Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

Journeying toward Jerusalem - Luke represents all that is said, from Luke 9:51, as having been done and spoken while Christ was on his last journey to Jerusalem. See the notes on Luke 9:51, and Luke 12:58; (note), and see the Preface.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Cities and villages - Chiefly of Galilee, and those which were between Galilee and Jerusalem.

Teaching and journeying - This evinces the diligence of our Lord. Though on a journey, yet he remembered his work. He did not excuse himself on the plea that he was in haste. Christians and Christian ministers should remember that when their Master traveled he did not “conceal” his character, or think that he was then freed from obligation to do good.

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible

And he went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and journeying unto Jerusalem.

Journeying ... should not be understood as taking the most direct route to Jerusalem; for, actually, this journey required several months, and involved a circuitous progression which would allow Jesus to visit as many places as possible on this final tour; and yet, all the while, his invariable purpose remained that of proceeding to Jerusalem where he would fulfill his purpose of dying to save all men. He interrupted this journey no less than three times, going to Jerusalem each time, and then returning to resume the journey. See under Luke 17:11.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And he went through the cities and villages,.... Either of Galilee, or of Judea, or both; since he was upon his journey from Galilee, through Judea, to Jerusalem, as it follows:

teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem; as he was journeying he taught in every place he came, where he could have an opportunity; his delight was to do good both to the bodies and souls of men; and he was constant and assiduous in it.

Geneva Study Bible

(6) Against those who had rather err with many than go right with a few, and because of this through their own indifference they are shut out of the kingdom of God.

People's New Testament

He went on his way through the cities. It is supposed, east of the Jordan, in Perea.

Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament

Journeying on unto Jerusalem (πορειαν ποιουμενος εις Ιεροσολυμα — poreian poioumenos eis Ierosoluma). Making his way to Jerusalem. Note tenses here of continued action, and distributive use of κατα — kata with cities and villages. This is the second of the journeys to Jerusalem in this later ministry corresponding to that in John 11.

The Fourfold Gospel

THE STRAIT GATE. WARNED AGAINST HEROD. (Perea.) Luke 13:22-35
1. And he went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and journeying on unto Jerusalem. This verse probably refers back to brief rest on the Sabbath day when he healed the woman with the curvature of the spine.

Frédéric Louis Godet - Commentary on Selected Books

Second Cycle: A New Series of Incidents in the Journey, Luke 13:22 to Luke 17:10.

Ver. 22 serves as an introduction to this whole cycle. Jesus slowly continues His journey of evangelization ( διεπορεύετο, He proceeded through the country), stopping at every city, and even at every village ( κατά, distributive), taking advantage of every occasion which presents itself to instruct both those who accompany Him and the people of the place, only pursuing in the main a general direction toward Jerusalem ( διδάσκων, ποιούμενος). Nothing could be more natural than this remark, which is founded on the general introduction, Luke 9:51, and in keeping with the analogous forms used in cases of summing up and transition, which we have observed throughout this Gospel.

1. The Rejection of Israel, and the Admission of the Gentiles: Luke 13:23-30. An unforeseen question calls forth a new flash. It was probably evoked by a saying of Jesus, which appeared opposed to the privileges of Israel, that is to say, to its national participation in the Messianic blessedness.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

22 And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.

Ver. 22. See Matthew 9:35; Mark 6:6.

Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Observe here, 1. The unwearied pains and diligence of our holy Lord in preaching and publishing the glad tidings of the gospel to lost sinners: He went through the cities and villages teaching; not in great and populous cities only, but in poor and obscure villages also; not preaching by his exemplary life only, but by his holy doctrine likewise. Let such preachers, who look upon the work of preaching as the least part of their business, consider the indefatigable pains which our Lord took in that work; and how will his diligence shame our negligence!

Observe, 2. A curious question put to our Saviour concerning the number of those that should be saved, whether they should be few or many: Lord, are there few that be saved?

