EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XVII. Master, while mourning over the sorrowful certainty of offences being committed in the Vere. 1-37.-The Master's teaching on the present confused and disordered state of BUfdect of the injury worked on the souls of things, yet pronounces o. bitter woe on the others by our sins. The disciples pray for soul of the man through whose agency the an increase of faifl. that they may be kept offences were wrought. The "little ones" from such Bins. The Lord's reply. His littk whom these offences would injure are clearly parable on humility. The heali11g of the ten in this instance not children, although, of 'lepers. The ingratitude of all sa1'e one. The course, the words would include the very question of the PhariseC8 as to the coming of young, for whom Jesus ever showed the the kingdom. The Lord's ansu,er, and his tenderest love; but the reference is clearly to teaching rC8pecting tlie awful BUddenness of disciples whose faith was only as yet weak the ad:oent of the Son of man. and wavering-to men and women who Vers. 1, 2.-Then said he unto the dis- would be easily influenced either for good ciples, It is impoBllible but that offenoes will or evil. The offences, then, especially oome : but woe unto him, through whom alluded to were no doubt the worldliness they oome ! It were better for him that a and selfishness of professors of godliness. milliitone were hanged about his neok, and The eight of these, professedly serving God he cast into the &ea, than that he should and all the while ser\'ing mammon more offend one of these little ones. The thread earnestly, would bring the very no.me of of connection here is not very obvious, and God's service into evil odour with some; many expositors are content with regarding while with others such conduct would serve this seventeenth chapter as simply contain- as an example to be imitated. The selfish ing certain lessons of teaching placed here rich man of the great parable just spoken, by St. Luke withont regard to anything professedly a religions man, one who evi• which preceded or succeeded them in the dently prided himself on his descent from narrative, these expositors regarding the Abraham the friend of God, and yet lived contents of this chapter ,u; well anthenti- as a heartless, selfish sinner, who was even- cated sayings of the Master, which were tually condemned for inhumanity, was pro- repeated to Luke or Paul without any pre- bably in the Lord's mind when he spoke cise note of time or place, and which ap- thus. What fatal injury to the cause of peared to them too important for them to true religion would be co.used by one such omit in these memoirs of the Divine: life. life as that I It were better for him that a Notwithstanding this deliberate opinion, millstone were hanged about his neck, and he endorBed by Godet and others, there does cast into the sea. '.!'his wo.s o. punishment seem a clear connection here with the narra- not unknown omong the ancients. The tive immediately preceding. The Divine ancient La.tin Version, o.nd Marcion in hia
• Of. Bruce, ut 1mpra. ou. xvu.1-37.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 87