1.
Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
Then said He, &c. verses: Luke 17:1-2 contain matter which had been spoken by the Lord on a former occasion (Matthew 18:6 , Matthew 18:7 . Mark 9:42 ) and repeated here with a variation of certain words; verses: Luke 17:3 , Luke 17:4 also had been spoken before, and recorded in Matthew 18:21 , Matthew 18:22 (but not in Mark). The passage here is therefore not "out of its context", but is repeated with special reference to Luke 16:14-30 . See App-97 .
unto . Greek. pros. App-104 .
the disciples . All the texts read "His disciples". This is to be noted in contrast with Luke 16:15 .
impossible = inevitable. Greek. anendektos. Occurs only here.
offences = stumbling blocks.
through . Greek. dia. App-104 .Luke 17:1 .
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.
better = well. Greek. lusiteleo. Occurs only here.
that = if. App-118 .
millstone . See note on Matthew 18:6 .
about = round. Greek. peri. App-104 .
cast = hurled (with violence).
into. Greek. eis. App-104 .
offend = be a cause of stumbling to. This was spoken with reference to the traditions of the Pharisees in Luke 16:15-30 .
3.
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
If. Marking a possible contingency ( App-118 . b). Not the same condition as in Luke 17:6 .
trespass = sin. Greek. hamartano. App-128 . As the Pharisees did.
against . Greek. eis. App-104 .
rebuke him . As the Lord had done (Luke 16:15-31 ).
repent . See App-111 .
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.
seven . On the former occasion "seventy" (Matthew 18:21 , Matthew 18:22 ). No discrepancy. See App-97 .
to = unto. Greek. epi. App-104 .; but the texts read pros.
5.
And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
the Lord . App-98 .
Increase our faith = Give us more faith.
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.
If. Assuming the condition. See App-118 .
ye might say = ye might, with Greek. an, marking it as being purely hypothetical.
this sycamine tree. On a former occasion (Matthew 17:20 ) the Lord said "this mountain" (of the Transfiguration); and also on a later occasion (Mark 11:23 ), referring to Olivet. But here, "this tree, "because the locality was different. No discrepancy therefore.
sycamine = mulberry. Occurs only here. Not the same as in Luke 19:4 . Both used medicinally.
in. Greek. en. App-104 .
should. With Greek. an, still marking the hypothesis.
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?
of = from among. Greek ek. App-104 . As in Luke 17:15 , but not the same as in verses: Luke 17:20-25 .
servant = bondman.
feeding cattle = shepherding.
by and by . . . Go = Come at once.
from = out of. Greek. ek. App-104 .
sit down to meat = recline at table.
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?
And will not rather = But will he not ( App-105 ).
till = while.
I have, &c. = I eat and drink.
afterward = after (Greek. meta. App-104 .) these things.
9.
Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.
I trow not = I think not.
not. Greek. ou. App-105 .
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.
So likewise ye = Thus ye also.
shall = may.
say, We = say that (Greek. hoti) we.
unprofitable = not needed, no use for. This may be for various reasons. Occurs only here and in Matthew 25:30 , where the reason maybe for having done wickedly. Not the same word as in 2 Timothy 3:9; 2 Timothy 3:9 . Philemon 1:11 , Hebrews 13:17 .
11.
And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
it came to pass . A Hebraism.
as He went = as He was on (Greek. en. App-104 .) His way.
to = unto. Greek. eis. App-104 .
the midst of : i.e. between them.
Galilee . See App-169 .
12.
And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
entered = was about to enter.
ten. Compare 2 Kings 7:3 , and note on Exodus 4:6 .
men. Greek. Plural of aner. App-123 .
afar off . As required by Leviticus 13:45 , Leviticus 13:46 . The Talmudical law prescribed 100 paces.
13.
And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
Jesus. See App-98 . Master. See App-98 .
mercy = compassion.
14.
And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
as they went = in ( App-104 .) their going.
15.
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
with . Greek. meta. App-104 .
God . App-98 .
16.
And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
on . Greek. epi. App-104 .
at = beside. Greek. para. App-104 .
Samaritan. See 2 Kings 17:29-35 , Compare Luke 10:33 .
17.
And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
Were there not. ? = Were not (Greek. ouchi. App-105 .) the ten cleansed? but the nine, where [are they]?
18.
There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
There are not = Were there not?
stranger = alien. Greek. allogenes = of another race. Occurs only here, but frequently in the Septuagint. Used by the Romans in the Inscription discovered by Clermont-Ganneau in 1871 (now in the Imperial New Museum in Constantinople). It was put up on the marble barriers of the inner courts of the Temple to warn off Gentiles. See Deissmann's Light, pp Luk 74:75 . Compare Acts 21:28 .
19.
