Luke 17:37Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Or He teaches us the suddenness of Christ’s coming, which we are told will be in the night. And having said that the rich can scarcely be saved, He shews that not all the rich perish, nor all the poor are saved.

For by the two men in one bed, He seems to denote the rich who repose themselves in worldly pleasures, for a bed is a sign of rest. But not all who abound in riches are wicked, but if one is good and elect in the faith, he will be taken, but another who is not so will be left. For when our Lord descends to judgment, He will send His Angels, who while they leave behind on the earth the rest to suffer punishment, will bring the holy and righteous men to Him; according to the Apostle’s words, We shall be caught up together in the clouds to meet Christ in the air. (1 Thess 4:17.)

Or He says, in that night, meaning in that tribulation.

He rightly says, night, for Antichrist is the hour of darkness, because he pours a dark cloud over the minds of men while he declares himself to be Christ. But Christ as lightning shines brightly, that we may be able to see in that night the glory of the resurrection.

They inquired of Him, “Where, Lord? Where will they gather?” He replied, “Where the body is, there the eagles will assemble.” This indicates that they come to encounter Me, serving as a retinue and escort. In this context, He refers to the eagles as the righteous, symbolizing those esteemed in virtue and authority, while the body represents Himself as the unifying source of these eagles. Notably, Matthew chose to use the term “corpse” (πτῶμα) instead of “body” (σῶμα) in this passage (Matthew 24:28).

Or by the eagles feeding on the dead animals, he has here described the rulers of the world, and those who shall at that time persecute the saints of God, in whose power are left all those who are unworthy of being taken up, who are called the body or carcase. Or by the eagles are meant the avenging powers which shall fly about to torment the wicked.

Our Lord had just before said, that he who is in the field must not return back; and lest this should seem to have been spoken of those only who would openly return from the field, that is, who would publicly deny their Lord, He goes on to shew, that there are some who, while seeming to turn their face forward, are yet in their heart looking behind.

Simultaneously, He conveyed to His disciples the reality of His return during the judgment of the unfaithful, which would come after His rejection by His contemporaries. These times will be challenging for Christ's followers, who will yearn for the days they currently share with the Son of Man to be restored. They will be distressed by misleading assertions: here is Christ, there is Christ. Yet during this moment, He will manifest on earth in a manner distinct from His current presence. He will come as a flash of lightning, not in bodily appearance, but in the judgment from heaven, illuminating from one end of the sky to the other—wherever the disobedient are spread, upon whom judgment shall fall.

Several of the statements attributed to Luke are parallel to the significant prophetic discourse of Christ regarding the ruin of Jerusalem and the conclusion of the age. This discourse was delivered by Him to the apostles shortly before His passion. It is plausible that Jesus addressed this topic on more than one occasion, leading to the repetition of certain phrases. Additionally, the evangelists might have included parts of the message conveyed by each and supplemented it with remarks made by Christ during different times and in various contexts.

Jerusalem faced impending ruin, as it had become spiritually and morally lifeless, and as the saying goes, "where there is a corpse, there the eagles will gather," descending upon it to devour the remains. Pella emerged as the central hub for the Church of Christ until Emperor Hadrian permitted the Christians to return and restore the remnants of the devastated city.