The Fig Tree - pt.3

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Introduction

Review:

We have seen:
The Comparison - vv.29-31
The Preservation - vv. 32-33
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The Command (we already touched upon a little of it) - vv. 34-38
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THE COMMAND: VV.34-38

v.34

Luke 21:34 NASB95
34 “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap;
Luke 21:34 UBS5
34 Προσέχετε δὲ ἑαυτοῖς μήποτε βαρηθῶσιν ὑμῶν αἱ καρδίαι ἐν κραιπάλῃ καὶ μέθῃ καὶ μερίμναις βιωτικαῖς καὶ ἐπιστῇ ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς αἰφνίδιος ἡ ἡμέρα ἐκείνη
1 Corinthians 6:3–4 NASB95
3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? 4 So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church?
1 Peter 2:12 NASB95
12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
1 Peter 4:1–7 NASB95
1 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. 4 In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; 5 but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God. 7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
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BECAUSE THE WORLD WILL BE EXPRESSING REVELRY, PARTYING, AND MERRIMENT (LUKE 17:26-30), CHRISTIANS SHOULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN THAT BEHAVIOR. IT WILL LEAD TO A DULLNESS OF HEART AT THE LORD’S RETURN. IT WILL ALSO CREATE AN INABILITY TO READ THE INDICATIONS OF CHRIST’S IMMINENT RETURN.
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κραιπάλῃ fsdat by drunkenness, debauchery.

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κραιπάλη, ης, ἡ (1) as excessive wine drinking carousing, dissipation, debauchery (possibly LU 21:34); (2) as the dizziness and staggering that results from such behavior intoxication, hangover (probably LU 21:34)

With surfeiting (ἐν κρεπαλῃ [en krepalēi]). A rather late word, common in medical writers for the nausea that follows a debauch. Latin crapula, the giddiness caused by too much wine

Romans 13:13–14 NASB95
13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
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μέθῃ fsdat drunkenness

μέριμνα, ης, ἡ

μέριμνα, ης, ἡ care, concern (2C 11:28); often in a negative sense anxiety, worry, distraction (LU 8:14)

The worries of the world “choke out” the Word of God.
Luke 8:11–15 NASB95
11 “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. 12 “Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. 13 “Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.
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The idea is to be “drunk” with worry and anxiety so that you have no room for anticipating the Lord’s coming.
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βιωτικαῖς fpldat

βιωτικός, ή, όν (since Aristot., HA 9, 17 [Lob. on Phryn. 355]; pap) pert. to daily life and living, belonging to (daily) life (so Polyb. et al.; cp. χρεῖαι β. ‘necessities of daily life’ Polyb. 4, 73, 8; Diod S 2. 29, 5; Philo Bybl. [100 A.D.]: 790 Fgm. 1, 29 Jac. [in Eus., PE 1, 9, 29]; Artem. 1, 31; Philo Alex., Mos. 2, 158) μέριμναι β. Lk 21:34; β. πράξεις Hv 1, 3, 1; β. πράγματα 3, 11, 3; m 5, 2, 2; βάσανοι β. tortures that befall one during his earthly life Hs 6, 3, 4; β. κριτήρια 1 Cor 6:4 (s. κριτήριον); cp. vs. 3 βιωτικά ordinary (everyday) matters (τά β. in a somewhat different sense Epict. 1, 26, 3; 7; Vett. Val. 286, 14; PRyl 125, 11; Philo, Omn. Prob. Liber 49; Field, Notes 171). In connection with 1 Cor 6:1–6, s. ERohde, Z. griech. Roman (Kleine Schriften II) 1901, 38f; also Philostrat., Vi. Soph. 1, 25, 3, concerning quarrels in daily life which, in contrast to grave offenses, are not to be brought to court, but settled at home.—DELG s.v. βίος. M-M.

ἐπιστῇ

ἐφίστημι 2aor. ἐπέστην; pf. ptc. ἐφεστώς; only with an intransitive sense in the NT; (1) present and aorist; (a) of persons stand near, approach, appear (suddenly) (LU 2:9); stand ready, be always alert to (2T 4:2); (b) of events come on (suddenly), happen without previous warning (1TH 5:3); (2) perfect; (a) of persons stand by, be present (AC 22:20); (b) of events be at hand, be imminent (2T 4:6); διὰ τὸν ὑετὸν τὸν ἐφεστῶτα because the rain had set in, it had begun to rain (AC 28:2)

