Lessons Into Luke: Lesson 17

FACTS AND THOUGHTS

LESSON SEVENTEEN - FUTURE PREDICTIONS

(Luke Chapter Twenty-one)



When Jesus left the temple in Jerusalem, for what may have been the last time, The Son of Man saw one event and the disciples saw something else.

When you leave a worship service and are departing from the church sanctuary, what do you see? What are you looking for? Why is it that you do not see all the pathos of humanity around you?

Jesus stopped to look. Mark's Gospel says He even "sat down" to observe the human drama playing itself out opposite Him. It was probably late afternoon, for it had been a busy day for Jesus. The rich, the pompous, the haughty, the wealthy, were making large donations into the treasury box placed to receive their gifts. And among them came a little widow dressed in the rags of poverty. She too had finished her day's work, and in gratitude and reverence to God was donating the entire money she had earned that day. It was only two tiny coins, which together were worth less that half of our one-cent piece. No one noticed; but The Son of Man saw and observed.

Meanwhile, the disciples were wandering around, admiring the magnificent marble columns and the ornate decorations of the temple. They wanted Jesus to note and admire the splendour surrounding them.

Jesus, however, called the disciples to note the gift of the widow. Because the Lord remarked on it, the memory of her gift has remained for two thousand years. And the grandeur of the temple, so admired by the disciples, was to be destroyed, demolished, obliterated within a generation.

True insight saw what? Things, or People? Contrast indeed!



INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS (Luke 21:7-19.)



As He left the temple that night, Jesus had finished His public instructions to the nation: to the chief priests, the lawyers, the Pharisees, the scribes, and the general public. Who among them had learned? The burden was now on them. He had nothing more at this time to say to them.

But Jesus still had more to teach His disciples, and time was now beginning to run short. But as usual, Jesus seemed to let circumstances, and the remarks and questions of others, open the door for the things He had to say. When we think we have something to say, do we remember to listen first to what others have to say?"What"

When they spoke of the adornment of the temple, Jesus used that as an introduction to His prediction of the future. "There shall not be left here one stone upon another."

Can you imagine the shock this statement by Jesus must have given the disciples? They were Jews. The temple was the house of their God. It was also one of the wonders of the ancient world. It was indeed a magnificent structure. How could these things happen to it?

But the disciples had come to believe in Jesus: they had come to know that He spoke the truth. So they asked Jesus, their "Teacher," not "why" or "whether" or "how." Instead, the questions they asked were "when" and "what." "When" will this destruction take place? "What" will be the warning sign that it is about to happen?



Jesus took their questions of interest as the starting point for extended remarks He had to make. He seemed to say, "It is rather that you should be asking "how": how are you going to conduct yourselves in the time of crisis?



He taught the disciples how to protect themselves. They were to beware of false teachers and not to be terrified by disasters, wars, tumults, earthquakes, famines and pestilences around them. He warned them that they were to expect persecutions, courts, and imprisonments. Even close relatives and friends might make false charges and have them turned in. Death might be the lot of some of them. They should not fear, because God would be caring for them.



In fact, if arrested and charged, they should not prepare any defense, because Jesus Himself will tell them just what to say when on trial. They must realize that hatred of Jesus would be at the root of their trouble. It will require great patience (or steadfastness,) but the patience will secure their lives.



Notice that Jesus must first of all instruct the disciples as to their likely future. If we are His disciples, are we prepared for such a future? On another occasion Jesus had said, "In the world ye shall have tribulation." (John 16:33.) If then we ourselves are not having tribulation, what is wrong with us?



THE FATE OF JERUSALEM (Luke 21:20-33.)



But having taught these principles of personal safety, Jesus then proceeded to describe the warnings for the fate of Jerusalem. Armies would surround her. Flee her when you can. Do not return to take out personal supplies. The time will be especially hard on wee children and pregnant mothers.



In fact it will be "days of vengeance," as predicted in various of the Old Testament prophets. Some will be killed; some will be made prisoners, and be forced into slavery throughout the world. And, added Jesus, Jerusalem itself will be trampled upon until the "times of the Gentiles" will have been completed.



As a climax to all this trouble, even sun, moon, and stars contribute to this outpouring of wrath. All this will result in great personal upset. The suffering, and therefore the time of grieving, will be great. Many will die of heart failure out of fear and the dread of coming calamities. And finally The Son of Man will come.



