The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, "See here!" or "See there!" For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you

 

Christ Pantocrator (Almighty) icon, 6th century.  St. Catherine's monastery, Sinai, Egypt

 

 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."  

 

Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!'  Do not go after them or follow them.  For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.  But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

 

"And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot:  They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.  

 

"In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.  Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:  the one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together:  the one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field:  the one will be taken and the other left.  And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?"  So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."

 

- Luke 17:20–37 

 

Yesterday we read that it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.  Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.  And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"  So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests."  And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.  And he was a Samaritan.  So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed?  But where are the nine?  Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"  And He said to him, "Arise, go your way.  Your faith has made you well."

 

 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."    My study Bible explains that the kingdom of God is a spiritual reality present within the Christian believer and within the community of the Church.  Within you can also be translated "among you" or "in your midst."  The varied shades of meaning in the words of the Gospel are important; they are to be held and considered at the same time.  

Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!'  Do not go after them or follow them.  For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.  But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation."    The coming of Christ will not be something that is hidden, or divulged only to a few.  It will be as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven; that is, it will be known to all immediately.  But first Christ's Passion must take place, His suffering and rejection on the Cross.

"And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot:  They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed."  My study Bible comments on this passage that the warning not to be preoccupied with worldly matters applies both to believers and to parishes. 

 

 "In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.  Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:  the one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together:  the one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field:  the one will be taken and the other left."  My study Bible notes that Christ's second coming will entail a sudden revelation of judgment.  It says that one will be taken to heaven and the other left for eternal condemnation.  The separation of the saints from the wicked will happen on "the day when the Son of Man is revealed" and not, as some speculate today, at an event that occurs before His return. 

 

And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?"  So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."  My study Bible says that the body refers to Christ, while the eagles refer to the angels and the saints.  

 

Today's reading begins with the theme of the kingdom of God, with the Pharisees asking when it would come.  Christ's gospel has been the gospel of the Kingdom, His preaching saying that the kingdom of God has come near.   But the nature of this Kingdom is significant, and Jesus teaches the Pharisees that it is within (or among) people.  Note that this works on both a communal and individual level.  But then Jesus takes that question to a new perspective when He addresses the disciples, and begins to speak about what we call "end times."  This is important, in that it is at that time that the fullness of the Kingdom, even the fullness of the present age, occurs.  That time, that fulfillment of the present age, comes when Christ returns, at His Second Coming, and in that time -- importantly -- will also occur a sudden revelation of judgment, in the words of my study Bible.  It is for that sudden revelation that He wants us, His disciples, to be prepared at all times.  From the picture Christ gives of the fullness of this time, it is understood that we are in "end times" now; this is the era initiated by the Incarnation.  As we await Christ's return -- even in that sudden sense which He describes as a flash of lightning which shines from one end of the sky to the other -- we await the fullness of this age of the "end times."   This happens at the return of the Son of Man, and that is truly when His authority will be clear to all.   It is most telling that He says then, "But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation."  For what this does is set the Cross at the very center of the history of the world, in between all that has come before, and all that will come until this fullness of the end, when judgment will be revealed and life in this world as we know it will shift absolutely to a different type of life altogether.  The way that Jesus adds this assertion is not only to warn the disciples about the shocking events to come, but to place the Cross fully at the center of everything.  It tells us how absolutely necessary Christ's Cross -- His Passion, death, and Resurrection -- is to all the fullness of time and of life in this world.  Also, it tells of the necessity of these events for judgment, for without them He will not be given the fullness of the throne which is His.  In Greek, this position on His throne in the Kingdom is that of the Pantocrator, the "Almighty."  (See the icon above, and the two sides of Christ's face, reflecting His human life and divine.)  And the Cross is also at the very center of that identity, the requirement that in His obedience to the Father, Jesus, our Lord and divine Son, will also experience everything there is of human life, and even human death.  He will be all in all.  In the Creed, we declare that we "look to the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come."  Let us understand all that we have been given, the love that drives Christ to the fullness of His Incarnation for us, and the judgment that is to come as He brings to us the Holy Spirit at work in the world until His return.  For the kingdom of God is within us, among us, the Holy Spirit everywhere present and filling all things. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect

 

 "Now learn this parable from the fig tree:  When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near -- at the doors!  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. 

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.  But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  Then two men will be in the field:  one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill:  one will be taken and the other left.  

