Verse By Verse Through Luke
Chapter Twenty-One
Luke 21:1 “And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.”
- cf. Mark 12:41-44
- Jesus is teaching in the temple (Luke 20:1).
- The treasury was within the temple (Joshua 6:24 and John 8:20).
- There were chambers in the temple for this (Nehemiah 10:38). A storehouse of sorts (Malachi 3:8-10).
- The giving into the treasury was of silver, gold, brass, etc. (Joshua 6:19).
- The rich are giving in this context. That would, on the surface, appear to be a good thing (Deuteronomy 12:9-12).
Luke 21:2 “And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.”
- A mite would have been: “…a small brass coin, equivalent to the eighth part of an “as”, worth about a 1/5 of a cent” (Thayer; Strong’s # 3016).
- The widows were expected to be receiving rather than giving (Deuteronomy 26:12).
Luke 21:3-4 “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.”
- To give liberally opposed to from one’s abundance (II Corinthians 8:1-15 and II Corinthians 9:6-7).
Luke 21:5 “And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,”
- Matthew 24:1 and Mark 13:1
- The original temple, which this temple is not (II Chronicles 36:17-19), was made with precious stones (II Chronicles 3:1-7).
Luke 21:6 “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.”
- “These things which ye behold” is the temple and it’s beauty (Luke 21:5).
- One stone will not be left upon another (Matthew 24:2, Mark 13:2, and Luke 19:41-44).
- This was going to happen because of the rebellious acts of the Jews (Matthew 23:37-39).
- Consider also the necessity of changing the mindset of the Jews from the physical to the spiritual as it relates to the temple, etc. (John 4:20-24, I Corinthians 3:16-17, Colossians 3:1-4, Hebrews 7:12-18; cf. II Corinthians 4:18).
Luke 21:7 “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?”
- “They” are Peter, James, and John (Mark 13:3-4).
- This verse is a key in this context. The VERY CLEAR answer is later in the context (Luke 21:32).
- Matthew’s account give the second question, that will be answered in this chapter too, about when Jesus will return and the end of the world (Matthew 24:3).
- They are looking for signs to indicate when “one stone shall not be left…”
Luke 21:8 “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.”
- Jesus did not want them deceived concerning when the temple would be destroyed and related matters (Matthew 24:4-5 and Mark 13:5-6).
- In general, it has long been God’s instruction to His people not to be deceived (Deuteronomy 11:16, Proverbs 20:1, Jeremiah 29:8, I Corinthians 6:9, I Corinthians 15:33, Galatians 6:7-9, Ephesians 5:6, II Thessalonians 2:1-12, James 1:22, and I John 3:7-10).
- God’s people just cannot be naive (Proverbs 14:15).
Luke 21:9-11 “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.”
- Cf. Matthew 24:6-8 and Mark 13:7-8
- Great signs from above (Luke 21:25-28).
- Other judgment days had earthquakes too (Isaiah 29:1-6 [cf. Amos 1:1; Zechariah 14:5] and Revelation 11:13).
Luke 21:12 “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.”
- cf. Matthew 24:9 and Mark 13:9
- The audience is “some” (Luke 21:5), which other accounts show us to be the disciples (Matthew 24:3 and Mark 13:1-3).
- The disciples were told clearly by Jesus that they would suffer persecution (Matthew 5:10-12, Luke 11:49, and John 15:20).
- They were told they would be brought before rulers for the sake of suffering for Christ (Matthew 10:16-18; cf. Acts 4:1-5:42 and Acts 8:1-3).
Luke 21:13 “And it shall turn to you for a testimony.”
- What was going to happen was a testimony [witness] for them (Matthew 10:23).
- As they look at the indicators Jesus told them, they would have their evidence that what He prophesied was true. For another example, Jerusalem would not fall till after the Gospel was preached to all nations (Matthew 24:14; cf. Colossians 1:5-6 and Colossians 1:23).
- When something comes to pass as foretold… (Ezekiel 33:33).
Luke 21:14-15 “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.”
- cf. Mark 13:11
- Coming back to what Jesus said in Luke 21:12, when the disciples were brought before rulers they did not need to think before they answered. The Holy Spirit would speak through them for them (Matthew 10:19-20, Luke 12:11-12, and Acts 6:8-10; cf. II Samuel 23:1-2, John 16:1-13, I Corinthians 2:1-13, and II Peter 1:20-21).
Luke 21:16 “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.”
- cf. Matthew 24:10 and Mark 13:12
- Family [physically speaking] was not going to be a safety net for them (Matthew 10:21 and Luke 12:52-53).
Luke 21:17 “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.”
- cf. Mark 13:13
- The hatred for the disciples was not limited to government or family members (Matthew 10:22, Luke 6:22, John 15:18-21, John 17:14, and I John 3:13).
- Darkness hates light (John 3:19-21).
Luke 21:18 “But there shall not an hair of your head perish.”
- The point behind the point here (Matthew 10:30-33).
- This must have been in direct connection with the direct events surrounding the destruction of the temple [Jerusalem] for the disciples. For, Jesus had said there would be death (Luke 21:16). He said “kill you” in connection to what would happen BEFORE the temple was destroyed (Matthew 24:9).
