For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.
For {G1063} John {G2491} the Baptist {G910} came {G2064} neither {G3383} eating {G2068} bread {G740} nor {G3383} drinking {G4095} wine {G3631}; and {G2532} ye say {G3004}, He hath {G2192} a devil {G1140}.
For Yochanan has come not eating bread and not drinking wine; and you say, `He has a demon!'
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’
For John the Baptist is come eating no bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a demon.
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Luke 1:15
For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. -
Mark 1:6
And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; -
Jeremiah 16:8
Thou shalt not also go into the house of feasting, to sit with them to eat and to drink. -
Jeremiah 16:10
¶ And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt shew this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, Wherefore hath the LORD pronounced all this great evil against us? or what [is] our iniquity? or what [is] our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God? -
John 8:52
Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. -
Acts 2:13
Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. -
John 10:20
And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?
Luke 7:33 (KJV) states, "For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil." This verse captures Jesus' observation about the unreasonable criticism directed at John the Baptist by the people of His generation.
Context
This statement is part of a larger discourse by Jesus, immediately following His commendation of John the Baptist to the crowds, and His subsequent lament over the spiritual blindness of "this generation." Jesus points out the paradox: John, who lived an ascetic life in the wilderness, was rejected as being demon-possessed, while Jesus, who came eating and drinking like others, was accused of being a glutton and a winebibber (Luke 7:34). The verse highlights a pattern of rejection towards God's messengers, regardless of their method or lifestyle, simply because their message called for repentance and challenged the status quo.
Key Themes and Messages
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "neither eating bread nor drinking wine" (οὔτε ἄρτον ἐσθίων οὔτε οἶνον πίνων - oute arton esthion oute oinon pinon) emphasizes John's stark, austere lifestyle. It contrasts sharply with normal social customs and serves to highlight his prophetic distinctiveness. The accusation "He hath a devil" (δαιμόνιον ἔχει - daimonion echei) reveals the severe and often malicious nature of the opposition's judgment, attributing divine work to demonic power.
Practical Application
Luke 7:33 serves as a powerful reminder that genuine spiritual truth and those who proclaim it may face irrational opposition and false accusations. It encourages believers to: