Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 21:13
And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
13. for a testimony ] See Mar 13:9. “In nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation,” Php 1:28. “A manifest token of the righteous judgment of God,” 2Th 1:5.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 13. It shall turn to you for a testimony.] That is, it shall turn out on your part for a testimony to them (your persecutors) that you are thoroughly persuaded of the truth of what you teach, and that you are no impostors.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
That is, your persecution shall turn to you for a testimony: for a testimony against your adversaries; so as they themselves shall be brought by your confession of me to own me as the true Messiah; and their cruelty, which they mask under the vizor of religion, shall be openly detected, and it shall at last appear to all the world, that the judgments of God are just, for the cruelty they have exercised upon you. And to you it shall be for a testimony; you shall have a more ampler occasion of testifying, both before kings and great men, that I am the true Messiah. Your faith, patience, and constancy shall be made more manifest; you shall also testify that my kingdom is not of this world, and that my disciples care not to expect a terrene felicity. They shall also be a testimony to you, that you expect not your portion and felicity in this, but in another life.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. for a testimonyanopportunity of bearing testimony.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And it shall turn to you for a testimony. By this means they would have an opportunity of leaving their testimony for Christ before kings and rulers; and what they should meet with from them, would be a means of strengthening and confirming them in the truths of the Gospel; and be a proof and evidence to them of the certainty of the above things Christ had said should be accomplished; as well as be for a testimony against the rulers and governors, Jews, and Gentiles, before whom they should be convened; see Mt 10:18.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
It shall turn unto you ( ). Future middle of . It will come off, turn out for you (dative of advantage).
For a testimony ( ). To their loyalty to Christ. Besides, “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
It shall turn [] . Lit., turn out; issue.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And it shall turn to you,” (apobesetai humin) “And it will turn out to you,” as an occasion, give you an opportunity to testify for your Lord, Php_1:12-13; Php_1:28; 2Th 1:4-5.
2) “For a testimony.” (eis marturion) “As a testimony or witness,” Php_1:28; 2Th 1:5, for His name, a thing Peter and the apostles did, and as Paul also repeatedly did, Act 24:24-26, to King Agrippa, Act 26:19-28.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(13) It shall turn to you for a testimony.There are but two writers in the New Testament who use the verb (literally, to come out) in this figurative sense. St. Luke is one, and the other is St. Paul, in a passage so closely parallel to this as to read almost like an echo of it (Php. 1:19). The testimony is defined by Mar. 13:9, as being borne to the kings and rulers before whom the disciples were to stand.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. To you for a testimony Your persecutions shall be, in the judgment day, a testimony to your faithfulness in behalf of Christ.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“It will turn out to you for a testimony.”
But none of these things should disturb them, for it will result in their being able to testify before men concerning Him. It will be a part of their overall testimony. It will also result in the end in their being testified to by Him before the Father (Luk 12:8). Note that Luke here omits Mar 13:10 (the Good News will be preached to all nations, compare Rom 1:5) because he is concerned to keep the emphasis on their suffering for Christ’s sake, but the idea behind the words is necessarily assumed in order for the persecutions to take place. ‘All nations’ in those early days would be seen as signifying all known nations. And later Luke is at pains to point out that even at Pentecost itself there were people from ‘every nation under heaven’ (Act 2:5). We can compare also Rom 1:8, where Paul is able to say ‘your faith is proclaimed in all the world’. Their ‘world’ was not as large as ours.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 21:13. It shall turn, &c. See the note on Mat 10:18.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
Ver. 13. And it shall turn to you, &c. ] While the valour of the martyrs and the savageness of the persecutors strove together, till both, exceeding nature and belief, bred wonder and astonishment in beholders and hearers.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
13. ] ., viz. of your faithfulness, and (Mark) , ‘against them:’ the dativus incommodi.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 21:13 . , it will turn out; as in Phi 1:19 . , for a testimony to you = to your credit or honour; = , Theophy. So also Bleek. J. Weiss (Meyer), following Baur and Hilgenfeld, renders: it will result in your martyrdom . This meaning is kindred to that of Theophy., but can hardly be intended here (Schanz). The idea belongs to a later time, and the sense is scarcely consistent with Luk 21:18 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
turn = turn out.
for. Greek. eis. App-101.
a testimony. Compare Php 1:1, Php 1:28. 2Th 1:8.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
13.] ., viz. of your faithfulness, and (Mark) , against them: the dativus incommodi.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 21:13. , it shall turn out) with salvation as its issue: Php 1:19 [This shall turn to my salvation].-, to you) In Mark, ch. Luk 13:9, it is , a testimony to [against] them. The apostles were about to discharge the function of a testimony in relation to them.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Phi 1:28, 1Th 3:3, 1Th 3:4, 2Th 1:5
Reciprocal: Eze 12:25 – I will Eze 24:24 – when Mat 8:4 – for Mat 10:17 – for Mat 24:25 – General Joh 13:19 – I tell Joh 16:4 – that when
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3
This means that when the disciples undergo these persecutions, it will turn out to be a testimony for them. They will recall that Jesus foretold it and thus it will prove to them that He was a true prophet. When a prediction becomes history, it amounts to a verifying evidence. (See Exo 3:12.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Luk 21:13. It shall turn to you, for a testimony, i.e., of your faithfulness, giving you an opportunity to testify for the Lord, and against them (Mar 13:9).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Luk 21:13-19. It shall turn to you for a testimony The persecutions which you suffer shall become a glorious proof both of your innocence and of their guilt in rejecting the gospel. Settle it, therefore, in your hearts, &c. As the Holy Ghost will assist you in your defences, let it be a fixed point with you, not to meditate before what ye shall answer. See on Mat 10:19, and Mar 13:11. I will give you a mouth and wisdom, &c. I will suggest to you such sentiments, and enable you to deliver them with such eloquence, that your defences shall be unanswerable; and your adversaries shall be struck with them, especially when they find by your manner that you have spoken without premeditation. Of the fulfilment of this promise, we have evident examples in the defences made by the proto- martyr, Stephen, and by the Apostle Paul, especially before King Agrippa and the Roman governors. But there is no need to insist upon particulars. The prevalency of the gospel, wherever it was preached, demonstrates, beyond all doubt, that the defences made by the preachers thereof were unanswerable. Ye shall be betrayed by parents and brethren, &c. See on Mat 10:22, and Mar 13:12-13. There shall not a hair of your head perish A proverbial expression denoting absolute safety. The special providence of God shall watch over you for your preservation, and you shall not suffer before the time appointed by God, nor without a full reward. But the promise seems to refer especially to their preservation during the siege of Jerusalem; of which, see on Luk 21:20. Thus Jesus encouraged all to steadfastness in the midst of the fiery trial that was to try them. In patience possess ye your souls Be calm and serene, masters of yourselves, and superior to all irrational and disquieting passions. By keeping the government of your spirits, you will both avoid much misery, and guard the better against all dangers.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Verse 13
That is, it was to be in that way that the disciples were to give their testimony to the gospel.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
21:13 And it shall turn to you for {c} a testimony.
(c) This will be the result of your troubles and afflictions: they will be witnesses both before God and man of the treacherous and cruel dealing of your enemies, as well as of your steadfastness: A noble saying, that the afflictions of the godly and holy men pertain to the witness of the truth.