Luke 21:5-19
When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.” They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them. When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.”
Again speaking to his disciples, Jesus increases the volume of his critique of the Temple. Actually, considering that he says the Temple will be destroyed, we might say that Jesus turns up the volume “to eleven.”
Not surprisingly, the disciples want to know when this will happen. And so Jesus launches into a long and at times very challenging speech about what is often called “the end times.”
Except that in Luke’s Gospel and Jesus’ ministry the events describes are not considered “the end times” but rather viewed as the climax and fulfillment of history. In order to make sense of what Jesus is saying in this scene, it helps to know just a couple of things about what scholars call “apocalyptic literature,” of which this passage is a good example.
First, apocalyptic (from the Greek for “revelation” or something “being torn aside”) is usually written during crisis in order to help its original audience make sense of very difficult experiences. In this case, the crisis is the aftermath of the Roman destruction of the Temple, an event that transformed both Judaism and early Christianity.
The second thing to keep in mind is that apocalyptic writing presumes that there are always two layers to reality – the material and the spiritual. Not only that, but these two realities are linked, as our material and physical existence mirrors the larger reality of the heavens and, in particular, the ongoing conflict between good and evil.
Can you see how this might help people who are struggling to make sense of their lives in a chaotic, confusing, or painful situation? By linking their experience to a more enduring and significant reality, early readers of this kind of writing were able to fit their immediate struggles into a larger picture that promises that, in the end, all would be well.
Given that Luke, Matthew, and Mark all include sections like the one we’re reading, it’s likely that some of the apocalyptic stories describing Jesus’ return and emphasizing his role to bring history to its climax were part of the earliest Christian traditions. But each evangelist treats this material a little bit differently. Luke, for instance, wants to make sure that his Christian community hears two things in particular. First, he wants them to know that all is not as bad as it looks, and therefore they shouldn’t be too quick to follow preachers of doom and gloom. Second, Luke wants them to hear Jesus’ promise that when struggles do come, they are opportunities for witness and that Jesus himself will help them find words to give testimony to their faith.
Things are not as bad as they look. The challenges coming your way are opportunities, and I will help you to make the most of them. Not bad words for both the original disciples and Luke’s community to hear. And, when you think about it, they’re not bad words for us to hear, either.
Prayer: Dear God, remind us that in the challenges and struggles of the day there are always opportunities to speak good words and do good things and thereby witness to our faith. And remind us that you will be with us to help us to do just that. In Jesus’ name, Amen
While you’re no longer writing a regular weekly column, I’m grateful for these prior columns! Both Jesus and you provide the words we need to testify to our faith! 😊 Blessings on your proclamation, David!
I agree, Sarah. I always look at Dr Lose’s past reflections to help me form a sermon.