Luke 21 - Introduction
CHAPTER 21. THE WIDOW'S OFFERING. THE APOCALYPTIC DISCOURSE.... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER 21. THE WIDOW'S OFFERING. THE APOCALYPTIC DISCOURSE.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀναβλέψας, looking up, giving the impression of a casual, momentary glance taken by one who had been previously preoccupied with very different matters. Mk's narrative conveys the idea of deliberate, interested observation by one who took a position convenient for the purpose, and continued observin... [ Continue Reading ]
_The widow's offering_ (Mark 12:41-44), unfortunately placed at the beginning of this chapter, which should have been devoted wholly to Christ's solemn discourse concerning the future. Yet this mal-arrangement corresponds to the manner in which Lk. introduces that discourse, by comparison with Mt. a... [ Continue Reading ]
πενιχρὰν, needy, from πένομαι or πένης; a poetic word rarely used, here only in N.T. πτωχὴ, Mk.'s word, is stronger = reduced to beggary. δύο λεπτά. Lk. does not think it necessary to explain what the coin was or what the contribution amounted to. Mk. states its value in Roman coinage (κοδράντης).... [ Continue Reading ]
εἶπεν : to whom not indicated. The narrator is concerned alone about the saying ἀληθῶς, for Mk.'s Hebrew ἀμὴν, as nearly always. πτωχὴ : Lk. does not avoid this word: the use of the other term in his preliminary narrative is a matter of style. πτωχὴ implies that the widow might have been expected to... [ Continue Reading ]
ἅπαντες οὗτοι, all these, referring to the rich and pointing to them. ὑστερήματος : practically = Mk.'s ὑστερήσεως, preferred possibly because in use in St. Paul's epistles: not so good a word as ὑστέρησις to denote the _state_ of poverty out of which she gave. Lk.'s expression strictly means that s... [ Continue Reading ]
THE APOCALYPTIC DISCOURSE (Luke 21:5-38). Luke 21:5-7. _Introduction to the discourse_ (Matthew 24:1-3; Mark 13:1-4). καί τινων λεγόντων, and some remarking. A most unemphatic transition, as if what follows were simply a continuation of discourse _in the temple_ on one of many topics on which Jesus... [ Continue Reading ]
ταῦτα ἁ θ. Some (Grotius, Pricaeus) take ταῦτα = τούτων : of these things which ye see a stone shall not be left. Most, however, take it as a nominative absolute = as for these things which ye see (_vide_ Winer, § lxiii. 2 d). This suits better the emotional mood. ἐλεύσονται ἡμέραι : _cf._ Luke 5:35... [ Continue Reading ]
διδάσκαλε, Master, suggesting its correlate, disciples, but not necessarily implying that the question proceeded from the Twelve; rather the contrary, for they would not be so formal in their manner of speaking to Jesus (_cf._ Mt. and Mk.). πότε οὖν ταῦτα, etc.: the question refers exclusively to th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Signs prelusive of the end_ (Matthew 24:4-8; Mark 13:5-11). βλέπετε, etc., take heed that ye be not _deceived_. This the keynote not to tell when, but to protect disciples from delusions and terrors. ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί μου, in my name, _i.e._, calling themselves Christs. _Vide_ at Mt. on these false Me... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀκαταστασίας, unsettled conditions, for ἀκοὰς πολέμων in Mt. and Mk., and perhaps intended as an explanation of that vague phrase. Hahn refers to the French Revolution and the Socialist movement of the present day as illustrating the meaning. πτοηθῆτε = θροεῖσθε in parallels; here and in Luke 24:37.... [ Continue Reading ]
τότε ἔλεγεν points to a new beginning in discourse, which has the effect of dissociating the repeated mention of political disturbances from what goes before, and connecting it with apostolic tribulations referred to in the sequel. In Mt. and Mk. the verse corresponding is simply an expansion of the... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ κατὰ τόπους : the καὶ thus placed ([172] [173] [174]) dissociates κ. τ. from σεισμοί and connects it with λοιμοὶ καὶ λιμοὶ : not earthquakes, but pestilences and famines here, there, everywhere. λ. καὶ λ., a baleful conjunction common in speech and in fact. φόβητρα, terrifying phenomena, here on... [ Continue Reading ]
πρὸ δὲ τούτων ἁπάντων : this phrase may be introduced here because Mk.'s account lying under Lk.'s eye mentions the signs in the heaven at a later stage, Luke 21:24. Or it may be Lk.'s equivalent for “these things are the beginning of _birth pangs_ ” (Mt. Luke 21:8, Mk. Luke 21:9), a Hebrew idea whi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Signs earlier still_ (Matthew 24:9-14; Mark 13:9-13).... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀποβήσεται, it will turn out; as in Philippians 1:19. ὑμῖν εἰς μαρτύριον, for a testimony to you = to your credit or honour; = εἰς μαρτυρίου δόξαν, Theophy. So also Bleek. J. Weiss (Meyer), following Baur and Hilgenfeld, renders: it will result in your _martyrdom_. This meaning is kindred to that of... [ Continue Reading ]
θέτε οὖν : not = consider, as in Luke 1:66, but = resolve, as in Acts 5:4 (“settle it in your hearts,” A.V [176]). μὴ προμελετᾷν (here only in N.T.), not to study beforehand, with the inf.; not to be taken in the letter, as a rule, but in the spirit, therefore = Mk.'s προμεριμνᾶτε which counsels abs... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐγὼ, I, emphatic, the exalted Lord, instead of “the Holy Spirit” in Mk. and “the Spirit of the Father” in Matthew 10:20. The substitution bears witness to the inspiring effect of the thought of the Lord Jesus ruling in heaven on the minds of Christians enduring tribulation, at the time when Lk. wrot... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ, even, by parents, etc.: _non modo alienis_, Beng. ἐξ ὑμῶν, some of you, limiting the unqualified statement of Mk., and with the facts of apostolic history in view.... [ Continue Reading ]