 

"Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.  But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming, and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

 

- Matthew 24:32-51 

 

In chapter 24 of St. Matthew's Gospel, Jesus has been teaching the disciples about "end times" (beginning on Thursday).   In yesterday's reading, He taught them, "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.  And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.  For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.  And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.  Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it.  For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.  See, I have told you beforehand.  Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it.  For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.  Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." 

 

  "Now learn this parable from the fig tree:  When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near -- at the doors!  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  My study Bible comments that this generation refers to all believers at all times, the generation of the Church, and not merely those alive at the time of Christ. 

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.  But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be."  According to St. John Chrysostom, my study Bible says, Christ speaks of the angels being unaware of the exact day of His return "so that men should not seek to learn what angels do not know," and to forbid them not just from learning the day, but from even asking about it.  My study Bible also cites Mark 13:32, and Chrysostom's Matthew text, in which Jesus Himself says that the Son does not know the day of His own return.  Again, according to St. Chrysostom, this isn't to be understood literally, but is rather a figure of speech.  It indicates that Christ, although He has spoken of all the signs that will accompany His return, will not reveal the exact day to anyone -- and that believers should not be so bold as to ask of Him.

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.  But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  Then two men will be in the field:  one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill:  one will be taken and the other left."  Here is where Jesus indicates the judgment that will be revealed at His second coming.  One will be taken to heaven and the other left, my study Bible writes, for eternal condemnation.  It notes that this separation of the saints from the wicked will occur at the coming of the Son of Man, and not, as some teach, at a certain time before Christ's return.  

"Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.  But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming, and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."  My study Bible concludes here that Christ's purpose in making this discourse (the whole of chapter 24) is not to make people end-time prophesy experts.  Clearly His words are given to us so that we may be ready, continuing in virtue and obeying the commandments of Christ.  The final parable, of the returning master, illustrates this warning to all of us. 

 

We don't know what Christ's judgment will entail, nor can we second guess even how it will happen, who will be chosen and who will not, and all the other myriad questions we might have about what it will look like, how it will happen, and how judgment even works.  These things are beyond us and are strictly the purview of God.  Indeed, we're told that we shouldn't even speculate on when this might happen.   The best clue we have is simply the parable of the fig tree.  But, as is so with all of the things Christ has prophesied in this chapter on end times, reflections and glimmers of the things He predicts here come to us throughout history, as their truth continues to manifest itself.  So, therefore, we might conclude that we are at all times to prepare and be ready -- and this seems to be the main thrust of all of His conclusions and warnings to us.  It might not sound warm and fuzzy and comforting, but it seems true that when we forget about judgment, when our consciousness of God's awareness of all that we do slips away from us, then we are in the greatest danger of error and lack of discernment ourselves.  It is at such times we're more likely to be carried away by a passion, a mob mentality, or the exigencies of violence and upheaval in either a personal or larger scale of life.  Indeed, this is the very point of Christ's repeated warnings to us to be vigilant, awake, and aware of who we are and what we're meant to be about, how we live our lives as those who follow His commands, as those who would be His servants.  The final parable makes this completely clear to us:  "But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming, and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."   To fail to keep His warnings uppermost in our minds is to forget about how we relate to one another, to engage in unrighteous violence and abuse, and to become forgetful, even lawless, in our passions and self-indulgence.  This turn of phrase, that the master is coming at an hour that he is not aware of, seems to be a reflection of a solemn promise given here:  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.  It seems to be a kind of affirmation that we surely will be unprepared, as our own forgetfulness is so common, and that the only solution for us is what He tells us:  that we are always to be ready.  We cannot simply depend upon an assumption that we'll see all those signs of the fig tree, or explicitly understand them.  Even the ways that Christ presents end times cannot be construed to have a definite chronology.  Our only resource is obedience to His words and commands, to live a prayerful life, and work the work of God.  We can't do this without ongoing active faith, keeping our prayer lives vital, and participating in His communion.  Moreover, this active and ongoing effort is not ever going to be a static experience, but one that grows and changes and transforms, illuminating errors in our own thoughts and behaviors, and growing in correction and repentance and learning.  It is never meant to stop.  Therefore let us keep vigilant, and do as He asks, reminding ourselves that the Master is returning at an hour we do not expect.  Let us pay attention to what we are to be about!

Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect

 

 "Now learn this parable from the fig tree:  When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near -- at the doors!  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.  But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  Then two men will be in the field:  one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill:  one will be taken and the other left.  Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

 

- Matthew 24:32-44 

 

In our recent readings, Jesus is in Jerusalem, and it is Holy Week, the final week of Christ's earthly life.  After disputing in the temple with the religious authorities, Jesus has stepped outside of the temple, where He has been discussing the "end times" after a question from His disciples.  In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught them:  "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.  And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.  For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.  And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.  Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it.  For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.  See, I have told you beforehand.  Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it.  For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.  Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." 

