Luke Chapter 21
Jesus Warns of Jerusalem’s Fall and His Return
A. A Widow’s Sacrificial Gift
1. (Luke 21:1–2) Jesus observes the widow’s giving
And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.
a. He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury
At the temple in Jerusalem, there were thirteen trumpet-shaped offering chests placed in the Court of the Women, where worshippers could deposit their contributions. Jesus, having just warned about the hypocrisy of the scribes who “devour widows’ houses” (Luke 20:47), now observed a vivid contrast in how people gave to God.
The wealthy gave large sums, often with outward display. Jewish writings indicate that some would draw attention to their offerings, turning acts of worship into occasions of pride. Jesus, however, was not impressed by the size of their gifts but by the heart behind the offering.
This observation also teaches that the manner of giving—whether into an offering box, passing a bag, or any other form—is not inherently more spiritual. What matters is whether the method allows giving to be done quietly, without ostentation, and with sincerity of heart.
b. He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites
After watching the rich, Jesus’ attention fixed upon a poor widow, who placed into the treasury two small copper coins. For the Son of God, who had just endured relentless interrogation from hostile leaders, the sight of her quiet devotion must have been a refreshing encouragement.
The text emphasizes: “He saw also.” Jesus sees not only the prominent gifts of the wealthy but also the unnoticed, humble offerings of the poor. He evaluates not by amount but by motive, faith, and sacrifice. As 2 Corinthians 9:7 teaches: “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”
c. Two mites
The mite (Greek: lepton) was the smallest and least valuable coin in circulation. According to Matthew Poole’s calculations, the breakdown of currency worked like this: one denarius (a day’s wage for a common laborer) equaled six meahs; one meah equaled two pondions; one pondion equaled two issarines; and one issarine equaled eight mites. By this reckoning, two mites amounted to 1% of a denarius—roughly one percent of a day’s pay.
The word lepton literally means “a tiny thing,” which explains why the Old English translation rendered it “mite,” derived from the word for “crumb” or “very small morsel.”
Yet the widow did not merely give one coin and keep the other for herself, though she easily could have. By giving both, she surrendered everything she had to live on. This was staggering generosity—what Paul would later call giving “beyond their ability” (2 Corinthians 8:3). Her two mites outweighed the rich men’s lavish gifts in God’s sight, because she gave all she had in faith.
2. (Luke 21:3–4) Jesus assesses the widow’s gift
So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”
a. This poor widow has put in more than all
Jesus’ declaration shocked His listeners. He did not say she had given more than any single rich man, but more than all of them combined. The reason: the rich gave out of their surplus, while she gave out of her poverty. Her offering was not measured in coins but in sacrifice.
This principle sets forth the divine standard of giving. God measures the gift not by its monetary amount but by the heart and cost to the giver. Paul echoed this in 2 Corinthians 9:7: “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”
The value is in the spirit of giving. God does not want grudging offerings or guilt-driven giving. He delights in willing, cheerful, faith-filled generosity.
The value is in the sacrifice of giving. David captured this principle when he said, “Nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God with that which costs me nothing” (2 Samuel 24:24). The widow’s two mites outweighed the gold of the wealthy because they cost her everything.
The value is in the privilege of giving. God does not need our money. He owns all things (Psalm 24:1: “The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.”). Giving benefits us, not Him, by cultivating trust, humility, and worship.
b. Out of her poverty
Her status as a widow meant she had no husband to provide for her, placing her among the most vulnerable in society. This adds poignancy when we recall Jesus’ immediate context: just before this, He condemned the scribes for devouring widows’ houses (Luke 20:47). Now He draws attention to a widow who, instead of being crushed by greed and hypocrisy, offered a gift of staggering faith. Perhaps her very poverty was the result of exploitation, yet she still trusted God enough to give.
Her example challenges the common excuse, “I will give when I have more.” The widow gave when she had almost nothing. She proves that anyone—rich or poor—can please God with their giving, because God looks at the heart, not the amount.
Her two mites may not have impressed men, but they reached heaven’s throne. In God’s eyes, her gift was greater than all the wealth deposited that day in the temple treasury.
