The Gospel According to Saint Luke
Luke 17
Chapter XVII · Vol. IV, pp. 187–188
1 Christ teacheth to avoid occasions of offence: 3 one to forgive another. 5 The power of faith. 7 How we are bound to God, and not he to us. 11 He healeth ten lepers. 20 Of the kingdom of God, and the coming of the Son of man.
1 Then said he unto the disciples, aIt is impossible1 but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
a Mat.18.6-9; 5.29,30. 1 Co.11.19. 1 Jn.2.19. 2 Th.2.11,12. Mat.18.7. Mar.9.42-48.
1 It is impossible, taking into account the sinful propensities of man, and the manifold temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.—C.
2 Itb were better for him that a millstone2 were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
3 Takec heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass3 against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.Cited in WCF 15.6
4 Andd if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.Cited in WCF 15.6
6 Andg the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine-tree,4 hBe thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
5 A servant. Literally, a 'bond-servant' or slave—the exact emblem of a believer, who is not his own, but 'bought with a price' and therefore bound to 'glorify God in his body and spirit, which are God's.'—C.
6 The object of this parable is to illustrate the necessity and extent of Christian duty. God is our Master. As our Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor, we are bound to serve him; as our Redeemer, we are bound by even a deeper and holier obligation. Everything we can do, we are bound to do. There is no merit in it, for it is only the discharge of a duty. Considering the relation in which we stand to God, our service ought not merely to be one of duty, but of love.—P.
8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
h ch.12.37.
9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.
10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.Cited in WCF 7.1, 16.4, 16.5, 19.6 · HC 63
11 Andk it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he lpassed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.7
A.M. cir. 4036. A.D. cir. 32.
j Jn.4.4. ch.9.51,52.
7 The incidents which occurred during our Lord's last journey from Galilee to Jerusalem are not related by Luke in chronological order. They are grouped for the most part in the order of subjects, more than in the order of time. The story here related probably took place near the commencement of the journey, when he had reached the borders of Galilee and Samaria. Samaria lay between Galilee and Judea.—P.
12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood mafar off:
k Le.13.45,46. Nu.5.2. 2 Ki.7.3; 5.27. 2 Ch.26.20,21. ch.18.13.
8 Lepers, which stood afar off, in evidence of their regard to the law of God, which separated them from society, Le.13.2; 14.2.—C.
13 Andn they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, oGo shew yourselves unto the priests. Andp it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.6
15 And qone of them, rwhen he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And sfell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a tSamaritan.
r Ge.32.10. Ps.116.12; 75.1,2; 115.1,2.
s Jn.4.9,39-42; 8.48. 2 Ki.17.24-41. Ezr.iv. v. Ne.iv. vi. ch.9.51,52.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? ubut where are the nine?
t 2 Ch.32.25. Ps.106.13. Ro.1.21. Mat.7.14.
18 Therev are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
19 And he said unto him, xArise, go thy way: ythy faith hath made thee whole.
20 Andz when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, aThe kingdom of God cometh not with observation:1
21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
x Mat.24.23. ch.21.8. Mar.13.21.
y Mat.12.28; 21.43. Ro.2.29; 14.17. Col.1.27. Jn.3.3,5. Ga.6.15. 2 Co.5.17. 1 Sa.16.7.
2 Or, among you, Jn.1.26. [Rather, 'among you;' for if it were within them, as a principle and power, it would be 'righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost' (Ro.14.17), which things they certainly did not possess. But these divine principles were sown 'among' them, even in the hearts of the humble poor, who 'received the kingdom of God as little children.'—C.]
22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
z Mat.9.15. Jn.7.33,34; 8.21; 12.35.
23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.
24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.
26 Ande as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
A.M. cir. 4036. A.D. cir. 32.
e Mat.24.37-41. Ge. vi.vii. Job 22.16. 1 Pe. 3.19,20. 2 Pe.2.5;3.6. He. 11.7. Phi.2.21. ch.18.8. 1 Th.5.2,3. Is.30.13,14.
27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
28 Likewiseg also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 Buth the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30 Eveni thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
i ver. 24. Mat.26.64; 24.30; 25.31. Re.11.10,15;20.11,12. 1 Th.5.2,3. ch.18.8. 2 Th.1.7.
31 Inj that day, he which shall be upon the house-top,4 and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.
j Mat. 24. 16, 17, 18. Mar.13.14-16. Job 2.4. Mat.6.25. Je.45.5.
4 See note on Mat. 24.17.—C.
k Ge.19.26. ch.13. 3,5.
5 The full credence and testimony which our Lord here gives to the historic truthfulness of one of the most remarkable incidents recorded in the Pentateuch, is worthy of special attention in these days. Whatever philosophers may say, there can be no doubt that Christ believed the Mosaic narrative. The Gospels and the Pentateuch must therefore stand or fall together.—P.
33 Whosoeverl shall seek to save6 his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
l Mat. 16. 25; 10. 39. Mar. 8.35. ch.9.24. Jn. 12.25.
6 See note on Mat. 10.39.—C.
34 In tell you, in that onight there shall be twop men in one bed;7 the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
n Mat.24.40,41.
o Joel 2. 31. Zep. 1.14,15. Am.8.9,10. Is.5.30;8.22;13.9,10.
p 1 Co. 4. 7. 1 Th. 4.17. Ps. 20. 8. Job 22.20. Ps.26.9;28.3.
7 In one bed. Rather, 'upon one couch,' at supper, in the night, thinking only of their hunger, their food, and their satisfaction, and never dreaming of the judgment just ready to burst upon them.—C.
35 Two women8 shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
A.M. cir. 4036. A.D. cir. 32.
8 See note on Mat. 24.41.—C.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.9
9 This verse is wanting in many Greek copies.
37 And they answered and said unto him, qWhere, Lord? And he said unto them, 1Wheresoever the body2 is, thither will the eagles be gathered togethe
q Mat.24.28. Job 39.29,30. Da.9.26,27. Am. 9.1-4. 1 Th.2.16. ch.19.43.
1 The Romish armies shall hunt out and destroy the corrupt Jews wherever they are.
2 Body. Not necessarily dead, but merely fallen, either in a state of exhaustion or death.—C.