{"id":25813,"date":"2022-09-24T11:18:28","date_gmt":"2022-09-24T16:18:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-luke-215-2\/"},"modified":"2022-09-24T11:18:28","modified_gmt":"2022-09-24T16:18:28","slug":"exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-luke-215-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-luke-215-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 21:5"},"content":{"rendered":"

And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, <\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n

5-7. <\/strong> The Doom of the Temple, and the Question about the End.<\/p>\n

5<\/strong>. as some spake<\/em> ] We learn from the other Evangelists that those who spoke were the Apostles, and that the question was asked as Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives opposite to the Temple, perhaps gazing on it as it shone in the last rays of sunset.<\/p>\n

with goodly stones<\/em> ] bevelled blocks of stone, of which some are described as having been forty cubits long and ten high; double cloisters; monolithic columns; alternate slabs of red and white marble, &c. See Jos. B. J.<\/em> v. 5 and Bab. Succa,<\/em> f. 51, 1.<\/p>\n

and gifts<\/em> ] Rather, sacred offerings <\/strong> (Psalms 62<\/span>), such as the golden chain of Agrippa; gifts of Ptolemy Philadelphus, Augustus, Helen of Adiabene, and crowns, shields, goblets, &c.; the golden vine with its vast clusters given by Herod. (Jos. B. j.<\/em> v. 5, 4. See 2Ma 5:16 ; and Jos. Antt.<\/em> xiii. 3, xv. 11, 3.) Hence Tacitus calls it “a temple of immense opulence,” Hist.<\/em> Luk 5:8<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Goodly stones – <\/B>Beautiful stones. Either referring to the large, square, and well-finished stones of which the eastern wall was built, or to the precious stones which might have been used in decorating the temple itself. See the notes at Mar 13:1<\/span>.<\/P>

Gifts – <\/B>This word properly denotes anything devoted or dedicated to God. Anciently warriors dedicated to their gods the spoils of war – the shields, and helmets, and armor, and garments of those slain in battle. These were suspended in the temples. It would seem that something of this kind had occurred in the temple of Jerusalem, and that the people, to express their gratitude to God, had suspended on the pillars and perches of the temple gifts and offerings. Josephus mentions particularly a golden vine with which Herod the Great had adorned the columns of the temple (Antiq. xiii. 8). See also 2 Macc. 5:16; 9:16.<\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luk 21:5-6<\/span><\/p>\n

Adorned with goodly stones and gifts<\/em><\/p>\n

On the object and use of the sanctuary<\/strong><\/p>\n


I.<\/strong><\/p>\n

THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH CHRIST UTTERED THESE WORDS. Every attentive reader of Holy Scripture must have remarked this fact, in the history of the Bible, viz., that whenever and wheresoever God revealed His choice of a spot among the sons of men, to place His Name there–where He might be especially present with them, to receive their worship, and to bestow on them His blessing–that spot was always directed and made to be as great a contrast, and as much superior as possible to all other places in which men ordinarily abode. But all this, as the same attentive reading of Holy Scripture must also convince us, was immediately directed to its own great and specific objects. It was designed by God to lead their thoughts upward to Himself. The temple had been a great probationary blessing to the Jews; it had been ordained of old by God, for the advancement of their essential and everlasting good; and it was now foredoomed to such ruin and desolation, that there should not be left in it one stone upon another, which should not be thrown down, only because of the way in which they had abused their privileges, trampled on their mercies, and forgotten the covenant while they walked in the very presence of their God. <\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>APPLICATION: <\/p>\n

1.<\/strong> These words of our Lord give no sort of encouragement to the notion which has often prevailed, and has been much repeated in our days, of its being utterly immaterial what kind of fabric we dedicate to the Most High; that all must be alike to Him, and the meanest sufficiently acceptable in His sight; inasmuch as He dwelleth not in temples made with hands, and can be as well honoured within walls of clay, as beneath the stateliest roof that ever was raised by man. When men live, according to their respective degrees, in a state which God has prospered–dwelling, if not, like David, in houses of cedar, at least in those of competence and comfort–it is not for them to suffer the Ark of God to remain within curtains; and though to the wanderer in the desert, or the colonist in his new settlement, the best tent or cot he could procure might be meet for the service of his God, yet it is not so for a society of Englishmen, dwelling in the very bosom of their highly favoured country and Church. How far are we using our Redeemers sanctuary upon earth, in such a manner as that, when this fails, we may be received into a building of God; a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens We must not forget the possibility there is that we might be walking in the judicial blindness of Israel, whilst we are possessed of all the light, and all the means of grace, with which the Christian Church is entrusted. (J. Puckle.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Admiration for the outward form rather than for the spiritual meaning<\/strong><\/p>\n

Is there any one Christian, however austere, who, on entering the body of our cathedral not for the first time but the twentieth, and allowing his eye to wander along its avenue of columns, or into the depth at once so mysterious and so impressive, of the distant choir; or towards those arches, at once light and bold, which, like a vigorous vegetation on each pilaster, throw out and intertwine their stems at the centre–is there any one who has not said to himself, How beautiful this is! what harmony! what unison among all these stones! what music in this architecture! what poetry in this edifice! Those who reared it are dead, but though dead they still speak to us; and their conception, full of adoration, their conception, a species of prayer, is so united to their work, that we think we feel it and breathe it as we advance within these walls which carry us over a vista of ages. Such is our feeling; and if we are not alone, we can scarcely help giving it utterance. Thus, doing: what the disciples did when they exclaimed, What stones! what buildings! might we not hater ourselves addressed by our Lord in words of reproof, Is it this you are looking at? And why should we not be reproved if our soul goes no farther than our eye, if it stops where our eye is obliged to stop; if symbols, appearances, visible things, hold it captive; ii the splendours of art chain down our heart to the earth instead of raising it to heaven? This is the censure which Jesus Christ passes on His disciples. He had looked into their souls, and there detected that lust of the flesh, that lust of the eye, and that pride of life, which are the three connecting chains by which the enemy of God links us closely to outer darkness. The man and the Jew were equally revealed in that involuntary exclamation; man, dazzled by whatever is seen, and filled with contempt for what is not seen; the Jew, proud of the exterior pomp of a worship, the deep meaning and internal idea of which had long escaped him, and attaching himself obstinately to the law–in other words, a shadow, at the very moment when this law was more than ever a shadow.
Is it this you are looking at? What! these few grains of dust, which are large only because you are little? What! these gifts extorted by fear, vanity, and custom, from individuals who refused to begin by giving themselves to God? What! the gorgeous falsehood of these marbles and gildings, of all those ornaments, the pious import of which has long since been forgotten? Is it this you are looking at? (A. Vinet, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Looking at the true grandeur of Christianity<\/strong><\/p>\n

Christianity has taken a form in the world; it has become visible. Travelling over ages, and propagating itself in the world, it has assumed a place among the things to which the world pays regard; and besides this grandeur of space and duration which procures it a species of respect on the part of the most indifferent, it has, by its intellectual grandeur (I mean by the grandeur of the ideas which it expresses, and those which it suggests), captivated the regard and admiration of thinkers. Thus is it great after the fashion of the world. Beware of admiring it most of all for that grandeur. Let us fear lest its true grandeur escape our notice. Let us not allow our eye to be misled, and oblige Jesus Christ to say to us again, Is it this you are looking at? How great our misfortune if we should have entered the empire of the invisible only to link ourselves more securely to the visible, and if in the kingdom of spirit we should have been able only to find the world! How miserable, if trusting to those vain and hollow words, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, we should neglect, as the prophet says in the same place, thoroughly to amend our ways and our doings (Jer 7:4-5<\/span>). To look only to this twofold greatness of Christianity, the material and intellectual, is truly to do like the first companions of Jesus Christ, to fix our look upon stones. fast thoughts, secular traditions, splendid recollections, all these are stones; cold materials, hard and dead. There are other stones, living stones, which form together a spiritual building, a holy priesthood (1Pe 2:5<\/span>). (A. Vinet, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Warnings<\/strong><\/p>\n

1.<\/strong> That sin has laid the foundation of ruin in the most flourishing cities and kingdoms; Jerusalem, the glory of the world, is here by sin threatened to be made a desolation. <\/p>\n

2.<\/strong> That the threatenings of God are to be feared, and shalt be fulfilled, whatever appearing improbabilities there may be to the contrary. It is neither the temples strength, nor beauty, that can oppose or withstand Gods power. (W. Burkitt.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The destruction of the temple foretold<\/strong><\/p>\n

With this scene before them they must have found it harder still to acquiesce in the thought of the destruction of the city and temple. But the prediction of their overthrow contained an important lesson for the disciples and for us. It is this–<\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>INSTITUTIONS AND SYSTEMS OF RELIGION OPPOSED TO CHRIST, HOWEVER STRONG AND SPLENDID THEY MAY APPEAR, ARE DOOMED TO DESTRUCTION. They have no guarantee for their continuance and perpetuity in the splendour and massive strength of their temples, Error is weak and on the road to downfall, no matter how strong it looks, and truth is strong and on the way to victory, no matter how weak and insignificant it appears. Other religions besides Judaism have illustrated these truths. It was thus with the ancient Greek and Roman religions. When Paul went to Ephesus, where the goddess Diana was worshipped, her temple so magnificent and stately was regarded as one of the seven wonders of the world. What was thus witnessed in the ancient world, wherever and whenever its religions came in contact and conflict with Christianity, is repeated in every age. It is being witnessed to-day in Japan and in India where long-established systems of religion, with imposing rites and magnificent temples, are gradually being undermined by the influence of the gospel. The splendid and massive structures in which those religions have been enshrined have no power to preserve them. They are crumbling before the preaching of the Cross. They belong to those transitory human things, whose fate a brilliant English historian compares to that of icebergs drifting southward out of the frozen seas. So long as the equilibrium is sustained you would think they were stable as the rocks. But the sea-water is warmer than the air. Hundreds of fathoms down the tepid current washes the base of the berg. Silently in those far deeps the centre of gravity is changed, and then, in a moment, with one vast roll, the enormous mass heaves over, and the crystal peaks which had been glancing so proudly in the sunlight are buried in the ocean for ever. <\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST ARE TO EXPECT AND BE ON THEIR GUARD AGAINST IMPOSTORS AND FALSE CHRISTS. Many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many. The liability to be deceived by such impostors exists in all men. For in the souls of all there is an expectation of, or longing for, a mighty deliverer like the Messiah of the prophets. If Jesus is rejected, or not confidently believed in as the true Christ, some false Christ is likely to win their faith and lead astray. <\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>JESUS TEACHES HIS DISCIPLES THAT BEFORE HIS RELIGION FINALLY TRIUMPHS THEY MUST HEAR AND SUFFER AND WITNESS MANY DREADFUL AND DISTRESSING THINGS AS INCIDENTS IN ITS CONQUEST OF THE WORLD. Ye shall hear, he said, of wars and rumours of wars Nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be earthquakes in divers places; there shall be famines They shall deliver you up to councils; and in synagogues ye shall be beaten; and before governors and kings shall ye stand for My sake for a testimony unto them. But the fearful prophecy was mingled with words that spanned the dark cloud with a rainbow of hope. Be not troubled, He said; these things must needs come to pass these things are the beginning of travail. They must needs come to pass, because they were the inevitable consequences of sin–the retribution long delayed but steadily accumulating, for the sins ofthe nation in the past. <\/p>\n


IV. <\/strong>IN THIS CONFLICT WITH SIN AND FALSE RELIGION THEY SHOULD RELY FOR DEFENCE AND FOR VICTORY UPON THE DIVINE HELP. <\/p>\n

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Verse 5<\/span>. Goodly stones<\/B><\/I>] Or, costly stones<\/I>. It has been thought by some that this relates not so much to the stones of which the temple was built, as to the precious stones<\/I> with which it was decorated. For an account of the stones<\/I> of the temple, See Clarke on <\/span>Mr 13:1<\/span><\/span>.<\/P>

<\/P>

And gifts<\/B><\/I>] Or, consecrated things<\/I>, . properly signifies a thing consecrated to sacred uses<\/I>: signifies a thing devoted to a curse<\/I>, or to destruction<\/I>. They both come from the same root, , I lay up, separate<\/I>; and though two meanings cannot be more opposite than those assigned to these words, yet in the words themselves a short vowel () in the place of a long one () makes all the difference between blessing<\/I> and cursing<\/I>.<\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Matthew and Mark say, that some of his disciples spake these words to him, and received this answer, as he was going out of the temple. For the <\/P>

goodly stones<\/B> which the disciples admired, we are told that there were some of them forty-five cubits long, five in depth, and six in breadth. The gifts here mentioned are called in the Greek, <\/span>, not <\/span>, nor <\/span>. The latter word, <\/span>, signified any gifts, money or plate, &c., which men voluntarily offered. <\/span> signified things accursed, or devoted to God, as all the goods of Ai were, Jos 7:1-26<\/span>. But this word signified such gifts or presents made to God, as might be hung up and exposed to open view. Our Lord, to take off his disciples eyes from those gay and stately things, prophesieth the utter ruin of the temple, to that degree that one stone should not be left upon another; which how it was afterwards fulfilled within less than forty years, See Poole on “Mat 24:1-2<\/span>“, and See Poole on “Mar 13:1-2<\/span>“. God by that providence not only destroying the vain confidence of the Jews, who took their temple to be an asylum, or sanctuary, for them from the providence of God, or his justice rather; but also severely punishing them for their profanation of his holy place; and also lets them know that the time was come, when God would put an end to all types of the Messiah, and also to all that worship, which could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; but stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation, <\/I>Heb 9:9<\/I><\/span>,10<\/span>. <\/P>

See Poole on “Mat 24:1-2<\/span>“, and See Poole on “Mar 13:1-2<\/span>“. <\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

5-7.<\/B> (See on Mt24:1-3<\/span>.)<\/P><\/p>\n

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

And as some spake of the temple<\/strong>,…. These were the disciples; Mark says, one of them; but it seems there were more than one; one might begin the discourse, and others join him:<\/p>\n

how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts<\/strong>;<\/p>\n

[See comments on Mt 24:1]<\/span>.<\/p>\n

he said<\/strong>; what follows. This was as he went out of the temple.<\/p>\n

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Judgments Predicted.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/I><\/span><\/P> <\/TD> <\/TR>


<\/P>


<\/P> <\/TD> <\/TR> <\/TABLE>

      5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,   6 As for<\/I> 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.   7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be<\/I> when these things shall come to pass?   8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ;<\/I> and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.   9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is<\/I> not by and by.   10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:   11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.   12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you,<\/I> delivering you<\/I> up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.   13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.   14 Settle it<\/I> therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:   15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.   16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some<\/I> of you shall they cause to be put to death.   17 And ye shall be hated of all men<\/I> for my name’s sake.   18 But there shall not a hair of your head perish.   19 In your patience possess ye your souls.<\/P>

      See here, I. With what admiration some spoke of the external pomp and magnificence of the temple, and they were some of Christ’s own disciples too; and they took notice of it to him how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts,<\/I> v.<\/span> 5<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. The outside was built up with goodly stones, and within it was beautified and enriched with the presents<\/I> that were offered up for that purpose, and were hung up<\/I> in it. They thought their Master should be as much affected with those things as they were, and should as much regret the destruction of them as they did. When we speak of the temple,<\/I> it should be of the presence of God in it, and of the ordinances of God administered in it, and the communion which his people there have with him. It is a poor thing, when we speak of the church, to let our discourse dwell upon its pomps and revenues, and the dignities and powers of its officers and rulers; for the king’s daughter is all glorious within.<\/I><\/P>

      II. With what contempt Christ spoke of them, and with what assurance of their being all made desolate very shortly (v.<\/I><\/span> 6<\/span>): “As for those things which you behold,<\/I> those dear things which you are so much in love with, behold, the days will come,<\/I> and some now living may live to see them, in which there shall not be left one stone upon another.<\/I> This building, which seems so beautiful that one would think none could, for pity, pull it down, and which seems so strong that one would think none would be able to pull it down, shall yet be utterly ruined; and this shall be done as soon as ever the spiritual temple of the gospel church (the substance of that shadow) begins to flourish in the world.” Did we by faith foresee the blasting and withering of all external glory, we should not set our hearts upon it as those do that cannot see, or will not look, so far before them.<\/P>

      III. With what curiosity those about him enquire concerning the time when this great desolation should be: Master, when shall these things be?<\/I> v.<\/span> 7<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. It is natural to us to covet to know future things and the time of them, which it is not for us to know,<\/I> when we are more concerned to ask what is our duty in the prospect of these things, and how we may prepare for them, which it is for us to know. They enquire what sign there shall be when these things shall come to pass.<\/I> They ask not for a present<\/I> sign, to confirm the prediction itself, and to induce them to believe it (Christ’s word was enough for that), but what the future signs will be of the approaching accomplishment of the prediction, by which they may be put in mind of it. These signs of the times<\/I> Christ had taught them to observe.<\/P>

      IV. With what clearness and fulness Christ answers their enquiries, as far as was necessary to direct them in their duty; for all knowledge is desirable as far as it is in order to practice.<\/P>

      1. They must expect to hear of false Christs and false prophets appearing, and false prophecies given out (v.<\/I><\/span> 8<\/span>): Many shall come in my name;<\/I> he does not mean in the name of Jesus,<\/I> though there were some deceivers who pretended commissions from him (as Acts xix. 13<\/span>), but usurping the title and character of the Messiah. Many pretended to be the deliverers of the Jewish church and nation from the Romans, and to fix the time when the deliverance should be wrought, by which multitudes were drawn into a snare, to their ruin. They shall say, hoti ego eimi<\/B><\/I>—I am he,<\/I> or I am,<\/I> as if they would assume that incommunicable name of God, by which he made himself known when he came to deliver Israel out of Egypt, I am;<\/I> and, to encourage people to follow them, they added, “The time draws near<\/I> when the kingdom shall be restored to Israel, and all who will follow me shall share in it.” Now as to this, he gives them a needful caution (1.) “Take heed that you be not deceived;<\/I> do not imagine that I shall myself come again in external glory, to take possession of the throne of kingdoms. No, you must not expect any such thing, for my kingdom is not of this world.” When they asked solicitously and eagerly, Master, when shall these things be?<\/I> the first word Christ said was, Take heed that you be not deceived.<\/I> Note, Those that are most inquisitive<\/I> in the things of God (though it is very good to be so) are in most danger of being imposed upon, and have most need to be upon their guard. (2.) “Go you not after them.<\/I> You know the Messiah is come, and you are not to look for any other; and therefore do not so much as hearken to them, nor have any thing to do with them.” If we are sure that Jesus is the Christ, and his doctrine is the gospel, of God,<\/I> we must be deaf to all intimations of another Christ and another gospel.<\/P>

      2. They must expect to hear of great commotions in the nations, and many terrible judgments inflicted upon the Jews and their neighbours. (1.) There shall be bloody wars<\/I> (v.<\/I><\/span> 10<\/span>): Nation shall rise against nation,<\/I> one part of the Jewish nation against another, or rather the whole against the Romans. Encouraged by the false Christs, they shall wickedly endeavour to throw off the Roman yoke, by taking up arms against the Roman powers; when they had rejected the liberty with which Christ would have made them free they were left to themselves, to grasp at their civil liberty in ways that were sinful,<\/I> and therefore could not be successful.<\/I> (2.) There shall be earthquakes,<\/I> great earthquakes, in divers places,<\/I> which shall not only frighten people, but destroy towns and houses, and bury many in the ruins of them. (3.) There shall be famines<\/I> and pestilences,<\/I> the common effects of war, which destroys the fruits of the earth, and, by exposing men to ill weather and reducing them to ill diet, occasions infectious diseases. God has various ways of punishing a provoking people. The four sorts of judgments which the Old-Testament prophets so often speak of are threatened by the New-Testament prophets too; for, though spiritual judgments are more commonly inflicted in gospel times, yet God makes use of temporal judgments also. (4.) There shall be fearful sights<\/I> and great signs from heaven,<\/I> uncommon appearances in the clouds, comets and blazing stars, which frighten the ordinary sort of beholders, and have always been looked upon as ominous,<\/I> and portending<\/I> something bad.<\/I> Now, as to these, the caution he gives them is, “Be not terrified.<\/I> Others will be frightened at them, but be not you frightened, v.<\/I><\/span> 2<\/span>. As to the fearful sights,<\/I> let them not be fearful to you, who look above the visible heavens to the throne of God’s government in the highest heavens. Be not dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the heathen are dismayed at them,<\/I> Jer. x. 2<\/I><\/span>. And, as to the famines<\/I> and pestilences,<\/I> you fall into the hands of God, who has promised to those who are his that in the days of famine they shall be satisfied,<\/I> and that he will keep them from the noisome pestilence;<\/I> trust therefore in him, and be not afraid.<\/I> Nay, when you hear of wars, when without are fightings and within are fears, yet then be not you terrified;<\/I> you know the worst that any of these judgments can do to you, and therefore be not afraid of them; for,” [1.] “It is your interest to make the best of that which is,<\/I> for all your fears cannot alter it: these things must first come to pass;<\/I> there is no remedy; it will be your wisdom to make yourselves easy by accommodating yourselves to them.” [2.] “There is worse behind;<\/I> flatter not yourselves with a fancy that you will soon see an end of these troubles, no, not so soon as you think of: the end is not by and by,<\/I> not suddenly.<\/I> Be not terrified,<\/I> for, if you begin so quickly to be discouraged, how will you bear up under what is yet before you?”<\/P>

      3. They must expect to be themselves for signs<\/I> and wonders<\/I> in Israel; their being persecuted<\/I> would be a prognostic of the destruction of the city and temple, which he had now foretold. Nay, this would be the first<\/I> sign of their ruin coming: “Before all these, they shall lay their hands on you.<\/I> The judgment shall begin at the house of God; you must smart first, for warning to them, that, if they have any consideration, they may consider, If this be done to the green tree, what shall be done to the dry?<\/I> See 1Pe 4:17<\/span>; 1Pe 4:18<\/span>. But this is not all; this must be considered not only as the suffering<\/I> of the persecuted,<\/I> but as the sin<\/I> of the persecutors. Before<\/I> God’s judgments are brought upon them, they shall fill up the measure of their iniquity by laying their<\/I> hands on you.” Note, The ruin of a people is always introduced by their sin; and nothing introduces a surer or sorer ruin than the sin of persecution. This is a sign<\/I> that God’s wrath is coming upon a people to the uttermost when their wrath<\/I> against the servants of God comes to the uttermost.<\/I> Now as to this,<\/P>

      (1.) Christ tells them what hard things they should suffer for his name’s sake, much to the same purport with what he had told them when he first called them to follow him, Matt. x.<\/span>: They should know the wages of it, that they might sit down and count the cost.<\/I> St. Paul, who was the greatest labourer and sufferer of them all, not being now among them, was told by Christ himself what great things he should suffer for<\/I> his name’s sake<\/I> (Acts ix. 16<\/span>), so necessary is it that all who will live godly in Christ Jesus should count upon persecution. The Christians, having themselves been originally Jews, and still retaining an equal veneration with them for the Old Testament and all the essentials of their religion, and differing only in ceremony, might expect fair quarter with them; but Christ bids them not expect it: “No, they shall be the most forward to persecute you.<\/I>” [1.] “They shall use their own church-power against you: They shall deliver you up to the synagogues<\/I> to be scourged there, and stigmatized with their anathemas.<\/I>” [2.] “They shall incense the magistrates against you: they shall deliver you into prisons,<\/I> that you may be brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake,<\/I> and be punished by them.” [3.] “Your own relations will betray you (v.<\/I><\/span> 16<\/span>), your parents, brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends;<\/I> so that you will not know whom to put a confidence in, or where to be safe.” [4.] “Your religion will be made a capital crime, and you will be called to resist unto blood. Some of you shall they cause to be put to death;<\/I> so far must you be from expecting honour and wealth that you must expect nothing but death in its most frightful shapes, death in all its dreadful pomp. Nay.” [5.] “You shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.<\/I>” This is worse than death itself, and was fulfilled when the apostles were not only appointed to death,<\/I> but made a spectacle to the world,<\/I> and counted as the filth of the world,<\/I> and the offscouring of all things,<\/I> which every body loathes, 1Co 4:9<\/span>; 1Co 4:13<\/span>. They were hated of all men,<\/I> that is, of all bad men, who could not bear the light of the gospel (because it discovered their evil deeds), and therefore hated those who brought in that light, flew in their faces, and would have pulled them to pieces. The wicked world, which hated to be reformed, hated Christ the great Reformer, and all that were his, for his sake. The rulers of the Jewish church, knowing very well that if the gospel obtained among the Jews their usurped abused power was at an end, raised all their forces against it, put it into an ill name, filled people’s minds with prejudices against it, and so made the preachers and professors of it odious to the mob.<\/P>

      (2.) He encourages them to bear up under their trials, and to go on in their work, notwithstanding the opposition they would meet with.<\/P>

      [1.] God will bring glory both to himself and them out of their sufferings: “It shall turn to you for a testimony,<\/I> v.<\/span> 13<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. Your being set up thus for a mark, and publicly persecuted,<\/I> will make you the more taken notice of and your doctrine and miracles the more enquired into; your being brought before kings and rulers<\/I> will give you an opportunity of preaching the gospel to them, who otherwise would never have come within hearing of it; your suffering such severe things, and being so hated by the worst of men, men of the most vicious lives, will be a testimony that you are good, else you would not have such bad men for your enemies; your courage, and cheerfulness, and constancy under your sufferings will be a testimony for you, that you believe what you preach, that you are supported by a divine power, and that the Spirit of God and glory rests upon you.”<\/P>

      [2.] “God will stand by you, and own you, and assist you, in your trials; you are his advocates, and you shall be well furnished with instructions, Luk 21:14<\/span>; Luk 21:15<\/span>. Instead of setting your hearts on work to contrive an answer to informations, indictments, articles, accusations, and interrogatories, that will be exhibited against you in the ecclesiastical and civil courts, on the contrary, settle it in your hearts,<\/I> impress it upon them, take pains with them to persuade them not to meditate before what you shall answer;<\/I> do not depend<\/I> upon your own wit and ingenuity, your own prudence and policy, and do not distrust<\/I> or despair<\/I> of the immediate and extraordinary aids of the divine grace. Think not to bring yourselves off in the cause of Christ as you would in a cause of your own, by your own parts and application, with the common assistance of divine Providence, but promise yourselves, for I promise you, the special assistance of divine grace: I will give you a mouth and wisdom.<\/I>” This proves Christ to be God; for it is God’s prerogative to give wisdom,<\/I> and he it is that made man’s mouth.<\/I> Note, First,<\/I> A mouth<\/I> and wisdom<\/I> together completely fit a man both for services and sufferings; wisdom<\/I> to know what to say, and a mouth<\/I> wherewith to say it as it should be said. It is a great happiness to have both matter<\/I> and words<\/I> wherewith to honour God and do good; to have in the mind a storehouse<\/I> well furnished with things new and old,<\/I> and a door of utterance<\/I> by which to bring them forth. Secondly,<\/I> Those that plead Christ’s cause may depend upon him to give them a mouth and wisdom,<\/I> which way soever they are called to plead it, especially when they are brought before magistrates for his name’s sake. It is not said that he will send an angel from heaven to answer for them, though he could do this, but that he will give them a mouth<\/I> and wisdom<\/I> to enable them to answer for themselves, which puts a greater honour upon them, which requires them to use the gifts and graces Christ furnishes them with, and redounds the more to the glory of God, who stills the enemy and the avenger out of the mouths of babes and sucklings. Thirdly,<\/I> When Christ gives to his witnesses a mouth and wisdom,<\/I> they are enabled to say that both for him and themselves which all their adversaries are not able to gainsay or resist,<\/I> so that they are silenced, and put to confusion. This was remarkably fulfilled presently after the pouring out of the Spirit, by whom Christ gave his disciples this mouth<\/I> and wisdom,<\/I> when the apostles were brought before the priest sand rulers, and answered them so as to make them ashamed, Acts iv., v., and vi<\/span>.<\/P>

      [3.] “You shall suffer no real damage by all the hardships they shall put upon you (v.<\/I><\/span> 18<\/span>): There shall not a hair of your head perish.<\/I>” Shall some of them lose their heads, and yet not lose a hair? It is a proverbial expression, denoting the greatest indemnity and security imaginable; it is frequently used both in the Old Testament and New, in that sense. Some think that it refers to the preservation of the lives of all the Christians that were among the Jews when they were cut off by the Romans; historians tell us that not one Christian perished in that desolation. Others reconcile it with the deaths of multitudes in the cause of Christ, and take it figuratively in the same sense that Christ saith, He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.<\/I> “Not a hair of your head shall perish but,” First,<\/I> “I will take cognizance<\/I> of it.” To this end he had said (Matt. x. 30<\/span>), The hairs of your head are all numbered;<\/I> and an account is kept of them, so that none of them shall perish but he will miss it. Secondly,<\/I> “It shall be upon a valuable consideration.<\/I>” We do not reckon that lost<\/I> or perishing<\/I> which is laid out for good purposes, and will turn to a good account. If we drop the body itself for Christ’s name’s sake, it does not perish, but is well bestowed. Thirdly,<\/I> “It shall be abundantly recompensed; when you come to balance profit and loss, you will find that nothing has perished, but, on the contrary, that you have great gain in present comforts, especially in the joys of a life eternal;” so that though we may be losers for Christ we shall not, we cannot, be losers by him in the end.<\/P>

