Jesus’ prophecy of the destruction of the Temple is one of the significant events from the last week of his earthly life and finds its way into all the Synoptic Gospels.[1] In fact, some have seen that as a crucial part of our ability to date the writing of the New Testament.[2] If these events had already been fulfilled by the time that the Gospels were written down, you would expect some observation to that effect but there is no mention. This suggests that we can date the Gospels and indeed much if not all of the New Testament prior to AD70. Much attention has been given to these passages over the years due to the link drawn between Jesus’ short-term prophecy of the Temple’s coming destruction and questions about the end times and his future return.
Read Luke 21:5-6
As Jesus leaves the Temple, some of his disciples are commenting on how impressive it looks. This was one of the wonders of the ancient world. The 2nd Temple had been built by returning exiles with Cyrus’ the Great’s permission and is reported in Ezra and post exilic prophetic literature such as Haggai. At the time, the temple had seemed pitifully unremarkable and small in comparison to King Solomon’s temple. However, it had been much expanded and improved with outer courtyards for Gentiles, women and men by Herod the Great who saw this building project as a way to ingratiate himself to the Jews. Mark 13:1 tells us that it was one specific disciple who commented though they are left unnamed. Jesus seems unimpressed and responds that a time will come when “not one stone will be left on another” pointing to destruction. This prophecy was fulfilled in AD70 when the roman legions lay siege to Jerusalem and destroyed the city and temple. There is perhaps a figurative element to the wording, one wall, the Western of Wailing wall survives and remains to this day a place of pilgrimage (v5-6).
Read Luke 21:7-9
The other two Gospels inform us that the conversation is continued at the Mount of Olives but Luke simply records the discourse as a continuous conversation. Again, Maek provides added detail reporting that it was specifically Peter, Andrew, James and John who spoke further with Jesus. It was probably an ongoing discussion rather than one interrupted by the journey and picked up later. They want to fund out when all of this is going to happen, will it be soon or far in the future. It seems that they associate such earth shattering news with the end times. (v7). Echoing earlier comments in Luke 17, Jesus says that there will lots of people coming and claiming to be his representatives or he himself but they will not be and they are to be ignored (v8). He also warns them of wars and rouble ahead but they are not to be alarmed by them or see then, as immediate markers of the end (v9).
Read Luke 21:10-19
He continues to describe times of trouble “nation will rise against nation”, there will also be natural disasters and “signs in the heavens”. Note that the idea of nations going to war with each other suggests a time when the pax Romana is no more and so would suggest that Jesus is looking beyond AD 70 (v10-11).. Even before those troubles come though, Jesus’ followers will face persecution, both from Gentile authorities and the Jews (v12). Arrest and trial will give them opportunity to testify about Jesus. They are not to worry about what to say, Jesus himself will give them the words and not only that but will provide them with powerful, convincing arguments (v13-15). They are to expect betrayal even by close family and to be universally hated and vilified (v16-17). However, “not one hair on your head will perish”, the can expect divine protection. Many would of course die martyrs’ deaths but the promise here is for eternal security (v18). Jesus exhorts then to stand firm.
Read Luke 21:20-24
Jesus provides the people with overt signs for when events will take place. First, the sign of Jerusalem’s fall or “desolation” will be that the city will be surrounded by enemy armies. Mark associates these events with the imagery of Daniel 9:27 which describes a ruler setting up an “abomination that causes desolation.”[3] Luke doesn’t carry that exactly allusion although the sense of desolation is still present. (v20). This doesn’t actually leave much time to act, as there’s a sense in which it’s downfall will be upon them before they even realise it. However, there seems to be a small window of opportunity for escape and Jesus urges them to use it. You should escape the city if able to and even the immediate vicinity of Judea will not be safe. The people are encouraged to head for safety in the mountains because Scripture will be fulfilled as judgement or vengeance comes (v21-22).
Jesus expresses “woe” for those who are pregnant or have young children at that time because this will be a distressing time to attempt to raise children. There will be great distress on the whole land[4]and wrath or judgement on all the people (v23). The people will suffer great bloodshed and many will be put to the death and many more into captivity or exile. This is seen as the judgement of the nations or Gentiles but it is also for a fixed period of time, “until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (v24).
