Luke 10:34

And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(34) And went to him.—Every detail is in harmony with the tender pity described in the previous verse. All fear of risk from robbers, or from the police of Rome, who might take him for a robber, is put aside; the “oil and wine,” which had been provided for personal refreshment, are freely given to be used, according to the primitive surgery of the time, the latter for cleansing the wounds, the former for soothing inflammation. His own beast (better, ass, as the word is translated in Matthew 21:5; 2Peter 2:16) is given up, and he goes on foot; he takes the wounded man to an inn, and there provides for him.

To an inn.—The word is not the same as that in Luke 2:7, and implies the Western type of hostelry, where the landlord provides for his guests, while in the earlier passage we have the Eastern caravanserai, where the guests simply find shelter, and arrange their meals for themselves.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

10:25-37 If we speak of eternal life, and the way to it, in a careless manner, we take the name of God in vain. No one will ever love God and his neighbour with any measure of pure, spiritual love, who is not made a partaker of converting grace. But the proud heart of man strives hard against these convictions. Christ gave an instance of a poor Jew in distress, relieved by a good Samaritan. This poor man fell among thieves, who left him about to die of his wounds. He was slighted by those who should have been his friends, and was cared for by a stranger, a Samaritan, of the nation which the Jews most despised and detested, and would have no dealings with. It is lamentable to observe how selfishness governs all ranks; how many excuses men will make to avoid trouble or expense in relieving others. But the true Christian has the law of love written in his heart. The Spirit of Christ dwells in him; Christ's image is renewed in his soul. The parable is a beautiful explanation of the law of loving our neighbour as ourselves, without regard to nation, party, or any other distinction. It also sets forth the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward sinful, miserable men. We were like this poor, distressed traveller. Satan, our enemy, has robbed us, and wounded us: such is the mischief sin has done us. The blessed Jesus had compassion on us. The believer considers that Jesus loved him, and gave his life for him, when an enemy and a rebel; and having shown him mercy, he bids him go and do likewise. It is the duty of us all , in our places, and according to our ability, to succour, help, and relieve all that are in distress and necessity.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Pouring in oil and wine - These were often used in medicine to heal wounds. Probably they were mingled together, and had a highly sanative quality. How strikingly is his conduct contrasted with the priest and Levite! And, how particularly as well as beautifully by this does our Saviour show what we ought to do to those who are in circumstances of need! He does not merely say "in general" that he showed him kindness, but he "told how" it was done. He stopped - came where he was - pitied him - bound up his wound - set him on his own beast - conducted him to a tavern - passed the night with him, and then secured the kind attendances of the landlord, promising him to pay him for his trouble and all this without desiring or expecting any reward. If this had been by a Jew, it would have been signal kindness; if it had been by a Gentile, it would also have been great kindness; but it was by a Samaritan - a man of a nation most hateful to the Jews, and therefore it most strikingly shows what we are to do to friends and foes when they are in distress.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

34. oil and wine—the remedies used in such cases all over the East (Isa 1:6), and elsewhere; the wine to cleanse the wounds, the oil to assuage their smartings.

on his own beast—himself going on foot.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Luke 10:30"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And went to him, and bound up his wounds,.... Which sin had made; it being part of the work of Christ, to bind up the broken-hearted, to heal wounded sinners, and restore comforts to mourners; and which he does, by

pouring in oil and wine: by which, in general, may be designed, the blood of Christ, applied to the conscience of a wounded sinner; which cleanses from all sin, heals all the wounds and diseases of sin, cheers and revives fainting spirits, gives ease, peace, and pleasure, and is therefore exceeding valuable and precious: and in particular by "oil" may be meant, the grace of the Spirit of God; compared unto it, for its sweet smell, its cheering and refreshing virtue and efficacy, and its cooling, softening, supplying, and healing nature: and by "wine", the doctrines of the Gospel; such as free justification by Christ's righteousness, and pardon through his blood; which when applied to distressed minds, cause joy and gladness, and them to forget their sorrow, and remember their misery no more: and the pouring in of these, may denote the plentiful effusion of Christ's blood, and the riches of his grace in the application of it; and the freeness and generousness of this action, which is his own: for man cannot do it. It was usual with the Jews, to mix oil and wine together, for the healing of wounds: hence those rules and traditions (w);

"they anoint a linen cloth for a sick man on the sabbath; when? when they mingle the oil and the wine on the sabbath eve, but if they do not mingle it on the sabbath eve, it is forbidden; it is a tradition, says R. Simeon ben Eleazer, R. Meir pronounced it lawful, to mingle wine and oil, and to anoint the sick on the sabbath.''