Luke 21:19 “In your patience possess ye your souls.”
- Patience: “cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy: - enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting)” (Strong’s # 5281).
- “In your patience” (Romans 2:7, Hebrews 12:1-3, and James 1:1-4).
- “Possess ye your souls” (Hebrews 10:35-39).
Luke 21:20-21 “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.”
- Matthew 24:15-18; cf. Luke 19:41-43
- Daniel prophesied of the fall of the second temple under the Grecian empire. This abomination of desolation was being likened to that which Daniel wrote of (Daniel 9:27 and Daniel 12:11; cf. Daniel 8:9-13, Daniel 8:21-25, and Daniel 11:28-36).
- When Jesus or the Apostles referred to some prophesies they applied the situation, but were not directly about the times Jesus made reference to (i.e. Matthew 13:13-15, John 12:36-43, and Acts 28:17-31 [Isaiah 6:1-10], Matthew 15:7-9 [Isaiah 29:10-15], and Romans 10:1-17 [Isaiah 52:7 and Isaiah 53:1].
- Understand something very clearly here. If one were to say Daniel prophesied about what Jesus is saying here, that would mean the Law of Moses was in full effect until AD 70 (Matthew 5:17-18). That is UTTERLY false (Romans 7:1-6).
- The fleeing here shows this is not about the end of the world. There is no fleeing from the end of the world (II Peter 3:9-14).
Luke 21:22 “For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.”
- Everything needed to come to pass as was stated (Deuteronomy 18:22, Matthew 24:6, and Luke 21:9).
Luke 21:23 “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.”
- cf. Matthew 24:19-21 and Mark 13:17-19
- In times past, Israelites ate their children under such conditions (II Kings 6:24-30 and Lamentations 4:9-10).
Luke 21:24 “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.”
- cf. Luke 19:41-44
Luke 21:25-26 “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.”
- cf. Matthew 24:29 and Mark 13:24-25
- This is like unto other judgments upon earthly kingdoms and peoples throughout the times that had past signifying such was from God (Isaiah 13:1-10, Isaiah 34:1-8, and Ezekiel 32:1-11).
- Wonders and signs caused fear (Acts 2:43).
- Fear and the failing of one’s heart (cf. Psalms 73:26).
Luke 21:27 “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”
- cf. Matthew 24:30 and Mark 13:26
- This verse confuses a lot of people. It shouldn’t considering the context. This was to happen in their lifetime (Luke 21:32).
- You know this is not about the return of Christ to judge the world, because the world still exists (II Peter 3:9-14) and the Judgment has NOT occurred (Matthew 25:31-46).
Luke 21:28 “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
- The disciples are the one’s Jesus had addressed here in the audience of others (Luke 20:45).
- They need to be able to lift up their heads because of all they’d face in these times (Luke 21:10-19).
- Think about what Peter later wrote to persecuted, scattered saints (I Peter 4:7-19).
Luke 21:29-31 “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.”
- cf. Matthew 24:32-33 and Mark 13:28-29
- There are indicators for certain things (Matthew 16:1-4 and Luke 12:54-56).
- Jesus had just given things for them to look for to know when the temple would be destroyed.
- Understand about the kingdom some things as the wording in English is somewhat unclear. AD 70 did not bring the kingdom into existence. Such was already in place (Colossians 1:12-13). What did happen with the fall of the temple was a clear message that earthly Jerusalem was NOT significant as it was under the Old Law (John 4:20-24; cf. Luke 17:20-21 and I Timothy 2:8). In other words, the fall of the temple is further evidence of the nature and existence of the spiritual kingdom.
Luke 21:33 “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.”
- Matthew 24:35 and Mark 13:31; cf. Psalms 102:25-27, II Corinthians 4:18-5:1, II Peter 3:9-14, and I John 2:15-17
- The accounts in Matthew and Mark make it clear that, unlike the context previous to this, the end of the sky and planet earth will not be known to man (Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32).
- His words will not pass away (Psalms 119:89 and I Peter 1:21-25).
Luke 21:34 “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.”
- As in Luke 17:3, the phrase here is “take heed to yourselves…”
- The Lord’s concerned with hearts being weighed down with headaches from alcohol [surfeiting], intoxication, and the anxiety of life in this world. Things that distract from preparation for His return (Matthew 24:37-39 and I Thessalonians 4:13-5:10; cf. Amos 6:1-7).
Luke 21:35 “For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.”
- As a snare, a trap that is unnoticeable, in that the final return of Jesus will catch (Matthew 24:42-25:13 and II Peter 3:9-14).
Luke 21:36 “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.”
- Therefore, so in light of what verses 33-35 show, as well as escaping the things coming on Jerusalem, watch and pray (I Peter 4:7).
- With the right focus, they’d be ready as will all who heed this counsel (Mark 13:33-37).
Luke 21:37 “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.”
- Jesus was teaching daily in the temple (Luke 19:47).
Luke 21:38 “And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.”
- People were coming early to hear Him (John 8:1-2).
- They were very attentive (Luke 19:48).
- He was a different teacher (John 7:40-53).
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