Chapter Twenty-One

1–4. The widow’s two coins. – 5–38. The prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and the second coming of Christ.

Luke 21:1. Looking up, He saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury; Luke 21:2. and He saw a poor widow putting in two small coins. Luke 21:3. And He said, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all the rest; Luke 21:4. for all those others put gifts into the treasury from their abundance, but she from her want has put in all the livelihood she had. The account of the widow who put two coins into the temple treasury is almost an exact repetition of the account of the evangelist Mark (Mark 12:41-44). “Looking up.” Until now the Lord had been in conversation with His disciples. Now He observes the people entering the temple and sees the widow. “Into the gifts” (verse 4) more precisely: “into the gifts” (εἰς τὰ δῶρα), that is, the rich added from themselves to the gifts that were in the treasury.

Luke 21:5. And some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and offerings. And He said, Luke 21:6. “As for what you see here, the days will come when there shall not be left one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. Luke 21:7. And they asked Him, “Teacher, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place? The introduction to the discourse on the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world is related from the Gospel of Mark with abridgment (Mark 13:1-4). “Some.” These were, in all probability, the disciples of Christ (cf. verse 7 and Mark 13:1). “With beautiful stones” (cf. Mark 13:1). “And offerings” (ἀναθήμασι). These were various offerings to the temple made on certain occasions, for example, the golden grapevine presented by Herod the Great (Josephus. “Jewish War,” VI, 5, 2). “When will these things be?” Apparently those asking had in mind only the destruction of Jerusalem, but since this fact was closely connected in their understanding with the destruction of the world, they ask nothing about the latter (see Mark 13:4).

Luke 21:8. 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 near.’ Do not go after them. Luke 21:9. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be alarmed, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once. Luke 21:10. Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; Luke 21:11. and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences, and there will be terrible events and great signs from heaven. The Lord is speaking here about the signs of the coming of the messianic age, the time of the revelation of the glorious Kingdom of the Messiah. “Then He said to them” (verse 10), that is, after the preliminary exhortation He began to depict the impending calamities. “In various places,” that is, here and there, in one place and then another. “From heaven.” This definition applies to both of the preceding expressions “events” and “signs.” More details about this are given in the commentaries on Mark 13:6-8; Matt 24:4-7.

Luke 21:12. But before all these things, they will lay 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; Luke 21:13. this will be your opportunity to testify. Luke 21:14. Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to answer; Luke 21:15. for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. Luke 21:16. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death; Luke 21:17. and you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. Luke 21:18. But not a hair of your head will perish. Luke 21:19. By your endurance you will gain your souls. About the tribulations that will befall the disciples of Christ before the coming of this age, the evangelist Luke speaks, in general, in agreement with Mark (Mark 13:9-13). “But before all these things” (verse 12), that is, these tribulations will befall you even before the destruction of Jerusalem. “This will be your opportunity to testify” (verse 13), that is, you will thereby be able to show your faithfulness to Me. “A mouth” (verse 15), that is, the ability to speak eloquently and persuasively. The apostles received this through the gift of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 6:10). “But not a hair of your head will perish” (verse 18). According to the usual interpretation (see, for example, the Commentary Gospel by Bishop Michael), here it is a question of God protecting the disciples, preserving their life, necessary for Gospel preaching. But such an explanation does not correspond to the expression of verse 16: “and some of you they will put to death.” It is more likely that here the discussion concerns the preservation of the disciples in a spiritual sense: “nothing of what has been said will serve to the harm of you in your work of salvation.” This interpretation agrees with the meaning of verse 19, where it is undoubtedly a matter of the fact that through endurance in sufferings the disciples of Christ will preserve themselves for eternal true life (Mark 13:13). Finally, one could also understand this place thus, that if the apostles do endure misfortunes and torments, it will be only where divine permission will be granted (cf. Matt 10:30).

