What is the meaning of Luke 17:21? Nor will people say • Jesus rules out the idea that God’s reign can be pinpointed by human announcements or sensational headlines (cf. Matthew 24:26; Mark 13:21). • Throughout Scripture, God consistently warns His people not to chase after claims of secret revelations or hidden appearances (Deuteronomy 13:1-3). • By beginning with this negative, Jesus clears away distractions so we can focus on the true nature of the kingdom. ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ • False prophets traffic in geography and spectacle—“over here, over there.” Jesus says the kingdom does not operate by GPS coordinates. • Matthew 24:23-24 and 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10 echo this caution: impressive signs can mask deception if they draw attention away from Christ Himself. • God’s kingdom does not need marketing. Its reality is authenticated by the King, not by hype. For you see • Jesus invites His hearers to perceive something already taking place before their eyes (Luke 10:23-24). • Spiritual sight is a gift; without it, Nicodemus could not “see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). • The phrase nudges the crowd: “Pay attention—what I’m about to say explains what you’re missing.” the kingdom of God • Scripture presents the kingdom as God’s sovereign rule breaking into a fallen world, begun in Christ’s first coming and culminating in His return (Isaiah 9:6-7; Revelation 11:15). • Wherever Jesus heals, forgives, and commands, “the kingdom of God has come near” (Luke 10:9; Matthew 12:28). • Romans 14:17 reminds believers that the kingdom’s essence is “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit,” not earthly borders. is in your midst. • Standing among them, Jesus embodies the kingdom: the King is present, therefore the kingdom is present (John 1:14; Colossians 1:13). • The phrase also points forward. After His death and resurrection, the risen Christ would dwell in every believer by the Spirit (Galatians 2:20; Romans 8:10), multiplying kingdom outposts in ordinary lives. • Yet the full manifestation awaits His return (Luke 21:27-31). So the kingdom is both “already” in their midst and “not yet” in its final glory. summary Jesus demolishes the notion that God’s reign can be located by map coordinates or religious rumor. Instead, He reveals that the kingdom is wherever the King is—first standing bodily before His hearers, now ruling within all who trust Him, and one day reigning visibly over a renewed earth. Look to the King, and you will see the kingdom. |
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