Luke Chapter 21
1 He looked up and saw the rich people who were putting their gifts into the treasury.
2 He saw a certain poor widow casting in two small brass coins.
3 He said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow put in more than all of them,
4 for all these put in gifts for God from their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, put in all that she had to live on."
5 As some were talking about the temple and how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts, he said,
6 "As for these things which you see, the days will come, in which there will not be left here one stone on another that will not be thrown down."
7 They asked him, "Teacher, so when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are about to happen?"
8 He said, "Watch out that you don't get led astray, for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is at hand.' Therefore don't follow them.
9 When you hear of wars and disturbances, don't be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end won't come immediately."
10 Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
11 There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in various places. There will be terrors and great signs from heaven.
12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name's sake.
13 It will turn out as a testimony for you.
14 Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to answer,
15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict.
16 You will be handed over even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will cause some of you to be put to death.
17 You will be hated by all men for my name's sake.
18 And not a hair of your head will perish.
19 "By your endurance you will win your lives.
20 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand.
21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who are in the middle of her depart. Let those who are in the country not enter therein.
22 For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
23 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse infants in those days! For there will be great distress in the land, and wrath to this people.
24 They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
25 There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves;
26 men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 But when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near."
29 He told them a parable. "See the fig tree and all the trees.
30 When they are already budding, you see it and know by your own selves that the summer is already near.
31 Even so you also, when you see these things happening, know that God's Kingdom is near.
32 Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things are accomplished.
33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.
34 "So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly.
35 For it will come like a snare on all those who dwell on the surface of all the earth.
36 Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man."
37 Every day Jesus was teaching in the temple, and every night he would go out and spend the night on the mountain that is called Olivet.
38 All the people came early in the morning to him in the temple to hear him.
Footnotes
- Verse 2 (brass coins)
- literally, "two lepta." 2 lepta was about 1% of a day's wages for an agricultural labourer.
- Verse 8 (I am he)
- or, I AM
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Luke Chapter 21 Guide
Here we have another illustration of the fact that nothing could escape the Master's vigilance. Of the gifts being cast into the treasury He was the true Appraiser. He saw the widow as she cast in her gift, and said that she had "cast in more than they all." In the realm of superfluity God does not begin to count. The first entry in the heavenly books is that of sacrifice.
Addressing His disciples, Jesus spoke to them especially about their service and attitude. His words must have come with special force to the men who had heard with what wisdom He had answered the malicious attacks on Him. He declared that they should have "mouth and wisdom." Herein is discovered the secret of the wonderful utterances of these men chronicled in the Acts of the Apostles. Finally, in this connection He uttered the superlative claim, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away." This statement had special application to what He had been saying concerning the future.
Then He laid certain injunctions upon His disciples of the utmost importance. They were first to "take heed to themselves," and things which they were to guard against were named, "surfeiting," "drunkenness," "cares of this life." In view of these responsibilities they were to "watch ... at every season," and, finally, to make "supplication."
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Luke Chapter 21 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- Christ commends a poor widow. -- (1-4)
- His prophecy. -- (5-28)
- Christ exhorts to watchfulness. -- (29-38)
Verses 1-4
From the offering of this poor widow, learn that what we rightly give for the relief of the poor, and the support of God's worship, is given unto God; and our Saviour sees with pleasure whatever we have in our hearts to give for the relief of his members, or for his service. Blessed Lord! the poorest of thy servants have two mites, they have a soul and a body; persuade and enable us to offer both unto thee; how happy shall we be in thine accepting of them!
Verses 5-28
With much curiosity those about Christ ask as to the time when the great desolation should be. He answers with clearness and fulness, as far as was necessary to teach them their duty; for all knowledge is desirable as far as it is in order to practice. Though spiritual judgements are the most common in gospel times, yet God makes use of temporal judgments also. Christ tells them what hard things they should suffer for his name's sake, and encourages them to bear up under their trials, and to go on in their work, notwithstanding the opposition they would meet with. God will stand by you, and own you, and assist you. This was remarkably fulfilled after the pouring out of the Spirit, by whom Christ gave his disciples wisdom and utterance. Though we may be losers for Christ, we shall not, we cannot be losers by him, in the end. It is our duty and interest at all times, especially in perilous, trying times, to secure the safety of our own souls. It is by Christian patience we keep possession of our own souls, and keep out all those impressions which would put us out of temper. We may view the prophecy before us much as those Old Testament prophecies, which, together with their great object, embrace, or glance at some nearer object of importance to the church. Having given an idea of the times for about thirty-eight years next to come, Christ shows what all those things would end in, namely, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the utter dispersion of the Jewish nation; which would be a type and figure of Christ's second coming. The scattered Jews around us preach the truth of Christianity; and prove, that though heaven and earth shall pass away, the words of Jesus shall not pass away. They also remind us to pray for those times when neither the real, nor the spiritual Jerusalem, shall any longer be trodden down by the Gentiles, and when both Jews and Gentiles shall be turned to the Lord. When Christ came to destroy the Jews, he came to redeem the Christians that were persecuted and oppressed by them; and then had the churches rest. When he comes to judge the world, he will redeem all that are his from their troubles. So fully did the Divine judgements come upon the Jews, that their city is set as an example before us, to show that sins will not pass unpunished; and that the terrors of the Lord, and his threatenings against impenitent sinners, will all come to pass, even as his word was true, and his wrath great upon Jerusalem.
Verses 29-38
Christ tells his disciples to observe the signs of the times, which they might judge by. He charges them to look upon the ruin of the Jewish nation as near. Yet this race and family of Abraham shall not be rooted out; it shall survive as a nation, and be found as prophesied, when the Son of man shall be revealed. He cautions them against being secure and sensual. This command is given to all Christ's disciples, Take heed to yourselves, that ye be not overpowered by temptations, nor betrayed by your own corruptions. We cannot be safe, if we are carnally secure. Our danger is, lest the day of death and of judgment should come upon us when we are not prepared. Lest, when we are called to meet our Lord, that be the furthest from our thoughts, which ought to be nearest our hearts. For so it will come upon the most of men, who dwell upon the earth, and mind earthly things only, and have no converse with heaven. It will be a terror and a destruction to them. Here see what should be our aim, that we may be accounted worthy to escape all those things; that when the judgements of God are abroad, we may not be in the common calamity, or it may not be that to us which it is to others. Do you ask how you may be found worthy to stand before Christ at that day? Those who never yet sought Christ, let them now go unto him; those who never yet were humbled for their sins, let them now begin; those who have already begun, let them go forward and be kept humbled. Watch therefore, and pray always. Watch against sin; watch in every duty, and make the most of every opportunity to do good. Pray always: those shall be accounted worthy to live a life of praise in the other world, who live a life of prayer in this world. May we begin, employ, and conclude each day attending to Christ's word, obeying his precepts, and following his example, that whenever he comes we may be found watching.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.