And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
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:
when He was demanded = having been asked.
of = by. Greek. hupo. App-104 .
the Pharisees . Who were watching Him with hostile intent (Luke 6:7 ; Luke 14:1 ; Luke 20:20 . Mark 3:2 ),
the kingdom of God . See App-114 .
should come = is coming.
observation = hostile watching. Greek. parateresis. Occurs only here. The verb pandereo is used always in a bad sense; and occurs only in Acts 9:24 , and Galatians 4:10 to (observe), beside the four passages quoted above.
21.
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
Lo. Greek. idou. App-133 .
behold . Figure of speech Asterismos ( App-6 ), for emphasis. App-133 .
within = in the midst of, or, among: i.e. already there in the Person of the King (whose presence marks a kingdom). Greek entos, the same meaning as Greek. en ( App-104 .), with the plural rendered "among" 115 times in N.T. The same meaning as in Matthew 12:28 . John 1:26 .
you = you yourselves. His bitter enemies. Therefore not in their hearts; but the very opposite.
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.
the disciples . Note the change. one of the days, &c. Such as they were then seeing, i.e. have another opportunity. the Son of man. See App-98 .
23.
And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.
See . Same as "Lo" in Luke 17:21 .
go not = go not forth.
not. Greek. me. App-105 .
nor . Greek. mede.
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.
lighteneth = flasheth. Greek. astrapto. Occurs only here and in Luke 24:4 .
out of . Greek ek. App-104 .
under . Greek. hupo. App-104 .
heaven . Sing, without Art. Compare Matthew 6:9 , Matthew 6:10 .
unto . Greek eis. App-104 .
also the Son of man = the Son of man also.
His day . Described in the Apocalypse.
25.
But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.
first must He suffer. Compare the four announcements: Luke 9:22 , Luke 9:44 ; Luke 17:25 ; Luke 18:31-33 , and the Structure on p. 1461.
rejected. This was the subject of the third period of the Lord's ministry. See App-119 .
of = on the part of. Greek apo. App-104 . Not the same word as in verses: Luke 17:7 , Luke 17:15 , Luke 17:20 .
this generation = this (present) generation. See note on Matthew 11:16 .
26.
And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
was = came to pass, as in Luke 17:11 , Luke 17:14 .
the days of Noe . See Genesis 6:4-7 , Genesis 6:11-13 . App-117 .
Noe = Noah.
also in the days = in the days also.
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.
they drank = they were drinking (and so the Imperfect tense throughout the verse). Note the Figure of speech Asyndeton in this verse ( App-6 ), to emphasize the crisis of the flood.
28.
Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
also = even.
the days of Lot . See Genesis 19:15-25 .Isaiah 13:19 . Isa 16:46-56 .
Amos 4:11 .Jude 1:7 . App-117 .
29.
But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
of = from. Greek. apo. App-104 .
from. Greek. apo. App-104 .
destroyed . Greek. apollumi. Compare Luke 4:34 . &c.
30.
Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
Even thus = according to (Greek. kata. App-104 .) these things; or, according to the Texts, the same things.
revealed . Greek. apokalupto.
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.
upon . Greek. epi. App-104 .
housetop . Compare Luke 12:3 ; Luke 5:19 .
stuff = vessels, or goods. Compare Matthew 12:29 . Eng. "stuff" is from Low Latin. stupa and O. Fr. estoffe. let him not, &c. This was repeated later on the Mount of Olives (Matthew 24:17-20 . Mark 13:14-16 ), come down. By the staircase outside.
back . Greek. eis ta opiso. To the things behind.
32.
Remember Lot's wife.
Remember, &c. Figure of speech Exemplum. See Genesis 19:26 , Ind App-117 .
33.
Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
life . Greek. psuche. See App-110 .
his life = it.
preserve it = preserve it alive. Greek. zoogoneo. Occurs only here and in Acts 7:19 . Repeated from Luke 9:24 , Luke 9:25 .
Matthew 10:39 . Mark 8:35 ,
34.
I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
two men : i.e. two persons.
in = upon. Greek. epi. App-104 .
and. The 1611 edition of the Authorized Version omitted this "and". other. Greek heteros. App-124 .
35.
Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
grinding , &c. Referring to the morning. together (Greek. epi to auto) = to the same (end). Compare Matthew 22:34 .Acts 14:1 (kata to auto).
36.
Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Two , &c. The texts omit this verse.
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.
Where, Lord? The question repeated in Matthew 24:28 , as well as the answer.
Lord. App-98 .
Wheresoever , &c. Figure of speech Parcemia. App-6 .
body = carcass.
eagles = vultures. See Job 39:30 . Compare Habakkuk 1:8 . Hosea 8:1 .Revelation 19:17-21 .