Luke 21:20. “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near: Luke 21:21. then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let those who are in the country not enter it; Luke 21:22. for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. Luke 21:23. Alas for those 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; Luke 21:24. and 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. About the destruction of Jerusalem the evangelist Luke speaks, in general, in agreement with Mark (Mark 13:14 and ff.), but there are some distinctive features here. “Jerusalem surrounded by armies” (verse 20). Some (for us – Bishop Michael) believe that the evangelist Luke here explains what the “desolating sacrilege” mentioned by Mark (and Matthew) is. But such an interpretation is based on nothing. The surrounding of the city by armies is not yet the “desolation” of it... “Those in Judea” (verse 21). This refers to the disciples of Christ, as is evident from verse 20 (“you will see” – “know”). The possibility of fleeing from the city, consequently, will still be presented, even though the city will be surrounded (verse 20). “To fulfill all that is written” (verse 22). This refers to the numerous prophecies concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, including the prophecy of Daniel about the seventy weeks (Dan 9:26-27). “By the edge of the sword” (verse 24) – more precisely: “by the mouth of the sword” (στόματι μαχαίρας). The sword is portrayed as a biting beast (cf. Gen 34:26; Deut 13:15). According to Josephus, during the siege and capture of Jerusalem about a million Jews perished. “And be led captive.” Into captivity were led – mostly to Egypt and other provinces – 97,000. “Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles.” The city here is portrayed as a person with whom the Gentiles will deal with utter contempt (cf. Isa 10:6; Rev 11:2). “Until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled,” that is, until the period of time appointed to the Gentiles for the execution of the judgment of God concerning the Jewish people shall pass (St. John Chrysostom). These “times” (καιροί) must end with the second coming of Christ (cf. verses 25–27), which must occur during the lifetime of the listeners of this discourse (verse 28: “raise your heads”). Therefore, here there cannot be talk of long periods and, consequently, there is no prophecy of the fall of paganism under Constantine the Great and even less of the conversion of the “full number of the Gentiles” (Rom 11:25) to Christ. It is clear that by the coming of Christ here one must understand not His coming before the end of the world, but His coming in the Holy Spirit, or else one must consider the discourse on the second coming as spoken in the spirit of Old Testament prophecies (see the commentaries on Matt 24).

Luke 21:25. And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring and surging of the sea; Luke 21:26. people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Luke 21:27. And then they will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. Luke 21:28. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Luke 21:29. And He told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; Luke 21:30. as soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. Luke 21:31. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Luke 21:32. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place; Luke 21:33. heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. The second coming will be preceded by particular signs, about which the evangelist Luke speaks, approaching more closely to the Gospel of Mark (see Mark 13:24-31). “Signs in the sun” (verse 25; see Mark 13:24). “Distress of nations in perplexity” – more precisely: the anguish of nations in a state of helplessness of spirit before the noise of the sea and waves (the noise of the sea and its disturbance – this is precisely what men will face in a state of helplessness of spirit, συνοχὴ ἐθνῶν ἐν ἀπορίᾳ). “People fainting with fear” (verse 26). Since the description progresses with increasingly intense tempo, here one must see not a simple weakness, but directly the expiration of the last breath of people. “For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” In this will be the cause of the extraordinary noise of the sea and other upheavals in the world. “Your redemption” (verse 28) – the same as “vengeance for the elect” (Luke 18:7). The judgment on the wicked will begin and the glorification of the sufferers for the name of Christ.

Luke 21:34. “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly, Luke 21:35. like a snare. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Luke 21:36. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man. The exhortatory character at the conclusion of this discourse can be observed in both Matthew and Mark, but in Mark and Matthew this exhortation is much simpler and shorter (cf. Mark 13:33 and ff.; Matt 24:42). “Dissipation” – more precisely: “hangover,” as the result of yesterday’s inebriation (κραιπάλῃ) in distinction from drunkenness (μέθῃ). “That day,” that is, the day of the second coming and judgment. “Come upon you.” That day is personified as seizing people unexpectedly. “Like a snare” – a snare which hunters cast upon animals or birds (cf. Isa 24:17). “At all times.” This expression more properly belongs to the word “praying” (δεόμενοι), because the Lord spoke of prayer at all times also above (Luke 18:1-7). “Have strength” – this is the goal and at the same time the content of the prayer. According to the best manuscripts, here it reads: to have strength, to be capable (κατισχύσατε, and not καταξιωθῆτε). “Escape all these...” That is, to pass happily through all the dangers that will befall you and to save your life, that is, your position as the elect of God (cf. verse 19 and Luke 18:7). “Stand before the Son of Man” (see Mark 13:27). The elect will be set (σταθῆναι) before Christ by the Angels and will form around Him a chosen retinue (cf. 1 Thess 4:17). There is no discussion here of judgment over these chosen ones of God.

Luke 21:37. And every day He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and lodged on the mount called the Mount of Olives. Luke 21:38. And all the people came early in the morning to Him in the temple to hear Him. Here is given a general survey of the activity of Christ in the last time of His life. The Lord continued during the day, unafraid of His enemies, to come forward in the temple as a teacher, and at night He withdrew to the mount of Olives (cf. Mark 11:19).