返回Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Lk. 21:1. Looking up, He saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury;
There was a sacred treasury, contributed by the God-loving, which was used for repairs and restorations in the temple, and in general for the adornment of the temple and for the sustenance of the poor. But in recent times the priests converted even this treasury to commercial dealings, dividing it among themselves, rather than using it for the purpose for which it was originally designated.
Lk. 21:2. He also saw a certain poor widow putting in two mites.
Lk. 21:3. And He said: "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all of them;"
Lk. 21:4. All these have cast their gifts to God from their abundance, but she from her poverty has put in all the livelihood that she had.
The Lord praises the widow more than all the rest, because she cast in all her substance out of her poverty. For two mites, it would seem, are insignificant, but for one who lived on alms they constituted her whole livelihood, for the widow was destitute. Thus the Lord bestows His reward, paying attention not to how much is given, but to how much remains. In the houses of the rich, who brought little and small offerings, far more remained, but her house was completely emptied, and nothing was left in it. Therefore she is truly worthy of greater praise than they.
Some thought that by "the widow" one can understand every soul that has renounced its former husband, that is, the Old Law, but has not yet been deemed worthy of union with God the Word, and that instead of a pledge she offers the thin and meager faith possible for her and a good conscience. For together with faith one must also offer a good conscience, that is, a blameless life. And whoever comes to God with these seems to put in more than all those who are rich in learning and abound in pagan virtues.
Lk. 21:5. And when some were speaking about the temple, that it was adorned with costly stones and offerings, He said:
Lk. 21:6. Days will come in which, of what you see here, not one stone will be left upon another; all will be destroyed.
The Lord, as One who in a short time would undergo the Crucifixion, fittingly prophesies now concerning Jerusalem, so that we might have in this a strong proof that He is the true God. Therefore even when some were praising the buildings of the temple and the "offerings" (I think they were speaking of carved and sculpted works, such as palms and cherubim (1 Kings 6:32): this, perhaps, is what they called them), the Lord pays no attention to any of it, but foretells their destruction.
Lk. 21:7. And they asked Him: Teacher! when will this be? and what sign will there be when this is about to happen?
Lk. 21:8. He said: "Take heed that you not be led astray, for many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not go after them."
They thought that He was speaking about the end of the world, although He was speaking about the capture of Jerusalem by the Romans. Therefore, condescending to them, He temporarily sets aside the discourse about the capture of Jerusalem by the Romans, intending to attach it to what follows, and now discusses the end of the world and warns them not to listen to the false prophets who are to come before His coming.
Lk. 21:9. When you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end is not immediately.
Lk. 21:10. Then He said to them: Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom;
Lk. 21:11. There will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines, and pestilences, and terrifying events, and great signs from heaven.
There will be "wars and commotions," for, with the cessation of all love, wars and commotions will naturally take place. As a consequence of wars, "famine and pestilence" will follow; pestilence from the corruption of the air by corpses, and famine from the failure to cultivate the fields.
Some understood it such that famine, pestilence, and other calamities would occur not only at the end of the age, but also during the captivity of Jerusalem. For Josephus (Flavius) says that on account of the famine there were terrible calamities. And Luke too in the book of Acts (Acts 11:28) says that "there was a famine... under Caesar Claudius." There were also many terrors pointing to the captivity, as the same Josephus recounts. This, that is, "wars, tumults," and the rest, can certainly be understood generally as referring to the time of the end of the world and the captivity of Jerusalem.
Lk. 21:12. But before all these things, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and into prisons, and you shall be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake;
Lk. 21:13. But this will turn out for you as a testimony.
"Before... all these things" that are to happen at the end of the world, or also at the captivity (for, as I said, He joins the discourse about the end with the discourse about the captivity), "they shall lay hands on you," that is, My disciples. And indeed, before the captivity of Jerusalem the apostles were driven out of it, by a special providence of God, namely: so that all the horrors would fall only upon the crucifiers, while they, that is the apostles, would fill the whole world with preaching. The apostles were also brought before kings and governors: for example, Paul was brought before Festus, before Agrippa, before Caesar himself (Acts 25:6–23, 26:32). And this turned into the glory of testimony for them.
