Luke 21:20

The Desolation of Jerusalem

21:20 “But when you see Jerusalem ¹  surrounded ²  by armies, then know that its ³  desolation ⁴  has come near.

Luke 21:24

21:24 They ⁵  will fall by the edge ⁶  of the sword and be led away as captives ⁷  among all nations. Jerusalem ⁸  will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. ⁹ 

¹ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

² sn See Luke 19:41-44. This passage refers to the events associated with the fall of Jerusalem, when the city is surrounded by armies.

³ tn Grk “her,” referring to the city of Jerusalem (the name “Jerusalem” in Greek is a feminine noun).

⁴ sn The phrase its desolation is a reference to the fall of the city, which is the only antecedent present in Luke’s account. The parallels to this in Matt 24:15 and Mark 13:14 refer to the temple’s desolation, though Matthew’s allusion is clearer. They focus on the parallel events of the end, not on the short term realization in a.d. 70. The entire passage has a prophetic “two events in one” typology, where the near term destruction (a.d. 70) is like the end. So the evangelists could choose to focus on the near time realization (Luke) or on its long term fulfillment, which mirrors it (Matthew, Mark).

⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁶ tn Grk “by the mouth of the sword” (an idiom for the edge of a sword).

⁷ sn Here is the predicted judgment against the nation until the time of Gentile rule has passed: Its people will be led away as captives.

⁸ tn Grk “And Jerusalem.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁹ sn Until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled implies a time when Israel again has a central role in God’s plan.