Bible Commentaries
Luke 17

Verse 1

1 Impossible is from ANENDEKTOS which occurs in no other place in the Greek New Testament. However, the same thought is expressed in Mat 18:7. (See the comments at that place.) There is nothing that God cannot do as far as power or strength is concerned. But He would need to be continuously performing miracles if all offenses (causes of stumbling) could be avoided, and that would prevent man from developing the kind of characters fit for the kingdom of heaven. Because of this, the Greek word should be rendered "inadmissible," which is one word in Thayer's definition.

Verse 2

2 The foregoing paragraph does not excuse any particular man who causes another to stumble. Being drowned will not exempt a guilty man from the punishment that will otherwise be due him after the judgment. The statement is used only as a contrast, to give an idea of the severity of that punishment. Little children, in the ordinary sense of that word, are not responsible and hence cannot stumble over wrong doing. Therefore the little ones are those described at Mat 18:5; Mat 18:10.

Verse 3

3 This verse corresponds in thought with Mat 18:15.

Verse 4

4 This verse means the same as Mat 18:21-22.

Verse 5

5 From the strictness of the law that Jesus just gave the apostles, they realized it would require a strong faith to comply with it, and hence made this request.

Verse 6

6 This verse is explained at Mat 17:20.

Verse 7

7 he question Jesus asked was an introduction to an important lesson.

Verse 8

8 The question in the preceding verse implied a negative answer; this verse states the positive answer.

Verse 9

9 The servant would not even expect to be thanked for what he had done, knowing it was in line with his regular duty. Trow is an obsolete word for "think."

Verse 10

0 Unprofitable servants means they did nothing beyond their duty. To be profitable, one must contribute more to another than he receives from him. That could not be done by any human being in rendering service to an infinite God.

Verse 11

1 Galilee and Samaria were between where Jesus was and Jerusalem. The significance of Samaria will be brought out at verse 16.

Verse 12

2 Which stood afar off is explained at Mat 8:2.

Verse 13

3 Since they were standing off at the proper distance, the lepers had to raise their voices in order (as they thought) for Jesus to recognize their cry for mercy.

Verse 14

4 Show yourselves to the priests. This was in accordance with a law of Moses, and it is commented upon at Mat 8:4.

Verse 15

5 One of the lepers, all of whom were healed, showed his gratitude by returning to Jesus and attributing to the Lord the credit for his recovery.

Verse 16

6 In eastern countries, to fall at the feet of another was an expression of humility and respect. He was a Samaritan is a significant phrase. The Jews had a dislike for the Samaritans, and thought they were about incapable of performing anything of importance. The mere mention of this man's nationality, in connection with his exceptional conduct of gratitude, was intended at. a rebuke for the Jews.

Verse 17

8 Jesus then called this lone thankful one of the group a stranger because he was from an "outside" nation, that being the meaning of the word stranger.

Verse 19

9 Made thee whole included his spiritual salvation. The ten were all healed, but this blessing was not pronounced upon the nine.

Verse 20

0 The Pharisees thought Jesus was going to set up a kingdom like those of the world, and they were curious to see the signs of its approach. Observation is rendered "outward show" in the margin, which is correct.

Verse 21

1 It not being a kingdom with literal boundaries and material symbols, it would not be possible for any man to point to such evidences. Is within you. This phrase has been perverted by those who ma7ntain that the kingdom was set up in the lifetime of Christ, because the present tense (is) was used by Jesus. The kingdom as a government in fact was not built then, but one phase of the word did exist as Jesus was speaking. (See the long note at Mat 3:2.) The heart of man is the territory of the king from heaven, and that territory was and still is within or on the inside of human beings. Just when that territory was fully taken over by the king is another question. That fact took place on the day of Pentecost, recorded in Acts 2.

Verse 22

2 From this verse through the end of the chapter the subject matter corresponds with Matthew 24, except it is much more brief. It will be well for the reader to examine that chapter with the comments, before going further in the present place. Like the chapter in Matthew, this one considers the destruction of Jerusalem and the second coming of Christ as two separate events, and he warns his disciples not to get the two mixed. During the siege of Jerusalem the distresses were to be so great that the disciples would long for the days when Jesus was with them. That is what is meant by one of the days of the Son of man which they would remember and long for.

Verse 23

3 Some would take advantage of the disturbances to declare it to be the approach of Christ in his second coming.

Verse 24

4 The comparison between lightning and the second coming of Christ is commented upon quite fully at Mat 24:27.

Verse 25

5 The preceding verse predicts the second coming of Christ, an event many centuries in the future when Jesus was here. Like it is in Matthew's account, Jesus alternates between the two periods. In the present verse he drops back from the second coming to predict another important fact to occur first (or before the second coming), which was his own personal sufferings. That experience was to end in his crucifixion and death, all of which would be a factor in the distress referred to above. (See Mat 27:25, with the comments.)

Verse 26

7 These verses are identical in meaning with Mat 24:37-38.

Verse 28

8 The remarks about what the people were doing in the days of Lot, receive the same comments that are cited from the preceding verses.

Verse 29

9 From this verse through 32, the Lord is speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem. He is making the point that, when the evidences of that event are apparent, the disciples should lose no time in "fleeing to the mountains" (Mat 24:16), because there would not be much more time for escape. As an argument on that point, he states that the raining of fire on Sodom came the same day that Lot escaped from the city.

Verse 30

0 Son of man is revealed means when Jesus will be represented by the fulfillment of his predictions against the wicked city of Jerusalem.

Verse 31

1 In that day, etc., means the day of the destruction of Jerusalem.

Verse 32

2 The preceding verse closes with the words not return back, and the present one recalls the fate of Lot's wife because she was too much interested in the city from which she had just escaped. Likewise, when the disciples see the destruction of Jerusalem is virtually at hand, they should flee without delay, lest a fate overtake them as serious as that of Lot's wife; not just like it, but as bad.

Verse 33

3 The Saviour here has in mind the spiritual preparation for the second great event, so that it may not find a man among those that will be left. The two kinds of life are explained at Mat 10:39.

Verse 34

6 For the meaning of this paragraph, especially on the words taken and left, see the comments at Mat 24:40-41.

Verse 37

7 Jesus comes back to the destruction of Jerusalem. The significance of the eagles in connection with the event is explained at Mat 24:28.