Bible Commentaries
Luke 17

Verse 1

Impossible ; such is the wickedness of men, that they will commit sin, and tempt others to sin. Matthew 28:6-7 ; Mark 9:41-42 . Men may be so wicked as to make it certain that they will commit great sins, and strongly tempt others to sin; and yet that certainty not diminish their responsibility or lessen their guilt.

Verses 3-4

Forgiveness. Matthew 18:15-22 .

Verse 4

Increase our faith ; see note on Matthew 17:20 .

Verse 5

To do their duty, all men need an increase of faith; and as Christ is the author and finisher of faith, all should habitually look to him for this inestimable gift. Hebrews 12:2 .

Verse 6

Sycamine ; the same as sycamore. Matthew 17:20 .

Verse 7

By and by ; rather, immediately. The meaning is, he will not at once direct him to take his meal, but will have him wait till he has first served his master.

Verses 7-10

These verses inculcate the duty of obedience, patience, and humility; that after all the disciples had done or would do, their reward must be of grace, not of debt.

Verse 9

I trow not ; think not.

Verse 10

No man ever did or ever can do for God more than He requires; and no mere man ever did his whole duty. Of course, no man can perform works of supererogation, that is, more than enough to save himself; he cannot do enough to insure his own salvation, nor can he ever be saved except through the grace of God in Jesus Christ.

Verse 12

Men that were lepers , which stood afar off ; lepers were not allowed to dwell with or come near to persons in health. Leviticus 13:46 ; Numbers 5:2-3 ; Matthew 8:2-4 .

Verse 14

Show yourselves unto the priests ; to obtain their testimony that they were really cured, and might be again admitted into society.

Cleansed ; healed.

Verse 18

This stranger ; a foreigner, as were the Samaritans, and not a Jew. In this transaction the Lord saw foreshadowed the bringing in of the Gentiles to his church. However great or numerous the temporal favors God bestows upon men, few comparatively give him the glory-and those, only through the riches of divine grace.

Verse 19

Thy faith hath made thee whole ; his confidence in Christ was the means, and the power of Christ the cause of his cure.

Verse 20

Kingdom of God ; the reign of the Messiah. Matthew 3:2 .

Not with observation ; not with outward pomp and display, so that you can mark its progress, as you would that of an army, and say of it, "Lo here!" or, "Lo there!"

Verse 21

Within you ; the true reign of Christ is in the hearts of men, and it had already begun among them.

Verse 22

One of the days of the Son of man ; he refers to the awful calamities about to come on the Jewish nation for their rejection of himself, when the unbelieving multitudes, who had rejected their true Messiah, would in vain wait and pray for the Messiah of their own imaginations; and even his disciples would desire the return of one of those blessed days when their Master was with them. At that time false Christs would appear, and they might be tempted to follow them; but he warned them not to do it.

Verse 23

See here ; or, See there ; to witness the works of these pretended Messiahs. Matthew 24:23-27 .

Verse 24

In his day ; the day when Christ shall come to destroy his enemies, deliver his friends, and establish his kingdom. There is the same double reference here to Christ’s providential coming to destroy the city and temple, and to his second personal coming, which has been noticed in the notes to Matthew 24:1-51 . It will be like the lightning, which fills the heavens from one end to the other with its brightness.

Verse 25

Suffer many things ; Mark 8:31 .

Verses 26-31

Christ’s coming. Matthew 24:17-18 ; Matthew 24:37-39 ; Genesis 19:23-25 .

Verse 32

Lot’s wife ; she lost her life by disobeying God’s command. Genesis 19:17 ; Genesis 19:26 . So, if men do not follow Christ’s directions, they will perish.

Verse 33

Seek to save his life ; by disobeying the will of Christ. This declaration was fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, in respect to the temporal life of the Christians; and it will be fulfilled at the last day in its highest sense, in repsect to the eternal life of all believers, even though they may have been slain for Christ’s sake. Matthew 10:39 .

Verses 34-36

Faith in Christ is the great characteristic of a saint, and the want of it, of a sinner. This makes a mighty difference in their character, condition, and prospects. Though they live in the same family, work in the same field, or sleep in the same bed, one, believing Christ, is led to follow his directions and be saved; the other, not believing him, neglects his directions, and is lost.

One shall be taken ; Matthew 24:40-41 .

Verse 37

Where , Lord? where will such calamities come? Wheresoever the body is ; wherever the unbelieving Jews are, there will their destroyers be upon them, as eagles upon their prey. Matthew 24:28 .