

A few cursive MSS. here add the “Gospel for Penitents,” John 7:53 to John 8:11.

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 21:38. Πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὤρθριζε, all the people used to come early in the morning) Very different was their conduct a little after, ch. Luke 23:18 [“Away with this man,” etc.]

Luke 21:38

Vincent's Word Studies

Came early in the morning (ὤρθριζεν)

Only here in New Testament.