Now notice a very significant change of pronoun. Notice in our text that, starting with Verse Twenty and continuing through verse Twenty-seven, the personal pronoun used is the third person: "they" and "them." But starting with Verse Twenty-eight, Jesus again speaks directly to His disciples, saying "ye" and
"your."


But, said Jesus, in contrast to those suffering vengeance, you be ready to look up. When these troubles begin, and as they get ever more close, expect your own deliverance, for it comes along shortly. No matter how deep the darkness, we can believe that our own deliverance will follow on apace.

The greater the trouble, the sooner will come The Son of Man and the Kingdom of God.



As though to interpret further, Jesus suggested the observation of the trees in Springtime. When the branches grow, send forth leaves, and begin to form figs and other fruit, you can know the certainty that Summer will soon be here. Likewise, said Jesus, the fulfillment of some of these things will give the assurance that all will be completed.



Before proceeding to the final thought of this teaching by Jesus, let it be noted that the text in Matthew's version is much longer and more detailed. Let it be remembered that Matthew is a Jewish Gospel, presenting Jesus as He was, the Messiah. Mark presented Jesus as "the Servant of the Lord." But Luke's "portrait" presented Him as The Son of Man, the progenitor of the New Humanity in Himself. We need not, and should not, burden ourselves with Jewish minutae. Luke has given us what we, Gentiles of the New Humanity, need to know.



A FINAL WARNING (Luke 21:34-36.)



But the disciples, people of the New Humanity in Jesus, and we ourselves, have special dangers of which to beware. We are to avoid overeating, overdrinking, the concerns of daily living, so that we find ourselves enmeshed in those mundane affairs which drain our spiritual energy so that we cannot hear our spiritual warnings. Our thoughts and concerns are to be centered on the true reality, the Divine Future, and not upon things of this present world, which will all like a shadow pass away.



The days of vengeance are surely coming. It will entrap all peoples of the earth who are not prepared. The warning is, be prepared..



How are we to stay aware? The final words of Jesus in this discourse are that we watch at all times, and at all times be praying, to the end that we be permitted to escape all the destruction around us, and that we can stand in the presence of The Son of Man.



These are serious words indeed. And what makes them more serious is the fact that our curiosity is not satisfied except in a very general way. But it is not for us to speculate; rather we are to be faithful: not just in reference to the normal duties of life, but also in reference to the age to come, when Jesus will be revealed in all His glory and power.



To this end, we all need to pray more. The question is, are we therefore going to do it?



A final note: Jesus made it His week-long practice to teach in the temple by day and retire to the Mount of Olives every night. And the multitudes came early to listen to Him. How many of them learned? How many of them undertook to pay heed to what was said?



But never mind about them in ancient Jerusalem. Do these words speak to us, and if so, what do we do about incorporating them in our lives? There is subtle food for thought in this chapter. May we digest it well.



QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW, STUDY, AND DISCUSSION



1. Review of preceding text: Has anything in the previous discussion given you new food for thought? Discuss.



The following questions are based on Luke Chapter Twenty-two:

2. Knowing as He did all that was to befall Him during the coming 24 hours, Jesus showed great composure in all He did on the night of the Passover. Can you list some ways in which Jesus conducted Himself as one in charge?



3. Some have suggested that Jesus Himself did not partake of the bread and wine during the Last Supper. (See 22:16,18; but see contra, vss. 11, 15.) Can you suggest a theological reason why Jesus may not have Himself partaken of the elements?



4. Consider Verses 31-32 with Satan's testing of Job (in the Old Testament.) What comparisons, if any, can you make?



5. Consider the prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane: (Vss. 39-46)

(a) Jesus had long known and predicted His suffering; so why would He now ask His Father to "remove this cup"? Discuss.

(b) Luke tells us that the sweat of Jesus was "as it were great drops of blood." Comparing it with Hebrews 12:3-4, what thoughts are suggested to you? Discuss.



6. When Jesus on trial was questioned as to His Messiahship, He first protested the improper trial procedure, then spoke about The Son of Man. See vss. 67-69. What do you think was the point Jesus was making when He spoke of The Son of Man seated in power? Discuss.



7. Try to memorize 22:25-26.











--- Norman L. MacLeod Jr.

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