Luke 21

Luke 21:1-4

Luke 21:1–4 ESV

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

21:1–4. A later tradition claims that thirteen receptacles for gifts to the temple treasury were in the Court of Women, accessible to Israelite women as well as to men. The temple sported ostentatious wealth, and its officials would probably waste this widow’s money; but this powerless woman, ignorant of that likelihood, acts in good faith and is the greatest giver in God’s sight.

Luke 21:1–4 (ESV)

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box,

21:1 contribution box The Greek word used here, gazophylakion, may refer to a room in the temple or to a box used to collect contributions.

and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.

21:2 two small copper coins The coins described here had the least value of any currency in Jesus’ time.

And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them.

For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

21:4 all the means of subsistence The Greek phrase used here means “all the livelihood” or “all the life,” implying that her giving was so generous it could impede upon her survival.

What would it mean for you to give to the point that it would impede your survival?

21:5–28 Jesus again predicts the forthcoming destruction of the temple, which leads into His second discourse about the difficulties that will come before His second coming, including the persecution of His followers (compare Luke 17:22–37). Parallel passages appear in the other Synoptic Gospels (Matt 24:1–31; Mark 13:1–27).

Luke 21:5–9 ESV

And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”

Luke 21:5–9 (ESV)

And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said,

Jesus draws much of the language of this discourse from the Old Testament.21:5. The Jerusalem temple was one of the most splendid structures of all antiquity and seemed strong and invincible (cf., e.g., Letter of Aristeas 100–101); cf. comment on Mark 13:1.21:6. Other groups also expected the temple to be judged, but most Jews, regardless of their other differences, found in the temple a symbol of their Jewish unity and would have been appalled to think that God would allow it to be destroyed (as in Jer 7:4–15). Some stones were left on others (e.g., one wall still stands), but this fact does not weaken the force of the hyperbole: the temple was almost entirely demolished in A.D. 70—roughly forty years after Jesus predicted it (Lk 21:32).

“As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

21:5–6 Jesus Foretells the Destruction of the Temple. Jesus corrects a number of misconceptions regarding the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world. how it was adorned. The beauty and size of Herod the Great’s Temple Mount exceeded that of most of the seven wonders of the world. It was more than twice the size of the Acropolis in Athens. Its perimeter was 0.96 miles (1.55 km) and enclosed a space equivalent to one-sixth of the entire city. noble stones. One of the stones of the temple complex still remaining measures 45 × 11.5 × 12 feet (13.7 × 3.2 × 4 m) and is estimated to weigh 570 tons. offerings. Tapestries, gold and bronze doors, golden grape clusters, etc. The days will come refers not to the second coming but to a time in history before that (cf. 5:35; 17:22; 19:43; 23:29). not … one stone upon another. See note on Matt. 24:2.

21:6 not one stone will be left This likely describes the destruction of the temple—and most of Jerusalem—by the Romans in AD 70 (compare Luke 19:41–44).

And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?”

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 21

21:7 when therefore will these things happen Refers to Jesus’ comment about the destruction of the temple (v. 6).

21:7. Old Testament prophets often grouped events together by their topic rather than their chronological proximity, and Jesus in this discourse does the same. He addresses two separate questions: the time of the temple’s destruction and the time of the end.

And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them.

21:8 many will come in my name Jesus might be referring to people claiming to be the Messiah or people falsely claiming to work under Jesus’ authority.

New Testament 21:8–19—Imminent Sufferings

21:8. False messiahs were common and drew significant Jewish followings in Palestine as late as Bar Kochba, whom Rabbi Akiba hailed as the Messiah after A.D. 130.

And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”

There are two commands here: see to it that you are not led astray and do not be terrified. How can you follow these two commands of Jesus?

Luke 21:10–19 ESV

Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.

Luke 21:10–19 (ESV)

Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

New Testament (21:8–19—Imminent Sufferings)

21:9–11. Ancient prophecy teachers usually listed these events among the signs of the end; the end was often portrayed as preceded by great sufferings or a final war. Jesus says that instead these events characterize normal life until the end.

But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake.

New Testament 21:8–19—Imminent Sufferings

21:12. Synagogues were the local places of public assembly and thus provided the natural place for hearings and public discipline. Sometimes discipline was administered in the form of flogging; under second-century rules, this meant thirteen harsh strokes on the breast and twenty-six on the back. Prisons were usually holding places until a trial rather than places of punishment; punishments included execution, enslavement, banishment, confiscation of property and so forth.

