Luke 11:38

38 Now the Pharisee saw to his surprise that He did not wash His hands before breakfasting.

Luke 11:38 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 11:38

And when the Pharisee saw it
That Christ laid himself down on one of the couches and began to eat:

he marvelled;
that so great a prophet as he was, and a man of so much religion and holiness, should show no regard to a common custom with them, and which was one of the traditions of their elders, and which they put upon a level with the commands of God. The Vulgate Latin version, and so Beza's most ancient copy, and another exemplar, read, "he began to say, thinking" (or judging) "within himself": he was "moved" at it, as the Persic version renders it; he was filled with astonishment and indignation,

that he had not first washed before dinner;
especially since he had been in a crowd of people, ( Luke 11:29 ) for the Pharisees not only washed their hands, by immersing them up to the elbow before eating; but when they had been at market, or among any large number of people, or had reason to think they had, or feared they had touched any unclean person or thing, they immersed themselves all over in water: and which is the sense of the word (baptizomai) , here used; (See Gill on Mark 7:2), (See Gill on Mark 7:3) and (See Gill on Mark 7:4).

Luke 11:38 In-Context

36 If, however, your whole body is penetrated with light, and has no part dark, it will be so lighted, all of it, as when the lamp with its bright shining gives you light."

37 When He had thus spoken, a Pharisee invited Him to breakfast at his house; so He entered and took His place at table.

38 Now the Pharisee saw to his surprise that He did not wash His hands before breakfasting.

39 The Master however said to him, "Here we see how you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup or plate, while your secret hearts are full of greed and selfishness.

40 Foolish men! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?