Lukas 11:20

11:20 But if I cast out demons by the finger ¹  of God, then the kingdom of God ²  has already overtaken ³  you.

Lukas 17:15

17:15 Then one of them, when he saw he was healed, turned back, praising ⁴  God with a loud voice.

Lukas 20:27

Marriage and the Resurrection

20:27 Now some Sadducees ⁵  (who contend that there is no resurrection) ⁶  came to him.

Lukas 22:70

22:70 So ⁷  they all said, “Are you the Son of God, ⁸  then?” He answered ⁹  them, “You say ¹⁰  that I am.”

[11:20]  ¹ sn The finger of God is a figurative reference to God’s power (L&N 76.3). This phrase was used of God’s activity during the Exodus (Exod 8:19).

[11:20]  ² sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.

[11:20]  ³ tn The phrase ἔφθασεν ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς (efqasen ef’ Juma") is important. Does it mean merely “approach” (which would be reflected in a translation like “has come near to you”) or actually “come upon” (as in the translation given above, “has already overtaken you,” which has the added connotation of suddenness)? The issue here is like the one in 10:9 (see note there on the phrase “come on”). Is the arrival of the kingdom merely anticipated or already in process? Two factors favor arrival over anticipation here. First, the prepositional phrase “upon you” suggests arrival (Dan 4:24, 28 Theodotion). Second, the following illustration in vv. 21-23 looks at the healing as portraying Satan being overrun. So the presence of God’s authority has arrived. See also L&N 13.123 for the translation of φθάνω (fqanw) as “to happen to already, to come upon, to come upon already.”

[17:15]  ⁴ tn Grk “glorifying God.”

[20:27]  ⁵ sn The Sadducees controlled the official political structures of Judaism at this time, being the majority members of the Sanhedrin. They were known as extremely strict on law and order issues (Josephus, J. W. 2.8.2 [2.119], 2.8.14 [2.164-166]; Ant. 13.5.9 [13.171-173], 13.10.6 [13.293-298], 18.1.2 [18.11], 18.1.4 [18.16-17], 20.9.1 [20.199]; Life 2 [10-11]). They also did not believe in resurrection or in angels, an important detail in v. 36. See also Matt 3:7, 16:1-12, 22:23-34; Mark 12:18-27; Acts 4:1, 5:17, 23:6-8.

[20:27]  ⁶ sn This remark is best regarded as a parenthetical note by the author.

[22:70]  ⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ pronouncement.

[22:70]  ⁸ sn The members of the council understood the force of the claim and asked Jesus about another title, Son of God.

[22:70]  ⁹ tn Grk “He said to them.”

[22:70]  ¹⁰ sn Jesus’ reply, “You say that I am,” was not a denial, but a way of giving a qualified positive response: “You have said it, but I do not quite mean what you think.”