Luke 17:2

17:2 A millstone is a large round stone with a hole in its center, used to grind grain in a mill. A millstone could weigh hundreds of pounds.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 17:2. Τούτων, of these) By this pronoun, Luke shows evidently that “the little ones” were present in the midst of them.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 17:2 . λυσιτελεῖ ( λύω , τέλος ), it profits or pays; here only in N.T. = συμφέρει in Mat 18:6 . λίθος μυλικός , a millstone, not a great millstone, one driven by an ass ( μύλος ὀνικὸς , T.R.), as in Mt.: the vehement emphasis of Christ’s words is toned down in Lk. here as often elsewhere. The realistic expression of Mt. is doubtless truer to the actual utterance of Jesus, who would speak of the offences created by ambition with passionate abhorrence. περίκειται = perf. pass. of περιτίθημι in sense = has been placed; with ἔρριπται , another perfect, suggesting the idea of an action already complete the miscreant with a stone round his neck thrown into the sea. εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν : here again a subdued expression compared with Mt. ἢ ἵνα σκανδαλίσῃ , than to scandalise; the subj. with ἵνα = the infinitive. Vide Winer, § 44, 8.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 2. A mill-stone] That drowning a person with a stone tied about the neck was an ancient mode of punishment, see proved in the note on Mt 18:6; Mt 18:7, to which let the following be added. To have a mill-stone hanged about the neck, was a common proverb. "Samuel saith, A man may marry, and after that addict himself to the study of the law. Rab. Jochanan saith, No: shall he addict himself to the study of the law with a mill-stone about his neck?"

The place in Aristophanes, to which the reader is referred in the note on Mt 18:6, is the following: -

Αραν μετεωρον εις το βαραθρον εμβαλω,

Εκ του λαρυγγος εκκρεμασας ὑπερβολον

"Lifting him up into the air, I will plunge him into the deep: a great stone being hung about his neck." Aristoph. in Equit. ver. 1359.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(2) It were batter for him . . .—See Note on Mat_18:6, where the order of the two sayings is inverted. Assuming the words to have been repeated where we find them here, the “little ones” must mean the disciples of Christ who are, in both senses of the word “offended” by the worldliness of those who profess to be religious. They are made to stumble by the temptation to follow the bad example, or their faith in the reality of godliness is shaken by seeing that the form exists without the power.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. It were better for him, &c.] The literal rendering of the verse is “It is for his advantage if a millstone is hanging round his neck, and he has been flung into the sea, rather than that, &c.” In other words, the fate of a man who is lying drowned at the bottom of the sea is better than if his continuance in life would have led to causing “one of these little ones” to stumble. The general thought is like that of Queen Blanche, who used to say of her son St Louis when he was a boy, that she would rather see him dead at her feet than know that he had fallen into a deadly sin.

a millstone] The true reading here is lithos mulikos, not mulos onikos, a millstone so large as to require an ass to work it. This is introduced from Mat_18:6.

one of these little ones] St Mark adds “that believe in me” (Luk_9:42). The reference is not to children, or the young, though of course the warning applies no less to their case; but primarily to publicans and weak believers. Christ calls even the Apostles ‘children, Joh_13:33 (cf. 1Jn_2:12-13).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It were better for him that a millstone,.... See Gill on Mat 18:6 and See Gill on Mar 9:42.

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Luke 17:3

luk 17:3

luk 17:3

luk 17:3Take heed to yourselves..... Or to one another, that ye neither give, nor take offence. Take heed to your spirits, to your doctrines, walk, and conversation, that you give no offence to any, that you are not stumbled by what you shall see in, and meet with from others:

if thy brother trespass against thee; See Gill on Mat 18:15.

rebuke him; privately, and proceed according to the rules there directed to; lay his sin before him; endeavour not only to convince him of the fact, but of the evil of it; how contrary to the will of God; how unbecoming the Gospel of Christ, and the profession he makes; how hurtful to himself, as well as injurious to his brother; and how such evils give the enemy occasion to reproach the saints, to speak evil of the ways of God, and blaspheme the name and doctrines of Christ, and harden sinners in their sins, as well as stumble weak Christians, and sadden the hearts of the righteous.

And if he repent; if he is made sensible of his evil, and is truly sorry for it, and ingenuously acknowledges it:

forgive him; the injury committed against a man's self; and pray to God for him, for an application of his pardoning grace and mercy to him; and comfort him with the hope of forgiveness with God, by the gracious promises and declarations of pardon made to such persons; drop all resentment and anger, and behave towards him with all sweetness of temper, and affability, and respect: and this is to be done immediately, as soon as a man repents: and so say the Jews (p);

"says R. Chanina bar Papa, whoever commits a thing, and repents of it, they forgive him directly; as it is said, Mal 3:5 "and fear not me": lo, they that fear me, forgive immediately:''

such were reckoned good men, men fearing God.