Read Luke 21:25-28
The description of “signs in the sun, moon and stars” may refer to distinct cosmological signs such as eclipses and the death of specific stars or appearance of new stars.[5] It is also possible that cosmological language is used to refer to rulers and authorities, emperors and empires in which case the language is being used to emphasise the upheaval of nations also portrayed as like “the roaring and tossing of the sea.”[6] The point is that the World will be turned upside down and people being overwhelmed (v25-26). It will be in the context of such tumult or “at that time” that Jesus, referred to by the title “Son of Man” will be seen “coming in the cloud with power and great glory”, an echo of Daniel 10 where one “like a son of man” approaches “the ancient of Days.” Jesus says that when these things happen, we are to stand and take courage “lift up your heads” because our redemption is close at hand which suggests that we are to see indicators of Christ’s return to make all things (v27-28).
Read Luke 21:29-33
We can tell when it is spring because the trees have leaves and blossom, this tells us that summer is coming (v29-30). In the same way, the signs Jesus talks about point to the coming of God’s kingdom, summer and with it harvest are approaching for God’s people (v31).
Jesus then declares that “this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.” How is this possible? There are a few options here. First, that Jesus envisages all of these things happening within the disciples’ lifetime. This would mean that either he was mistaken or that in some way the events were fulfilled. This would mean that in some way, that AD70 fulfilled the whole prophecy including the image of Christ as The Son of Man coming with/on the clouds. Alternatively, Jesus could be focusing back in specifically on the fall of Jerusalem or even on the wider signs taking place. In other words, that would mean that all of the signs necessary to indicate his imminent return would be fulfilled within the lifetime of his followers. They could expect to see coming upheaval and trouble.[7] Another possibility is that the generation referred to is not intended to be a specific chronological generation in time but rather it refers to a people group, either to the Jews, even as a rebellious generation or to those who had faith, the generation or people of God’s new covenant (v32). How can Jesus’ listeners be sure of these things? Well, whilst things like generations and even heaven and earth pass away, are temporary and fleeting, Jesus’ word is described as eternal, it means that it cannot be broken or gone back on. His word is reliable (v33).
Read Luke 21:34-38
The temptation for Jesus’ followers is to be overwhelmed with anxiety about coming events and that might lead them to seek distraction and escape with parties and drinking or simply to be overcome with cares, to become depressed. If they do, then they will be distracted and surprised when “that day” (a reference to the Day of the Lord, or judgement day) (v34). Jesus insists that the day is coming and no one can escape it (v35). Jesus continues to teach and preach through the festival time and spends the night out by the Mount of Olives (v36-38).
Signs of what?
When the disciples hear Jesus talking in terms of the end of the Temple, the thought is so earth shattering that they seem to think in terms of the Day of the Lord or Last Days. This prediction feels like it is “world ending.” Now, it is worth remembering that for Jewish hearers, the idea of such a day would be different to how many Christians think today. Even in terms of what the disciples were asking Jesus about, their thoughts at that stage would have been less about a kind of “end of days” scenario in the sense that this World would be destroyed and people either taken to heaven or some kind of new creation. Nor, at this stage would they have been thinking in terms of a “second coming”. Rather, they would have been thinking in terms of a coming Messianic kingdom and would have had a growing awareness that Jesus was that King. Incidentally, whilst a shocking confirmation to hear from Jesus, the idea of this temple’s destruction should not be seen as in itself a perceived obstacle to the coming Kingdom. Some of the sects and groups at the time, particularly the Essenes considered the Temple and priesthood to be defiled and corrupted.
Yet, Jesus in his answers does seem to have in mind that he is soon to depart via The Cross, Resurrection and Ascension, so that he will be physically absent for a period before returning. This has opened up questions about the extent to which Jesus focuses in his answer on events in AD70 and the extent to which he is focusing primarily on signs of the Second Coming. We might envisage a sliding scale here. Sometimes this text is read almost exclusively as a future event (to now), so that in effect Jesus is saying “yes, the news about the Temple is shocking but I’ve got bigger news still.”