B. Jesus Speaks of Future Events
1. (Luke 21:5–6) Jesus makes an amazing prediction concerning the temple
Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, “These things which you see; the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.”
a. As some spoke of the temple
The temple was the pride of Israel and the heart of Jewish national and religious identity. Originally rebuilt by Zerubbabel and Ezra after the Babylonian exile (Ezra 6:15), it had been magnificently expanded and adorned by Herod the Great. For centuries it stood as the center of Jewish worship, sacrifice, and life. To speak against it was considered blasphemous (Acts 6:13). Many Jews swore oaths by the temple itself (Matthew 23:16), demonstrating the deep reverence they held for it.
King Herod had more than doubled the size of the temple mount, enlarging it to about thirty-six acres. His reconstruction began in 19 B.C. and continued for over eighty years, being completed in A.D. 63—only seven years before its destruction in A.D. 70.
b. How it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations
The grandeur of the temple was breathtaking. Josephus, the Jewish historian, wrote that the temple was plated with massive sheets of gold, which when struck by the sun produced a blinding radiance. Where gold did not cover, there were great blocks of white marble so pure that from a distance they looked like snow on the mountaintop.
It was not only massive but also resplendent with votive offerings and adornments donated by wealthy patrons.
Yet, as magnificent as it was, Jesus had already declared Himself to be greater than the temple (Matthew 12:6: “Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple.”).
Here we are reminded that even good and holy things—such as the temple—can become idols when they are revered more than God Himself.
c. Not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down
This was a staggering prophecy. To the Jewish mind, the destruction of the temple was unthinkable, since it was considered the very dwelling place of God. Yet Jesus predicted its complete destruction.
About forty years later, His words were fulfilled. In A.D. 70, during the Jewish revolt against Rome, General Titus and the Roman legions besieged Jerusalem. After months of brutal fighting, they stormed the city. The temple was set ablaze—reportedly by a drunken soldier’s torch—and the heat melted the gold ornaments, which ran into the cracks of the stonework. In order to retrieve the gold, Roman soldiers dismantled the structure stone by stone.
Josephus records the horror of the siege and destruction. The devastation was so total that the temple’s exact location on the mount is still debated today.
This prediction underscored a profound truth: the old covenant centered on the temple was passing away, and the new covenant centered on Christ, the true temple, was being established (John 2:19–21).
2. (Luke 21:7) His listeners ask about the events connected with the temple’s destruction
So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”
a. Teacher, but when will these things be?
The disciples were shocked by Jesus’ prophecy that the temple—so magnificent and seemingly indestructible—would be thrown down stone by stone. Their astonishment led them to ask the natural question: when would such things occur?
This question introduced one of the Lord’s most famous teachings on prophecy, commonly called the Olivet Discourse. Matthew 24:3 clarifies that Jesus delivered this teaching while seated on the Mount of Olives, overlooking the temple mount.
Matthew 24 provides a fuller record of the discourse than Luke 21. Therefore, the two accounts must be read together for the most complete picture of Jesus’ teaching.
Both Matthew and Luke indicate that Jesus spoke about two separate but related events: the imminent destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in A.D. 70, and the ultimate end of the age with His glorious return. Prophetically, the two events are connected, but separated by many centuries.
Spurgeon insightfully remarked: “We must regard the siege of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple as being a kind of rehearsal of what is yet to be.”
Matthew Poole similarly noted: “Most divines think that God in the destruction of Jerusalem intended to give a specimen of the general conflagration, and ruin of the world at the last day; so as the signs of the same kind with those seen before Jerusalem was destroyed, shall be seen before the great and terrible day of our Lord’s coming to judge the world.”
Thus, the destruction of Jerusalem was both judgment upon that generation for rejecting their Messiah and a prophetic preview of the greater judgment and consummation of history at the Lord’s second coming.
b. What sign will there be when these things are about to take place?
The disciples not only wanted to know when the temple would be destroyed, but also what signs would precede the event. Their desire was to have clarity about the unfolding of God’s prophetic plan.
Jesus’ reply, recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, addressed both their near-term concern (Jerusalem’s destruction) and the long-term prophetic horizon (His second coming). Luke emphasizes the first, whereas Matthew gives more detail about the second.
Matthew records Jesus’ reference to “the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet” (Matthew 24:15), which was a specific sign pointing to the last days.
Luke emphasizes more directly the coming siege of Jerusalem, which would be fulfilled within one generation, in A.D. 70.
Jesus’ answer, then, unfolds on two levels: near fulfillment in the destruction of Jerusalem, and ultimate fulfillment in the return of the Son of Man.
