Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

The dropsy - Ὑδρωπικος, dropsical; from ὑδωρ, water, and ωψ, the countenance, because in this disorder the face of the patient is often very much bloated. Probably the insidious Pharisee had brought this dropsical man to the place, not doubting that our Lord's eye would affect his heart, and that he would instantly cure him; and then he could most plausibly accuse him for a breach of the Sabbath. If this were the case, and it is likely, how deep must have been the perfidy and malice of the Pharisee!

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

A certain man before him - In what way he came there we know not. He might have been one of the Pharisee‘s family, or might have been placed there by the Pharisees to see whether he would heal him. This last supposition is not improbable, since it is said in Luke 14:1 that they watched him.

The dropsy - A disease produced by the accumulation of water in various parts of the body; very distressing, and commonly incurable.

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible

And behold, there was before him a certain man that had the dropsy.

Spectators often entered the house to witness an eastern banquet";[7] but as Russell noted, "Other schemes of the Pharisees on like occasions make it very probable that the Pharisees had placed him there."[8]

Of course, all eyes were fixed upon Jesus; as the previous verse said, "They were watching him." The word used for watching in the text means "interested and sinister espionage."[9]

[7] J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 756.

[8] John William Russell, Compact Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1964), p. 175.

[9] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 194.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And behold, there was a certain man before him,.... Who sat just before him, as he was at table; who either came there of himself, in order to receive a cure; or rather, since it was in a private house, and he at table too, was brought and set there on purpose by the Pharisees, to try whether Christ would heal him on the sabbath day, that they might have somewhat against him; which they doubted not but he would do, knowing his compassionate and beneficent disposition to do good to creatures in distress, whenever he had an opportunity:

which had the dropsy: or "gathered waters", as the Syriac version renders it; was filled with water, which is the nature of that disease, and distinguishes it from what is called the dry dropsy: this disease is a preternatural collection of serum, or water in some part of the body; or a too great proportion thereof in the blood. The "dropsy" acquires different names, from the different parts it afflicts, or the different parts the waters are collected in; that of the "abdomen", or lower belly, called simply and absolutely "dropsy", is particularly denominated "ascites"; that of the whole habit of the body, "anasarca", or "leucophlegmatia"; that of the head, "hydrocephalus"; that of the scrotum, "hydrocele".---There is also a species of this disease, supposed to be caused instead of water, by a collection of wind, called "tympanites"; and by Hippocrates, the "dry dropsy": we also meet with dropsies of the breast, pericardium, uterus, ovaries, &c. The causes of dropsies in general, are whatever may obstruct the serous part of the blood, so as to make it stagnate in the vessels; or burst the vessels themselves, so as to let the blood out among the membranes; or weaken and relax the tone of the vessels; or this the blood, and make it watery; or lessen perspiration. These causes are various, viz. sometimes acute diseases, scirrhous tumours of any of the more noble viscera, excessive evacuations, particularly haemorrhages, hard drinking, &c. The "ascites", or "water dropsy" of the "abdomen", is the most usual case, and what we particularly call the "dropsy": its symptoms are tumours, first of the feet and legs, and afterwards of the "abdomen." which keep continually growing; and if the belly be struck or shook, there is heard a quashing of water: add to this, three other attendants, viz. a dyspnoea, intense thirst, and sparing urine; with which may be numbered heaviness, listlessness, costiveness, a light fever, and an emaciation of the body^F9Chamber's Cyclopaedia on the word "Dropsy". . Such we must suppose to be the case of this man, and that he was now in such a condition, as to be thought incurable.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

man before him — not one of the company, since this was apparently before the guests sat down, and probably the man came in hope of a cure, though not expressly soliciting it [Deuteronomy Wette].

Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament

Which had the dropsy (υδρωπικος — hudrōpikos). Late and medical word from υδωρ — hudōr (water), one who has internal water (υδρωπς — hudrōps). Here only in the N.T. and only example of the disease healed by Jesus and recorded.

Vincent's Word Studies

Which had the dropsy ( ὑδρωπικὸς )

Lit., a dropsical man. The usual way of marking a dropsical patient in medical language.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

The Fourfold Gospel

1. There was before him a certain man that had the dropsy. The phrase "let him go" of Luke 14:4 shows that the man was not a guest, but rather one who seems to have taken advantage of the freedom of an Oriental house to stand among the lookers-on. He may have been there purely from his own choice, but the evil intention with which Jesus was invited makes it highly probable that the man's presence was no accident, but part of a deep-laid plot to entrap Jesus.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.

Ver. 2. A certain man before him] A fit object, and that was sufficient to move him to mercy, who himself, by sympathy, took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses.

