SEV Biblia, Chapter 17:37
Y respondiendo, le dicen: ¿Dnde, Seor? Y l les dijo: Donde estuviere el cuerpo, all se juntarn tambin las guilas.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Luke 17:37
Verse 37. Where, Lord?] In what place shall all these dreadful evils fall? The answer our Lord gives in a figure, the application of which they are to make themselves. Where the dead carcass is, there will be the birds of prey-where the sin is, there will the punishment be. See on Matt. xxiv. 28. Thither will the eagles (or vultures) be gathered together. The jackal or chakal is a devourer of dead bodies; and the vulture is not less so: it is very remarkable how suddenly these birds appear after the death of an animal in the open field, though a single one may not have been seen on the spot for a long period before. The following chapter seems to be a continuation of this discourse: at least it is likely they were spoken on the same occasion.
Both contain truths which the reader should carefully ponder, and receive in the spirit of prayer and faith, that he may not come into the same condemnation into which these have fallen.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 37. And they answered and said unto him, where, Lord ? etc.] That is, either the Pharisees put this question to Christ, who demanded of him when the kingdom of God would come, ( Luke 17:20) or rather the disciples, to whom Christ more especially directed his discourse, ( Luke 17:22) who hearing of the distinction that would be made of persons in these dismal times, ask where it should be; not where the persons would be left, but whither the others would be taken, and by whom: and he said unto them, wheresoever the body is ; the carcass of the Jewish nation, as at Jerusalem chiefly, and in whatsoever place: thither will the eagles be gathered together ; the Roman army, whose ensign was the eagle; these will come, seize upon them, and take them and devour them, as they did: the Persic version renders it, vultures; (see Gill on Matthew 24:28). These words can by no means be understood of sinners fleeing to Christ for eternal life and salvation; nor of the gathering of saints to him, at the last day; for how fitly soever such persons may be compared to eagles, the word body, or carcass, as in ( Matthew 24:28) and which is so read in some copies here, is not so suitable to Christ; and especially at his glorious appearing; and besides, the words are an answer to a question, where such persons would be, who would be taken and destroyed, when others would be left, or preserved; and manifestly refer to the body, or carcass of the Jewish people at Jerusalem, and other fortified places; where they should think themselves safe, but should not be so, the Roman armies gathering about them, and seizing them as their prey: it is yet a more strange interpretation, which is proposed by a very learned man f561 ; that by the eagle is meant, Christ; and by the body, or carcass, the church in the times of antichrist; and by gathering to it, the coming of Christ: for though Christ may be said to bear and carry his people, as the eagle bears and carries its young upon its wings, which he observes from ( Exodus 19:4 Deuteronomy 32:11 Isaiah 63:9) yet not a single eagle, but eagles, in the plural number, are here mentioned; which shows, that not a single person, as Christ, but many are here intended, even legions of Roman soldiers: nor can the church of Christ be compared to a dead and filthy carcass, in the worst of times, even in the times of antichrist; for however forlorn, distressed, and afflicted her condition is, she is kept alive, and in some measure pure from antichristian pollutions; and is represented by a woman, to whom two wings of a great eagle are given (wherefore she should rather be designed by the eagles) to fly with into the wilderness, where she is preserved and nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, ( Revelation 12:14).
Nor is Christ's coming ever expressed by the gathering of him to his people; but on the other hand, they are always said to be gathered unto him; (see 2 Thessalonians 2:1).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 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 Divin grace. Observe how it had been with sinners formerly, and in what stat the judgments of God, which they had been warned of, found them. Her 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 i revealed. When Christ came to destroy the Jewish nation by the Roma armies, that nation was found in such a state of false security as i here spoken of. In like manner, when Jesus Christ shall come to judg the world, sinners will be found altogether regardless; for in lik manner the sinners of every age go on securely in their evil ways, an remember not their latter end. But wherever the wicked are, who ar marked for eternal ruin, they shall be found by the judgments of God __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ αποκριθεντες 611 5679 V-AOP-NPM λεγουσιν 3004 5719 V-PAI-3P αυτω 846 P-DSM που 4226 PRT-I κυριε 2962 N-VSM ο 3588 T-NSM δε 1161 CONJ ειπεν 2036 5627 V-2AAI-3S αυτοις 846 P-DPM οπου 3699 ADV το 3588 T-NSN σωμα 4983 N-NSN εκει 1563 ADV συναχθησονται 4863 5701 V-FPI-3P οι 3588 T-NPM αετοι 105 N-NPM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
37. Eagles. See on Matt. xxiv. 28.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
17:37 {The eagles} (hoi aetoi). Or the vultures attracted by the carcass. this proverb is quoted also in #Mt 24:28. See #Job 39:27-30; Heb 1:8; Ho 8:1. Double compound (epi-sun-) in epi-sun-acqesontai completes the picture.
