Luke 17:25

But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(25) But first must he suffer many things.—See Notes on Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:22. The interposition of this prophecy of the Passion in a discourse which bears primarily on the Second Advent is an individualising feature of this record of St. Luke’s.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

17:20-37 The kingdom of God was among the Jews, or rather within some of them. It was a spiritual kingdom, set up in the heart by the power of Divine grace. Observe how it had been with sinners formerly, and in what state the judgments of God, which they had been warned of, found them. Here is shown what a dreadful surprise this destruction will be to the secure and sensual. Thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. When Christ came to destroy the Jewish nation by the Roman armies, that nation was found in such a state of false security as is here spoken of. In like manner, when Jesus Christ shall come to judge the world, sinners will be found altogether regardless; for in like manner the sinners of every age go on securely in their evil ways, and remember not their latter end. But wherever the wicked are, who are marked for eternal ruin, they shall be found by the judgments of God.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Mark 8:31.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

25. But first … suffer, &c.—This shows that the more immediate reference of Lu 17:23 is to an event soon to follow the death of Christ. It was designed to withdraw the attention of "His disciples" from the glare in which His foregoing words had invested the approaching establishment of His kingdom.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Before my kingdom shall appear in that glory, I must suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. You may be seduced to think that I am going to put on a crown as a secular prince to deliver you from your enemies. Alas! I am going to a cross. I shall have a day, but this is mine enemies’ day, and the power of darkness, both with reference to me and you. Look for nothing in or from this generation but to see me mocked, scourged, spit upon, buffeted, hanged upon a cross, rejected by men; these will be the issues of Divine providence as to this generation; look for better things hereafter, but look for no better from or in this generation.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But first must he suffer many things,.... By cruel mockings, spitting, buffeting, scourging, and, at last, death itself; all which must be, and were before his day came, or he entered into his glory, or came in it:

and be rejected of this generation; as the Messiah, and be treated with the utmost scorn and contempt, and in the most base and ignominious manner: being put to the death of the cross, and hanged upon the accursed tree: all which were necessary, "must" be; on account of the purposes and decrees of God; the covenant engagements of Christ; the predictions of the prophets of the Old Testament, and his own; and the salvation of his people.

Geneva Study Bible

But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Luke 17:25. What will yet first precede the Parousia, and (1) in respect of the Messiah Himself: He must (comp. Luke 9:22, Luke 24:26) first suffer and be rejected, Luke 17:25; and (2) in respect of the profane world: it will continue in security in its usual earthly doing and striving, until the crisis, universally ruinous for it, shall suddenly break in as in the days of Noah and of Lot, Luke 17:26-30. See further on Luke 17:31.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 17:25. πρῶτον δὲ δεῖ, etc.; the Passion must come before the glorious lightning-like advent. What you have to do I meantime is to prepare yourselves for that.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

25. But first must he suffer many things] It was essential to our Lord’s training of the Twelve at this period of His ministry, that He should again and again—as in solemn refrain to all His teaching—warn them of this coming end. See Luke 18:31.

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 17:25. Πρῶτον, first) before that He enters upon that glory, in which He is about to come.—ἀποδοκιμασθῆναι, be rejected) in such a way as if He were not King. After the mention of His glory, immediately again comes the mention of His passion.—ταύτης, on the part of this generation) living in this age. It is hereby implied that the day of the Son of man would not be in that age.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 25. - But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. But, and here again he repeats "as a solemn refrain to all his teaching," the warning to his own of the fearful end fast coming on him. If he is to come again with glory, he must first go away with shame, persecuted, forsaken, by the generation then living. The suffering Messiah must precede the glorified Messiah. After this rejection and suffering would begin the period alluded to above (ver. 22) as the time when men should long to have him only for one day in their midst. During this period Messiah should continue invisible to mortal eye. How long this state was to continue, one century or - (eighteen have already passed), Jesus himself, in his humiliation, knew not; but he announced (vers. 26-30) that a gloomy state of things on earth would be brought to a close by his reappearance. Ah! "when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?' Luke 17:25

Vincent's Word Studies

Rejected

See on disallowed, 1 Peter 2:4; and tried, 1 Peter 1:7.