Luke 17:31–37

Verse 31. When you see war lighted up in Judea, lose no time, but betake yourselves to flight for safety. Indeed the Christians, forewarned by these predictions, and other prophecies of the apostles, according to Lactantius, (lib. iv. chapter 21.) fled from the danger beyond the Jordan, into the states of Herod, to Pella and the neighbouring villages. See Eusebius. Eccles. Hist. lib. iii. chapter 5.

Verse 32. As Lot only escaped destruction by leaving all things, and flying immediately to the mountain, whereas his wife, by shewing an affection for the things she had left, and looking back, perished; so those who, in the time of tribulation, forgetting the reward that awaits them in heaven, look back to the pleasures of this world, which the wicked enjoy, are sure to perish. Saint Ambrose.—Τα οπισω επιλανθανεσθαι, τοις δε εμπροσθεν επεκτεινεσθαι. Philip. 3:13.

Verse 34. By these different examples, Christ wishes to insinuate that good and bad men will be found in every state of life. By those in bed, are understood the rich, by those in the mill, are understood the poor; whilst those in the field designate the pastors of his flock, who are labouring in the vineyard of the Lord. S. Cyril and Saint Ambrose

Verse 37. To the question of his disciples in the preceding verse, our blessed Saviour only returns this enigmatical answer, which seems to mean, that where-ever there are guilty Jews, there shall their enemies pursue them and find them out, not only in Jerusalem, but in all the cities of Judea, Galilee, and so forth every where the vengeance of the Lord shall follow them, and overtake them. For the interpretation of other parts of this chapter, see S. Matt. chapter 24. Calmet.—If we observe some discrepancies between the precise words of our Lord, as given by S. Matt. and Saint Luke, as in S. Matt. chapter 24 verse 40, and in Luke 17:34, and alibi passim, we can reconcile those apparent variations, by supposing that our Lord, in the course of his conversation, made use of both expressions. A.