Luke 17

Luke 17 addresses several key themes, including forgiveness, faith, gratitude, and the coming of God’s kingdom. Jesus teaches His disciples about the importance of avoiding offenses, the necessity of forgiving others, and having faith. He also heals ten lepers, of whom only one, a Samaritan, returns to give thanks. The chapter concludes with Jesus explaining the signs of the coming kingdom and the unexpected nature of His return.

Luke 17:1-10 (NKJV)
1 Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!
2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?
8 But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’?
9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.
10 So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”

Jesus teaches His disciples about the inevitability of offenses but warns against being the cause of others’ sin, especially those who are vulnerable, saying it would be better to face a terrible death than to lead others astray. He then instructs them to rebuke those who sin and forgive those who repent, even if they sin repeatedly in a single day, highlighting the boundless nature of forgiveness. When the disciples ask for increased faith, Jesus assures them that even faith as small as a mustard seed can accomplish great things when placed in God’s power. He concludes with a parable about a servant doing their duty, teaching that disciples should serve God humbly, understanding that their obedience is simply fulfilling their responsibility, not something that earns special recognition or reward. Together, these teachings emphasize the Christian values of accountability, forgiveness, faith, and humility in service to God and others.

Luke 17:11-19 (NKJV)
11 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.
13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.
17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?
18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?”
19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

In this account, Jesus encounters ten lepers who, in accordance with Jewish law, keep their distance but call out for mercy. He instructs them to show themselves to the priests, the recognized way to verify a healing from leprosy. As they obey, all ten are cleansed, but only one returns to thank Jesus, who notes that this grateful man is a Samaritan, an outsider in Jewish society. Jesus commends the Samaritan's faith, highlighting gratitude as a vital response to God’s mercy.

Luke 17:20-21 (NKJV)
20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation;
21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

Jesus explains that the kingdom of God does not come with outward signs or observable locations because it is fundamentally where God’s personal presence resides. Since Jesus was the temple of God—indwelt by God's Spirit from His baptism—the kingdom was in their midst wherever Jesus was. This reflects that the kingdom of God is not about physical territory but about the active presence and reign of God through His Spirit. On the Day of Pentecost, the kingdom of God extended to believers as God, through Jesus, came to dwell in them by the Holy Spirit, also called the Comforter (John 14:23). This marked a shift, where believers collectively became the temple of God, carrying His Spirit within them. Thus, the kingdom of God is now present in the lives of believers, as they embody and reflect His reign through the indwelling Spirit.

Luke 17:22-25 (NKJV)
22 Then He 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.
23 And they will say to you, ‘Look here!’ or ‘Look there!’ Do not go after them or follow them.
24 For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.
25 But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

This passage highlights Jesus’ teaching about the nature of His second coming. He warns His disciples not to be deceived by claims of a secret or localized return, as His coming will be unmistakable, like lightning flashing across the sky. He also emphasizes that before this event, He must first suffer and be rejected by the current generation. This passage underscores the importance of vigilance, understanding the signs of His return, and not being swayed by false teachings. It reminds believers to focus on His mission and be prepared for His visible and glorious return.

Luke 17:26-33 (NKJV)
26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:
27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;
29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.
30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
31 In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.
32 Remember Lot’s wife.
33 Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

Jesus likens the circumstances of His Second Coming to the days of Noah and Lot, emphasizing the normalcy of daily activities up until the moment of sudden, divine judgment. He warns that just as the flood and fire came unexpectedly while people were engrossed in everyday life—eating, drinking, marrying, buying, selling, planting, and building—so will His return catch many off guard. The instructions to not return for belongings upon seeing the signs of this time highlight the urgency and necessity of spiritual preparedness over material concerns. Jesus further reinforces this message by referencing Lot’s wife, whose look back symbolizes the fatal consequences of clinging to worldly attachments. He concludes with a poignant reminder: those who focus on preserving their earthly lives at the expense of spiritual fidelity will ultimately lose them, while those who forsake such concerns for His sake will find true life, underscoring the call to vigilant readiness and the prioritization of eternal over temporal values.

Luke 17:34-37 (NKJV)
34 I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left.
35 Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left.
36 Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.”
37 And they answered and said to Him, “Where, Lord?” So He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.”

Jesus concludes His teaching on the suddenness and visibility of His return with a sobering image: "one will be taken and the other left." This statement is often misunderstood as indicating that those taken are raptured or saved; however, in the context of Jesus' comparison to the days of Noah and Lot, it suggests a different interpretation. Just as in Noah’s time, those who were taken away were the ones who perished in the flood, while Noah and his family, who were left, were the ones saved through the ark. Similarly, in the destruction of Sodom, those who perished were effectively taken away by judgment, while Lot and his daughters, who were left, escaped.

The continuation of this theme in Luke is evident when the disciples ask, "Where, Lord?" and Jesus responds, "Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather." This imagery of vultures gathering suggests that being "taken" refers to being swept away by divine judgment, not raptured to safety. The corpses symbolize those who have faced the harsh judgment of God, akin to the unrighteous in Noah's and Lot’s times who were consumed by water and fire, respectively.

This interpretation underscores the nature of Christ’s return as a moment of decisive separation based on one's spiritual condition and readiness. It also highlights the stark reality of judgment that will accompany His coming. Those who are "left" are the ones who remain faithful and endure until the end, saved from destruction, not those who are taken away. Thus, this passage calls for vigilance and spiritual preparedness, as the coming of the Son of Man will be as clear and definitive as the catastrophic events of old. It’s a direct challenge to maintain faith and righteousness amidst a world that might otherwise seem to carry on as usual until the moment of final judgment.