10 So G3779 likewise G2532 ye, G5210 when G3752 ye shall have done G4160 all G3956 those things which are commanded G1299 you, G5213 say, G3004 G3754 We are G2070 unprofitable G888 servants: G1401 G3754 we have done G4160 that which G3739 was our duty G3784 to do. G4160
Likewise, G3668 ye younger, G3501 submit yourselves G5293 unto the elder. G4245 Yea, G1161 all G3956 of you be subject G5293 one to another, G240 and be clothed G1463 with humility: G5012 for G3754 God G2316 resisteth G498 the proud, G5244 and G1161 giveth G1325 grace G5485 to the humble. G5011 Humble yourselves G5013 therefore G3767 under G5259 the mighty G2900 hand G5495 of God, G2316 that G2443 he may exalt G5312 you G5209 in G1722 due time: G2540
For G1063 though G1437 I preach the gospel, G2097 I G3427 have G2076 nothing G3756 to glory of: G2745 for G1063 necessity G318 is laid upon G1945 me; G3427 yea, G1161 woe G3759 is G2076 unto me, G3427 if G3362 I preach G2097 not G3362 the gospel! G2097 For G1063 if G1487 I do G4238 this thing G5124 willingly, G1635 I have G2192 a reward: G3408 but G1161 if G1487 against my will, G210 a dispensation G3622 of the gospel is committed unto me. G4100
If thou sinnest, H2398 what doest H6466 thou against him? or if thy transgressions H6588 be multiplied, H7231 what doest H6213 thou unto him? If thou be righteous, H6663 what givest H5414 thou him? or what receiveth H3947 he of thine hand? H3027
Yea G235 doubtless, G3304 and G2532 I count G2233 all things G3956 but loss G2209 for G1511 G1223 the excellency G5242 of the knowledge G1108 of Christ G5547 Jesus G2424 my G3450 Lord: G2962 for G1223 whom G3739 I have suffered the loss G2210 of all things, G3956 and G2532 do count G2233 them G1511 but dung, G4657 that G2443 I may win G2770 Christ, G5547 And G2532 be found G2147 in G1722 him, G846 not G3361 having G2192 mine own G1699 righteousness, G1343 which G3588 is of G1537 the law, G3551 but G235 that which G3588 is through G1223 the faith G4102 of Christ, G5547 the righteousness G1343 which G3588 is of G1537 God G2316 by G1909 faith: G4102
For G1063 I G1473 am G1510 the least G1646 of the apostles, G652 that G3739 am G1510 not G3756 meet G2425 to be called G2564 an apostle, G652 because G1360 I persecuted G1377 the church G1577 of God. G2316 But G1161 by the grace G5485 of God G2316 I am G1510 what G3739 I am: G1510 and G2532 his G846 grace G5485 which was bestowed upon G1519 me G1691 was G1096 not G3756 in vain; G2756 but G235 I laboured G2872 more abundantly G4054 than they G846 all: G3956 yet G1161 not G3756 I, G1473 but G235 the grace G5485 of God G2316 which G3588 was with G4862 me. G1698
Then G5119 shall the righteous G1342 answer G611 him, G846 saying, G3004 Lord, G2962 when G4219 saw we G1492 thee G4571 an hungred, G3983 and G2532 fed G5142 thee? or G2228 thirsty, G1372 and G2532 gave thee drink? G4222 G1161 When G4219 saw we G1492 thee G4571 a stranger, G3581 and G2532 took thee in? G4863 or G2228 naked, G1131 and G2532 clothed G4016 thee? G1161 Or when G4219 saw we G1492 thee G4571 sick, G772 or G2228 in G1722 prison, G5438 and G2532 came G2064 unto G4314 thee? G4571 And G2532 the King G935 shall answer G611 and say G2046 unto them, G846 Verily G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 Inasmuch G1909 as G3745 ye have done G4160 it unto one G1520 of the least G1646 of these G5130 my G3450 brethren, G80 ye have done G4160 it unto me. G1698
All the ways H1870 of a man H376 are clean H2134 in his own eyes; H5869 but the LORD H3068 weigheth H8505 the spirits. H7307 Commit H1556 thy works H4639 unto the LORD, H3068 and thy thoughts H4284 shall be established. H3559
Can a man H1397 be profitable H5532 unto God, H410 as H3588 he that is wise H7919 may be profitable H5532 unto himself? Is it any pleasure H2656 to the Almighty, H7706 that thou art righteous? H6663 or is it gain H1215 to him, that thou makest thy ways H1870 perfect? H8552
But who am I, and what is my people, H5971 that we should be H6113 able H3581 to offer so willingly H5068 after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own H3027 have we given H5414 thee. For we are strangers H1616 before H6440 thee, and sojourners, H8453 as were all our fathers: H1 our days H3117 on the earth H776 are as a shadow, H6738 and there is none abiding. H4723 O LORD H3068 our God, H430 all this store H1995 that we have prepared H3559 to build H1129 thee an house H1004 for thine holy H6944 name H8034 cometh of thine hand, H3027 and is all thine own.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Luke 17
Commentary on Luke 17 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 17
Lu 17:1-10. Offenses—Faith—Humility.
1, 2. (See Mt 18:6, 7).
3, 4. (See on Mt 18:15-17; Mt 18:21, 22).
4. seven times—not a lower measure of the forgiving spirit than the "seventy times seven" enjoined on Peter, which was occasioned by his asking if he was to stop at seven times. "No," is the virtual answer, "though it come to seventy times that number, if only he ask forgiveness in sincerity."
