Luke21
New International Version
1As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.
2He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.
3“Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.
4All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
5Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said,
6“As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”
7“Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”
8He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.
9When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”
10Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
11There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
12“But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.
13And so you will bear testimony to me.
14But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.
15For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
16You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.
17Everyone will hate you because of me.
18But not a hair of your head will perish.
19Stand firm, and you will win life.
20“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near.
21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.
22For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written.
23How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people.
24They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
25“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.
26People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.
27At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
29He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees.
30When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near.
31Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
32“Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
33Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
34“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.
35For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth.
36Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
37Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives,
38and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Luke 21.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Christ commends a poor widow. (1–4). His prophecy. (5–28). Christ exhorts to watchfulness. (29–38).
vv1-4
From the offering of this poor widow, learn that what we rightly give for the relief of the poor, and the support of God's worship, is given unto God; and our Saviour sees with pleasure whatever we have in our hearts to give for the relief of his members, or for his service. Blessed Lord! the poorest of thy servants have two mites, they have a soul and a body; persuade and enable us to offer both unto thee; how happy shall we be in thine accepting of them!
vv5-28
With much curiosity those about Christ ask as to the time when the great desolation should be. He answers with clearness and fulness, as far as was necessary to teach them their duty; for all knowledge is desirable as far as it is in order to practice. Though spiritual judgements are the most common in gospel times, yet God makes use of temporal judgments also. Christ tells them what hard things they should suffer for his name's sake, and encourages them to bear up under their trials, and to go on in their work, notwithstanding the opposition they would meet with. God will stand by you, and own you, and assist you. This was remarkably fulfilled after the pouring out of the Spirit, by whom Christ gave his disciples wisdom and utterance. Though we may be losers for Christ, we shall not, we cannot be losers by him, in the end. It is our duty and interest at all times, especially in perilous, trying times, to secure the safety of our own souls. It is by Christian patience we keep possession of our own souls, and keep out all those impressions which would put us out of temper. We may view the prophecy before us much as those Old Testament prophecies, which, together with their great object, embrace, or glance at some nearer object of importance to the church. Having given an idea of the times for about thirty-eight years next to come, Christ shows what all those things would end in, namely, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the utter dispersion of the Jewish nation; which would be a type and figure of Christ's second coming. The scattered Jews around us preach the truth of Christianity; and prove, that though heaven and earth shall pass away, the words of Jesus shall not pass away. They also remind us to pray for those times when neither the real, nor the spiritual Jerusalem, shall any longer be trodden down by the Gentiles, and when both Jews and Gentiles shall be turned to the Lord. When Christ came to destroy the Jews, he came to redeem the Christians that were persecuted and oppressed by them; and then had the churches rest. When he comes to judge the world, he will redeem all that are his from their troubles. So fully did the Divine judgements come upon the Jews, that their city is set as an example before us, to show that sins will not pass unpunished; and that the terrors of the Lord, and his threatenings against impenitent sinners, will all come to pass, even as his word was true, and his wrath great upon Jerusalem.
vv29-38
Christ tells his disciples to observe the signs of the times, which they might judge by. He charges them to look upon the ruin of the Jewish nation as near. Yet this race and family of Abraham shall not be rooted out; it shall survive as a nation, and be found as prophesied, when the Son of man shall be revealed. He cautions them against being secure and sensual. This command is given to all Christ's disciples, Take heed to yourselves, that ye be not overpowered by temptations, nor betrayed by your own corruptions. We cannot be safe, if we are carnally secure. Our danger is, lest the day of death and of judgment should come upon us when we are not prepared. Lest, when we are called to meet our Lord, that be the furthest from our thoughts, which ought to be nearest our hearts. For so it will come upon the most of men, who dwell upon the earth, and mind earthly things only, and have no converse with heaven. It will be a terror and a destruction to them. Here see what should be our aim, that we may be accounted worthy to escape all those things; that when the judgements of God are abroad, we may not be in the common calamity, or it may not be that to us which it is to others. Do you ask how you may be found worthy to stand before Christ at that day? Those who never yet sought Christ, let them now go unto him; those who never yet were humbled for their sins, let them now begin; those who have already begun, let them go forward and be kept humbled. Watch therefore, and pray always. Watch against sin; watch in every duty, and make the most of every opportunity to do good. Pray always: those shall be accounted worthy to live a life of praise in the other world, who live a life of prayer in this world. May we begin, employ, and conclude each day attending to Christ's word, obeying his precepts, and following his example, that whenever he comes we may be found watching.
Key Words
δέ (dé): but, and, etc.
ἀναβλέπω (anablépō): to look up; by implication, to recover sight
εἴδω (eídō): used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent G3700 (ὀπτάνομαι) and G3708 (ὁράω); properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know
πλούσιος (ploúsios): wealthy; figuratively, abounding with
βάλλω (bállō): to throw (in various applications, more or less violent or intense)
αὐτός (autós): the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438 (ἑαυτοῦ)) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
δῶρον (dōron): a present; specially, a sacrifice
εἰς (eis): to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases
γαζοφυλάκιον (gazophylákion): a treasure-house, i.e. a court in the temple for the collection-boxes
τὶς (tìs): some or any person or object
Cross References
Luke 21Direct parallel account of Jesus observing the treasury and the poor widow's offering.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Direct Matthean parallel to the disciples admiring the stones of the temple.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Direct Markan parallel of the disciples pointing out the temple's buildings and stones.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Direct parallel prediction that not one stone of the temple will remain upon another.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Direct parallel showing the disciples asking when these things will occur.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Direct parallel warning against being deceived by those coming in His name.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Parallel warning that many will come saying, 'I am Christ,' deceiving many.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Explicit cross-reference identifying the 'two mites' as making a farthing.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Paul's teaching that acceptance of an offering is based on what one has.
Supported by JFB
Markan parallel on trials, delivering up to synagogues, and bearing testimony.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Matthean parallel regarding disciples being delivered up, afflicted, and hated.
Supported by JFB
Parallel regarding the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not.
Supported by JFB
Direct parallel linking the surrounding armies to Daniel's abomination of desolation.
Supported by JFB
Daniel's prophecy of the desolation of Jerusalem referenced by Christ.
Supported by JFB
Pauline exposition on the hardening of Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Old Testament prophetic vision of the Son of Man coming with clouds.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Luke's earlier record of Jesus warning not to worry about defense before synagogues.
Lukan parallel promising the Holy Spirit will teach what to say.
God's promise to Moses to be with his mouth and teach him what to speak.
Stephen's opponents being unable to resist the wisdom and Spirit by which he spoke.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Idiomatic expression that not one hair of the head shall fall to the ground.
Jesus' earlier prophecy of Jerusalem being cast about with a trench and compassed.
The holy city being trodden under foot by the Gentiles for forty-two months.
Markan parallel to the parable of the fig tree signaling summer's approach.
Matthean parallel to the parable of the fig tree and the generation not passing.
Pauline warning that the day of the Lord comes like a thief or sudden labor.
Supported by Matthew Henry