Lying in wait for him, and seeking to catch something from his mouth, that they might accuse him.
All Commentaries on Luke 11:54 Go To Luke 11
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Laying wait for Him, and seeking to catch something out of His mouth. θηζευ̃σαί, "to hunt for," that they might accuse Him to Caiaphas or Pilate. For Euthymius says, "They thought by their rapid questionings to lead Him to commit Himself to some rash statement; but He answered them in all things wisely, for He answered nothing but what had been well thought out aforehand, and He spake unmoved by any human passion."
They trusted that in anger, or in excitement, he would have said something with which they could find fault, for men in the heat of argument oftentimes make statements which they regret and are compelled to retract. Not so with Christ; calm and unmoved, His words were truth.
1 Kinwold and others think that this verse, which does not occur in St. Matthew , is an interpolation, and that it is really a grammatical gloss on v34. (Back up to the place.)
2 Although from comparing S. Matt. xxii35 with S. Mark xii28 and S. Luke v17 , with the21st verse of the same chapter and with S. Mark ii6 , the Scribes seem to be the same as the Lawyers, yet we may assume that there was this difference between them: the lawyer was one conversant with the law, but the scribe one who publicly taught and practised it. (Back up to the place.)
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