So oil and wine were mingled together, and used to heal the sore occasioned by circumcision (x).

and set him on his own beast; by which may be meant, either the red horse of Christ's humanity, Zechariah 1:8 to which he has united all his people; and in which he has bore their persons, and has represented them, and still bears them on his heart: or the white horse of the Gospel, Revelation 6:2 compared to a horse for its strength, swiftness, and usefulness in battle; and to a "white" one, for the purity of its doctrines, the joy and peace it brings, and the victory it obtains: and this is Christ's own, and on which he himself rides, and shows his glory, and goes forth conquering and to conquer: and on which he sets his people, and they are carried out of the reach of men and devils to destroy them, and are caused to ride on the high places of the earth:

and brought him to an inn; a church of Christ, where the Gospel guides, directs, and carries souls: saints are not at home in their proper city and country, they are travellers here, and need refreshment by the way; and a church of Christ is as an inn, for the entertainment of such: it is large, and has room enough for as many as come to it; and is well stored with provisions of all sorts, signified by bread, and milk, and wine, a feast of fat things, a furnished table, Zion's provisions, the goodness and fatness of God's house; and has rivers of pleasure, and very good lodgings, sure dwellings, and quiet habitations; all which is agreeable to weary travellers: and hither Christ brings his people, whom he saves and calls; it is his will that they should be in a church state, and it is his own act to bring them there, and it is their great privilege to be thither brought:

and took care of him; clothed him with his righteousness, fed him with the choicest of provisions, gave him reviving cordials of love, refreshing promises, exceeding great and precious ones; and larger supplies of grace, with protection and preservation from all evils.

(w) T. Hieros. Sabbat, fol. 14. 3. & Beracot, fol. 3. 1. (x) Misn. Sabbat, c. 19. sect. 2.

Geneva Study Bible

And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Luke 10:34. Ἐπιχέων κ.τ.λ.] while he, as he was binding them up, poured on them oil and wine, the ordinary remedy in the case of wounds (see the passages in Wetstein and Paulus), which he carried with him for any casual need.

ἐπὶ τὸ ἴδιον κτῆνος] on his own beast (his ass), so that thus he himself gave up its use.

πανδοχεῖον] instead of the Attic πανδοκεῖον, Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 307. The word has also passed over into the Rabbinical vocabulary: פונדק, see Lightfoot, p. 799. We must picture to ourselves a caravanserai, over which presided an ordinary landlord.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 10:34. κατέδησε, ἐπιχέων: both technical terms in medicine.—ἔλαιον καὶ οἶνον: not separately, but mixed; in use among Greeks and Romans as well as Jews (Wetstein).—κτῆνος = κτῆμα from κτάομαι, generally a property, and specially a domestic animal: one’s beast.—πανδοχεῖον (in classics πανδοκ.), a place for receiving all comers, an inn having a host, not merely a khan or caravanserai like κατάλυμα in Luke 2:7.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

34. pouring in oil and wine] The ordinary remedies of the day. Isaiah 1:6; Mark 6:13; James 5:14. See Excursus VII.

set him on his own beast] The word implies the labour of ‘lifting him up,’ and then the good Samaritan walked by his side.

brought him to an inn] Pandocheion. See on Luke 2:7. There the word is kataluma, a mere khan or caravanserai. Perhaps this inn was at Bahurim. In this and the next verse a word or two suffices to shew the Samaritan’s sympathy, helpfulness, self-denial, generosity, and perseverance in kindliness.

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 10:34. Ἔλαιον καὶ οἶνον, oil and wine) Those things are easy to be procured, which are most necessary for the exercising of love.—ἐπιβίβασας, having set him on) with labour to himself.—ἴδιον, his own) which he himself had used.—εἰς πανδοχεῖον, to an inn) The language in this passage is wonderfully popular (adapted to the intelligence of even the common multitude).

Luke 10:34

Vincent's Word Studies

Bound up (κατέδησεν)

Only here in New Testament.

Wounds (τραύματα)

Only here in New Testament.

Pouring in (ἐπιχέων)

Rather upon (ἐπί), as Rev. Wine to cleanse, and oil to soothe. See Isaiah 1:6.

Oil and wine

Usual remedies for sores, wounds, etc. Hippocrates prescribes for ulcers, "Bind with soft wool, and sprinkle with wine and oil."

Beast (κτῆνος)

Perhaps akin to κτῆμα, a possession ; since animals anciently constituted wealth, so that a piece of property and a beast were synonymous terms.

Inn (πανδοχεῖον)

Only here in New Testament. From πᾶν, all, and δέχομαι, to receive: a place of common reception. See on inn, Luke 2:7. Remains of two khans, or inns, on the road between Jericho and Jerusalem are mentioned by modern travellers. Porter ("Handbook of Syria and Palestine") speaks of one about a mile from Bethany, and another farther on, at the most dangerous part of the road, an extensive, ruined caravanserai, called Khan el Almah, situated on the top of a bleak ridge. Concerning the former, Hepworth Dixon ("Holy Land") says: "About midway in the descent from Bethany to Jericho, in a position commanding a view of the road above and below,... on the very spot where search would be made for them, if no such ruins were suspected of existing, stands a pile of stones, archways, lengths of wall, which the wandering Arabs call Khan Houdjar, and still make use of as their own resting-place for the night. These ruins are those of a noble inn; the lewan, the fountain, and the court, being plainly traceable in the ruins."