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Luke 17

Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!

It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?

And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?

Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.

So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

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

For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

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

In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.

Remember Lot's wife.

Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

What does Luke 17:36 mean?

Explanation

Luke 17:36, "Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left," speaks to the sudden and selective nature of a future event, commonly interpreted as the Second Coming of Christ or a moment of divine reckoning.

The passage suggests that despite being in the same place and potentially engaging in the same activities, people will experience very different fates.

The one taken is typically understood to be received into God's kingdom, while the one left is left to face judgment.

The verse emphasizes the idea that preparedness and righteousness, rather than simply proximity or association, are what matter in this eschatological separation.

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Historical Context

Luke 17:36 is a part of the eschatological discourse where Jesus is teaching about the end times.

While this specific verse is not included in many modern translations of the Bible as it does not appear in the earliest Greek manuscripts, it is reflected in other Gospels, such as Matthew 24:40.

The context of this teaching reflects the Jewish apocalyptic expectation of the era, which anticipated a messianic deliverance and the establishment of God's kingdom. It's also important to note that in the First Century, many believed that the end of the world was imminent.

Theological Insights

From a Preterist viewpoint, this event may be seen as the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, with 'taken' symbolizing being saved from this disaster.

From a Futurist perspective, it is commonly seen as a reference to the Rapture, where believers are taken up to meet Christ. Others interpret it as a depiction of final judgment, where individuals are separated based on their faith and actions.

Practical Applications

The call to be vigilant and prepared is a practical application of Luke 17:36. Individuals are urged to live ethically and faithfully, not knowing when their time will come.

This verse is a reminder that mere association with a spiritual community is not enough; personal faith and readiness hold greater value.

Cross-References

Matthew 24:40-41 (KJV): "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left."

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (KJV): "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

Language Study

The key phrase in the original Greek Manuscript for this verse is "ὁ εἷς παραλημφθήσεται καὶ ὁ ἕτερος ἀφεθήσεται" which literally translates to "one will be taken and the other left." The word "παραλημφθήσεται" (paralambanetai) conveys receiving or taking to oneself, which can bear implications of being chosen or rescued.

The word "ἀφεθήσεται" (aphethesetai) means to be left or forsaken, with a possible connotation of abandonment or being left behind.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The theme of divine selection is common in ancient religions.

Comparable myths might include tales of gods choosing heroes or pious individuals for special favor, while others face destruction.

An example from Norse mythology would be the idea of the Valkyries choosing which warriors in battle are brought to Valhalla.

The essence of these stories is that divine forces make ultimate decisions about human destiny based on a person's life and actions.

Scientific Perspectives

Science generally does not address theological claims of rapture or divine judgment due to their metaphysical nature.

However, the concept of unpredictability and chance, such as one person being 'taken' and another left, resonates with the inherent unpredictability observed in natural phenomena, as explained by chaos theory and probability.

Commentaries

According to the Expositor's Bible Commentary, this verse serves as a stark reminder of the suddenness and the individuality of the Lord's coming and the judgment accompanying it – every person must be accountable for themselves.

Scholars like Matthew Henry interpret the 'taking' as being taken in mercy and the 'leaving' as being left in judgment. Diverse interpretations exist among theological scholars, but many agree that the emphasis is on readiness and the personal nature of spiritual preparedness.

Luke 17

Luke 17

What does Luke 17:36 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 17:36 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?