Lk. 21:14. Settle it therefore in your hearts not to premeditate what to answer,
Lk. 21:15. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
Since they were simple and unlearned men, lest they be troubled that wise men would demand an account from them, He says that they should not be concerned about this at all. For you will receive from Me both wisdom and eloquence, so that all who oppose you, even if they unite together, will not be able to withstand you either in wisdom, that is, the power of thought, or in eloquence and unerring speech. Often someone is skilled in forming arguments and resourceful in thought, but is quickly flustered by noise, and because of this mixes everything up when speaking before the people. But to them, that is the apostles, grace was given in both respects. Therefore the priests were also amazed at the extraordinary wisdom of Peter and John, knowing that they had previously been simple men (Acts 4:13). And Festus said to Paul: You are out of your mind, Paul! "Much learning is driving you mad" (Acts 26:24).
Lk. 21:16. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death;
Lk. 21:17. And you shall be hated by all for My name's sake,
Having said this and diminished their fear of being unlearned, the Lord brings up yet another circumstance, both necessary and capable of shaking their souls, namely: that they will be betrayed by friends and relatives. He foretells this circumstance so that, should it happen suddenly, it would not confound them. For it strikes the soul powerfully, as David also says: "For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, – that I could bear; ...but you, who were to me as myself" (Ps. 55:13–14); and again: "who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me" (Ps. 41:9).
Lk. 21:18. But not a hair of your head shall perish, –
Lk. 21:19. By your patience save your souls.
Having said this and that they will be hated and some of them will be put to death, He adds the greatest consolation: "not a hair of your head shall perish." You, He says, will be saved, and not the slightest part of you shall perish, even though to many it will seem that it has perished; only one must endure. For by your patience you can acquire your souls. The enemy approaches as if with the intention of taking captive, and tries to seize your souls by bringing calamities upon you; but instead of silver, give patience, and by this ransom you will acquire your souls and suffer no harm in them. Pay attention to the expression: "some of you they will put to death," and you will understand it somewhat more deeply, namely: they will not put you to death entirely. You consist of two parts: soul and body. Not both, but one of these, that is the body, they will put to death, while your souls you will acquire through patience. About this He also said in another place: "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul" (Matt. 10:28).
Lk. 21:20. When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has drawn near.
Now the Lord speaks most clearly about the captivity of Jerusalem. Therefore I think that the words "but before all these" (Lk. 21:12) should be understood thus: before the famine and pestilence, and the other calamities that will occur at the time of the end of the world, you, the apostles, will be driven out, and so forth. Then for Jerusalem too calamities will come. Since they thought that the buildings of the temple would be destroyed at the time of the end, the Lord says: no! For at the time of the end there will be false prophets, famine, and pestilence from the constant wars that will be kindled because love will grow cold. But you will be driven out before the time of the end, and Jerusalem will be taken captive, and these stones will be destroyed. "When you see the city of Jerusalem surrounded by Roman armies, then know that its desolation has drawn near."
Lk. 21:21. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let those who are in the city depart from it; and let those who are in the surrounding areas not enter into it,
Lk. 21:22. Days of vengeance, so that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
Lk. 21:23. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath upon this people.
After this He bewails the calamities that would then befall the city. "Let those who are in Judea," He says, "flee to the mountains"; let those in the surrounding areas not hope that the walls of the city will protect them, but even those who are inside the city, let them go out of it. For these will be days of vengeance, so that what is written may be fulfilled, especially in the book of the prophet Daniel (Dan. 9:26–27). "Woe to those who are pregnant" (in those days), for because of the heaviness of their womb they cannot flee, "and to those who are nursing," for because of their great love for their children they can neither leave them unattended nor take them along. Some say that the Lord is here alluding to the slaughter of children, about which Josephus relates and Jeremiah prophesies (Jer. 11:22).
Lk. 21:24. 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 by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
"And Jerusalem," He says, "shall be trodden down by the Gentiles." Up to this point the discourse was about the captivity; then about the end.
Lk. 21:25. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars,
"There will be," He says, "signs in the sun and moon and stars." For with the transformation of creation, it is natural for there to be a new order in the elements as well.
Lk. 21:25. and on earth distress of nations, with perplexity;
Nations will have "despondency," that is, grief mixed with perplexity in all things.
Lk. 21:25. And the sea shall roar and be troubled;
Lk. 21:26. People will be dying from fear and expectation of calamities coming upon the world,
The sea will roar terribly, and fear and confusion will set in, so that people will expire from sheer terror and expectation of the calamities coming upon the world. Do you see? He speaks here clearly about the end of the world. For above He was speaking about Jerusalem being surrounded and trampled by pagan armies, but here He speaks of the onset of calamities for the world. This means He is now speaking about the end of the world.
