Luke 21

In the Gospel of Luke, this chapter is the last section in which Jesus teaches in the temple after entering Jerusalem. At the end of Luke 20, Jesus warns against the scribes who devour widows' houses, and this chapter follows that warning with the scene of a poor widow's offering. The Passion narrative begins in the next chapter.

Outline

• Verses 1–4: As the rich cast their gifts into the treasury (the offering box), a poor widow puts in two mites. Jesus says that this widow, who gave all the living she had, has put in more than all of them.
• Verses 5–7: When some admire the temple, adorned with "goodly stones and gifts," Jesus predicts that not one stone will be left upon another. The people ask when these things will happen and what sign there will be.
• Verses 8–11: Jesus tells them not to follow those who come saying, "I am Christ." He says that even when there are wars, earthquakes, famines, and pestilences, the end will not come immediately.
• Verses 12–19: He foretells persecution in which the disciples will be delivered up to synagogues and prisons and brought before kings and rulers. He tells them not to prepare their defense in advance and says, "In your patience possess ye your souls."
• Verses 20–24: He tells them to flee to the mountains when Jerusalem is surrounded by armies. He says that Jerusalem will be trodden down of the Gentiles "until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."
• Verses 25–28: Signs appear in the sun, moon, and stars, and the Son of man comes in a cloud. Jesus says that when these things begin, they are to lift up their heads, for their redemption draws near.
• Verses 29–33: Through the parable of the fig tree, He teaches them to discern the times. He says that this generation will not pass away until all is fulfilled, and that heaven and earth will pass away, but His words will not pass away.
• Verses 34–36: He warns against surfeiting, drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and tells them to watch and pray always.
• Verses 37–38: By day Jesus teaches in the temple, and at night He stays on "the mount that is called the mount of Olives." The people come early in the morning to the temple to hear Him.

Key Verses

• Luke 21:3 "Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all" — This verse reflects a perspective that considers the circumstances and heart of the giver rather than the amount given.
• Luke 21:27–28 "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory" — The chapter's teaching on the end times reaches its climax in these verses.
• Luke 21:36 "Watch ye therefore, and pray always" — This exhortation serves as the conclusion of the entire discourse.

People and Places

• Jesus Christ
• The poor widow: an unnamed woman; the mite (lepton) was the smallest unit of coinage.
• Temple in Jerusalem
• Jerusalem
• Mount of Olives: a mountain east of Jerusalem. The text refers to it as "the mount that is called the mount of Olives."

Points to Consider

• Parallel passages: This discourse parallels Mark 13 and Matthew 24. Of these, Luke describes the siege of Jerusalem most specifically: "when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies" (v. 20).
• The time of fulfillment: Interpretations fall broadly into three groups.
• The view that the prophecy was already fulfilled in the Roman capture of Jerusalem in AD 70
• The view that it refers to the future Second Coming
• The view that it speaks of both events together. Many commentators hold this view.
• "The times of the Gentiles" and "this generation": In dispensationalism, "the times of the Gentiles" in verse 24 is often read in connection with the restoration of Israel. Interpretations of "this generation" in verse 32 vary; it has been taken to mean the people of Jesus' day, the Jewish people, or the final generation that witnesses the signs.
• The widow's story: The account is usually read as commending the widow's devotion. Some interpreters, however, connecting it with the criticism of the scribes in the preceding chapter, see it as a lament over a religious system that led a widow to give even her living.

In the Korean Church

"The widow's two mites" is frequently cited in sermons on offerings. In churches that follow the church year, Luke 21:25–36 is read as the Gospel lesson for the First Sunday of Advent in Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary.