Luke 17:36 - Printer Friendly

This verse isn't found in the most reliable manuscripts. In the King James Version it reads, "Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left." Perhaps the manuscripts that include Luke 17:36 take it from Matthew 24:40. Matthew 24:41 matches Luke 17:35, so a copyist may have thought this sentiment completed a triplet of comparisons. Given the care with which manuscripts were transcribed, it is possible a scribe was reading from a copy of Luke that had Matthew 24:40 written in the margin as a study note and thought it was a correction to the text. Ultimately, it doesn't matter. It is a small deviation with no effect on the truth of God's Word. In fact, the minor amount of such variances, and translators' willingness to point them out, demonstrates the reliability of the biblical manuscripts. In the case of this verse, we know the phrase was said by Jesus at some point, since it is in Matthew's gospel. But it's not likely meant to be repeated in this exact spot in Luke's gospel.

Jesus is explaining that when He returns to earth to bring judgment on those who rebel against God—who reject Him as their Savior—people who are intimately close will wind up on different sides. Two family members who sleep on the same bed could be divided as well as two women who prepare meals together (Luke 17:34–35). Jesus warned His disciples about this earlier, saying His message would create division, even among households—fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law (Luke 12:51–53).

In this case, it's two men who work in the field together. They may be family, or they may be fellow servants or laborers. As with the previous two verses, we don't know what "taken" and "left" signify; it's not clear which is brought to judgment and which is brought to live with Jesus. The point is merely that two people can have very similar lives on earth but vastly different spiritual lives and eternal destinies.

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.