Bible Commentaries
Luke 21

Verse 1

And He looked up , &c. The Lord was still in the Temple, showing that this prophetic discourse is not the same as that spoken later on the Mount of Olives. They are similar to Luke 21:11 , when the Lord goes back and speaks of what shall happen "before all these things". See App-165 .

looked up . Greek. anablepo. App-133 .

saw . Greek. eidon. App-133 .

into . Greek. eis. App-104 .

the treasury . See note on Matthew 24:1 and Mark 12:41 . Compare John 8:20 .

Verse 2

also a certain poor widow = a certain poor widow also.

poor . Greek. penichros = one who works for daily bread. Occurs only here.

mites . Greek. lepta. See App-51 .

Verse 3

more . As a matter of proportion.

Verse 4

of = out of. (Greek. ek. App-104 .

unto . Greek. eis, as in Luke 21:1 .

offerings = gifts. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for the chest containing them.

God. See App-98 .

penury = lack, or want.

living = livelihood. Greek. hies. App-170 .

Verse 5

of = about. Greek. peri. App-104 .

the temple . Greek. hieron. See note on Matthew 23:18 .

gifts = dedicated gifts. Greek. Plural of anathema. Occurs only here. Compare Josephus, Bell. Jud. V. 5 4.

Verse 6

behold = are gazing at. Greek. theoreo. App-133 . in. Greek. en. App-104 .

one stone upon another = stone upon (Greek. epi. App-104 .) stone.

not. Greek. ou. App-105 .

Verse 7

they : i.e. "the some" of Luke 21:5 . Not any of the Apostles. See App-155 .

Master = Teacher. See App-98 . Luke 21:1 .

when . . . what? Note the two questions here, and the three on the later occasion. See App-155 .

sign = the sign. Greek. to semeion. App-176 .

shall come to pass? = may be about to take place?

Verse 8

And He said , &c. See App-155 .

Take heed . Greek. blepo. App-133 .

not . Greek. me. App-105 .

deceived = misled.

for many , &c. This was speedily fulfilled. It was the first sign as to "when" (Luke 21:7 ). Compare 1 John 2:18 , "the last hour. "

in . Greek. epi. App-104 .

time = season.

draweth = has drawn.

Verse 9

commotions = unrest. Occurs only here, and 1 Corinthians 14:33 . 2 Corinthians 6:5 ; 2 Corinthians 12:20 . James 3:16 .

be not terrified = be not scared. Greek. ptoeo. Occurs only here and Luke 24:37 .

first . See the Structure, above.

the end. Greek. totelex. Not the sunteleia. Compare Matthew 24:3 and Matthew 24:14 ,

by and by = immediately. As in Matthew 24:6 , "not yet", Mark 13:7 . Compare Luke 17:7 . Matthew 14:31 .Mark 6:25 . See App-155 .

Verse 10

Then said He , &c. Matthew 24:7 , Matthew 24:8 . Mark 13:8 . Nation, &c. Quoted from Isaiah 19:2 .

against . Greek. epi. App-104 .

Verse 11

in divers . Greek. kata. App-104 .

famines, and pestilences . Greek. limoi kai loimoi. Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6 ), for emphasis, like Eng. "dearths and deaths". fearful sights = things that fill with fear. Greek. Plural of phobetron. Occurs only here, but in Septuagint Isaiah 19:17 . In medical language = objects imagined by the sick.

signs . Greek. semeion. App-176 .

from . Greek. apo. App-104 .

heaven . Singular. No Art. See note on Matthew 6:9 , Matthew 6:10 .

Verse 12

before all these. The Lord goes back, here, instead of continuing, as in Matthew 24:8 , Matthew 24:9 , and Mark 13:9 . See App-155 .

before . Greek. pro. App-104 .

on = upon. Greek. epi. App-104 .

to = unto. Greek. eis. App-104 .

before = up to. Greek. epi. App-104 .

Verse 13

turn = turn out.

for . Greek. eis. App-101 .

a testimony . Compare Philippians 1:1 , Php 1:28 . 2 Thessalonians 1:8 .

Verse 14

in . Greek. eis. App-104 . meditate. Compare Luke 12:11 .Matthew 10:19 , Matthew 10:20 .

answer . Compare 1 Peter 3:15 .

Verse 15

a mouth and wisdom . Note the Figure of speech Hendiadys ( App-6 ) = a mouth, yea, a wise mouth. Mouth, too, put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for what is spoken by it. Compare Exodus 4:11 , Exodus 4:12 .Jeremiah 1:9 . Isaiah 6:7 .

to gainsay, &c. See Acts 4:14 ; Acts 6:10 .

Verse 16

betrayed = delivered up.

by . Greek. hupo. App-104 .

and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton ( App-6 ), for emphasis.

of = from among. Greek. ek. App-104 .

Verse 17

of = by. Greek. hupo. App-104 .

for = on account

of. Greek. dia. App-104 .Luke 21:2 .

Verse 18

not = by no means. Greek ou me. App-105 .

hair , &c. Compare Matthew 10:30 .

Verse 19

patience = patient endurance.

possess ye = ye shall possess. Occurs only here, and Luke 18:12 .Matthew 10:9 . Acts 1:18 ; Acts 8:20 ; Acts 22:28 . 1 Thessalonians 4:4 .

souls = lives. App-110 .

Verse 20

Jerusalem. This is the point of the Lord's prophecy, in Luke. There is nothing of this in Matthew or Mark. See App-155 .

with = by. Greek. hupo. App-104 .

know = get to know. App-132 .

is nigh = has drawn near.

Verse 21

it = her.

countries = fields.

thereinto = into (Greek. eis. App-104 .) her.