Lk. 21:26. For the powers of the heavens shall be shaken,
"What I say (He says), that at the change of all creation people will be troubled? The very Angels and the foremost Powers will be troubled and terrified at such fearful changes in everything."
Lk. 21:27. And then they shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
"And then they will see the Son of Man." Who? All believers and unbelievers. "Coming on a cloud," that is, as God, with power and great glory. For then both He Himself and His cross will shine more brightly than the sun, and will be recognized by all.
Lk. 21:28. When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Just as the first coming of the Lord was for the recreation and regeneration of our souls, so the second will be for the regeneration of our bodies. Since the souls died first, through disobedience, while the bodies actually underwent death nine hundred years after the disobedience, they too are regenerated and improved in sequence: the souls through the first coming, and the bodies through the second. Therefore the Lord also says: when these things begin to come to pass, you who are weighed down by corruption, stand upright and enjoy freedom. For your redemption draws near, that is, the complete liberation of both, that is, of soul and body. The preposition, it seems, precisely indicates the complete deliverance from corruption, which the body too will then receive, by the grace of the Lord who abolishes the last enemy — death (1 Cor. 15:26, 53, 57). For He abolished principalities and powers and redeemed the soul. There still remained death, which fed upon our bodies; its abolition will be the cause of our freedom and redemption. Upon the fulfillment of this, the Kingdom of God will come at once.
Lk. 21:29. And He told them a parable: Look at the fig tree and all the trees:
Lk. 21:30. When they are already budding, seeing this, you know of yourselves that summer is now near.
Lk. 21:31. So also, when you see these things coming to pass, know that the Kingdom of God is near.
As the fig tree, when its leaves unfold, indicates the approach of summer, so too the appearance of these signs and the transformation of the universe serve as an indication that "summer" is coming, that is, the Kingdom of God, which for the righteous arrives precisely like summer after winter and storm. Meanwhile, for sinners, winter and storm will then set in. For they consider the present age to be summer, while the age to come is for them a storm.
Lk. 21:32. Truly I say to you: this generation shall not pass away until all these things come to pass;
"Truly I say to you: this generation shall not pass away until all these things come to pass." By "generation" He does not mean those who were living at that time, but all the generations of believers. For Scripture sometimes calls "generation" also those who are alike in character, for example: "This is the generation of those who seek Him" (Ps. 24:6).
Lk. 21:33. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.
Since He said that there would be commotions and wars, and changes both in the elements and in things themselves, lest anyone should come to think that perhaps Christianity too might someday be overthrown, He says: no! this generation, that is, the generation of Christians, shall never pass away. Heaven and earth shall change, but My words and My Gospel shall not be overthrown, but shall abide forever, even if everything were shaken, and faith in Me shall not fail. From this it is also evident that He prefers the Church to all creation: for creation shall change, but of the Church of the faithful, as well as of His words and Gospel, nothing shall perish.
Lk. 21:34. But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing and drunkenness and cares of this life,
You, he says, have heard about the horrors and commotions. All of them sensibly prefigure those calamities that will befall sinners. But against these misfortunes there is a powerful and counteracting remedy – prayer and attentiveness to oneself. For constant readiness and expectation of the end can overcome all of this. And you will have it on this condition, he says, if you are watchful and your hearts are not weighed down with "carousing and drunkenness, and the cares of this life."
Lk. 21:34. and that that day may not overtake you suddenly,
Lk. 21:35. For it will come as a snare upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth.
For that day will not come with observation, but unexpectedly, secretly, like a net capturing those who are inattentive to themselves. Another person might perhaps investigate in detail the expression: "dwelling (sitting) upon the face of all the earth." That day will capture in its net those who lead a carefree and idle life. For it is precisely they who are sitting, and they are the ones caught in the net. But whoever is active and industrious, vigilant in the doing of good and always striving toward good, does not sit and does not rest content with earthly things, but rouses himself and says to himself: "Arise and depart, for this land is not a place of rest" (Mic. 2:10), and desires a better fatherland — for him that day is not a net and calamity, but rather a festival.
Lk. 21:36. Therefore be watchful at all times and pray, that you may be counted worthy to escape all these coming calamities and to stand before the Son of Man.
