Luke 17:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them.

NIV: People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them.

NASB: And they will say to you, ‘Look there,’ or, ‘Look here!’ Do not leave, and do not run after them.

CSB: They will say to you, ‘See there!’ or ‘See here!’ Don’t follow or run after them.

NLT: People will tell you, ‘Look, there is the Son of Man,’ or ‘Here he is,’ but don’t go out and follow them.

KJV: And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.

NKJV: And they will say to you, ‘Look here!’ or ‘Look there!’ Do not go after them or follow them.

Reading, understanding, and obeying this verse would prevent many, many people from joining cults. Jesus is talking to His disciples about how they need to be wise when His return seems delayed. His followers will ache for Him to return, but He will not come as soon as they wish (Luke 17:22). That desire will make them susceptible to false christs: antichrists.

Those sensitive to grammar will notice that in this part of our commentary, the term "christ" is not always capitalized. The word, itself, is a title derived from a Greek term. When referring to Jesus, the legitimate fulfillment of that word, He is indicated as the "capital-C-Christ." Those who claim the title, falsely, are not so marked.

Matthew 24:24 says that some false christs will be so convincing that even Christians would be confused. These deceivers will "perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect." Fortunately, it is not possible for believers to be led out of saving faith. Those who have put their faith in Jesus have the "Spirit of truth" (John 14:17) who is our seal of salvation (2 Corinthians 1:22; cf. Ephesians 1:13–14).

This verse says that people will tell others to "look here" to find a false christ. Matthew 24:26 says false christs will be in the wilderness or the inner room. Jesus' point is that people will claim a messiah figure is hidden and not obvious. Jesus promises that His return will not be subtle: "For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day" (Luke 17:24).

This text resembles Mark 13:21 and Matthew 24:23, although Mark's and Matthew's versions say, "do not believe it," and Luke's, "do not go out or follow them." In Luke 21:8, Jesus talks about the antichrists, themselves, claiming to be Jesus. These subtle differences suggest Jesus taught the same material on different occasions.

Luke 17:22–37 may create confusion for two reasons. The first is where to place the events in relation to the end times. Are they before the rapture or at the end of the tribulation? The second complication is the placement of Jesus' teaching. Did He deliver this message while traveling through Galilee and Samaria, or outside of Jerusalem during the final week prior to His crucifixion? Ultimately, neither question is as important as the clear message: Jesus' return will be unmistakable, and those who are not ready will suffer greatly. This passage covers similar material to Matthew 24 and Mark 13.

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.

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.

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.