Luke 7:21

21 In that hour he healed many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and to many blind he granted sight.

Luke 7:21 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 7:21

And in that same hour
Or at that same time, for a precise hour is not intended: one exemplar reads, "in that day", in which these men came to Christ,

he,
Jesus, as the Persic version expresses it,

cured many of their infirmities;
bodily weaknesses and disorders: and plagues; which were inflicted on them as scourges and corrections for sin, very severe diseases, as epilepsies, leprosies, palsies and of evil spirits; or devils, which he dispossessed and commanded out of the bodies of men; though sometimes evil spirits, with the Jews, signify some kinds of bodily diseases: as when it is said F9

``whoever puts out a lamp because he is afraid of Gentiles, or of thieves, or of (her xwr) , "an evil spirit", or because of a sick man that is asleep, he is free.''

Upon which Maimonides observes,

``an evil spirit they call all kinds of diseases, which, in the Arabic language, go by the name of "melancholy"; for it is one kind of the diseases mentioned, which makes a sick man to fly, and separate himself from mankind, as if he was afraid of the light, or of coming into the company of men:''

and unto many that were blind he gave sight;
freely, as an act of grace and kindness, as the word signifies, without any merit, or motive, in them.


FOOTNOTES:

F9 Misn. Sabbat, c. 2. sect. 5. Vid Maimon. Hilchot Gerushin, c. 2. sect. 14.

Luke 7:21 In-Context

19 and John, having called two of his disciples, sent to Jesus, saying, Art *thou* he that is coming, or are we to wait for another?
20 But the men having come to him said, John the baptist has sent us to thee, saying, Art *thou* he that is coming, or are we to wait for another?
21 In that hour he healed many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and to many blind he granted sight.
22 And Jesus answering said to them, Go, bring back word to John of what ye have seen and heard: that blind see, lame walk, lepers are cleansed, deaf hear, dead are raised, poor are evangelized;
23 and blessed is whosoever shall not be offended in me.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.