thoughts to nestle undisturbed in our hearts! These things ought not so to be. The more carefully we attend to such practical lessons as this passage contains, the more shall we recommend our religion to others, and the more inward peace shall we find in our own souls.
Notes. Luke XVII. 1—4.
1. — [TJien said he unto the discpies.] Let it be observed that our Lord here turns again to His disciples and specially addresses them, as He had done at the beginning of the last chapter. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus had been specially spoken to the Pharisees. Christ now turns away from them to his own followers.
It is not easy to trace the connexion between the beginning of this chapter and the end of the last. Yet the two chapters seem to contain a continuous discourse of our Lord's without any pause, break, or intermission. — It is possible that our Lord may have had in his mind the stumbling block, that conduct like that of the rich man towards Lazarus put in the way of weak believers, and meant to warn His disciples not to be dis- couraged if they met with similar treatment. — It is possible that our Lord may be referring again to His lesson about " faithfulness in little things " in the parable of the unjust steward, and be warning his disciples not to give occasion to the enemy to blaspheme. — Both these conjectures, however, ftiay perhaps he needless. A g^eat teacher, like our Lord, has an undoubted right to open up entirely new subjects at His discretion. Per- haps this is the case here.
[It is impossible,., will come.] This expression means, that human nature is such, and the world is such, that it is useless to expect there will be no oflTences. There will be, as long as the world stands. Yet this does not lessen the guilt of those ^^ho cause them. Human infirmities are no excuse for the evij that is in the world, though they may explain its presence.
[Offences.] The Greek word so translated is rendered elae- where in the New Testament, " stumbling block," — " occasion to fall," — and "occasion of stumbling." (Rom. xi. 9: xiv. 13. 1 John ii. 10.)
[Woe unto him, dc] This woe has probably a wide appli- cation. It includes all who cause Christ's people to stumble and be discouraged, from the fiercest persecutor, like Nero, down to the least inconsistent believer.
2. — [A miU'Stone hanged about his neck, dc] This is a proverbial
LUKE, GHAFl XVII. VBR. 6 — 10.
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expression. Anything is better than to give offence to a believer and make him stumble.
[These Utile ones.'] This expression means here " believers." They are God's children, and as tenderly cared for by him, as the little infants in a man's family. (See Mark x. 42.) It is pro- bable that our Lord pointed to some of the weak and un estab- lished followers who accompanied him and the twelve apostles. There are always many who are " babes in Christ." (1 Cor. iii. 1.)
3. — [Take heed to yourselves y do.] The connection of this verse with that which precedes it is, again, not very clear. It would seem to imply that the " offences " of which our Lord had just been speaking, were such as are specially occasioned by the want of a charitable and forgiving spirit among Christians. It is like St. John's expression, "he that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him." (1 John ii. 10.)
[Rebuke him.] This expression shows the Christian duty of
?lain, straightforward, faithful dealing with those who injure us. 'o say that of a brother behind his back which we are not prepared, if needful, to say before his face, is not the conduct of a true servant of Christ.
[If he repent, forgive him.] This expression is remarkable. It doubtless cannot mean, that we are not to forgive men unless they do repent. At this rate there would be much bitterness constantly kept alive. But it does mean tliat when there is no repentance or regret for an injury done, there can be no renewal of cordial friendship, or complete reconciliation between man and man.
4. — [^Seven times in a day.] Here, as in other places, we cannot doubt that the number " seven " must be taken indefinitely. It means, " very frequently," " very often." (See Matt. viii. 2 ; xii. 45 ; xviii. 22 ; and Luke xi. 26. See also 1 Sam. ii. 5 ; Huth iv. 15 ; Isa. iv. 1 ; Psalm xii. 6 ; Micah v. 5.