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The Second Coming
Luke 21:25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; :26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. :27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. :28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
These verses describe the convulsions of nature and the cataclysms on the earth that will precede Christ’s Second Advent.
There will be disturbances involving the sun ... moon, and stars that will be clearly visible on earth.
Heavenly bodies will be moved out of their orbits. This might cause the earth to be tilted off its axis. There will be great tidal waves sweeping over land areas.
Panic will seize mankind because of heavenly bodies on a near-collision course with the earth. But there is hope for the godly:Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.
Parable of the Fig Tree
Luke 21:29 Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. :30 When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. :31 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.
Another sign indicating the nearness of His return is the budding of the fig tree and all the trees. The fig tree is an apt picture of the nation of Israel; it would begin to evidence new life in the last days. Surely it is not without significance that after centuries of dispersal and obscurity, the nation of Israel was re-established in 1948, and is now recognized as a member of the family of nations.
The shooting forth of the other trees may symbolize the phenomenal growth of nationalism and the emergence of many new governments in newly developed countries of the world. These signs would mean that Christ’s glorious kingdom would soon be set up.
Luke 21:32 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.
Jesus said that this generation would not pass away till all things take place. But what did He mean by “this generation”?
1. Some feel He referred to the generation living at the time He spoke these words, and that all things were fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem. But this cannot be so because Christ did not return in a cloud with power and great glory.
2. Others believe that “this generation” refers to the people living when these signs begin to take place, and that those who live to see the beginning of the signs would live to see the return of Christ. All the events predicted would happen within one generation. This is a possible explanation.
3. Another possibility is that “this generation” refers to the Jewish people in their attitude of hostility to Christ. The Lord was saying that the Jewish race would survive, scattered yet indestructible, and that its attitude toward Him would not change through the centuries. Perhaps both numbers 2 and 3 are correct.
Luke 21:33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
The atmospheric and stellar heavens would pass away. So would the earth in its present form. But these predictions of the Lord Jesus would not go unfulfilled.
Warning to Watch for His Coming
Luke 21:34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. :35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.
In the meantime, His disciples should guard against becoming so occupied with eating, drinking, and mundane cares that His coming might happen unexpectedly. That is the way it will come on all those who think of the earth as their permanent dwelling place.
Luke 21:36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
True disciples should watch and pray at all times, thus separating themselves from the ungodly world which is doomed to experience the wrath of God, and identifying themselves with those who will stand in acceptance before the Son of Man.
Luke 21:37 And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet. :38 Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.
Each day the Lord taught in the temple area, but at night He slept on the Mt. of Olives, homeless in the world He had made.
Then early in the morning all the people crowded around Him afresh to hear Him.
Judas Agrees to Betray Christ
Luke 22:1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread here refers to the period beginning with the Passover and extending for seven more days during which no leavened bread was eaten. The Passover was held on the fourteenth of the month Nisan, the first month of the Jewish year. The seven days from the fifteenth of the month to the twenty-first were known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread, but in verse 1, that name takes in the entire feast. If Luke had been writing primarily to Jews, it would not have been necessary for him to mention the connection between the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Passover.
Luke 22:2 And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.
The chief priests and scribes were ceaselessly plotting how they might kill the Lord Jesus, but they realized that they must do it without causing a tumult, because they feared the people, and knew that many still held Jesus in high esteem.
Luke 22:3 Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.
Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples. In John 13:27, this action is said to have taken place after Jesus had handed him the piece of bread during the Passover meal. We conclude either that this took place in successive stages, or that Luke is emphasizing the fact rather than the exact time when it took place.
Luke 22:4 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.
Luke 22:5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.
The plan was entirely acceptable, and they agreed to give him money—thirty pieces of silver, as we learn elsewhere.
Luke 22:6 So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.
So Judas left to work out the details of his treacherous scheme.
The Upper Room is Prepared
Luke 22:7 Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.
There are definite problems in connection with the various time periods mentioned in these verses. The Day of Unleavened Bread would normally be thought of as the thirteenth of Nisan when all leavened bread had to be put away from a Jewish home.
Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 121). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. MacArthur, J. F., Jr., MacDonald, Farstad, Believers Bible; Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2195). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
