Luke21

Jesus first commends a poor widow's sacrificial offering over the rich, then prophesies the complete destruction of the temple. He subsequently details signs of the end times, including wars, famines, and the persecution of his followers, culminating in the desolation of Jerusalem and the glorious return of the Son of Man. He concludes by urging watchfulness and prayer, comparing the signs to the budding of a fig tree indicating summer.

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The Widow's Offering

¶ And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.

And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.

And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:

For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

The Destruction of the Temple Foretold

¶ And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,

As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

Signs and Persecution

And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.

Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.

And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:

For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.

But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

In your patience possess ye your souls.

The Siege of Jerusalem

¶ And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

The Coming of the Son of Man

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Watchfulness and Readiness

¶ And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Jesus' Final Ministry Days

And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.

And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

Study Notes for Luke 21

Verse 2

The 'two mites' (lepta) were the smallest Jewish copper coins, emphasizing how little she contributed in monetary value.

Verse 3

Jesus judges the gift not by its amount, but by the level of sacrifice and the proportional cost to the giver.

Verse 4

The rich gave from their 'abundance' (superfluity), while the widow gave from her 'penury' (want), illustrating the depth of her devotion and trust in God.

Verse 5

The Herodian Temple was a massive architectural project, adorned with expensive marble and votive offerings, making its predicted destruction shocking to the disciples.

Verse 6

This prophecy was fulfilled in AD 70 when the Roman army, under Titus, destroyed Jerusalem and dismantled the Temple, leaving no stone of the main structure standing upon another.

Verse 7

The disciples conflate two distinct future events: the immediate destruction of the Temple and the ultimate return of Christ (the 'end'). Jesus addresses both, often interwoven.

Verse 8

This warning against false messiahs or urgent end-time predictions is a foundational caution, stressing that the end will not come immediately despite initial signs.

Verse 9

Wars and commotions are described as necessary events that precede the end, often called 'birth pains' in parallel accounts (Mark 13:8), but believers are cautioned not to panic prematurely.

Verse 11

Luke, the physician, specifically includes pestilences (*loimoi*, plagues) among the natural disasters, signs often associated with divine judgment in the Old Testament.

Verse 12

Jesus shifts focus from global distress to the immediate persecution the disciples will face. This persecution began shortly after Pentecost and intensified throughout the first century.

Verse 13

Persecution is reframed as an opportunity (*martyrion*) to provide public testimony about Christ to governing authorities, turning tribulation into mission.

Verse 14

This promise reassures disciples that the Holy Spirit will provide the necessary defense and wisdom when they face hostile courts, removing the need for anxious preparation.

Verse 16

Betrayal by close family members highlights the intense personal cost of following Christ, demonstrating that loyalty to Jesus supersedes earthly kinship.

Verse 18

This is a promise of divine protection, ensuring the preservation of their ultimate life and spiritual integrity, even if some suffer martyrdom (v. 16).

Verse 19

Steadfast endurance (*hypomonē*) is the key virtue required during the trials of the end times, preserving one's spiritual life through persistent faithfulness.

Verse 20

Jesus gives a specific, actionable sign concerning the Roman siege of Jerusalem (AD 66-70), allowing believers to recognize the impending disaster and flee.

Verse 21

Historically, Christian communities in Jerusalem recognized the sign and fled the city, often to the Pella region, when the Roman armies briefly withdrew.

Verse 22

The destruction of Jerusalem is understood as the 'days of vengeance,' fulfilling prophetic judgments found throughout the Old Testament concerning Israel's unfaithfulness.

Verse 24

The 'times of the Gentiles' refers to a long period during which Jerusalem and the Jewish people would remain under Gentile political and military control, awaiting God's final intervention.

Verse 25

This section transitions from the historical judgment on Jerusalem to the ultimate eschatological event—Christ's glorious return, marked by terrifying cosmic disruption.

Verse 27

The appearance of the 'Son of man coming in a cloud' evokes the imagery of sovereign authority found in Daniel 7:13-14, signifying Jesus' divine majesty.

Verse 28

Believers are encouraged to view these terrifying signs not as a prelude to doom, but as evidence that their ultimate deliverance (*apolytrōsis*, redemption) is near.

Verse 29

The Parable of the Fig Tree illustrates how visible signs should be interpreted, comparing them to seasonal changes that are observable and reliably indicate a future event.

Verse 32

Scholars interpret 'this generation' variously, but in context, it likely means the generation that witnesses the initial signs (especially the Temple's destruction) will not pass away before the immediate prophecies are fulfilled.

Verse 33

This affirmation underscores the absolute reliability and eternal authority of Jesus' prophetic words, contrasting them with the impermanence of the physical cosmos.

Verse 34

Jesus warns against spiritual dullness caused by excessive indulgence ('surfeiting' and 'drunkenness') or paralyzing worldly anxiety, which prevent alertness.

Verse 36

The dual command to 'Watch and Pray' is the practical summary of the entire discourse, ensuring readiness to stand approved before Christ at his return.

Verse 37

Luke summarizes Jesus’ routine during his final week, highlighting his continuous ministry in the Temple during the day and his nightly retreat to the Mount of Olives.

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Luke21

The Widow's Offering

The Destruction of the Temple Foretold

Signs and Persecution

The Siege of Jerusalem

The Coming of the Son of Man

Watchfulness and Readiness

Jesus' Final Ministry Days

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