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Luke Chapter
Seventeen
Luke 17
Grace is the spring of the Christian's walk
and
furnishes directions for it. He cannot with impunity (chap. 17) despise the
weak. He must not be weary of pardoning his brother. If he have faith but as a
grain of mustard seed
the power of God is
so to speak
at his disposal.
Nevertheless
when he has done all
he has but done his duty (v. 5-10). The
Lord then shews (v. 11-37) the deliverance from Judaism
which He still
recognised; and
after that
its judgment. He was passing through Samaria and
Galilee: ten lepers come towards Him
entreating Him
from a distance
to heal
them. He sends them to the priests. This was
in fact
as much as to say
You
are clean. It would have been useless to have them pronounced unclean; and they
knew it. They take Christ's word
go away with this conviction
and are
immediately healed on their way. Nine of them
satisfied with reaping the
benefit of His power
pursue their journey to the priests
and remain Jews
not
coming out of the old sheepfold. Jesus
indeed
still acknowledged it; but they
only acknowledge Him so far as to profit by His presence
and remain where they
were. They saw nothing in His Person
nor in the power of God in Him
to
attract them. They remain Jews. But this poor stranger-the tenth-recognises the
good hand of God. He falls at the feet of Jesus
giving Him glory. The Lord
bids him depart in the liberty of faith-"Go thy way; thy faith hath saved
thee." He has no longer need to go to the priests. He had found God and the
source of blessing in Christ
and goes away freed from the yoke which was soon
to be judicially broken for all.
For the kingdom of God was among them. To those who could discern it
the King was there in their midst. The kingdom did not come in such a manner as
to attract the attention of the world. It was there
so that the disciples
would soon desire to see one of those days which they had enjoyed during the
time of the Lord's presence on earth
but would not see it. He then announces
the pretensions of false Christs
the true having been rejected
so that the
people would be left a prey to the wiles of the enemy. His disciples were not
to follow them. In connection with Jerusalem they would be exposed to these
temptations
but they had the Lord's directions for guidance through them.
Now the Son of man
in His day
would be like the
lightning: but
before that
He must suffer many things from the unbelieving
Jews. The day would be like that of Lot
and that of Noe: men would be at ease
following their carnal occupations
like the world overtaken by the flood
and
Sodom by the fire from heaven. It will be the revelation of the Son of man-His
public revelation-sudden and vivid. This referred to Jerusalem. Being thus
warned
their concern was to escape the judgment of the Son of man which
at
the time of His coming
would fall upon the city that had rejected Him; for
this Son of man
whom they had disowned
would come again in His glory. There
must be no looking back; that would be to have the heart in the place of
judgment. Better lose all
life itself
rather than be associated with that
which was going to be judged. If they should escape and have their lives spared
through unfaithfulness
the judgment was the judgment of God; He would know how
to reach them in their bed
and to distinguish between two that were in one
bed
and between two women who ground the corn of the household at the same
mill.
This character of the judgment shews that it is not the
destruction of Jerusalem by Titus that is meant. It was the judgment of God
that could discern
take away
and spare. Neither is it the judgment of the
dead
but a judgment on earth: they are in bed
they are at the mill
they are
on the housetops and in the fields. Warned by the Lord
they were to forsake
all
and to care only for Him who came to judge. If they asked where this
should be-wherever the dead body lay
there would be the judgment that would
come down like a vulture
which they could not see
but from which the prey
would not escape.
── John Darby《Synopsis of Luke》
Luke 17
Chapter Contents
To avoid offences
To pray for increase of faith
Humility taught.11-19. Ten lepers cleansed. (1-10) Christ's kingdom. (20-37)
Commentary on Luke 17:1-10
(Read Luke 17:1-10)
It is no abatement of their guilt by whom an offence
comes
nor will it lessen their punishment that offences will come. Faith in
God's pardoning mercy
will enable us to get over the greatest difficulties in
the way of forgiving our brethren. As with God nothing is impossible
so all
things are possible to him that can believe. Our Lord showed his disciples
their need of deep humility. The Lord has such a property in every creature
as
no man can have in another; he cannot be in debt to them for their services
nor do they deserve any return from him.
Commentary on Luke 17:11-19
(Read Luke 17:11-19)
A sense of our spiritual leprosy should make us very
humble whenever we draw near to Christ. It is enough to refer ourselves to the
compassions of Christ
for they fail not. We may look for God to meet us with
mercy
when we are found in the way of obedience. Only one of those who were
healed returned to give thanks. It becomes us
like him
to be very humble in
thanksgivings
as well as in prayers. Christ noticed the one who thus
distinguished himself
he was a Samaritan. The others only got the outward
cure
he alone got the spiritual blessing.
Commentary on Luke 17:20-37
(Read Luke 17:20-37)
The kingdom of God was among the Jews
or rather within
some of them. It was a spiritual kingdom
set up in the heart by the power of
Divine grace. Observe how it had been with sinners formerly
and in what state
the judgments of God
which they had been warned of
found them. Here is shown
what a dreadful surprise this destruction will be to the secure and sensual.
Thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. When Christ came
to destroy the Jewish nation by the Roman armies
that nation was found in such
a state of false security as is here spoken of. In like manner
when Jesus
Christ shall come to judge the world
sinners will be found altogether
regardless; for in like manner the sinners of every age go on securely in their
evil ways
and remember not their latter end. But wherever the wicked are
who
are marked for eternal ruin
they shall be found by the judgments of God.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Luke》
Luke 17
Verse 2
[2] It
were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck
and he cast
into the sea
than that he should offend one of these little ones.
Little ones —
Weak believers.
Verse 3
[3] Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee
rebuke him;
and if he repent
forgive him.