 

  "Now learn this parable from the fig tree:  When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near -- at the doors!  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  My study Bible comments here that this generation is a reference to all believers at all times.  That is, the generation of the Church, and not only those alive at the time of Christ.  

 

 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."  My study Bible here cites the commentary of St. John Chrysostom.  It quotes St. Chrysostom who says that Christ speaks of the angels being unaware of the exact day of His return "so that men should not seek to learn what angels do not know," and to forbid them not only from learning the day, but even from inquiring about it.    My study Bible goes on to comment that, according to Mark 13:32, and also in St. Chrysostom's Matthew text, Jesus declares that the Son also does not know the day of His own return.  St. Chrysostom, it notes, teaches that this is not to be understood literally.  Rather it is a figure of speech which means that Christ -- even though He has revealed all the signs that will accompany His return, will not reveal the precise day to anyone -- and that believers should not be so brazen as to inquire of Him. 

"But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  Then two men will be in the field:  one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill:  one will be taken and the other left."  My study Bible comments that the second coming of Christ will entail a sudden revelation of judgment.  It says that one will be taken to heaven and the other left for eternal condemnation.  This particular separation of the saints from the wicked will happen at the coming of the Son of Man, and not at a certain time before He returns.  See also Matthew 25:31-46.

"But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."  My study Bible tells us that the Lord's purpose in this "end times" discourse is not to make people experts on end-time prophecy.  Instead, we are prepared so that we watch and be ready, continuing in virtue and in obeying the commandments of Christ.  This warning is illustrated by the parable of the returning master (verses 45-51, tomorrow's lectionary reading). 

When Jesus speaks of His return to us, He speaks of it this way:  "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."  It's odd to think of Christ giving an image of Himself to us as a thief.  Elsewhere, Jesus, in the day of His return, is also spoken of as a thief.  Luke 12:39 repeats the identical words we read here in St. Matthew's Gospel:  "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into."  St. Paul writes, "For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. . . . But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief" (1 Thessalonians 5:2-4).  St. Peter writes that "the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night" in 2 Peter 3:10.  In the Revelation, the Lord warns twice, using the same figurative language:  "Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you"; and "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame" (Revelation 3:3, 16:15).  All of these warnings, describing Jesus' return as "like a thief in the night," teach us about preparedness for this Day, this moment of His Second Coming.  Why like a thief?  A thief's action is unexpected, snatching something away that we might consider precious -- and Jesus' point is that we must be prepared.  We must be ready.  A thief in the night comes while we're sleeping, and sleep is a metaphor for a lack of awareness and focus, a missing alertness to what needs to be done.  This must be our focus in this time.  Our whole lives are times of preparation and readiness for the return of our Lord, and that is the focus He wishes for us to have.  We're to be aware of opportunities to serve.  This is why He emphasizes His return as something that comes upon us as a thief in the night.  We're not to be busy making timetables, but rather to be busy following His wishes, doing His commands, living as He has asked us to live.  We should spend our lives cultivating preparedness for this moment.  For indeed, none of us can know when our time will come at the end of our earthly lives, under any circumstances.  For this is for the most part outside of our control.  We can take good care of our health, we can make sure we have all the advantages, but life throws us all surprises, and we are not in control of the whole of our lives -- for at the end even of our peaceful or prosperous or joyful lives, we still must be prepared for that Day, whether it comes in this earthly life or not.  What acts of compassion do we lack?  Is there a repentance we need to make?  Where is Christ calling us while we still have time in our lives to act?  The image of Christ coming as a thief is a useful one, for it teaches us that Christ's great emphasis is to be prepared for that time, which will come "at an hour you do not expect."

Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it

 

 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."

Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!'  Do not go after them or follow them.  For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.  But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  

 

"And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it as also in the days of Lot:  They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. 

 

"In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.  Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:  the one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together:  the one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field:  the one will be taken and the other left."  

 

And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?"  So He said to them, "Wherever the body is,  there the eagles will be gathered together."

 

- Luke 17:20-37 

 

Yesterday we read that as Jesus went to Jerusalem He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.  Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.  And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"  So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests."  And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.  And he was a Samaritan.  So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed?  But where are the nine?  Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"  And He said to him, "Arise, go your way.  Your faith has made you well."

