Luke 21:20-21

The Desolation of Jerusalem

21:20 “But when you see Jerusalem ¹  surrounded ²  by armies, then know that its ³  desolation ⁴  has come near. 21:21 Then those who are in Judea must flee ⁵  to the mountains. Those ⁶  who are inside the city must depart. Those ⁷  who are out in the country must not enter it,

Luke 21:27-28

21:27 Then ⁸  they will see the Son of Man arriving in a cloud ⁹  with power and great glory. 21:28 But when these things ¹⁰  begin to happen, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption ¹¹  is drawing near.”

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¹ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

² sn See Luke 19:41-44. This passage refers to the events associated with the fall of Jerusalem, when the city is surrounded by armies.

³ tn Grk “her,” referring to the city of Jerusalem (the name “Jerusalem” in Greek is a feminine noun).

⁴ sn The phrase its desolation is a reference to the fall of the city, which is the only antecedent present in Luke’s account. The parallels to this in Matt 24:15 and Mark 13:14 refer to the temple’s desolation, though Matthew’s allusion is clearer. They focus on the parallel events of the end, not on the short term realization in a.d. 70. The entire passage has a prophetic “two events in one” typology, where the near term destruction (a.d. 70) is like the end. So the evangelists could choose to focus on the near time realization (Luke) or on its long term fulfillment, which mirrors it (Matthew, Mark).

⁵ sn Fleeing to the mountains is a key OT image: Gen 19:17; Judg 6:2; Isa 15:5; Jer 16:16; Zech 14:5.

⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁸ tn Grk “And then” (καὶ τότε, kai tote). Here καί has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁹ sn An allusion to Dan 7:13. Here is Jesus returning with full judging authority.

¹⁰ sn These things are all the events of vv. 8-27. Disciples represent the righteous here. The events surrounding the fall of the nation are a down payment on a fuller judgment to come on all humanity. The presence of one guarantees the other.

¹¹ sn With Jesus’ return comes the manifestation of judgment and final salvation (redemption).