A. M. 1937. THEN said he unto the disciples, a It is impossible but that offences will come : but wo unto him through whom they come! 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. forgive and bear with one another. to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt A. M. 4037. forgive him. A. D. 33. 5 ¶ And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. 6 d 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. 7 But which of you having a servant ploughing, or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?" c Lev. xix. 17; Prov. xvii. 10; James v. 19.-d Matt. xvii. 20; xxi. 21; Mark ix. 23; xi. 23. arming the temptations that might arise from such a disposition. See on Matt. xviii. 21. And if he repent, forgive him-Immediately, without insisting on any rigorous satisfaction. And if he trespass against thee seven times a day-That is, very frequently; and seven times a day turn again, saying, Irepent— That is, if he give sufficient proof that he does really repent, after having sinned ever so often; thou shalt forgive him-Shalt receive him just as if he had never sinned against thee. But this forgiveness is due only to real penitents. See on Matt. xviii. 21, 22. In a lower sense, we are to forgive all, penitent or impenitent, so as to bear them the sincerest goodwill, and to do them all the good we can; and that not seven times only, but seventy times seven. Verse 1. Then said he unto the disciples-Our Lord, about this time, thought proper to repeat to the people, who then attended on his ministry, and were desirous of being instructed by him, several particulars of his doctrine, which he had formerly || delivered in a more private way to his apostles, and some others of his disciples, as follows: It is impos- || sible but that offences will come-Considering the general corruption of human nature, the snares of the world, and the temptations of Satan, it cannot be but that one way or other offences will be given and|| taken: stumbling-blocks will be laid in the way of such as are travelling to the heavenly Jerusalem, and many will stumble at them, and fall over them; will be hindered in the way, or turned out of it; for many Verses 5,6. And the apostles said, Lord, increase professing my religion will act in a manner very un- our faith-That we may thus forgive, and neither suitable to it, unworthy of themselves, and disgrace-offend nor be offended. And he said, If ye had ful to the holy name they bear. But wo unto him || faith as a grain of mustard-seed-You would be through whom they come-Let me warn you, there- || able to overcome all temptations, even those, the confore, as you love your own souls, to guard against || the guilt and danger of being stumbling-blocks in the way of others. It were better for him, &c.-I assure you that such a one, especially he that by an immoral life proves a reproach and scandal to my cause, had better die by the hand of violence, and suffer the most shocking execution, than that he should offend, or cause to stumble and fall, one of these little ones, that is, one weak believer, or any other of my despised and persecuted followers. See on Matt. xviii. 7-9. Verses 3, 4. Take heed to yourselves-That you may neither offend others, nor be offended by others, || but that you may keep all your passions under pro- || per regulation, and may be preserved from those re- || sentments of injuries, real or supposed, which, if yielded to, might occasion much sin to yourselves or others. If thy brother trespass against thee, &c. But while our Lord cautioned them against all angry || passions, and that quarrelsome temper which they || naturally produce, he thus prescribed a seasonable and prudent reprehension of any fault that might be committed, accompanied with forgiveness on the part of the person injured, as the best means of dis quering of which may be compared to the plucking up of trees and planting them in the ocean, that is, compared to things impossible. Some, taking this example (by which the efficacy of faith is illustrated) in a literal sense, have supposed, that the apostles desired Jesus to increase their faith of working miracles. But the expression is undoubtedly proverbial, signifying, not the working of miracles, but the doing of things extremely difficult. Verses 7-10. But which of you, &c.--But while you endeavour to live in the exercise of this noble grace of faith, and in a series of such services as are the proper fruits of it, be careful, in the midst of all, to maintain the deepest humility, as in the presence of God your heavenly Master, on whom, as you are his servants, you can have no claim of merit: Which of you, having a servant ploughing, or feeding cattle, &c.—To make his disciples sensible that, after they had done their utmost to discharge the whole duty incumbent on them as God's servants, sent forth to seek and save lost souls, they had merited nothing thereby; he bade them consider in what manner they received the services of their own Christ enjoins humility. A. M. 4037. CHAPTER XVII. h Ten lepers are cleansed A. D. 33. 