Luke 17:1

§ 94. JESUS FURTHER INSTRUCTS HIS DISCIPLES, Luke 17:1-10 .

1. Then said he unto his disciples At the close of the awful parable of the last chapter there seems to have been no answer from the conscience-stricken Pharisees, and the assembly, doubtless, broke up and departed in silence. It was not, however, a silence of reflection and repentance, but of perseverance in their course of impeding the conversion of the multitudes to Jesus, and of throwing stumbling-blocks in the way of his disciples. See notes on Luke 15:1. It was, therefore, on an occasion but little later, and probably after commencing his departure, that we suppose our Lord, in view of these efforts of theirs, to have addressed the following cautions to his disciples. See note on Luke 13:32.

Unto his disciples Not to his apostles only, as in Luke 17:5. These disciples were the publicans and sinners; and perhaps others converted during our Lord’s Peraean ministry.

It is impossible but that More literally, it is not to be expected but that offenses will come. This certainly arises not from a necessity upon the human agent or the human will to commit them. It is a necessity upon us to expect them, because we find that man will freely and responsibly commit them. The necessity does not make the will, but the will makes the necessity.

Offences See our note on Matthew 18:7. The offence here is not simply an insult, but an incitement to anger. It is a betrayment into any sin, whether by temptation or by angering. It is any interposed impediment in our pursuit of truth and righteousness.

Woe unto him Because he makes wicked not by necessity, but by his own free, voluntary wickedness.