Luke 17:24
in Luke 17For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will be the Son of Man in His day.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
for as the lightning, when it lighteneth out of the one part under the heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall the Son of man be in his day.
KJV
For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
⋯
This verse in Luke 17
Commentary
17 notes on this verseHe who knows the signs of the coming judgment also knows the end. Why would he not know? He is like flashing lightning, since as the Light, the Son of God illumines the inner part of the heavenly mystery. "In that hour," it says. He also knows the hour, but he knows it for himself, he does not know it for me. He then suitably asserts that the cause of the flood, fire and of the judgment proceeded from our sins, because God did not create evil, but our actions devised it for themselves.
This site's exposition
you will long to see
on Luke 17:22-25
The lightning that lights up the sky from one end to the other pictures His day as sudden and seen everywhere. But first He must suffer and be rejected by this generation, so the glory comes after the cross.
This site's exposition
just as the lightning flashes
Lightning fills the whole sky at once. Cyril of Alexandria read the picture as His coming at the end, open and in glory. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown also saw a first fulfilment in the fall of Jerusalem, when the whole Jewish polity broke up at once.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
At the end time of the world, he will not descend from heaven obscurely or secretly, but with godlike glory and as dwelling in the light which no one can approach. He declared that his coming will be like the lightning. He was born indeed in the flesh of a woman, to fulfill the dispensation for our sakes. For this reason, he emptied himself, made himself poor, and no longer showed himself in the glory of the Godhead. The season and the necessity of the dispensation summoned him to this humiliation.
For this is the clear sign of the second coming of our Saviour, that suddenly the lustre of His coming shall fill the whole world; and so it follows, For as the lightning that lighteneth, &c. For He will not appear walking upon the earth, as any common man, but will illuminate our whole universe, manifesting to all men the radiance of His divinity.
The Medieval Church3 voices
For as a lightning flash that lights up from under heaven shines unto everything under heaven, so will the Son of Man be in His day. This is what the psalm says: God will come manifest, our God, and will not keep silent (Psalm XLIX), …
And he well says, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, because the judgment will be given under the heaven, that is, in the midst of the air, as the Apostle says, We shall be caught up together with them in the clouds. (1 Thess. 4:17.) But if the Lord shall appear at the Judgment like lightning, then shall no one remain hidden in the deep of his heart, for the very brightness of the Judge pierces through him; we may also take this answer of our Lord to refer to His coming, whereby He comes daily into His Church. For ofttimes have heretics so vexed the Church, by saying that the faith of Christ stands in their own dogma, that the faithful in those times longed that the Lord would if it were possible even for one day return to the earth, and Himself make known what was the true faith. And you shall not see it, because it need not that the Lord should again testify by a bodily presence that which has been spiritually declared by the light of the Gospel, once scattered and diffused throughout the whole world.
For My second coming, most radiant and most glorious, will not be confined to any one place, but just as lightning is not hidden but appears from one end of the earth to the other, so bright and manifest will My second coming be, and …
9 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
For as lightning etc. After the rebuke of Jewish curiosity, there is here added the reason for the rebuke, which is taken from the manner of coming of the Son of God himself, who will not be able to be hidden when he comes, nor …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The kingdoms of the earth shall be leavened by the gospel ere they are aware of it." The trophies of Christ's victories shall be erected on the ruins of the devil's kingdom, even in those countries that could never be subdued to the Roman yoke.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? 10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. That the giving of offences is a great sin, and that which we should every one of us avoid and carefully watch against,
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:30w-of-67
For as the lightning that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven,....