3. (Luke 21:8) To walk in these dangerous times, do not follow false leaders
And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them.”
a. Take heed that you not be deceived
Jesus began His prophetic teaching with a warning, not with a timeline. The greatest danger to His disciples in the last days would not be political oppression or natural disaster, but spiritual deception. False messiahs and false prophets would arise, offering counterfeit hope and leading many astray.
Church history shows this warning has been fulfilled repeatedly. In every age, Christians have faced the temptation to run after predictions or charismatic leaders claiming secret knowledge of Christ’s return. Jesus’ words stand as a timeless safeguard: be watchful, be discerning, do not be deceived.
One notable modern example was the prophetic fervor surrounding William Miller in the United States. Miller’s calculations predicted Jesus’ return in 1844 (commonly known as the “Great Disappointment”). Hundreds of thousands awaited Christ, but when the date failed, many fell into disillusionment or apostasy. From that movement, several cultic groups later arose, demonstrating how prophetic deception can lead to ruin.
b. For many will come in My name
Jesus foresaw that many would come after Him, claiming His authority while presenting themselves as Israel’s deliverer. They would proclaim themselves as “I am He”—the Messiah—and deceive many with the promise of imminent salvation.
One striking example came a century after Jesus: Simon Bar Kokhba. Many Jews hailed him as the Messiah during his revolt against Rome (A.D. 132–135). Though he enjoyed early victories, Rome eventually crushed the rebellion, killing hundreds of thousands and devastating Judea. This tragic episode shows how easily false messiahs can lead a nation into destruction.
c. Therefore do not go after them
The Lord’s command is clear: His followers must not chase after false teachers or messianic pretenders. Rejecting Jesus as the true Messiah left Israel vulnerable to impostors who promised deliverance but led only to death.
Josephus, the Jewish historian, records chilling examples of deception during the Roman siege of Jerusalem. He writes of six thousand refugees who perished in the flames of the temple porticos, “deluded by a false prophet, who had on that day proclaimed to the people in the city that God commanded them to go up to the temple court, to receive there the tokens of their deliverance.” (Wars of the Jews, 6.285). Instead of deliverance, they found destruction.
This illustrates a sobering principle: when truth is rejected, the heart becomes vulnerable to lies. The greatest safeguard against deception is steadfast faith in the true Messiah and faithfulness to His Word.
4. (Luke 21:9–11) To walk in these dangerous times, do not be frightened by catastrophes commonly associated with the end times
“But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.” Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.”
a. When you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified
Jesus cautioned His disciples that hearing about conflicts, upheavals, and disasters should not lead to terror. Such things are part of the fallen world, but they are not the immediate sign of the end. His words applied to both the coming destruction of Jerusalem (fulfilled in A.D. 70) and the yet-future tribulation preceding His return.
Prior to Jerusalem’s fall, wars indeed erupted. Rome clashed with Jews, Samaritans, and Syrians. In the broader empire, earthquakes shook cities, and famine struck as noted in Acts 11:28. The eruption of Vesuvius in A.D. 63, which destroyed Pompeii, was a fearful sight only years before Jerusalem’s destruction. A comet resembling a sword also appeared over Jerusalem, interpreted as an ominous sign.
These served as foreshadows, but not the final fulfillment.
b. For these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately
Jesus plainly declared that such upheavals were necessary precursors, but not the end itself. Matthew 24:8 explains that these events are “the beginning of sorrows”—literally “the beginning of birth pains.”
Birth pains increase in both intensity and frequency before the arrival of the child, just as wars, earthquakes, pestilences, and other calamities will intensify as the day of the Lord approaches. But no single disaster marks the precise moment of His return.
Geldenhuys comments: “These things must happen because they are part of the prophetic programme of the End-time in general, and so are divinely decreed; but they do not usher in the immediate end. The fall of Jerusalem and the events leading up to it were morally, though not chronologically, of an eschatological character.”
c. Nation will rise against nation… earthquakes… famines and pestilences… fearful sights and great signs from heaven
Jesus described a broad panorama of turmoil:
Wars: Increasing global and regional conflict.
Earthquakes: Natural upheavals in diverse places.
Famines: Widespread deprivation of food.
Pestilences: Outbreaks of deadly disease.
