171 And he said to his disciples, It cannot be but that offences come, but woe [to him] by whom they come! 2 It would be [more] profitable for him if a millstone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the sea, than that he should be a snare to one of these little ones. 3 Take heed to yourselves: if thy brother should sin, rebuke him; and if he should repent, forgive him. 4 And if he should sin against thee seven times in the day, and seven times should return to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him.
5 And the apostles said to the Lord, Give more faith to us. 6 But the Lord said, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard [seed], ye had said to this sycamine tree, Be thou rooted up, and be thou planted in the sea, and it would have obeyed you.
7 But which of you [is there] who, having a bondman ploughing or shepherding, when he comes in out of the field, will say, Come and lie down immediately to table? 8 But will he not say to him, Prepare what I shall sup on, and gird thyself and serve me that I may eat and drink; and after that thou shalt eat and drink? 9 Is he thankful to the bondman because he has done what was ordered? I judge not. 10 Thus ye also, when ye shall have done all things that have been ordered you, say, We are unprofitable bondmen; we have done what it was our duty to do.
11 And it came to pass as he was going up to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village ten leprous men met him, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up [their] voice saying, Jesus, Master, have compassion on us. 14 And seeing [them] he said to them, Go, shew yourselves to the priests. And it came to pass as they were going they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, seeing that he was cured, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, 16 and fell on [his] face at his feet giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were not the ten cleansed? but the nine, where [are they]? 18 There have not been found to return and give glory to God save this stranger. 19 And he said to him, Rise up and go thy way: thy faith has made thee well.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 17:1-19
Commentary on Luke 17:1-10
(Read Luke 17:1-10)
It is no abatement of their guilt by whom an offence comes, nor will it lessen their punishment that offences will come. Faith in God's pardoning mercy, will enable us to get over the greatest difficulties in the way of forgiving our brethren. As with God nothing is impossible, so all things are possible to him that can believe. Our Lord showed his disciples their need of deep humility. The Lord has such a property in every creature, as no man can have in another; he cannot be in debt to them for their services, nor do they deserve any return from him.
Commentary on Luke 17:11-19
(Read Luke 17:11-19)
A sense of our spiritual leprosy should make us very humble whenever we draw near to Christ. It is enough to refer ourselves to the compassions of Christ, for they fail not. We may look for God to meet us with mercy, when we are found in the way of obedience. Only one of those who were healed returned to give thanks. It becomes us, like him, to be very humble in thanksgivings, as well as in prayers. Christ noticed the one who thus distinguished himself, he was a Samaritan. The others only got the outward cure, he alone got the spiritual blessing.