What does Luke 21:16 mean?

Jesus is describing the intense persecution His disciples will experience. He has said they will be judged by the synagogues, thrown into prison, and brought to trial before governors and kings. These trials have an upside. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the disciples will be able to share the gospel with powerful religious and civil leaders (Luke 21:12–15). Some will even accept (Acts 6:7).

Now, Jesus describes the betrayals some of the disciples will face that will result in their capture. Jesus has already talked about this break in relationship. He said that He did not come to bring peace to the world but division to separate His followers from those who reject Him. That means families will be broken up: a great tragedy in general, but especially for a culture so grounded in ancestry and kinship (Luke 12:51–53).

Days before He goes to the cross, Jesus intensifies His warning. The disciples will not only be divided from their families, but they will even be betrayed by them. Families and friends will tell synagogue leaders that they worship the man Jesus and claim He rose from the dead. The family is central to Jewish life and the local synagogue is central to Jewish culture. The disciples must be ready to surrender their cultural identity and find a new identity in Christ.

Even more horrible, friends and family members, including children (Mark 13:12) will initiate or commit the murder of Jesus' disciples. We don't have any examples in the New Testament, but this does go on today. People in some cultures desperately want to follow Jesus but know they risk an "honor killing" if they tell their families.

Warnings like this should prompt gratitude in Christians who live in relative peace with their families, friends, government, and culture. It should put into perspective what persecution really looks like. And it should convict us to pray for the persecuted church—for their safety, their courage, and for opportunities to worship together and share the gospel.