 

  Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."  Here my study Bible comments that the kingdom of God is a spiritual reality present within the Christian believer and within the community of the Church.  Within you can also be translated "among you" or "in your midst."  This double meaning is important.  In John 1:5, we read, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."  In Greek, as in English, the word translated as "comprehend" means both to understand, and to take in.  Both meanings are implied and important to our understanding. So it is also here in this teaching.  Jesus implies both understandings about the kingdom of God.  It is at once "within" believers, and also "among" them and "in [their] midst."

 

 Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!'  Do not go after them or follow them.  For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.  But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation."  Here Jesus clearly teaches the disciples that they should not be dissuaded or distracted by those who preach another Messiah.  This is made clear when He says that "as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day."  In other words, the return of Christ will be obvious to all, and immediate as a lightning flash.  But first, they must know that in their lifetimes, He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

 

"And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it as also in the days of Lot:  They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed."  My study Bible notes that the warning not to be preoccupied with worldly matters applies both to believers and to parishes.  Additionally, it reinforces the idea that the Second Coming will be sudden and unexpected when it occurs.

"In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.  Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:  the one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together:  the one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field:  the one will be taken and the other left."  My study Bible comments that Christ's second coming will entail a sudden revelation of judgment.  One will be taken to heaven and the other left for eternal condemnation.  The separation of the saints from the wicked will occur on "the day when the Son of man is revealed" (see the verse previous to this section), and not, as some speculate, at an event that occurs before His return.

And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?"  So He said to them, "Wherever the body is,  there the eagles will be gathered together."  My study Bible explains that the body refers to Christ, while the eagles refer to the angels and the saints.  

Jesus gives us a certainty that He will return, and He also gives us other certainties about that return.  One thing of which we are to be certain is that it will happen suddenly, and all at once.  It will be unmistakable to all.  Both St. Peter and St. Paul tell us that that "day of the Lord" will come upon us as "a thief in the night" (2 Peter 3:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-8).  There is an intriguing statement in today's reading, in which Jesus tells us in the middle of this teaching, "Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it."  This seems to be a message to us not to resist this process of judgment that will come, not to look back.  We are meant to keep in mind the kingdom of God that is within us and among us, and that we carry this kingdom within us and in our communities.  We don't want to look back on the things that we are meant to leave behind, but forward to the life worth saving -- the new life in Christ.  It is parallel teaching to that in which Christ tells us to take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23), and the teaching of St. Paul when he writes, "I die daily" (1 Corinthians 15:31).  Perhaps relevant to these warnings is the understanding of precisely where the kingdom of God is to be found.  I recently heard a saying by St. Jerome:  "The graves of the martyrs are altars to Christ."   This speaks at once to looking forward toward the way of the kingdom of God, remembering Lot's wife, and to the way in which we do not seek to save our lives but instead to lose them to Christ.  This is symbolically found in the vision and prophecy of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37), in which Ezekiel is told to prophecy to the "breath of life."  Dry bones appeared to him, as symbols of the deadened state of Israel, and the Lord said to Israel, "I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live."  It may all seem like paradoxical language, but it is directly related to the understanding that the kingdom of God both within us and among us.  For if the kingdom of God is where the Holy Spirit dwells, then we have an understanding of St. Jerome's statement, in addition to the ancient practice of the relics of saints in the earliest Christian churches and specifically in altars.  This is because they are where the Holy Spirit has dwelt, particularly in those who have been martyred for their faith, following the example of the Lord.  It is the Holy Spirit who dwelt in the tabernacle with Israel, the Holy Spirit in the faith of the martyrs and their sacrifice, the Holy Spirit that makes the statement possible that the kingdom of God is both within us and among us.  Without the Holy Spirit, Ezekiel's Israel had no life.  And indeed, it is the Holy Spirit, given to us through the saving mission of Christ, whose ongoing work in this world lead us to that day of His return and revelation.  Just as the Holy Spirit made possible Christ's birth to the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-38), and the Holy Spirit who led Christ into the wilderness to be tempted on the eve of His public ministry (Luke 4:1-2), so it is the Holy Spirit that brings the kingdom of God within and among us.  We, like the tabernacle of Israel in the wilderness, like the saints before us, carry that Kingdom through our faith, and today's reading teaches us what to go forward to, and also what not to cling to even as we go forward in faith.  For, just as Jesus speaks of that day to come, so we accept this truth.  The world, Jesus implies, continues and will continue just as it always has -- with so many people completely unaware of this reality.  And so it is today.  Let us, however, be those who don't look back but accept this mission of the Kingdom within us and among us, and trust in His promise.