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αἰφνίδιος, ον (also ἐφνίδιος) {{αἴφνης (suddenly), -ίδιος}} sudden, unforeseen, unexpected (1TH 5:3)1
1 Timothy Friberg, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller, Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, Baker’s Greek New Testament Library (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 39.
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Lest haply your hearts be overcharged (μη ποτε βαρηθωσιν αἱ καρδιαι ὑμων [mē pote barēthōsin hai kardiai humōn]). First aorist passive subjunctive of βαρεω [bareō], an old verb to weigh down, depress, with μη ποτε [mē pote]. With surfeiting (ἐν κρεπαλῃ [en krepalēi]). A rather late word, common in medical writers for the nausea that follows a debauch. Latin crapula, the giddiness caused by too much wine. Here only in the N. T. Drunkenness (μεθῃ [methēi]). From μεθυ [methu] (wine). Old word but in the N. T. only here and Rom. 13:13; Gal. 5:21. Cares of this life (μεριμναις βιωτικαις [merimnais biōtikais]). Anxieties of life. The adjective βιωτικος [biōtikos] is late and in the N. T. only here and 1 Cor. 6:3f. Come on you (ἐπιστῃ [epistēi]). Second aorist active subjunctive of ἐφιστημι [ephistēmi], ingressive aorist. Construed also with μη ποτε [mē pote]. Suddenly (ἐφνιδιος [ephnidios]). Adjective in predicate agreeing with ἡμερα [hēmera] (day). As a snare (ὡς παγις [hōs pagis]). Old word from πηγνυμι [pēgnumi], to make fast a net or trap. Paul uses it several times of the devil’s snares for preachers (1 Tim. 3:7; 2 Tim. 2:26).1
1 A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Lk 21:34.
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Since the world will be in this condition, which is why Jesus will judge it (they should have repented at His preaching), it is incompatible for Christians to behave in this manner as well.
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“…like a trap...”

21:35 ὡς παγίς· ἐπεισελεύσεται γάρ {B}

Does ὡς παγίς belong at the close of the preceding clause, or at the beginning of the following clause? The former alternative appears to be preferable in view of (a) the strong combination of Alexandrian and Western evidence (א B D Old Latin) in support of the sequence of γάρ following the verb, and (b) the greater likelihood that copyists, recollecting Is 24:17, would have transposed γάρ so as to attach ὡς παγίς with what follows, than vice versa.

The sudden appearance and subsequent judgment of Jesus Chris to the world will be comparable to the spring-loaded action of a trap.
It will be sudden and lethal.
It will be without warning because people will be inebriated with the world, not because there were no warning signs.
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v.35

Luke 21:35 NASB95
35 for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth.
Luke 21:35 UBS5
35 ὡς παγίς· ἐπεισελεύσεται γὰρ ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς καθημένους ἐπὶ πρόσωπον πάσης τῆς γῆς.
Isaiah 24:17 NASB95
17 Terror and pit and snare Confront you, O inhabitant of the earth.
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35. πάσης τῆς γῆς. Not the land of the Jews only. Possibly καθημένους indicates that, as at the flood. and at Belshazzar’s feast, people are sitting at ease, eating and drinking, etc. (17:27): but it need not mean more than inhabiting. Comp. μάχαιραν ἐγὼ καλῶ ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς καθημένους ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς (Jer. 25:29). For ἐπὶ προς. π. τ. γῆς Comp. 2 Sam. 18:8. The phrase is Hebraistic.

“Those who dwell on the earth”

Isaiah 24:17 NASB95
17 Terror and pit and snare Confront you, O inhabitant of the earth.
Revelation 3:10 NASB95
10 ‘Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
Revelation 6:10 NASB95
10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
Revelation 8:13 NASB95
13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”
Revelation 11:10 NASB95
10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
Revelation 13:8 NASB95
8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.
Revelation 13:14 NASB95
14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.
Revelation 17:8 NASB95
8 “The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come.
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21:35 ὡς παγίς· ἐπεισελεύσεται γάρ {B}

Does ὡς παγίς belong at the close of the preceding clause, or at the beginning of the following clause? The former alternative appears to be preferable in view of (a) the strong combination of Alexandrian and Western evidence (א B D Old Latin) in support of the sequence of γάρ following the verb, and (b) the greater likelihood that copyists, recollecting Is 24:17, would have transposed γάρ so as to attach ὡς παγίς with what follows, than vice versa.

