Luke 21:5-36 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

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.

The following table shows the parallels:

Luke 21. Mark 13. Matthew 24. Introduction Luke 21:5-7 Mark 13:1-4 Matthew 24:1-3 First Signs of the End Luke 21:8-11 Mark 13:5-8 Matthew 24:4-8 Persecution Luke 21:12-19 Mark 13:9-13 Matthew 24:9-14 (Matthew 10:17-21) Luke 21:20-23 Mark 13:14-20 Matthew 24:15-22 The Fall of Jerusalem For Mark 13:21-23 For Matthew 24:23-28 Luke 21:24 (Lk. only) cf. Luke 17:20-25 Natural commotions. Luke 21:25-28 Mark 13:24-27 Matthew 24:29-31 The Summer and the Kingdom. Luke 21:29-31 Mark 13:28 f. Matthew 24:32 f. Luke 21:32 f. Mark 13:30-32 Matthew 24:34-36 Concluding injunctions Luke 21:34-36 (Lk. only, but cf. Luke 21:33-37)

Luke 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.

Luke 21:9. Note Lk.'s additions to Mk., first and immediately.

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

Luke 21:13. That will turn out an opportunity for you to bear witness (Moffatt); it will end for you in martyrdom (J. Weiss).

Luke 21:14. Cf. Luke 12:11 f.*.

Luke 21:15. a mouth, i.e. words. The promise had been fulfilled in Peter and John, Stephen and Paul, when Lk. wrote.

Luke 21:18 f. Lk.'s substitute for he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Luke 21:18 apparently contradicts the end of Luke 21:16; it may refer to the real (spiritual) victory and well-being of the confessors, and have the same meaning as Luke 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 Luke 21:18 (and Luke 21:19) may be a word of hope for Lk.'s contemporaries, while Luke 21:16 may look back to some who had actually met death.

Luke 21:20. Lk. omits the reference to the abomination of desolation, though using the latter word.

Luke 21:22 is peculiar to Lk. (and may have behind it Micah 3:12).

Luke 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.

Luke 21:25. Jerusalem has fallen, but the end is not yet. Grim portents will usher it in; for the language cf. Isaiah 13:10; Joel 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.

Luke 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.

Luke 21:36. Cf. 1 John 2:28.

Luke 21:37 f. Cf. Mark 11:19; Matthew 21:17 says Jesus slept at Bethany, but not necessarily more than one night.

Related Commentaries of Luke 21:5

Luke 21:5-36

5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,

6 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.

7 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?

8 And he said,Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the timea 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 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, delivering you 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 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 of you shall they cause to be put to death.

17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.

18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

23 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, and wrath upon this people.

24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36 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.