Luke 10:31

“And by chance there came down a certain priest that way, etc.] Who had been at Jerusalem, to take his turn in the courses, and was now returning to Jericho, where the stationary men were, to which he belonged: for it is said f356, that “the former prophets appointed twenty and four courses; and for every course there was a station at Jerusalem, of priests, and of Levites, and of Israelites; and when the time of the course came to go up, the priests and Levites went up to Jerusalem. The Rabbins teach, that there were twenty four courses in the land of Israel, and there were twelve at Jericho.” And which is elsewhere f357 related thus; “the former prophets appointed four and twenty courses,…”

“came down a . . . priest . . . and a Levite--Jericho, the second city of Judea, was a city of the priests and Levites, and thousands of them lived there. The two here mentioned are supposed, apparently, to be returning from temple duties, but they had not learnt what that meaneth, 'I will have mercy and not sacrifice' [TRENCH]. saw him--It was not inadvertently that he acted. came and looked--a further aggravation. passed by--although the law expressly required the opposite treatment even of the beast not only of their brethren, but of their enemy (Deu 22:4; Exo 23:4-5; compare Isa 58:7).”

“By chance - Accidentally, or as it happened. It means that he did not do it with a “design” to aid the man that was wounded. A certain priest - It is said that not less than 12,000 priests and Levites dwelt at Jericho; and as their business was at Jerusalem, of course there would be many of them constantly traveling on that road. When he saw him - He saw him lie, but came not near him. Passed by on the other side - On the farther side of the way. Did not turn out of his course even to come and see him. return to 'Top of Page'”

“The common translation is, by chance - Which is full of gross improprieties. For if we speak strictly, there is no such thing in the universe as either chance or fortune. A certain priest came down that way, and passed by on the other side - And both he and the Levite no doubt could find an excuse for passing over on the other side, and might perhaps gravely thank God for their own deliverance, while they left their brother bleeding to death. Is it not an emblem of many living characters, perhaps of some who bear the sacred office? O house of Levi and of Aaron, is not the day coming, when the virtues of heathens and Samaritans will rise up in judgment against you? Luke 10:33”

“10:31 a priest: Priests were descendants of Aaron from the tribe of Levi (Exod 28:1-3). They served in the Temple and offered sacrifices to God. • passed him by: A priest or a Levite became unclean and unable to serve in the Temple if he touched a dead body. This priest was unwilling to risk ritual impurity by helping a person in desperate trouble.”

“by: Rut 2:3 \*marg. Sa2 1:6; Ecc 9:11 priest: Jer 5:31; Hos 5:1, Hos 6:9; Mal 1:10 he passed: Job 6:14-21; Psa 38:10, Psa 38:11, Psa 69:20, Psa 142:4; Pro 21:13, Pro 24:11, Pro 24:12; Jam 2:13-16; Jo1 3:16-18 Luke 10:32”