Luke17

Jesus teaches about the inevitability of offences, the importance of forgiving repeatedly, and the power of even small faith. He then heals ten lepers, but only one, a Samaritan, returns to give thanks, highlighting gratitude. Finally, Jesus speaks of the Kingdom of God not coming with observation, but being 'within you.' He describes the sudden, unexpected return of the Son of Man, likening it to the days of Noah and Lot, urging readiness.

Warnings on Stumbling and Forgiveness

1
He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no occasions of stumbling should come, but woe to him through whom they come! ​
2
It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, rather than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble. ​
3
Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. ​
4
If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” ​
5
The emissaries said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” ​
6
The Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, ‘Be uprooted, and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. ​

Duty of the Servant

7
But who is there among you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say, when he comes in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down at the table,’ ​
8
and will not rather tell him, ‘Prepare my supper, clothe yourself properly, and serve me, while I eat and drink. Afterward you shall eat and drink’?
9
Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded? I think not.
10
Even so you also, when you have done all the things that are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants. We have done our duty.’” ​

The Ten Lepers and the Grateful Samaritan

11
As he was on his way to Jerusalem, he was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee. ​
12
As he entered into a certain village, ten men who were lepers met him, who stood at a distance.
13
They lifted up their voices, saying, “Yeshua, Master, have mercy on us!”
14
When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” As they went, they were cleansed. ​
15
One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice.
16
He fell on his face at Yeshua’s feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan. ​
17
Yeshua answered, “Weren’t the ten cleansed? But where are the nine?
18
Were there none found who returned to give glory to God, except this stranger?”
19
Then he said to him, “Get up, and go your way. Your faith has healed you.” ​

The Coming of the Kingdom of God

20
Being asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The Kingdom of God doesn’t come with observation; ​
21
neither will they say, ‘Look, here!’ or, ‘Look, there!’ for behold, the Kingdom of God is within you.” ​

Signs of the Son of Man's Return

22
He said to the disciples, “The days will come, when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. ​
23
They will tell you, ‘Look, here!’ or ‘Look, there!’ Don’t go away, nor follow after them,
24
for as the lightning, when it flashes out of the one part under the sky, shines to the other part under the sky; so will the Son of Man be in his day. ​
25
But first, he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. ​
26
As it was in the days of Noah, even so will it be also in the days of the Son of Man. ​
27
They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
28
Likewise, even as it was in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;
29
but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from the sky, and destroyed them all.
30
It will be the same way in the day that the Son of Man is revealed.
31
In that day, he who will be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away. Let him who is in the field likewise not turn back. ​
32
Remember Lot’s wife! ​
33
Whoever seeks to save his life loses it, but whoever loses his life preserves it. ​
34
I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed. The one will be taken, and the other will be left. ​
35
There will be two grinding grain together. One will be taken, and the other will be left.”
36
Not present in the manuscripts this translation follows.
37
They, answering, asked him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there will the vultures also be gathered together.” ​

Study Notes for Luke 17

Verse 1

The term “offences” (Gk. *skandala*) refers to traps or causes of moral stumbling. Jesus emphasizes that while sin is inevitable, those who cause others to sin face severe judgment.

Verse 2

A millstone (*mulos onikos*) was typically turned by a donkey, indicating a very large, heavy stone, emphasizing the extreme nature of the punishment for harming a vulnerable believer ('little ones').

Verse 3

This instruction balances the serious warning against causing sin (Vv. 1-2) with the responsibility of personal accountability and reconciliation within the community.

Verse 4

The instruction to forgive 'seven times' goes beyond the rabbinic standard (often three times) and signifies complete, limitless forgiveness, reflecting God’s own boundless mercy.

Verse 5

The apostles' request shows they recognized the difficulty of the standard Jesus set regarding limitless forgiveness and sought divine enablement.

Verse 6

The sycamine (mulberry) tree has deep roots, making it difficult to uproot. Jesus uses hyperbole to illustrate that true faith, even if small ('mustard seed'), can accomplish the seemingly impossible.

Verse 7

This parable shifts the focus from the power of faith to the proper attitude toward obedience, emphasizing humility.

Verse 10

The phrase 'unprofitable servants' (or 'worthless servants') does not mean useless, but rather that they have not earned merit or special reward; they have simply fulfilled their basic obligation (*opheilomenon*).

Verse 11

Luke often notes Jesus passing through the borderlands (Samaria and Galilee), highlighting his ministry crossing ethnic and religious boundaries on the way to Jerusalem.

Verse 14

Jesus tests their obedience before the healing occurs. Showing themselves to the priests was required by Mosaic Law (Lev. 14) to confirm cleansing and allow re-entry into society.

Verse 16

The fact that the one who returned was a Samaritan is highly significant in Luke, emphasizing that God’s grace extends beyond the Jewish community and often finds a more appreciative response among those considered outsiders.

Verse 19

The distinction is often made: the nine were 'cleansed' (V. 14, physical healing), but the Samaritan was 'made whole' (*sesōken*), implying spiritual salvation or complete restoration.

Verse 20

The Pharisees expected the Kingdom to arrive as a visible, political event. Jesus refutes this, introducing the idea of the Kingdom's spiritual presence.

Verse 21

The Greek phrase *entos hymōn* can mean 'among you' (referring to Jesus' presence) or 'within you' (referring to the spiritual reality in the hearts of believers). Both interpretations emphasize that the Kingdom is not dependent on external signs.

Verse 22

Jesus shifts from discussing the present reality of the Kingdom to its future, visible manifestation (eschatology), warning the disciples against false messianic claims after his departure.

Verse 24

The Second Coming will not be secret or localized but sudden, undeniable, and universally visible, like a flash of lightning across the sky.

Verse 25

This verse serves as a crucial theological anchor, stressing that the glory of the Son of Man (V. 24) is preceded necessarily by his suffering and rejection.

Verse 26

The comparison to the days of Noah and Lot emphasizes that the judgment will fall upon a world engrossed in normal, everyday activities, unprepared for the suddenness of God's intervention.

Verse 31

This graphic image emphasizes the necessity of immediate, decisive action when the final judgment arrives, prioritizing preservation over material possessions.

Verse 32

Remember Lot's wife (Gen. 19:26) is a warning against looking back or prioritizing attachment to the world being judged over immediate obedience to divine command.

Verse 33

This paradox is a central teaching of Jesus, emphasizing that true life (spiritual and eternal) is found only through self-denial and willingness to surrender earthly security.

Verse 34

This illustrates the selective and decisive nature of the final judgment, separating individuals even when they are in closest physical proximity.

Verse 37

Jesus responds to the disciples' question about the location ('Where?') with a proverb. The judgment will take place universally, wherever spiritual decay and rebellion (the 'body') are found.

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