      [4.] “It is therefore your duty and interest, in the midst of your own sufferings and those of the nation, to maintain a holy sincerity and serenity of mind, which will keep you always easy (v.<\/I><\/span> 19<\/span>): In your patience possess ye your souls;<\/I> get and keep possession of your souls.” Some read it as a promise, “You may<\/I> or shall<\/I> possess your souls.” It comes all to one. Note, First,<\/I> It is our duty and interest at all times, especially in perilous trying times, to secure the possession of our own souls; not only that they be not destroyed and lost for ever, but that they be not distempered now, nor our possession of them disturbed and interrupted. “Possess your souls,<\/I> be your own men, keep up the authority and dominion of reason, and keep under the tumults of passion, that neither grief nor fear may tyrannize over you, nor turn you out of the possession and enjoyment of yourselves.” In difficult times, when we can keep possession of nothing else, then let us make that sure which may be made sure, and keep possession of our souls. Secondly,<\/I> It is by patience, Christian patience, that we keep possession of our own souls. “In suffering times, set patience upon the guard for the preserving of your souls; by it keep your souls composed and in a good frame, and keep out all those impressions which would ruffle you and put you out of temper.”<\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

As some spake <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). Genitive absolute. The disciples we know from Mark 13:1<\/span>; Matt 24:1<\/span>.<\/P>

How <\/B> (<\/SPAN><\/span>). Literally, “that.”<\/P>

It was adorned <\/B> (<\/SPAN><\/span>). Perfect passive indicative, state of completion, stands adorned, tense retained in indirect discourse, though English has to change it. <\/SPAN><\/span>, old and common verb for orderly arrangement and adorning.<\/P>

With goodly stones and offerings <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). Instrumental case. Some of these stones in the substructure were enormous. “The columns of the cloister or portico were monoliths of marble over forty feet high” (Plummer). Cf. Josephus, War<\/I>, V.5. The word <\/SPAN><\/span> (here only in the N.T.) is not to be confused with <\/SPAN><\/span> from the same verb <\/SPAN><\/span>, but which came to mean a curse (Gal 1:8<\/span>; Acts 23:14<\/span>). So <\/SPAN><\/span> came to mean devoted in a bad sense, <\/SPAN><\/span> in a good sense. “Thus knave<\/I>, lad, becomes a rascal; villain<\/I>, a farmer<\/I>, becomes a scoundrel; cunning<\/I>, skilful<\/I>, becomes crafty<\/I>” (Vincent). These offerings in the temple were very numerous and costly (2Macc. 3:2-7) like the golden vine of Herod with branches as tall as a man (Josephus, Ant<\/I>. XV. ii.3). <\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Stones. See on Mr 13:1<\/span>. <\/P>

Offerings [] <\/SPAN><\/span>. Only here in New Testament. From ajnatiqhmi, to set up. Hence of something set up in the temple as a votive offering. Such were the golden vines presented by Herod the Great, with bunches of grapes as large as a man, and mounted above the entrance to the holy place. The magnificent porch of the temple was adorned with many such dedicated gifts, such as a golden wreath which Sosius offered after he had taken Jerusalem in conjunction with Herod; and rich flagons which Augustus and his wife had given to the sanctuary. Gifts were bestowed by princes friendly to Israel, both on the temple and on provincial synagogues. The word ajnaqema, (Gal 1:8<\/span>, Rev.), is the same word, something devoted, and so devoted to evil and accursed. Luke uses the classical form. The other is the common or Hellenistic form. The two forms develop gradually a divergence in meaning; the one signifying devoted in a good, the other in a bad sense. The same process may be observed in other languages. Thus knave, lad, becomes a rascal villian, a farmer, becomes a scoundrel : cunning, skilful, becomes crafty.<\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

THE OLIVET ADDRESS V. 5, 6<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

1) “And as some spake of the temple,” <\/strong>(kai tinon legonton peri tou hierou) “And as some repeatedly spoke about the temple,” Mat 24:11<\/span>; Mar 13:1<\/span>; Joh 2:21<\/span>. It was the apostles who were discussing it, while sitting on the mount of Olives, perhaps looking down upon it as the sun was setting.<\/p>\n

2) “How it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,” <\/strong>(hoti lithois kalois kai anathemasin kekosmetai eipon) “How that it had been and was adorned With gifts and beautiful stones, he said,” Mar 13:1<\/span>. The gifts that adorned the temple included the “golden chain of Agrippa,” crowns, shields, and goblets of gold given by different persons, and the “golden vine, with its vast clusters,” given by Herod. Some stones were said to be forty cubits (60 ft.) long and ten cubits (15 ft.) high, with alternate slabs of red and white marble.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Appleburys Comments<\/strong><\/p>\n

Prediction of the Destruction of Jerusalem
Scripture<\/p>\n

Luk. 21:5-9<\/span> And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and offerings, he said, 6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in which there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 7 And they asked him, saying, Teacher, when therefore shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when these things are about to come to pass? 8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not led astray: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; and, The time is at hand: go yet not after them. 9 And when ye shall hear of wars and tumults, be not terrified: for these things must needs come to pass first; but the end is not immediately.<\/p>\n

Comments<\/p>\n

And as some spake of the temple.This discourse is also reported in Mat. 24:1-34<\/span> and Mar. 13:1-30<\/span>. All three records should be studied in order to understand as clearly as possible what Jesus said about the destruction of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

Jesus began with some remarks about the temple and the devastation that was to come upon the city of Jerusalem. What He said at this point about His second coming revealed the significant contrast between His coming, which will be at the end of the world, and the claims that were to be made by false prophets at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem. See Mat. 24:23-27<\/span>. This was done to prevent confusion in the minds of the disciples as they saw the signs of the approaching destruction of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

Jesus continued the discussion of the principal theme of the discoursethe destruction of Jerusalemby pointing out some things the disciples would see as that event drew near. See Luk. 21:28-32<\/span>. When they saw these things, they were to know that their redemptionrelease from the distress of that timewas near. He illustrated the point with the parable of the Fig Tree. They were also to know that the kingdom of GodGods kingly authority visiting judgment upon the city that crucified His Sonwas near. And more than that, all these things would take place within the lifetime of their own generation.<\/p>\n

When Jesus had finished the discussion of the destruction of Jerusalem, He gave a brief answer to the question about the end of the world and His coming (Luk. 21:33-36<\/span>). The answer was brief, because He had already discussed it in connection with the destruction of Jerusalem (Luk. 21:25-27<\/span>). His coming will be at the end of the age. That He will come again, cannot be doubted by those who accept the testimony of the Scriptures. All thinking men should heed His warning about the necessity of being prepared for that day.<\/p>\n

there shall not be left here one stone upon another.Some of the people had just spoken to Him about the beauty and wealth of the temple. The thought of its being destroyed must have been shocking. They knew that its construction had already taken more than forty-six years; several more were to pass before it was to be completed. But utter destructionnot one stone left upon anotherwas awaiting not only that building but the whole city of Jerusalem (Luk. 19:41-44<\/span>).<\/p>\n

And they asked Him.Matthew says that it was the disciples who asked Him the question as He sat on the mount of Olives, but Mark is more specific and names them: Peter and James and John and Andrew.<\/p>\n

Teacher, when therefore shall these things be?that is, When will the destruction of Jerusalem occur? They also asked, What shall be the sign that these things are about to take place?<\/p>\n

According to Matthew, they also asked a third question: And what shall be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world? They evidently associated His coming with the end of the world, and correctly so. But their question suggests that they believed that nothing short of the end of the world could bring about the destruction of Jerusalem with its temple. To correct that notion, He told them about things they would see, both the things leading up to the destruction and the things that would signal its beginning. He drew a bold contrast between these things and the things that will happen when He comes again (Luk. 21:25-27<\/span>; Mat. 24:23-27<\/span>). No one will be misled by false prophets when He comes again in a cloud with power and great glory, for all will recognize Him then. And he said, Take heed that ye be not let astray.There would be many things happening at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem that might lead the disciples away such as false reports saying, Here or there, that is, Christ has come. To all these false reports, He said, Dont follow them.<\/p>\n

And ye shall hear of wars and tumults.These rumors would be heard before the destruction of Jerusalem, but the disciples were not to be terrified by them, for they would not signify the end of Jerusalem. The history of the world is written in the story of wars and rumors of wars, but a specific act of warJerusalem besieged by the Roman armieswould be the sign that the end of the city was at hand.<\/p>\n

Wars and rumors of wars, then, is not a sign of the coming of Christ, for His coming is to be at an unknown time at the end of the age.<\/p>\n

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Butlers Comments<\/strong><\/p>\n

SECTION 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

Preliminary Signs of Destruction (<\/strong>Luk. 21:5-19<\/span><\/strong>)<\/strong><\/p>\n

5And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6As for these things which you see, the days will come when there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. And they asked him, Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign when this is about to take place? 8And he said, Take heed that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name, saying, I am he! and, The time is at hand! Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified; for this must first take place, but the end will not be at once.<\/p>\n

10 Then he said to them, Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12But before all this they will lay their 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 names sake. 13This will be a time for you to bear testimony. 14Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer; 15for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death; 17you will be hated by all for my names sake. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By your endurance you will gain your lives.<\/p>\n

Luk. 21:5-7<\/span><\/strong> Predicted Catastrophe: <\/strong>The complexity of this text makes it imperative that the reader avail himself of a harmony of the gospel accounts as an aid to understanding it. First, it is important to know that immediately preceding Jesus watching the widows offering He uttered the following two eschatologically startling statements:<\/p>\n

a.<\/p>\n

He condemned the Pharisees, denouncing them as sons of hell (Mat. 23:15<\/span>) and pronouncing upon them all the blood of the righteous shed upon the earth (Mat. 23:31-35<\/span>). These were the keepers of the Hebrew system. Most Jews would consider their fall the end of the Jewish world.<\/p>\n

b.<\/p>\n

He declared the house of Judaism desolate and forsaken (Mat. 23:36-39<\/span>). This is terminology Jeremiah and Ezekiel used to warn their contemporaries of the Babylonian captivity and destruction of the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar (Jer. 19:8<\/span>; Lam. 1:4<\/span>; see Ezek. ch. 811).<\/p>\n

After observing the widows offering, Jesus preached the alarming sermon on Death and Life (Joh. 12:20-50<\/span>). He agonized over His own impending death (Joh. 12:27<\/span>); He warned, Now is the judgment (Gr. crisis) of this world (Gr. cosmos); He said the ruler of this world would be cast out (Joh. 12:31<\/span>); and He referred to the last day (Joh. 12:48<\/span>). The statement, Now is the crisis of this cosmos, was enough to precipitate the questions of the apostles about the destruction of Jerusalem. The word cosmos means order, system, establishment. It was very plain to the apostles Jesus was predicting the destruction of the present Jewish order, involving the desolation and forsakenness of the Temple and the nation in that generation (Mat. 23:36<\/span>). Matthew records that as Jesus left the temple His disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple, (Mat. 24:1<\/span>). Mark and Luke tell us they spoke to Him about how beautifully and wonderfully the Temple and the city was adorned with noble stones and offerings. The inference is that the apostles were filled with incredulity and excitement in response to all these startling predictions. Some of the great stones of Herods Temple were, according to Josephus, 25 cubits long, 8 cubits high and 12 cubits wide. Using 18 inches to a cubit one stone would be 38 ft. long, 12 ft. high and 18 ft. wide. Eight large-sized American automobiles (Ford, LTD) could be stacked into those dimensions. The offerings were probably gold-plating on columns and the golden grape-vine decorating the huge doors of the Temple. When Jesus predicted not one stone would be left upon another it is not surprising that the apostles asked Him, Tell us, when will this be? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age? (cf. Mat. 24:3<\/span>; Mar. 13:4<\/span>). The Greek word sunteleias is translated close (of the age) in Mat. 24:3<\/span>the word is more often translated, consummation. The apostles were persuaded Jesus was talking about the consummation of the age.<\/p>\n

It is now necessary to comment briefly on rabbinical eschatology apparently current in Jesus day. Jewish scribes and rabbis had divided their eschatology into three eras (more or less): (a) Olam hazzeh, the order then existing; (b) Athid labho, the age to come after that existing order; and (c) Olam habba, the world to come. In some rabbinic tradition, the age to come and the world to come blended into one. The existing order was to be succeeded by the days of the Messiah which would stretch into the coming age and end with the world to come. According to the rabbis, the birth of the Messiah would be unknown by his contemporaries; he would appear, carry on his work, then disappearprobably for 45 days; reappear, destroy the hostile powers of the world (notably Edomsymbolizing Rome, the fourth and last world empire listed by the prophet Daniel). Israelites would be brought back to Palestine from all over the world through miraculous deliverances and, according to the Midrash, all circumcised Israelites would then be released from Gehenna, and the dead Jews raised (according to some, by the Messiah). This resurrection would take place in Palestine so that those who had been buried elsewhere would have to roll undergroundin great painuntil they reached the holy land of Palestine.<\/p>\n

In the coming age, athid labho, the rabbis wrote that all resistance to God would be concentrated in the great war of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel, ch. 3839), and there would be an intensification and focusing of all wickedness upon Israel in her land. Israels implacable enemies would three times assault the Holy City to destroy it, but each time be repelled. The city would suffer some destruction, but not complete. When Israels enemy was destroyed completely, the Holy City would be gloriously rebuilt and inhabited. The new city would be lifted to a height of some nine miles-some said it would even reach as high as the throne of Godand extend from Joppa to the gates of Damascus. The new Temple, the Messiah was to erect, would contain every glorious item which had been absent in Herods Temple; the golden candelabra, the ark, the heaven-lit fire on the altar, the Shekinah, and the cherubim. Some rabbis insisted that the whole of the ancient ceremonies of Moses Law plus rabbinic traditions would be practiced. More liberal ones believed that only the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Esther (Purim), or Feast of Tabernacles, would be observed and only the thank-offerings made. Some insisted that the many stipulations concerning lawful and unlawful foods would be abolished.<\/p>\n

The end of that age would blend right into the world to come, olam habba, a glorious period of holiness, forgiveness and peace. In this vast new land and Holy City (not heaven, but literal Palestine), angels would cut gems 45 ft. long and 45 ft. broad and place them in the Citys gates. The walls of the City would be of silver, gold and precious gems, and precious jewels would be scattered all over the land which every Israelite was at liberty to take. Jerusalem would be as large as all Palestine and Palestine as large as the world. Every event and miracle in the history of Israel would be repeated, only on a much more magnificent scale, in the Messianic days. Wheat would grow as high as the mountains and the wind would miraculously convert the grain into flour and blow it into the valleys of the land. Every woman was to bear a child, daily, so that ultimately every Israelite family would number as many as all Israel at the time of the Exodus. All sickness and disease would pass away; Israelites would not die; some Gentiles would live hundreds of years. The Messiah was to rule the entire world from Jerusalem; Jerusalem would be the capital of the world and take the place of the fourth world empire (Rome). The time of this was among the seven things, according to the rabbis, unknown to man.<\/p>\n

A war, a revival of that of Gog and Magog, would close the Messianic era. The nations, which had to this point given tribute to the Messiah, would rebel against him, and he would destroy them by the breath of his mouth, so that Israel alone would be left on the face of the earth. That period of Gentile rebellion was to last seven years. Then the final Judgment would commence. There seems to be no resurrection for Gentiles at all, except to immediately die again at Judgment. Gehenna, where all Jews but the perfectly righteous Jews were kept, served as a Jewish purgatory, from which they were all ultimately delivered by Abraham, to go to heaven. No such deliverance was ever considered for the heathen, or apostate Jewsthey would suffer eternal torments. The final Judgment would be held in the Valley of Jehoshaphat by God, leading the Heavenly Sanhedrin, composed of the elders of Israel. After the final Judgment there would be a renewal of heaven and earth and the full implementation of olam habba, the world to come. Now when Jesus spoke of the judgment of the Jewish hierarchy, the desolation of Jerusalem, and the crisis of the cosmos, the apostles concluded that such catastrophic events would be signaling the end of the existing order, olam hazzeh, and the ushering in of athid labho, the coming age, and perhaps, olam habba, the world to come. The apostles asked three questions which indicates how influential the rabbinic interpretations had been on them, and how confused they were trying to reconcile that with Jesus statements. While the apostles apparently did not hear the Lords prediction earlier (Luk. 19:41-44<\/span>), or it did not register on their minds due to the excitement of those moments, they were hearing Him now. We must refer to a harmonization of the Synoptists to find the three distinct questions. Their first question was: When will all this destruction be? (Mat. 24:3<\/span> a; Mar. 13:4<\/span> a; Luk. 21:7<\/span> a); second, What will be the sign that You are coming? (Mat. 24:3<\/span> b; Mar. 13:4<\/span> b; Luk. 21:7<\/span> b). Matthew alone mentions a third part to their questioning: What will be the sign of the consummation of the age (Gr. sunteleias tou aionos)? (Mat. 24:3<\/span> c).<\/p>\n

Recognizing the dangers inherent in their confusion, Jesus sets out immediately to reveal a number of future events and to specify that they are not signs of the rabbinic theories coming to pass, nor are they signs of the consummation of the ages. At the end of His discourse, He tells them what they are not to know (signs of the end of the world). But for the immediate future of these apostles and those of their generation who would become followers of the Way, He gives some very practical instructions so they would not be led astray. The destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish commonwealth would not take place for more than 30 years after Jesus died, was raised from the tomb and ascended to heaven (beginning in 66 A.D. and coming to a climax in 70 A.D.). The apostles have not yet understood that Jesus must go away. When He did return to His heavenly throne, they would long to have Him back (cf. Luk. 17:22<\/span>). Great persecutions were to come upon them. They must live in daily expectation of His return. They would be vulnerable to false expectations of a coming messianic age as portrayed by the rabbis, because the circumstances preceding the destruction of Jerusalem were to be similar to rabbinic messianic eschatology. So Jesus spoke His warnings.<\/p>\n

Luk. 21:8<\/span><\/strong> Pseudo-Christs:<\/strong> Jesus warned the apostles that their generation would experience the rise and fall of many who would come in His name, saying they were the Messiah (Anointed One, Christ) (cf. Mat. 24:4-5<\/span>; Mar. 13:5-6<\/span>). But the first century Christians were not to be led astray by these claimsfor in spite of all the excitement and troubles attending these pretenders, He was not then returning, nor was the time at hand. Pseudo-Christs coming to proclaim the new age would precede the desolation of Jerusalem Jesus predicted. There were many such imposters who deluded multitudes of first century Jews into following them claiming they would prove they were the Christ by exhibiting wonders and signs by the power of God (see Antiquities, XX, VIII, 5, by Flavious Josephus). About 44 A.D. (during the rule of Palestine by Fadus, Roman procurator) one Theudas (not the Theudas of Act. 5:36<\/span>) gathered a large band of followers claiming he was a miracle working deliverer. And about 54 A.D. (during the reign of Felix) an Egyptian claimed to be a deliverer with prophetic powers. Such pseudo-Messiahs were plentiful. All these came to a climax 62 years after the destruction of Jerusalem in the great rebellion against Rome under the false Messiah, Bar Kokhba, A.D. 132135.<\/p>\n

Luk. 21:9-11<\/span><\/strong> Presaging Crises: <\/strong>The Greek word polemous, war, is the word from which we get the English word, polemics. It means to fight. Rome was having increasing difficulty with civil war among Roman emperors and army generals. There was also an ever recurring necessity for Rome to defend her empire against foreign invaders. Jesus is probably predicting the increasing rebellious attitude of the Jews against Rome when He predicts wars and rumors of wars. Herod Agrippa, given his uncle Philips territory by Caligula, set out to revenge his uncle Philip against Herod Antipas who had stolen Philips wife, Herodias. Agrippa spread the rumor to Rome that Antipas was conspiring with the Parthians against Rome and would make war, rumoring that Antipas had in his arsenal at Tiberias enough armor to equip 70,000 men. Riots broke out in Alexandria, Egypt, between the Egyptians and the Jews of that city (3738 A.D.). A riot broke out in Jamnia (western Judea) (39 A.D.) when some Gentiles erected an altar to the Roman emperor and Jews tore it down. The emperor sent two Roman legions (12,000 men) to Jerusalem to set up his statue in the Jewish Temple. Jews vowed to resist to the last Jewish death. Some Jewish Christians in Palestine thought this impending blood-bath was a fulfillment of Jesus prophecy here. Caligula was assassinated before this could be enforced. Claudius was forced to put down another riot in Alexandria with bloodshed (A.D. 53). We have already mentioned the Jewish rebellion under Theudas in the days of the Roman procurator Fadus. After the death of Herod Agrippa I (44 A.D.) the Roman emperor again imposed a rule of procurators upon Judea which deeply agitated the Jews. In the days of the procurator Cumanus (48 A.D.), a Roman soldier from the garrison in The Tower of Antonia, exposed his genitals to the Passover crowds which infuriated them. The Jews rioted and Roman soldiers killed hundreds of Jews in suppressing the rioting (cf. Josephus, Antiquities, XX, V, 3). There were continuing frontier disputes between Jews and SamaritansJews and Gentiles rioted in Caesarea (cf. Israel and The Nations, by F. F. Bruce, pub. Eerdmans, pgs. 197225). Wars and tumults (Gr. akatastasia, confusion, instability or literally, falling down away from) were predicted to precede the destruction of Jerusalem. Although nations rise against one another and the world society seems to be unstable, Jesus warned His disciples they should not be terrified (Gr. ptoeo, fightened, intimidated.). Luke records Jesus statement, . . . for this must first take place but the end will not be at once (Luk. 21:9<\/span>). Why the exhortation against being alarmed? Because Jesus is giving a very plain prediction of the holocaust coming upon Jerusalem and Israel. But Jesus has a work for them to do in Jerusalem and Palestine (Luk. 24:47<\/span>; Act. 1:8<\/span>) which will take years to accomplish. He does not want them to be terrified when wars and instability come so that they will flee Jerusalem before the real holocaust comes. When the actual, final destruction of Jerusalem comes He will want all who are able to escape (cf. Mat. 24:15-22<\/span>; Mar. 13:14-20<\/span>; Luk. 21:20-24<\/span>). Jesus warns them not to be alarmed when great earthquakes in various places and famines and pestilences and terrors and great signs from heaven occur because these, too, would not necessitate their fleeing Jerusalem. Even when these great disasters were headlined throughout the Roman empire, they were not signaling the immediate holocaust He was predicting. One famine, recorded in the New Testament (Act. 11:29<\/span> ff.) occurred about 4546 A.D. and was very severe in Palestine. Luke tells how the church at Antioch sent relief to their Jewish brethren in Palestine. Josephus tells how Queen Helena, an Adiabene convert to Judaism, also sent relief to the Jews in Palestine for the same famine (cf. Josephus, Antiquities, XX, II. 5) (Adiabene is a territory east of the Tigris River).<\/p>\n

Many destructive earthquakes have been recorded in the history of Syria (the land bordering Palestine on the north). The Hauran beyond the Jordan is covered with signs of violent earth-shocks, and the cities on the coast of Palestine have suffered many quakes. The New Testament documents a great earthquake in Palestine at the death of Christ (Mat. 27:51-54<\/span>); one at Christs resurrection (Mat. 28:2<\/span>); one at Philippi in Macedonia (Act. 16:26<\/span>). Josephus mentions one in the reign of Herod such as had not happened at any other time, which was very destructive to men and cattle (Antiquities, IV, V, 2). The records of many such earthquakes in Palestine could have been recorded by the Jews and destroyed when Rome burned the city of Jerusalem. Roman historians document numerous earthquakes which preceded the destruction of Jerusalem: (a) one occurring in A.D. 46; (b) one in Rome on the day Nero assumed the toga, A.D. 51; (c) one at Apamaea in Phrygia; (d) one at Laodicea in Phrygia, A.D. 60; (e) one in Amporia, A.D. 62. Seneca and Tacitus both mention earthquakes in places like Asia, Achaia, Syria, Macedonia, Cyprus, Paphus, Crete, Italy and places already mentioned. The records of great plagues and pestilences may have been practically destroyed also. But there is at least one pestilence, mentioned by Josephus, in Babylonia (40 A.D.) which killed some 30,000 people (Antiquities, XVII, IX, 8), and one in Italy (66 A.D.) recorded by Tacitus.<\/p>\n

What Jesus probably meant by great signs from heaven were the catastrophes of nature such as volcanic eruptions, cyclones, meteors or other great storms from the heavens which often terrify men. Josephus records the following signs which preceded the destruction of Jerusalem: (a) a star resembling a sword stood over the city; (b) a comet that lasted a whole year; (c) at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, during the night, a bright light shone around the altar and the Temple, so that it seemed to be broad daylight; (d) the eastern gate of the Temple, of solid brass, fastened with strong bolts and bars, which required 20 men to shut, opened in the night of its own accord; (e) chariots and troops of soldiers in their armor were seen running about among the clouds, and surrounding certain cities; (f) a great noise of a multitude, was heard in the temple, saying, Let us remove hence; (g) four years before the war began, Jesus, the son of Ananus, a farmer, came to the feast of Tabernacles when the city was in peace and prosperity, and began to cry aloud, A voice from the east, a voice from the west, a voice from the four winds, a voice against Jerusalem and the holy house, a voice against the bridegroom and the bride, and a voice against this whole people!he was scourged and at every stroke of the whip he cried, Woe, woe to Jerusalem!this cry was continued every day for more than seven years, until he was killed in the siege of the city, shouting, Woe, woe to myself also! (Josephus, Wars, VI, V, 3). Some of these signs were probably the product of rumor and since we have no corroborating eyewitnesses to substantiate Josephus, we must be skeptical about some of them. But the very fact that Josephus records them indicates they were being rumored around Jerusalem. And that is the whole point of Jesus warning hereto keep His disciples from being terrified at such rumored signs so that they might not desert their work of evangelism. Jesus counsels them that should they see unusually frightening natural phenomena or even hear rumors of such, Jerusalems destruction is still not imminent.<\/p>\n

Luk. 21:12-19<\/span><\/strong> Persecuting Countrymen:<\/strong> Jesus now warns the apostles that even severe persecutions to come upon His followers will not be signalling any imminent eschatological end. Up to the time of Jesus death, there were no severe persecutions against those who followed Him. The authorities had determined to kill Jesus, but His followers were still free of such malice. But immediately after His death, their tribulation would begin. Even this should not cause them to expect the imminent destruction of the Jewish commonwealth. Even this should not terrify them into fleeing Jerusalem and neglecting to fulfill their commission to preach the gospel there first. As a matter of fact, being brought to trial in Jewish synagogues and prisons, and before Jewish rulers, would be an opportune time for them to bear testimony (Luk. 21:13<\/span>).<\/p>\n

Jesus told the disciples they were not to meditate beforehand how to answer when hailed before persecutors. Luke uses the Greek words me promeletan which mean primarily, have no concern prior to. The better way to translate the word is be not anxious beforehand. In other words, Jesus exhorts those who anticipate being called to questioning before tribunals they need not distress themselves beforehand that they will not be able to endure the questioning or not have sufficient knowledge to give the testimony that should be given. What Jesus wants them to say will be given them between His prophecy here and the coming persecutions. This is not a promise of Jesus that they will need no preparation between these times. They will indeed be given many things to say from their own eye witnessed experiences (primarily, Jesus death and resurrectionwhich is essentially what they testified to before their persecutors). Jesus did not want the apostles to let His predictions of the coming persecutions fill them with anxiety ahead of time so they might hastily decide to flee from Palestine immediately upon His death. He desired to warn them here, at this moment, they would have a testimony of historical facts which none of their adversaries would be able to contradict. They need not be afraid they would Have nothing to say.<\/p>\n

