Luke 17:25

Luke 17:25, in plain English

But before any of that, Jesus says, He must first suffer terribly and be rejected by the people of His generation. The cross comes before the crown.

Why it's here

Every time Jesus talks about future glory, He brings it back to present suffering. He wants His followers to understand the path goes through pain first.

Who's speaking

Jesus grounds the eschatological hope in the reality of the cross — His suffering isn't an accident; it's the plan.

Where it sits in the story

Before the lightning, before the glory — there's a cross. Jesus never lets His followers forget that redemption comes through suffering.

The scholarly reading

Before the glorious return, the Son of Man 'must suffer many things' (dei... polla pathein) and be 'rejected' (apodokimasthēnai) by 'this generation.' The divine 'must' (dei) indicates the passion is part of God's plan.

Language and setting

This passion prediction interrupts the eschatological discourse, reminding disciples that glory comes only through suffering — a consistent pattern in Luke's Christology (9:22, 9:44, 18:31-33).

Voice

Jesus inserts a sobering reality check into the eschatological discussion: before the triumphant return comes the cross.

Significance

Jesus pauses the future glory talk to remind them: first, He must suffer and be rejected. The cross comes before the crown.

23People will tell you, ‘Look, there He is!’ or ‘Look, here He is!’ Do not go out or chase after them.

24For 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.

25But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

26Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man:

27People were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

Read all of Luke 17 — Ten lepers are cleansed, but only one returns to say thank you — and he's the outsider. Jesus teaches that the kingdom comes without warning.