Verse 22

vengeance. Quoted from Hosea 9:7 . See Daniel 9:26 , Daniel 9:27 ; and Josephus, Bell. Jud. v. 10.

all things which are written . These and no more nor less. As in Acts 3:21 .

are written = have been, and stand written.

fulfilled . As in Luke 21:24 .

Not the same word as in Luke 21:32 .

Verse 23

in = upon. Greek. epi. App-104 .

land. Greek. ge. App-129 .

wrath . See 1 Thessalonians 2:16 .

upon = among. Greek. en. App-104 . But all the texts read "to".

Verse 24

And . Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton ( App-6 ), for emphasis.

edge = mouth (Genesis 34:26 m.)

led away captive . Josephus speaks of 1,100,000 slain and 97,000 taken away to Egyptian mines and elsewhere (Bell. lad. vi. 9).

trodden down . Not the future tense of the verb (pateo), but the future of the verb "to be", with the Pass. Part, of pateo = shall be and remain trodden down, in a way that it had never been before. The reference is to the Mohammedan possession since A.D. 636 in succession to the "fourth" or Roman possession. See note on Daniel 2:40 .

Gentiles = nations, as in preceding clause.

until , &c. So that a day is coming when the nations will cease to tread it down, and it will be possessed by its rightful owner-Israel.

the times : i.e. the times of the Gentile possession of Jerusalem.

Verse 25

And. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton ( App-6 ), for emphasis.

And there shall be , &c. The Lord here passes over the intervening present dispensation, and takes up the yet future time of the end, enlarged on later in Matthew 24:29-31 .Mark 13:24-27 .

upon . Greek. epi. App-104 .

earth . Greek. ge. App-129 . Not the same as in Luke 21:26 ; but the same as "land" in Luke 21:23 .

with . Greek. en. App-104 .

the sea, &c. Compare Psalms 46:3 .Isaiah 5:30 . Revelation 17:15 .

Verse 26

Men's . Greek. anthropos. App-123 .

failing = fainting. Greek apopsucho. Occurs only here. Luke used three compounds of the simple verb ( psucho, Matthew 24:12 ), all peculiar to him: e.g. "cool", Luke 16:24 ; "gave up the ghost", Acts 5:5 , Acts 5:10 ; Acts 12:23 .

for = from. Greek. apo. App-104 .

looking after = expectation. Greek prosdokia, from the verb prosdokeo. App-133 .

earth = the inhabited earth. Greek. oikoumene. App-129 .

the powers , &c. App-172 . Probably refers to the angelic world rulers. See notes on Daniel 10:13 .

heaven = the heavens. See note on Matthew 6:9 , Matthew 6:10 .

shall be shaken. Compare Matthew 11:7 . Mat 6:38 . Acts Luke 4:31 .Hebrews 12:26 , Hebrews 12:27 .

Verse 27

see . Greek. opsomai. App-133 .

the Son of man . App-98 .

with . Greek. meta. App-104 .

Verse 28

look up . Greek. anakupto = watching with outstretched neck. Occurs only here, Luke 13:11 , and John 8:7 , John 8:10 .

for = because.

redemption = deliverance from the tribulation. See Zechariah 14:1-4 .

Verse 29

Behold = Look

ye . App-133 . Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .

Verse 30

now = already.

shoot forth = sprout.

ye see and know = seeing (Greek. blepo. App-133 .) ye get to know. Greek. ginosko. App-132 .

of = from [experience]. Greek. apo. App-104 .

Verse 31

So likewise ye = so ye also.

come = coming.

the kingdom of God. See App-114 .

Verse 32

Verily . See note on Matthew 5:18 . This generation. See note on Matthew 11:16 .

till all be fulfilled = till (Greek. eos an) all may possiblyto pass. (Not the same word as "fulfilled" in Luke 21:24 .) Had the nation repented at Peter's call, in Acts 2:38 ; Acts 3:19-26 , "all that the prophets had spoken" would have come to pass.

Verse 33

Heaven = the heaven. shall pass away. Compare Psalms 102:26 . Isa 51:6 . 2 Peter 3:7 , 2 Peter 3:10 .

words = utterances. Greek. p1. of logos. See note on Mark 9:32 . Compare Isaiah 40:8 .

Verse 34

hearts. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part), App-6 , for the whole person.

overcharged = weighed down. Greek. baruno. Only here. Compare Luke 9:32 . 2 Corinthians 5:4 .

surfeiting . Greek. kraipale. A medical word used for the nausea after drunkenness, from which is the Latin crapula. Occurs only here. The English is from the Old French surfait or sorfait = excess.

drunkenness . Greek. methe. Occurs only here, Romans 13:13 .Galatians 1:5 , Galatians 1:21 .

cares . See note on Matthew 6:25 , " drunkenness "of to-day; "cares" for tomorrow.

of this life . Greek. biotikos = of or belonging to bios. App-170 .

come = should come.

upon . Greek. epi. App-104 .

unawares = suddenly. Greek. aiphnidios. Occurs only here, and 1 Thessalonians 5:3 .

Verse 35

as a snare . Compare Ecclesiastes 9:12 .Isaiah 24:17 .

Verse 36

Watch . See on Mark 13:33 .

and pray = praying.

always = sin (Greek. en. App-104 .) every season.

shall come to pass = are about to come to pass. stand. See Psalms 1:5 .Malachi 3:2 .

Verse 37

And in the day time = by day, A parenthetic statement referring to His custom during these last six days. See App-156 . abode -used to lodge.

in = into: i.e. into its protecting shelter. Occurs only here, and Matthew 21:17 .

Verse 38

came early in the morning. Greek. orthrizo. Occurs only here. Supply the Relative Ellipsis thus: "[rising] early in the morning, came".

to . Greek. pros. App-104 .