Matthew and Mark add that Jesus predicted apostasy (Mat. 24:10<\/span>), false teaching (Mat. 24:11<\/span>), lawlessness and indifference (Mat. 24:12<\/span>) would all characterize the Jewish society in which the apostles would live preceding the holocaust upon the Jewish nation. Furthermore, the gospel of the kingdom would be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations-then the end of Jerusalem and the nation would come (Mat. 24:14<\/span>; Mar. 13:10<\/span>). The hatred and persecution of Christians and Jews is abundantly confirmed by pagan historians (between 3470 A.D.) as well as in sacred history (Acts of the Apostles), in the Pauline epistles, and in Johns Revelation. The rise of false teaching and apostasy within Judaism and within the Christian Church as well as the betrayal of Christians by their own brethren is well documented in the epistles of the New Testament and in the book of Revelation (cf. Gal. 1:7<\/span>; Gal. 2:4<\/span>; 2Co. 11:13-15<\/span>; 1Ti. 1:3-7<\/span>; 1Ti. 1:19-20<\/span>; 2Ti. 3:8-9<\/span>; Tit. 1:10-11<\/span>; Jude; 2Pe. 2:1-22<\/span>; Rev. 1:3<\/span>; Act. 15:1<\/span>, etc.). Neither do we have to speculate as to what Jesus meant when He prophesied that the gospel of the kingdom would be preached to the whole world before Jerusalem was destroyed. We have the documentation of the fulfillment of that from the pen of the inspired apostle Paul (cf. Rom. 1:5<\/span>; Rom. 1:8<\/span>; Rom. 10:18<\/span>; Rom. 16:26<\/span>; Col. 1:6<\/span>; Col. 1:23<\/span>). The same apostle made it abundantly clear in his epistle to the Hebrews that Judaism was doomed and near to passing away (cf. Heb. 8:13<\/span>; Heb. 10:25<\/span>; Heb. 12:25-29<\/span>; Heb. 13:14<\/span>).<\/p>\n

Very alarming words had fallen from the lips of Jesus. The apostles, combining with these words their undoubted knowledge of popular rabbinical traditions of the coming age were startled. Jesus recognized the need to allay their anxieties lest the events which would precede the judgment of God upon the Jewish nation might terrify them into fleeing from Palestine before they could accomplish His purposes there. Jesus revealed to the apostles these events of history before they came to pass in order that they might believe and trust Him and carry out their mission (cf. Mat. 24:25<\/span>; Mar. 13:23<\/span>; Joh. 13:19<\/span>; Joh. 14:29<\/span>). These are events preliminary to the destruction of the Jewish nation.<\/p>\n

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

(5, 6) And as some spake of the temple.<\/strong>See Notes on Mat. 24:1-2<\/span>; Mar. 13:1-2<\/span>, where the some are identified with the disciples.<\/p>\n

Goodly stones.<\/strong>These were probably so called, either as being sculptured, or as being of marble, or porphyry, or other of the more precious materials used in building.<\/p>\n

Gifts.<\/strong>St. Luke uses the more strictly classical word for offerings, according to some of the best MSS., in the self-same form as the Anathma<\/em> (1Co. 12:3<\/span>; 1Co. 16:12<\/span>), which elsewhere in the New Testament is confined to the idea of that which is set apart, not for a blessing, but a curse. The fact that he is the only writer to use it in its good sense is characteristic of his Gentile and classical training. Other MSS., however, give the more usual term, Anathma,<\/em> as if it had been found necessary to distinguish the form of the word according to its uses.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

118.<\/em> JESUS FORETELLS THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM, AND DISTINGUISHES IT FROM THE FINAL JUDGMENT, Luk 21:5-36<\/em><\/span><\/em> .<\/p>\n

Matthew 24, 25<\/span><\/em>; Mark 13<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Of our Lord’s discourse, Matthew’s report reads like a somewhat verbal sketch of an actual hearer, yet so abridged as to omit parts requisite to a complete understanding. Mark’s is a smaller sketch, still more abbreviated; while Luke’s seems rather a report from memory, giving rather the substance than the words, yet supplying parts requisite for an exact understanding of Matthew.<\/p>\n

As a somewhat dimmer report, Luke exhibits faint traces of the four points of the contrast between the destruction of Jerusalem and the judgment day, which we have found in Matthew. Without giving a warning of the distinction, (Luk 21:8-9<\/span>,) he exhibits one great contrast between the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jews (Luk 21:10-24<\/span>) on the one hand, and the judgment day (Luk 21:25-27<\/span>) on the other. Then Luk 21:28-33<\/span> furnish the warning, parallel to Mat 24:32-35<\/span>, to provide for the troubles of the destruction; and Luk 21:34-38<\/span> are the compressed parallel of all the discourses of Matthew 25<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Introductory words.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

‘And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and offerings, he said,’<\/p>\n

Luke is deliberately vague about where and to whom these words were spoken. He does not want to move attention away from the Temple area, nor specifically restrict the words to the disciples. He wants it to be seen that these words were finally meant for all, and link them as closely as possible to the Temple in which Jesus has and will spend His last days.<\/p>\n

Excursus on The Temple.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Luke’s treatment of the Temple and Jerusalem is fascinating. He closely links it with Jesus’ birth, (although the birth itself takes place outside it), as He is seen as it were to come from it, as we now discover, in order to replace it (1-2; Joh 2:18-21<\/span>) as Samuel did of old (1 Samuel 1-4 with 1Sa 7:15-17<\/span>). It is closely linked with these last days prior to His death as He comes there as God’s Servant (Act 4:27<\/span>) to be examined as God’s perfect sacrifice, ready for the offering of Himself outside the camp (Luk 23:26-31<\/span>; Heb 13:11-14<\/span>), and its final destruction (Luk 13:34-35<\/span>; Luk 19:41-44<\/span>; Luk 21:5-24<\/span>; Luk 23:28-31<\/span>). In the first part of Acts (1-6, mentioned eleven times, followed by silence) it is closely linked with the first outreach of the church, although deliberately not mentioned in Acts 2<\/span> so that the ‘birth’ of the church might be seen as from above, and it is then seen as rejected, first in the defence of Stephen (Act 7:48-49<\/span>; compare Luk 17:24<\/span>), and then by its treatment of Paul (in Acts 21-24 it is mentioned ten times), once Paul has been ejected from its doors (Act 21:30<\/span>). The Good News, having first gone out from Jerusalem (Acts 1-12) in fulfilment of the idea in Isa 2:2-4<\/span>, will then go out from a replacement of the Temple, which is found in those appointed by the Spirit to carry forth His word, the church of Christ as symbolised by the church in Syrian Antioch – Act 13:1<\/span> onwards. This will be the result of the Lord coming in power to Jerusalem (Isa 52:7<\/span>; Mar 9:1<\/span>; Luk 22:69<\/span>; Luk 24:49<\/span>) and the Apostles going out to the world bearing figuratively ‘the vessels of the Lord’, now to be made available to the whole world (Isa 52:11-12<\/span>, see our commentary on Isaiah). The Servant will take out light to the nations (Isa 42:6<\/span>; Isa 49:6<\/span>). The difference is that in Acts Luke depicts the Spirit as transferring His effective working to Antioch, because Jerusalem had again accepted a false and blasphemous king (Acts 12<\/span>). From now on in the New Testament the true Temple and the true Jerusalem is seen to be above (Act 7:48-49<\/span> with 55-56), although present on earth in His true people as part of the corporate Servant (Act 13:47<\/span>) and as bearer of the Good News. The earthly Temple and the earthly Jerusalem are replaced by the heavenly Temple and the heavenly Jerusalem (Gal 4:26-27<\/span>; Heb 12:22-24<\/span>; and in Revelation constantly, for in Revelation 11<\/span>, as the description of it makes clear, the ‘Temple’ there is the true people of God in Jerusalem, not a building. See our commentary on Revelation), of which in Christ the people of God on earth are a part by the Spirit (1Co 3:16<\/span>; 2Co 6:16-18<\/span>.<\/p>\n

End of Excursus.<\/p>\n

The goodly stones and offerings have already been mentioned above. The huge white stones and marble columns, the glistening gold plating and special ‘gifts’ such as the huge vine of pure gold whose clusters were each as tall as a man, gripped all by their splendour, and looking from the Mount of Olives, possibly while the sun was setting and making all shine with radiant light, we can understand why it impressed the disciples. It looked indestructible, and glorious. Only Jesus’ heart was filled with the thought of that hugely costly gift of the poor widow, which surpassed all the others. And when He heard their admiration for the Temple He clearly felt it necessary for them to see that their minds should be on other things, rather than on a Temple which would shortly be destroyed. Their glorying in the Temple was all a part of their failure to see things from the right perspective.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

The Coming Destruction Of The Temple (21:5-24).<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD is now for us a simple fact of history of which today many are unaware, and most see it as almost an irrelevance, but its implications were in fact huge for us all. To the disciples, and the Jews of Jesus’ day, and in fact to the whole history of the Christian world, its significance was certainly immense. For the Temple was seen by many Jews, and even by large numbers of Christian Jews, both those in Palestine and those scattered around the world, as the indestructible centre of the world and of all true worship, and its destruction therefore was seen as shaking the very foundations of the world.<\/p>\n

But what its destruction did accomplish was to free those who still looked to the Temple from its powerful grip. From the time of its destruction all Christians together, both former Jew and former Gentile, could concentrate their attention and their thoughts on the One Who had replaced the Temple, on Jesus Christ Himself, through Whom alone we can come to God. As Jesus had said, ‘the time is coming when neither on this mountain (Gerizim) or in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. — But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship Him’ (Joh 4:21<\/span>; Joh 4:23<\/span>).<\/p>\n

So as the powerful words that follow demonstrate to all, it was God’s purpose to destroy it as His purposes moved forward among the nations, and it is made clear here that He would do it in order to replace it with the promise of the coming of the Son of Man from Heaven and with the testimony of His disciples pointing to Him on earth. His message throughout all Jesus’ words here is this, let all men therefore now look, not to the Temple, but to the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom the Apostles will give their testimony (Luk 21:13<\/span>), and Who will come again in glory (Luk 21:27<\/span>) to bring about the final redemption of His own (Luk 21:28<\/span>). For the Temple is now of the past.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Prophecy Concerning the Destruction of the Temple, the Scattering of the Jews, and the Coming of the Son of Man (21:5-36).<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

This passage connects with the last in that the disciples begin to discuss the offerings that had resulted in the building of the glorious Temple which they could see before them, first as they left the Temple, and then as they sat on the Mount of Olives (Marl Luk 13:3-4<\/span>). These had been great indeed. Tens of thousand of people who flocked to the Temple would be amazed and awed at the splendour of the gifts made to the Temple by the very wealthy. It was one of the wonders of the world. The disciples had been amazed and awed when they had first seen it, and they were equally amazed and awed every time they came to Jerusalem and saw it. It had that kind of splendour that no provincial ever got used to.<\/p>\n

Luke here wants us to contrast this amazement at the glory of the gifts of the wealthy with Jesus amazement at the glory of the gift of the widow. Note indeed the contrasts within these verses, which Luke has deliberately associated together:<\/p>\n

1). Certain of the Scribes devour widow’s houses.<\/p>\n

2). The rich toss into the temple treasury of their abundance.<\/p>\n

3). The poor widow gives all that she has.<\/p>\n

4). Jesus admires the giving of the widow. She has laid up treasure in Heaven.<\/p>\n

5). The disciples admire the giving of the rich who display their gifts.<\/p>\n

6). Jesus declares that the Gentiles will devour the Temple.<\/p>\n

So Jesus tells His disciples to look well at the gifts displayed on the Temple. And that these splendid gifts, admired by all, will in fact be pulled down along with the stonework of the Temple until not one stone is left on another, (while the few lepta of the widow will go on for ever and be remembered in the Day when those who are Christ’s receive their reward). It was the sight of the Temple, shining in the sun as they were leaving, that drew the admiring comments from the disciples, and the same splendour as they looked at it from the Mount of Olives (Mar 13:3-4<\/span>) that made them ask when it would happen, but Luke mentions none of this. He continues the discourse without mentioning the change of place because he wishes a direct contrast to be made with the gift of the widow and for it to be closely connected with the Temple ministry (Luk 21:1-4<\/span>; Luk 21:37<\/span>). He wants his readers to see that the Temple is being given its warning.<\/p>\n

It is difficult to overstress the splendour of the Temple. It was a huge edifice built on top of the Temple mount. Its building commenced in 19 BC and the main structure was completed within ten years, but the finishing touches went on and were still in progress at this time, not being finished until 64 AD (just in time for its destruction). It was enclosed by a wall of massive stone blocks, each block on average about 1 metre high and five metres long. The front of the Temple was covered in gold plating that shone brilliantly in the sun, and its stones were of glistening white marble. There were stones in the Temple measuring 20 metres by Luk 2:5<\/span> metres by Luk 2:25<\/span> metres (68 feet by 9 feet by Luk 7:5<\/span> feet), while the Temple area itself was about 450 metres (1450 feet) by 300 metres (950 feet). All was on a vast scale. The large outer court, the Court of the Gentiles, which surrounded the inner courts and the Sanctuary on three sides, was surrounded by porticoes built on huge pillars. It was in these colonnades that Rabbis held their schools and debates (Luk 2:46<\/span>), and the Temple trading took place (Luk 11:15<\/span>). It would be here that the early church came together for worship.<\/p>\n

Steps leading up to the first inner court, the court of the women, demonstrate that it was at a higher level than the outer court. This court was surrounded by balustrades on which were posted the signs warning death to any Gentile who trespassed within. (Two of these inscriptions have been discovered). Beyond this balustrade was the Court of the Women, through which men had to go to reach the court of Israel, and in which were found the thirteen trumpets for collection of funds for the Treasury. A further court, raised above the court of the women, and reached by further steps, was the Court of Israel, and beyond that again was the Priests’ Court which contained the great Altar built of unhewn stone.<\/p>\n

Within that Court, raised above all, was the holy shrine itself, entered through a porch that was 100 cubits high and 100 cubits wide (a cubit was 45 centimetres or 17:5 inches). The doorway that gave entry was 40 cubits high and 20 cubits wide, and another door, half the size, led into the Holy Place. This was 40 cubits long and 20 cubits wide, and separated from the Most Holy Place by doors over which hung a curtain (the veil). The Most Holy Place was 20 cubits square and 40 cubits high. But the height of the sanctuary was increased by an additional empty room above it which raised the height of the whole to 100 cubits.<\/p>\n

Josephus described the holy shrine and its magnificence thus. ‘Now the outward face of the Temple in its front wanted nothing that was likely to surprise men’s minds or their eyes, for it was covered all over with plates of gold of great weight, and, at the first rising of the sun, reflected back a very fiery splendour, and made those who forced themselves to look on it turn their eyes away, just as they would have done at the sun’s own rays. But this Temple appeared to strangers, when they were at a distance, like a mountain covered with snow, for as to those parts of it which were not gold they were exceeding white.’ Some of these great white stones have been unearthed within the last decade.<\/p>\n

This was the magnificence that so drew the attention of the disciples as they left the Temple, and then gazed at it from the Mount of Olives (Mar 13:3-4<\/span>). They had seen it before but they never ceased to marvel at its massiveness and splendour, and as the sun went down they were again struck by the sight of it and began to discuss its marvellous stonework of massive white stones, and the glistening gold of the offerings made by Herod and others that shone in the sun. It drew a sense of wonder from their hearts. And these gifts had been made by great and powerful men. They never ceased being filled with awe. No wonder the widow’s lepta seemed unimportant to all but Jesus. But Jesus saw it totally differently, for He knew it all for what it was.<\/p>\n

So Luke deliberately make his introduction less personal and explanatory, and less detailed than the other Gospels. He wants all concentration to be on the message, and he wants attention to be maintained on the Temple (Luk 21:37<\/span>). So while he nowhere contradicts Mark about where the questions and the speech took place, he is simply silent on the matter, thus intentionally linking the words directly with the Temple.<\/p>\n

It is clear that in this speech Luke is not only calling on Mark, but also on one or more other sources, and it is interesting that if the identifiable Marcan extracts are removed the discourse is still on the whole a conjoined whole, hinting at this use of another source or sources. That is why he can give us words of Jesus omitted by Mark. Mark seeks to make his version of the speech (a speech which was probably a lot longer and more detailed than either Mark or Luke) carry straight through from the sacking of Jerusalem and the arrival of the Desolating Abomination, to the final coming of the Son of Man, so as to link the two, the initial judgment, which ends with the coming of the Desecrating Desolator, the great Beast of Daniel, being seen as followed by the final judgment and the coming of the glorious Son of Man. But Luke makes clear that there is a period of time of unknown dimension between the two, what Jesus calls ‘the times of the Gentiles’ (Luk 21:24<\/span>). Revelation will later depict this in terms of ‘a thousand years’ (Luk 20:4-7<\/span>), a long period of unknown length which is within the perfection of God’s plan, when the martyred people of God will also reign with Jesus above.<\/p>\n

But the first three Gospels all make clear that there must be some considerable delay before His coming, although none can know how long. And during this period Jesus makes clear that there will be world catastrophes, ‘worldwide’ preaching of the Good News including persecution, and then the defiling of the Temple. It is only when these have taken place that the Son of Man will come.<\/p>\n

The passage that now follows divides strictly into two. The first part deals with the answer to the question of the disciples, in response to His comment about what was to happen to the Temple (Luk 21:5-24<\/span>). The second part deals with the final coming of the Son of Man (Luk 21:25-38<\/span>). In the Section chiasmus the first part of this passage (Luk 21:5-24<\/span>) is paralleled by Jesus weeping over Jerusalem (Luk 19:41-44<\/span>). That parallels the destruction of Jerusalem as described here. The second part of this passage (Luk 21:25-36<\/span>) parallels His triumphal coming to Jerusalem on an ass (Luk 19:28-40<\/span>). The entry in Kingly humility on the ass thus parallels the coming of the Son of Man in glory. Jerusalem had refused to receive Him. A desolated Jerusalem would welcome His return.<\/p>\n

The first part (Luk 21:5-24<\/span>) then divides into three parts, the troubles coming on the world found in Luk 21:8-11<\/span>, the persecution of God’s true people and the opportunity to be a testimony through it (including in Mark the proclamation of the Good News to all nations) which is found in Luk 21:12-19<\/span>, and the taking of Jerusalem and the scattering of the Jews among the nation found in Luk 21:20-24<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Because of his readership and his background Luke is more wary of how he presents Jesus’ words about the coming destruction of the Temple than Mark or Matthew, for he wants his readers to understand. Instead of speaking of the ‘Desolating Abomination’, a phrase pregnant with significance to Jews, but meaningless to Gentiles, he paraphrases it in terms of Jerusalem being surrounded by armies (accompanied by their idolatrous insignias) which will bring about its desolation. Alternatelt we may see it as signifying that he is quoting further words of Jesus, which Jesus gave in explanation of the phrase ‘desolating abomination’ (or ‘the desecration that appals’) not recorded by Mark and Matthew. But the ideas are actually the same. The Desolating Abomination in the time of the Maccabees, described in Dan 11:31<\/span> and extended into the future in Dan 9:27<\/span>, from which the phrase comes, had been the result of Antiochus Epiphanes, together with his armies, surrounding Jerusalem and desecrating the Temple. That Luke’s description in Luk 21:20<\/span> does actually refer to the same thing as Mar 13:14<\/span>; Mat 24:15<\/span> is clear when we make a verse by verse comparison of Luke with Matthew and Mark which we will consider when we come to it.<\/p>\n

We note now how Luke, with consummate skill, takes his sources and moulds them into one in the form of a chiasmus, in the way we have constantly seen him do previously, while yet still remaining faithful to the words of Jesus. That these are actually the words of Jesus comes out in the fact that these magnificent words require their author to be a magnificent personality, and as this magnificence is found in the passage in all the first three Gospels it is clearly not that of the writers. It must be found in it being the words of One Who stood out among His generation, along with His other words elsewhere that bear the same stamp. (Comparison with other writings reveals how distinctive Jesus’ style was. He spoke as none other spoke). We will now analyse the chiastic construction of the speech.<\/p>\n

Analysis of 21:5-28.<\/p>\n

a <\/strong> As some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and offerings, He said (Luk 21:5<\/span>).<\/p>\n

b <\/strong> “As for these things which you behold, the days will come, in which there will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down” (Luk 21:6<\/span>).<\/p>\n

c <\/strong> They asked him, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things be? and what will be the sign when these things are about to occur?” (Luk 21:7<\/span>).<\/p>\n

d <\/strong> ‘And he said, “Take heed that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he’, and, ‘The time is at hand’, do not go after them. And when you shall hear of wars and tumults, be not terrified, for these things must necessarily come about first, but the end is not immediately” (Luk 21:8-9<\/span>).<\/p>\n

e <\/strong> Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be great earthquakes, and in many and various places famines and pestilences, and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven” (Luk 21:10-11<\/span>).<\/p>\n

f <\/strong> “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you, and will persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name’s sake” (Luk 21:12<\/span>).<\/p>\n

g <\/strong> “It will turn out to you for a testimony” (Luk 21:13<\/span>).<\/p>\n

h <\/strong> “Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to gainsay” (Luk 21:14-15<\/span>).<\/p>\n

i <\/strong> “But you will be delivered up even by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends, and some of you they will cause to be put to death” (Luk 21:16<\/span>).<\/p>\n

h <\/strong> “And you will be hated of all men for my name’s sake, and not a hair of your head will perish” (Luk 21:17-18<\/span>).<\/p>\n

g <\/strong> “In your patience endurance you will win your souls” (Luk 21:19<\/span>).<\/p>\n

f <\/strong> “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand, then let those who are in Judaea flee to the mountains, and let those who are in the midst of her depart out, and let not those who are in the countryside enter into it” (Luk 21:20-21<\/span>).<\/p>\n

e <\/strong> “For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled” (Luk 21:22<\/span>).<\/p>\n

d <\/strong> “Woe to those who are with child and to those who are breast-feeding in those days! For there will be great distress on the land, and wrath to this people. And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luk 21:23-24<\/span>).<\/p>\n

c <\/strong> “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the billows, 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” (Luk 21:25-26<\/span>).<\/p>\n

b <\/strong> “And then will they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luk 21:27<\/span>).<\/p>\n

a <\/strong> “But when these things begin to come about, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luk 21:28<\/span>).<\/p>\n

We note that in ‘a’ the disciples look up at the ‘goodly stones’ and ‘offerings’ of the Temple, the centre of Jewish worship and deliverance, and in the parallel in complete contrast they are to lift up their heads, watching for their coming redemption and deliverance from above. They are to seek the things which are above where He will shortly be seated at the right hand of God (Luk 22:69<\/span>), setting their minds on things above and not on things on the earth (Col 3:1-2<\/span>). In ‘b’ the things that they now see will be thrown down so that not one stone will be left on another, and in the parallel the Son of Man will come with power and great glory, for it is He Who replaces the glory of the Temple (Joh 2:18-21<\/span>). In ‘c’ they ask Him for signs, and in the parallel signs are given. In ‘d’ will come false dawns to Jerusalem and Israel, and rumours of dreadful things, and in the parallel come the reality of those warnings and the news that rather than the coming of dawn, it is darkness that is coming on Jerusalem and Israel. In ‘e’ are outlined the dreadful things coming on the world, and in the parallel reference is made to the days of vengeance. In ‘f’ is outlined the future tribulation for the disciples, and in the parallel future tribulation for Jerusalem when the Roman armies invade (called in Matthew, with its aftermath, ‘great tribulation’). In ‘g’ the tribulation of the disciples will be a testimony, both to men and God, and in the parallel through their patient endurance they will win their inner life. In ‘h’ they will be provided with the means to withstand their adversaries in court, something which they will require, for in the parallel they will be hated of all men for His name’s sake. And in ‘i’, centrally to what they would now have to face in the future are given the consequences for them, and the warning that they will be hated by family and friends, and some will even be put to death. For this is all a sign of the fire that is now coming on the earth that will revolutionise their future (Luk 12:52-53<\/span> with 49), and bring about all that is being described.<\/p>\n

As we have previously observed the passage may now be seen as divided into two main parts (with the first part divided into three), the two parts describing first the coming future judgment on Jerusalem, prior to the scattering of the Jews in Jerusalem throughout the world, which came about in 70 AD and what followed, and secondly the glorious appearing of the Son of Man. They are separated by ‘the times of the Gentiles’.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Jesus Gives His Eschatological Discourse ( Mat 24:3-35<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> , Mar 13:3-31<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> ) <\/strong> In Luk 21:5-38<\/span> Jesus gives His Eschatological Discourse to some of the people in the Temple. The parallel passages in Matthew and Mark tell us that He was addressing His disciples, which included more than the twelve apostles. <\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Outline <\/em> Here is a proposed outline:<\/p>\n

1. Prediction of the Destruction of Jerusalem Luk 21:1-2<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Signs Preceding this Event Luk 21:5-19<\/span><\/p>\n

3. A Description of the Destruction of Jerusalem Luk 21:20-24<\/span><\/p>\n

2. The Second Coming of Christ Jesus Luk 21:25-36<\/span><\/p>\n

3. The Setting of Jesus’ Betrayal Luk 21:37-38<\/span><\/p>\n

Luk 21:5-6<\/strong><\/span> Prediction of the Destruction of Jerusalem <\/strong> Jesus begins His eschatological discourse in Luk 21:5-6<\/span> by predicting the destruction of Jerusalem prior to His Second Coming.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:7-19<\/strong><\/span> Signs Preceding this Event <\/strong> In Luk 21:7-19<\/span> the disciples ask Jesus to give them the signs that will indicate the coming of this terrible event.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:9<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> Comments <\/em><\/strong> Jesus tells us not to be afraid. This is because fear opens the door to torment. When fear is in or heart, we are not able to walk in faith.<\/p>\n

1Jn 4:18<\/span>, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment . He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”<\/p>\n

Luk 21:15<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> Comments <\/em><\/strong> Jesus has just spent time in the Temple facing the religious leaders as they tried to tempt Him with questions. He answered them with the wisdom of God.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:19<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> Word Study on “possess” <\/em><\/strong> Strong <\/em> says the Greek word (G2932<\/span>) literally means, “to get, i.e. to acquire.” Zodhiates<\/em> says, “To possess, meaning keep in possession of your souls, have them under your control.” The Enhanced Strong <\/em> says it is used 7 times in the New Testament, being translated in the KJV as “possess 3, purchase 2, provide 1, obtain 1.”<\/p>\n

Luk 21:19<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> Comments <\/em><\/strong> We “possess,” or “keep under control” our souls, which consists of our mind, will and emotions, through patience. Jesus warns His disciples in Luk 21:9<\/span> of this passage not to be terrified because of these difficult times.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:20-24<\/strong><\/span> The Destruction of Jerusalem <\/strong> The description in Luk 21:20-24<\/span> is a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman Emperor Titus in A.D. 70. The time of the Gentiles will last another two thousand years.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:20<\/strong><\/span> “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies” – <\/strong> Comments <\/em><\/strong> It is interesting to note that since the restoration of the nation of Israel in 1948, Jerusalem has been surrounded by Islamic nations.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:20<\/strong><\/span> “then know that the desolation thereof is nigh” – <\/strong> Comments <\/em><\/strong> Luke did not use the Hebrew term “abomination of desolation” perhaps because it would carry very little meaning to his Gentile audience. However, Matthew and Mark did use this phrase in their parallel passages.<\/p>\n

Mat 24:15<\/span>, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)”<\/p>\n

Mar 13:14<\/span>, “But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:” <\/p>\n

Luk 21:24<\/strong><\/span> “and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles” <\/strong> Comments <\/em><\/strong> John Hagee refers to the phrase “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles” to refer to the events preceding to May 15, 1948, when Israel took full control of the city of Jerusalem for the first time in over two thousand years. [273] Up until this time Gentiles controlled the city of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

[273] John Hagee, John Hagee Today <\/em> (San Antonio, Texas: John Hagee Ministries), on Trinity Broadcasting Network (Santa Ana, California), television program.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:24<\/strong><\/span> “until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” <\/strong> Comments <\/em><\/strong> We find a reference to the “time of the Gentiles” ( ) in Eze 30:3<\/span>. A description of the “times of the Gentiles” is given in the book of Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about a great statue whose head was made of gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron and his feet part of iron and part of clay. We understand that this was a prophecy of the kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. I believe that the fall of the nation of Israel in 586 B.C. and the rule of Babylon ushered in the “times of the Gentiles,” which refers to the period in human history when the world is ruled by Gentile nations. Jesus described it in the plural as “times” because there are four kingdoms that make up this period of divine history. We are living in the time of the Romans today, since we are using a Roman calendar for our years. This time will end with the Great Tribulation Period when Jesus Christ will return to earth at His Second Coming and establish His throne in Jerusalem to rule and reign over the nations forever.<\/p>\n

Eze 30:3<\/span>, “For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.”<\/p>\n

Luk 21:25-36<\/strong><\/span> The Second Coming of Christ Jesus <\/strong> In Luk 21:25-36<\/span> Jesus teaches on the rapture of the Church. The Rapture will be a glorious day for the Church, but a time of surprise and mourning for the world (Mat 24:29-44<\/span>, Luk 21:25-36<\/span>). Jesus first refers to a Rapture of the saints in His Eschatological Discourses recorded by Matthew and Luke. <\/p>\n