At the other end of the scale is what is known as “Preterism”. In its purest form, this argues that all of the prophecies in the New Testament have been fulfilled and so, we are not to expect a future, physical second coming. So, a future coming of Christ is thought of in terms of the establishment of his kingdom through the Holy Spirit. The destruction of the Temple is seen as playing a significant part in the hand over, a removal of old wineskins and replacement with new. Christ’s “coming with the clouds” is associated with this, so that the destruction of the Temple confirms that all authority and power is given to him. The argument is that in Daniel, the one who looks like a son of man is coming towards the ancient of days not departing from him to come to us. From that perspective, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple is seen as closely tied in with Jesus’ ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit. The “signs in the heavens” are seen as political events described in cosmological language. Some preterists would argue that the key signs and prophecies have been fulfilled but still expect the physical return of Christ at some point.[8]
That this is a continuum suggests a middle ground where Jesus sees AD70 as significant, so that it confirms we have been in the last days since the coming of the Holy Spirit, recognises significant fulfilment at that time but looks forward and sees greater fulfilment to come. Unlike in the first case though a much closer connection between Jesus’ return and AD70 is perceived. A key reason for arguing this is that whilst Daniel talks about a son of man coming with the clouds and moving toward the ancient of Days, the NT language is less about fulfilment of this as a prediction and more about employing the imagery to refer to a significant and visible event that demonstrates Christ’s kingdom authority. A focus on Christ’s second coming would fit better too with the sense of “your redemption drawing near”.[9]
A preterist perspective would fit with the sense of “this generation” referring literally to the people of Jesus’ day, although it would be possible for Jesus to mean that the generation of that time would see the beginning of the events. However, if we assume a more futurist meaning then “generation” there is likely to refer to God’s people as a nation/generation.
What has this got to do with us
Both Preterist and Futurist positions can risk being seen as an excuse for us to distance ourselves from the application of Luke 21. If Jesus is either talking about events that might be a long distance in the future or were a long time ago in the past, then what have they got to do with us? However, Jesus’ warning of not becoming weary or distracted is relevant to all of us. We are reminded that we can expect trouble, trials and testing. We are not to use such things to attempt to set chronological dates., Rather, they remind us that God is effortlessly sovereign, that all things are working to his agenda and timings, and that Jesus will come back.
[1] See also Mark 13 and Matthew 24.
[2] On the dating of the Synoptic Gospels, see Bernier, Rethinking the dates of the New Testament: The evidence for early composition (Grand Rapids, MI.: Baker Academic, 2022), 35-86.
[3] Mark 13:14. This is usually considered to be a reference to Antiochus IV Epiphanes who ruled the Seleucid Empire from 175BC. This was part of Alexander the Great’s domains that were divided on his death. Antoichus had introduced the worship of Zeus into the Temple. In terms of what Jesus meant by the phrase in Mark 13, there has been much discussion, it could refer to specific events such as the Roman legions bringing their standards in or perceptions at different stages of departure from true worship. We may also recognise Jesus’ own death as a horrific evil, a signpost to coming judgement and desolation.
[4] Or literally earth-but the reference to “the people” suggests this is focused on a specific geographical area, i.e. Judea not on the whole Earth.
[5] Nolland, Luke 18:35-24:53, 1005.
[6] See Tom Wright, Luke for everyone, 255.
[7] Nolland, Luke 18:35-24:53, 1010:
[8] Nolland seems to take a preterist position saying that “there seems to be no reason to deny to the historical Jesus an expectation of impending judgement upon his People, nor to question that he would as Jeremiah before him, have focused his expectation of impending judgement on Jerusalem.” Nolland, Luke 18:35-24:53, 986.
[9] V 28. See Wilcock who observes that ”Jesus discourages a ‘countdown’ interpretation of prophecy, by which events can be plotted in sequence to show how far we have yet to go to judgement day. Michael Wilcock, The Message of Luke, 187.
Faithroots 