Luke 17

(Matthew 16:25; 24:17-18,26-28,37-41; Mark 8:35; 13:15-16,21,23)

20-21 The Jewish leaders were always seeking to know when the kingdom of God would come. They expected that the Messiah would come like a powerful earthly king, overthrow the Romans, and establish the nation of Israel once more. Then, of course, they supposed that they themselves would be the main officials in this new Jewish kingdom.

Therefore, thinking that Jesus was some kind of prophet, they asked Him when the kingdom of God would come.

He answered, “The kingdom of God does not come visibly.” People want to be able to say, “Ah, there it is over there.” But the kingdom of God is something spiritual; it is not a kingdom of this world. The kingdom of God is really the rule of God in men’s hearts (see Matthew 12:19 and comment).

Not only that, the kingdom of God has already come. Jesus brought the kingdom with Him. When men accept Christ, they enter the kingdom of God and the kingdom of God enters them. “The kingdom of God is within you,”³⁹ said Jesus.

The Pharisees wanted to know when the kingdom of God would come. But if their spiritual eyes had been open, they would have known that it had already come.

22 In verses 20-21, Jesus talked to the Pharisees about the coming of the kingdom of God—that is, about His first coming. Now in verse 22, Jesus begins to talk to His disciples about His second coming, the days of the Son of Man,⁴⁰ which will occur at the end of the world.

Jesus said, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man.” Jesus’ meaning was as follows. After Jesus’ death and ascension to heaven, the disciples would experience severe persecution. Indeed, most of the disciples would be killed. In those dark days, they would long to see Jesus come again in power and glory (Mark 13:26). “But,” said Jesus, “you will not see it. I will not return before you die.”

23-24 See Matthew 24:26-27; Mark 13:21 and comment.

25 Here Jesus again tells His disciples that He Himselfmust suffer and die before He can come again in glory (see Mark 8:31 and comment).

26-27 Here Jesus describes how He, the Son of Man, will come. He will come unexpectedly. He will come as a judge. And just as men were destroyed by the flood in the days of Noah, so also at Christ’s second coming evil men will be condemned and destroyed (see Matthew 24:37-39 and comment).

28-29 The coming of the Son of Man will also be like the fire and sulfur that came suddenly down from heaven and destroyed the wicked city of Sodom in the days of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. The people were not expecting God’s judgment. They were eating and drinking and making merry. They believed they were secure. But as soon as God had rescued Lot and his daughters, He destroyed the city and all the people in it (see Genesis 19:1-29; Matthew 11:23-24).

30-31 See Mark 13:15-16 and comment.

32 Remember Lot’s wife! Lot’s wife at first escaped from Sodom before it was destroyed. But she looked back. She did not want to leave the wicked city. She did not want to give it up. Her heart was in the city and not with God. So she was turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:16-17,26).

Remember Lot’s wife! Let us who have escaped from “Sodom” take heed, and not turn back to our old life. For if we do, we too, like Lot’s wife, will be turned spiritually into “pillars of salt.”

33 See Mark 8:35 and comment.

34-36 See Matthew 24:40-41 and comment.⁴¹

37 See Matthew 24:28; Mark 13:23 and comment.