Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he said in reply, “The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, 21 and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the kingdom of God is among you.” 22 Then he said to his disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. 23 There will be those who will say to you, ‘Look, there he is,’ [or] ‘Look, here he is.’ Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. 24 For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be [in his day]. 25 But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation. 26 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; 27 they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; 29 on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. 30 So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, a person who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise a person in the field must not return to what was left behind. 32 Remember the wife of Lot. 33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it. 34 I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. 35 And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left.” 37 They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather.”
The Pharisees ask Jesus when the kingdom of God would come. At the time, many Jews expected a physical manifestation of the Kingdom on earth where Roman rule would be overthrown, and the Kingdom of Israel would be restored (Acts 1:6). Jesus corrects their misunderstanding by teaching that the kingdom of God is not external or observable in a worldly sense. Instead, the Kingdom of God is already present by saying, “If it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Lk. 11:20). He declares that the Kingdom is "among you," pointing to Himself as the embodiment of God’s reign, already inaugurating the Kingdom through His presence and mission.
Turning to His disciples, Jesus warns them about the days ahead when they long for his return but cautions them against being deceived by false claims of His coming. He stresses that His second coming will be unmistakable, like lightning illuminating the entire sky (cf. Matt 24:27). Although His return will be delayed, it will happen suddenly and decisively, so they should be patient and wait on the Lord. The Son of Man will come suddenly so they should be patient, vigilant, and ready, like servants awaiting their master’s return (Luke 12:35-48). The title "Son of Man" drawn from Daniel 7:13-14, highlights Jesus as the one who will receive dominion, glory, and authority from God at the appointed time. Before His glorious return, however, Jesus must suffer rejection and endure great suffering, foreshadowing His Passion.
Jesus compares the suddenness of His return to the days of Noah and Lot. In Noah’s time, people lived complacently, focused on daily life, until the flood suddenly came and destroyed them all (Gen 6:5-7). Similarly, in the days of Lot, people went about their ordinary lives until fire and brimstone rained down and destroyed Sodom (Gen 19:24-25). Noah and Lot experienced divine deliverance amidst catastrophic judgment, with God’s mercy preserving the faithful while His justice fell upon the unrepentant. These parallels underscore the themes of readiness and the certainty of judgment—only those who are prepared will be saved.
Jesus warns His disciples not to let worldly possessions and priorities distract them. The call to abandon belongings without hesitation reflects the immediacy and total commitment required of His followers. Lot’s wife, who looked back longingly at Sodom despite being warned to flee, serves as a powerful warning against divided hearts and attachment to sin (Gen 19:26). Even if it means losing their lives, Jesus calls His disciples to remain faithful to Him and His mission, for "whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it" (Luke 17:33; cf. Matt 16:25).
Jesus uses vivid imagery to describe the final separation of individuals at His coming. Two people may share a bed, or two women may be grinding grain together, yet one will be taken, and the other left. Being "taken" likely signifies being gathered to the Lord, while being "left" indicates exclusion from salvation. This underscores the personal accountability and unpredictability of God’s judgment.
When the disciples ask where these events will occur, Jesus responds cryptically, "Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather." This metaphor signifies the inevitability of divine judgment, just as vultures naturally gather around a corpse. The imagery emphasizes that judgment will come decisively and unmistakably, just as the signs of death are clear and unavoidable.
Lord Jesus, help us to recognize Your Kingdom in our midst and to live with hearts fully prepared for Your return. Grant us the grace to remain faithful, detached from worldly distractions, and vigilant in our service to You. Strengthen our trust in Your mercy and justice, so that we may be gathered to You in glory. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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