This will be your opportunity to bear witness.

Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer,

for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 21

21:15 for I will give you a mouth Earlier in Luke, this ability to testify about God’s work is attributed to the Holy Spirit (see Luke 12:12 and note). Here, Jesus says that He Himself will empower His followers to speak wisely and persuasively, showing a strong connection between Jesus and the Holy Spirit (see John 14:26 and note).

New Testament 21:8–19—Imminent Sufferings

21:13–15. In context, this preaching will be carried out before officials of all nations (“kings”—v. 12—could refer just to Rome’s vassal princes, but “all nations” suggests that Parthian and other rulers from the East are also in view), indicating virtually universal persecution and proclamation.

You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death.

New Testament 21:8–19—Imminent Sufferings

21:16. See Micah 7:5–7. In a culture with a heavy emphasis on family fidelity, betrayal by a family member would sound especially harsh.

You will be hated by all for my name’s sake.

But not a hair of your head will perish.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 21

21:18 will never perish Likely refers to eternal life in the age to come (see 20:35 and note). Verse 16 states that some of the disciples will be put to death, and church tradition holds that all but one (John) were martyred. Jesus is thus referencing the eternal fate of His followers.

By your endurance you will gain your lives.

New Testament 21:8–19—Imminent Sufferings

21:17–19. Here Jesus offers a promise of protection (cf. 1 Sam 14:45; 2 Sam 14:11). Because hundreds, probably thousands, of Christians had been publicly murdered under Nero in Rome in A.D. 64, probably less than two decades before Luke wrote, it is clear that this is hyperbolic, not an unqualified promise (9:23–24; 21:16). (With most scholars I assume that Luke did not write before A.D. 64, although the case for this date is not conclusive.) This promise suggests either spiritual survival (12:4–5) or that God will often deliver physically, as in many cases in the Old Testament (e.g., Dan 3:27).

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 21

21:19 Through endurance (Gk. hypomonē, “endurance, steadfastness, perseverance, patience”) believers will gain their lives (that is, will be enabled to partake of the full benefits of final salvation in the end times; see 9:24).

Luke 21:20–24 ESV

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Luke 21:20–24 (ESV)

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.

21:20. Luke’s language is less ambiguous than Mark’s “abomination of desolation”: the war with Rome began in a.d. 66, and soon Roman armies had marched through the rest of Palestine and surrounded Jerusalem, then laid siege to it until it fell in a.d. 70. Those who tried to flee shortly after Jerusalem was surrounded found that it was too late; some who escaped the Zealots inside Jerusalem were cut open by Syrian recruits outside, who were looking for jewels they might have swallowed.

Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it,

New Testament 21:20–24—The Fall of Jerusalem

21:21. The mountains of Judea were the safest place to evade invading armies, as the people in Judea had often learned (e.g., David and the second-century B.C. Maccabean guerrillas). When people in the countryside saw approaching armies, they often fled to the safety of city walls; but those trapped within Jerusalem’s walls would be doomed (v. 24).

for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.

New Testament 21:20–24—The Fall of Jerusalem

21:22. The prophets often spoke of judgment against Jerusalem. Although they usually pointed especially to the Babylonian captivity (about six centuries before Jesus), their principle of judgment and their demand for repentance before ultimate restoration was still applicable.

Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people.

New Testament 21:20–24—The Fall of Jerusalem

21:23. The difficulties of bearing or nursing a child under these circumstances are obvious in any culture. The text may also indicate grief over the loss of the children (cf. 2 Baruch 10:13–15). The language of “great distress” echoes prophecies about tribulation that would precede Israel’s final repentance (Dan 12:1). The Old Testament repeatedly describes God’s judgments in history as “wrath” (e.g., on Jerusalem—Lam 1:12), as well as his future wrath in the day of the Lord (e.g., Zeph 1:14–15).

They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

New Testament 21:20–24—The Fall of Jerusalem

21:24. All the inhabitants of Jerusalem died in the war (by famine, disease, burning, Jewish factional fighting or fighting with the Romans) or were enslaved in the year 70. Jerusalem was left in ruins; after the second destruction in A.D. 135, Jerusalem was rebuilt as a pagan city, with a pagan temple on the site where God’s temple had been.