5 And while some were talking about the temple , that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts , He said , 6 "As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down ." 7 They questioned Him, saying , "Teacher , when therefore will these things happen ? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place ?" 8 And He said , "See to it that you are not misled ; for many will come in My name , saying , ' I am He,' and, 'The time is near .' Do not go after them. 9 "When you hear of wars and disturbances , do not be terrified ; for these things must take place first , but the end does not follow immediately ." 10 Then He continued by saying to them, "Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom , 11 and there will be great earthquakes , and in various places plagues and famines ; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven . 12 "But before all these things , they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons , bringing you before kings and governors for My name's sake . 13 " It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony . 14 " So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; 15 for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute . 16 "But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends , and they will put some of you to death , 17 and you will be hated by all because of My name . 18 "Yet not a hair of your head will perish . 19 " By your endurance you will gain your lives .
20 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies , then recognize that her desolation is near . 21 "Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains , and those who are in the midst of the city must leave , and those who are in the country must not enter the city ; 22 because these are days of vengeance , so that all things which are written will be fulfilled . 23 "Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days ; for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath to this people ; 24 and they will fall by the edge of the sword , and will be led captive into all the nations ; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled .
25 "There will be signs in sun and moon and stars , and on the earth dismay among nations , in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves , 26 men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world ; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken . 27 " Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory . 28 "But when these things begin to take place , straighten up and lift up your heads , because your redemption is drawing near ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 21:5-28
Commentary on Luke 21:5-28
(Read Luke 21:5-28)
With much curiosity those about Christ ask as to the time when the great desolation should be. He answers with clearness and fulness, as far as was necessary to teach them their duty; for all knowledge is desirable as far as it is in order to practice. Though spiritual judgements are the most common in gospel times, yet God makes use of temporal judgments also. Christ tells them what hard things they should suffer for his name's sake, and encourages them to bear up under their trials, and to go on in their work, notwithstanding the opposition they would meet with. God will stand by you, and own you, and assist you. This was remarkably fulfilled after the pouring out of the Spirit, by whom Christ gave his disciples wisdom and utterance. Though we may be losers for Christ, we shall not, we cannot be losers by him, in the end. It is our duty and interest at all times, especially in perilous, trying times, to secure the safety of our own souls. It is by Christian patience we keep possession of our own souls, and keep out all those impressions which would put us out of temper. We may view the prophecy before us much as those Old Testament prophecies, which, together with their great object, embrace, or glance at some nearer object of importance to the church. Having given an idea of the times for about thirty-eight years next to come, Christ shows what all those things would end in, namely, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the utter dispersion of the Jewish nation; which would be a type and figure of Christ's second coming. The scattered Jews around us preach the truth of Christianity; and prove, that though heaven and earth shall pass away, the words of Jesus shall not pass away. They also remind us to pray for those times when neither the real, nor the spiritual Jerusalem, shall any longer be trodden down by the Gentiles, and when both Jews and Gentiles shall be turned to the Lord. When Christ came to destroy the Jews, he came to redeem the Christians that were persecuted and oppressed by them; and then had the churches rest. When he comes to judge the world, he will redeem all that are his from their troubles. So fully did the Divine judgements come upon the Jews, that their city is set as an example before us, to show that sins will not pass unpunished; and that the terrors of the Lord, and his threatenings against impenitent sinners, will all come to pass, even as his word was true, and his wrath great upon Jerusalem.