King James Version

What Does Luke 18:40 Mean?

Luke 18:40 in the King James Version says “And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him,” — study this verse from Luke chapter 18 with commentary, cross-references, and original Greek word analysis.

“And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him,”

Luke 18:40 · KJV

Context

38

And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

39

And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

40

And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him,

41

Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.

42

And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.

Read Luke 18 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him (σταθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν ἀχθῆναι πρὸς αὐτόν, statheis de ho Iēsous ekeleusen auton achthēnai pros auton)—Statheis (having stood, stopped) is decisive. Jesus halts the entire procession for one marginalized man. Keleuō (to command, order) carries authority—what the crowd tried to prevent, Jesus mandates. The aorist passive infinitive achthēnai (to be brought) means others must escort the blind man through the crowd that had blocked him.

This reversal is radical: the rebukers become facilitators. Those who said 'be quiet' must now say 'come.' Jesus's authority transforms gatekeepers into servants. And when he was come near, he asked him (ἐγγίσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτόν, engisantos de autou epērōtēsen auton)—the genitive absolute engisantos (having come near) shows progressive movement. Jesus doesn't shout questions from distance but waits for proximity, honoring the man with personal attention.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Rabbis rarely initiated contact with beggars or disabled persons, who were often considered under divine curse (cf. John 9:2's question about sin causing blindness). Jesus's stopping and commanding the man's approach upends social and religious convention, demonstrating kingdom values that prioritize people over protocol.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does Jesus's stopping for one desperate person challenge our efficiency-driven culture that values productivity over people?
  2. What does requiring the crowd to bring the beggar teach about communal responsibility for marginalized access to Christ?
  3. When has Jesus halted your planned agenda to redirect attention to someone you'd overlooked?

Original Language Analysis

Greek · 14 words
σταθεὶς1 of 14

“stood”

G2476

to stand (transitively or intransitively), used in various applications (literally or figuratively)

δὲ2 of 14

“And”

G1161

but, and, etc

ὁ3 of 14
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

Ἰησοῦς4 of 14

“Jesus”

G2424

jesus (i.e., jehoshua), the name of our lord and two (three) other israelites

ἐκέλευσεν5 of 14

“and commanded”

G2753

"hail"; to incite by word, i.e., order

αὐτόν6 of 14

“he”

G846

the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

ἀχθῆναι7 of 14

“to be brought”

G71

properly, to lead; by implication, to bring, drive, (reflexively) go, (specially) pass (time), or (figuratively) induce

πρὸς8 of 14

“unto”

G4314

a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e., toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e., pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of,

αὐτόν9 of 14

“he”

G846

the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

ἐγγίσαντος10 of 14

“when he was come near”

G1448

to make near, i.e., (reflexively) approach

δὲ11 of 14

“And”

G1161

but, and, etc

αὐτόν12 of 14

“he”

G846

the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

ἐπηρώτησεν13 of 14

“asked”

G1905

to ask for, i.e., inquire, seek

αὐτόν14 of 14

“he”

G846

the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Luke. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Luke 18:40 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Luke 18:40 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Matthew 20:31-34Mark 10:48-52

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