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It is vital to explain the atmosphere of the earth at the time that the Lord is coming.
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Luke 17:26–30 NAS
26“And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28“It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; 29but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30“It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.
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Lest haply your hearts be overcharged (μη ποτε βαρηθωσιν αἱ καρδιαι ὑμων [mē pote barēthōsin hai kardiai humōn]). First aorist passive subjunctive of βαρεω [bareō], an old verb to weigh down, depress, with μη ποτε [mē pote]. With surfeiting (ἐν κρεπαλῃ [en krepalēi]). A rather late word, common in medical writers for the nausea that follows a debauch. Latin crapula, the giddiness caused by too much wine. Here only in the N. T. Drunkenness (μεθῃ [methēi]). From μεθυ [methu] (wine). Old word but in the N. T. only here and Rom. 13:13; Gal. 5:21. Cares of this life (μεριμναις βιωτικαις [merimnais biōtikais]). Anxieties of life. The adjective βιωτικος [biōtikos] is late and in the N. T. only here and 1 Cor. 6:3f. Come on you (ἐπιστῃ [epistēi]). Second aorist active subjunctive of ἐφιστημι [ephistēmi], ingressive aorist. Construed also with μη ποτε [mē pote]. Suddenly (ἐφνιδιος [ephnidios]). Adjective in predicate agreeing with ἡμερα [hēmera] (day). As a snare (ὡς παγις [hōs pagis]). Old word from πηγνυμι [pēgnumi], to make fast a net or trap. Paul uses it several times of the devil’s snares for preachers (1 Tim. 3:7; 2 Tim. 2:26).

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21:35 ὡς παγίς· ἐπεισελεύσεται γάρ {B}

Does ὡς παγίς belong at the close of the preceding clause, or at the beginning of the following clause? The former alternative appears to be preferable in view of (a) the strong combination of Alexandrian and Western evidence (א B D Old Latin) in support of the sequence of γάρ following the verb, and (b) the greater likelihood that copyists, recollecting Is 24:17, would have transposed γάρ so as to attach ὡς παγίς with what follows, than vice versa.

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A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to St. Luke 19:29–21:38. The Last Days of Public Teaching

Not the land of the Jews only.

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v.36

Luke 21:36 NASB95
36 “But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Luke 21:36 UBS5
36 ἀγρυπνεῖτε δὲ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ δεόμενοι ἵνα κατισχύσητε ἐκφυγεῖν ταῦτα πάντα τὰ μέλλοντα γίνεσθαι καὶ σταθῆναι ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.
Luke 12:39–40 NASB95
39 “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 40 “You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”
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Lightfoot’s Apostolic Fathers in English Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) 16

16. Be watchful for your life; let your lamps not be quenched and your loins not ungirded, but be ye ready; for ye know not the hour in which our Lord cometh. 2And ye shall gather yourselves together frequently, seeking what is fitting for your souls; for the whole time of your faith shall not profit you, if ye be not perfected at the last season. 3For in the last days the false prophets and corrupters shall be multiplied, and the sheep shall be turned into wolves, and love shall be turned into hate. 4For as lawlessness increaseth, they shall hate one another and shall persecute and betray. And then the world-deceiver shall appear as a son of God; and shall work signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his hands; and he shall do unholy things, which have never been since the world began. 5Then all created mankind shall come to the fire of testing, and many shall be offended and perish; but they that endure in their faith shall be saved by the Curse Himself. 6And then shall the signs of the truth appear; first a sign of a rift in the heaven, then a sign of a voice of a trumpet, and thirdly a resurrection of the dead; 7yet not of all, but as it was said: The Lord shall come and all His saints with Him. 8Then shall the world see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven.

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Mark 13:33–37 NASB95
33 “Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come. 34 “It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. 35 “Therefore, be on the alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 “What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’ ”
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To live in anticipation of Jesus coming back is the command of our Lord.
It is not right for us to second guess that, or to rationalize it away.
To not do this is sin since it goes against the Lord’s obvious command here.
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What does it mean to “be on the alert at all times”?
It appears to come down to three things:

Walk in the light:

Ephesians 5:7–13 NASB95
7 Therefore do not be partakers with them; 8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.
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1 Thessalonians 5:1–8 NASB95
1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
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Stay out of the darkness:

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John 12:35–36 NASB95
35 So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. 36 “While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.” These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them.
1 John 1:5–8 NASB95
5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
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Do this until He comes.

These things are what gives us “discernment” in order to discern the times.
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vv.37-38

Luke 21:37–38 NASB95
37 Now during the day He was teaching in the temple, but at evening He would go out and spend the night on the mount that is called Olivet. 38 And all the people would get up early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.
Luke 21:37–38 UBS5
37 Ἦν δὲ τὰς ἡμέρας ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ διδάσκων, τὰς δὲ νύκτας ἐξερχόμενος ηὐλίζετο εἰς τὸ ὄρος τὸ καλούμενον Ἐλαιῶν 38 καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὤρθριζεν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἀκούειν αὐτοῦ.
John 12:12–13 NASB95
12 On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.”
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Conclusion

Psalm 119:89 NASB95
89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.
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