8 And will not rather say unto him, || there met him ten men that were A. M. 4037 Make ready wherewith I may sup, lepers, which stood afar off: and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? 9 Doth he thank that servant, because he 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. i 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go show yourselves unto the priests. did the things that were commanded him? I|| And it came to pass, that, as they went, they trow not. 10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are funprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. 11 ¶*And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, Chap. xii. 37.——————f Job xxii. 3; xxxv. 7; Psa. xvi. 2; Matt. xxv. 30; Romans iii. 12; xi. 35; 1 Corinthians ix. 16, 17; Philem. 11. dependants. They reckoned themselves under no obligation to a servant for doing the duty which his station bound him to perform. In like manner he, their Master, did not reckon himself indebted to them for their services. And therefore, instead of valuing themselves upon what they had done, and expecting great rewards for it, it became them, after having performed all that was commanded them, to think and say that they had done nothing but their duty. When ye shall have done all, say, We are unprofitable servants-For a man cannot profit God. Happy is he who judgeth 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. were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering, said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to * Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity, gospel, verse 11 to verse 20. 8 Luke ix. 51, 52; John iv. 4.- —h Lev. xin. 46.-i Lev. xiii. 2; xiv. 2; Matt. viii. 4; Chap. v. 14. formed, and either knew him personally, having seen him before, or guessed that it might be he by the crowds which followed him. And he said, Go show yourselves to the priests-Intimating that the cure they desired should be performed by the way. || And as they went—In obedience to his word; they were cleansed-Namely, by his wonder-working power; the efficacy of which was often exerted on objects at a distance, as well as on such as were || near. Verses 15-19. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed-Was so affected, that, with a heart full of gratitude and joy, he immediately turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God-Made a free and open acknowledgment of the signal mercy which he had received. Though he had kept at a distance from Jesus before, yet being sensible that he was now perfectly clean, he came near, that all Verses 11-14. He passed through the midst of || might have an opportunity of beholding the miracles; Samaria and Galilee-As Samaria lay between || and fell down on his face at his feet-In the deepest Galilee and Judea, and therefore our Lord, taking humiliation, giving him thanks as the immediate his journey to Jerusalem, must go first through Ga- || author of his cure; and yet this man was a Salilee, and then through Samaria, it is inquired why || maritan-One of that heretical nation, from which it is here said that he passed through the midst of one would have expected less of any thing good Samaria and Galilee. To this Grotius, Whitby, than from the Jews, the professors of the true reCampbell, and some others, answer, that the original ligion, and members of God's visible church. Thereexpression, dia μeos Zaμapiaç kaι Tahiλaias, means, fore, to make known the good disposition of the between Samaria and Galilee, or through those man, though he professed a false religion, and to inparts in which the two countries bordered on each timate that the others, who had been more favoured other; or through the confines of them. There with external privileges and advantages, ought to met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar have showed as great a sense of piety and gratitude off-As lepers were banished from the towns, they as he; Jesus said, Were there not ten cleansed, but were likewise obliged to keep at a distance from the where are the nine?-Why did they not return to roads which led to them. Curiosity, however, to give thanks? This intimates that ingratitude is a see the travellers who passed, or, it may be, an incli- || very common sin; of the many that receive mercy nation to beg, having brought these ten as nigh to|| the public road as they were permitted to come, they espied Jesus, and cried to him, beseeching him to take pity on them, and cure them. They had heard of some of the great miracles which he had per from God, there are but few, very few, that return to give thanks in a right manner; that render according to the benefits done unto them. There are not found to give glory to God, save this stranger— O aλ20уevns eros, this alien-Such, ever since the The kingdom of God ST. LUKE. cometh not with observation. 1 A. M. 4037. give glory to God, save this stran- || dom of God cometh not 1 with obser- A. M. 4037. ger. A. D. 33. 