Luke 9:3

And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) Neither staves.—The better MSS. give, “neither a staff.” The plural was probably adopted in order to bring the verse into harmony with Matthew 10:10, and Mark 6:8.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:1-9 Christ sent his twelve disciples abroad, who by this time were able to teach others what they had received from the Lord. They must not be anxious to commend themselves to people's esteem by outward appearance. They must go as they were. The Lord Jesus is the fountain of power and authority, to whom all creatures must, in one way or another, be subject; and if he goes with the word of his ministers in power, to deliver sinners from Satan's bondage, they may be sure that he will care for their wants. When truth and love thus go together, and yet the message of God is rejected and despised, it leaves men without excuse, and turns to a testimony against them. Herod's guilty conscience was ready to conclude that John was risen from the dead. He desired to see Jesus; and why did he not go and see him? Probably, because he thought it below him, or because he wished not to have any more reprovers of sin. Delaying it now, his heart was hardened, and when he did see Jesus, he was as much prejudiced against him as others, Lu 23:11.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 10:1-14.

See the notes at Matthew 10:1-14.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 9

Lu 9:1-6. Mission of the Twelve Apostles.

(See on [1606]Mt 10:1-15).

1. power and authority—He both qualified and authorized them.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Luke 9:1"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he said unto them, take nothing for your journey,.... Throughout the towns and cities of Judea, where they were sent to preach the Gospel:

neither staves, The Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions, read in the singular number, "neither staff, rod, or club"; and so it was in one of Beza's ancient copies, but in all the rest in the plural, as in Matthew; which last must be the true reading, since one staff was allowed, according as in Mark 6:8 though more than one were forbidden:

nor scrip; or bag to put provision in; See Gill on Matthew 10:10.

Neither bread, neither money; gold, silver, or brass, to buy bread with; because they were to have it, wherever they came, given them, as their due, and the reward of their labour;

neither have two coats apiece; the word "apiece" is left out in one copy, nor is it expressed in the Vulgate Latin and the eastern versions, which read as in Matthew 10:10 though the word does aptly and clearly express the sense of the prohibition, which was not that they should not have two coats among them, but not two apiece; or each man should not have two, or have change of raiment; See Gill on Matthew 10:10

Geneva Study Bible

And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 9:3. The instructions in this and the next two verses follow pretty closely the version in Mk.—μηδὲν αἴρετε εἰς τὴν ὁδόν: as in Mk., but in direct speech, while Mk.’s is indirect (ἵνα μ. αἴρωσιν.)—μήτε ῥάβδον: Lk. interprets tie prohibition more severely than Mk. Not a staff (Mk. except a staff only).—ἀργύριον, silver, for Mk.’s χαλκόν: silver the common metal for coinage among the Greeks, copper among the Romans.—δύο χιτῶνας, two tunics each, one on and one for change.—ἔχειν: infinitive, after αἴρετε, imperative. It may be a case of the infinitive used as an imperative, of which one certain instance is to be found in Php 3:16 (στοιχεῖν = walk), or it may be viewed as a transition from direct to indirect speech (so most commentators). Bengel favours the first view.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. And he said unto them] For a much fuller account of the instructions given to the Twelve see Matthew 10:5-15. Some of these are recorded by St Luke as given also to the Seventy, Luke 10:1-16.

neither staves] Or a staff (as N, A, B, and many uncials). The plural may have been frivolously introduced by some copyist who wished to avoid an apparent discrepancy with Mark 6:8, “save a staff only.” St Matthew also says, ‘not even a staff.’ Minute and wholly unimportant as the variation would have been, it may turn on the fact that our Lord told them not specially to procure (μὴ κτήσησθε, Matt.) these things for the journey; or on the fact that speaking in Aramaic He used the phrase כי אם (kee im), which might be explained ‘even if you have a staff it is unnecessary.’

nor scrip] i.e. wallet, a bag carried over the shoulder to contain a few dates or other common necessaries. 1 Samuel 17:40.

neither dread] which they usually took with them, Luke 9:13; Matthew 16:7.

neither money] Literally, “silver.” St Luke uses the word because it was the common metal for coinage among the Greeks. St Mark uses “copper,” the common Roman coinage.

neither have two coats apiece] i.e. do not carry with you a second tunic (ketoneth)—which indeed is a rare luxury among poor Orientals. (See on Luke 3:11.) If they carried a second tunic at all they could only do so conveniently by putting it on (Mark 6:9). St Mark adds that they were to wear sandals, and St Matthew that they were not to have travelling shoes (hupodimata). The general spirit of the instructions merely is, Go forth in the simplest, humblest manner, with no hindrances to your movements and in perfect faith; and this, as history shews, has always been the method of the most successful missions. At the same time we must remember that the wants of the Twelve were very small (see on Luke 8:3) and were secured by the open hospitality of the East (Thomson, Land and Book, p. 346).

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 9:3. Ἔχειν, to have) The Infinitive may be resolved either into an Imperative or into a Gerund.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 3. - Take nothing for your journey. Dr. Farrar well sums up the various directions of the Master to these his first missionaries: "The general spirit of the instructions merely is, 'Go forth in the simplest, humblest manner, with no hindrances to your movements, and in perfect faith;' and this, as history shows, has always been the method of the most successful missions. At the same time, we must remember that the wants of the twelve were very small, and were secured by the free open hospitality of the East." Luke 9:3

Vincent's Word Studies

Take (αἴρετε)

Lit., lift, with a view of carrying away.

Staves

Following the reading ῥάβδους, for which read ῥάβδον staff.

Two coats (ἀνά δύο χιτῶνας)

Lit., two apiece: the force of ἀνά, as in John 2:6.