Luke 21 explained: A Widow's Gift and Coming Collapse

The widow's two coins (vv. 1-4)

She gave two of the smallest copper coins in use, and Jesus says she gave more than the rich because it was all she had to live on. This comes right after his warning about religious leaders who exploit widows (20:47), so some read it as praise for her, while others hear sorrow over a system that took from the poor.

The temple will fall (vv. 5-9)

The temple in Jerusalem was famous for its huge stones and the costly gifts displayed in it, yet Jesus says it will be completely torn down, as Roman armies did in AD 70. When asked when, he first warns against people who claim to be him or announce that the end has arrived.

Trouble for his followers (vv. 10-19)

Wars and disasters will come, but before them his followers will be arrested, put on trial, betrayed by family, and in some cases killed. Because it sits beside that warning of death, his promise that not even a hair of their heads will be lost is usually read as safety beyond death, not protection from harm.

Jerusalem under siege (vv. 20-24)

Jesus tells people to flee when armies surround the city, and he describes the slaughter and exile that follow in stark terms, calling it a time of punishment. This closely matches the Roman siege that destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70, at the end of a war that began in 66, though what 'the times of the Gentiles' (non-Jewish nations) means, and when they end, is unclear.

Signs and the Son of Man (vv. 25-33)

Shaking skies and roaring seas are images the old prophets used for huge upheavals, and 'the Son of Man coming in a cloud' echoes Daniel 7; Jesus uses this title for himself. Just as new fig leaves signal summer, these events signal that God's kingdom is near, though what 'this generation' refers to is debated.

Stay alert (vv. 34-38)

Jesus warns that heavy drinking and everyday worries can dull people so that the day catches them like a trap, so they should keep watch and pray. During this final week he taught in the temple by day and spent his nights on the Mount of Olives.

Key verse: Luke 21:36

Where Christians differ

Christians differ on whether verses 25 to 36 describe the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70, Jesus' future return at the end of history, or both events at once.

Something to think about

When something that seemed permanent and solid falls apart, what helps a person stay steady?