Fearful sights and signs from heaven: Cosmic disturbances, such as comets, eclipses, or other terrifying phenomena that grip humanity with fear.
Each of these has been experienced in varying degrees across history, but in the last days they will intensify. Importantly, Jesus taught that these do not mean the end has come but point toward it, urging watchfulness rather than panic.
5. (Luke 21:12–15) Jesus describes what His disciples must expect to endure
“But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.”
a. But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you
Persecution was to come before the cosmic and political signs Jesus had just described. This applied both to the time before Jerusalem’s destruction (A.D. 70) and to the longer era before His final return. Disciples must expect persecution but not confuse it with the end itself.
b. Delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons
Persecution would come from both religious and secular powers. Acts records how the apostles were beaten in synagogues, jailed by rulers, and brought before Roman officials. This pattern has repeated throughout church history.
c. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony
What man meant for harm, God used for proclamation. Persecution became the stage upon which disciples bore witness to Christ, from Stephen before the Sanhedrin to Paul before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa. The Greek word for “witness” (martus) is the root of our word “martyr”
d. I will give you a mouth and wisdom…
Jesus promised divine help in such moments. His followers were not to rely on rehearsed speeches (promeletan, the Greek term for preparing in advance), but upon the Spirit’s wisdom, which adversaries could not refute. History confirms this, as many martyrs spoke with astonishing clarity and boldness that even their enemies could not resist.
6. (Luke 21:16–19) To walk in these dangerous times, when all others turn against you, persevere and take a firm stand
“You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But not a hair of your head shall be lost. By your patience possess your souls.”
a. You will be betrayed… some of you put to death
The pain would not only come from enemies outside the faith, but also from family and friends who turned against believers. Many disciples sealed their testimony with blood, fulfilling this prophecy literally.
b. You will be hated by all for My name’s sake
It seems strange that the world would hate disciples of the One who is perfect love and goodness. Yet Jesus’ name exposes sin and demands submission, and for this, the world reacts with hostility.
c. But not a hair of your head shall be lost
Though some would die physically, not a single believer is ultimately lost apart from God’s sovereign will. Eternal security is promised: no ultimate harm can befall the soul that belongs to Christ
d. By your patience possess your souls
The Greek word hupomonē means endurance, steadfast perseverance. It is not passive resignation but active, faith-filled endurance. Through this endurance, believers show themselves to be part of the true community of faith, preserved by God’s sovereign power
7. (Luke 21:20–24a) To walk in these dangerous times, flee Jerusalem when armies begin to surround it
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.”
a. But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies
This was a near-term prophecy that found exact fulfillment in A.D. 70 when Titus and the Roman legions encircled Jerusalem. The Jewish people, largely ignoring Jesus’ words, believed deliverance might come through national zeal or messianic expectation. But Jesus’ prophecy stood sure, and the city was destroyed.
Luke’s account emphasizes the historical fulfillment more strongly than Matthew or Mark. The disciples were warned to watch for this visible sign — armies surrounding Jerusalem — as the indicator that its destruction was imminent
b. Let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains
Contrary to Jewish hopes that Messiah would return to defend Jerusalem at such a time, Jesus commanded His followers to flee. And so they did. When the Roman general Vespasian began the campaign, and later when Titus besieged the city, Christians remembered Jesus’ warning. They fled across the Jordan to Pella in Perea, and history records that very few Christians perished in the destruction.
The historian Eusebius noted that the believers in Jerusalem “were commanded by an oracle given by revelation before the war to those in the city to depart and dwell in a certain city of Perea called Pella” (History of the Church, 3.5.3). Their obedience saved them while the unbelieving majority perished.
c. For these are the days of vengeance
The destruction of Jerusalem was not random history but divine judgment, fulfilling the covenant curses warned of in Deuteronomy 28:15–68. The people had rejected their Messiah, and the days of vengeance fell.
Josephus reports that over 1.1 million Jews were killed and 97,000 taken captive. The devastation was so complete that when the Romans were finished, no Jew remained alive in the city.
Later, the city was renamed Aelia Capitolina, and Jews were forbidden to enter except on the day marking the destruction, when they were permitted to mourn.
