Luke 17:30 - Printer Friendly

ESV: so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

NIV: "It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.

NASB: It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.

CSB: It will be like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed.

NLT: Yes, it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

KJV: Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

NKJV: Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Jesus has given examples from history to describe the conditions of His second coming. In one sense, the world at that time will be like it was during Noah's life. That was when "the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and…every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5). In those days, people were "eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage;" they were celebrating while living an ungodly lifestyle "until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all" (Luke 17:27).

In the same way, people will be living like those in Sodom at the time of Lot: "they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building" until "fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all" (Luke 17:28–29).

According to the pretribulation view of the end times, Jesus will physically return only after the world has experienced seven years of catastrophic events: manmade, natural, and supernatural. Some who take advantage of what the Antichrist has created will be protected, however, by their wealth and good standing. The blissful ignorance Jesus refers to here may mean those persons. It may also be a broader statement: that when the end times begin, the world at large will be unprepared.

Jesus said His followers "will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man" and not immediately see it (Luke 17:22). When they finally witness God's judgment over His enemies, they may be like Habakkuk. He sought justice but became more hesitant when he saw how terrible it would be (Habakkuk 3:1–15). Ultimately, the Old Testament prophet says, "I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us" (Habakkuk 3:16).

The last part of Matthew 24:39 may be a parallel account of this same conversation. More likely, Jesus warned about His second coming more than once. Matthew and Mark place Jesus' warning during the Passion Week and don't mention Lot (Matthew 24; Mark 13).

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.