Luke 22:25

25 And he said, The kings of the Gentiles are lords over them, and those who have authority are given names of honour.

Luke 22:25 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 22:25

And he said unto them
The disciples; that is, Jesus said to them, as the Syriac and Persic versions express: the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them;
by which our Lord would dissuade his disciples from seeking to introduce a superiority over one another, since this was the practice of the Heathens, of the men of the world, of ignorant Gentiles; whereas Christ's kingdom was a spiritual kingdom, and not of this world, and therefore, not to be managed in such a way. And they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors;
either by themselves, or by their court flatterers, to cover their ambition, tyranny, and cruelty. Two of the King's of Egypt were called by the name Euergetes ^F16; the word that is here used, and translated "benefactors"; and it was commonly given to other kings, princes, and men in power: so Cyrus was called by the Armenians; Antigonus by the Greeks; and Phylacus among the Persians: the same name was given to Mithridates king of Pontus, to Titus Aelius Hadrianus, to Menander, to Marcus Aurelius Severus, and to Cato Uticensis, and others ^F17.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Alex. ab. Alexandro Genial. Dier. l. 1. c. 2.
F17 Vid. Cuper. Inscript. & Marmora. p. 283, 284.

Luke 22:25 In-Context

23 And they were wondering among themselves which of them it was who would do this thing.

24 And there was an argument among them about which of them was the greatest.

25 And he said, The kings of the Gentiles are lords over them, and those who have authority are given names of honour.

26 But let it not be so with you; but he who is greater, let him become like the younger; and he who is chief, like a servant.

27 For which is greater, the guest who is seated at a meal or the servant who is waiting on him? is it not the guest? but I am among you as a servant.