Luke 17:33Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Matthew relates all these things to have been said by our Lord, with reference to the destruction of Jerusalem, that when the Romans came upon them, they who were on the housetop should not come down to take any thing, but fly at once, nor they that were in the field return home. And surely so it was at the taking of Jerusalem, and again will be at the coming of Antichrist, but much more at the completion of all things, when that intolerable destruction shall come.

How a man may lose his own life to save it, St. Paul explains when he speaks of some who crucified their flesh with the affections and lusts, (Gal. 5:24.) that is, with perseverance and devotion engaging in the conflict.

For he is on the housetop who, departing from carnal things, breathes as it were the free air of a spiritual life. But the vessels in the house are the carnal senses, which many using to discover truth which is only taken in by the intellect, have entirely missed it. Let the spiritual man then beware, lest in the day of tribulation he again take pleasure in the carnal life which is fed by the bodily senses, and descend to take away this world’s vessels. It follows, And he that is in the field, let him not return back; that is, He who labours in the Church, as Paul planting and Apollos watering, let him not look back upon the worldly prospects which he has renounced.

Because good men must needs on account of the wicked be sore vexed in this world, in order that they may receive a more plentiful reward in the world to come, they are here punished with certain remedies, as it is here said, In that day, &c. that is, if a man goes up to the top of his house and rises to the summit of the highest virtues, let him not fall back to the grovelling business of this world.

Anyone who strives to preserve his soul will ultimately lose it. The person who attempts to safeguard his soul from the threats of the Antichrist, which arise from his devotion, risks surrendering it to the agony of eternal punishment as a betrayer of the faith. Conversely, the one who relinquishes it will be restored. Those who through martyrdom willingly let go of their lives will be renewed; that is, they will secure their salvation in the age to come.

He hereby implies that a persecution will come from the son of perdition upon Christ’s faithful. By that day then He means the time previous to the end of the world, in which let not him who is flying return, nor care to lose his goods, lest he imitate Lot’s wife, who when she fled out of the city of Sodom, turning back, died, and became a pillar of salt.

The new commandment instructs: Whoever seeks to save his life must first forsake it. What does it signify to forsake one's life? It entails the denial of acting according to personal impulses and instead choosing to embody the teachings of the Gospel. The Gospel reveals to those who live by it the thoughts and emotions characteristic of the "new man," transformed in the image of our Creator and Redeemer. This calls for the self-discipline prescribed by the Gospel, echoing the frequently cited wisdom of the Holy Fathers: 'Shed blood and receive the Spirit.' Remove from yourself the traits of the fallen nature and embrace the qualities of the nature renewed through Christ. Both ‘flesh’ and ‘blood’ will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Concurrently, He communicated to His disciples about His manifestation during the judgment of the unrighteous, which would follow His rejection by His contemporaries. These will be challenging times for Christ's followers, who will long for the days they spent with the Son of Man to return. They will be distressed by misleading claims: Christ is here, Christ is there. However, in that day, He will reveal Himself on earth in a manner distinct from how He is now present. He will come like lightning, not in a human form, but in the divine judgment, illuminating from one end of heaven to the other, reaching all those who stand in rebellion and upon whom judgment is to be rendered.

Several of the statements recorded by Luke appear in the significant prophetic discourse given by Christ regarding the imminent fall of Jerusalem and the culmination of the age, which He delivered to His disciples shortly before enduring His Passion. It is plausible that Jesus spoke on this occasion multiple times, leading to some repetitions in His teachings. Additionally, the Gospel writers might have included parts of this discourse alongside other teachings of Christ spoken at different moments and under various circumstances.

By willingly following God's will and taking up your cross in my footsteps, you may encounter great trials and tribulations in this life. However, enduring these will lead to the salvation of your soul and the accumulation of treasures in heaven. Conversely, if you choose to prioritize your own desires over God's intentions, living in a manner contrary to His wishes, you will harm your soul and forfeit eternal happiness.

"Who will save," etc.: refer to the note on Matthew 10:39. In the current context, this statement conveys a similar message as the ones prior: safeguard yourselves from peril during these ominous times of Jerusalem's downfall, and strive to preserve your souls (cf. Luke 9:24).