Luke 17:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

If you consider the duration and the distant nature of the reward, I can illustrate how much benefit you will derive from it. Additionally, I will endeavor to persuade you through the realities of life that your excuses are futile. In this life, you prepare many things that you do not intend to use; when someone points this out to you, you seek solace in your labor by considering your children and grandchildren. As you approach the twilight of your days, you may construct splendid homes, possibly not completing them before your time comes; you may plant trees that will bear fruit years later, or even cultivate trees whose harvest will come after a century; you might purchase lands and inheritances that will belong to you only after significant time.

Here, the Lord highlights the abruptness and unpredictability of His arrival. Just as the deluge came unexpectedly upon Noah and brought destruction, so too will His return be. Through these instances, particularly referencing those who lived before the flood and the inhabitants of Sodom prior to its destruction, it is suggested that in the time of the Antichrist, immoral pleasures will proliferate among humanity. Men will be driven by lust and indulge in sinful activities, echoing the Apostle’s warning that 'in the last days... men will be... more lovers of pleasure than lovers of God' (2 Tim. 3:1-2, 4). It is, therefore, not surprising that wrongdoing will thrive under the rule of the deceiver, who embodies the essence of all wickedness.

To illustrate His sudden return, of which no one will be aware, and the impending conclusion of the age, He states that the end will be ‘as in the days of Noah and Lot.’ For in those days, people were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, buying and selling, and constructing their lives as usual. Yet, the floodwaters swept some away, while others faced destruction by fire and brimstone. What is the significance of this? It signals the necessity for us to remain alert and prepared to stand before God's judgment.

Just as in the days of Noah and Lot, when those indulging in comfort and neglecting their responsibilities faced destruction—some through the flood and others from fire and brimstone raining down from the heavens—so too will those who seek pleasure and disregard their duties encounter ruin upon the second coming. Sulfur is indeed a substance well-suited for igniting flames.

In a similarly grave but even more dire warning, the Lord addresses the self-indulgent, particularly those gluttonous in nature. He proclaims, "It shall come upon you; this day shall come upon you suddenly." What day is He referring to? It is a day that has only been faintly illustrated by the harrowing experience of Sodom—a day that threatens not just a few affluent cities but the entirety of creation. It is a day that will induce great fear and apprehension among all people, as expressed in Luke 21:26, where "men will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming on the world." This is the day when "the Lord will come with His holy angels in great darkness to execute judgment upon all, exposing the ungodly for their wicked deeds" (Jude 1:14-15).

Simultaneously, He revealed to His disciples His impending appearance in the judgment of the rebellious, which would occur following His rejection by that generation. His followers will face challenging times, longing for one of the days spent with the Son of Man to return. They will be distressed by misleading claims, asserting, “Here is Christ” or “There is Christ.” Yet, at this time, His manifestation will differ greatly from His current presence. He will come like lightning, not in a physical form but in divine judgment, illuminating from one end of heaven to the other, reaching all those who are scattered and upon whom judgment is to be passed.

Many of the declarations recorded by Luke are included in the significant prophetic discourse of Christ regarding the annihilation of Jerusalem and the end times, which He delivered to the apostles shortly before His passion. It is quite possible that Jesus spoke on this topic more than once, repeating certain statements. Additionally, the evangelists may have incorporated remarks from other occasions or contexts spoken by Christ.

The specific timing of these events remains unknown; not even the angels in heaven are aware, but only my Father knows. People will continue to live carelessly, just as they did during Noah's time, engaging in eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, oblivious to the impending end. In Noah's days, they were unaware of the coming destruction until he entered the ark, at which point the flood consumed them all. Similarly, when the Son of Man arrives, many will be unaware that the moment has arrived to account for their earthly lives. Therefore, be vigilant, so that your hearts do not become burdened with excess, drunkenness, and the worries of daily life, leading to that day unexpectedly overtaking you. It will arrive as a snare upon everyone living on the entire earth (Luke 21:34-35).

That day will arrive unexpectedly, serving as a moment of reward for all devoted servants while simultaneously being a day of reckoning for those who fail to live up to their true purpose and are unready for the great event. To firmly engrave this lesson of vigilance and dedication upon their hearts, and to caution them against the perils of a careless existence that can quench the flame of vigilance, He shared two parables: the ten virgins and the talents (Matthew 25), which are both profoundly simple and deeply instructive.

The "rain of fire and brimstone" signifies the annihilation of the sinful cities through a volcanic eruption, depicted vividly and in human terms as a divine intervention by God, sending forth the rain of fire and brimstone.