Luke 17:20

And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: AND WHEN HE WAS DEMANDED OF THE PHARISEES, WHEN THE KINGDOM OF GOD SHOULD COME, HE ANSWERED THEM AND SAID, THE KINGDOM OF GOD COMETH NOT WITH OBSERVATION, [ meta (G3326) parateereeseoos (G3907)]. The word signifies 'watching' or 'lying in wait for a person or thing. In this sense, they "watched" our Lord once and again (Luke 14:1; Luke 20:20; Mark 3:2); and so they "watched" the gates to kill Pau...

20._And being interrogated by the Pharisees _This question was undoubtedly put in mockery; for, since Christ was continually speaking of the kingdom of God as at hand, while no change was taking place in the outward condition of the Jews, wicked and malicious persons looked upon this as a plausible excuse for harassing him. As if all that Christ said about the kingdom of God were idle talk and mere trifling, they put a sarcastic question to him, “When shall that kingdom come?” If any one shall consider this question to have been put on account of the grossness of their own views, rather than for the sake of jeering, I have no objection. _The kingdom of God will not come with observation. _My opinion is, that Christ now disregards those dogs, and accommodates this reply to the disciples; just as on many other occasions, when he was provoked by wicked men, and seized the opportunity of giv...

20-37 The kingdom of God was among the Jews, or rather within some of them. It was a spiritual kingdom, set up in the heart by the power of Divine grace. Observe how it had been with sinners formerly, and in what state the judgments of God, which they had been warned of, found them. Here is shown what a dreadful surprise this destruction will be to the secure and sensual. Thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. When Christ came to destroy the Jewish nation by the Roman armies, that nation was found in such a state of false security as is here spoken of. In like manner, when Jesus Christ shall come to judge the world, sinners will be found altogether regardless; for in like manner the sinners of every age go on securely in their evil ways, and remember not their latter end. But wherever the wicked are, who are marked for eternal ruin, they shall be found by the judgme...

Verse Luke 17:20. _COMETH NOT WITH OBSERVATION_] _With scrupulous_ _observation_. That this is the proper meaning of the original, μετα παρατηρησεως, KYPKE and others have amply proved from the best Greek writers. As if he had said: "The kingdom of God, the glorious religion of the Messiah, does not come in such a way as to be discerned only by sagacious critics, or is only to be seen by those who are _scrupulously watching_ for it; it is not of such a nature as to be confined to _one_ place, so that men might say of it, _Behold it is_ only _here_, or only _there_: for this kingdom of God is _publicly_ revealed; and behold it is _among you_; I proclaim it _publicly_, and work those miracles which prove the kingdom of God _is_ come; and none of these things are done in a _corner_." Dr. Lightfoot has well observed t

WAS DEMANDED - Was asked. OF THE PHARISEES - This was a matter of much importance to them, and they had taught that it would come with parade and pomp. It is not unlikely that they asked this merely in “contempt,” and for the purpose of drawing out something that would expose him to ridicule. THE KINGDOM OF GOD - The “reign” of God; or the dispensation under the Messiah. See the notes at Matthew 3:2. WITH OBSERVATION - With scrupulous and attentive looking for it, or with such an appearance as to “attract” observation - that is, with pomp, majesty, splendor. He did not deny that, according to their views, the time was drawing near; but he denied that his kingdom would come in the “manner” in which they expected. The Messiah would “not”

EXPOSITION LUKE 17:1 _The_ _Master_'_s teaching on the subject of the injury worked on the souls of others by our sins. The disciples pray for an increase of faith that they may be kept from such sins. The Lord_'_s reply. His little parable on humility. The healing of the ten lepers. The ingratitude of all save one. The question of the Pharisees as to the coming of the kingdom. The Lord_'_s answer, and his teaching respecting the awful suddenness of the advent of the Son of man._ LUKE 17:1, LUKE 17:2 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, t

AND WHEN HE WAS DEMANDED OF THE PHARISEES,.... Or "asked" by them; who expected the Messiah, and that when he was come he would set up a temporal kingdom, and deliver them from the Roman yoke; when they should enjoy great liberty, peace, and prosperity; so that they might put the following question to Christ in a serious manner, agreeably to these expectations: or it may be occasioned by the frequent mention that had been made of the kingdom of God by John, and Christ, and his disciples in their ministry, and so be put in a way of derision; or, as most of their questions were, with a view to ensnare or puzzle: WHEN THE KINGDOM OF GOD SHOULD COME; either the kingdom that God had promised, or the kingdom of the Messiah, who is truly God, that had been so often spoken of by John the Baptist, Christ, and his apostles. The Ethiopic version reads, "the kingdom of heaven", which is the same wi...

Luke 17:11. _And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers which stood afar off:_ Leprosy was very common in Palestine in Christ's day. How thankful we ought to be that, in this country, at any rate, it has almost entirely died out! There used to be, in almost every town, a lazar-house provided for lepers, so common was leprosy in this country. Certain diseases seem to die out by degrees, and we should be very grateful that some of the worst forms of disease, by which men have been afflicted, have passed away. In this case, there were no less than ten in one village. They «stood afar off,» as was most proper, lest they should communicate the contagion to others. They had to cry out, and warn men not to come too near them, saying, with covered lip

OBSERVATION Or, outward show....

CHAPTER 17 _ 1. Concerning Offenses and Forgiveness. (Luke 17:1)_ 2. Increase of Faith and Lowly Service. (Luke 17:5) 3. The Ten Lepers. (Luke 17:11) 4. Concerning the Kingdom and His Second Coming. (Luke 17:20) Luke 17:1 The story of the ten lepers is only found in Luke. All were cleansed by the power of God and the nine obeyed the Word of the Lord and went to the priests (Leviticus 13:1;...