Luke 17:20-37
The Coming of the Kingdom
20 Now at one point ▼▼tn The words “at one point” are supplied to indicate that the following incident is not necessarily in chronological sequence with the preceding event.
the Pharisees ▼ asked Jesus ▼▼tn Grk “having been asked by the Pharisees.” The passive construction has been translated as an active one in keeping with contemporary English style, and the direct object, Jesus, has been supplied from the context.
when the kingdom of God ▼▼sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus’ teaching. The nature of the kingdom of God in the NT and in Jesus’ teaching has long been debated by interpreters and scholars, with discussion primarily centering around the nature of the kingdom (earthly, heavenly, or both) and the kingdom’s arrival (present, future, or both). An additional major issue concerns the relationship between the kingdom of God and the person and work of Jesus himself. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.
was coming, so he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs ▼▼tn Or “is not coming in a way that it can be closely watched” (L&N 24.48). Although there are differing interpretations of what this means, it probably refers to the cosmic signs often associated with the kingdom’s coming in the Jewish view (1 En. 91, 93; 2 Bar. 53–74). See D. L. Bock, Luke (BECNT), 2:1412-14, also H. Riesenfeld, TDNT 8:150.
to be observed, 21nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is ▼▼tn This is a present tense in the Greek text. In contrast to waiting and looking for the kingdom, it is now available.
in your midst.” ▼▼tn This is a far better translation than “in you.” Jesus would never tell the hostile Pharisees that the kingdom was inside them. The reference is to Jesus present in their midst. He brings the kingdom. Another possible translation would be “in your grasp.” For further discussion and options, see D. L. Bock, Luke (BECNT), 2:1414-19.
The Coming of the Son of Man
22 Then ▼▼tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days ▼▼sn This is a reference to the days of the full manifestation of Jesus’ power in a fully established kingdom. The reference to “days” instead of “day” is unusual, appearing only here and in v. 26, but it may be motivated merely by parallelism with the “days” of Noah there and the “days of Lot” in v. 28.
of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23Then people ▼▼tn Grk “And they will say.” The plural in Greek is indefinite, referring to people in general. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
will say to you, ‘Look, there he is!’ ▼▼tn The words “he is” here and in the following clause are understood and have been supplied from the context.
or ‘Look, here he is!’ Do not go out or chase after them. ▼▼sn Do not go out or chase after them. There will be no need to search for the Son of Man at his coming, though many will falsely claim its arrival.
24For just like the lightning flashes ▼▼sn The Son of Man’s coming in power will be sudden and obvious like lightning. No one will need to point it out.
and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. ▼▼tc Some very significant mss (P75 B D it sa) lack the words ἐν τῇ ἡμέρα αὐτοῦ (en tē hēmera autou, “in his day”), but the words are included in א A L W Θ Ψ ƒ1,13 Maj lat sy bo. On the one hand, the shorter reading is impressive because it has some of the best Alexandrian and Western witnesses in support; on the other hand, the expression ἐν τῇ ἡμέρα αὐτοῦ is unusual (found nowhere else in the NT), and may be considered the harder reading. A decision is difficult, but it is probably best to retain the words. NA28 rightly has the words in brackets, expressing doubt as to their authenticity.
25But first he must ▼ suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 26Just ▼▼tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
as it was ▼▼tn Or “as it happened.”
in the days of Noah, ▼▼sn Like the days of Noah, the time of the flood in Gen 6:5-8:22, the judgment will come as a surprise as people live their day to day lives.
so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. 27People ▼▼tn Grk “They.” The plural in Greek is indefinite, referring to people in general.
were eating, ▼▼tn These verbs (“eating…drinking…marrying…being given in marriage”) are all progressive imperfects, describing action in progress at that time.
they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage—right up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then ▼▼tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
the flood came and destroyed them all. ▼▼sn Like that flood came and destroyed them all, the coming judgment associated with the Son of Man will condemn many.
28Likewise, just as it was ▼▼tn Or “as it happened.”
in the days of Lot, people ▼▼tn Grk “they.” The plural in Greek is indefinite, referring to people in general.
were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; 29but on the day Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. ▼▼sn And destroyed them all. The coming of the Son of Man will be like the judgment on Sodom, one of the most immoral places of the OT (Gen 19:16-17; Deut 32:32-33; Isa 1:10).
30It will be the same on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31On that day, anyone who is on the roof, ▼▼sn Most of the roofs in the NT were flat roofs made of pounded dirt, sometimes mixed with lime or stones, supported by heavy wooden beams. They generally had an easy means of access, either a sturdy wooden ladder or stone stairway, sometimes on the outside of the house.
with his goods in the house, must not come down ▼▼sn The swiftness and devastation of the judgment will require a swift escape. There is no time to come down from one’s roof and pick up anything from inside one’s home.
to take them away, and likewise the person in the field must not turn back. 32Remember Lot’s wife! ▼ 33Whoever tries to keep ▼▼tn Or “tries to preserve”; Grk “seeks to gain.”
his life ▼ will lose it, ▼▼sn The Greek word translated life can refer to both earthly, physical life and inner, transcendent life (one’s “soul”). In the context, if a person is not willing to suffer the world’s rejection and persecution in order to follow Jesus but instead seeks to retain his physical life, then that person will lose both physical life and inner, transcendent life (at the judgment). On the other hand, the one who willingly gives up earthly, physical life to follow Jesus (“loses his life”) will ultimately preserve one’s “soul” (note that the parallel in John’s Gospel speaks of “guarding one’s ‘soul’ for eternal life” (John 12:25).
but whoever loses his life will preserve it. 34I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. ▼▼sn There is debate among commentators and scholars over the phrase one will be taken and the other left about whether one is taken for judgment or for salvation. If the imagery is patterned after the rescue of Noah from the flood and Lot from Sodom, as some suggest, the ones taken are the saved (as Noah and Lot were) and those left behind are judged. The imagery, however, is not directly tied to the identification of the two groups. Its primary purpose in context is to picture the sudden, surprising separation of the righteous and the judged (i.e., condemned) at the return of the Son of Man.
35There will be two women grinding grain together; ▼▼tn Grk “at the same place.” According to L&N 46.16, this refers to a hand mill normally operated by two women.
one will be taken and the other left.” ▼▼tc Several mss (D ƒ13 [579] 700 al lat sy) add (with several variations among these witnesses) 17:36 “There will be two in the field; one will be taken and the other left.” It is not well enough attested to be original. Further, it is an assimilation to the parallel in Matt 24:40, which marks the addition as secondary. The present translation follows NA28 in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.
36– 37Then ▼▼tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
the disciples ▼ said ▼▼tn Grk “answering, they said to him.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation.
to him, “Where, ▼▼sn The question “Where, Lord?” means, “Where will the judgment take place?”
Lord?” He replied to them, “Where the dead body ▼▼tn Or “corpse.”
is, there the vultures ▼▼tn The same Greek term can refer to “eagles” or “vultures” (L&N 4.42; BDAG 22 s.v. ἀετός), but in this context it must mean vultures because the gruesome image is one of dead bodies being consumed by scavengers.
▼▼sn Jesus’ answer is that when the judgment comes, the scenes of death will be obvious and so will the location of the judgment.
will gather.” ▼▼tn Grk “will be gathered.” The passive construction has been translated as an active one in English.
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