 

 

 

 

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only

 

"Now learn this parable from the fig tree:  When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near - at the doors!  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.  But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  Then two men will be in the field:  one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill:  one will be taken and the other left.  Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to given them food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.  But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

 

- Matthew 24:32-51 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued telling the disciples His prophesy of what was to come in Jerusalem, and also speaking of end times:   "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.  And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.  For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.  And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.  Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it.  For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.  See, I have told you beforehand.  Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it.  For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.  Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." 

"Now learn this parable from the fig tree:  When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near - at the doors!  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  My study Bible comments that this generation refers to all believers at all times, the generation of the Church, and not merely to those alive at the time of Christ.  

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."  My study Bible cites the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, who says that Christ tells of the angels being unaware of the exact day of His return "so that men should not seek to learn what angels do not know," and to forbid them not only from learning the day, but from even asking Him about it.  According to Mark 13:32, and the in the Matthew text of Chrysostom, Jesus declares that the Son also doe snot know the day of His own return.  St. John Chrysostom teaches this is not to be understood literally, but rather it is a figure of speech which indicates that Christ, although He revealed all the signs that will accompany His return, will not reveal the exact day to anyone, and that no believer should be so brazen as to inquire of Him.

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.  But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  Then two men will be in the field:  one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill:  one will be taken and the other left."  Christ's second coming will entail a sudden revelation of judgment.  One will be taken to heaven and the other left for eternal condemnation, my study Bible explains.  This separation of the saints from the wicked will occur at the coming of the Son of Man, and not (as some teach today) at a certain time before His second coming.

"Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."  Christ's purpose in teaching the disciples (and us) about the end times is not to make people experts in end-time prophecy.  My study Bible points out that it is rather to teach people to watch and be ready.  This means to continue in virtue and in obeying Christ's commandments.  

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to given them food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.  But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."  This parable is given in illustration of Christ's teaching to "watch therefore," and to "be ready" (in the verses just prior to the parable).  The emphasis is on service and following the commands of the master (Christ) while he is away.  Note that to be disobedient and doing what is improper is to be abusive of fellow servants and forgetful of duties and loyalty.  To be appointed a portion with the hypocrites is to be condemned and exiled from the master's presence  (There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth).

So what is the purpose of Jesus' teaching of end times prophesy to His disciples?  It is not merely to answer their anxious questions, but more to prepare them, and us, for the time in which we live now.  That is, the time in which we await the return of Christ, the Master.  And how is it we are taught to behave?  What's our proper "posture" (so to speak) as we live in this time of waiting and expectation?  We are to follow His commands and to be faithful servants, doing as He has taught.  In the period just prior to Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem, the disciples display in various ways their concern for their positions in what they seem to presume is the worldly kingdom He will come into imminently.  Each time He responds to them, His emphasis is on service and humility, and most importantly, the care of the "little cones" (see Matthew 18; 20:20-28).  That is, of those with less power in the Church, while they will lead.  Here again, in the final parable in today's reading, the emphasis is the same:  on the responsibility for the care of fellow servants, and remembering and being aware of duty.  The servant who fails in the parable is the one who beats his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunkards.  To be apportioned a place with the hypocrites clearly evokes Christ's final sermon in the Temple, a sermon of woes directed at the scribes and Pharisees.  While Jesus gives indications of events and circumstances that surround His return, He's very careful to emphasize that no one knows when that will happen -- and even to imply that He Himself does not know.  This refraining from giving dates and chronology only highlights the importance of knowing that our duty is to watch and to be ready.  We're not to "eat and drink with the drunkards" because to do so is to be forgetful and not alert to the signs of the times.  To "watch" is to be aware of our circumstances and our duties.  Does someone need care?  Are we cleaning up our own act, and staying away from what's not good for us?  Are we aware of the duties of righteousness and the ways in which we serve God, relate to neighbor and to our world, and how we use and care for the resources we have?  One can't be drunk and forgetful and know what one is about, nor careful of how one treats the "little ones" in the Church, and one's fellow servants of Christ.  This is important because it tells us what our disposition is to be in this time, what He expects us to be doing and how He expects us to be living without His immediate presence as Son of Man.  He remains the Master, and we know what He expects of us until His return.  He doesn't give us a date intentionally, so that He emphasizes our state of alertness, watchfulness, readiness.  Jesus says, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only," giving us not only a sense that He will not reveal a time or date, but also a poignant testimony to His own humility and service to the Father.  Just as He follows such authority, so we should follow His example.  He reminds us that "a disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master" (Matthew 10:24), and therefore gives a deepened emphasis on gracious service in imitation of Him as we await His Second Coming.

Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together

 

 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."  

 

Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!'  Do not go after them or follow them.  For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.  But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot:  They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.  

 

In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.  Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:  the one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together:  the one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field:  the one will be taken and the other left."  And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?"  So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."

 

- Luke 17:20–37 

 

Yesterday we read that as He went to Jerusalem, Jesus passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.  Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.  And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"  So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests."  And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.  And he was a Samaritan.  So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed?  But where are the nine?  Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"  And He said to him, "Arise, go your way.  Your faith has made you well."

 

Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."  My study Bible comments that the kingdom of God is a spiritual reality which is present within the Christian believer, and also within the community of the Church  Within you can be translated also as "among you" or "in your midst."

Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!'  Do not go after them or follow them.  For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.  But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot:  They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed."  My study Bible says that the warning not to e preoccupied with worldly matters applies both to believers and to parishes.  There's a warning here first for His disciples that they must be patient after He is gone, and not follow false messiahs or false promises -- for His return will be sudden, and happen in such a way that no one will miss it.  He also gives another warning about the suffering and rejection He Himself will endure.

"In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.  Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:  the one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together:  the one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field:  the one will be taken and the other left."   My study Bible says that Christ's second coming will entail a sudden revelation of judgment.  One will be taken to heaven and the other left for eternal condemnation.  The separation of the saints from the wicked will occur on "the day when the Son of Man is revealed" (verse 30) and not, as some speculate today, at an event that occurs before His return.  

And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?"  So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."  The body, my study Bible tells us, refers to Christ, while the eagles refer to the angels and the saints.  

It is interesting to think about that last verse in today's reading.  What is the body?  Why does Christ speak of Himself this way?  That is, if the understanding conveyed in my study Bible is correct.  Now I personally cannot possibly say that I have an authoritative voice regarding these matters.  I trust to my study Bible as it is composed of notes made by patristic scholars who cite the commentary of the Church Fathers.  That is, those most authoritative in the history of the Church, and particularly the early history of the Church.  Their authority comes from the consensus of the early Church, and they are figures not only of religious and spiritual understanding but also the finest educated minds of their centuries.  This is why I cite them and look to them as authoritative.  My personal commentary comes from my own reading and especially the experience of my faith over a long period of time.  So, with that in mind, let us look at the word for "body."  Ordinarily, when Scripture refers to the body as opposed to spirit or soul, there is another word used, often translated as "flesh."  That word is σάρξ/sarx, and it is distinct from the entirety of the human person.  But the word in today's reading is σῶμα/soma, a word that, according to Strong's definitions, is also used for the "body of Christ," the Church.  There is another sense in which we can understand the use of σῶμα/soma in this passage, and that is possibly the important knowledge of Christ's Ascension.  One key facet of the Incarnation is what happens when Christ leaves the apostles for the last time, as He ascends to heaven.   He is still in His glorified human body, as is made clear in His Resurrection appearances to the disciples.  In Luke 23:39, Jesus says to the disciples, "Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have."  Then, as if to confirm the point, He eats in their presence.  The Gospel continues:  "When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, 'Have you any food here?' So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.  And He took it and ate in their presence (Luke 24:40-42).  It is this body that ascends to heaven, and that He does so is essential to our understanding of the Incarnation, and is linked to the information regarding His second coming.  This is because we are to understand that in the Ascension, the human body was glorified, and that the completion of Christ's mission into the world includes this important message about the future of human beings.  Our sense of Christ's "body" -- including the body of the Church -- is only full when we understand that His mission into the world as Jesus was made for us, and for this particular and important end in which He shares our humanity even with heaven itself, and not simply as the Man, Jesus of Nazareth.  Christ's humanity ascends with Him in His place as the Almighty, the One who will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead (Creed).   The word for "eagle" (ἀετός/aitos) is sometimes translated as "vulture" in modern texts.  But in my opinion this is a mistake, stemming from the misunderstanding of the use of the word for "body."  The historical use of this word indicates "eagle" as does modern Greek.  It seems a kind of hint as to the potential future of human beings, who have been glorified through the Incarnation -- this tremendous, unfathomable, and infinite gift of our Savior.  Let us not forget He has given us the kingdom of God, which dwells within us and among us.

Remember Lot's wife

 

 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "This kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."  Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!'  Do not go after them or follow them.  For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.  But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  

 

"And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot:  They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.  In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.  Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:  the one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together:  the one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field:  the one will be taken and the other left."  And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?"  So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."