The Time of the Rapture – <\/em><\/strong> Matthew’s Gospel suggests that the Rapture will take place immediately after the Tribulation Period, for it says, “Immediately after the tribulation” (Mat 24:29<\/span>). <\/p>\n

Mat 24:29-31<\/span>, “ Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”<\/p>\n

Mat 24:40-42<\/span>, “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”<\/p>\n

However, Luke’s account suggests that the Lord will deliver His saints from the Tribulation Period through the Rapture, which will take place immediately before the Tribulation Period. <\/p>\n

Luk 21:36<\/span>, “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.”<\/p>\n

If we understand the two different recipients of Matthew and Luke, the explanation is simple. The Gospel of Matthew is written to Jewish converts who were looking for the Second Coming of Christ to set up His kingdom on this earth. But Luke wrote to Gentile Christians who were looking for deliverance from the wickedness of this world. Thus, Matthew explains what will take place at His Second Coming, how Jesus will return and gather His saints together and set up His kingdom on earth and rule and reign from Jerusalem, while Luke exhorts the saints to prepare themselves for the Rapture that will catch the Church up immediately before the Tribulation Period.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:25-26<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> Comments Signs in the Heavens and Earth – Luk 21:25<\/span><\/em><\/strong> first refers to the signs in the heavens, followed by signs upon the earth. Jesus then says that the things coming upon the earth happen because the powers of the heavens are shaken. It is possible that the events that take place in the heavens will cause changes upon the earth and set in motion these distressful events. It is also possible that “the powers of heaven” are not a reference to the forces of nature, but to spiritual forces that are behind many terrible things are to take place in the end times. It is again possible that these signs in the heavens and upon the earth are a general description of the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls of God’s wrath being poured forth upon the earth as described in Revelation 6-19.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:27<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> Scripture References <\/em><\/strong> There are a number of Scriptures that describe the Second Coming of Jesus Christ as He rides on the clouds of heaven (Dan 7:13<\/span>, Mat 24:30<\/span>; Mat 26:64<\/span>, Mar 13:26<\/span>; Mar 14:62<\/span>, Luk 21:27 , 1Th 4:17<\/span>, Rev 1:7<\/span>).<\/p>\n

Dan 7:13<\/span>, “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.”<\/p>\n

Mat 24:30<\/span>, “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”<\/p>\n

Mat 26:64<\/span>, “Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”<\/p>\n

Mar 13:26<\/span>, “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.”<\/p>\n

Mar 14:62<\/span>, “And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”<\/p>\n

Luk 21:27<\/span>, “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”<\/p>\n

1Th 4:17<\/span>, “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”<\/p>\n

Rev 1:7<\/span>, “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.”<\/p>\n

Luk 21:28<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> Comments <\/em><\/strong> Why are we to look up as Jesus tells us in Luk 21:28<\/span>? Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that looking around during such troublesome times will cause us to fear. If we focus on those tragic events that are taking place around us, as Jesus mentions in Luk 21:26<\/span>, “men’s hearts failing them for fear,” we, too, will fall out of faith in God’s Word and into fear. However, when we focus on things above, our faith remains strong.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:29<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> Comments <\/em><\/strong> Many scholars believe that the fig tree represents the nation of Israel. For example, God calls Israel “my fig tree” in Joe 1:7<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Joe 1:7<\/span>, “He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.”<\/p>\n

The phrase “all the trees” represents the Gentile nations. This verse tells us that Israel in relation to the nations will be the indicator of the last days when Jesus will return to reign on earth. We are to watch Israel.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:30<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> Comments <\/em><\/strong> The summer represents harvest time and the judgment that will take place upon the world during this harvest. As we read in the book of Revelation it become very clear that multitudes will be saved during this seven-year tribulation period (Rev 6:9-11<\/span>; Rev 7:9-17<\/span>). These passages say that “a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hand.” When John asked who they were one of the elders replied saying, “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Thus, we know that the time of the Great Tribulation upon the earth is intended to bring in a great harvest rather than to destroy mankind.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:32<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> Comments <\/em><\/strong> Many scholars say that Luk 21:32<\/span> means that the generation that sees the fig tree bud will not pass away until this prophecy is entirely fulfilled and Jesus returns to set up His kingdom. Israel budded in 1948 when it became a nation.<\/p>\n

Hilton Sutton teaches that the phrase “this generation” refers to the rebirth of the nation of Israel as a “new generation” that will no longer pass away, as did the previous Jews because of divine judgment. In other words, Luk 21:32<\/span> is saying that the nation of Israel is here to stay forever, and will become a part of the fulfillment of end time prophecy. Sutton says that we cannot apply a time frame to this generation by giving it dates. [274]<\/p>\n

[274] Hilton Sutton, interviewed by Kenneth Copeland, Believer’s Voice of Victory <\/em> (Kenneth Copeland Ministries, Fort Worth, Texas), on Trinity Broadcasting Network (Santa Ana, California), television program.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:36<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> Comments Luk 21:36<\/span><\/em><\/strong> teaches us that some believers will be found worthy to escape the seven-year Tribulation Period, and others will not be considered worthy. This is the same message that is taught in the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Mat 25:1-13<\/span>), and in the message to the seven Churches in Revelation 2-3.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:37-38<\/strong><\/span> The Setting of Jesus’ Betrayal –<\/strong> Luk 21:37-38<\/span><\/em><\/strong> serves a concluding remarks that describe the circumstances by which Judas Iscariot will betray the Lord Jesus Christ as recorded in Luk 22:1-6<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

The Destruction of Jerusalem and the End of the World.<\/p>\n

<\/strong> The beginning of the discourse:<\/p>\n

v. 5<\/strong>. And as some spake of the Temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, He said,<\/strong><\/p>\n

v. 6<\/strong>. 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.<\/strong><\/p>\n

v. 7<\/strong>. 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?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The evening was drawing near, and Jesus was on the point of leaving the Temple for Bethany, where He lodged with friends. But while they were walking out through the courts, some of His disciples remarked in admiration on the Temple itself, on its various buildings, porticoes, halls, and chambers, and especially did they mention the beautiful stones, the huge marble monoliths, which formed the Corinthian columns, and the gifts that were consecrated to the Lord, the many articles of adornment which were so conspicuous throughout the Temple. Among the votive gifts of the Temple were some very costly ones, such as a table from King Ptolemy of Egypt, a chain from Herod Agrippa, a golden vine from Herod the Great, which made the Temple famous for its wealth as far as Rome. But Jesus told them: As to all these things which ye see, the enormous wealth, the gorgeous beauty of the Temple, the days will come in which not one stone will remain upon the other that would not be utterly cast down in the general destruction. It was an announcement which must have filled the disciples with the greatest consternation and surprise. They may now have thought the matter over or discussed it among themselves for a part of the trip across the valley of the Kidron and up the slope of Mount Olivet. But when Jesus had then sat down opposite the city, where He and His disciples had a full view of the wonderful edifice, which, by Christ’s word, was marked for destruction, some of the disciples approached Him with a double question. They wanted to know the precise time, and also to recognize the special tokens of the approaching catastrophe. In their question they connected the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple with the end of the world. And this is altogether in accordance with the prophecies which make the judgment upon Jerusalem the beginning and the introduction of the judgment of the world. Mat 16:27-28<\/span>; 1Th 2:16<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luk 21:5-6<\/span> . . . . .] These expressions gave the occasion<\/em> for Jesus to utter the following discourse, and that, as is plain from the discourse itself, to His disciples<\/em> (the apostles also included), to whom, moreover, the belonged.<\/p>\n

] Lachmann and Tischendorf, following A D X , have the Hellenistic form (see Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 249, 445; Paralip. p. 391 ff., 417, 424). On the many votive offerings of the temple, partly also such as the two Herods had given, and even Ptolemy Euergetes, see Joseph. Bell. vi. 5. 2; Antt. xv. 11. 3, xvii. 6. 3; c. Apion. I. 164; Ottii Spicileg. p. 176 f., and generally, Ewald, Alterth. p. 81 ff. The most splendid was the golden vine, presented by Herod the Great. See Grotius. For the votive gifts of Julia, see in Philo, p. 1036 D.<\/p>\n

.] Nominative absolute. See on Mat 7:24<\/span> ; Bernhardy, p. 69; Buttmann, Neut. Gr. p. 325 f. [E. T. 379 f.].<\/p>\n

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luk 21:5-38<\/span> . See on Mat 24:25<\/span> ; Mar 13<\/span> . In Luke a very free reproduction from the Logia<\/em> and Mark. That this discourse was spoken on the Mount of Olives (Matt. Mark), there is in him no trace. Rather, according to him, it still belongs to the transactions in the temple, which began Luk 20:1<\/span> (comp. Luk 21:37<\/span> ); hence, moreover, the are found only in Luke.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

2. The Secrets of the Future (Luk 21:5-36<\/span>)<\/p>\n

First Part (Luk 21:5-24<\/span>)<\/p>\n

(Parallel to Mat 24:1-21<\/span>; Mar 13:1-19<\/span>.)<\/p>\n

5And as some spake of the temple, how [or, that] it was adorned with goodly stones 6and gifts [offerings, ], he said, As for<\/em> 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 []. 7And they asked him, saying, Master [Teacher], but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be<\/em> when these things shall [are about to] come to pass? 8And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ<\/em>; and the time draweth near: go ye nottherefore [om., therefore3<\/span>] after them. 9But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is<\/em> not by and by [but not immediately is<\/em> the end].10Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: 11And great earthquakes shall [there] be in divers places, and [put and after be4<\/span>] famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. 12But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you<\/em>, delivering you<\/em> up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my names sake. 13And it shall turn 14[result] to you for a testimony. Settle it<\/em> therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 15For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay [oppose5<\/span>] nor resist. 16And ye shall be betrayed [delivered up] both [or, even] by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some<\/em> of you shall they cause to be put to death [shall they put to death, .] 17, 18And ye shall be hated of [by] all men<\/em> for my names sake. But [] there shall not a hair of [] your head perish. 19In your patience possess ye your souls [By your endurance shall ye gain your souls (or, lives, 6<\/span>)]. 20And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it [i. e.<\/em>, Jerusalem] depart out; and let not them that are in the countries [country parts] enter thereinto. 22For these be [are] the [om., the] days of 23vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But [om., 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 [or, upon the earth], and wrath upon this people. 24And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all [the] nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles [shall be a city<\/em> trodden down by Gentiles], until the times [] of the Gentiles be [are] fulfilled.<\/p>\n

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL<\/strong><\/p>\n

The eschatological discourse with which our Saviour, according to all the Synoptics, closes His public work as Teacher, has been at all times and justly reckoned among the greatest of the cruces interpretum<\/em>. It is easier to propose a greater or less number of objections against any explanation of it than ourselves to give an interpretation thereof which should leave no difficulties remaining. The principal literature on this question we find given in Lange on Matthew<\/em> and Mark<\/em>, to which may yet be added an unquestionably interesting dissertation by E. Scherer, upon Jesus prophecies of the end, in the Beitrge zu den theologischen Wissenschaften von Reuss und Cunitz<\/em>, ii. pp. 6383, Jena, 1851. Comp. the critical Comm. on the Eschatological Discourse, Mat 24:25<\/span>, by J. C. Meyer, Franf. a. d. O. 1857, and an exegetical exposition by H. Cremer, Ueber die Eschatol. Rede J. Chr.<\/em>, Mat 24:25<\/span>, Stuttg. 1860. So much we may well assume, as indeed almost all are now agreed, that as well the view of those who here understand exclusively (Michaelis, Bahrdt, Eckermann, Henke, and others), as also the opinion of those who here will allow no reference to Jerusalems destruction (Baur, Kan. Ev.<\/em>, p. 605), is entirely untenable. It is therefore established that here the discourse is of the destruction of Jerusalem, and at the same time of the end of the world, and it can only be the question in what connection these two events stand to one another in the prophetic portraiture of our text. For the solution of this enigma it is, above all, necessary that we well understand the question which the disciples addressed to the Master, and which in its original form Matthew has most faithfully communicated to us. They ask when these things () shall be, and can on psychological grounds be thinking of nothing else than of the destruction of the city and the temple, the prophecy of which had just before shaken them to their inmost soul. They inquire besides after the sign of the coming of the Lord and the end of the world. By no means have they here two different events, but only two sides of one and the same event in their mind. Yet mindful of the declaration, Mat 23:37-39<\/span>, they cordinate the fall of the temple, His , and the conclusion of the present world-period (). They had, that is, as genuine Jews, hitherto ever conceived that the temple would stand eternally, and Jerusalem be the centre whither all the nations should stream together, in order to enjoy with the Jews the blessings of the Messianic reign (the assertion of Ebrard, Ev. Krit.<\/em>, p. 611, that the Jews had expected even in the Messianic time a severe conflict and with it the destruction of the temple, is at least unproved; better has De Wette, on Mat 24:3<\/span>, elucidated the subject); but now they have in the days and hours immediately preceding heard something by which this conception of theirs has been disturbed. They had believed that the Christ would remain eternally here below, and that the temple would outlast time; but now they hear that the Christ shall die, and the temple become a heap of ruins. How could they, as born Israelites, after this last fact, imagine any further continuance of the earthly economy? And yet they still expect as ever a glorious of the Messiah, which in everything shall be the opposite of His present humble manifestation. Naturally they conceived this as occurring not after, but contemporaneously with, the fall of the temple, and desire therefore to know by what previous tokens they might recognize the approach of the decisive catastrophe, in which the great double<\/em> event shall break in.<\/p>\n

What now shall our Lord do in order to speak to them according to their receptivity and their need? Shall He say to them that the one fact shall be separated from the other by an interval of so many centuries? Then He would have had to give entirely up His own principle, Joh 16:12<\/span>. With deep wisdom He places Himself, therefore, upon the position of the inquirers, and starts, it is true, from the destruction of Jerusalem, but in order at the same time to attach to this a delineation of the . However, we must from our point of view hold the different attempts to indicate a definite point in this discourse, when our Lord leaves the first object and afterwards speaks exclusively of the second, as rather doubtful. It has, for instance, been believed that we find such in Mat 24:29<\/span>, but Luk 21:34<\/span>, impartially explained, gives us plainly to see that even after this He yet speaks of events which the generation then living should behold. If we, therefore, will not assume that our Lord Himself erred in so important a case, or that the Evangelists have not at all understood His eschatological discourse, or have inaccurately reported itassumptions which, from a believing point of view, the Christian consciousness condemns in the strongest manner,there then is nothing left for us but to assume that our Lord speaks indeed of the destruction of Jerusalem, but all this regarded as a type of the last judgment of the world. In other words, that He speaks prophetically of the earlier as a type of the later. Jerusalems destruction, but apprehended in its ideal significance, is and remains, therefore, the theme of the discourse, yet so that He from this point of view at the same time beholds and prophesies the destruction of the earthly economy in general that follows afterwards. Here also the peculiarity of prophetic vision is to be borne in mind, in which the conception of time recedes before that of space, and what is successive appears as cordinate. Prophetia est ut pictura regionis cujusdam, qu in proximo tecta et colles et pontes notat distincte, procul valles et montes latissime patentes in angustum cogit: sic enim debet etiam esse eorum, qui prophetiam legunt, prospectus in futurum, cui se prophetia accommodat<\/em>. Bengel. Both events flow in His representation so together, that the interval almost wholly recedes, and the tokens of His coming, which already begin to reveal themselves before the destruction of the City and of the Temple, are repeated in ever-increasing measure, the nearer the last judgment draws on. Therefore the interpreter must content himself if he is able to point out that all the here-threatened tribulations have already had a beginning<\/em> of fulfilment in the period which immediately preceded the destruction of Jerusalem,a beginning which then again bears the germ of subsequent fulfilments in itself, even as the fruit lies hidden in the bud.<\/p>\n

On this interpretation, therefore, the eschatological discourse contains the exact answer to the question of the disciples, and it is from this sufficiently explained why in the apostolic epistles the expectation of a speedy return of our Lord arose, so that, for instance, Paul could entertain the thought of a possibility of himself even living to see it (1Th 4:15<\/span>; 2Co 5:4<\/span>, and elsewhere). They saw the signs foretokening the destruction of Jerusalem come nearer and nearer, and had not yet learned from the Lord that even after this event the present economy should endure, yea, for centuries. The attentive reader will, however, not overlook the intimations which are plainly given here and there in this discourse, that the coming of the Lord should, nevertheless, not take place so soon as many believed, and that with Jerusalems destruction the last word of the worlds history would not by any means be yet uttered (comp. Mat 24:48<\/span>; Mat 25:5<\/span>; Mat 25:19<\/span>; Luk 21:24<\/span>). As concerns, finally, the relation of the different Synoptics to one another, in reference to the setting forth of this discourse of Jesus, we cannot agree with the expositors who think that the praise of greater originality or exactness belongs to Mark or Luke. Unquestionably, in this respect, Matthew deserves the preference, while we, on the other hand, meet, especially in Luke, with a freer, more fragmentary redaction of the whole discourse. Many utterances of special importance are preserved more complete by Matthew and Mark; on the other hand, we meet in Luke with particular singularia<\/em>, which in and of themselves deserve the highest attention, and assist the view over the great whole of this discourse in many relations. For the locality of the discourse, Matthew and Mark must be compared. An admirable picture by Begas seizes the moment when our Lord is sitting with His four friends at evening-time upon the Mount of Olives, and is disclosing to them the secrets of the future.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:5<\/span>. And as some spake of the temple.<\/strong>Manifestly these words were not uttered after but during the leaving of the temple. It is as though the disciples, most deeply moved by the farewell to the temple (Mat 23:37-39<\/span>), now seek to become the intercessors for the heavily-doomed sanctuary. They show Him the building (Matthew), which yet, far from being completed, appears to promise to the sanctuary a longer duration; the masses of stone (Mark), which may yet defy many centuries; the votive offerings with which (Luke) munificence and ostentation had adorned the house of the Lord. These had been for the greatest part offered by heathens; for instance, the holy vessels by the Emperor Augustus, other vessels again by the Egyptian Philadelphus, especially the magnificent golden vine which Herod the Great had presented, as Josephus relates, De Bell. Jud.<\/em> vi. 5, 2, A. J.<\/em> xv. 11, 8. If we now consider that according to the prophetic declarations, for instance, Psalms 72<\/span>; Isaiah 60<\/span>, the heathen also should bring their gifts and offerings to Zion, it is then doubly intelligible that the Apostles found in these very objects one ground the more for their hope of the continuance of the sanctuary.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:6<\/span>. As for these things which ye behold.<\/strong>Nominative absolute, to indicate the subject, which now in our Saviours discourse is to be made sufficiently plain. By this very construction the antithesis becomes the stronger, which prevails between the light in which that which is seen there yet displays itself, and the fate that impended over it. It is very remarkable that the Hellenic Gospel, which, according to the words of Christ, has especially kept in mind the relation between beauty of manifestation in its truth and beauty of manifestation in empty guise, has attached His prophecies of the destruction of Jerusalem and of the judgment of the world, immediately to an allusion to the beauty and rich splendor of the temple.<\/p>\n

There shall not be left one stone upon another.<\/strong>Comp. Luk 19:43-44<\/span>. In order rightly to comprehend the full force of the antithesis, we must represent to ourselves the whole magnificence of the sanctuary, over which later Jewish scholars exclaimed with wonder, He that has not seen the temple of Herod has never beheld anything glorious. See<\/em> the notes on the parallels in Matthew and Mark.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:7<\/span>. When and what sign.<\/strong>Their question is, therefore, a double one; they wish to know precisely the point of time, and to recognize the tokens of this approaching catastrophe. Our Lord answers only the last question, while He in reference to the first gives to them only general intimations (comp. Mat 24:34-36<\/span>). The signs which He gives are at the same time of such a nature that they, in fact, are only to be seen precursorily at the destruction of Jerusalem, but will appear decisively and in their full force only at the end of the world. It is here as with the boxes containing one within the other [Chinese boxes].<\/p>\n

Luk 21:8<\/span>. Take heed.<\/strong>In Luke, as in Matthew and Mark, the warning against being seduced by false Messiahs stands first. It is not to be denied that before the destruction of Jerusalem, so far as we know, no deceivers appeared to play a strictly Messianic part; Bar Cochba, the first of these more than sixty deceivers, did not come up till afterwards. See<\/em> Eusebius, H. E.<\/em>, iv. 6. But, certainly, there already lay in the misleading influence of a Jonathan, Theudas, Dositheus, Simon, Menander, and others, the germs of the same delusion which afterwards appeared more decidedly in the form of a false Messiahship. Bear in mind how the Got, by promises of miracles, allured many thousands into the wilderness, and thereby into destruction. Comp. Act 5:36-37<\/span>; Act 21:38<\/span>; Homily 76 of Chrysostom on Matthew. Thus did the general signs of the worlds end begin really to go into fulfilment with the destruction of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:10<\/span>. Then said He unto them.<\/strong>According to the representation of Luke the warning against misleaders was only something preliminary, an introduction, as it were, after which our Lord goes on to handle the question proposed, particularly and regularly.<\/p>\n

Nation shall rise against nation.<\/strong>The insurrections, earthquakes, famines, and other plagues, which are here adduced, were before the destruction of Jerusalem by no means so insignificant as, for instance, De Wette asserts. Bear in mind the massacres at Csarea, between Syrians and Jews, in which 20,000 of the latter fell, while in Syria almost every city was divided into two armies, which stood opposed to one another as deadly enemies; the quick succession of the five emperors in Rome within a few years, Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian, and the tumults connected therewith in wider and narrower circles; the famine under Claudius, Act 11:30<\/span>; the earthquakes at the time of Nero in Campania and Asia, in which whole cities perished; the singular and terrifying signs in Juda of which Josephus and Tacitus speak, and we have historical cases enough for the explanation of this mysterious declaration of our Lord. Yet, above all, we should lay the emphasis on His declaration in Matthew and Mark, that all these things are only , so that we have by no means to understand exclusively<\/em> the wars, &c., which were to take place in the interval of forty years; but all the calamities of this Kind which in continually increasing measure should precede the end of the world, of which the destruction of Jerusalem was only the type. In another form the same thought is still more intimated than expressed in that which immediately follows, Luk 21:12<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:12<\/span>. But before all these.<\/strong>The assertion of Meyer, ad loc.<\/em>, that this statement of time is, perhaps, a later modification of the tradition, ex eventu<\/em>, rests upon the dogmatic<\/em> preconception that our Lord could not have predicted to His disciples that their personal persecution should precede these last calamities. But the farther the last words of Luk 21:11<\/span> extend beyond the great catastrophe of Jerusalems destruction, so much the more natural is it also that our Lord points His disciples to that which awaits them even before.Shall lay their hands on you<\/strong>, .Of course, with a hostile intent. A noticeable climax is found in the here-indicated persecutions. The lightest form is in a certain sense the delivery over to the synagogues, namely, in order to be there scourged, comp. Mat 10:17<\/span>. A severe conflict impends over them when they are brought before kings and governors to give a testimony to the faith, comp. Mat 10:18<\/span>. The worst awaits them when they (Luk 21:16<\/span>) shall be delivered up by their parents, relatives, and friends. However, they have in the midst of this distress a threefold consolation: 1. All this is done for the sake of the Lords name (), comp. Act 5:41<\/span>; Acts 2<\/span>. it shall turn to them for a testimony; , here, as in Php 1:19<\/span>, the intimation of a salutary result; the persecutions mentioned shall serve as opportunity to the apostles to give a witness concerning their Lord, which here, as in Act 18:11<\/span>, is represented as something great and glorious. Finally, they shall in such moments be least wanting in the sense of the nearness of their Lord.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:14<\/span>. Settle it therefore in your hearts.<\/strong>See<\/em> on Luk 12:11<\/span>; Mat 10:19-20<\/span>. A promise of so high significance might be fittingly repeated. What they, according to our Lords will, are to settle in their hearts is, as it were, an antidote to the care which should afterwards fill their hearts. Id unum laborate, ne laboretis.<\/em> Bengel. The ground of the encouragement is the of our Lord, that involuntarily reminds us of the Divine word which Moses received at his calling at the burning bush, Exo 4:12<\/span>.Mouth and wisdom.<\/strong>Mouth<\/em>, concrete expression for the words themselves which they were to utter; wisdom<\/em>, the gift of delivering these words befittingly, according to time, place, and the like. Thus is everything needful promised them as well for the material as for the formal part of their defence, so that continued opposition should become extremely hard for their antagonists. It is, of course, understood that here it is not an absolute but a relative impossibility that is spoken of, and that, therefore, not only Act 6:10<\/span>, but also Act 7:51<\/span>; Act 13:8-10<\/span>, and other passages, must be compared.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:16<\/span>. And ye shall he delivered up.<\/strong>The notices of the Acts and of the Epistles are too brief to admit of the mention of special examples of the fulfilment of this prophecy. This declaration, moreover, is not addressed to the Apostles as such, but so far as they were the representatives of the first believers generally.Some of you shall they put to death.<\/strong>More definitely expressed than the general in Matthew. Among the four auditors of our Lord was found James, who was to be the first martyr [among the Apostles.C. C. S.], and Peter, upon whom the subsequent prophecy (Joh 21:18-19<\/span>) was fulfilled. But these were to be only the first fruits of an incalculable harvest of martyrs, who in the course of the centuries should fall for the cause of the Saviour, and the Apocalypse gives us only a vague foreboding of what outbreaks of iniquity, even in this respect, are hidden in the bosom of the mysterious future.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:17<\/span>. Hated by all men<\/strong>.In the apostolic epistles, e. g.<\/em>, Rom 8:35-37<\/span>; 1Co 4:9-10<\/span>; 2Co 11:23-29<\/span>; Heb 10:32-34<\/span>, we find a rich array of proofs for the exact fulfilment of this word, even in the first period of the church. Bear in mind also the dangers which the flight of the first Christians to the Trans-Jordanic Pella gave occasion to, and, above all, do not overlook how this hatred also in its different phases becomes more and more intense the more rapidly the history and development of Gods kingdom hastens to its end.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:18<\/span>. But there shall not a hair.<\/strong>Comp. Luk 12:7<\/span>; Mat 10:30<\/span>. Of course no assurance that they should in no case be slain, but only that they should be inviolable upon earth so long as they were necessary for the service of the Lord, as also that even their death should redound and to the glory of Christ; Php 1:19<\/span>. And with this promise of absolute security in a negative respect, they are at the same time also assured of their absolute security on the positive side: By your endurance<\/strong>, &c.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:19<\/span>. Gain your souls.<\/strong> .Although the of the Recepta<\/em> is strongly supported by external authority, yet the internal arguments in favor of the reading of A., B. [not Cod. Sin.] are in our eyes of prevailing weight. The Recepta<\/em> is an interpretamentum<\/em> of the future understood imperatively. Meyer. We have here, therefore, the obverse of the promise, Luk 21:18<\/span>; so far from a hair of their head being hurt (comp. Act 27:34<\/span>), they should on the other hand, by their perseverance in the midst of all these persecutions, preserve their souls, their life. By we are not to understand patience, but, as in Rom 5:4<\/span>; Jam 1:3-4<\/span>, endurance; and to explain not (De Wette) in the sense of , Mat 16:25<\/span>; but rather in that of maintain, preserve. (1Th 4:4<\/span>.) It is moreover of course understood, that we are by the preservation of the soul not to understand the natural life in itself, but the true life, whose loss or maintenance is for the disciple of the Saviour the greatest question of life. [It is difficult to indicate in English the double meaning of , which denotes both soul and life.C. C. S.] By endurance they were to preserve this true life, even if they for it should lose the life of the body. We find here therefore, in other words, the same promise which is given Mat 24:13<\/span>; Rev 2:10<\/span>, and elsewhere, while, on the other hand, the admonition which, according to the common explanation, is found in this verse: Maintain the soul in patience (comp. Heb 10:36<\/span>), rests upon an incorrect reading, and without doubt would have had to be otherwise expressed.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:20<\/span>. And when ye shall see Jerusalem.<\/strong>Comp. Lange on Mat 24:15<\/span>. The mention of the armies stands in Luke in the place of the abomination of desolation mentioned by Matthew and Mark, and the prophecy of Daniel, which is very especially important for the Jewish Christians of Matthew, Luke leaves out in his representation. The very uncertainty of so many expositors in reference to the proper signification of the , is a proof the more how much has been done for the desecration of the holy ground, so that we scarcely know any longer what we have principally to understand. According to the redaction of Luke, even the appearance of the hostile hosts before Jerusalem is an ominous sign, and the disciples are to know that even with the most valiant defence, there is no deliverance any longer to be hoped for.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:21<\/span>. Then let them which are in Juda.<\/strong>Commendation of a hasty flight as the only means of deliverance. In Juda one finds himself in the heart of the population, and therefore he must seek to reach the lonesome mountains; at any cost he must leave the city, and if he is happy enough to get out of it at the right time he shall under no pretext return. , not in regionibus<\/em> (Bretschneider, De Wette), but in agris<\/em>, where the principal Jews often inhabited country houses. For more particular directions as to their flight, see<\/em> Matthew.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:22<\/span>. Days of vengeance.<\/strong>That is, not days in which the one people takes vengeance on the disobedience and refractoriness of the other people, but in which God the Lord accomplishes His judgments upon His enemies. Here the declaration of Moses (Psa 90:11<\/span>), finds its application.May be fulfilled.<\/strong>According to the express declaration of our Lord, therefore, the fall of the city and the temple also is already prophesied in the Old Testament. We may call to mind Deuteronomy 28<\/span>, which in a certain sense may be named the ground-theme which was afterwards further carried out in the prophetical Scriptures. Daniel also may be included, yet he is by no means especially and exclusively meant. Instead of a citation of the prophetic word, we find in Luke only a general statement, which however evidently shows that this whole prophesying of our Lord is nothing else than the prolongation and continuance of the line which had been drawn centuries before. It is moreover noticeable how recognizably the stamp of Divine retribution was impressed upon the fate of Jerusalem and the temple, even for heathen eyes. We may call to mind the expression even of a Titus: That God was so angry with this people that even he feared His wrath if he should suffer grace to be shown to the Jews, and how he refused every mark of honor on account of the victory obtained, with the attestation that he had been only an instrument in Gods hands to punish this stiff-necked nation. Comp. the well-known expressions of Josephus, as to the height which the wickedness of his contemporaries had reached.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:23<\/span>. Woe unto them that are with child.<\/strong>An not of imprecation, but of bitter lament, in which the compassion and sympathy of the Saviour expresses itself. [Equivalent to: Alas, for them!C. C. S.] Comp. Luk 23:29<\/span>. Such women would be less fitted for rapid flight, without, however, on account of their condition finding compassion. The ground of this fact is a double one: great distress<\/em> upon earth (entirely general), and especially great wrath<\/em> upon this people. Thus nowhere does a refuge present itself, neither in nor out of Juda. Comp. Isa 26:20<\/span>; Rev 6:16-17<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:24<\/span>. And they shall fall.<\/strong>A more particular setting forth of the fate of the Jews, which the result confirmed most terrifically. According to Josephus, the number of the slain amounted to 1,100,000; 97,000 were dragged as prisoners mostly to Egypt and the provinces. Comp. Deu 28:64<\/span>. , Jerusalem shall be a city trodden down by the heathen; not alone an intimation of her desecration by a heathen garrison (De Wette), but a designation of all the scornful outrages to which the capital should be given over. Comp. Lamentations 4<\/span>. Nor is there any more reason here by the entirely general mention of to understand the Romans exclusively<\/em>. On the other hand, we may here find the announcement of the interval of centuries in which the most different nations, in almost uninterrupted succession, have trodden down Jerusalem:Titus, Hadrian, Chosroes, the Mussulmen, the Crusaders, and the later dominion of Islam,an interval that yet endures, and whose end shall be appointed only when the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled.<\/p>\n

