Luke chapter 17

vs 30

So when Jesus returns, it will be much like the Flood or the judgement of Sodom. Not simply because of the coming of judgement - although that is a commonality. No, the similarity is that people will be living out their normal lives, much in the way they have been doing since, well, before the flood apparently.

We tend to look at our world and say "It's getting worse, going to hell in a handbasket". It's not true. the reason we think it's getting worse is because we think the past was somehow better. The truth is, people have always been sinful, and that it looks pretty much the way it always has.

vs 31

So on that day, some calamity will strike, the disaster of which is so potent that you will want to get away as fast as possible.

vs 32

Not only will you want to go away as fast as possible, but even desiring to turn back for any reason and face God's judgement is a bit of a death sentence. Also salty.

vs 33

This verse is oddly placed. If you seek to keep your life (by fleeing the wrath) then you will lose it? Or is it that if you are seeking to keep your life (that is, your old life of stuff that you're turning back to redeem from the wrath) you will then lose your actual life?

Or is this a new statement of Jesus, that sits pretty much on its own? It doesn't really link up with his next idea. If it is on its own, then we could assume the more typical meaning of this verse (that of losing your life to Christ is the only way to save it), although then it seems to lack context.



vs 34-35

Obviously we assume married in the first instance. But perhaps not so.

This verse is often interpreted as meaning the rapture. The truth is that, on the teaching of this verse alone, you don't know who is going or where. Yes, I understand that you can interpret Scripture with Scripture, but remember also that what was said here was said to mean something, and what Luke wrote here was written to mean something to its readers. It was also written by him before, say, John's Revelation (although probably after Thessalonians).

Anyway, my point is to remember that you can't base a theology on one verse (well, it's literally two verses, but you know what I mean).

vs 37

Now I'm going to go out on a limb and take a guess that vultures are not seen as fun, happy servants of God in the removal of carrion waste. I'm going to assume they have a culturally negative connotation in jewish (and probably gentile) culture of the time, because of their link with corpses.

In that case, the connotation of the answer "Where [are they going]?" is not at all a positive one. Of course, if the question is "Where [will this happen, and what will happen to those left behind]?" as some commentators read it, then of course the answer, while a little more cryptic, just basically says what we'd expect - that those left behind get judged.

I will admit I'm not happy with that reading of the question, because it does not seem at all natural to me. When Jesus says "Some people will be taken away somewhere, others will be left behind" and you ask "Where?" then surely you are asking where the people are being taken? I mean, that seems the most interesting part of the statement by far.

Of course, Jesus' answer then doesn't fit with a rapture theology if you read it that way. Oh no!