{By chance} (kata sugkurian). Here only in the N.T.,
meaning rather, "by way of coincidence." It is a rare word
elsewhere and in late writers like Hippocrates. It is from the
verb sugkure(935c), though sugkur(8873)is is more common. {Was going
down} (katebainen). Imperfect active as in verse 30 . Passed
by on the other side (antipar(886c)then). Second aorist active
indicative of antiparerchomai, a late double compound here
(verses 31,32 ) only in the N.T., but in the papyri and late
writers. It is the ingressive aorist ((886c)then), came alongside
(para), and then he stepped over to the opposite side (anti)
of the road to avoid ceremonial contamination with a stranger. A
vivid and powerful picture of the vice of Jewish ceremonial
cleanliness at the cost of moral principle and duty. The Levite
in verse 32 behaved precisely as the priest had done and for
the same reason.
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