The times of the Gentiles<\/strong>, .Not the times of the calling of the Gentiles (Stier), by which an entirely foreign thought would be interpolated; but the times which are predestined to the Gentiles for the fulfilment of these Divine judgments. That by a long interval is intimated (Dorner), appears, it is true, not from this plural in itself, but from the whole connection, according to which these shall endure even to the final term, and (comp. Mat 24:29<\/span>) shall finally be cut short by the last act of the drama of the history of the world. Remarkable is this expression in the first place, because an evident intimation lies hidden therein, that, after the fall of Jerusalem, there is yet a period of indefinite duration to be awaited; and secondly, because a thought of the restoration of Jerusalem gleams through, which is elsewhere expressed even more plainly.<\/p>\n

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Without ground have some taken offence at the manner in which our Lord here speaks of His Parusia, and wished to discover therein an irreconcilable antagonism between the Synoptics and the fourth Gospel. John also knows an and a personal of the Lord, although this in His spiritual Gospel comes forward with less prominence into the foreground; on the other hand, the Synoptical representation has nothing that would favor a grossly sensuous conception in reference to the secrets of the future. We should have good right to wonder at the eschatological conceptions which are found, for instance, in Pauls Epistles to the Corinthians and Thessalonians, if they had not the least Christian historical foundation in just such sayings of our Lord as we meet with in this discourse. The narrative of the Synoptics must in the nature of the case be offensive to all those who from dogmatical grounds find it incredible that the Lord should so long beforehand have with entire exactness foreseen and foretold the destruction of Jerusalem; but never will a purely historical criticism allow itself to be guided or intimidated by such a purely arbitrary conclusion a non posse ad non esse<\/em>. And whoever attentively compares the prophecy with the result, will soon discover that it is entirely impossible to think here of a vaticinium post eventum<\/em>. A so intimate amalgamation of two so heterogeneous events as the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world, was in the nature of the case only possible before, but no longer after the former event had taken place; besides that it would have been psychologically impossible for the inventor who, after the fall of Jerusalem, had composed this discourse and put it in the mouth of our Lord, to give so simple, so general, so brief and incomplete, a portrayal of the destruction of Jerusalem, since certainly the result offered him abundant material, and therewith an irresistible temptation, to embellish his picture with richer colors, and to make his prophecy more exciting. Had the Synoptics not written until after the destruction of Jerusalem, it would have been easier for them, like John, to be entirely silent about the event, than to place it in such a light that the very event seemingly convicted the prophecy of falsehood.<\/p>\n

2. It is by no means arbitrary that our Lord joins the destruction of the temple and the end of the world so intimately together. For on the one hand it is historically proved that the fall of the Jewish state was the indispensably necessary condition to free the youthful Christendom from the limits of a confined nationality, to elevate it into the religion of the world, and therefore mightily to prepare the revelation of the glory of the Lord, and the triumph of His kingdom over the heathen world. On the other hand, Jerusalem and the temple, even in the prophetic Scriptures of the Old Testament, bear a typical and symbolical character. Zion stands there not alone as the local seat, but also as the visible image of the whole theocracy in its settled strength and beauty, and the whole Christianized world may in a certain sense be called a new spiritual Jerusalem Is it, therefore, a wonder if the judgment upon Jerusalem serves at the same time as a mirror for the last judgment of the world? The destruction of the city and the temple was the first of those great world-events which forwarded the brilliant, triumphant, continually more powerful coming of the Lord. Herewith the series of events is opened which in the course of centuries was destined to coperate powerfully for the coming of Gods kingdom on earth. Ever more glorious does Christ appear on the ruins of annihilated temples and thrones; in continually greater measure do the here-indicated tokens of His coming appear; misleadings, persecutions, insurrections, &c. Finally, the kingdom of light celebrates its highest triumph, after the might of darkness has immediately before concentrated its highest energy, and the destruction of the whole earthly economy is only the continuance and completion of the fall of the original seat of the Israelitish Theocracy. Whoever shall hereafter at the end of the world look back as the Lord here looked forward, he will discover that the long course of time between the destruction of the Temple and the destruction of the World, was nothing else than a great interval of continually richer manifestations of grace, and of continually severer judgments.
3. Die Weltgeschichte, das Weltgericht<\/em>. The history of the world is the worlds judgment. Schiller. The eschatological discourse of our Lord is especially adapted to bring into view as well the relative truth as also the superficial one-sidedness of this famous word of the poet. That facts like the fall of Jerusalem are Divine judgments, and that, therefore, the history of the world may be called the striking revelation of an inexorable Nemesis, our Lord said centuries ago. But that all these Divine judgments are only preliminary, only typical, only prophecies of that which hereafter shall take place before the eyes of heaven and earth at the expiration of the earthly economy, must be just as little forgotten. The Johannean idea of finds its complement precisely in the Synoptical delineation of the , and it remains therefore true, that the poets utterance of the world<\/em>-judgment of history must be complemented in this manner: that it is not yet for that the final<\/em> judgment.<\/p>\n

4. The fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Jews stands forth here not only as a destiny tragical beyond compare, but as a Divine judgment, whose ultimate cause can be obscure to no believing Christian, The present condition of Israel is the grand argument for the authority of the Prophet who, proclaimed all this eighteen centuries ago and whom they therefore unthankfully rejected. For that very reason we clearly see the decided unchristianness of such an emancipation of the Jews as is wont to be urged in our days, under the motto of freedom and culture. The right of hospitality for the banished ones of Judah cannot be ardently enough enjoined, nor too large-heartedly practiced; but it becomes an actual injustice when Christians suffer themselves to be by these very Jews, only temporarily abiding among them, in any way hindered in the enjoyment of their Christian privileges and in the practice of their Christian duties. But this modern denial of Christ, therefore, avenges itself not less than the Jewish rejection of the Messiah; when Christians bring the Jews their Christ as a sacrifice, the Jews begin with material and moral power to control the Christian state, and liberalism, which is especially upheld, moreover, by Jewish Deistic influence, prepares the way for indifferentism, which finallyof course always under the excellent motto of enlightenment and rightleads to Atheism. Here also holds good our Saviours word: , .<\/p>\n

[Without pretending to concur unqualifiedly in all these remarks of our author, which in part rest upon Millenarian views that I do not share, it appears to me that there is great force, nevertheless, in his words: When Christians bring the Jews their Christ as a sacrifice, the Jews begin with material and moral power to control the Christian state. Take, as an instance, the assumption of the Jewsan insignificant fraction of our populationto dictate the forms of the fast and thanksgiving proclamations issued by our civil authorities, and to insist on every distinctively Christian featureexcept the datebeing expunged from them. How long will the Christians of our country tolerate this studious omission of the name of Christ in documents inviting the people to a worship which, for nine-tenths of them, can only be a Christian worship?C. C. S.]<\/p>\n

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL<\/strong><\/p>\n

Appearances deceive.The temple in the days of Jesus, a beautiful form without life.Earthly pomp: 1. In its outward brilliancy; 2. in its inward perishableness.With the disciple of the Lord the sensuous perception must become a viewing with the spiritual eye.The Apocalyptical tendency in the Christian life of faith not condemned or opposed by our Lord, but satisfied and sanctified.The peculiar dangers to which the disciple of the Lord is exposed by the view into the future.The false Christs who precede the coming of the true: 1. The judgment that precedes them; 2. the brilliancy that accompanies them; 3. the shame that follows them.Diabolus simia Dei<\/em>.How the disciple of the Lord: 1. Must tremble when every one goes carelessly along; 2. must not be terrified when every one is seized with horror.The end is not yet: 1. A word of righteous joy; 2. a word of holy earnestness.New periods of development in the kingdom of Christ joined with mighty convulsions in the kingdom of nature: 1. So was it ever; 2. so is it yet; 3. so will it hereafter be in the highest measure.The persecution of the disciples a sign of the coming of the Lord which: 1. Will be given first of all; 2. longest of all.How the loss of the servants of the Lord becomes a gain to His cause and to the kingdom of God.Persecuted but not forsaken, the fate of the disciple of Christ.I will give you a mouth and wisdom,how this word has been fulfilled: 1. In the apostles, 2. in the first apologists; 3. in the martyrs; 4. in the reformers; 5. in the heroes of faith and witnesses of every time, even the present.The conflict between the ties of blood and the requirements of the Spirit.The security of the Christian, even in the most threatening danger.How endurance preserves the life of the soul.No striving to preserve externa things helps when God has resolved to destroy.The destruction of Jerusalem: 1. The fulfilment of the Old Testament prophesying; 2. the touchstone of the New Testament prophesying.Jerusalem considered in its different periods: 1. The city of Melchisedek; 2. the capital of David; 3. the dwelling-place of God; 4. the murderess of the prophets and of the Messiah; 5. the city defiled by the abomination of desolation; 6. the city trodden down by the heathen; 7. hereafter the Salem of another Melchisedek.Jerusalems past, present, and future.The destruction of Jerusalem an event which proclaims: 1. The shame of Israel; 2. the greatness of our Lord; 3. the glory of the kingdom of God; 4. the vocation of the Christian; 5. the judgment of the future.<\/p>\n

Starke:Hedinger:Great sin, great judgments.Look not so much at the visible and perishable, as at the invisible and eternal.Nova Bibl. Tub.:<\/em>To put Christs name forward, to come in Christs name, to be called Christian, is not all. All this deceivers also can do.Convulsions in church and state, but especially persecution of the truth, is an omen of destruction.One ungodly man must ever punish another; how holy, righteous, and terrible are Gods judgments.It is, in truth, something terrible that when the judgments of God break in, men do not become better, but much worse.If the righteous man has a righteous cause he need fear nothing.Osiander:Although in persecutions many a confessor of Jesus has left his life behind, yet the Gospel cannot be blotted out.Cramer:Let no one be surprised that he must suffer innocently.Brentius:A patient spirit is better than a lofty spirit.Woe to the land, the people, the city, from which God hath departed,there is nothing more left than: haste to deliver thy soul, Gen 19:22<\/span>.Luther:Upon the days of grace follow the days of vengeance.The married state also sometimes a state of woe.Bibl. Wirt.<\/em>:So often as we behold the dispersed Jews, we should be terrified at Gods wrath, sigh over them and pray; Rom 11:20<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Heubner:God solemnly proclaimed the abrogation of the Mosaic institute when He destroyed the temple.Let not the true Christ betaken from thee; there is only one.God decrees gradually heavier and heavier trials; yet the time of suffering is defined by Him.Perseverance and faith under all afflictions is the condition of the deliverance of the soul.There is a holy vengeance of God, and Jerusalems fall is a manifest monument of His retributive righteousness.Arndt:The future of Jerusalem and the world,the inquiry as to the future: 1. When is it permitted us? 2. How is it answered by the Lord? 3. Whereto should the answer serve us?Vinet:Etudes vangliques<\/em>, p. 265. Les pierres du temple<\/em>.Schleiermacher:Sermon, Jan. 24, 1808, upon Mat 24:1-2<\/span>. The right honoring of native greatness of an earlier time.J. J. L. ten Kate:The Wandering Jew:1. An unexampled wonder in the annals of the world; 2. a living testimony of the truth of Christianity; 3. a future revelation of the glory of God; 4. a legitimate creditor of every believer.<\/p>\n

Footnotes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

[3]<\/span>Luk 21:8<\/span>.The of the Recepta<\/em> should be expunged, as by Lachmann and Tischendorf, [Meyer, Tregelles, Alford.]<\/p>\n

[4]<\/span>Luk 21:11<\/span>.According to the arrangement of Tischendorf, [Tregelles, Alford]: , …<\/p>\n

[5]<\/span>[Luk 21:15<\/span>.Tischendorf, Tregelles, Alford, Van Oosterzee put before .C. C. S.]<\/p>\n

[6]<\/span>Luk 21:19<\/span>.With Griesbach, Rinck, Lachmann, Tischendorf, [Meyer, Tregelles, Alford,] we give to the reading of A., B., &c., the preference. See <\/em>Exegetical<\/em><\/strong> and <\/strong>Critical<\/em><\/strong> remarks. [Cod. Sin. here agrees with the Recepta<\/em>.C. C. S.]<\/p>\n

Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, 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. 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?<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

This prophecy of the Lord Jesus, and the accomplishment of it, is most wonderful. The greatness of the building, and the huge stones of which it was composed rendered it the most improbable thing upon earth. And yet, from the Jews’ own historian, we learn that it was literally fulfilled.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

XIX<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

OUR LORD’S GREAT PROPHECY HIS SECOND COMING<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Harmony, pages 160-166 and Mat 24:1-51<\/span><\/strong> ; Mar 13:1-37<\/span><\/strong> ; Luk 21:5-36<\/span><\/strong> .<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

This section commences on page 160 of the Harmony. But first, by way of review, let me recall attention to the greatest indictment ever written against a nation; and, second, the greatest penalty ever assessed against a nation; and third, the greatest hope ever suggested to a nation. This indictment, this penalty, and this hope, together with the questions they invoked, introduce our Lord’s great prophecy and constitute the occasion of it.<\/p>\n

Certain passages in Matthew 21-23 contain the indictment, the penalty, and the hope. In Mat 21<\/span> , commencing at Mat 21:23<\/span> , we find the parable of the householder who planted a vineyard and set a hedge about it, and digged a wine press in it and built a tower) and let it out to husbandmen and went into another country. Then he sends his servants from time to time for the fruits of that vineyard. His servants are maltreated some of them put to death. He keeps sending them as the years roll by. They keep on persecuting and killing them. Finally he sends his son and they kill his son. This parable is an indictment against the Jewish nation, and closes with the penalty, “When therefore the Lord of the vineyard shall come he will miserably destroy those miserable men, and will let out the vineyard to other husbandmen, who shall render him the fruits in their season.”<\/p>\n

We cannot mistake here either the people indicted, the severity of the indictment, or the double character of the penalty assessed. And we should mark well that the enforcement is more than once called a “Coming of the Lord.” The second part of the penalty is the giving of the oracles and kingdom of God to other peoples. In Mat 22<\/span> , and also in the form of a parable, we find a restatement of both the indictment and the penalty. The indictment is their rejection of invitations to a marriage feast and maltreatment of his messengers. The vineyard represents the kingdom of God and the marriage feast his gospel. The penalty here is also twofold. First, others obtain what they reject and “The king was wroth and sent his armies and destroyed the murderers and burned their city.”<\/p>\n

Having thus veiled indictment and penalty under the form of parables, in Mat 23<\/span> he openly arraigns them thus: “Ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for ye enter not in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering in to enter. Ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is become so, ye make him twofold more the son of hell than yourselves. Ye swear by the minor things and ignore the greatest: For example, ye swear by the gold of the temple instead of the temple which sanctifieth the gold, and by the gift upon the altar instead of the altar which sanctifieth the gift. Ye tithe mint and anise and cummin and have left undone the weightier matters of the law judgment, mercy, and faith. Ye cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Whiled sepulchers outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Wherefore do ye also outwardly appear righteous unto me, but inwardly are ye full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Ye build the sepulchers of the prophets and garnish the tombs of the righteous, as if to say, If we had been living in the days of our fathers we would not have participated in their martyrdom. Fill ye up the measure of your fathers, ye serpents, ye offspring of vipers. How shall ye escape the judgment of hell? And, behold, when afterwards I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of them ye shall kill and crucify and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, that upon you shall come all the righteous blood shed on the earth from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, the son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the porch and the altar. Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets and stoneth them that are sent unto her, how often would I have gathered your children together even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and ye would not. Behold your house is left unto you desolate. Not one stone shall remain standing upon another. Ye shall not see me henceforth until ye say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”<\/p>\n

We see the nature of this indictment that it covers the whole period of the Jewish history, in all the probations of mercy. From the call of Abraham to the settlement in Canaan was 490 years; from the settlement in Canaan to the establishment of the Jewish monarchy was 490 years; from the establishment of that monarchy to its downfall was 490 years; from the going forth of the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the coming of the Messiah the first time, was 490 years nearly twenty centuries of separate periods of mercy. In every probation they failed. They failed in their pilgrimage. They failed in the land under a theocracy. They failed under the monarchy. They failed in the interval between the return from exile and the coming of the Messiah. They grossly fail when Messiah comes. They shut up the kingdom of God, murdering the messengers of God prophets, evangelists, martyrs.<\/p>\n

The penalty is: “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” The duration of the desolation is “Until ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord,” that is, until their reception of the rejected Messiah. And this is the Great Hope held up before them their salvation through Messiah on their conversion, which conversion precedes and introduces the millennium. What an indictment! What a penalty I What a hope! Two things in this last passage call for explanation and emphasis:<\/p>\n

1. How could a nation organized at Sinai 1491 B.C. be held guilty of all the righteous blood shed from Abel’s time long anterior even to Abraham’s call, much less their later national organization? The answer is: Salvation through sacrificial, vicarious blood was the one heritage of hope for a lost world after man sinned. Abel was the first martyr. This heritage of hope for the world was committed to them; their murder of the Messiah, who was the object of Abel’s hope, was an endorsement of Cain and of every succeeding persecutor who walked in “the way of Cain.”<\/p>\n

2. It was a sin against their own unity. Mark the word, “together”: “How would I have gathered you together!” Jesus was the true patriot working for the preservation of national unity in the only way by which it could be obtained. As a hen who sees the hovering hawk ready to swoop down upon the scattered brood, would call them by a warning cluck to run to the shelter of her wings, so Jesus, seeing his people helpless, scattered, a present prey to division and internal strife, and doomed to become the prey of the Roman hawk, sought to unite and shelter them.<\/p>\n

When, therefore, he said in the Temple after his rejection: “Not one of these stones shall be left upon another,” his disciples come to him privately at Olivet, saying, “When shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” This threefold question has a sevenfold answer. Often our Lord answers more questions than are propounded, and these are the questions that he really answers:<\/p>\n

(1) When shall Jerusalem be destroyed?<\/p>\n

(2) What the sign of this destruction?<\/p>\n

(3) What the extent of this tribulation introduced by this destruction?<\/p>\n

(4) When the conversion of the Jews, and its relation to the final advent?<\/p>\n

(5) When the final advent of our Lord?<\/p>\n

(6) What is the sign of that advent?<\/p>\n

(7) What the purpose of that advent, or in what office does Jesus come the next time?<\/p>\n

I answer, in exposition of our Lord’s great prophecy, these seven questions, because he answers them. This prophecy is found in Matthew 24-25, Mar 13<\/span> , and in Luk 21<\/span> , presented in the form of a harmony in the textbook. It is the longest prophecy in the New Testament except the book of Revelation. It has awakened more interest, stirred up more curiosity, called forth more comment, and developed a greater bulk of literature than any other one passage in the Word of God. I know of no part of the Word of God, except that relating to the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ, of greater interest to the Bible student. In discussing this great prophecy I know that I shall, in my interpretations, run counter to the views of many good brethren, but not upon a point which raises a question of fellowship. Always among the Baptists, and indeed other denominations, variant views as to the final advent of our Lord have not been allowed to raise a question of fellowship. A man may be an unquestioned member of the church, whether he be premillennialist or postmillennialist.<\/p>\n

Let us now take up these questions in order. I have never yet seen a comment on this entire prophecy that did not evince great difficulty in determining how much of it refers to the destruction of Jerusalem, and how much of it to the final advent. Even so great a commentator as Dr. Broadus balks at that. Some, in order to harmonize, dislocate and rearrange parts of the text. This is wholly unnecessary. Indeed, it is easier to understand in its natural arrangement, without any change in the order of the several historians. It does not need a single word or sentence in it to be put in another place. It comes exactly right where it should. It is an amazing thing to me that anybody ever had any difficulty on the subject. After hedging carefully against several points upon which they were likely to be deceived, viz.:<\/p>\n

(1) Against false christs<\/p>\n

(2) Against false signs<\/p>\n

(3) Against any idea of his speedy coming<\/p>\n

(4)Warnings against persecutions Our Lord first answers the questions when Jerusalem would be destroyed, what the sign of it, how long the tribulation which that destruction would introduce; then when the conversion of the Jews and its relation to the final advent, what its sign and for what he would come.<\/p>\n

Now let the reader take the Harmony, page 162, and draw a pencil mark across the page just above Mat 24:15<\/span> . All the matter of prophecy preceding this mark is devoted to corrections and misapprehensions, and warnings against being deceived on the several points enumerated above. Draw next a pencil mark across page 164 just under Mat 24:28<\/span> . In that space he gives the double sign of the destruction of Jerusalem, the duration of the tribulation it introduces, and a second caution against false christs. Draw next a pencil mark across page 165 just under Mat 24:31<\/span> . In that space he gives the general time and sign of his final advent and the advent itself. Draw the next line lower down on page 165 just under Mat 24:35<\/span> ; Mar 13:31<\/span> ; Luk 21:33<\/span> . The only difficulty in arrangement comes in this section. This difficulty arises from construing “this generation.” But no matter what the construction, the order is all right. The section comes just where it should come. Dr. Broadus insists that “this generation” shall have its ordinary meaning, the average period of life for the living, thirty or forty years. If his contention be tenable, then the section answers the question, “When shall Jerusalem be destroyed,” and what follows must be applied to the final advent. But certainly the Greek phrase, e genea aute<\/em> , does sometimes mean “this race” of people, i.e., here “the Jewish race.” And it should be so rendered here if the context demands it. And, in my judgment, all the context does demand it. If we look back to the indictment (Mat 23:31-35<\/span> ) it is race guilt. If we look at the penalty and its destruction (Luk 21:24<\/span> ) it is race penalty. If we look back to the great hope suggested (Mat 23:39<\/span> ) it is race hope, certainly not to be realized by that generation in the ordinary sense of the word, nor, in fact is it even yet realized. Why then may we not render the phrase, e genea aute<\/em> , this race of Jews shall not pass away, shall not be blotted out as other conquered peoples have been, but shall be preserved as a monument of wrath, as Moses foretold, until after the fulness of the Gentiles, and thus become earth’s greatest monument of mercy in the way of their salvation? This puts our Lord in harmony with Moses (Deu 28:15-68<\/span> ; Deu 30:1-10<\/span> ) and with Ezekiel (Eze 36:21-37:14<\/span> ) and with Paul (Rom 11:1-36<\/span> ). With this interpretation all difficulty vanishes. No word or sentence is out of its proper order, and we do not need the last two cross lines of divisions, for everything in the prophecy from the previous line drawn just under Mat 24:28<\/span> relates to the final advent. The destruction of Jerusalem stops squarely with Mat 24:28<\/span> and Luk 21:24<\/span> . We now take up the questions answered by our Lord:<\/p>\n

If Dr. Broadus is right about the meaning of “this generation,” when shall Jerusalem be destroyed? The answer to it is, in the lifetime of “this generation.” “All these things shall come upon this generation.” This prophecy was uttered A.D. 33; Jerusalem was destroyed A.D. 70. Men then living, before they died, saw the fulfilment of all that part of it which relates to the destruction of Jerusalem. If he is not right, our Lord leaves it vague like the time of his advent.<\/p>\n

The next question: What shall be the sign of the destruction of Jerusalem? His answer is: “When you shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel, the prophet, standing in the holy place, where it ought not to be, and when Jerusalem is encompassed with armies,” for this setting up is connected with the encompassing of Jerusalem with armies. Those two things must come together. “When ye shall see Jerusalem encompassed with armies and then shall ye see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel, the prophet, set up where it ought not to be;” that is the sign of the destruction of Jerusalem. Abomination, Greek, bdelugma<\/em> , means an “idol,” a graven image, and therefore an abomination. Abomination is a derivative meaning. It is an abomination because it is a graven image, contrary to the Second Commandment: “Thou shalt make no graven image to bow down before it.” The first abomination of desolation set up in the holy place was by Antiochus Epiphanes when he entered in the Temple a statue of Jupiter Olympus and demanded that it should be worshiped.<\/p>\n

Now, this second abomination of desolation is a desolation of desolations. This brings greater desolation upon the Jewish people than Antiochus had brought. What was that graven image? We know exactly what it was. We first get acquainted with it when Jerusalem was not encompassed with armies and Josephus gives us the account. This same Pilate, at that time Roman Procurator, sent from Caesarea, the seaport of that country on the Mediterranean Sea, a legion of Roman soldiers and had them secretly introduced into the city and sheltered in the tower of Antonio overlooking the Temple, and these soldiers brought with them their ensigns. The Roman ensign was a straight staff, capped with a metallic eagle, and right under the eagle was a graven image of Caesar. Caesar claimed to be divine. Caesar exacted divine worship, and every evening when those standards were placed, the Roman legion got down and worshiped the image of Caesar thereon, and every morning at the roll call a part of the parade was for the whole legion to prostrate themselves before that graven image and worship it. The Jews were so horrified when they saw that image and the consequent worship, they went to Pilate, who was at that time living in Caesarea, and prostrated themselves before him and said, “Kill us, if you will, but take that abomination of desolation out of our Holy City and from the neighborhood of our holy temple.” While that was an abomination, Jerusalem at their time was not encompassed with armies. “When ye shall see the abomination which makes desolation spoken of by Daniel, the prophet, set up where it ought not to be, and see Jerusalem encompassed by armies,” that is the sign of the destruction of Jerusalem. The greatest desolation ever wrought in the world on a people, was made under that standard and by the Roman power. Therefore, it was the abomination that maketh desolation. The Christians saw that sign and profited by the advice of their Lord, as contained in this very prophecy. If a man was on top of the house he did not come down the stairway on the outside to go back in the house for anything; if he was out in the field, he did not go back to the house, but fled to escape the awful doom assessed upon the Jewish nation. And it is a matter of history that the Christian people did recognize that sign and did flee across the Jordan to Pella, in the mountains of Moab, and did escape, by following the suggestions of their Lord, the doom that came upon that nation. So, two of the questions have been answered: When shall Jerusalem be destroyed? and What shall be the sign of its destruction?<\/p>\n

