Luke 21:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

NIV: Then he said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

NASB: Then He continued by saying to them, 'Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom,

CSB: Then he told them: "Nation will be raised up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

NLT: Then he added, 'Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

KJV: Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

NKJV: Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

Jesus re-emphasizes His warning that the disciples will "hear of wars and tumults"—that is, war and instability (Luke 21:9). The Jews as a people were familiar with war, and at this time they regularly rebelled against their Roman occupiers, but this was also the time of the Pax Romana when nations did not fight other nations within the Roman Empire. To experience such a thing would have been terrifying to the disciples. In the church age, however, war will be normal.

Even when war becomes a regular event, that doesn't mean the end times are near. "The end will not be at once," Jesus says in Luke 21:9. This commentary is being written in 2024, while Russia is at war with Ukraine and Israel is trying to destroy Hamas. The Geneva Academy currently says there are currently more than 110 armed conflicts—some started over fifty years ago.

If we trust that Jesus is God, hearing about war won't terrify us. We will rest in God's plan for the world. We will trust that God will protect our eternal lives (Luke 21:19). We will rest, knowing that we should "not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do" (Luke 12:4). We will, "fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell" (Luke 12:5).

Luke 21:7–11 continues Jesus' prophecies. First, He gives an overall snapshot about hardships the world will face during the church age. Second, He warns about the persecutions the disciples will face at the beginning of the church age (Luke 21:12–19). Third, Jesus predicts the destruction of Jerusalem which would occur in AD 70 (Luke 21:20–24). Finally, He talks about His second coming (Luke 21:25–28). As is the custom in the Bible, prophecies about the church age—in between the fall of Jerusalem and the rapture—are vague. Matthew 24:3–8 and Mark 13:3–8 have much of the same information.

Luke 21 records the last of Jesus' teachings before the Last Supper, His arrest, and His crucifixion. Luke 21:1–4 fits well with the themes of Luke 19:28—20:47. Luke 21:5–11 describes how false messiahs, war, and natural disasters will become normal. Luke 21:12–24 prophesies challenges prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Luke 21:25–28 moves to the tribulation. Luke 21:29–36 is Jesus' instructions about the disciples' lives and ministries with respect to the delayed kingdom. Luke 21:37–38 is a note about Jesus' schedule in the days between the triumphal entry and His arrest.

Luke 21 finishes the presentation of Jesus in Jerusalem as the Messiah of the Jews. This lays a foundation for the Passion Narrative: the final days before Jesus is crucified. Luke 19:28—20:47 covered most of the discussions about His authority which are completed with His words about the widow's sacrificial offering (Luke 21:1–4). The rest of the chapter records His warnings to the disciples about the violence they, the temple, Jerusalem, and the world will face between His ascension and His return. Matthew 24 and Mark 12:41—13:37 cover the same material.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.