What does Luke 17:26 Mean?

Study Notes

Son of man
.

(See Scofield " Ezekiel 2:1 ") . Our Lord thus designates Himself about eighty times. It is His racial name as the representative Man, in the sense of 1 Corinthians 15:45-47 as Son of David is distinctly his Jewish name, and Son of God His divine name. Our Lord constantly uses this term as implying that his mission (e.g.); Matthew 11:19 ; Luke 19:10 . His death and resurrection (e.g.); Matthew 12:40 ; Matthew 20:18 ; Matthew 26:2 and His second coming (e.g.); Matthew 24:37-44 ; Luke 12:40 transcended in scope and result all merely Jewish imitations. When Nathanael confesses him as "King of Israel," our Lord's answer is, "Thou shalt see greater things.. . the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." When His messengers are cast out by the Jews, His thought leaps forward to the time when the Son of man shall come, not then to Israel only but to the race; Matthew 10:5 ; Matthew 10:6 ; Matthew 8:23 . It is in this name, also, that universal judgment is committed to Him John 5:22 ; John 5:27 . It is also a name indicating that in Him is fulfilled the O.T. foreview of blessing through a coming man. See Scofield " Genesis 1:26 "; Genesis 3:15 ; Genesis 12:3 ; Psalms 8:4 ; Psalms 80:17 ; Isaiah 7:14 ; Isaiah 9:6 ; Isaiah 9:7 ; Isaiah 32:2 ; Zechariah 13:7 ; Isaiah 32:2 ; Zechariah 13:7 .

Verse Meaning

When Jesus said the days of the Son of Man would be similar to the days of Noah He meant the days just before the Son of Man"s reign. This is clear from the comparison with the beginning of the Flood. In Noah"s days and toward the end of the Tribulation, just before Jesus returns, people were and will be unresponsive to preached warnings of coming judgment (cf. Matthew 24:37-39; 2 Peter 2:5). In Noah"s day, "The wickedness of man was great on the earth, and every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" ( Genesis 6:5). "Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence" ( Genesis 6:11). [source][source]

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Context Summary

Clearly enough, our Lord foresaw the approaching dissolution of the Jewish state. There was no help for it, notwithstanding all that the Baptist and Christ Himself had done. Suddenly and inevitably its doom must befall, as the deluge in the old world and the overthrow of Sodom. The Roman eagles would gather round the devoted city and only instant flight would avail. The early Christian disciples were warned by these words, and escaped to Pella, before Titus struck the last blow.

Since then other catastrophes have befallen, and finally the day of doom will break upon the world-to all of which the Master's words have been and are appropriate. In one sense, the advent of Christ took place at the fall of Jerusalem, the scenes of which were probably a miniature of the travail through which the new heavens and the new earth will be born. Let us not seek our own, but the things that belong to the Kingdom; then all other things "will be added," Matthew 6:33. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 17

¹  Jesus teaches to avoid occasions of offense;
³  and to forgive one another
⁵  The power of faith
⁶  How we are bound to God
¹¹  Jesus heals ten lepers
²²  Of the kingdom of God, and the coming of the Son of Man