Therefore one must be watchful and pray to God, so that we may be able to escape all the coming calamities. Which ones? Perhaps, first, famine and pestilence, and the rest, which will not burden the elect as much as the others, but on the contrary, will be shortened for the others' sake on account of the elect; perhaps, second, those which will come upon sinners for eternity, for we cannot escape them otherwise than by watchfulness and prayer. Since for the magnanimous it is not enough to escape affliction, but they also need to obtain some good, having said, that you may be able to escape all the coming calamities, the Lord added: "and to stand before the Son of Man," in which the enjoyment of blessings consists. For a Christian must not only flee from evils, but also strive to obtain glory. And to stand before the Son of Man and our God is an angelic dignity. For it is said: "Their angels in heaven always behold the face of My Father" (Mt. 18:10).
Lk. 21:37. During the day He taught in the temple, and at night, going out, He spent on the mountain called Olivet.
Lk. 21:38. And all the people came early in the morning to Him in the temple to hear Him.
The Evangelists, especially the first three, did not transmit a great deal of what the Lord taught. It is true that John himself also passed over very much in silence, yet he, beyond what the three transmitted, set forth certain higher teachings of the Lord. The Lord, as one may surmise, taught many lofty truths to those gathered in the temple. That the Evangelists said little, for they did not even wish to declare everything, is evident from much else, and one may conclude no less about this from the fact that, although the Lord taught for nearly three years, they recorded so few of His teachings that, in my opinion, one who said they could be delivered in less than a single day would not deserve censure. Thus the holy Evangelists wrote little out of much, so as merely to convey a taste of the sweetness. The Lord did not speak to everyone in the same way, but offered to each what was profitable. Therefore the people came to Him early in the morning, for grace poured forth from His lips. At night the Lord withdrew to the mountain, showing us that in the quiet of the night one should converse with God, while by day, amid encounters with people, one should bring them benefit — gathering by night and distributing by day what has been gathered. He Himself had no need of prayer or communion with God, for being God Himself, He had nothing in which to humble Himself; but He established this as a pattern for us, so that during the night, like wells, we might draw into ourselves the flow from spiritual veins — that is, prayer — and by day those who are in need of what is profitable might draw it out from us. Looking at how the people came early in the morning to Jesus to hear Him, one might say that the words of David apply to Him: "O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You" (Ps. 63:1).
Lk. 21:1. Looking up, He saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury;
There was a sacred treasury, contributed by the God-loving, which was used for repairs and restorations in the temple, and in general for the adornment of the temple and for the sustenance of the poor. But in recent times the priests converted even this treasury to commercial dealings, dividing it among themselves, rather than using it for the purpose for which it was originally designated.
Lk. 21:2. He also saw a certain poor widow putting in two mites.
Lk. 21:3. And He said: "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all of them;"
Lk. 21:4. All these have cast their gifts to God from their abundance, but she from her poverty has put in all the livelihood that she had.
The Lord praises the widow more than all the rest, because she cast in all her substance out of her poverty. For two mites, it would seem, are insignificant, but for one who lived on alms they constituted her whole livelihood, for the widow was destitute. Thus the Lord bestows His reward, paying attention not to how much is given, but to how much remains. In the houses of the rich, who brought little and small offerings, far more remained, but her house was completely emptied, and nothing was left in it. Therefore she is truly worthy of greater praise than they.
Some thought that by "the widow" one can understand every soul that has renounced its former husband, that is, the Old Law, but has not yet been deemed worthy of union with God the Word, and that instead of a pledge she offers the thin and meager faith possible for her and a good conscience. For together with faith one must also offer a good conscience, that is, a blameless life. And whoever comes to God with these seems to put in more than all those who are rich in learning and abound in pagan virtues.
Lk. 21:5. And when some were speaking about the temple, that it was adorned with costly stones and offerings, He said:
Lk. 21:6. Days will come in which, of what you see here, not one stone will be left upon another; all will be destroyed.
The Lord, as One who in a short time would undergo the Crucifixion, fittingly prophesies now concerning Jerusalem, so that we might have in this a strong proof that He is the true God. Therefore even when some were praising the buildings of the temple and the "offerings" (I think they were speaking of carved and sculpted works, such as palms and cherubim (1 Kings 6:32): this, perhaps, is what they called them), the Lord pays no attention to any of it, but foretells their destruction.
Lk. 21:7. And they asked Him: Teacher! when will this be? and what sign will there be when this is about to happen?
Lk. 21:8. He said: "Take heed that you not be led astray, for many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not go after them."
