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The Coming of God's Kingdom
Jesus answers a question about when God’s Kingdom will come, then teaches his disciples about the day of the Son of Man. He warns them not to chase reports and urges readiness.
Understanding the passage
Understanding the passage
Jesus first speaks to the Pharisees about God’s Kingdom, then to his disciples. In this passage he contrasts visible claims with what cannot be tracked that way, and he compares the Son of Man’s day with the days of Noah and Lot.
Luke 17:20–35; Luke 17:37Main takeaway
Jesus teaches that his followers must not run after claimed sightings, because the day of the Son of Man will be unmistakable and calls for urgent readiness.
Explore the teaching
01The kingdom is not found by watching for a locationWhen the Pharisees ask when God’s Kingdom will come, Jesus says it does not come “with observation”.
Explanation
When the Pharisees ask when God’s Kingdom will come, Jesus says it does not come “with observation”. People will not be able to say, “Look, here!” or “Look, there!” He then says, “God’s Kingdom is within you.” The passage rules out treating the kingdom as a place to spot.
02Do not follow reports about the Son of ManJesus tells the disciples they will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man. Even so, they must not follow people who say, “Look, here!”
Explanation
Jesus tells the disciples they will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man. Even so, they must not follow people who say, “Look, here!” or “Look, there!” His day will be as clear as lightning across the sky. Before that, he must suffer and be rejected.
03Noah and Lot show ordinary life before sudden destructionJesus compares the days of the Son of Man to Noah’s and Lot’s days. He lists normal activities: eating, drinking, marrying, buying, selling, planting and building.
Explanation
Jesus compares the days of the Son of Man to Noah’s and Lot’s days. He lists normal activities: eating, drinking, marrying, buying, selling, planting and building. Yet destruction came on the day Noah entered the ship and on the day Lot went out from Sodom. So ordinary routines did not remove coming judgement.
04Do not turn back on that dayJesus says a person on the housetop must not go down for goods, and a person in the field must not turn back.
Explanation
Jesus says a person on the housetop must not go down for goods, and a person in the field must not turn back. “Remember Lot’s wife!” fits this warning. He adds that one may be taken and another left, even side by side. Asked where, Jesus answers with an image of vultures gathering where a body is.
Questions to explore
01What does Jesus say about trying to locate God’s Kingdom by observation?
Compare his words about “observation” with the sayings “Look, here!” and “Look, there!” in his answer.
02Why should the disciples ignore reports about the Son of Man’s day?
Notice Jesus’ warning not to follow such claims and his picture of lightning across the sky.
03How do Noah, Lot and Lot’s wife strengthen Jesus’ warning not to turn back?
Read the examples together and note the repeated stress on the day something happened.
Read the Bible passages
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Luke 17:20–35
20Being asked by the Pharisees when God’s Kingdom would come, he answered them, “God’s Kingdom doesn’t come with observation;
21neither will they say, ‘Look, here!’ or, ‘Look, there!’ for behold, God’s Kingdom is within you.”
22He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.
23They will tell you, ‘Look, here!’ or ‘Look, there!’ Don’t go away or follow after them,
24for as the lightning, when it flashes out of one part under the sky, shines to another part under the sky, so will the Son of Man be in his day.
25But first, he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
26As it was in the days of Noah, even so it will also be in the days of the Son of Man.
27They ate, they drank, they married, and they were given in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ship, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
28Likewise, even as it was in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;
29but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from the sky and destroyed them all.
30It will be the same way in the day that the Son of Man is revealed.
31In that day, he who will be on the housetop and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away. Let him who is in the field likewise not turn back.
32Remember Lot’s wife!
33Whoever seeks to save his life loses it, but whoever loses his life preserves it.
34I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed. One will be taken and the other will be left.
35There will be two grinding grain together. One will be taken and the other will be left.”
Luke 17:37
37They, answering, asked him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there the vultures will also be gathered together.”