We will take up the third question in the next discussion.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

QUESTIONS <\/strong> 1. Where is our Lord’s great prophecy found?<\/p>\n

2. What constitutes the occasion of this great prophecy?<\/p>\n

3. What is the form and substance of the gravest indictment ever drown against a nation?<\/p>\n

4. What is the double character of the severest penalty ever assessed against a nation, where do we find a restatement of both the indictment and penalty, what do “the vineyard” and the “marriage feast” represent and how is the twofold penalty here brought out?<\/p>\n

5. Having veiled the indictment and penalty in the form of parables, how does he openly arraign them?<\/p>\n

6. What does this indictment cover and what are the great periods of Jewish probation in which they failed?<\/p>\n

7. What was the duration of the penalty?<\/p>\n

8. What was the brightest hope ever suggested to a nation?<\/p>\n

9. How could a nation organized at Sinai be held guilty of all the righteous blood shed from the time of Abel?<\/p>\n

10. What was the nature of their sin and what Jesus’ effort to prevent the very judgment that came upon them for this sin?<\/p>\n

11. What threefold question did the announcement of this awful penalty evoke from the disciples and what is the sevenfold answer?<\/p>\n

12. What can you say of the importance of this prophecy and the interest excited by it?<\/p>\n

13. What of the difficulty of interpretation by commentators and their method of solution?*<\/p>\n

14. What points upon which they are likely to be deceived does our Lord hedge against in the first part of this prophecy and he answers what questions immediately following?<\/p>\n

15. Where draw the lines in the Harmony and what does each line separate?<\/p>\n

16. What paragraph contains the difficulty of this arrangement and what phrase is its crux?<\/p>\n

17. What is Dr. Broadus’ interpretation of “this generation”?<\/p>\n

18.. What is the contextual argument for a different meaning?<\/p>\n

19. Assuming that in Mat 24:34<\/span> ; Mar 13:30<\/span> ; Luk 21:32<\/span> ; the Greek phrase, e genea aute<\/em> , means “this race” of people, i.e., the Jews,. give outline of the prophecy.<\/p>\n

20. If Dr. Broadus be right about the meaning of “this generation,” when should Jerusalem be destroyed? If he be not right, then when should Jerusalem be destroyed, and how does either interpretation obviate the necessity of changing the order of the words?<\/p>\n

21. On what one point of inquiry does our Lord here, as always elsewhere, refuse a specific answer and in what way does the New Testament ever answer a question of this kind? Answer: The inquiry as to time or date. Answers on inquiries of this kind are given by showing the order of events and their relation<\/p>\n

22. What was the sign of the destruction of Jerusalem and what was the explanation of it?<\/p>\n

23. For whose benefit was this sign given, what its attendant warnings, and what the historical proof that they recognized it and profited by the warnings?<\/p>\n

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

XXI<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

OUR LORD’S GREAT PROPHECY HIS SECOND COMING (CONCLUDED)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Harmony, pages 160-168 and Mat 24:1-25:46<\/span><\/strong> ; Mar 13:1-37<\/span><\/strong> ; Luk 21:5-36<\/span><\/strong> .<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

The whole prophecy of our Lord, as contained in Matthew 24-25, in Mar 13<\/span> , and Luk 21<\/span> , has been considered in its general terms in the preceding discussions. Some details call for special attention in this discussion.<\/p>\n

1. False christs. On page 160 of the Harmony, Mat 24:45<\/span> and the corresponding verses of the others there is a warning against false christs who will come before the advent of the real Christ. It was such a difficult matter to keep the disciples from expecting the final advent of our Lord speedily, as they call “speedily.” He knew they would misunderstand and be all the time on the lockout for the coming, so would increase the danger of being deceived by false christs. If one is confidently looking for the final advent of our Lord tomorrow, and he does not come, and somebody else comes claiming to be Christ, he would very likely take the one that comes. Hence these warnings on that subject, “Take heed that no man shall lead you astray. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall lead many astray.” Yet again in a much later stage of the prophecy he warns: “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Lo, there; believe it not, for there shall arise false christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” Now, these false christs commence coming before the destruction of Jerusalem, and have been coming ever since, and they will multiply as the time approaches for the real advent of our Lord: but as we learn from 2 Thessalonians and Revelation, immediately preceding the advent of our Lord the man of sin will be revealed claiming that he is the Christ.<\/p>\n

2. Warnings against false signs. “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled: for these things must needs come to pass; but the end is not yet, for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places. But all these things are the beginning of travail.” Notwithstanding that solemn caution of our Lord, in every age of Christian history some disciples have found these events to be signs presaging the immediate coming of the Lord. In Bulwer’s romance, The Last Days of Pompeii, <\/em><\/strong> he, true to history, gives us an account of how the Christian people in those cities misunderstood the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. When they saw that eruption, its smoke, its ashes, its lava, its fire, its overwhelming destruction of the cities, they said, “Behold the sign of the Son of man; the end of the world is at hand.” This misconception was prevalent in the early centuries and held by what, in church history, is known as the Chiliasts, that is, literally, the “thousand year” people. It was repeated later in the history of Germany by the “Mad Men of Munster,” who pointed to the signs of the times as indicating the approach of the Son of man, and taught that he would, on this earth, set up a kingdom, and they were to begin that kingdom, and history tells us how the strong arm of secular power had to put down the madness of these superstitious, crazed people.<\/p>\n

In the days of Oliver Cromwell, as English history informs us, a large part of his army was composed of what is known as the “Fifth Monarchy Men,” that is, as there was the kingdom of Babylon, the kingdom of Persia, the kingdom of Greece, the kingdom of Rome, so the Fifth Monarchy Kingdom would be the kingdom of the little stone; hence they were called the Fifth Monarchy Men because) judging from the signs and commotions in England at the time, they thought that the Messiah would speedily be at hand, and they were to set up that fifth monarchy on earth. In the United States there arose the Millerites who believed in the speedy coming of our Lord, and who fixed the very day of his appearing. Edward Eggleston, true to history, has written a romance called, “The End of the World.” He tells how these Millerites, having fixed the time for Christ to come, quit their business, gave away their property, and assembled on the day appointed with their ascension robes ready, expecting before that day closed to go right up to heaven) if only they could get the right flop, and when the day passed and no Christ came, then infidelity took the place of superstition concerning his coming at all.<\/p>\n

In 1833, just ten years before I was born, there occurred a marvelous meteoric display, commonly known as the falling of the stars. Several books have been written upon this falling of the stars. Whenever you see a star fall you may know it is not a star. Stars do not fall. But when this great meteoric display occurred it seemed as if every star in the heavens were falling. So white men, black men, lawyers, doctors, preachers, and all classes alike, ran out in the street or in the road, and cried, “Behold, the sign of the Son of man; the end of the world is at hand.” Our Lord here is warning against that kind of belief. Notwithstanding his warning, every generation sees some people led astray in just that way.<\/p>\n

3. Persecution. Let us consider the paragraph of Mat 24:4-14<\/span> , Harmony pages 160-162. Here he tries to make them understand that Christ’s coming is not imminent, because a long series of events must precede it, and he gives the series here. There will be false christs, false signs, earthquakes, long-continued persecutions of Christians. They shall be accused before synagogue and Sanhedrin) before Gentile judges and kings until the gospel of the kingdom has been preached in all the world. All these things must precede the coming of the Lord, and therefore that coming cannot be speedy in man’s sense of the word. As Peter taught, replying to an objection about the coming of Christ based on that fact, he says, “The Lord is not slack concerning the promise of his speedy coming as men count slackness, but it is speedy in God’s sight, for a thousand years are with God as one day.” It is speedy to him. It is not speedy to us.<\/p>\n

I called attention in the previous discussion to the statement of the apostle Paul in 2Th 2<\/span> . Let us read that again in order to see that Christ’s coming cannot take place until every foretold, preceding event has taken place. Hence he says, “Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him; to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by any epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is just at hand; let no man beguile you in anywise: for it will not be except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.”<\/p>\n

4. The great Jewish tribulation. In Mat 24:15-22<\/span> ; Mar 13:14-20<\/span> ; Luk 21:20-23<\/span> , we have the sign of the destruction of Jerusalem, and the great age-long tribulation of the Jews, shortened for the sake of some elect Jews. Then in Luk 21:24<\/span> we learn how long this tribulation shall last, viz., to the fulness of the Gentiles. But the sign of our Lord’s advent follows that tribulation. So we have no right to expect the coming of Jesus Christ until after the fulness of the Gentiles, until the end of the tribulation of the Jews, and until the conversion of the Jews.<\/p>\n

When, then, is that sign to appear? “But in those days after that tribulation.” It must be after the cessation of the Jewish tribulation. It must be after the great darkness that follows that tribulation. I have already explained what the sign was the white throne of glory in the judgment as compared with the sign of the first advent a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Then comes the advent itself, then they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. All three of the witnesses testify as to the personal, visible, audible, tangible advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, and every time, he is represented as coming in the clouds: as, “That same Jesus whom ye saw taken up into heaven shall so come again in like manner.” No man with a Bible before him can seriously question a personal, real, visible, audible, palpable, tangible coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t preach on it enough. While the premillennialist preaches too much on the time feature of it, the postmillennialist preaches too little on the reality and certainty of it. Whoever puts the time too soon, or makes it always imminent prepares for infidelity in the reaction of disappointment. Whoever leaves it out of his preaching altogether, leaves out the great hope of the gospel.<\/p>\n

5. The parable of the fig tree. We come now to the parable of the fig tree in Mat 24:32<\/span> and parallel places in Mark and Luke. They all tell about it. It is preceded by this statement in Luke, “But when these things begin to come to pass, look up and lift up your heads; because your redemption draweth nigh.” Certain indications in the fig tree tell us when to look for the fruit. So when we begin to see the conversion of the Jews, the end of the fulness of the Gentiles, then we may rejoice and lift up our heads, for our redemption is nigh.<\/p>\n

The crucial difficulty of interpretation is Mat 24:34<\/span> : “This generation shall not pass away until all these things be accomplished.” That the commentators differ on this passage is true. Some claim this as proof that Christ himself believed and so taught his disciples to believe that his final advent would be in that generation, i.e., in an ordinary lifetime. But this claim is utterly irreconcilable with his previous, explicit teaching of the long series of events that must intervene. It utterly contradicts all his careful hedging against this very delusion. We are compelled therefore to construe this verse as referring exclusively to the question, “When shall Jerusalem be destroyed?” and then to account for its order in the discussion, or we must construe the Greek phrase e genea aute<\/em> to mean “this race” these Jews as a distinct people, shall not pass away till all these things be accomplished. It would thus become a prophecy, and a very remarkable one, of the persistence of this people through all their tribulation until the coming of the Lord.<\/p>\n

In the preceding discussion I have given Dr. Broadus’ contention that it means an ordinary lifetime, and allowing that his contention accounted for its order in the discussion. In the same discussion also I have given my own contrary conviction of the meaning of the phrase and justified it by the context, which renders any explanation of the order wholly unnecessary. I trust the reader may understand this matter as explained, but I restate to make sure:<\/p>\n

First explanation: “This generation” means an ordinary lifetime, and answers the question, “When shall Jerusalem be destroyed?” Our problem then is to account for its order in the prophecy, following as it does the unmistakable reference to the final advent. We thus account for it. Our Lord answers all the questions propounded by his disciples and comes to a pause at Mat 24:31<\/span> ; Mar 13:27<\/span> ; Luk 21:28<\/span> . In the general sense the discussion is ended. But in order to give clearness on some points he resumes the discussion of both the destruction of Jerusalem and of his final advent. This resumption begins where the general discussion closed, and is introduced by the parable of the fig tree, which in that case refers exclusively to the destruction of Jerusalem. This Jerusalem reference stops at Mat 24:34<\/span> ; Mar 13:30<\/span> ; Luk 21:32<\/span> .<\/p>\n

The resume has no more to say about Jerusalem, but takes up the second topic, our Lord’s final advent, commencing, “But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only” (Mat 24:36<\/span> ; Luk 13:22<\/span> ). To this topic is devoted all the rest of the discourse. On Dr. Broadus’ theory of the meaning of “this generation” there is no other explanation of the order in which the fig tree parable occurs.<\/p>\n

On the other theory of what “this generation” means there is no need to strain an explanation of the order of the fig tree. From beginning to end the whole prophecy proceeds in order and without a pause. From Mat 24:29<\/span> to the end the advent only is discussed. Let us consider this theory. The Greek is e genea aute<\/em> , and may mean this generation or this race of people. There is no question but that e genea aute<\/em> sometimes means this race of people as well as this generation. And the context, notwithstanding Dr. Broadus’ declining to accept this meaning in his commentary (and I have more deference for him than any other commentator I ever studied), notwithstanding that he says that we should not put this meaning on it, I can take the context and prove that we should put this meaning on it. He doesn’t deny that the phrase sometimes means this race of people. Then, if it sometimes means that, if that is a correct translation in some connections, may it not in this connection mean that, and does not this connection demand it?<\/p>\n

The signification then would be that other nations will rise and fall and pass away, but this race of people, the Jews, will not pass away. They will be here when Jesus comes. It becomes a prophecy of the perpetuity of the Jewish people. Since the call of Abraham until the present time, while Assyria, Egypt, Babylonia, Persia, Greece, Rome, and scores of other nations have passed away, this people has persisted in continuity of being.<\/p>\n

The argument from the context appears in a preceding discussion. The next thought is Mat 24:35<\/span> . 6. The certainty of the advent. “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away.” Put the word of Jesus Christ against the heavens above and the earth beneath us. They may pass away, and they will, but “thus saith the Lord” is indestructible. He says that he is coming back. He will come back. No matter what the course of nature teaches as set forth in the second letter of Peter, when man looking at it stated, “Since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they have done from the foundation of the world:” Spring, summer, autumn, winter, a series of ever recurring events is called the course of nature. They say that has been from the beginning. Jesus says that if he puts in a word against that course of nature, the course will fail, but his word will stand, and he says he is coming.<\/p>\n

7. The time of his coming. Take Mat 24:36<\/span> , “But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only.”<\/p>\n

The Son, in the limitation of his humanity, as a man, did not know. Michael doesn’t know; Gabriel doesn’t know; the angels in heaven do not know the day of the coming of the Son of man. God knows.<\/p>\n

“God the Father hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained.” (1) It is all important to fix the mind on this capital point, viz.: It is not liable to come any day. As the first came only in the fulness of time, so the second. The day of his first coming was like the day of his second coming will be. It is as fixed and immovable as the day of his first coming. Never forget the words of Paul, to the Athenians: “God hath appointed a day” (2) Certain pessimists reverse Daniel’s stone image of the growth of the kingdom and our Lord’s parable of the mustard seed. They have a tadpole interpretation of the kingdom, big at the head and “petering out” at the tail. They hold that matters will wax worse and worse until at the advent only a handful of saints will be in the world, and claim this passage as a proof text. They argue from the few saved in Noah’s day to the few when Christ comes. They utterly mistake the point of likeness.<\/p>\n

The day of the advent is not like the day of the flood in the fewness of the saved) but in the suddenness of the coming in each case. In both cases the wicked are surprised and are swept away unprepared.<\/p>\n

8. Noah and the flood. This paragraph finds a point of likeness between the coming of the flood and the final advent. It is our business to make no mistake on what is the likeness in point:<\/p>\n

“In that day they were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and they knew not until the flood came and took them all away. So shall be the coming of the Son of man.” That is, it shall be as unexpected as the coming of the flood. That very day when the flood came the wicked were buying, selling, and marrying, and giving in marriage, and going right along, not believing that there would be any flood. The point of likeness there then is the suddenness and unexpectedness of that coming to the wicked. The coming is like a flash of lightning, startling even those who are watching the clouds.<\/p>\n

In the text (Mat 24:40-41<\/span> ) he shows that it will be unexpected to the righteous. He does the same thing in the parable of the ten virgins. They are all of them, the true and the false alike, asleep. They were startled by that coming. That separation the angels make will be utterly unexpected to the good man that was taken and the bad man that was left, to the good woman that was taken and to the bad woman that was left.<\/p>\n

9. The warning of the parables. Four parables follow in succession, all of them bearing on the suddenness and unexpectedness of his coming. The first is the parable of the man sojourning in another country, who before he went away gave authority to his servants, just as Jesus, before he goes up to heaven, will say to his disciples, “All authority in heaven and in earth is given unto me. I give it unto you, and I tell you what to do: go and preach the gospel to every creature and make disciples of all nations.” The parable anticipates the fact. The man sojourning in a far country does not tell his servants the day of his return. So the second parable, that of the householder, leaves the master of the house ignorant of the time when the thief comes. The thief does not write a letter to this householder saying, “On next Thursday night I am coming to burglarize your house,” nor does he, on arrival, ring the bell and send in his card.<\/p>\n

The parable of the ten virgins is of like purport to good and bad. It matters not that one be awake at the time of the advent. All the ten slept. The thing that matters is preparedness. Get ready and keep ready. A soldier, though asleep, is ready, if, when the sentry fires at midnight and the drum beats, he can put his hand at once on his clothes, musket, and cartridge box. He is unready, if, when the alarm awakes him, he must in the dark hunt up things, clean his musket, and fill his cartridge box. These five wise virgins, though sleeping, were ready, because they had bought oil for their lamps. The five foolish virgins were unready, because they had not made this provision.<\/p>\n

The great point of this parable is: There can be no preparation after Jesus comes. The time for preparation is then forever gone. John the Baptist came to prepare men. Jesus, at his first advent, came to prepare men. At the final advent he comes not to save, but to reward and judge.<\/p>\n

10. The purpose of the final advent. This purpose is clearly taught in the parable of the talents, so far as his professed servants are concerned. Going away, he made them stewards of his goods. But “now after a long time the Lord of these servants cometh and maketh a reckoning with them.” If hypocrites, they utterly perish. Why does he come, so far as they are concerned? What is the purpose of his coming? To make a reckoning with them their stewardship ceases. So far as the Christians are concerned the purpose of the final advent is, by their works, to show what fidelity as Christians they have exercised in the service of the Lord. If they have done well they receive a reward; if they have done unrighteously they suffer loss, but they are saved, yet as by fire, says Paul. The object of the coming, then, so far as Christians are concerned, is to reckon with them as to their Christian stewardship. But the fulness of the purpose appears in the last paragraph of the prophecy: “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory and all nations shall be gathered before him.” Why gathered? That tells us why: They are separated instantly. The righteous take the place at the right hand and participate with him in the judgment. The wicked are sent away into everlasting punishment.<\/p>\n

And every time the coming of the Lord as to its purpose is expressed, that same lesson is taught that he doesn’t come to teach; he doesn’t come as a vicarious sacrifice for sin; he doesn’t come to make intercession for his people in his priesthood ; he doesn’t come to rule as a king, but he comes to turn over the kingdom. He does come to judge.<\/p>\n

I want to get the thought of that judgment before you. Rev 20:11<\/span> says, “I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it, before whom the heavens and the earth fled away and there was found no place for them.” The earth will be regenerated by fire. There will be a new heaven and a new earth. He winds up the present earth and the present heavens at his coming, “and the dead, small and great, stand before him,” for judgment, “and the books were opened.” Now notice: “And the dead were judged out of the books according to their works.”<\/p>\n

11. Some questions. very briefly answer some questions. If Christ’s first advent was a far-off, fixed time and not a sliding scale of possibilities, then is it true that Christ may come at any time? It is not true. He couldn’t come before the Spirit was given, as he promised. He couldn’t come before Jerusalem was destroyed, as foretold. He couldn’t come before the fulness of the Gentiles and the conversion of the Jews, as he foretold. He couldn’t come before the great apostasy and the revelation of the man of sin, as he foretold. Then why exhort everybody to watch? I wouldn’t know how to answer that question at all if Christ was liable to come at any time, but I do know how to answer it if the day of his coming is fixed and far away. I know how to reply to it.<\/p>\n

It is quite important to answer this question fairly, for three things are clear from our Lord’s teaching: (1) the final advent is a fixed, definite date; (2) the series of foretold intervening events necessitates a far away date; (3) yet every man is exhorted to look for it, in his day, and be ready.<\/p>\n

The first part of the answer consists of this fact: There are many comings of the Lord, and each is related to the final coming:<\/p>\n

The Lord comes in the Holy Spirit: “I will not leave you orphans: I will come to you” (Joh 14:18<\/span> ). The relation of this advent to the final advent is shown in Act 2:19-20<\/span> .<\/p>\n

The Lord comes in judgments, as at the destruction of Jerusalem (Mat 21:40-41<\/span> ). And this coming, like the flood, is related to the final coming, as in the prophecy.<\/p>\n

The Lord comes at the Christian’s death (Joh 14:3<\/span> ; Act 7:56<\/span> ; Mat 24:44-51<\/span> ). Otherwise the warning in Mat 24:44-51<\/span> would be only a scare to all but the generations living when Jesus comes.<\/p>\n

The second part of the answer consists in this: That while the final advent is a long way off to the race of man, between that advent and the individual of the race there is only the time till the individual’s death. With death his watching and his preparation cease. If he dies tomorrow unready, he will be unready when the advent comes to the race, though that may be centuries hence.<\/p>\n

When I die I will get out of time into eternity. I am not charged or credited with anything that I do after I die. All that the judgment takes cognizance of are the deeds that are done in the body, not after one gets out of his body. The only time for me to prepare for the second advent is while I am living, and though that advent to the race may be a thousand years off, it isn’t a thousand years to me; it is just a number of days till I am dead. The only time I can watch, can pray, can get ready, is before I die. Therefore, he says, “I say unto you all, Watch, be ready.”<\/p>\n

We must keep before us distinctly these two points: The coming of Christ historically to the race at a fixed day far away, and the coming of Christ to the individual when he dies; at the depot of death he meets us if we are Christians. The purpose of the advent is to judge both the righteous and the unrighteous.<\/p>\n

12, The one ground of judgment. That is the treatment accorded to Christ in his gospel and in his people. That is set forth in the end of the lesson. Jesus says to those on his right hand, “Come, ye blessed of my Father. Because I was sick and ye visited me, I was hungry and ye fed me, I was in prison and ye ministered unto me.” Then shall they say, “Lord, when did we do this? You were not on earth while we were living.” “Inasmuch as ye did it unto the least of these, my brethren, ye did it unto me. I identify myself with my gospel, my cause, my people.”<\/p>\n

Look at the wicked. They are condemned now, but at the judgment there will be taken into account their deeds done in the body: “How did you treat Christ offered to you as a Saviour in his gospel? How did you treat his cause, his people?” And when he tells them that they did not come when he was sick, they did not give him food when he was hungry, they did not clothe him when he was naked, and did not minister unto him, they will say, “When, Lord? We don’t remember ever seeing you.” He answers, “Yes, but you saw my people, you had my gospel preached to you.” And in the same way the good angels will be confirmed, the evil ones with the devil condemned, and their treatment of Christ will be taken into account.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

QUESTIONS <\/strong> 1. Why the necessity of warning against false christs?<\/p>\n

2. What is Christ’s warning on this point?<\/p>\n

3. Has history verified the wisdom of this caution of Christ? If so, how?<\/p>\n

4. Who is to be the culmination of all the antichrists?<\/p>\n

5. What was Christ’s warning against false signs?<\/p>\n

6. What is the historical proof that men have mistaken natural phenomena for the sign, erred in fixing a date, and have misconceived the nature and time of the kingdom, with grievous results?<\/p>\n

7. What are the events outlined by our Lord in Mat 24:4-14<\/span> which show that the coming of Christ is not imminent?<\/p>\n

8. What does Paul say must come first?<\/p>\n

9. What is the importance of the doctrine of the advent and the preacher’s duty with respect to it?<\/p>\n

10. What is the lesson of the parable of the fig tree according to the construction of Mat 24:34<\/span> ?<\/p>\n

11. Restate the two theories of interpretation and show the argument for the author’s position.<\/p>\n

12. In what statement does our Lord show the certainty of his coming and how does this answer the objection offered by the mockers referred to in 2Pe 3:4-7<\/span><\/p>\n

13. What does Jesus say as to who knows the time of his coming and how explain this statement as it applies to Christ?<\/p>\n

14. Cite positive proof that the day of his final advent is not a sliding scale of possibilities, always imminent, but a definitely fixed and unalterable date, and compare it, in this respect, with the date of his first advent.<\/p>\n

15. Two opposing views are preached: one, pessimistic as to the world prevalence of the gospel under the Spirit dispensation presenting the gospel kingdom as a tadpole, i.e., big at the head but tapering into a fine-pointed tail; the other, optimistic, as to the world prevalence of the gospel, as a little stone in its beginning and growing into a mountain and finally filling the whole earth. Which of these is the scriptural view and the proof?<\/p>\n

16. What, then, is the explanation of Mat 7:13-14<\/span> ; Luk 13:23-24<\/span> ; Luk 17:26<\/span> ; Luk 18:8<\/span> ?<\/p>\n

17. What four parables follow bearing on the suddenness and unexpectedness of his coming and what the point illustrated in each respectively?<\/p>\n

18. What is the purpose of his coming with reference to hypocrites? With reference to Christians?<\/p>\n

19. If a justified man goes immediately to heaven when he dies and an unjustified man to hell, why bring them from these places of joy and torment before a judgment seat at the end of the world?<\/p>\n

20. What reference to this is in the book of Revelation and what are the books to be opened at the judgment? Answer: For the answer to the last part of this question see sermon, “The Library of Heaven”; first volume of sermons by the author.<\/p>\n

21. If Christ’s first advent was a far-off, fixed time and not a sliding scale of possibilities, then is it true that Christ may come at any time?<\/p>\n

22. What events must come first as foretold?<\/p>\n

23. What three things are clear from our Lord’s teachings on this point?<\/p>\n

24. Then why exhort everybody to watch?<\/p>\n

28. What is the one ground of the judgment? Illustrate in the case of the Christians, the sinners, and the angels, respectively.<\/p>\n

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

4 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.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, <\/p>\n<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ver. 5. See Trapp on “<\/em> Mat 24:1 “<\/em> <\/p>\n

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

5 36.<\/strong> ] PROPHECY OF HIS COMING, AND OF THE TIMES OF THE END. Mat 24:1-51<\/span> ( Mat 25:1-46 ). Mar 13:1-37<\/span> . See notes on both, but especially on Matt. Meyer says truly in loc. that there is no trace in Luke of the discourse being delivered on the Mount of Olives<\/em> but he adds, that it belongs to the discourses in the temple<\/em> , which begin ch. Luk 20:1<\/span> , and that therefore Luke alone mentions . He seems to have overlooked the break<\/em> at Luk 21:7<\/span> , corresponding to the change of scene. All three speak of the opening incident<\/em> as happening while He was departing from the temple; and Matt. and Mark, of the enquiry being made afterwards<\/em> , on the Mount of Olives, i.e. in the evening, when He had retired thither ( Luk 21:37 ).<\/p>\n

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

5.<\/strong> ] Meyer has made the same mistake here, and spoken of the as those to whom the discourse<\/em> was delivered. The <\/strong> were many and precious. Tacitus, Hist. Luk 21:8<\/span> , calls it immens opulenti templum<\/em> : and Jos., B. J. ver. 5. 4, gives an account of the gilding, and golden vines (presented by Herod the Great) with bunches of grapes as large as a man, &c. in the temple: see also Antt. xv. 11. 3.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

THE APOCALYPTIC DISCOURSE (Luk 21:5-38<\/span> ).<\/p>\n

Luk 21:5-7<\/span> . Introduction to the discourse<\/em> (Mat 24:1-3<\/span> , Mar 13:1-4<\/span> ). , and some remarking. A most unemphatic transition, as if what follows were simply a continuation of discourse in the temple<\/em> on one of many topics on which Jesus spoke. No indication that it was disciples (any of the Twelve) who asked the question, or that the conversation took place outside. Cf.<\/em> the narrative in Mk. The inference that Lk. cannot have known Mk.’s narrative (Godet) is inadmissible. Lk. omits many things he knew. His interest is obviously in the didactic matter only, and perhaps we have here another instance of his “sparing the Twelve”. He may not have cared to show them filled with thoughtless admiration for a building (and a system) which was doomed to judicial destruction. , beautiful stones: marble, huge; vide<\/em> Joseph., B. J., Luk 21:5<\/span> ; Luk 21:2<\/span> . , and votive or sacred gifts, in Lk. only; the reference implies that the spectators are within the building. These gifts were many and costly, from the great ones of the earth: a table from Ptolemy, a chain from Agrippa, a golden vine from Herod the Great. The temple was famous for its wealth. Tacitus writes: “illic immensae opulentiae templum,” Hist.<\/em> , vi. 8. : perfect, expressing the permanent result of past acts of skilful men and beneficent patrons a highly ornamented edifice, the admiration of the world, but marked for destruction by the moral order of the universe.<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Luk 21:5-6<\/p>\n