Geldenhuys notes that nearly every calamity Moses warned about in Deuteronomy came upon them in those years — famine, siege, dispersion, and slaughter.
d. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days
The suffering was magnified for the most vulnerable. Women and children were caught in the horrors of siege warfare, famine, and sword. Josephus gives a chilling description of starving families within the walls, underscoring the literal fulfillment of Jesus’ warning.
e. Great distress in the land and wrath upon this people
This was not merely political tragedy but the outpouring of God’s wrath upon a people who rejected their Messiah. Jesus had earlier wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41–44), foreseeing this very catastrophe. His warning was both a prophecy and a plea — that those who heard might flee and live.
8. (Luke 21:24b) Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are over
“And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
a. Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles
Jesus declared that after the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jewish people, the city would remain under Gentile domination for a long season. History confirms this: following A.D. 70, the Romans leveled Jerusalem, and subsequent empires—Byzantine, Islamic Caliphates, Crusader, Ottoman, and British—ruled over it.
The Jewish people were scattered among the nations, and Jerusalem became the object of Gentile control for nearly two millennia. Even in the twentieth century, when Israel was re-established as a state in 1948, full sovereignty over Jerusalem was delayed. After the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel captured the Old City, yet the Temple Mount remains under Gentile administration through the Islamic Waqf. Prophetically speaking, Jerusalem is still “trampled by Gentiles.”
b. Until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled
The phrase “times of the Gentiles” points to a divinely appointed period during which Gentile nations will dominate Jerusalem and the Jewish people. This time will not last forever. It will culminate when God turns His prophetic program back to Israel, as described in Daniel 9:24–27 with the final seven-year period often called Daniel’s seventieth week.
John Trapp noted: “The Gentiles shall not always tread down Jerusalem.”
Pate explains: “It is highly likely that Jesus intended by this phrase to suggest that the moment will come when Gentiles will no longer possess Jerusalem and that when such a time is fulfilled, the nation of Israel will repossess her land.”
Dispensationally, this means that when the times of the Gentiles close, Israel will once again be central to God’s dealings on earth, leading into the Great Tribulation and ultimately the return of Christ in glory.
9. (Luke 21:25–28) When the final period of calamity hits the world, look up—your redemption is on the way
“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
a. Signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity
Jesus described cosmic upheavals and worldwide turmoil of such magnitude that no historical event in A.D. 70—or immediately afterward—adequately fulfills His words. He looked beyond the fall of Jerusalem to the climactic events of the end of the age.
Revelation 6, 8–9, and 15–18 describe similar scenes of catastrophic judgment: the sun darkened, stars falling, seas raging, and nations collapsing under God’s wrath.
The imagery is not symbolic alone but points to literal cataclysmic upheavals that will shake both the heavens and the earth.
b. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory
This is the glorious second coming of Jesus Christ, unmistakable and universal. Unlike His first coming in humility, His second coming will be public, visible, and triumphant, fulfilling Daniel 7:13–14: “One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.”
History knows no parallel fulfillment in A.D. 70. This prophecy awaits its completion when Christ returns to establish His kingdom and judge the nations.
c. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near
Believers alive during the Tribulation are encouraged to stand firm. The terrors of cosmic judgment and worldwide chaos will be overwhelming, but they are not the end. They herald the imminent return of the Redeemer.
The command to look up and lift up your heads reflects hope and confidence, not despair. Redemption here points to the final deliverance—the consummation of salvation at Christ’s return.
This assurance reminds us that judgment for the world means deliverance for the people of God. The night of tribulation will give way to the dawn of Christ’s kingdom.
10. (Luke 21:29–33) When you see these signs (spoken of in Luke 21:25–26), you know that the end is very near
Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”
a. Look at the fig tree
The fig tree was a familiar symbol in Israel, but here it is not exclusively representative of the nation. Jesus clarified by adding “and all the trees.” The point of the parable is observational: just as budding trees indicate the nearness of summer, so the observable signs Jesus listed in Luke 21:25–26 unmistakably indicate the nearness of His return in glory.
When the cosmic disturbances appear—signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and the distress of nations—believers can know with certainty that the kingdom of God is imminent.
The budding fig tree is a parable of inevitability: just as buds on a tree inevitably lead to fruit, so these signs inevitably lead to the return of Christ.
b. This generation will by no means pass away till all things take place
Here Jesus used the word genea, which has multiple meanings:
A people descended from a common ancestor (for example, the Jewish people).
A set of people born at the same time (a generation in the chronological sense).
The period of time marked by such a group, often referring to a type or class of people.