 

- Luke 17:20-37 

Yesterday we read that as Jesus went to Jerusalem, He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.  Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.  And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"  So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests."  And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.  And he was a Samaritan.  So Jesus answered and said, "Were not there ten cleansed?  But where are the nine?  Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"  And He said to him, "Arise, go your way.  Your faith has made you well."

 

  Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "This kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."   My study bible comments here that the kingdom of God is a spiritual reality, which is present within the Christian believer, and within the community of the Church.  It is important to know that the words translated as within you can also mean "among you" and "in your midst."  Every meaning is important:  it is necessary to keep in mind the latter two, while not losing the sense of the first.

 

Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!'  Do not go after them or follow them.  For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.  But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot:  They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.  In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back."   The warning not to be preoccupied with worldly matters is applicable both to individuals believers, and to parishes, my study bible reminds us.  This is an illustration of our focus in every day life.  Christ is teaching us that it is important to keep in our consciousness His promise of return.  Christ illustrates that His return (or second coming) will entail a sudden revelation of judgment.  One will be taken to heaven and the other left for eternal condemnation.  My study bible bible says that the separation of the saints from the wicked will occur on "the day when the Son of Man is revealed" and not, as some speculate, at a time that occurs before Christ's return.  

And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?"  So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."  My study bible elaborates here that the body refers to Christ, while the eagles refer to the angels and the saints. 

Jesus gives two different perspectives here on the kingdom of God; one is to the Pharisees who ask Him about it, and the other to His disciples.  First of all, the question from the Pharisees reminds us as well that the Jews were also looking to the coming of the Kingdom.  The Messiah was seen as a figure who would usher in this reality into the world, and popular expectations looked to that kingdom as a material one in which the kingdom of Israel would triumph over her enemies (especially over the Roman Empire of the period), and reign supreme in the world.   Seen in that context, Jesus' answer become a poignant one for all of us, because it reminds us profoundly that His gospel is one in which we bear the Kingdom into the world.  This is the good news of Christ's ministry.  Then He turns to His disciples, and He begins to speak about the Second Coming, His return to the world after His Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension.  We remind ourselves, as does the Gospel at this point, that Jesus is headed toward Jerusalem and toward His Passion.  The disciples seem entirely unknowing despite His warnings of what is to come.  It might be unthinkable to them at this point that He could die, just as the future destruction of the temple and the Siege of Jerusalem was no doubt unthinkable to the Pharisees.  While His answer to the Pharisees was no doubt incomprehensible, we as disciples are called to understand what it means that the Kingdom is both within us and among us.  But His Second Coming remains something in which many are mired in speculation.  Most telling, in terms of the historical and traditional perspective of the Church, is that which is noted by my study bible:  that when it does come, it will come as a powerful unmistakable force for everyone in the world.  As Jesus describes it, His return will occur "as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day."  Moreover, with total swiftness of the moment, some will be taken and some will remain.  There will be no preparation for this time, save the signs Jesus has named in His discussions with the disciples in the various places in the Gospels when He also speaks of the destruction of the temple and of Jerusalem.  In Luke's Gospel, see Luke 21:5-28.  When Jesus speaks of the destruction of the temple (which would occur in 70 AD), it is intermingled also with prophecy of end times, meaning that we are never given clear timelines for His return.  Also, in a true historical and traditional perspective of the Church, "end times" include the whole of the period in which we await Christ's return.  So, the most essential information we take with us is the suddenness and unexpected quality of Christ's return.  He gives us a picture of people going along with their daily lives, entirely unaware of the moment of His return and the judgment that instantaneously occurs.  But this is a picture for us of the times of today.  It is we, as disciples, who must understand that we carry the Kingdom with us into the world, just as the earliest disciples were told by Jesus to tell people that "the kingdom of God has come near to you" (Luke 10:9-11).  Whether He is addressing the Pharisees or His disciples, Jesus' message is clear in today's reading.  We the faithful are those who must bear this living Kingdom into the world, within us and among us -- even as we await His return, of which He asks us to be ever-mindful.  In a rather stunning and slightly cryptic manner, He warns the disciples, "Remember Lot's wife."  She is the one who turned to a pillar of salt, as she looked back at the destruction of the "cities of the plain" (Genesis 19:26).  Jesus seems to be indicating that judgment can come this swiftly and powerfully, and that we are to be mindful always of what it is we are about, and the choice we make to bear this Kingdom within us and into the world.  Elsewhere, Jesus tells a would-be disciple who wants first to go back home to bid others good-bye, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:61-62).  Jesus' powerful reminder is a kind of explanation to us of the importance of our choices, our calling to be a part of this Kingdom.  Let us note that He calls both the Pharisees and His disciples to understanding, even as He is on His way to Jerusalem.  Let us remember where our focus needs to be in our own journey of faith.