5. Lord—(See on Lu 10:1).
increase our faith—moved by the difficulty of avoiding and forgiving "offenses." This is the only instance in which a spiritual operation upon their souls was solicited of Christ by the Twelve; but a kindred and higher prayer had been offered before, by one with far fewer opportunities. (See on Mr 9:24.)
6. sycamine—mulberry. (See on Mr 11:22-24.)
7-10. say unto him by and by—The "by and by" (or rather "directly") should be joined not to the saying but the going: "Go directly." The connection here is: "But when your faith has been so increased as both to avoid and forgive offenses, and do things impossible to all but faith, be not puffed up as though you had laid the Lord under any obligations to you."
9. I trow not—or, as we say, when much more is meant, "I should think not."
10. unprofitable—a word which, though usually denoting the opposite of profit, is here used simply in its negative sense. "We have not, as his servants, profited or benefited God at all." (Compare Job 22:2, 3; Ro 11:35.)
Lu 17:11-19. Ten Lepers Cleansed.
11-13. through the midst of Samaria and Galilee—probably on the confines of both.
12. stood afar off—(Compare Le 13:45, 46).
13. they lifted up—their common misery drawing these poor outcasts together (2Ki 7:3), nay, making them forget the fierce national antipathy of Jew and Samaritan [Trench].
Jesus, &c.—(Compare Mt 20:30-33). How quick a teacher is felt misery, even though as here the teaching may be soon forgotten!
14. show yourselves—as cleansed persons. (See on Mt 8:4.) Thus too would the Samaritan be taught that "salvation is of the Jews" (Joh 4:22).
as they went, were cleansed—In how many different ways were our Lord's cures wrought, and this different from all the rest.
17, 18. Were there not ten cleansed—rather, were not the ten cleansed? that is, the whole of them—an example (by the way) of Christ's omniscience [Bengel].
18. this stranger—"this alien" (literally, "of another race"). The language is that of wonder and admiration, as is expressly said of another exhibition of Gentile faith (Mt 8:10).
19. Arise—for he had "fallen down on his face at His feet" (Lu 17:16) and there lain prostrate.
faith made thee whole—not as the others, merely in body, but in that higher spiritual sense with which His constant language has so familiarized us.
Lu 17:20-37. Coming of the Kingdom of God and of the Son of Man.
20-25. when, &c.—To meet the erroneous views not only of the Pharisees, but of the disciples themselves, our Lord addresses both, announcing the coming of the kingdom under different aspects.
It cometh not with observation—with watching or lying in wait, as for something outwardly imposing and at once revealing itself.
21. Lo here! … lo there!—shut up within this or that sharply defined and visible geographical or ecclesiastical limit.
within you—is of an internal and spiritual character (as contrasted with their outside views of it). But it has its external side too.
22. The days—rather "Days."
will come—as in Lu 19:43, when, amidst calamities, &c., you will anxiously look for a deliverer, and deceivers will put themselves forward in this character.
one of the days of the Son of man—Himself again among them but for one day; as we say when all seems to be going wrong and the one person who could keep them right is removed [Neander in Stier, &c.]. "This is said to guard against the mistake of supposing that His visible presence would accompany the manifestation and establishment of His kingdom" [Webster and Wilkinson].
23. they shall say, See here … go not, &c.—a warning to all so-called expositors of prophecy and their followers, who cry, Lo there and see here, every time that war breaks out or revolutions occur.
24. as lightning … so … the Son of man—that is it will be as manifest. The Lord speaks here of His coming and manifestation in a prophetically indefinite manner, and in these preparatory words blends into one the distinctive epochs [Stier]. When the whole polity of the Jews, civil and ecclesiastical alike, was broken up at once, and its continuance rendered impossible by the destruction of Jerusalem, it became as manifest to all as the lightning of heaven that the kingdom of God had ceased to exist in its old, and had entered on a new and perfectly different form. So it may be again, ere its final and greatest change at the personal coming of Christ, and of which the words in their highest sense are alone true.
25. But first … suffer, &c.—This shows that the more immediate reference of Lu 17:23 is to an event soon to follow the death of Christ. It was designed to withdraw the attention of "His disciples" from the glare in which His foregoing words had invested the approaching establishment of His kingdom.
26-30. eat … married … planted—all the ordinary occupations and enjoyments of life. Though the antediluvian world and the cities of the plain were awfully wicked, it is not their wickedness, but their worldliness, their unbelief and indifference to the future, their unpreparedness, that is here held up as a warning. Note.—These recorded events of Old Testament history—denied or explained away nowadays by not a few—are referred to here as facts.
31-33. to take it away … Remember, &c.—a warning against that lingering reluctance to part with present treasures which induces some to remain in a burning house, in hopes of saving this and that precious article till consumed and buried in its ruins. The cases here supposed, though different, are similar.
32. Lot's wife—her "look back," for that is all that is said of her, and her recorded doom. Her heart was in Sodom still, and the "look" just said, "And must I bid it adieu?"
33. Whosoever, &c.—(See on Lu 9:23-27).
34. two in one bed—the prepared and unprepared mingled in closest intercourse together in the ordinary walks and fellowships of life, when the moment of severance arrives. Awful truth! realized before the destruction of Jerusalem, when the Christians found themselves forced by their Lord's directions (Lu 21:21) at once and for ever away from their old associates; but most of all when the second coming of Christ shall burst upon a heedless world.
37. Where—shall this occur?
Wheresoever, &c.—"As birds of prey scent out the carrion, so wherever is found a mass of incurable moral and spiritual corruption, there will be seen alighting the ministers of divine judgment," a proverbial saying terrifically verified at the destruction of Jerusalem, and many times since, though its most tremendous illustration will be at the world's final day.