Luke 18:17-19

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Luke 18:17 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
2. Luke 18:17 sn On receive see John 1:12.
3. Luke 18:17 sn The point of the comparison receive the kingdom of God like a child has more to do with a child’s trusting spirit and willingness to be dependent and receive from others than any inherent humility the child might possess.
4. Luke 18:17 tn The negation in Greek used here (οὐ μή, ou mē) is very strong.
5. Luke 18:18 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
6. Luke 18:18 tn Grk “a certain ruler.” BDAG 140 s.v. ἄρχων 2.a takes this to be a member of the Sanhedrin, but Bock understands this to be “an influential wealthy man or civic leader who may have been known for his piety” (D. L. Bock, Luke [BECNT] 2:1476).sn Only Luke states this man is a leader (cf. the parallels in Matt 19:16-22 and Mark 10:17-22, where the questioner is described only as “someone”). He is probably a civic leader of some kind, a leader in the society.
7. Luke 18:18 sn The rich man wanted to know what he must do to inherit eternal life, but Jesus had just finished teaching that eternal life was not earned but simply received (18:17). See the similar question about inheriting eternal life in Luke 10:25.
8. Luke 18:19 tn Grk “And Jesus.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
9. Luke 18:19 sn Jesus’ response, Why do you call me good?, was designed to cause the ruler to stop and think for a moment about who Jesus really was. The following statement No one is good except God alone seems to point the man in the direction of Jesus’ essential nature and the demands which logically follow on the man for having said it.