Luke 17:22 Commentary: Yearning for the Days of the Son of Man

Jesus speaks this warning immediately after answering the Pharisees’ question about the kingdom (Luke 17:20, 21). Where the Pharisees looked for observable signs, Jesus directs his disciples to an inward, spiritual reality. But he then pivots to prepare them for his departure and the ensuing trials. The phrase “the days will come” is a biblical idiom for impending judgment or change (cf. Deuteronomy 31:29; Jeremiah 7:32).

First-century Jewish expectation closely associated “the days of the Son of Man” with the Messianic age, Gill highlights the rabbinic usage “days of the Messiah.” Jesus reframes this expectation: his days on earth are not only a foretaste of the kingdom; they are a unique season that will not be repeated. The parallel passage in Matthew makes the same point with the image of the bridegroom:

Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

— Matthew 9:15 (WEB)

Historically, the disciples would face persecution, the fall of Jerusalem (AD 70), and the rise of false messiahs, all of which Jesus addresses in the following verses (v.23, 24). Poole’s commentary observes that “gospel days” would continue for many years, but a crisis would come when even one such day would be desperately sought and denied. This temporal perspective explains why Jesus warns the disciples not to chase after those who claim “Look, here!” or “Look, there!” (v.23). Their longing must not lead them astray. The verse functions as a hinge: the kingdom is already among them (v.21), yet its full manifestation in the Son of Man’s day is still future and will be sudden (v.24).

The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The future tense of both verbs (ἐλεύσονται, ἐπιθυμήσετε, ὄψεσθε) is consistent across manuscripts, and the phrase “days of the Son of Man” appears without notable difference.

Early Christian readers saw this verse as preparing the church for the long interval between Christ’s ascension and return. Augustine interpreted the “days” as the time of the church’s suffering and longing. Reformation commentators such as Calvin stressed that the kingdom is not observable, aligning with Jesus’ earlier statement (v.20). In the Wesleyan tradition, Wesley’s note urges believers to value the present season of grace before it passes. Contemporary scholarship often highlights the tension between the “already” of the kingdom within (v.21) and the “not yet” of the Son of Man’s revealing. The verse has been read devotionally as an invitation to cherish Christ’s presence now.

Three-point outline

1. Treasure What You Have Now. Jesus points to his present presence with the disciples as a unique blessing they will later miss. The “days of the Son of Man” are not only a future event but include the season of his earthly ministry. Use it well.
2. Expect Hard Seasons Ahead. The longing for “one of the days” tells us that trials are coming. Barnes ties this to the destruction of Jerusalem; more broadly, every believer faces times when God seems absent and deliverance is not in sight.
3. Watch for False Deliverers. The context (v.23) shows that this longing makes disciples vulnerable to deception. When you desperately want relief, you may grasp at anyone who promises it. Jesus says: don’t follow them.

Five-point outline

1. Christ’s Presence Is a Gift. The disciples had daily access to Jesus, teaching, miracles, companionship. They did not fully value it.
2. Loss of Presence Creates Longing. After the ascension, the first Christians experienced a new kind of absence. They would wish for just one more day like those.
3. Longing Can Mislead. In grief and waiting, false prophets offer easy answers. Jesus warns explicitly against chasing them.
4. Christ’s Return Will Be Unmistakable. Verse 24, lightning flashing, assures that his ultimate day will be obvious, not hidden. No need to search.
5. Live Ready, Not Resentful. The proper response is faithful endurance, not regret. Remember Lot’s wife (v.32): don’t look back longingly at what is gone.

Illustration hooks

• The last time you saw a loved one before they moved away or passed, how you wish you could have that one day back.
• A season of spiritual closeness that faded, times of vibrant faith that you long to recover but cannot manufacture.
• The feeling of waiting for an answer that doesn’t come, while well-meaning people offer false hopes.

Questions your congregation is asking

• Why does God feel distant in seasons of suffering?
• How do I know if a teaching about the end times is reliable?
• Is it wrong to long for the “good old days” of my faith?

Jesus prepares his disciples for a difficult reality: after he leaves, they will face trials that make them long for his presence. This passage invites small groups to consider how we live in the gap between what we’ve known and what we hope for.

Discussion questions

1. What does the phrase “one of the days of the Son of Man” suggest about the value of Jesus’ time on earth?
2. Why do you think Jesus addresses this warning specifically to his disciples, not to the Pharisees?
3. How does the parallel in Matthew 9:15 (“the bridegroom will be taken away”) help explain the longing here?
4. In what ways can the longing for a past season of grace become either healthy or dangerous?
5. How does the warning about false messiahs (v.23) connect to the desire to see “one of the days”?
6. What does this verse teach us about patience in waiting for Christ’s return?
7. What is one season of your faith journey you wish you could revisit? What made it precious?