What does it mean to “remember Lot’s wife” in Luke 17:32?

Answer

When speaking to His disciples about an upcoming time of great destruction, Jesus referred to the fate of Lot’s wife and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. He warned, “Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever seeks to preserve their life will lose it, but whoever loses it will keep it” (Luke 17:32-33).

The account of Lot and his wife is recounted in Genesis 19. Due to their wickedness, God had decided to obliterate Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:16-33). Two angels warned Lot, the nephew of Abraham, to leave the city with his family to avoid destruction. In Genesis 19, it is written, “The two [angels in human form] said to Lot, ‘Do you have anyone else here—sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, for we are about to destroy this place. The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it’” (verses 12–13).

At daybreak the following day, the angels hurried Lot and his family out of Sodom to prevent their destruction with the city. When Lot hesitated, “the men grasped his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them. After bringing them out, one of the angels said, ‘Flee for your lives! Do not look back, and do not stop anywhere in the plain. Flee to the mountains, or you will be swept away!’” (Genesis 19:16-17).

Upon reaching Zoar, “the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the LORD out of the heavens” «Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; », Genesis 19:24. However, in disobedience to the angel’s command, Lot’s wife looked back, and she turned into a pillar of salt (verse 26).

Lot’s wife perished because she looked back. It was not merely a quick glance over her shoulder; it conveyed a reluctance to leave or a yearning to return. Regardless, the key point is that she was instructed to abandon everything to save her life, but she clung on and faced the consequences with her life. In Jewish tradition, Lot’s wife symbolizes a rebellious unbeliever.

Jesus references this account in Luke 17, while discussing a future event: “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, no one on the housetop should go down to retrieve their possessions. Similarly, no one in the field should turn back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever seeks to preserve their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life will keep it” (verses 28–33).

When “the Son of Man is revealed,” it will be time to flee without looking back. There will be no opportunity to bring anything along. If you spot the sign while on the rooftop (a common feature of houses at that time), do not even enter the house to gather your belongings. Leave immediately and “do not look back.” Lot’s wife serves as a warning of the consequences if you do. Trying to save your life (including your possessions) will result in losing everything. Sacrifice everything to save your life.

This scenario resembles a person waking up to a burning house in the middle of the night. The individual may feel tempted to collect valuables, but the delay could hinder escape—everything within the house could be lost.

Goods will be lost, as well as the person’s life. It is better to leave it all behind and escape with your life. The principle is clear, but the exact referent is more difficult to discern.

The revelation of the Son of Man is the event in view in Luke 17. Mark 13:14–16 conveys much the same message without mentioning Lot’s wife. There, the sign is “the abomination that causes desolation” (see also Matthew 24:15-18). Finally, Jesus mentions a similar situation in Luke 21:20–21: “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.”

The above passages are open to several different approaches to interpretation, centered on when this will take place. If we are correct that all of these passages describe roughly the same event(s), it would seem that “the day the Son of Man is revealed,” “the abomination that causes desolation,” and “Jerusalem surrounded by armies” all indicate the signal that it is time to flee.

Outside of Luke 17, the warnings to flee are found in the context of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem (see Luke 21:5-7 and Mark 13:1-4). In Matthew 24:1–3, Jesus also addresses the destruction of the temple, except there the disciples also inquire specifically about “the sign of your coming and the end of the age.” So, at least some of the prophecy was fulfilled in the first century with the destruction of the temple, but that does not preclude a future, fuller fulfillment at the second coming. The wording in Luke 17, in which Jesus speaks of the revelation of the Son of Man, certainly seems to suggest the second coming see Colossians 3:4.

Jewish believers in the first century faced persecution from RSome, often at Jewish instigation. As long as Christians were considered a sect of Judaism, they enjoyed religious freedom as Jews. However, as they were denounced by Jewish leaders and no longer considered part of Judaism, the full force of Roman expectations applied to them, including the requirement to affirm the creed “Caesar is Lord” and offer sacrifices to Caesar. If Christians failed to do this, they could be punished, imprisoned, or even killed. As a result, believing Jews faced continual pressure to “go back to the temple.” The book of Hebrews encourages believing Jews to remain true to Christ and not return to the Old Covenant system of the temple, priests, and sacrifices. Hebrews explains that the Old Covenant has passed.

There may have been some believing Jews in Judea who still had some attachment to the temple. In Luke 17, Jesus warns that there will come a time when they see a symbol of impending judgment, and they will need to get out of the area as quickly as possible. Just as God rained down wrath on Sodom and Gomorrah, He will judge Jerusalem. The coming wrath is no time for divided loyalties. While many believed that God would never allow the temple to be destroyed, Jewish Christians knew that the usefulness of the temple had passed and its days were numbered. They could stay on in Jerusalem and witness of the resurrected Christ, but when they saw that judgment was about to fall, they knew to get out. Eusebius in his Church History records that they did escape. By abandoning everything and getting out of the city, the Christians not only saved their lives but also gave testimony to the fact that the Old Covenant had been replaced by the New.

A similar sentiment is expressed by Jesus in other contexts, although Lot’s wife is not mentioned. Jesus said, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” «And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.», (Luke 9:62). In this passage, Jesus discusses individuals who desire to follow Him but are impeded by their preoccupation with other matters. It is not merely about looking back, but rather having conflicting loyalties, akin to Lot’s wife.

Jesus also employed the phrase “whoever wants to save his life shall lose it” in various contexts (Matthew 10:39; Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; Luke 17:33). Irrespective of the specific circumstances, embracing Jesus necessitates forsaking the “life” that this world presents. Striving to “save your life” is akin to “looking back.” Clinging to our “former life” will result in losing our lives, with Lot’s wife serving as a poignant illustration and cautionary tale.