19 k And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. vation. A. D. 33. 21 1Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, Lo there! for behold, the kingdom of God is 20 T And when he was demanded of the 2 within you. Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should 22 And he said unto the disciples, The come, he answered them and said, The king-days will come, when ye shall desire to see * Matt. ix. 22; Mark v. 34; x. 52; Chap. vii. 50; viii. 48; xviii. 1 Verse 23.42.- -1Or, with outward show. m Rom. xiv. 17.- n 2 Or, among you; John i. 26. John xvii. 12. captivity, the Jews have considered the Samaritans. of those who are, or shall be, sent by me to declare They call them Cuthites to this day. Thus many, the coming of my kingdom, nor shall men seek for who profess revealed religion, are outdone and quite it in this or that place, saying, Lo, it is here, or, Lo, shamed by some that are governed only by natural it is there; for behold, the kingdom of God is withreligion, and that not only in moral virtue, but in || in you-It is an internal, spiritual kingdom ; erected piety and devotion. "The ingratitude of these Jew- || in the hearts of men, consisting in the subjection of ish lepers, now cured, will appear monstrous, if we their wills to the will of God, and in the conformity consider that the malady from which they were of their minds to his laws. Wherever it exists, delivered is in itself one of the most loathsome exists in men's hearts. See Rom. xiv. 17. Or, as diseases incident to human nature, and a disease our Lord was addressing the Jews, and especially which, by the law of Moses, subjected them to || the Pharisees, and cannot be understood as speaking greater hardships than any distemper whatsoever. of the power his kingdom had gained over their But though the cure of this dreadful affliction was hearts, whose temper was entirely alienated from produced without the smallest pain or even trouble the nature and design of it; the clause, perhaps, to the lepers, and so speedily that it was completed || ought rather to be rendered, The kingdom of God by the time they had got a little way off, as appears is among you. Thus Beza, Raphelius, Whitby, by the Samaritan's finding Jesus where he left him, || Doddridge, and many others understand it: namely, these Jews would not give themselves the trouble as signifying that the Messiah's kingdom began now of returning to glorify God, by making the miracle to appear among them, the gospel of the kingdom public, nor to honour Jesus, by acknowledging the being now preached, miracles, in confirmation of it, favour. Such were the people that gloried in their || being wrought, and the grace of God, which accombeing holy, and insolently called the men of all other panied it, turning many sinners from the evil of nations dogs. But their hypocrisy and presump- their ways, and transforming them into the divine tion received a severe reprimand on this occasion. image. Thus Grotius paraphrases the passage, For our Lord, in his observations on their behaviour, "Already among you;" that is, "among this very plainly declared, that the outward profession of any Jewish people, that kingdom begins to exert its religion, however true and excellent that religion || power; you not observing it, and an evident sign of may be in itself, is of no value before God in com- this are miracles. Accordingly, Matt. xii. 28, Christ parison of piety and inward holy dispositions."- speaks to the same Pharisees after this manner: If I, Macknight. by the finger of God, cast out devils, then is the kingdom of God come nigh unto you; or rather, come upon, or among you, (as εpdaσev εo' vμas, properly means,) where, by the word you, the whole Jewish people are in like manner intended.” See also || Matt. xxi. 43, where our Lord says, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you. Verses 20, 21. When he was demanded of the Pharisees-It is uncertain whether what is here mentioned took place while our Lord was on his journey, or after he came to Jerusalem; when the kingdom of God should come-That is, when the kingdom of the Messiah, which they had learned to term the|| kingdom of God, was to commence? They had Verses 22-25. The days will come, when ye shali very grand notions of the extent of the Messiah's desire to see one of the days of the Son of man-One kingdom, of the number of his subjects, the strength day of mercy, or one day wherein you might conof his armies, the pomp and eclat of his court, and verse with me, as you do now. Having spoken to were eager to hear of its being speedily erected. the Pharisees, he now addressed his disciples, and in Or, being inveterate enemies of Christ, they might || the hearing of the Pharisees prophesied concerning possibly ask the question in derision, because every the destruction of the Jewish state, whose constituthing about Jesus was very unlike to the Messiah || tion, both religious and civil, was the chief obstacle whom they expected. He