 

 

The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, "See here!" or "See there!" For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you

 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."

Then He said to the disciples, 'The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!'  Do not go after them or follow them.  For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.  But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot:  They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.  In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.  Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:  the one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together:  the one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field:  the one will be taken and the other left."  And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?"  So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."

- Luke 17:20-37

Yesterday we read that as Jesus went to Jerusalem He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.  Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.  And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"  So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests."  And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.  And he was a Samaritan.  So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed?  But where are the nine?  Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"  And He said to him, "Arise, go your way.  Your faith has made you well."

Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."  As is so frequently true in Scripture, the Greek words in the original text give us a full sense of Christ's meaning.  My study bible says that the kingdom of God is a spiritual reality that is present within the Christian believer and within the community of the Church.  The words translated as within you can also mean "among you" or "in your midst."  Both senses, in the fullness of the language here, are true.

 Then He said to the disciples, 'The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!'  Do not go after them or follow them.  For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.  But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot:  They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed."  This is yet another warning in Luke, couched in the language of His second coming, in which Jesus tells the disciples that first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  But the teaching is on the coming of the Kingdom.  Jesus makes it clear that daily life will go on just as it has been, without any awareness of what is about to happen.  But this second coming of Christ will take place suddenly, as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven.  By including the warning again about His suffering and rejection, Jesus keeps their focus on the pragmatic reality of what is to come, and the life of the Church and awareness its mission before His return.  My study bible says that this warning not to be preoccupied with worldly matters applies both to believers and to parishes.

"In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.  Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:  the one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together:  the one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field:  the one will be taken and the other left."  Jesus teaches that His second coming will entail a sudden revelation of judgment.  One will be taken to heaven, my study bible tells us, and the other will be left for eternal condemnation.  This separation of the saints and the wicked will occur on the day when the Son of Man is revealed, as Christ's words indicate here, and not at an earlier event before His return.

And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?"  So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."  My study bible says that the body is Christ, while the eagles refer to the angels and the saints.

What does all this mysterious and rather perturbing talk of the Second Coming mean?  Jesus stirs up disturbing images of a sudden and great cosmic shift in the reality of life.  One will be taken while the other will be left are words that are rather shocking to hear, and surely Jesus is aware of this when He speaks them to His audience.  He raises the image of Noah and the suddenness of the flood, of which the world was unaware before it happened (see Genesis 6-8).  He tells His disciples about Lot and Sodom, a sudden disaster that came without warning on those who were heedless of the understanding of God.  Moreover, He tells them they must "remember Lot's wife," who was told not to look back at the devastation in Sodom -- and when she did she was turned into a pillar of salt (see Genesis 19:1-29).  These are both accounts in Scripture of times when God executed judgment in the world, well-known to His Jewish disciples.  We note also that they are both accounts of judgment that comes amidst a world which has given itself over to violence and brutality, and therefore is far away from the teachings of God.  In Genesis 6:13, God says to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth."  But Jesus' teaching here is not simply to make a prediction about what is to come in the world; it is to teach the disciples what they are to be about as His servants.  While the world remains unaware of judgment, they must carry out His mission and be aware that there is a time when He will return, and indeed a time when judgment will take place.  He repeats to them something that has been taught already in the context of taking up one's cross daily, and following Him:  "Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life will preserve it."  In other words, our job, as faithful disciples, is to remember His commands, to continue in His word.  He warns the disciples not to be swayed by those who say that He has returned, in the times when they will long to see Him after His death, Resurrection, and Ascension.  Like the times of Noah and Lot, His return will come at a time when the world is unaware of what is about to happen.  They must not focus on predictions and warnings, but rather on living the life of faith and following the Gospel He has given them.  The world will go on as it has gone, but they must remember His commands and what they are to be about, especially in the time when He is no longer with them as the Incarnate Jesus.  We are left together with the disciples, in this place where the world, forgetful of the God who teaches us love, may live in a violence born of selfishness, in which exploitation and corruption and its brutal expression may grow unchecked.  But we remember that we are servants to Christ, and that His Kingdom is both with us and within us.  It is within that living Kingdom that we find our true lives, and that for which we are truly grateful.