Luke 17:3 — Community Reflections

LUKE 17:3 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.”

So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them — watch yourselves: the self-monitoring command that makes the following instructions applicable. If they sin against you, rebuke them: the responsibility to confront. If they repent, forgive them: the condition of repentance in Luke (unlike Matthew 18:22 where the forgiveness is unconditional) produces the forgiveness.

Church Fathers on Luke 17:3

After the parable of the rich man who is tormented in punishment, Christ added a commandment to give forgiveness to those who turn themselves from their trespasses, lest any one through despair should not be reclaimed from his fault; and hence it is said, Take heed to yourselves.
Ambrose · 4th century

As if He says, Offenses must needs come; but it does not follow that you must perish, if only you be on your guard: as it need not that the sheep should perish when the wolf comes, if the shepherd is watching. And since there are great varieties of offenders, (for some are incurable, some are curable,) He therefore adds, If your brother trespass against you, rebuke him.
Theophylact · 11th century

But we must mark, that He does not bid us forgive every one who sins, but him only who repents of his sins. For by taking this course we may avoid offenses, hurting no one, correcting the sinner with a righteous zeal, extending the bowels of mercy to the penitent.
Bede · 8th century

Read all 7 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

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