Take heed to yourselves — That ye neither offend others
nor be offended by others. Matthew 18:15.
Verse 4
[4] And
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.
If he sin against thee seven times in a day
and seven times in a day return
saying
I repent —
That is
if he give sufficient proof that he does really repent
after having
sinned ever so often
receive him just as if he had never sinned against thee.
But this forgiveness is due only to real penitents. In a lower sense we are to
forgive all
penitent or impenitent; (so as to bear them the sincerest good
will
and to do them all the good we can;) and that not seven times only
but
seventy times seven.
Verse 5
[5] And
the apostles said unto the Lord
Increase our faith.
Lord
increase our faith — That we may thus forgive
and may neither offend nor be offended. Matthew 17:20.
Verse 6
[6] And the Lord said
If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed
ye might
say unto this sycamine tree
Be thou plucked up by the root
and be thou
planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
And he said
If ye had faith as a grain of
mustard seed — If ye had the least measure of true faith
no instance of duty would be too hard for you.
Ye would say to this sycamine tree — This seems to have been a kind of proverbial expression.
Verse 7
[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?
But which of you —
But is it not meet that you should first obey
and then triumph? Though still
with a deep sense of your utter unprofitableness.
Verse 9
[9] Doth
he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow
not.
Doth he thank that servant — Does he account himself obliged to him?
Verse 10
[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.
When ye have done all
say
We are
unprofitable servants — For a man cannot profit God. Happy is he
who judges himself an unprofitable servant: miserable is he whom God pronounces
such. But though we are unprofitable to him
our serving him is not
unprofitable to us. For he is pleased to give by his grace a value to our good
works
which in consequence of his promise entitles us to an eternal reward.
Verse 20
[20] And
when he was demanded of the Pharisees
when the kingdom of God should come
he
answered them and said
The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
The kingdom of God cometh not with
observation — With such outward pomp as draws the
observation of every one.
Verse 21
[21]
Neither shall they say
Lo here! or
lo there! for
behold
the kingdom of God
is within you.
Neither shall they say
Lo here
or lo there — This shall not be the language of those who are
or shall be sent by me
to declare the coming of my kingdom.
For behold the kingdom of God is within or
among you — Look not for it in distant times or remote
places: it is now in the midst of you: it is come: it is present in the soul of
every true believer: it is a spiritual kingdom
an internal principle. Wherever
it exists
it exists in the heart.
Verse 22
[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.
Ye shall desire to see one of the days of the
Son of man — One day of mercy. or one day wherein you
might converse with me
as you do now.
Verse 23
[23] And
they shall say to you
See here; or
see there: go not after them
nor follow
them.
They shall say
See
Christ is here
or there — Limiting his presence to this or that place. Matthew 24:23.
Verse 24
[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.
So shall also the Son of man be — So swift
so wide
shall his appearing be: In his day - The last day.
Verse 26
[26] And
as it was in the days of Noe
so shall it be also in the days of the Son of
man.
The days of the Son of man — Those which immediately follow that which is eminently styled his day. Matthew 24:37.
Verse 31
[31] In
that day
he which shall be upon the housetop
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.
In that day —
(Which will be the grand type of the last day) when ye shall see Jerusalem
encompassed with armies.
Verse 32
[32]
Remember Lot's wife.
Remember Lot's wife —
And escape with all speed
without ever looking behind you. Luke 9:24; John 12:25.
Verse 33
[33]
Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose
his life shall preserve it.
The sense of this and the following verses
is
Yet as great as the danger will be
do not seek to save your life by
violating your conscience: if you do
you will surely lose it: whereas if you
should lose it for my sake
you shall be paid with life everlasting. But the
most probable way of preserving it now
is to be always ready to give it up: a
peculiar Providence shall then watch over you
and put a difference between you
and other men.
Verse 37
[37] And
they answered and said unto him
Where
Lord? And he said unto them
Wheresoever the body is
thither will the eagles be gathered together.
── John ‘Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Luke》
Chapter 17. The Race of the Pilgrim
The Days of
Noah
The Days of Lot
I. Attitude of
a servant
II. Where Are
the Other Nine?
III. Seek the
Kingdom of God
── Chih-Hsin Chang《An Outline of The New Testament》
The Unprofitable Servants (Lk 17:7-10)
INTRODUCTION
1. Jesus often used the master-servant relationship in His parables to teach His disciples important principles concerning their service to God... a. Illustrating the importance of forgiveness in "The Unmerciful Servant" - Mt 18:21-35
b. Condemning the mercenary spirit of service in "The Laborers In The Vineyard" - Mt 20:1-16
c. Stressing the need for faithful and fruitful service in "The Talents" - Mt 25:14-30
2. Once again He uses the master-service motif... a. As He tells the parable known as "The Unprofitable Servants" - Lk 17:7-10
b. In which He demonstrates an important attitude to be found in His disciples [As we study this parable
it might be well to ask ourselves: "What should be our attitude about the service we render to God?" With that
question in mind
let's first consider...] I. THE PARABLE ITSELF
A. THE CONTEXT... 1. It may appear this parable is disconnected to what preceded it 2. But in describing the power of faith (Lk 17:5-6)
it would be easy for the disciples to fall into a snare of pride 3. This parable would certainly help keep things in proper perspective B. THE DETAILS... 1. Jesus challenges His apostles to consider how they would act toward a servant a. As master
none of them would be expected to invite the servant to sit down and eat with him - Lk 17:7 b. As master
any one of them would expect the servant to prepare his meal and serve him
eating only after he is done - Lk 17:8 c. As master
none of them would likely thank the servant for doing what has been commanded of him - Lk 17:9 2. So they are to view themselves in regards to what they do as servants... a. When they have done that which they were commanded
they should view themselves as "unprofitable" servants - Lk