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
We are taught, firstly, in this passage — that the kingdom of God is utterly unlike the kingdoms of this world. The Lord Jesus tells the Pharisees that "it does not come with observation." He meant by this, that its approach and presence were not to be marked by outward signs of dignity. Those who expected to observe anything of this kind, would be greatly disappointed. They would wait and watch for such a kingdom in vain — while the real kingdom would be in the midst of them without their knowing it.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
When the whole polity of the Jews, civil and ecclesiastical alike, was broken up at once, and its continuance rendered impossible by the destruction of Jerusalem, it became as manifest to all as the lightning of heaven that the kingdom of God had ceased to exist in its old, and had entered on a new and perfectly different form.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
when, &c.--To meet the erroneous views not only of the Pharisees, but of the disciples themselves, our Lord addresses both, announcing the coming of the kingdom under different aspects.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
We are taught, firstly, in this passage — that the kingdom of God is utterly unlike the kingdoms of this world. The Lord Jesus tells the Pharisees that "it does not come with observation." He meant by this, that its approach and presence were not to be marked by outward signs of dignity. Those who expected to observe anything of this kind, would be greatly disappointed. They would wait and watch for such a kingdom in vain — while the real kingdom would be in the midst of them without their knowing it. "Behold," He says, "the kingdom of God is within you." The expression which our Lord here uses, describes exactly the beginning of His spiritual kingdom. It began in a manger at Bethlehem — without the knowledge of the great, the rich, and the wise. It appeared suddenly in the temple at Jerusalem — and no one but Simeon and Anna recognized its King. It was received thirty years after by none but a few fishermen and publicans in Galilee. The rulers and Pharisees had no eyes to see it. The King came to His own people — and His own did not receive Him. All this time, the Jews professed to be waiting for the kingdom. But they were looking in the wrong direction. They were waiting for signs which they had no warrant for expecting. The kingdom of God was actually in the midst of them — yet they could not see it! The literal kingdom which Christ shall set up one day, will begin in some respects very like His spiritual kingdom. It will not be accompanied by the signs, and marks, and outward manifestations which many are expecting to see. It will not be ushered in by a period of universal peace and holiness. It will not be announced to the Church by such unmistakable warnings — that everybody will be ready for it, and prepared for its appearing. It shall come suddenly, unexpectedly, and without a sign of warning — to the immense majority of mankind.
As the lightning, that lighteneth - See this particularly explained, Mat 24:27, Mat 24:28 (note).
The words behind it
25 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὥσπερ | hosper | As | G5618 → | |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀστραπὴ | astrape | lightning | G796 → | 9 times |
| ἀστράπτουσα | astraptousa | is flashing | G797 → | |
| ἐκ | ek | from | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τῆς | tes | the [one end] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὑπὸ | hupo | under | G5259 → | 219 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οὐρανὸν | ouranon | sky | G3772 → | 272 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὴν | ten | the [other end] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὑπ᾽ | hup᾽ | under | G5259 → | 219 times |
| οὐρανὸν | ouranon | [the] sky | G3772 → | 272 times |
| λάμπει, | lampei | shines, | G2989 → | |
| οὕτως | houtos | thus | G3779 → | 208 times |
| ἔσται | estai | will be | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| υἱὸς | huios | Son | G5207 → | 377 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀνθρώπου | anthropou | of Man | G444 → | 549 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῇ | tea | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἡμέρᾳ | hemera | day | G2250 → | 389 times |
| αὐτοῦ.¶ | autou | of Him. | G846 → | 5565 times |
ὥσπερAs
hosperG5618 →
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
ἀστραπὴlightning
astrapeG796 →9 times
ἀστράπτουσαis flashing
astraptousaG797 →
ἐκfrom
ekG1537 →911 times
τῆςthe [one end]
tesG3588 →19766 times
ὑπὸunder
hupoG5259 →219 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
οὐρανὸνsky
ouranonG3772 →272 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὴνthe [other end]
tenG3588 →19766 times
ὑπ᾽under
hup᾽G5259 →219 times
οὐρανὸν[the] sky
ouranonG3772 →272 times
λάμπει,shines,
lampeiG2989 →
οὕτωςthus
houtosG3779 →208 times
ἔσταιwill be
estaiG1510 →2333 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
υἱὸςSon
huiosG5207 →377 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
ἀνθρώπουof Man
anthropouG444 →549 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῇthe
teaG3588 →19766 times
ἡμέρᾳday
hemeraG2250 →389 times
αὐτοῦ.¶of Him.
autouG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 24:30At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds…
it leads to
- Revelation 1:7
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
- Daniel 7:13
In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led…
- Luke 21:27
At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
- Acts 1:11
“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have…
- Matthew 26:64
“You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on…
- Revelation 1:7
Through
Matthew 24:27For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
it leads to
- Luke 17:24–37
For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will be the Son of Man in His day.
- Luke 17:24–37
Through
Zechariah 9:14Then the LORD will appear over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord GOD will sound the ram’s horn and advance in the whirlwinds of the south.
it leads to
- Psalms 18:14
He shot His arrows and scattered the foes; He hurled lightning and routed them.
- Isaiah 66:15
For behold, the LORD will come with fire—His chariots are like a whirlwind—to execute His anger with fury and His rebuke with flames of fire.
- Psalms 18:14
Where this verse is studied
About Luke
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, Commentary on Luke; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 17; Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 117; Eusebius of Caesarea, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Luke; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Luke.