Luke Chapter 17, Verse 21
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21: ουδε ερουσιν ιδου ωδε η ιδου εκει ιδου γαρ η βασιλεια του θεου εντος υμων εστιν
21: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold,
the kingdom of God is within you.
21: Neither shall they say: Behold here, or behold there. For lo, the
kingdom of God is within you.
Lo here! or, Lo there! When an earthly prince visits different
parts of his territories, he does it with pomp. His movements attract
observation, and become the common topic of conversation. The inquiry
is, Where is he? which way will he go? and it is a matter of important
news to be able to say where he is. Jesus says that the Messiah would
not come in that manner. It would not be with such pomp and public
attention. It would be silent, obscure, and attracting comparatively
little notice. Or the passage may have reference to the custom of the
pretended Messiahs, who appeared in this manner. They said that
in this place or in that, in this mountain or that desert, they would
show signs that would convince the people that they were the Messiah.
Comp. See "Acts 5:36, Acts 5:37".
Is within you. This is capable of two interpretations.
1st. The reign of God is in the heart. It does not come with pomp and splendour, like the reign of temporal kings, merely to control the external actions and strike the senses of men with awe, but it reigns in the heart by the law of God; it sets up its dominion over the passions, and brings every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
2nd. It may mean the new dispensation is even now among YOU. The Messiah has come. John has ushered in the kingdom of God, and you are not to expect the appearance of the Messiah with great pomp and splendour, for he is now among you. Most critics at present incline to this latter interpretation. The ancient versions chiefly follow the former.
