Luke 21
- Who wrote it
- Traditionally Luke, a doctor and companion of Paul
- Who it was for
- Theophilus and other followers of Jesus
- What was happening
- A widow's gift, and Jesus on the Mount of Olives speaking of the temple's fall and his return
What’s happening
Jesus looks up and sees rich people putting their gifts into the treasury, and a poor widow putting in two small coins. "Truly I tell you, this poor widow put in more than all of them, for all these put in gifts from their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, put in all that she had to live on." As some speak of how the temple is adorned with beautiful stones and gifts, he says, "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." They ask, "Teacher, when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are about to happen?" He says, "Take heed that you not be led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is at hand.' Therefore don't follow them. When you hear of wars and disturbances, don't be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end won't come immediately." Nation will rise against nation; there will be great earthquakes, famines, plagues, and "fearful sights and great signs from heaven." But before all this, they will lay hands on his followers, persecute them, deliver them to synagogues and prisons, and bring them before kings and governors for his name's sake: "It will turn out as a testimony for you. Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to defend yourselves, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict." They will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and some will be put to death, "but not even one hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will win your lives." "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who are in the midst of her depart ... for these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled." "Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." There will be signs in sun, moon, and stars, and on earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting for fear; "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near." He tells the parable of the fig tree and all the trees: when they sprout, you know summer is near; "even so you also, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away, until all things are accomplished. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away." "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 like a snare. ... Watch at all times, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man." Each day he is teaching in the temple, and at night goes out and stays on the mountain called Olivet, and all the people come early in the morning to hear him in the temple.
Why the setting matters
The widow's gift is the last scene before the temple's fall is announced, and it follows Jesus' warning about those who "devour widows' houses" (20:47), so it shows a woman giving to a system that has taken from her. Luke is the Gospel that most plainly points to Jerusalem's destruction by an army: "surrounded by armies" and "trampled by the Gentiles" match the Roman siege of AD 70, and unlike in Mark, Luke does not use the cryptic phrase "the abomination of desolation." Whether this shows that Luke wrote after the event, or that Jesus foresaw it, is debated. The "times of the Gentiles" suggests an extended period before the end. The disciples' persecution before synagogues and rulers prepares for the Acts of the Apostles, where exactly this happens. The language of sun, moon, and stars and of the Son of Man "coming in a cloud" comes from Daniel 7:13 and prophets like Joel and Isaiah. "Your redemption" is a word for release or ransom. "This generation will not pass away" is one of the hardest sayings of the Gospels; some take it as about the fall of Jerusalem, some as about the human race, some as about the generation that sees the signs. Luke ends with the picture of Jesus at work by day in the temple and at night on the Mount of Olives, which sets up the passion.
Who’s in this chapter
Jesus
Notes a widow's gift and speaks of what is coming.
The poor widow
Gives two small coins, all she has.
The disciples
Ask when the temple will fall.
The crowds
Come early to hear him in the temple.
Talk it through
- Jesus is glad about a gift others would miss, and then announces the temple's fall. How do those two scenes belong together?
- Don't prepare a defense in advance. What would it take to trust that?
- Jesus says to lift your heads because redemption is near. How is that different from fear?
- He warns about hearts loaded down with the cares of life. How do you watch for something and still live normal days?
Read Luke 21
World English Bible
1He looked up and saw the rich people who were putting their gifts into the treasury. 2He saw a certain poor widow casting in two small brass coins. 3He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow put in more than all of them, 4for 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.”
5As 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.”
7They asked him, “Teacher, so when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are about to happen?”
8He 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. 9When you hear of wars and disturbances, don’t be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end won’t come immediately.”
10Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in various places. There will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12But 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. 13It will turn out as a testimony for you. 14Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict. 16You will be handed over even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will cause some of you to be put to death. 17You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake. 18And 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. 21Then 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. 22For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23Woe 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. 24They 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. 25There 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; 26men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28But when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”
29He told them a parable. “See the fig tree and all the trees. 30When they are already budding, you see it and know by your own selves that the summer is already near. 31Even so you also, when you see these things happening, know that God’s Kingdom is near. 32Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things are accomplished. 33Heaven 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. 35For it will come like a snare on all those who dwell on the surface of all the earth. 36Therefore 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.”
37Every 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. 38All the people came early in the morning to him in the temple to hear him.
Text: World English Bible, Public domain. About our sources