They thought that He was speaking about the end of the world, although He was speaking about the capture of Jerusalem by the Romans. Therefore, condescending to them, He temporarily sets aside the discourse about the capture of Jerusalem by the Romans, intending to attach it to what follows, and now discusses the end of the world and warns them not to listen to the false prophets who are to come before His coming.
Lk. 21:9. When you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end is not immediately.
Lk. 21:10. Then He said to them: Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom;
Lk. 21:11. There will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines, and pestilences, and terrifying events, and great signs from heaven.
There will be "wars and commotions," for, with the cessation of all love, wars and commotions will naturally take place. As a consequence of wars, "famine and pestilence" will follow; pestilence from the corruption of the air by corpses, and famine from the failure to cultivate the fields.
Some understood it such that famine, pestilence, and other calamities would occur not only at the end of the age, but also during the captivity of Jerusalem. For Josephus (Flavius) says that on account of the famine there were terrible calamities. And Luke too in the book of Acts (Acts 11:28) says that "there was a famine... under Caesar Claudius." There were also many terrors pointing to the captivity, as the same Josephus recounts. This, that is, "wars, tumults," and the rest, can certainly be understood generally as referring to the time of the end of the world and the captivity of Jerusalem.
Lk. 21:12. But before all these things, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and into prisons, and you shall be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake;
Lk. 21:13. But this will turn out for you as a testimony.
"Before... all these things" that are to happen at the end of the world, or also at the captivity (for, as I said, He joins the discourse about the end with the discourse about the captivity), "they shall lay hands on you," that is, My disciples. And indeed, before the captivity of Jerusalem the apostles were driven out of it, by a special providence of God, namely: so that all the horrors would fall only upon the crucifiers, while they, that is the apostles, would fill the whole world with preaching. The apostles were also brought before kings and governors: for example, Paul was brought before Festus, before Agrippa, before Caesar himself (Acts 25:6–23, 26:32). And this turned into the glory of testimony for them.
Lk. 21:14. Settle it therefore in your hearts not to premeditate what to answer,
Lk. 21:15. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
Since they were simple and unlearned men, lest they be troubled that wise men would demand an account from them, He says that they should not be concerned about this at all. For you will receive from Me both wisdom and eloquence, so that all who oppose you, even if they unite together, will not be able to withstand you either in wisdom, that is, the power of thought, or in eloquence and unerring speech. Often someone is skilled in forming arguments and resourceful in thought, but is quickly flustered by noise, and because of this mixes everything up when speaking before the people. But to them, that is the apostles, grace was given in both respects. Therefore the priests were also amazed at the extraordinary wisdom of Peter and John, knowing that they had previously been simple men (Acts 4:13). And Festus said to Paul: You are out of your mind, Paul! "Much learning is driving you mad" (Acts 26:24).
Lk. 21:16. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death;
Lk. 21:17. And you shall be hated by all for My name's sake,
Having said this and diminished their fear of being unlearned, the Lord brings up yet another circumstance, both necessary and capable of shaking their souls, namely: that they will be betrayed by friends and relatives. He foretells this circumstance so that, should it happen suddenly, it would not confound them. For it strikes the soul powerfully, as David also says: "For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, – that I could bear; ...but you, who were to me as myself" (Ps. 55:13–14); and again: "who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me" (Ps. 41:9).
Lk. 21:18. But not a hair of your head shall perish, –
Lk. 21:19. By your patience save your souls.
Having said this and that they will be hated and some of them will be put to death, He adds the greatest consolation: "not a hair of your head shall perish." You, He says, will be saved, and not the slightest part of you shall perish, even though to many it will seem that it has perished; only one must endure. For by your patience you can acquire your souls. The enemy approaches as if with the intention of taking captive, and tries to seize your souls by bringing calamities upon you; but instead of silver, give patience, and by this ransom you will acquire your souls and suffer no harm in them. Pay attention to the expression: "some of you they will put to death," and you will understand it somewhat more deeply, namely: they will not put you to death entirely. You consist of two parts: soul and body. Not both, but one of these, that is the body, they will put to death, while your souls you will acquire through patience. About this He also said in another place: "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul" (Matt. 10:28).
Lk. 21:20. When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has drawn near.
