Luca 17:27 Commento

In this chapter we have, I. Some particular discourses which Christ had with his disciples, in which he teaches them to take heed of giving offence, and to forgive the injuries done them (Luk 17:1-4), encourages them to pray for the increase of their faith (Luk 17:5, Luk 17:6), and then teaches them humility, whatever service they had done for God (Luk 17:7-10). II. His cleansing ten lepers, and the thanks he had from one of them only, and he a Samaritan (Luk 17:11-19). III. His discourse with his disciples, upon occasion of an enquiry of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should appear (v. 20-37).

Then said he unto his disciples,.... In the Alexandrian copy, and in "three" of Beza's exemplars it is read, "his disciples"; and so read the Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions; that is, Jesus said to his disciples what follows, as the Syriac and Persic versions express, and the latter reads, he said "again". About the time that he delivered the above parable concerning the rich man and Lazarus, he repeated to his disciples what he had before said to them on another occasion, Mat 18:7 it is impossible but that offences will come; considering the decree of God, the malice of Satan, the wickedness of men, the corruption both of their principles and practices. The Ethiopic version renders it, "temptation will come"; that which will be trying to the faith of the saints, and a stumblingblock to weak minds, as reproach and persecution, errors, and heresies, and the evil lives of professors: but woe unto him through whom they come; See Gill on Mat 18:7

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot,.... When he lived in Sodom, and before, and at the time of the destruction of that city with other neighbouring ones: they did eat, they drank; See Gill on Luk 17:27, and Eze 16:49. This is to be understood of the inhabitants of Sodom, and the other cities that perished with it: they bought, they sold: they traded among themselves, and with their neighbours; and, as it appears from the text referred to, they had no regard to the poor and needy; they made no conscience of defrauding and oppressing them: they planted; vineyards, and fruit trees; living in a very fruitful soil, like the garden of God, Gen 13:10 they builded; houses for themselves and posterity; and thus, as a Jewish writer (h) observes of them, in agreement with our Lord's design in all this, being filled with the increase of the earth, they lived in security, peace, and tranquillity. (h) Pirke Eliezer, c. 25.

He rightly declares the deluge to have been caused by our sins, for God did not create evil, but our deservings found it out for themselves. Let it not however be supposed that marriages, or again meat and drink, are condemned, seeing that by the one succession is sustained, by the other nature, but moderation is to be sought for in all things. For whatsoever is more than this is of evil.

(Hom. 1, in Ep. 1. ad Thess.) For refusing to believe the words of warning they were suddenly visited with a real punishment from God; but their unbelief proceeded from self-indulgence, and softness of mind. For such as a man's wishes and inclinations are, will also be his expectations. Therefore it follows, they eat and drank.

In the days of Noah this preaching to them was futile because they did not believe when the patience of God waited for them for many years in which the ark was built. Its building was in a sense a kind of preaching. In the same way today, their imitators do not believe. They are shut up in the darkness of ignorance. They are like in a prison, looking in vain on the church being built throughout the whole world. Judgment threatens them as did the flood in which all the unbelievers perished. The Lord says, "As in the days of Noah, so will it be also in the days of the Son of man. They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all." Since this signified a future event, the flood also signified baptism for believers and death for unbelievers. There is also a symbol in what was spoken and not done, where it is written about the stone that signifies Christ. Two effects were foretold. It is a stumbling block for unbelievers and a building for believers.

To show that he will appear unexpectedly and with no one knowing it, the Lord says that the end of the world will come and be as it was in the days of Noah and Lot. He says, "They were eating and drinking, and were taking wives and being made the wives of men. They were selling and buying and building," but the coming of the waters destroyed the one, while the others were the prey and food of fire and brimstone. What does this signify? It signifies that he requires us to be always watchful and ready to make our defense before the tribunal of God.

They ate and drank, they married wives, and they were given in marriage. This does not condemn marriages or food as per the insane doctrines of Marcion, Manichaeus, and Tatian the leader of the Encratites, as in these matters lie the supports of succession, and in those of nature, but, as the Apostle says: “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful” (1 Corinthians 6), it is rather the immoderate use of permissible things that is condemned. For it is not because they gave themselves wholly to these things and despised God's judgments that they perished by water or by fire.

Until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Noah builds the ark, just as the Lord constructs the Church by uniting faithful men, as if they were smoothed timbers. He enters it perfectly completed, when, in the day of judgment, He illuminates it with the presence of His eternal vision. But while the ark is being built, the wicked indulge in pleasure: when it is entered, they perish because those who here insult the struggling saints will be punished with eternal damnation when they are crowned there.

Now Noah builds the ark mystically. The Lord builds His Church of Christ's faithful servants, by uniting them together in one, as smooth pieces of wood; and when it is perfectly finished, He enters it: as at the day of Judgment, He who ever dwells within His Church enlightens it with His visible presence. But while the ark is in building, the wicked flourish, when it is entered, they perish; as they who revile the saints in their warfare here, shall when they are crowned hereafter be smitten with eternal condemnation.

For when Antichrist has come, then shall men become wanton, given up to abominable vices, as the Apostle says, Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. (2 Tim. 3:4.) For if Antichrist is the dwelling-place of every sin, what else will he then implant in the miserable race of men, but what belongs to himself. And this our Lord implies by the instances of the deluge and the people of Sodom.

And here the Lord points to the suddenness and unexpectedness of His coming. For just as in the days of Noah the flood came suddenly and destroyed everyone, so also will His coming be. By these examples, that is, the example of the people before the flood and the Sodomites (before the fire), it is also hinted that at the coming of the Antichrist all manner of indecent pleasures will multiply among people, that people will be dissolute and given over to criminal pleasures, as the Apostle also said that "in the last days... people will be... lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (2 Tim. 3:1–2, 4). And it is no wonder that under the reign of the deceiver evil will flourish. For he is the haven of the malice of every sin. What else will he endeavor to instill in the wretched generation of people at that time, if not his own qualities? For from the unclean, what can become clean? And so, people will then be sunk in every sensual pleasure, just as in the days of Noah, and will not expect any misfortune, nor will they even believe it if someone speaks to them of the occurrence of any calamity, just like the people who lived in the days of Noah and in the days of Lot.

Christ teaches the necessity of avoiding offenses, Luk 17:1, Luk 17:2. How to treat an offending brother, Luk 17:3, Luk 17:4. The efficacy of faith, Luk 17:5, Luk 17:6. No man by his services or obedience can profit his Maker, Luk 17:7-10. He cleanses ten lepers, Luk 17:11-19. The Pharisees inquire when the kingdom of God shall commence; Christ answers them, and corrects their improper views of the subject, vv. 20-37.

They did eat, they drank, etc. - They spent their whole lives in reference to this world; and made no sort of provision for their immortal souls. So it was when the Romans came to destroy Judea; there was a universal carelessness, and no one seemed to regard the warnings given by the Son of God.

OFFENSES--FAITH--HUMILITY. (Luk 17:1-10) (See Mat 18:6-7).