(p) T. Bab. Chagiga, fol. 5. 1.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

Ver. 2. {See Trapp on "Mat 18:6"} {See Trapp on "Mat 18:7"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It were better. Christ here speaks after the manner of the Jews, who were accustomed to inflict this punishment only on the greatest malefactors. So that we must be ready to undergo the most excruciating torments, rather than cause any scandal to our neighbour; though we must here observe, that if our neighbour take scandal at our good works, we ought not on that account to desist from doing good, or desert the truth. (Ven. Bede) --- St. Luke, in this chapter, inserts four instructions, which have no connection with each other, and which by the writers of evangelical harmony, are given in different places; as in Matthew xviii. after ver. 14, &c.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

2. A millstone—See our note on Mat_18:7.

These little ones— Publicans and sinners, and others lately converted to Jesus. Our Lord, as we understand it, uttered these words in Matthew as a general truth; he utters them here in application to a particular class. They were little ones as being but babes in Christ.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Little ones - Weak believers.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

2. λίθος μυλικός. אBDL, La[304] Ti[305] See note. μύλος ὀνικὸς is from Mat 18:6.

[304] La. Lachmann.

[305] Ti. Tischendorf.

2. λυσιτελεῖ αὐτῷ εἰ κ.τ.λ. The literal rendering of the verse is ‘It is for his advantage if a millstone is hanging round his neck, and he has been flung into the sea, rather than that, &c.’ In other words, the fate of a man who is lying drowned at the bottom of the sea is better than if his continuance in life would have led to causing “one of these little ones” to stumble. The general thought is like that of Queen Blanche, who used to say of her son St Louis when he was a boy, that she would rather see him dead at her feet than know that he had fallen into a deadly sin. Marcion and Clemens Romanus seem to have read εἰ οὐκ ἐγενήθη ἢ λίθος κ.τ.λ.

λίθος μυλικός. The true reading here is not μύλος ὀνικός, a millstone so large as to require an ass to work it. This is introduced from Mat 18:6.

περίκειται … ἔρριπται. ‘It were better for him if with the stone round his neck he has been cast into the sea and is now lying there.’ The tenses are very forcible.

ἤ. On the construction λυσιτελεῖ … ἢ see the note on Luk 15:7. The ἵνα (as often) has lost its proper force, and resembles some uses of the Latin ut. See a similar construction in 1Co 9:15.

τῶν μικρῶν τούτων ἕνα. ‘Of these little ones even one.’ The position of the ἕνα is emphatic. Better for the man to have been drowned, than so to live as to lead Christ’s little ones astray. St Mark adds “that believe in me” (Luk 9:42). The reference is not to children, or the young, though of course the warning applies no less to their case; but primarily to publicans and weak believers. Christ calls even the Apostles “children,” Joh 13:33 (cf. 1Jn 2:12-13).

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2.] See Mat 18:6, Mat 18:7, and notes.

τῶν μικ. τ., perhaps the publicans and sinners of ch. 15:1;—perhaps also, repeated with reference to what took place, Matt. l. c.

3,

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. λυσιτελεῖ αὐτῷ. “It is well for him, is worth his while”: lit. “it pays the taxes (λύει τὰ τέλη), repays the outlay.” Here only in N. T., but found Tobit 3:6; Ecclus. 20:10, 14, 29:14, and quite classical.

In Tertullian (Adv. Marcion. iv. 35) we have an insertion from Mat 26:24: expedisse ei, si natus non fuisset, aut si moline saxo ad collum deligato, etc. A similar mixture of texts is found in Clem. Hom. (Cor. 46.), who has ἕνα τω̈́͂ν ἐκλεκτῶν for τῶν μικρῶν τούτων ἕνα.

λίθος μυλικός “A stone fit for a mill” (μύλη). Mat 18:6 and Mar 9:42 we have μύλος ὀνικός for λίθις μυλικός. Neither occurs in LXX.

καὶ ἔρριπται. Mk. has βέβληται . The change from pres. to perf. is graphic: “It is good for him if a millstone is hanged about his neck and he has been hurled.” As to the double ρρ see Greg. Proleg. p. 121.

ἤ. “Rather than”: see small print on 15:7, and comp. λυσιτελεῖ μοι ἀποθανεῖν ἢ ζῆν (Tobit 3:6). Such constructions are common in LXX (Gen 49:12; Jon 4:3, Jon 4:8; Tobit 12:8; Ecclus. 20:25, 22:15, etc.), but are found also in class. Grk. καλὸν τὸ μὴ ζῆν ἢ ζῆν ἀθλίως (Menander). Nothing is to be understood with ἵνα, such as “rather than (to remain alive) in order to.” It is the late use of ἵνα with the telic force lost. Win. 46:8. c, p. 424; § 124. Comp. Mat 5:29, Mat 5:30; 1Co 4:3.

τῶν μικρῶν τούτων ἕνα . As the saying is addressed to the disciples (ver. 1), it is unlikely that the whole body of the disciples is included in “these little ones.” It is more natural to understand it of the more insignificant among them (comp. 7:28), or those who were young in the faith, or possibly children. The ἕνα comes last with emphasis. To lead even one astray is an awful responsibility.

προσέξετε ἑαυτοῖς. These words come better as a conclusion to the previous warning than as an introduction to the exhortation which follows. They are analogous to “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” For the constr. see on 12:1. For instances in which there is discrepancy as to the division of verses see Greg. Proleg. p. 175.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It were better [λυσιτελει] . Only here in New Testament. The verb means to pay what is due, and is equivalent to our phrase, it pays.

Millstone. Compare Mt 18:6. The correct reading here is liqov mulikov, a millstone; not a great millstone as Matthew.

Thrown [ερριπται] . Hurled : with an underlying sense of violence, called out by so great an outrage.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.