5And while some were talking about the temple, that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts, He said, 6″As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down.”<\/p>\n

Luk 21:5 “And while some were talking about the temple” In Mark 13 (and Matthew 24) it is the inner circle of disciples who mention the beautiful temple building as they all sat on the Mount of Olives viewing Jerusalem and the temple across the Kidron Valley, but Luke puts the discussion of the beauty of Herod’s Temple in the Court of the Women in the temple itself. This Temple was not completely finished until A.D. 63, seven years before it was destroyed by Titus’ army. This remodeled and enlarged national shrine became the object of Jewish religion, as it had in the OT (cf. Jeremiah 7). The same discussion is found in Mar 13:1 and Mat 24:1-2.<\/p>\n

“beautiful stones” Herod’s temple was build with huge polished limestones (i.e., mezzeh), which were 25 x 8 x 12 cubits (a cubit is 18-21″, see Special Topic at Luk 12:25). Josephus records this information in Antiq. 15.11.3.<\/p>\n

NASB”votive gifts”<\/p>\n

NKJV”donations”<\/p>\n

NRSV”gifts dedicated to God”<\/p>\n

TEV”gifts offered to God”<\/p>\n

NJB”votive offerings”<\/p>\n

This is the Greek term anathma, which is used only here in the NT. In the Septuagint it can refer to<\/p>\n

1. a votive offering (cf. 2Ma 9:16)<\/p>\n

2. an accursed thing (i.e., something given to God and thereby becomes holy and cannot be used by human beings, cf. Deu 7:26)<\/p>\n

One example of this was Herod’s lavish gift of a huge golden grapevine that hung on the Temple’s wall. The grapes were as tall as a man (cf. Josephus, Antiq. 15.2.3). This grapevine was a symbol of national Israel (cf. Psa 80:8; Isa 5:1-7).<\/p>\n

Luk 21:6 “there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down” This is a prediction of extensive destruction. It exactly describes the Roman destruction of Jerusalem under Titus in A.D. 70. The only stones left were the foundation stones of Solomon’s Temple that are today known as the “Wailing Wall.” This total destruction was prophesied in Mic 3:12 and Jer 26:18.<\/p>\n

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

of = about. Greek. peri. App-104. <\/p>\n

the temple. Greek. hieron. See note on Mat 23:18. <\/p>\n

gifts = dedicated gifts. Greek. Plural of anathema. Occurs only here. Compare Josephus, Bell. Jud. V. 5 4. <\/p>\n

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

5-36.] PROPHECY OF HIS COMING, AND OF THE TIMES OF THE END. Mat 24:1-51 (Mat 25:1-46). Mar 13:1-37. See notes on both, but especially on Matt. Meyer says truly in loc. that there is no trace in Luke of the discourse being delivered on the Mount of Olives-but he adds, that it belongs to the discourses in the temple, which begin ch. Luk 20:1, and that therefore Luke alone mentions . He seems to have overlooked the break at Luk 21:7, corresponding to the change of scene. All three speak of the opening incident as happening while He was departing from the temple; and Matt. and Mark, of the enquiry being made afterwards, on the Mount of Olives,-i.e. in the evening, when He had retired thither (Luk 21:37).<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luk 21:5. , dedicatory offerings) There were various precious memorials dedicated to it for ever. See Josephus. [Such are in our day, for instance, banners, monumental slabs, and other things of the kind, which are wont to be hung up and erected in temples (churches).-V. g.]<\/p>\n

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luk 21:5-38<\/p>\n

8. DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM;<\/p>\n

THE COMING OF CHRIST<\/p>\n

Luke 21:5-38<\/p>\n

Jesus foretells the destruction of Jerusalem, the persecution of his disciples, and his second coming. Parallel records are found in Mat 24:1-51 and Mar 13:1-37. We have here a remarkable prophetic discourse of Jesus, which has been variously interpreted and explained; it has been considered one of the most important and difficult discourses recorded of Jesus. It is given most fully in Matthew; verses 5 and 6 were spoken as he was leaving the temple; the remainder of the discourse was spoken as he sat upon the Mount of Olives over against the city and temple. Between the incident of the widow’s casting in her two mites, and his leaving the temple, we are to place what is related in Joh 12:20-50. This discourse is the background of the death of Jesus; the destruction of Jerusalem is recorded as punishment in part of the crucifixion of Christ. This catastrophe is itself a symbol of the punishment of the world at the second coming of Christ. Jesus predicts his own second coming. The various aspects of this discourse should be noticed as it is studied.<\/p>\n

5, 6 And as some spake of the temple,-These verses were spoken as Jesus left the temple. Some of the disciples observed the adornment of the temple “with goodly stones and offerings.” Mark tells us that this remark was made by one of his disciples as Jesus went out of the temple. (Mar 13:1.) “Goodly stones” has reference to the arches of the bridge which spanned the valley of Tyropoeon, and connected the ancient city of David with the royal porch of the temple, and measured twenty-four feet in length by six in thickness; these were not the largest in the masonry of the temple; both the southeastern and southwestern angle stones have been found measuring from twenty to forty feet long and weighing more than one hundred tons. Jesus replied that the days would come when “there shall not he left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” This prediction of Jesus was literally fulfilled about forty years afterward, A.D. 70, when Titus, a Roman officer, destroyed Jerusalem. Josephus relates that Titus gave orders to demolish the entire city and temple except three towers and part of the western wall. The rest of the wall was laid so completely even with the ground by those who dug it up from the foundation that there was nothing left to make those believe that came thither that it had ever been inhabited. It is recorded that after the destruction by Titus, Terentius Rufus, an officer in the army of Titus, ordered the site of the temple to be furrowed with a plowshare, thus nothing was left but parts of the massive foundations which still remained. (Jer 26:18; Mic 3:12.)<\/p>\n

7 And they asked him, saying, Teacher,-There are two questions asked here by the disciples, namely: “When therefore shall these things be?” and “What shall be the sign when these things are about to come to pass?” The first question is the same in all three of the records, but the second question is different in Matthew’s record. Matthew records the second as: “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” Evidently Luke and Mark mean the same thing as the question recorded by Matthew hence, the second coming of Christ and the destruction or “end of the world” mean the same thing. Mark records that Peter, James, John, and Andrew “asked him privately” (Mar 13:3-4) about these things. Obviously the rest of the twelve came after them and heard the discourse; or it may be that these four disciples asked for themselves and the rest of the apostles. “These things” mean the destruction of the temple, the judgment of God upon Jerusalem, and upon the Jews. “What shall be the sign?” If the temple was to be destroyed, they should naturally expect his coming immediately when, after destroyng his enemies, he should establish his kingdom. (Mat 24:21; Act 1:6.) such terrible events as Jesus predicted naturally aroused their desire to know definitely more about it; hence, they ask for the time and the sign of “all these things.” The two questions should be kept in mind as the discourse is studied and the answer to each question should be clear to the student.<\/p>\n

8, 9 And he said, Take heed that ye be not led astray:-At first Jesus gives a warning to his disciples; they should “take heed” that they be not led astray. There would arise different ones claiming to be the Messiah or representing the Messiah who would lead them astray. There were many such; Josephus, a Jewish historian, not converted to Christianity, but an eyewitness of the calamities of the destruction of Jerusalem, gives in minute detail the wonderful fulfillment of this prediction. He speaks of the country being overrun with magicians, seducers, and impostors, who drew the people after them into the wilderness, promising to show them signs and wonders; thus Theudas, not the one mentioned in Act 5:36, but a later one, persuaded a large body of people to follow him to the Jordan, promising to divide the river as Elijah and Elisha had done. However, he was captured and taken prisoner before he arrived at the Jordan and was beheaded. An Egyptian also pretended to he a prophet (Act 21:38) and deluded thirty thousand men. After the destruction of Jerusalem Bar-Cocheba and Jonathan appeared; in almost every age there have been false Christs. Jesus further warns them that when they heard “of wars and tumults,” they should not be deceived or terrified; all these things must come to pass, “but the end is not immediately.” Every generation has known of wars and rumors of wars; some have been terrified by them and some have supposed that these wars were signs of the second coming of Christ.<\/p>\n

10, 11 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise-It seems that the prophecy beginning with verse 10 and concluding with verse 19 admits of a double interpretation primarily it applies to the wars connected with the destruction of Jerusalem, and the afflictions of Christians after the death of Jesus; secondarily; it applies to the times immediately preceding the destruction of the world. “Nation shall rise against nation”; that is, race against race and kingdom against kingdom. In verse 9 Jesus had said: “Ye shall hear of wars,” but now he states what will actually take place-a difference between the rumors that they shall hear and what shall occur. National struggles and political upheavals and revolutions shall take place. These shall be accompanied with physical catastrophes; “great earthquakes,” “famines,” and “pestilences” shall afflict the earth and its inhabitants. Historians speak of several famines in different parts of the world, one of which was very severe in Judea about A.D. 44 to 47. (Act 11:28.) “Pestilences” were common attendants of famines then as now. History records one at Rome in the autumn of A.D. 65, which carried off thirty thousand persons.<\/p>\n

12 But before all these things,-Before the things predicted in verses 10 and 11 occur, Jesus tells what will be done to his disciples. “They shall lay their hands on you,” “shall persecute you,” “delivering you up to the synagogues,” and bringing them into the civil courts because of their faithfulness to their Lord. They should be persecuted in the ecclesiastical courts of the Jews and the civil courts of the Romans. All of these persecutions should be prompted and encouraged by the Jews, and the motive that prompted the persecutions would he because of Christ. The context seems to limit the persecutions mentioned here between the ascension of Christ and the destruction of Jerusalem. The Acts of the Apostles records a number of these persecutions. (Act 4:3; Act 5:27; Act 22:19; Act 25:23; Act 26:10.)<\/p>\n

13 It shall turn out unto you-It will come off, turn out for you, seems to be the meaning here. It would give an opportunity for them to bear testimony of Jesus; an opportunity would be given them to preach the gospel to persons who would not otherwise listen to them. Paul before Agrippa and other Roman officials is an example of this. Jesus means here that the harm which the enemies would seek to do his disciples should be overruled and prove to be an advantage to his cause and kingdom;they would prove the sincerity of his disciples, purify their lives, and make of them more efficient witnesses for him.<\/p>\n

14, 15 Settle it therefore in your hearts,-This was spoken to encourage Christians while they are persecuted; the disciples were to resolve to endure the persecution without faltering. They need not “meditate beforehand” how they should answer their enemies; they need not give attention to their defense; they need not be concerned about the outcome of the persecution. All these things would be taken care of in due time. The very answer which they should make would be given them. “I will give you a mouth and wisdom” is the promise that Jesus made to his disciples at this time. Their answer when given would be complete, and would be such that their adversaries would not be able to “withstand or to gainsay” it. This should be a great encouragement to his disciples; it was demonstrated in the case of Stephen, who so reputed his enemies that “they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake.” (Act 6:10.)<\/p>\n

16 But ye shall be delivered up even by parents,-We have no case on record in the Acts illustrating this; however, the early Christians suffered all sorts of betrayals and persecution. There were cases of betrayal in families; Tacitus reports that in the persecution under Nero many were convicted by testimony of persons from among themselves. Jesus had said “Think not that I came to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.”<\/p>\n

17, 18 And ye shall be hated of all men-The disciples of Jesus were not popular with the world; they were to be hated by the world. Jesus said of his disciples: “I have given them thy word; and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” (Joh 17:14.) Again he had said: “If the world hateth you, ye know that it hath hated me before it hated you.” (Joh 15:18.) The early history of the church as given in the Acts bears witness that the disciples of Jesus were “hated of all men.” “For as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.” (Act 28:22.) Christians have been persecuted and hated far beyond the persecution heaped against any other religion. (1Pe 2:12; 1Pe 3:16; 1Pe 4:14.) They were to be hated “for my name’s sake.” We see here the reason of Christians being so universally hated, not only in every age, but also in the apostolic age. God is a jealous God, and Christ is a jealous Savior; all other religions are wrong; Christianity opposes all sects and parties in religion; hence, it incurs the enmity of all these. Christianity will not share with any other religion; other religions will share with each other, and at times persecute each other, but finally they will all unite in their opposition to Christianity. “And not a hair of your head shall perish.”<\/p>\n

19 In your patience ye shall win your souls.-Even if death should come, or if they should be put to death, in their patience they would sin their souls. The word “patience” may be rendered “perseverance.” It is expressed by Matthew and Mark in this way: “But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.” (Mat 24:13; Mar 13:13.) By their endurance they should preserve their souls; it has been applied to Christians during the destruction of Jerusalem, for it is claimed that no Christian perished at that time.<\/p>\n

20 But when ye see Jerusalem compassed-It is reported that Christians fled from Jerusalem to Pella before it was too late; they followed the instructions of Jesus as here recorded. Here is a sign for them as they had requested in verse 7. Just so sure as Jerusalem would be encompassed with armies, just so sure would she be destroyed. It is a matter of history that the Roman army first under Cestius Gallus besieged Jerusalem about A.D 66, and then withdrew from it; again, the city was besieged by Vespasian about A.D. 68; the devastation continued until the final overthrow and destruction by Titus in A.D. 70. The disciples were to know that when the city was compassed with armies that meant that it would be destroyed; hence, as they believed the words of the Savior, Christians were prepared and escaped from the city.<\/p>\n

21 Then let them that are in Judaea flee-Palestine during the personal ministry of Christ was divided into three divisions-Judea on the south, Samaria just north of Judea, and Galilee north of Samaria. When the disciples were to know that the destruction of Jerusalem was at hand, those in the country, towns, and cities of Judea were to flee to the “mountains,” where there were caves affording a safe retreat. For some cause unknown now to historians, the Roman general, Cestius Gallus, after taking a portion of Jerusalem, withdrew without capturing the entire city; this gave the Christians an opportunity to escape; the same warning was given to those who were in the country-they were not to go into the city.<\/p>\n

23 Woe unto them that are with child-There is an exclamation of pity expressed for mothers and prospective mothers; these would not be in condition to flee or to endure the hardships of the siege. Josephus relates that the houses at the siege of Jerusalem were full of women and children who perished in the famine; mothers snatch the food out of their infants’ mouths;and Mary, daughter of Eleazer, of a rich and illustrious family, boiled her child and ate him. The miseries of women in the siege of Jerusalem are probably foretold in Deu 28:56-57. Vengeance and wrath referred to here is the divine vindication which had been foretold.<\/p>\n

24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword,-The fearful punishment inflicted by the enemy on the inhababitants of Jerusalem is here minutely described. According to Josephus eleven hundred thousand perished during the siege at Jerusalem by the sword, pestilence, and famine. The city was full of people attending the Passover festival when the last siege of Titus commenced; thousands had come from remote parts of the earth, not only to attend the festival, but to assist in the defense of their religion, country, liberties, city and temple; ninety thousand were taken prisoners and sold into perpetual bondage; during this time nearly three hundred thousand Jews perished elsewhere, in addition to a vast multitude who died in caves, woods, common sewers, banishment, and various ways, of whom no computation could be made. Some suppose that Josephus greatly exaggerated the number of sufferers; Tacitus gives six hundred thousand as the number within the city at the time of the siege.<\/p>\n

“Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles.”<\/p>\n

Jerusalem was captured again about A.D. 135 in consequence of an insurrection, which brought most terrible sufferings upon the Jews, who were utterly driven out from the land of their fathers. Judea was sold by Vespasian, and Jerusalem has been successively under the dominions of the Romans, Saracens, Franks, Mamelukes, and Turks. A temple of Jupiter was erected on the site of the temple; afterwards, A.D 635, the mosque of Omar was built upon the same site. The distress of the Jews still continues, and Jerusalem is still trodden under foot by the Gentiles. “Until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” has been variously interpreted. Some think that Jerusalem will he desolate until it is rescued from the Gentiles by the Jews; others think that it will continue as it now is until all the Jews are converted still others think that it means that the Gentiles will control it until Christ comes again. It is observed here that the learned and pious have differed widely in their views, and perhaps it is wise not to speak too positively about the fulfillment of obscure prophecies. Those who find here a plain prophecy that Jerusalem will be rebuilt during a millennium, and then be reoccupied by the Jews, and have Christ come and occupy the literal throne and reign over the Jews in Jerusalem, have great difficulty in proving their interpretation to be the correct one.<\/p>\n

25, 26 And there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars; -As here observed this great prophetic discourse of Jesus is adorned with figurative language and symbolic terms. Whatever else the language may teach, we do know that it means that great calamities and revolutions among the nations of earth will occur. It is difficult to determine how much of this may be taken literally; it is best to take this language of Jesus literally unless there is some just grounds for regarding it figuratively. There are to be terrific phenomena and changes in nature; just when these would take place is not clear. Some think that they occurred immediately after the Jewish people were destroyed at the destruction of Jerusalem; there were, during the crucifixion of Jesus, some great catastrophes; the powers and forces of nature, the elements of the heavens, were agitated and convulsed like the waves of the sea. It seems there will be a repetition of these at the end of the world when Christ shall appear in his glory. (2Pe 3:12; Rev 21:1.) Fear and distress and trembling shall take possession of the stoutest as they realize the symptoms of approaching dissolutions. The powers and the forces of nature, the elements of the heavens, shall be shaken, agitated, and convulsed. (Heb 12:26.)<\/p>\n

27, 28 And then shall they see the Son of man coming-It seems clear that Jesus here has reference to his second coming. The coming of Christ is frequently spoken of as actual and visible. (Act 1:9; Act 1:11; 1Th 4:16; 2Th 1:8; 2Pe 3:10; 2Pe 3:12; Jud 1:14; Rev 1:7.) Jesus is frequently represented as coming in a cloud and great glory; he ascended back to heaven in a cloud (Act 1:9), and he will return in a cloud with power and great glory. At this time when others will be terrified the disciples should “look up” and not be disturbed, but be encouraged; the disciples of the Lord should turn themselves to face the Lord and greet him as a Friend and Deliverer. The disciples should know at that time that their “redemption draweth nigh.” Their redemption and complete deliverance is just at hand;they will have waited long and patiently; now they are to greet the glorified Lord as he comes to elevate them to glory unspeakable. “Redemption” is here used in the same sense as in Rom 8:23; Eph 1:14; Eph 4:30. It signifies that full and complete redemption of the believer which will be accomplished at the resurrection.<\/p>\n

29, 30 And he spake to them a parable:-Matthew and Mark say: “Now from the fig tree learn her parable.” (Mat 24:32; Mar 13:28.) Jesus means to say that they can learn what he has said from the fig tree; that it represents or illustrates the circumstances and signs preceding these great events; he simply says learn the illustration which the fig tree affords. Jesus and his disciples were on the Mount of Olives, where there were many fig trees; it was convenient and apt for Jesus to point to the fig tree and illustrate what he was saying. They knew enough about nature to know that when this tree put forth its buds and foliage summer was near; this was a simple and direct prophecy and pledge of summer; so when they saw these signs that he had mentioned, they would know that the end was near.<\/p>\n

31 Even so ye also, when ye see these things-Jesus makes his own application of the parable as they know that summer is nigh by observing the leaves on the fig tree, so they know that the “kingdom of God is nigh” when they see the signs which he has mentioned.<\/p>\n

32, 33 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass -Many of the things which Jesus had mentioned would occur before that generation should pass. This shows that much that he had said belonged to the destruction of Jerusalem. The word of God as expressed by the prophets and by Jesus himself must be fulfilled; “all things” must be accomplished; the word of God should not pass away until everything has been accomplished. The heavens and the earth were generally regarded as firm and unchangeable (Psa 89:37; Jen 33:25), but these should pass away before the word of God should pass; this was another way of saying that the word of God would not pass or fail in anything. The word of God is more certain than the established order of nature. (Isa 40:8; Isa 51:6; 1Pe 1:24-25.)<\/p>\n

34, 35 lest haply your hearts be overcharged-Jesus now warns his disciples that they be found faithful; their salvation, as does our salvation, depended upon their remaining faithful. The important thing that Jesus makes clear here is that his disciples be on their guard when the fulfillment of his prediction takes place. They should not eat to gluttony, drink to drunkenness, and sleep to stupidity; the cares of this life should not so engross their attention that they would not be ready. Jerusalem would he besieged and a great number would be destroyed; drunkenness would prevent their being watchful and being ready; they are to be alert to all dangers. The Lord has promised to take care of his own, but they must do their part in avoiding all unnecessary things and be alert to detect quickly any danger. The suddenness of that time would come upon them like a snare. “Surfeiting” is a word common in the vocabulary of medical writers for the nausea that follows a debauch. “Drunkenness” in the original is from the word “methu,” which means wine, and is used in the New Testament only here and Rom 13:13 and Gal 5:21. “Cares of this life” means the anxieties of life, while “as a snare” means to make fast as a net or trap; Paul uses this word several times in speaking of the devil’s snares. (1Ti 3:7; 2Ti 2:26.) God’s judgment comes unlooked for, “suddenly,” as a trap or “snare” upon the careless.<\/p>\n

36 But watch ye at every season,-In wisdom and mercy Jesus exhorts his disciples to “watch.” “Watch” in the original means “to hunt”; the picture is of one in pursuit of sleep, and therefore wakeful, restless. Some translate it: “See! Wake ye and pray ye!” Keep awake and be ready is the admonition given by Jesus. “Making supplication” means to be praying; watchfulness without prayer is not sufficient; neither praying without watchfulness is sufficient. They are to watch and pray that they “may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” If the disciples of Jesus are watching and praying, they will be ready and will be able to stand with no fear before the Son of man. Those who were watching and praying escaped the destruction that came upon Jerusalem and were ready for service in the name of the Lord, and were approved by him for the most valiant service. Those who retained their faithfulness throughout the troublesome times were honored with exalted positions in the kingdom of God, which was established on Pentecost (Acts 2), while the overthrow of the Jewish state met its doom.<\/p>\n

37, 38 And every day he was teaching in the temple;-This does not mean that Jesus taught in the temple after the delivery of this discourse; it simply means that up till this time that week, he had been teaching in the temple during the day and retiring to the Mount of Olives at night. Luke sums up the teaching of this day with the general statement of the program that he followed. After teaching during the day he went for rest at Bethany, which was less than two miles from Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives. Matthew tells us that he went to Bethany. (Mat 21:17.) Mark also records that he went to Bethany. On the other days, Mark says: “Every evening,” or whenever evening came, “he went forth out of the city.” (Mar 11:19.) Some think that the Greek word for “abode” or “lodged” here means primarily “lodge” in the open air hence the three nights of this week, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, Jesus and his disciples may have “lodged” in some place on the slope of Olivet, possibly in the Garden of Gethsemane. Hence, Judas would know where to find him on the night of the betrayal, for John says: “Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. ” (Joh 18:2.) It was not unusual for people at that season of the year in that climate to sleep out of doors wrapped in an outer cloak, as Jerusalem and the villages near were crowded with people who had come to attend the Feast of the Passover.<\/p>\n

No satisfactory exposition of this great prophetic discourse of Jesus as recorded by Luke can be given without a very careful and thorough comparison of it with Matthew 24 and Mark 13 these chapters are essentially parallel with Luke 21, and evidently are the same discourse, spoken on the same occasion, and having the same questions calling forth the discourse. The chief points of the report of the discourse given by Matthew, Mark, and Luke which are common may be summed up as follows: (1) The occasion was the calling of Jesus’ attention to the magnificent stones and gifts of the temple; (2) the reply of Jesus that the day would come when not one stone would be left upon another; (3) the earnest and prompt questions, involving two main points-when? and what are to be the foregoing signs? (4) All agree that this discourse was spoken after they had retired to the Mount of Olives, where they were in full view of the city and temple. (5) The three statements agree substantially in making up the first class of foregoing events-“Be not decieved,” false Christs shall rise, rumors of war, actual wars, persecution of Christians. (6) A special sign is given, namely, Jerusalem encompassed and destroyed. (7) Each of the writers reports the parable of the fig tree to show that the signs were very soon to follow. (8) All three give admonition of constant watchfulness and being ready.<\/p>\n

It seems clear that a correct interpretation of this discourse makes Jesus predict the fall of Jerusalem before the Roman army; this was consummated in A.D. 70. That event meets all the conditions of this prophecy most fully, entirely, and unquestionably unless it be the brief passages in Mat 24:29-31; Mar 13:24-27; and Luk 21:25-28. The difficulty here is pointed by these questions: Do these brief passages relate to the fall of Jerusalem or must they be referred to the coming of Christ and the final judgment? The language seems to clearly indicate that they refer to the second advent of Christ; they seem to say more than can be legitimately applied to the destruction of Jerusalem their symbolic language is too emphatic and the points made are too far reaching to be exhausted in the scenes connected with the fall of Jerusalem. However, many commentators make them refer primarily to the destruction of Jerusalem. The reasons that they assign for this are as follows: (1) These passages stand precisely where we naturally look for an outbreak of vengeance upon the doomed city; (2) it is definitely said by Matthew (24:29) that the scenes of these three verses follow immediately after the “tribulation” described in the previous verses; (3) all these events, not only those of the previous verses, but those portrayed in these identical verses (Mat 24:29-31), brought within the lifetime of that generation: (4) all is described as coming within the personal experience of the disciples of whom Jesus was then speaking; (5) all is illustrated by the parable of the fig tree, in which leaves and blossoms foreshadow fruitage near at hand, showing that not merely some, but all of these events were to follow closely after the foregoing signs which he had fully described; (6) emphatic and strong as these symbols in this contested passage are, yet they present a very different scene from that of the final judgment; (7) the passage under special discussion in each of these three accounts is quite too closely connected both with what precedes and what immediately follows, to be wrested out of its context and referred to the final judgment, when all that precedes and what immediately follows must so manifestly and certainly refer to the fall of Jerusalem; (8) that two events so unlike as the fall of Jerusalem on the one hand and the final judgment on the other, and with all so remote from each other in time, should be purposely described by the same symbols and in the same words, cannot well be supposed rational or even possible.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Days That Try Mens Souls <\/p>\n

Luk 21:5-19<\/p>\n

When we ask speculative questions, the Master bids us take heed to ourselves. His predictions in this passage were literally fulfilled in the events which culminated in the siege and fall of Jerusalem, forty years afterward. The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together, and through these throes and agonies mankind steps up to a new level of experience. The devil will not surrender his kingdom, any more than the bodies of men, without a grievous rending first: but there is a mightier than he.<\/p>\n

The Church is called to follow her Lord. No easier path than His may she choose. Where there is no outward suffering there may be the inner cross and the death to all that the soul had once prized. Jesus has always stood beside His own wherever they have been called to witness for the truth; and the testimony given by His witnesses has reached the great ones of the earth and reverberated through courts and palaces. In suffering our souls become searched as by fire. We learn to know ourselves and to come into possession of an experience and a self-knowledge with which only suffering could have endowed us.<\/p>\n

Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

as: Mat 24:1, Mat 24:2, Mar 13:1, Mar 13:2, Joh 2:20 <\/p>\n

Reciprocal: Lev 26:31 – and bring 2Ki 12:12 – masons 2Ki 25:9 – he burnt 1Ch 22:5 – exceeding Psa 96:9 – in the beauty of holiness Lam 4:1 – the stones Dan 8:11 – and the place Hag 2:3 – glory Zec 11:10 – Beauty Luk 13:35 – your Joh 4:21 – when<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST<\/p>\n

And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, He said, 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.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:5-6<\/p>\n

This discourse of our Lord is one of the most difficult for us to follow and apply, and yet it has made a vivid impression on the imagination of the world. It may be worth while therefore to try reverently to gather what was in our Lords mind when He spokewhat was transitory, what was permanent. It is impossible to leave on one side a matter of such vital importance as the final destiny of the world, and the promised Presence or coming of Christ. We notice at once these two things.<\/p>\n

I. The transitory and the permanent.First that, as, in an exhibition of dissolving views, one scene melts imperceptibly into another, so that at a given time we hardly know what is before us, so here a great deal of our Lords words refer to an immediate, local catastrophe of tremendous importance to His hearersthe fall of Jerusalem. And then His words dissolve, melt almost imperceptibly into another scenethe end of the world, His own Second Coming, and the dread phenomena which will precede and accompany itthe one event being connected with the other as that which symbolises with that which is symbolised.<\/p>\n

II. The coming of Christ.Secondly, we must remember and realise that there are certain images in Holy Scripture which cannot be reproduced pictorially, nor represented in human language. Our Blessed Lord Himself seems to say that a full knowledge of what is meant by the Day of Judgment, and when it will be, is impossible to the human understanding. But there is a bright side to final judgment. We are apt to forget this. In spite of the imagery of flame and earthquake, of wrath on sinners, of shame and endless doom, the idea which most strongly impressed itself on the early Church was the Presence of Christ, the victory of Christ, the coming and permanent reign of Christ.<\/p>\n