answered, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation-With such outward pomp as draws the observation of mankind: or, as Dr. Whitby explains the expression, not with that royal splendour or worldly grandeur which shall render it conspicuous in the eyes of the world, as you expect. Neither shall they say, Lo here, or, Lo there-This shall not be the language to the erection of his kingdom; for the attachment which the Jews had to their constitution was the spring of all their opposition to Christianity, and of their cruelty to its abetters. A prediction of this nature, delivered as the continuation of his answer to the Pharisees, who desired to know when Messiah's kingdom should come, plainly signified, that it would first become conspicuous in the destruction A. M. 4037. one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. A. D. 33. 23 And they shall say to you, See here! or, See there! go not after them, nor follow them. 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. t approaching national destruction. A. D. 33. 29 But the same day that Lot A. M. 4037. went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all: 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man "is revealed. 31 In that day, he which shall be upon the house-top, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is 25 9 But first must he suffer many things, || in the field, let him likewise not return back. and be rejected of this generation. 32 y Remember Lot's wife. 33 z Whosoever shall seek to save his life, shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life, shall preserve it. a 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. 35 Two women shall be grinding together the one shall be taken, and the other left. 36 3 Two men shall be in the field; the one y Gen. xix. 26.- z Matt. x. 39; xvi. 25; Mark viii. 35; Chap. ix. 24; John xii. 25. Matt. xxiv. 40, 41; 1 Thess. iv. 17.- -3 This 36th verse is wanting in most of the Greek copies. Verses 26-30. As it was in the days of Noe, &c.-·· of the Jewish commonwealth. But because love and compassion were eminent parts of our Lord's || In the next place, he foretold the stupidity of the character, he spake of that dreadful catastrophe in generation he should come to destroy, comparing it such a manner as might be most profitable to his to that of the old world, about the time of the flood; hearers. He told them, first of all, that they and the || who, being wholly unaffected with the admonitions whole nation should be in the greatest distress be- || which Noah gave them, while building the ark, and fore the destruction of their constitution, and the || with the threatenings which he then denounced, full establishment of Messiah's kingdom; and that went on as usual, following their ordinary occupathey should passionately wish for Messiah's personal || tions, and pursuing their pleasures, both lawful and presence to comfort them under their afflictions, but unlawful, in great security. The consequence of should not be favoured with it. Next he cautioned || which was, that, ere they were aware, the flood them against the deceivers which, in that time of came and destroyed them all. See on Matt. xxiv. universal distress, would arise, pretending to be the 37, 39. Likewise, as it was in the days of Lot-The Messiah, and promising to deliver the people from Jewish people shall be sunk in carnal security at the the powers which oppressed them. He told them, coming of the Son of man to execute judgment upon that these deceivers would lurk a while in private, || them, as the Sodomites were, when they were untill, by the diligence of their emissaries spreading expectedly destroyed by fire and brimstone from abroad their fame, and exhorting the people to go heaven. out to them, they had gathered a force sufficient to Verses 31, 32. In that day-(Which will be the support them. They shall say to you, See here, or || grand type of the last day,) when ye shall see Jerusee there; go not after them-Do not go forth to || salem encompassed with armies; he which shall be them, nor follow them, for by this mark you shall upon the house-top, let him not come down-See know them to be deceivers. For as the lightning, on Matt. xxiv. 17, 18; Mark xiii. 15. Remember &c., shall the Son of man be in his day—So mani- || Lot's wife-And escape with all speed, without ever fest, so swift, so wide, so irresistible, so awful in its looking behind you. See note on Gen. xix. 26. Verses 33-37. Whosoever shall seek to save his consequences shall his coming be. He shall come, indeed, but in a manner very different from that in || life, shall lose it-The sense of this and the followwhich the generality of this people expect him, even || ing verses is, Yet, as great as the danger will be, do to execute a sudden and unavoidable destruction not seek to save your lives by violating your conupon his enemies, and establish his religion and sciences; if you do, you will surely lose them; government in a great part of the world. See notes whereas, if you should lose them for my sake, you on Matt. xxiv. 23-27. But first he must suffer many shall be repaid with life everlasting. But the most things-See on Matt. xvi. 21; Mark viii. 31; ix. 31; probable way of preserving them now is to be alx. 33. ways ready to give them up: a peculiar providence Awful end of Jerusalem foretold. A. D. 33. ST. LUKE. b Jesus enjoins constancy in prayer. A. D. 33. A. M. 4037. shall be taken, and the other Where, Lord? And he said unto A. M. 4037. left. them, Wheresoever the body is, thi37 And they answered and said unto him,||ther will the eagles be gathered together. b Job xxxix. 