Jesus could not have been referring to the immediate generation of His disciples, since many of the events He described reach far beyond A.D. 70. The most natural meaning is that the generation alive at the time these eschatological signs unfold will not pass away until all is fulfilled.
Thus, those who witness the beginning of the Great Tribulation will also see its end in Christ’s return (cf. Matthew 24:21–22).
Some interpreters also see a promise to the Jewish people as a whole—that despite centuries of persecution, dispersion, and attempted extermination, the Jewish nation would endure until the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan.
As Pate notes, “It cannot be said, therefore, that genea necessarily means ‘generation’ in the narrow sense of one thirty-to-forty-year span. Its broader semantic range includes descendants, contemporaries, or successive ages.”
c. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away
This is one of the most staggering claims Jesus made about Himself. The physical universe is transient, but His words are eternal. No mere teacher, rabbi, or prophet could rightly claim this. Jesus equated His words with the unbreakable Word of God.
Peter later echoed this truth: “But the word of the LORD endures forever” (1 Peter 1:25).
The durability of Christ’s words guarantees the certainty of His prophecies. Just as no bud fails to announce summer, so no word of Christ can fail to come to pass.
11. (Luke 21:34–36) How to live in the last days.
“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
a. But take heed to yourselves:
Jesus warned that believers must be vigilant. The heart can easily become weighed down with the distractions and indulgences of life — He names carousing, drunkenness, and the cares of this life. Each of these dulls the spiritual senses and leaves one unprepared for His return. According to Morris, the word translated “carousing” refers literally to the hangover that follows intoxication, showing how sin not only corrupts but also leaves lingering effects.
b. It will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth:
The coming Day will not be confined to Jerusalem or Judea. It will come suddenly and universally, like a snare, encompassing all who dwell upon the earth. In Luke 21:25–26, Jesus described unmistakable cosmic signs. Here He adds that His return will also catch the world by surprise, emphasizing the need for constant readiness.
This is because His second coming unfolds in two distinct phases. The first comes suddenly and unexpectedly, in a moment of supposed peace and safety (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:3). The second comes with great anticipation, when the world is nearly destroyed by divine judgment and Jesus returns openly with His saints (Revelation 19:11–16).
Those prepared for the first aspect — the sudden snatching away — will be counted worthy to escape the calamities to come and to stand before the Son of Man (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). This supports the pretribulational hope of the church, aligning with Paul’s assurance that believers are not appointed to wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9).
c. Watch therefore:
Because this warning applies to all humanity, vigilance is essential. Those who watch and pray will not be caught in the snare. To neglect watchfulness is to invite disaster.
d. Pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape:
Prayer is the believer’s safeguard against unpreparedness. Jesus commands His disciples to pray continually that they might be found worthy to escape the horrors of the Tribulation and to stand in His presence. This reveals that deliverance is not assumed; readiness requires both watchfulness and prayer.
In the nearer sense, those who heeded Jesus’ warning about Jerusalem’s destruction in A.D. 70 were delivered when they fled to Pella.
In the ultimate sense, this escape points to the rapture of the church before the outpouring of God’s wrath on the whole earth.
e. Stand before the Son of Man:
The true hope of the believer is not merely escape from judgment but standing in the presence of Christ. The phrase carries the idea of both vindication and intimate fellowship, being presented faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy (Jude 24).
12. (Luke 21:37–38) The public nature of Jesus’ ministry.
“And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet. Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.”
a. In the daytime He was teaching in the temple:
Luke emphasizes that Jesus’ ministry in His final days was entirely public and transparent. He taught daily in the most visible and sacred place in Jerusalem. His enemies could find no secrecy or deceit in His ministry. Even early in the morning the people came to hear Him, showing the hunger for His teaching despite the opposition of the leaders.
b. At night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet:
Like many Galilean pilgrims, Jesus spent His nights on the Mount of Olives during the Passover season, effectively camping there. Yet the location was also significant: the Mount of Olives is the place from which He would later ascend (Acts 1:9–12) and where He will return in glory (Zechariah 14:4). Even His nightly retreat carried prophetic weight.
This section closes Luke 21 by reminding believers that vigilance, prayer, and readiness are the essential marks of discipleship in the last days. Jesus’ warnings apply to both the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and the yet future Tribulation and His return, showing the dual near and far horizon of prophecy
