What does Luke 17:3 mean?
ESV: Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him,
NIV: So watch yourselves. "If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.
NASB: Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
CSB: Be on your guard. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.
NLT: So watch yourselves! 'If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive.
KJV: Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
NKJV: Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
Verse Commentary:
Luke has condensed the main ideas of a few of Jesus' teachings. In Luke 17:1–4, Jesus teaches the disciples about the responsibilities of spiritual leaders regarding the sin of others.
There's debate about the first phrase of this verse, but it seems to fit better with Luke 17:1–2 than with the rest of verses 3 and 4. The disciples, the larger group that will build the church, need to "pay attention" so that they do not teach anything that might tempt "little ones"—immature Christians—to sin. They are to be careful that what they say does not cause another to stumble or to go against God. Temptations to sin will come from the world (Luke 17:23); they shouldn't come from church.
The rest of the verse explains what to do if the "little one" commits any kind of sin. In Luke 17:1–2, the Greek word sometimes translated as a reference to sin was skandala. Here, it's the Greek word hamartē, which means to "miss the mark" in any way.
To "rebuke" is to warn someone: show that you disapprove of what they're doing. Even mature Christians find it difficult to rebuke someone in a helpful, biblical way. In person, we often let unbiblical beliefs go unchallenged out of politeness or peace. Online, we can rebuke so harshly we drive people further from God's truth. Other passages give guidelines: be kind and tenderhearted (Ephesians 4:32), speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), watch yourself so you don't fall into the same sin (Galatians 6:1), be patient and seek their good (1 Thessalonians 5:14–15).
To repent means to turn away from what was done or believed. It is a reconsideration and generally includes remorse for what was previously done or believed. Even if someone sins seven times a day, they must be forgiven if they sincerely repent (Luke 17:4). That command is both comforting and convicting. It's comforting because even though believers are not permanently tied to sin (1 John 5:18), it can take a while to find freedom from old habits. It's convicting to the one who must forgive over and over. Some Bible scholars think that's why the disciples ask Jesus to increase their faith (Luke 17:5–6).
It should be noted that this phase of church discipline is for those who repent. Other passages state that if the offender continues to sin without repenting, the members of the church should stop fellowshipping with him until he does (Matthew 18:15–17; Titus 3:10).
Verse Context:
Luke 17:1–4 records Jesus' comments about sin from three different angles. First is our responsibility not to teach something leading others astray. Second is our responsibility to confront others with their sin. Third is our responsibility to forgive those who repent of their sin. These topics are also covered in Matthew 18:7, 15–22 and Mark 9:42. Luke completes this section of teachings on kingdom living with Jesus' words about the power of faith and our humble position before God (Luke 17:5–10).
Chapter Summary:
In his gospel, Luke has often arranged events by theme rather than by strict time order. That seems likely here with a series of teachings about living as Christ followers and ambassadors of God. Christians ought to be careful not to poison the faith of others. Faith is powerful. God's servants should not demand extravagant treatment in return. After healing ten lepers—only one of whom offers thanks—Jesus discusses the state of the world at His future second coming.
Chapter Context:
Luke 17 continues Jesus' teaching about how to live as citizens and ambassadors of the kingdom of God. Luke 15 describes God's love for the lost. Chapter 16 teaches earthly blessings are far inferior to heavenly rewards. Here, He exhorts His followers to lead well, serve humbly, give thanks, and watch for His second coming. In Luke 18, Jesus gives a series of comparisons to show how we are to approach God—as He approaches Jerusalem and the cross.
Book Summary:
Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.
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