30; Matt. xxiv. 28. shall then watch over you, and put a difference be- of God will pursue them; and particularly in whattween you and other men. Two men shall be in ever part of the land any number of the unbelieving one bed, &c.-See on Matt. xxiv. 40, 41. The minds Jews are, there will the Romans, the executioners of your enemies shall be so overruled by God, that, of the divine vengeance upon this nation, be gather in cases where two persons are equally in their ed together to destroy them. The expression is power, one of them shall be carried off, and the other || proverbial, and will appear to have been beautifully left to make his escape. And they said, Where, || applied, when it is remembered, that the Romans Lord, shall all these things happen? And he said, || bore in their standards the figure of an eagle; and Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be||that a certain kind of eagle, called πEρKVOTTEρwv, gathered-As eagles find out, and gather round a || [black winged] mentioned by Aristotle, Hist. Ani., carcass, so, wherever wicked men are, the judgments || ix. 32, is found to feed on carcasses.—Macknight. CHAPTER XVIII. (1,) Christ presses his disciples to fervency and perseverance in prayer, by the parable of the importunate widow, 1–8 (2,) He recommends humility, and humiliation on account of sin, by the parable of the Pharisee and publican, 9–14. (3,) He encourages those who brought little children to him, whom his disciples had rebuked, 15-17. (4) He tries and discovers the insincerity of the self-righteous ruler, 18–23. (5,) He takes occasion from hence of cautioning his disciples concerning the danger of riches, and promises a great reward to those who forsake all for the kingdom of God's sake, 24-30. (6,) He foretels his own sufferings, death, and resurrection, 31–34. (7,) Cures a blind beggar near Jericho, 35-43. a A. M. 4037. AND he spake a parable unto || ought always to pray, and not to A. M. 4037, them to this end, that men faint; A. D. 33. a Chap. x1.5; xxi. 36; Rom. xii. 12; || Eph. vi. 18; Col. iv. 2; 1 Thess. v. 17. NOTES ON CHAPTER XVIII. especially when we are in pursuit of any spiritual Verse 1. And he spake, &c.-Ehɛyɛ sɛ kaι пapa- | mercy or mercies, relating either to ourselves, our βολην αυτοις. He also spake a parable to them. || friends, or the church of God, the present parable is The particle dɛ, here used, plainly implies, that this introduced. As delivered on this occasion, it seems parable has a relation to the preceding discourse, of to have been principally designed to inspire the diswhich indeed it is a continuation, but which is im- ciples with earnestness and perseverance in their properly interrupted by the division of the chapters. prayers for the coming of the Son of man to destroy There is in it, and in the following parable, a par- the Jewish constitution, notwithstanding God should ticular reference to the distress and trouble they long defer the accomplishment of their desire. For were soon to meet with from their persecutors, this event is represented, not only here, but in several which would render the duties of prayer, patience, || other passages of Scripture, as a thing exceedingly and perseverance peculiarly seasonable. That men to be wished for in those days. The reason was, ought always to pray-At all times, on all occasions, the Jews in every country were their bitterest peror frequently, (as the word TaνTOTE, here rendered secutors, and the chief opposers of Christianity. See always, signifies, John xviii. 20,) and not to faint—- || chap. xxi. 28; Heb. x. 25; James v. 7; 1 Pet. iv. 7. Under their trials, not to despond, or yield to evils, || Independent of this, however, in the course of his as ɛkkakɛiv, here used, signifies, so as to be wearied out by them, and cease from prayer, as unavailing || to procure relief. It frequently happens, that after men have prayed for any particular blessing, they desist, because God does not immediately grant them their petition. To show the evil of this, and to recommend importunity and perseverance in prayer ministry, our Lord often recommended frequency, earnestness, and perseverance in prayer, not because God is, or can be, ever tired out with our importunity; but because it is both an expression and exercise of our firm belief of, and confidence in, his power and goodness, without which it would not be fit for God to bestow his blessings upon us, nor |