Where note, how curiously inquisitive we naturally are after the knowledge of things that do not concern us, how forward to pry into unrevealed secrets, and to search into God's hidden counsel; it concerns us rather to understand what sort of persons shall be saved, than how many shall be saved, and to make sure that we be of that sort.

Observe, 3. Our Saviour gives no direct answer to the curiousity of this inquiry, but turns his speech from him to the people: Jesus said unto them, strive to enter in at the strait gate, etc. For the clear understanding of which expression we must know, that Christ alludes to the feasts and marriage suppers among the Jews: they that were invited did enter by a gate which was very strait and narrow; and as soon as the invited were once entered, the gate was shut, and opened no more. Here Christ bids them strive to enter into the kingdom of heaven, before the gate is shut against them, and their entrance, by means of their coming too late, be made impossible to them: Strive to enter...for many will seek, etc.

Where note,

1. The metaphor which Christ is pleased to set forth heaven, and the happiness of a future state, by; he compares it to a strait gate: to a gate, to denote the possibility of entering; to a strait gate, to denote the difficulty of entrance: a gate supposes the entrance possible, but a strait gate bespeaks the entrance difficult.

2. Here is a duty urged and enforced upon all those that expect the happiness of another life, and desire to enter in at this strait gate, and that is, a diligent and industrious striving: Strive to enter in at the strait gate.

3. We have a forcible argument and motive to excite and quicken us to the practice of this duty, drawn from the paucity, or small number, of those that shall obtain salvation in a dying hour: Many will seek to enter in, but shall not be able.

Learn thence,

1. That heaven or the happiness of a future state, is attainable.

2. That it is not attainable without labor and difficulty.

3. That all those difficulties may be happily overcome by a diligent and industrious striving.

Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary

22.] This notice includes what follows in the cycle of this last journey, but disclaims any definiteness of place or time for it. But certainly it seems to follow in natural order after our Lord’s solemn warnings to repentance at the beginning of this chapter.

The enquirer can hardly have been a disciple of Jesus (see Luke 13:28), but most likely a Jew from the multitude, who had heard his discourses, and either from Jewish pride, or perhaps from real desire to learn from Him, put this question.

Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament

Luke 13:22. εἰς, towards) His route was arranged with a view to reaching Jerusalem at the terminus of a journey especially memorable. See Luke 13:33, ch. Luke 17:11, Luke 18:31, Luke 19:11; Luke 19:28.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Still wherever we find our blessed Lord, we find him teaching, and that not by an exemplary life only, but by word of mouth. There are different opinions whether our Saviour was now journeying towards Jerusalem with respect to the passover, or some other great festival of the Jews.

Alexander MacLaren's Expositions of Holy Scripture

по городам и селениям У Луки ссылки на географические места часто неопределенны; вероятно, он имел в виду читателей, которые по преимуществу были совсем незнакомы с географией Палестины. Все другие Евангелия – от Матфея 19:1; от Марка 10:1 и от Иоанна 10:40 – говорят, что Христос перенес Свое служение в восточную область Иордана, известную как Перея. В этом месте повествования Луки, вероятно, говорится об этом передвижении. Поэтому города и селения, по которым Он проходил, возможно, включали места как в Иудее, так и в Перее.

направляя путь к Иерусалиму На самом деле в течение Своего служения в Иудее и Перее Христос не один раз ходил в Иерусалим (по крайней мере однажды на праздник кущей (Ин. 7:11–8:59), в другой раз на праздник обновления (Ин. 9:1–10:39) и еще один раз, когда воскресил Лазаря). Лука сосредоточивал внимание на постоянном продвижении к Его заключительному пути в Иерусалим с определенной целью умереть там – и поэтому он описывал все передвижение Христа как одно долгое путешествие в Иерусалим. См. пояснение к 9:51; 17:11.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

22.He went through their cities and villages—This is Luke’s general heading for the Peraean ministry of Jesus. The cities and villages were those of the Transjordanic region, including Bethabara and the localities generally of John’s baptisms. See map.