III. The Presence of Christ.His Presence! It is what they so longed to see. How impatient they were for it, how they hurried forward in imagination the slow winding up of the ages. O thou enemy, they would say, destructions are come to a perpetual end, and Christ is coming. His will be a great Presence. This is a side of the Judgment Day of which we think too little, one which surely has power to diminish much of our fear.<\/p>\n

IV. What has the Presence been to us?As we look back over life we each of us can see what the Presence, the coming of Christ has been to us. Thy song shall be of mercy and judgment. Life has had its destructions. God nips off those things that we valuedyouth, health, strength, and vigourin order to develop the life of saintliness, the life of union with Himself. If you would meet your Judge with trembling hope, if you would rejoice in His Presence with exceeding great joy, go and tell it out among the heathen that the Lord is King; go and proclaim the paradox of welcome: Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord, for He cometh to judge the earth.<\/p>\n

Rev. Canon Newbolt.<\/p>\n

Illustration<\/p>\n

In the dark days of the Catacombs, where they found Christ in the mystic Eucharistic Presence on the altar which covered the bones of some friend or some earlier martyr who had laid down his life for Christ, the Presence was a hurried and a fleeting one, to be followed too often by dark days of persecution and anguish. It was so difficult for them to keep Christs Presence with them in its living beauty. Think of them as they walked through the heathen city, with its consecrated sin, and its sights and sounds of shame, which formed part of the religion of the heathenism which surrounded them. We, too, do we not know how difficult it is to retain the Presence of Christ? How difficult we find it to breathe for any time the rarified air of heaven! We fall asleep on the Mount of Transfiguration; we are dazed and stupefied in the hour of mysteries, when the atoning agony of Gethsemane and Calvary is revealed to us. The Presence of Christit lingers, perhaps, as a memory infrequent and glorious in those days of the Son of Man, when heaven seemed nearer to us, and the veil of the sacraments was thinner, and temptation less obtrusive, and sin less persistent, the Presence of Christ always and everywhere, in a time when there should be neither day nor night, but one day. This was the conception that swallowed up all others in the loving heart of the Christians as they talked of that coming of Christ which was a Presence joyful and abiding.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

5<\/p>\n

This adornment of the goodly stones was by way of “remodeling,” which was done at various times through a period of 46 years (Joh 2:20).<\/p>\n

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

LET us notice in this passage, our Lord Jesus Christ’s words about the temple at Jerusalem. We read that some spake of it, “how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts.” They praised it for its outward beauty. They admired its size, its architectural grandeur, and its costly decorations. But they met with no response from our Lord. We read that he said, “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.”<\/p>\n

These words were a striking prophecy. How strange and startling they must have sounded to Jewish ears, an English mind can hardly conceive. They were spoken of a building which every Israelite regarded with almost idolatrous veneration. They were spoken of a building which contained the ark, the holy of holies, and the symbolical furniture formed on a pattern given by God Himself. They were spoken of a building associated with most of the principal names in Jewish history; with David, Solomon, Hezekiah, Josiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, and Nehemiah. They were spoken of a building toward which every devout Jew turned his face in every quarter of the world, when he offered up his daily prayers. (1Ki 8:44; Jon 2:4; Dan 6:10.) <\/p>\n

But they were words spoken advisedly. They were spoken in order to teach us the mighty truth that the true glory of a place of worship does not consist in outward ornaments. “The LORD seeth not as man seeth.” (1Sa 16:7.) Man looketh at the outward appearance of a building. The Lord looks for spiritual worship, and the presence of the Holy Ghost. In the temple at Jerusalem these things were utterly wanting, and therefore Jesus Christ could take no pleasure in it.<\/p>\n

Professing Christians will do well to remember our Lord’s words in the present day. It is meet and right beyond doubt that buildings set apart for Christian worship, should be worthy of the purpose for which they are used. Whatever is done for Christ ought to be well done. The house in which the Gospel is preached, and the Word of God read, and prayer offered up, ought to lack nothing that can make it comely and substantial. <\/p>\n

But let it never be forgotten that the material part of a Christian Church is by far the least important part of it. The fairest combinations of marble, and stone and wood, and painted glass, are worthless in God’s sight, unless there is truth in the pulpit and grace in the congregation. The dens and caves in which the early Christians used to meet, were probably far more beautiful in the eyes of Christ than the noblest cathedral that was ever reared by man. The temple in which the Lord Jesus delights most, is a broken and contrite heart, renewed by the Holy Ghost.<\/p>\n

Let us notice for another thing in this passage, our Lord Jesus Christ’s solemn warning against deception. His striking words about the temple drew from His disciples an important question: “Master, when shall these things be? and what sign will there be, when these things shall come to pass?” Our Lord’s reply to that question was long and full. And it began with a pointed caution, “Take heed that ye be not deceived.”<\/p>\n

The position which this caution occupies is very remarkable. It stands in the forefront of a prophecy of vast extent and universal importance to all Christians,-a prophecy reaching from the day in which it was delivered, to the day of the second advent,-a prophecy revealing matters of the most tremendous interest both to Jews and Gentiles,-and a prophecy of which a large portion remains to be fulfilled. And the very first sentence of this wondrous prophecy is a caution against deception, “Take heed that ye be not deceived.”<\/p>\n

The necessity of this caution has been continually proved in the history of the Church of Christ. On no subject perhaps have divines made so many mistakes as in the interpretation of unfulfilled prophecy. On no subject have they shown so completely the weakness of man’s intellect, and confirmed so thoroughly the words of Paul, “We see through a glass darkly:-we know in part.” (1Co 13:12.) Dogmatism, positiveness, controversial bitterness, obstinacy in maintaining untenable positions, rash assertions and speculations, have too often brought discredit on the whole subject of the prophetical Scriptures, and caused the enemies of Christianity to blaspheme. There are only too many books on prophetical interpretation, on the title-pages of which might be justly written, “Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?”<\/p>\n

Let us learn from our Lord’s warning words to pray for a humble, teachable spirit, whenever we open the pages of unfulfilled prophecy. Here, if anywhere, we need the heart of a little child, and the prayer “open thou mine eyes.” (Psa 119:18.) Let us beware, on the one side, of that lazy indifference which turns away from all prophetical Scripture, on account of its difficulties. Let us beware, on the other side, of that dogmatical and arrogant spirit, which makes men forget that they are students, and talk as confidently as if they were prophets themselves. Above all, let us read prophetical Scripture with a thorough conviction that the study carries with it a blessing, and that more light may be expected on it every year. The promise remains in full force, “Blessed is he that readeth.” At the time of the end, the vision shall be unsealed. (Rev 1:3; Dan 12:9.)<\/p>\n

==================<\/p>\n

Notes- <\/p>\n

v5.-[Some spake…temple.] The feeling with which all Jews, in our Lord’s time, regarded the temple, was something far beyond what we can imagine in the present day. This should be borne in mind, in order to estimate rightly the effect which our Lord’s words, in this place, must have produced on those who heard them.<\/p>\n

[Goodly stones.] The enormous size of the stones with which the temple was built by Herod at its last restoration, is specially mentioned by Josephus. He says that “many of them were about twenty-five cubits in length, eight in height, and twelve in breadth.” A cubit was about twenty-two inches of our measure.<\/p>\n

[Gifts.] Tacitus, the Roman historian, and Josephus, the Jewish writer, both mention the enormous riches contained in the temple, consisting chiefly of offerings given by pious persons, or by rulers who wished to testify respect for the building. In particular there was a golden vine given by Herod, with clusters of grapes as tall as a man. Many of these offerings were suspended in the portico of the temple, so that all could see them.<\/p>\n

v6.-[Not be left one stone upon another.] These words were literally fulfilled when Titus took Jerusalem, and Turrus Rufus, one of his officers, ploughed up the foundations of the temple.<\/p>\n

It may be well to remember, that these words do not necessarily apply to the substructure on the side of the hill on which the temple stood. There are remains of a wall built of enormous stones still seen at Jerusalem, which the best informed travellers agree in thinking must have been standing when our Lord spoke this prophecy.<\/p>\n

Burkitt remarks, “Sin will undermine and blow up the most magnificent and famous structure. Sin brings cities and kingdoms, as well as particular persons, to their end.”<\/p>\n

v8.-[Take heed…be not deceived.] The caution given by our Lord is very significant. The mistakes that theologians have made about the fulfilment of prophecy, in every age of the Church, have been many and great. In our own day we see some putting a literal meaning on figurative prophecy, and others putting a figurative meaning on literal prophecy.-Some can see nothing but “the Church” in passages where Israel is mentioned. Others can see nothing but Israel in every prophecy in the Bible.-Some say that nearly all prophecy is fulfilled. Others say that it is nearly all unfulfilled.-Some see the Church of Rome everywhere in prophecy. Others cannot see Rome in prophecy at all.-Some can see no anti-christ except the Pope. Others can see no antichrist except a future general anti-christ yet to be revealed.-Some think that events around us are fulfilling the book of Revelation. Others think that every word of Revelation remains yet to be fulfilled.-Amidst this tangled maze of discordant opinions, we need greatly the solemn warning of our Lord, “Take heed that ye be not deceived.”<\/p>\n

[Many shall come saying…I am Christ.] There were many impostors who appeared in the latter days of Jewish history, who pretended to be the Messiah. It must not surprise us if some in like manner shall arise and make similar claims about the time of the second advent of Christ.<\/p>\n

v9.-[By and by.] The Greek word so rendered is almost always translated in the New Testament, “immediately,” “forthwith,” or “straightway.” This is clearly the meaning in this place.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luk 21:5-6. Some. Luke is quite indefinite here.<\/p>\n

Sacred gifts, made for the most part by heathen: such as holy vessels by the Emperor Augustus, and others by Ptolemy Philadelphus, king of Egypt, and especially the magnificent golden vine presented by Herod the Great, and described by Josephus. The disciples, as it were, became the intercessors for the doomed sanctuary, and pointed to these things, which fulfilled Old Testament prophecy (Psalms 72; Isaiah 60) in regard to gifts from heathen princes, as a ground for hope that the temple would continue.<\/p>\n

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Our blessed Saviour being now ready to depart from the temple, nevermore after this entering into it, and his disciples showing him, with wonder and admiration, the magnificent structures and buildings thereof, apprehending that in regard of its invincible strength it could not be destroyed; not considering, that sin will undermine and blow up the most magnificent and famous structures; for sin brings cities and kingdoms, as well as particular persons, to their end. Not one stone, says Christ, shall be left upon another; which threatening was exactly fulfilled after Christ’s death, when Titus the Roman emperor destroyed the city, burnt the temple and Turnus Rufus, the general of his army, ploughed up the very foundation on which the temple stood; thus was the threatening of God fulfilled, Zion shall be ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become an heap. Jer 26:18 <\/p>\n

Learn hence,<\/p>\n

1. That sin has laid the foundation of ruin in the most flourishing cities and kingdoms; Jerusalem, the glory of the world, is here by sin threatened to be made a desolation.<\/p>\n

2. That the threatenings of God are to be feared, and shall be fulfilled, whatever appearing improbabilities there may be to the contrary. ‘Tis neither the temple’s strength nor beauty that can oppose or withstand God’s power.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luk 21:5-6. And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones Such as no engine now in use could have brought, or even set upon each other. Some of them (as an eye-witness who lately measured them writes) were forty-five cubits long, five high, and six broad, yet brought thither from another country. See this more fully elucidated Mat 24:1, and Mar 13:2. And gifts Which persons delivered from imminent dangers, had, in accomplishment of their vows, hung on the walls and pillars. The hanging up such , or consecrated gifts, was common in most of the ancient temples. Tacitus speaks of the immense opulence of the temple at Jerusalem. (Hist. Luk 5:8.) Among others of its treasures, there was a golden table, given by Pompey; and several golden vines, of exquisite workmanship, as well as immense size; which some have thought referred to Gods representing the Jewish nation under the emblem of a vine, Isa 5:1-7; Psa 80:8; Eze 15:2; Eze 15:6. He said, The days will come when there shall not be left one stone upon another The accomplishment of this prediction is proved and illustrated, Mat 24:2, and Mar 13:2. <\/p>\n

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Third Cycle: The Prophecy of the Destruction of Jerusalem, Luk 21:5-38. <\/p>\n

This piece contains a question put by the disciples (Luk 21:5-7), the discourse of Jesus in answer to their question (Luk 21:8-36), and a general view of the last days (Luk 21:37-38). <\/p>\n

Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

CXIII. <\/p>\n

DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM FORETOLD. <\/p>\n

aMATT. XXIV. 1-28; bMARK XIII. 1-23; cLUKE XXI. 5-24. <\/p>\n

a1 And Jesus went out from the temple [leaving it to return no more], and was going on his way; and his disciples came to him bas he went forth ato show him the buildings of the temple. bone of his disciples saith unto him, Teacher, behold, what manner of stones and what manner of buildings! c5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and offerings, he said [The strength and wealth of the temple roused the admiration of the Galilans. The great stones in its fortifications promised safety from its enemies, and the goodly offerings bespoke the zeal of its friends. According to Josephus, some of the stones were nearly seventy feet in length, twelve feet in height, and eighteen feet in breadth. The same historian tells us of the gifts or offerings which adorned it: crowns, shields, goblets, chain of gold present by Agrippa, and a golden vine with its vast clusters which was the gift of Herod. The temple was built of [619] white limestone, and its beauty and strength made it admired of all nations. It took forty-six years to finish, and ten thousand skilled workmen are said to have been employed in its construction.] {a2 But bJesus aanswered and said unto them, bhim,} Seest thou these great buildings? aSee ye not all these things? c6 As for these things which ye behold, averily I say unto you, cthe days will come, in which there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that {bwhich} shall not be thrown down. [In the very hour when the disciples exulted in the apparent permanency of their glorious temple, Jesus startled them by foretelling its utter destruction, which, within forty years, was fulfilled to the letter. The emperor Vespasian, and his son Titus, after a three years’ siege, took Jerusalem and destroyed its temple, A.D. 70. Of the temple proper not a vestige was left standing, but the vast platform upon which it stood, composed partly of natural rock and partly of immense masonry, was for the most part left standing. The destruction of the city and temple, however, was so complete that those who visited it could hardly believe that it had ever been inhabited–Jos. Wars vii. 1.] 3 And as he sat on the mount of Olives, over against the temple [he was in the middle portion of the mountain, for that is the part which is opposite the temple], athe disciples bPeter and James and John and Andrew [on this occasion Andrew was in company with the chosen three when they were honored by a special revelation, but is put last as being the least conspicuous of the four] acame unto him privately, basked him privately, asaying, cTeacher, b4 Tell us, when ctherefore shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when these things are about to come to pass? {bto be accomplished?} aand what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? [Dismayed by the brief words which Jesus had spoken as he was leaving the temple, these four disciples asked for fuller details. Their question is fourfold. 1. When shall the temple be destroyed? 2. What shall be the signs which precede its destruction? 3. [620] What shall be the sign of Christ’s coming? 4. What shall be the sign of the end of the world? Jesus had said nothing of his coming nor of the end of the world; but to these four disciples the destruction of the temple seemed an event of such magnitude that they could not but associate it with the end of all things. Jesus deals with the first two questions in this section, and with the two remaining questions in Act 4:3, Act 5:18, Act 5:40, Act 7:59, Act 8:3, Act 12:1, Act 12:2, Act 14:19, Act 16:19-24, Act 22:30, Act 24:1, Act 25:2, Act 25:3. Peter, James the elder and James the younger, and Paul, and doubtless many more of the apostles suffered martyrdom before the destruction of the temple. Tacitus bears testimony to the hatred and blind bigotry of the age when he speaks of Christians as “a class of men hated on account of their crimes” (Annals, xv. 44). See also Suetonius on Nero 16, and Pliny (Ep. x. 97). For comments on a similar passage see Col 1:23). Of course the language of both Jesus and Paul must be understood with reference to the geography of the earth as then known. Paul’s declaration was written about the year A.D. 63, or seven years before the destruction of Jerusalem. His meaning is not that every creature had actually heard the gospel, but that each had been given an opportunity to hear because the gospel had been so universally preached.] 11 And when they lead you to judgment, and deliver you up, be not anxious beforehand what ye shall speak: c14 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 shall not be able to withstand or to gainsay. bbut whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye; for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Spirit. [See 2Co 11:13-15, Gal 2:1-4, 1Ti 1:3-7, 1Ti 1:19, 1Ti 1:20, 2Ti 3:8, 2Ti 3:9; Tit 1:10, Tit 1:11, 2Pe 2:1-3, Jud 1:4, Jud 1:8, Jud 1:10, Jud 1:12, Jud 1:16, Jud 1:19.] 12 And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold. [The prevalence of sin tempts and encourages the feeble to commit it.] c16 But ye shall be delivered up even by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; b12 And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and the father his child; and children shall rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. cand some of you shall they cause to be put to death. [Hatred against Christianity would prove stronger than all family ties.] 17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake. [See Dan 4:11], standing in the holy place bwhere he ought not [for comment, see end of the paragraph, Deu 28:49-57, Dan 9:26, Dan 9:27, Dan 12:1, Dan 12:11, Joe 2:2.] b17 But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! [because their condition would impede their flight] cfor there shall be great distress upon the land, and wrath unto this people. [The city of Jerusalem was divinely sentenced to punishment for her sins.] 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all the nations [According to Josephus, one million one hundred thousand perished during the siege, and ninety-seven thousand were taken captive. Of these latter, many were tortured and slain, being crucified, as he tell us, till “room was wanted for the crosses, and crosses wanted for the bodies”]: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. [By comparing this passage with Rom 11:1-36., we find that the times of the Gentiles signify that period wherein the church is made up of Gentiles to the almost exclusion of the Jews. The same chapter shows that this period is to be followed by one wherein the Jew and the Gentile unite together in proclaiming the gospel. This prophecy, therefore, declares that until this union of the Jew and the Gentile takes place, the city of Jerusalem shall not only be controlled by the Gentiles, [625] but shall be trodden under foot–i. e., oppressed–by them. The history of Jerusalem, to this day, is a striking fulfillment of this prophecy.] b18 And pray ye that it ayour flight bbe not in the winter. [Because the flight will be so precipitate that it would necessitate much exposure to the weather, sleeping under the open heaven, etc.] aneither on a sabbath [Jewish tradition limited travel on the Sabbath day to a distance of seven furlongs. The early training of many Christians led them to have scruples about breaking the Sabbath. It is possible that Jesus had these scruples in view, but by no means conclusive, for in fleeing they would need the support and friendship of their Jewish brethren, who would be apt, not only to hinder, but even in those troublous and turbulent days, to show violence to any who openly disregarded the Sabbath. For it must be remembered that the Jews, not being guided by the admonitions of Christ, would regard the sudden flight of the Christians as unnecessarily hasty]: 21 for then {bthose days} ashall be great tribulation, bsuch as there hath not been the like from the beginning of the creation {athe world} bwhich God created until now, and never, {ano, nor ever} shall be. [These words spoken before the event are strikingly verified by the statements of Josephus written after it. “No other city,” says he, “ever suffered miseries, nor did any age, from the beginning of the world, ever breed a generation more fruitful in wickedness that this was.” And again: “If the miseries of all mankind from the creation were compared with those which the Jews then suffered, they would appear inferior.” The promise that there shall be no days like it of course excludes the terrors and miseries of the judgment day, since it belongs to celestial rather than terrestrial history. Having now the whole paragraph before us, we are ready to discuss the phrase “abomination of desolation” mentioned in Matt. xxiv. 15 ( Luk 21:20, Luk 21:21) forbids us to make the flight from Juda subsequent to the flight from Jerusalem, for both flights were to begin when the Romans appeared. Again it should be noted that the phrase “the holy place” is apt to mislead, especially when coupled with Mark’s “where it ought not.” The words when seen in English cause us to think of some person or thing polluting the sanctuary of the temple by standing in its holy place. But it is evident that the words do not refer to the temple at all. When the New Testament speaks of the holy place in the temple it styles it en too hagioo (in the holy), while the words here are en topoo hagioo (in a place holy). Moreover, after a careful perusal of the LXX. we are persuaded that they used the two terms to distinguish between the holy place in the sanctuary and other holy places, a distinction which the Revised Version recognizes ( Lev 6:16, Lev 6:26, Lev 6:27, etc.). As none but priests could enter [627] the holy place, it is evident that another is meant at Psa 24:3; but in this place the Septuagint gives us en topoo hagioo. We, therefore, conclude that in this place Matthew uses the term “holy place” to designate the holy territory round about the Holy City, and that the combined expression of Matthew and Mark signifies the investiture of the city by the Roman armies and is equivalent to the plainer statement made by Luke. The Roman armies were fittingly called the abomination of desolation, because, being heathen armies, they were an abomination to the Jews, and because they brought desolation upon the country. The sight of them, therefore, became the appointed sign for Christians to quit the city.] 22 And except those days had been shortened, b20 And except the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved [since the Lord is speaking to the Jews, this means that if God had not shortened the siege and restrained the Romans, they would have exterminated the Jewish race]; but for the elect’s sake, whom he chose, he shortened the days. athose days shall be shortened. [since the term “elect” in Mat 24:24, Mat 24:31 evidently means Christians, it doubtless means that here, though it may mean that God spared a remnant of the Jewish people because he had covenanted with the patriarchs that they should be his chosen people, for the Jews are also God’s elect ( Rom 11:28, Rom 11:29). Moreover, it should be noted that there were few, if any, Christians remaining in the city, and that those who were spared were spared as Jews without discrimination.] b21 And then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ; aor, Here; bor, Lo, there; believe it not: 22 for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show agreat signs and wonders; so as to {bthat they may} lead astray, if possible, aeven the elect. [For accounts of these lying prophets who appeared before and during the siege, see Josephus, Wars iv., v., vi. Christ warns his followers: 1. Not to be deceived by spurious Christs. 2. Not to believe that he himself has again appeared. This latter warning is further enforced by what follows.] b23 But take [628] ye heed: behold, I have told you all things beforehand. a26 If therefore they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth: Behold, he is in the inner chambers; believe it not. 27 For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man. [The coming of Christ would be an event needing no herald; every man would see it for himself. See p. 531.] 28 Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. [See pp. 533, 534.]<\/p>\n

[FFG 619-629]<\/p>\n

Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luk 21:5-36. The Eschatological Discourse (Mark 13*, Matthew 24*).Lk. follows Mk., though with certain modifications and amplifications. In Mt., Mk. is blended with Q, but Lk. has already used the Q material in ch. 17.<\/p>\n

The following table shows the parallels:<\/p>\n

Luke 21.Mark 13.Matthew 24.<\/p>\n

IntroductionLuk 21:5-7Mar 13:1-4Mat 24:1-3<\/p>\n

First Signs of the EndLuk 21:8-11Mar 13:5-8Mat 24:4-8<\/p>\n

PersecutionLuk 21:12-19Mar 13:9-13Mat 24:9-14 (Mat 10:17-21)<\/p>\n

Luk 21:20-23Mar 13:14-20Mat 24:15-22<\/p>\n

The Fall of Jerusalem For Mar 13:21-23For Mat 24:23-28<\/p>\n

Luk 21:24 (Lk. only)cf. Luk 17:20-25<\/p>\n

Natural commotions.Luk 21:25-28Mar 13:24-27Mat 24:29-31<\/p>\n

The Summer and the Kingdom.Luk 21:29-31Mar 13:28 f.Mat 24:32 f.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:32 f.Mar 13:30-32Mat 24:34-36<\/p>\n

Concluding injunctionsLuk 21:34-36 (Lk. only, but cf. Luk 21:33-37)<\/p>\n

Luk 21:8. I am he, i.e. for whom you are looking, the man you expect. It is curious that the saying the time is at hand, should be a mark of deception. It reveals the later date at which Lk. was writing.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:9. Note Lk.s additions to Mk., first and immediately.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:12. before all these things: Lk. here slips into history disguised as prediction (in Luk 21:25 he returns to prediction). In Mk. it is implied that the persecutions are contemporaneous with the wars, etc.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:13. That will turn out an opportunity for you to bear witness (Moffatt); it will end for you in martyrdom (J. Weiss).<\/p>\n

Luk 21:14. Cf. Luk 12:11 f.*.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:15. a mouth, i.e. words. The promise had been fulfilled in Peter and John, Stephen and Paul, when Lk. wrote.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:18 f. Lk.s substitute for he that endureth to the end shall be saved.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:18 apparently contradicts the end of Luk 21:16; it may refer to the real (spiritual) victory and well-being of the confessors, and have the same meaning as Luk 21:19, where patience is endurance, steadfast holding out. The soul, the true life, is to be won in the conflict (RV is much to be preferred here to AV). Or Luk 21:18 (and Luk 21:19) may be a word of hope for Lk.s contemporaries, while Luk 21:16 may look back to some who had actually met death.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:20. Lk. omits the reference to the abomination of desolation, though using the latter word.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:22 is peculiar to Lk. (and may have behind it Mic 3:12).<\/p>\n

Luk 21:24. Lk. only. The best commentary on this verse is the description of the siege and fall of Jerusalem in Josephus.times of the Gentiles: an apocalyptic catchword; the period set for the Roman Empire.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:25. Jerusalem has fallen, but the end is not yet. Grim portents will usher it in; for the language cf. Isa 13:10, Joe 2:10. These calamities are to inspire the Christians with hope. As the sprouting of the trees indicates the approach of summer, so these dire happenings betoken the Parousia which is to effect their deliverance and salvation from all the woes they have been enduring.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:34 ff. Lk.s substitute for the saying that no one knows the day or the hour. It runs off into the injunction to watch which we find in Mk. and Mt., though this also is given in Lk.s own form.of this life: the Gr adjective thus translated is found in the papyri in the sense of business (documents) or livelihood.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:36. Cf. 1Jn 2:28.<\/p>\n

Luk 21:37 f. Cf. Mar 11:19. Mat 21:17 says Jesus slept at Bethany, but not necessarily more than one night.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

21:5 {2} And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and {a} gifts, he said,<\/p>\n

(2) The destruction of the temple is foretold so that the true spiritual building may be built, whose chief builders must and ought to be cautious.<\/p>\n

(a) These were things that were hung up on walls and pillars.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

D. Jesus’ teaching about the destruction of the temple 21:5-36<\/span><\/p>\n

The emphasis in Luke’s version of this important discourse concerning the future, the Olivet Discourse, is a warning and an encouragement to persevere. Jesus gave this teaching so His disciples would be ready for the coming of the kingdom (cf. Luk 21:34-36). Luke had already reported much teaching about the future (Luk 12:35-48; Luk 17:20-37). However some lessons bore repetition, such as the place of signs in signaling the end and the importance of faithful perseverance. There is also new revelation. Particularly the relationship of the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem to Jesus’ return was not clear before. Jesus now clarified that these events would not occur together, but some time would elapse between them.<\/p>\n

"Keep in mind that this was a message given to Jews by a Jew about the future of the Jewish nation. Though there are definite applications to God’s people today, the emphasis is on Jerusalem, the Jews, and the temple. Our Lord was not discussing His coming for the church, for that can occur at any time and no signs need precede it (1Co 15:51-58; 1Th 4:13-18). ’For the Jews require a sign’ (1Co 1:22); the church looks for a Saviour (Php 3:20-21)." [Note: Wiersbe, 1:260.] <\/span><\/p>\n

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

1. The setting and the warning about being misled 21:5-9 (cf. Matthew 24:1-6; Mark 13:1-6)<\/span><\/p>\n

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Luke did not mention that Jesus gave this teaching on Mt. Olivet exclusively to His disciples (Mat 24:1-4; Mar 13:1-5). His omission of these facts created continuity in his narrative and connected this discourse with Jesus’ preceding teaching in the temple that He gave on the same day. It also has the effect of making this discourse the climax of that teaching and suggests that it had value for all the people.<\/p>\n

"This [apparently] double audience is appropriate to the eschatological discourse because, while much of it is directly relevant to the disciple, it deals once again with the fate of Jerusalem, a topic of special importance for the people who are listening." [Note: Tannehill, The Narrative . . ., 1:162.] <\/span><\/p>\n

Luke substituted a description of the comments of others, as Matthew did, for direct quotations from them, which Mark narrated. He also mentioned that the temple’s decorations impressed the onlookers. Matthew and Mark wrote that the temple stones and complex of buildings impressed them.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, 5-7. The Doom of the Temple, and the Question about the End. 5. as some spake ] We learn from the other Evangelists that those who spoke were the Apostles, and that the question was asked as … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 21:5”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25813","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25813","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25813"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25813\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25813"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25813"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25813"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}