μισούμενοι ὑπὸ πάντων, _continually_ hated (pres. part.) by _all_; dismal prospect! Yet... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 21:18, θρὶξ, etc., a hair of your head shall not perish = Matthew 10:30, where it is said: “your hairs are all numbered”. What! even in the case of those who die? Yes, Jesus would have His apostles live in this faith whatever betide; an optimistic creed, necessary to a heroic life.... [ Continue Reading ]
κτήσεσθε or κτήσασθε, ye shall win, or win ye; sense the same. Similar various readings in Romans 5:1, ἔχωμεν or ἔχομεν.... [ Continue Reading ]
κυκλουμένην, in course of being surrounded; pres. part., but not necessarily implying that for the author of this version of Christ's words the process is actually going on (J. Weiss Meyer). Jesus might have so spoken conceiving Himself as present. στρατοπέδων, camps, or armies, here only in N.T. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jerusalem's judgment day_ (Matthew 24:15-21; Mark 13:14-19).... [ Continue Reading ]
τότε, then, momentous hour, time for prompt action. φευγέτωσαν, flee! The counsel is for three classes: (1) those in Judaea at some distance from Jerusalem, (2) those who happen to be in Jerusalem (ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς) when the armies appear, (3) those in the fields or farms round about Jerusalem (ἐν ταῖς... [ Continue Reading ]
οὐαὶ, etc.: as in parallels as far as ἡμέραις; then follow words peculiar to Lk. concerning the ἀνάγκη and ὀργὴ. The use of the former word in the sense of distress is mainly Hellenistic; here and in St. Paul's epistles. The latter word expresses the same idea as that in 1 Thessalonians 2:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
σημεῖα, etc.: the reference to the signs in heaven is very summary as compared with the graphic picture in the parallels. Lk. is more interested in the state of things on earth. συνοχὴ ἐ., distress of nations, _cf._ συνέχομαι in Luke 12:50. ἐν ἀπορίᾳ may be connected with what follows or with ἐθνῶν... [ Continue Reading ]
_Signs of the advent_ (Matthew 24:29-31; Mark 13:24-27).... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀποψυχόντων : literally, dying, probably meant tropically = ὡς νεκροί, Matthew 28:4. ἀπὸ φόβου καὶ προσδοκίας, from fear and expectation, instead of fearful expectation as in Hebrews 10:27 (φοβερὰ ἐκδοχὴ). προσδοκία here and in Acts 12:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐν νεφέλῃ, in a cloud, sing., instead of the plural in parallels, making the conception more literal.... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ πάντα τὰ δένδρα : added by Lk., generalising as in Luke 9:23 : “take up his cross _daily_ ”. The lesson is taught by all the trees, but parabolic style demands special reference to one particular tree. προβάλωσιν, put forth (their leaves, τὰ φύλλα understood). Similar phrases in Greek authors. β... [ Continue Reading ]
_Parabolic enforcement of the lesson_ (Matthew 24:32-35; Mark 13:28-31).... [ Continue Reading ]
ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ, explaining the elliptical but not obscure words in Mt. and Mk.: “(it) is near,” _i.e._, the coming of the Son of man. For Lk. that is one with the coming of the Kingdom, which again = redemption in Luke 21:28.... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 21:32-33 : with slight change as in parallels, even to the retention of ἀμὴν usually replaced by ἀληθῶς. Presumably ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη means for Lk., as it must have done for the Twelve to whom the words were spoken, the generation to which Jesus Himself belonged. Hahn holds that αὕτη refers to the g... [ Continue Reading ]
_General exhortation to watchfulness_, peculiar to Lk.; each evangelist having his own epilogue. ἐν κραιπάλῃ καὶ μέθῃ : this seems to be a phrase similar to ἠχοῦς καὶ σάλου sound and wave for sounding wave (Luke 21:25) = in headache (from yesterday's intoxication) and drunkenness, for: in drunkennes... [ Continue Reading ]
ὡς παγὶς, as a snare, joined to the foregoing clause in R.V [179] (“and that day come upon you suddenly as a snare”). Field objects that the verb following (ἐπεισελεύσεται) does not seem sufficiently strong to stand alone, especially when the verb ἐπιστῇ is doubly emphasised by “suddenly” and “as a... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ, in every season. κατισχύσητε, that ye may have power, “prevail” (R.V [180]). καταξιωθῆτε (T.R.), “may be accounted worthy” (A.V [181]), also gives a very good meaning, even in some respects preferable. σταθῆναι, to stand in the judgment (so, many), or to be presented to, placed befor... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐν τ. ἱερῷ διδάσκων, teaching in the temple. The statement covers all that is related in Chapter s 20, 21, including the Apocalyptic discourse = Jesus made the most of His short time for the spiritual instruction of the people. ηὐλίζετο, lodged, imperfect, because done night after night. Some (_e.g.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Concluding notice as to how Jesus spent His last days_.... [ Continue Reading ]
ὤρθριζεν, came _early_, or sought Him _eagerly_ (Meyer). ὀρθρεύω, the Greek form, always is used literally or temporarily. ὀρθρίζω, its Hellenistic equivalent, seems sometimes to be used tropically, as in Psalms 78:34 (“early,” R.V [182], “earnestly” in margin), Sir 4:12; Sir 6:36. The one meaning e... [ Continue Reading ]