Now the Lord speaks most clearly about the captivity of Jerusalem. Therefore I think that the words "but before all these" (Lk. 21:12) should be understood thus: before the famine and pestilence, and the other calamities that will occur at the time of the end of the world, you, the apostles, will be driven out, and so forth. Then for Jerusalem too calamities will come. Since they thought that the buildings of the temple would be destroyed at the time of the end, the Lord says: no! For at the time of the end there will be false prophets, famine, and pestilence from the constant wars that will be kindled because love will grow cold. But you will be driven out before the time of the end, and Jerusalem will be taken captive, and these stones will be destroyed. "When you see the city of Jerusalem surrounded by Roman armies, then know that its desolation has drawn near."
Lk. 21:21. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let those who are in the city depart from it; and let those who are in the surrounding areas not enter into it,
Lk. 21:22. Days of vengeance, so that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
Lk. 21:23. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath upon this people.
After this He bewails the calamities that would then befall the city. "Let those who are in Judea," He says, "flee to the mountains"; let those in the surrounding areas not hope that the walls of the city will protect them, but even those who are inside the city, let them go out of it. For these will be days of vengeance, so that what is written may be fulfilled, especially in the book of the prophet Daniel (Dan. 9:26–27). "Woe to those who are pregnant" (in those days), for because of the heaviness of their womb they cannot flee, "and to those who are nursing," for because of their great love for their children they can neither leave them unattended nor take them along. Some say that the Lord is here alluding to the slaughter of children, about which Josephus relates and Jeremiah prophesies (Jer. 11:22).
Lk. 21:24. 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 by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
"And Jerusalem," He says, "shall be trodden down by the Gentiles." Up to this point the discourse was about the captivity; then about the end.
Lk. 21:25. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars,
"There will be," He says, "signs in the sun and moon and stars." For with the transformation of creation, it is natural for there to be a new order in the elements as well.
Lk. 21:25. and on earth distress of nations, with perplexity;
Nations will have "despondency," that is, grief mixed with perplexity in all things.
Lk. 21:25. And the sea shall roar and be troubled;
Lk. 21:26. People will be dying from fear and expectation of calamities coming upon the world,
The sea will roar terribly, and fear and confusion will set in, so that people will expire from sheer terror and expectation of the calamities coming upon the world. Do you see? He speaks here clearly about the end of the world. For above He was speaking about Jerusalem being surrounded and trampled by pagan armies, but here He speaks of the onset of calamities for the world. This means He is now speaking about the end of the world.
Lk. 21:26. For the powers of the heavens shall be shaken,
"What I say (He says), that at the change of all creation people will be troubled? The very Angels and the foremost Powers will be troubled and terrified at such fearful changes in everything."
Lk. 21:27. And then they shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
"And then they will see the Son of Man." Who? All believers and unbelievers. "Coming on a cloud," that is, as God, with power and great glory. For then both He Himself and His cross will shine more brightly than the sun, and will be recognized by all.
Lk. 21:28. When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Just as the first coming of the Lord was for the recreation and regeneration of our souls, so the second will be for the regeneration of our bodies. Since the souls died first, through disobedience, while the bodies actually underwent death nine hundred years after the disobedience, they too are regenerated and improved in sequence: the souls through the first coming, and the bodies through the second. Therefore the Lord also says: when these things begin to come to pass, you who are weighed down by corruption, stand upright and enjoy freedom. For your redemption draws near, that is, the complete liberation of both, that is, of soul and body. The preposition, it seems, precisely indicates the complete deliverance from corruption, which the body too will then receive, by the grace of the Lord who abolishes the last enemy — death (1 Cor. 15:26, 53, 57). For He abolished principalities and powers and redeemed the soul. There still remained death, which fed upon our bodies; its abolition will be the cause of our freedom and redemption. Upon the fulfillment of this, the Kingdom of God will come at once.
Lk. 21:29. And He told them a parable: Look at the fig tree and all the trees:
Lk. 21:30. When they are already budding, seeing this, you know of yourselves that summer is now near.
Lk. 21:31. So also, when you see these things coming to pass, know that the Kingdom of God is near.
As the fig tree, when its leaves unfold, indicates the approach of summer, so too the appearance of these signs and the transformation of the universe serve as an indication that "summer" is coming, that is, the Kingdom of God, which for the righteous arrives precisely like summer after winter and storm. Meanwhile, for sinners, winter and storm will then set in. For they consider the present age to be summer, while the age to come is for them a storm.