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible

Luke 14:2. There was a certain man before him— He was either set before him by way of a snare, or had conveyed himself thither in hopes of a cure, which is the most probable; for it appears from Luke 14:4 that he was not one of the family, because Christ dismissed or let him go.

Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary

2.] ἔμπρ. αὐτ., not as a guest: see Luke 14:4, and compare ch. Luke 7:37, and note on ib. Luke 7:45. ἦν ἱστάμενος καὶ μὴ τολμῶν μὲν ζητῆσαι θεραπείαν διὰ τὸ σάββ. καὶ τοὺς φαρ. φαινόμενος δὲ μόνον, ἵνα ἰδὼν οἰκτειρήσῃ τοῦτον ἀφʼ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ἀπαλλάξῃ τοῦ ὕδρωπος. Euthym⁽⁹⁵⁾ It does not appear, though it is certainly possible, that he was set there by the Pharisees on purpose. This was before the meal (Luke 14:7).

Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament

Luke 14:2. ὑδρωπικὸς, a man in the dropsy) who was brought hither for this very reason.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

See Poole on "Luke 14:1"

Alexander MacLaren's Expositions of Holy Scripture

водяною болезнью Иначе, «водянкой». Состояние, при котором в тканях и полостях тела удерживается жидкость, часто вызвалось болезнями почек или печени, включая рак.

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

‘And behold, there was before him a certain man that had the dropsy.’

There before Him Jesus saw a plain case of a man with the dropsy. This was a horrible disease in which water under the skin made the skin sag and ‘drop’. It meant that his limbs and tissues were swollen with excess body fluids. It was a condition that was understandably associated with uncleanness and immorality. Man has always been disposed to blame other people’s problems on the people themselves, although never applying such a criterion to their own situation.

‘And behold.’ This may be intended to indicate that his presence was a surprise and purely circumstantial.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

2.And behold—As if it were a sudden and unexpected object.

A certain man—How he came there Luke was not very likely to be informed; especially if, as some plausibly think, he was put there for the occasion by the treacherous Pharisees.

Before him—As Jesus sat perhaps on the divan before the company had taken seats at the table. For it was, probably, that strife for precedence at the table which called forth the lesson from our Lord which follows.

Dropsy—A disease in which the body or some part of it is filled with water; most usually the abdomen. It is attended with difficulty of breathing, intense thirst, and diminished urine. The body is emaciated, feverish, and feeble, and the spirit despondent. In some cases it is held incurable.

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable

The text does not say that the host had planted the sick man among his guests to test Jesus, but that seems likely. Luke"s description of the man"s presence implies that. Luke said: there he was in front of Jesus. The name of the man"s disease is misleading. Dropsy (Gr. hudropikos, edema) is a condition that causes the body to swell up due to the accumulation of fluid in the body tissue or the body cavities. It often results from a faulty heart or kidneys. [Note: Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, s.v. "Diseases of the Bible," by R. H. Pousma, 2:134.] The rabbis regarded this disease as the result of immorality. [Note: Marshall, The Gospel . . ., p579.]

Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Luke 14:2. A certain man who had the dropsy Evidently this incident took place before the meal (Luke 14:7). The man was not a guest (Luke 14:4), and was possibly placed there by the Pharisees, with a view to entangle our Lord.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

divine Saviour, regardless of the wicked designs which these Pharisees meditated to destroy him, cures the sick man, who did not dare to ask the favour of him, for fear of the Pharisees. He could only persuade himself to stand in his presence, hoping that Christ would at length cast a compassionate look upon him: who being well pleased with him, did not demand of him if he wished to be cured, but without demur proceeded to work this stupendous miracle in his behalf. (St. Cyril) --- In which Christ did not so much consider whether the action would give scandal to the Pharisees, as whether it would afford the sick man comfort; intimating, that we ought ever to disregard the raillery of the fools, and the scandal which men of this world may take at our actions, as often as they are for the honour of God, and the good of our neighbour. (Theophylactus)

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.

man (App-123.1) . . . which had the dropsy = dropsical (a medical term). Occurs only here.

before Him. Not one of the guests.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.

And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy - not one of the invited guests probably, but one who presented himself in hope of a cure, though not expressly soliciting it; and it may be that this was all the more readily allowed, to see, what He would do. This is confirmed by our Lord "letting Him go" immediately after curing him (Luke 14:4). The company, it will be observed, had not yet sat down.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) A certain man before him which had the dropsy.—This is the only miracle of the kind recorded in the Gospels. The term which St. Luke uses is strictly technical (hydropikos), and we may fairly see in the narrative another illustration of his professional character. He, more than others, had been led to specific inquiries as to the nature of the diseases which our Lord had healed. (See Introduction.) The man may have been an invited guest, or the feast may have been one of the semi-public ones in which the richer Pharisees displayed their hospitality.