Luke 22:25

25 And he said to them, `The kings of the nations do exercise lordship over them, and those exercising authority upon them are called benefactors;

Luke 22:25 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 22:25

And he said unto them
The disciples; that is, Jesus said to them, as the Syriac and Persic versions express: the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them;
by which our Lord would dissuade his disciples from seeking to introduce a superiority over one another, since this was the practice of the Heathens, of the men of the world, of ignorant Gentiles; whereas Christ's kingdom was a spiritual kingdom, and not of this world, and therefore, not to be managed in such a way. And they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors;
either by themselves, or by their court flatterers, to cover their ambition, tyranny, and cruelty. Two of the King's of Egypt were called by the name Euergetes ^F16; the word that is here used, and translated "benefactors"; and it was commonly given to other kings, princes, and men in power: so Cyrus was called by the Armenians; Antigonus by the Greeks; and Phylacus among the Persians: the same name was given to Mithridates king of Pontus, to Titus Aelius Hadrianus, to Menander, to Marcus Aurelius Severus, and to Cato Uticensis, and others ^F17.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Alex. ab. Alexandro Genial. Dier. l. 1. c. 2.
F17 Vid. Cuper. Inscript. & Marmora. p. 283, 284.

Luke 22:25 In-Context

23 And they began to reason among themselves, who then of them it may be, who is about to do this thing.

24 And there happened also a strife among them -- who of them is accounted to be greater.

25 And he said to them, `The kings of the nations do exercise lordship over them, and those exercising authority upon them are called benefactors;

26 but ye [are] not so, but he who is greater among you -- let him be as the younger; and he who is leading, as he who is ministering;

27 for who is greater? he who is reclining (at meat), or he who is ministering? is it not he who is reclining (at meat)? and I -- I am in your midst as he who is ministering.