Lk. 21:32. Truly I say to you: this generation shall not pass away until all these things come to pass;
"Truly I say to you: this generation shall not pass away until all these things come to pass." By "generation" He does not mean those who were living at that time, but all the generations of believers. For Scripture sometimes calls "generation" also those who are alike in character, for example: "This is the generation of those who seek Him" (Ps. 24:6).
Lk. 21:33. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.
Since He said that there would be commotions and wars, and changes both in the elements and in things themselves, lest anyone should come to think that perhaps Christianity too might someday be overthrown, He says: no! this generation, that is, the generation of Christians, shall never pass away. Heaven and earth shall change, but My words and My Gospel shall not be overthrown, but shall abide forever, even if everything were shaken, and faith in Me shall not fail. From this it is also evident that He prefers the Church to all creation: for creation shall change, but of the Church of the faithful, as well as of His words and Gospel, nothing shall perish.
Lk. 21:34. But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing and drunkenness and cares of this life,
You, he says, have heard about the horrors and commotions. All of them sensibly prefigure those calamities that will befall sinners. But against these misfortunes there is a powerful and counteracting remedy – prayer and attentiveness to oneself. For constant readiness and expectation of the end can overcome all of this. And you will have it on this condition, he says, if you are watchful and your hearts are not weighed down with "carousing and drunkenness, and the cares of this life."
Lk. 21:34. and that that day may not overtake you suddenly,
Lk. 21:35. For it will come as a snare upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth.
For that day will not come with observation, but unexpectedly, secretly, like a net capturing those who are inattentive to themselves. Another person might perhaps investigate in detail the expression: "dwelling (sitting) upon the face of all the earth." That day will capture in its net those who lead a carefree and idle life. For it is precisely they who are sitting, and they are the ones caught in the net. But whoever is active and industrious, vigilant in the doing of good and always striving toward good, does not sit and does not rest content with earthly things, but rouses himself and says to himself: "Arise and depart, for this land is not a place of rest" (Mic. 2:10), and desires a better fatherland — for him that day is not a net and calamity, but rather a festival.
Lk. 21:36. Therefore be watchful at all times and pray, that you may be counted worthy to escape all these coming calamities and to stand before the Son of Man.
Therefore one must be watchful and pray to God, so that we may be able to escape all the coming calamities. Which ones? Perhaps, first, famine and pestilence, and the rest, which will not burden the elect as much as the others, but on the contrary, will be shortened for the others' sake on account of the elect; perhaps, second, those which will come upon sinners for eternity, for we cannot escape them otherwise than by watchfulness and prayer. Since for the magnanimous it is not enough to escape affliction, but they also need to obtain some good, having said, that you may be able to escape all the coming calamities, the Lord added: "and to stand before the Son of Man," in which the enjoyment of blessings consists. For a Christian must not only flee from evils, but also strive to obtain glory. And to stand before the Son of Man and our God is an angelic dignity. For it is said: "Their angels in heaven always behold the face of My Father" (Mt. 18:10).
Lk. 21:37. During the day He taught in the temple, and at night, going out, He spent on the mountain called Olivet.
Lk. 21:38. And all the people came early in the morning to Him in the temple to hear Him.
The Evangelists, especially the first three, did not transmit a great deal of what the Lord taught. It is true that John himself also passed over very much in silence, yet he, beyond what the three transmitted, set forth certain higher teachings of the Lord. The Lord, as one may surmise, taught many lofty truths to those gathered in the temple. That the Evangelists said little, for they did not even wish to declare everything, is evident from much else, and one may conclude no less about this from the fact that, although the Lord taught for nearly three years, they recorded so few of His teachings that, in my opinion, one who said they could be delivered in less than a single day would not deserve censure. Thus the holy Evangelists wrote little out of much, so as merely to convey a taste of the sweetness. The Lord did not speak to everyone in the same way, but offered to each what was profitable. Therefore the people came to Him early in the morning, for grace poured forth from His lips. At night the Lord withdrew to the mountain, showing us that in the quiet of the night one should converse with God, while by day, amid encounters with people, one should bring them benefit — gathering by night and distributing by day what has been gathered. He Himself had no need of prayer or communion with God, for being God Himself, He had nothing in which to humble Himself; but He established this as a pattern for us, so that during the night, like wells, we might draw into ourselves the flow from spiritual veins — that is, prayer — and by day those who are in need of what is profitable might draw it out from us. Looking at how the people came early in the morning to Jesus to hear Him, one might say that the words of David apply to Him: "O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You" (Ps. 63:1).