This teaching is quite similar to portions of the Olivet Discourse (cf. Matt. 24:23-28, 37-39), though the differences suggest separate teaching situations. It is one of several teachings that Luke recorded that deals with the future (cf. 12:35-48; 14:7-24; 21:5-33). This one stresses the distant future and the Second Coming. The one in chapter 21 deals mainly with the near future from Jesus' perspective and the destruction of Jerusalem.
17:22-23 Jesus next gave His disciples more instruction about the coming of the kingdom. One of the days of the Son of Man refers to one of the future days when the Son of Man will be reigning on the earth (cf. vv. 24-25, 30), perhaps the first day.397The use of "Son of Man"recalls Daniel 7:13-14 that predicts the earthly reign of Messiah. The disciples would desire to see the kingdom come because they would experience persecution before Jesus returned. There would be many false alarms about His return, but disciples should not allow others to mislead them (cf. Matt. 24:23; Mark 13:21).
17:24-25 Jesus' return would be unmistakable (cf. Matt. 24:27, 30). The messianic kingdom will not creep up on people. People living on the earth then will not discover that it began some time ago and that they are then in it. Everyone will know when it begins. However before the Son of Man begins His reign He first had to suffer and experience rejection by the unbelieving Jews of His day (cf. 9:22, 41; 11:29, 31-32, 50-51; 24:26, 46; Matt. 16:21; Acts 17:3).
17:26 When Jesus said the days of the Son of Man would be similar to the days of Noah He meant the days just before the Son of Man's reign. This is clear from the comparison with the beginning of the flood. In Noah's days and toward the end of the Tribulation, just before Jesus returns, people were and will be unresponsive to preached warnings of coming judgment (cf. Matt. 24:37-39; 2 Pet. 2:5). In Noah's day, "The wickedness of man was great on the earth, and every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually"(Gen. 6:5). "Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence"(Gen. 6:11).
17:27 "Eating and drinking"and "marrying and being given in marriage"are phrases that describe people living life normally. The return of Jesus would suddenly disrupt their lives and call them to a judgment. People living in Noah's day were unprepared for the flood. Similarly most people living just before the Second Coming will be unprepared for the judgment that will follow Jesus' return, and they will perish in it (cf. Matt. 25:31-46).
17:28-29 This second example of unexpected judgment reinforces the first. It also repeats the hope that some will escape divine condemnation when the Son of Man returns, namely the righteous living on earth then. By comparing moral conditions on the earth at the Second Coming with Sodom, Jesus was picturing the worst kinds of evil running rampant. Destruction unexpected by most people fell quickly and interrupted normal daily living.
17:30-31 The word "apocalypse"comes from the Greek word apokalypto, meaning "to appear,"that occurs here. Jesus' sudden appearing at the Second Coming will constitute the greatest apocalypse in history. When it begins everyone must flee for cover (cf. Matt. 24:17-18; Mark 13:15-16; Luke 21:21).
17:32-33 Lot's wife is an instructive example of someone who underestimated the destructive power of God's judgment and perished because she was slow to seek refuge. She sought to preserve her former way of life, and in doing so she perished (Gen. 19:26; cf. Matt. 10:39). Likewise people living when Jesus returns will need to seek physical refuge rather than clinging to earthly treasures (cf. ch. 12). The salvation of Lot's wife is debatable. Therefore we should probably take her as a warning to all people including believers. This view finds support in the "whoever"of verse 33. Physical destruction is in view (v. 31).
The point of these examples is that when Jesus returns He will separate people, even those who are intimate companions. The unstated reason is implicit, namely to judge some and not the others. Some will be ready for His return and others will not. The idea of sudden destruction resulting in judgment runs through the entire passage.
The presence of two men in one bed may be another indication of the moral condition of that time, but the main idea is their close association. It was common for a mother and daughter or two female friends to grind grain together in Jesus' day (cf. Matt. 24:41). Perhaps Jesus intended the fact that one separation takes place at night and the other during daytime to reinforce the fact that He could return at either time. Of course, whenever He returns some people on earth will be sleeping and others will be awake. Those taken will experience punishment and will die while those left will enter the kingdom since they will be believers. This is the opposite of what will happen at the Rapture (cf. 1 Thess. 4:13-17). Then Jesus will take the godly into heaven and will leave the unbelievers on earth to enter the Tribulation.398
A scribe probably inserted verse 36 (cf. Matt. 24:40). It is absent in the best ancient Greek manuscripts.
Evidently the disciples (v. 22) wanted to know where this judgment would occur. Rather than giving them a geographical site, Jesus told them what to look for. The presence of corruption would indicate the coming of one to clean it up. Similarly the presence of a dead body outdoors indicated that a vulture would be along soon to eat the carrion (cf. Matt. 24:28).
"Vultures hovering over dead bodies graphically depict the death and judgment that comes with Jesus' return as the judging Son of Man (17:37)."399
The general teaching of the parable is that Jesus' appearing and the beginning of the kingdom will be sudden and unexpected by most people who are alive then. It will be an unmistakable event in history and will involve physical danger for earth-dwellers because divine judgment will follow immediately. No one will be able to miss it when it occurs. Jesus did not say exactly when it would occur, but clearly it would not happen immediately. An interval of time would have to elapse.
