Luke 21:5-9

Applebury's Comments

Prediction of the Destruction of Jerusalem
Scripture

Luke 21:5-9 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and offerings, he said, 6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in which there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 7 And they asked him, saying, Teacher, when therefore shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when these things are about to come to pass? 8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not led astray: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; and, The time is at hand: go yet not after them. 9 And when ye shall hear of wars and tumults, be not terrified: for these things must needs come to pass first; but the end is not immediately.

Comments

And as some spake of the temple.This discourse is also reported in Matthew 24:1-34 and Mark 13:1-30. All three records should be studied in order to understand as clearly as possible what Jesus said about the destruction of Jerusalem.

Jesus began with some remarks about the temple and the devastation that was to come upon the city of Jerusalem. What He said at this point about His second coming revealed the significant contrast between His coming, which will be at the end of the world, and the claims that were to be made by false prophets at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem. See Matthew 24:23-27. This was done to prevent confusion in the minds of the disciples as they saw the signs of the approaching destruction of Jerusalem.

Jesus continued the discussion of the principal theme of the discoursethe destruction of Jerusalemby pointing out some things the disciples would see as that event drew near. See Luke 21:28-32. When they saw these things, they were to know that their redemptionrelease from the distress of that timewas near. He illustrated the point with the parable of the Fig Tree. They were also to know that the kingdom of GodGod's kingly authority visiting judgment upon the city that crucified His Sonwas near. And more than that, all these things would take place within the lifetime of their own generation.

When Jesus had finished the discussion of the destruction of Jerusalem, He gave a brief answer to the question about the end of the world and His coming (Luke 21:33-36). The answer was brief, because He had already discussed it in connection with the destruction of Jerusalem (Luke 21:25-27). His coming will be at the end of the age. That He will come again, cannot be doubted by those who accept the testimony of the Scriptures. All thinking men should heed His warning about the necessity of being prepared for that day.

there shall not be left here one stone upon another.Some of the people had just spoken to Him about the beauty and wealth of the temple. The thought of its being destroyed must have been shocking. They knew that its construction had already taken more than forty-six years; several more were to pass before it was to be completed. But utter destructionnot one stone left upon anotherwas awaiting not only that building but the whole city of Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44).

And they asked Him.Matthew says that it was the disciples who asked Him the question as He sat on the mount of Olives, but Mark is more specific and names them: Peter and James and John and Andrew.

Teacher, when therefore shall these things be?that is, When will the destruction of Jerusalem occur? They also asked, What shall be the sign that these things are about to take place?

According to Matthew, they also asked a third question: And what shall be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world? They evidently associated His coming with the end of the world, and correctly so. But their question suggests that they believed that nothing short of the end of the world could bring about the destruction of Jerusalem with its temple. To correct that notion, He told them about things they would see, both the things leading up to the destruction and the things that would signal its beginning. He drew a bold contrast between these things and the things that will happen when He comes again (Luke 21:25-27; Matthew 24:23-27). No one will be misled by false prophets when He comes again in a cloud with power and great glory, for all will recognize Him then. And he said, Take heed that ye be not let astray.There would be many things happening at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem that might lead the disciples away such as false reports saying, Here or there, that is, Christ has come. To all these false reports, He said, Don-'t follow them.

And ye shall hear of wars and tumults.These rumors would be heard before the destruction of Jerusalem, but the disciples were not to be terrified by them, for they would not signify the end of Jerusalem. The history of the world is written in the story of wars and rumors of wars, but a specific act of warJerusalem besieged by the Roman armieswould be the sign that the end of the city was at hand.

Wars and rumors of wars, then, is not a sign of the coming of Christ, for His coming is to be at an unknown time at the end of the age.