But Luke really gives the teachings of Jesus for the closing two days of the Peraean ministry. See note on Luke 13:31.

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

‘And he went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and journeying on to Jerusalem.’

Having established the principle Jesus then went out to put it into practise. He went through their cities and villages preaching, and this preaching would necessarily include the preaching of the Kingly Rule of God. Indeed in a sense that was what all His preaching was about, the Kingly Rule of God in its many forms. And as He did so He went on towards Jerusalem. For it was what He would accomplish at Jerusalem that would cause the triumph of the Kingly Rule of God.

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable

Luke employed similar geographical summary statements in Acts too to indicate divisions in his narrative (e.g, Luke 12:25; Luke 14:27-28; Luke 16:4; et al). They give a sense of movement and progress in material that is essentially didactic. Jesus" general movement was toward Jerusalem and the Cross, though He seems to have proceeded without haste and with many pauses for teaching. The goal is the important feature, not how Jesus reached it. He gave the following teaching on the way.

Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Luke 13:22. Through cities and villages. The journey was not direct.

Teaching and journeying into Jerusalem. In this and the succeeding chapters (14-18). Specimens of His teaching are given.

The Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 13:22 _{is a historical notice serving to recall the general situation indicated in} Luke 9:51_{. So again in} Luke 17:11_{. “Luke gives us to understand that it is always the same journey which goes on with incidents analogous to those of the preceding cycle,” Godet. Hahn, however, maintains that here begins a new division of the history and a new journey to Jerusalem, yet not the final one. This division extends from this point to} Luke 17:10_{, and contains (1) words of Jesus on the way to Jerusalem (}Luke 13:22-35_{), (2) words spoken probably in Jerusalem (}Luke 14:1-24_{), (3) words spoken after the return to Galilee.— , teaching; the main occupation of Jesus as He went from village to village. The long section from} Luke 9:51 _to Luke 18:14 _{is chiefly didactic in contents, though an occasional healing is recorded.— . ., the is epexegetic = and at the same time; His face set towards Jerusalem as He taught.}

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

through. Greek. kata. App-104.

journeying = progressing.

toward. Greek. eis. App-104.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.

And he went through the cities and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem - on His final but circuitous journey from Galilee. See introductory remarks on the portion commencing with Luke 9:51.

The Bible Study New Testament

22. Jesus went through the towns and villages. Probably in the area called Perea, east of the Jordan river. People often went this way from Galilee to Jerusalem, to detour around Samaria.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(22) And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying.—Literally, making a journey, as implying a circuit deliberately planned. This is apparently the continuation of the same journey as that of which Luke 9:51 recorded the beginning. There seems reason to believe, as stated in the Note on that passage, that it lay chiefly through the cities and villages of Peræa, the modern Hauran, on the east side of the Jordan. Such a journey, though with comparatively little record of what happened on it, is implied in Matthew 19:1, Mark 10:1, in the retirement “beyond Jordan” of John 10:40. It had led our Lord at first through Samaria (Luke 9:52), then back to Samaria and Galilee again (Luke 17:11), then either from the east, crossing the river, or from the west to Jericho (Luke 18:35).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

through

4:43,44; Matthew 9:35; Mark 6:6; Acts 10:38

journeying

9:51; Mark 10:32-34

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

Luke 13:22.Journeying towards Jerusalem. It is uncertain whether Luke speaks only of one journey, or means that, while Christ walked throughout Judea, and visited each part of it for the purpose of teaching, he was wont to go up to Jerusalem at the festivals. The former clause, certainly, appears to describe that course of life which Christ invariably pursued, from the time that he began to discharge the office which had been committed to him by the Father. To make the latter clause agree with this, the meaning will be, that, when the festivals were at hand, he attended, along with others, ⁽²²⁶⁾ the holy assemblies.