Gospel Meditation

Luke 21:5–19

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.

1.         Luke introduces this segment by stating that Jesus is hearing people talking about the Temple, how wonderfully adorned it was. And indeed it was according to the account of it given by Josephus, even more incredible than the seven wonders of the ancient world. For example, there were stones there that were 45 by 11.5 by 12 feet, and weighing 570 lbs.

2.         This event likely took place within the Temple’s grounds, and Jesus says that a day will come when not one stone will on be top of another, in other words, the Temple would be completely destroyed. And we know this took place under the leadership of the Roman general Titus in 70 AD, at the conclusion of a 4 year war with Rome.

3.         Jesus then, being asked when this would take place, without directly answering, warns that they are not to be led astray as many would come saying that they were the Messiah, and indeed history authenticates this statement by Jesus, some 26 of these in that century.

4.         Jesus goes on to say that there would be wars and political turmoil, but this does not signal the end.

5.         In the next segment, Jesus says that there will be wars and persecution of His followers, and we are to use this as an opportunity to “bear witness.” He even says that Christians will be hated, but that we would endure this.