Luke 21:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

NIV: They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

NASB: and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

CSB: They will be killed by the sword and be led captive into all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

NLT: They will be killed by the sword or sent away as captives to all the nations of the world. And Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the period of the Gentiles comes to an end.

KJV: And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

NKJV: And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

This finishes Jesus' description of the fall of Jerusalem, which would happen a few decades later, in AD 70. Armies will surround Jerusalem. The only escape is to flee—and that isn't guaranteed. God will throw vengeance on His people for refusing their Messiah (Luke 19:41–44). Nursing and pregnant women will be particularly vulnerable (Luke 21:20–23). Some will die of famine and some by violent men. Many others will be taken captive.

Flavius Josephus was a Pharisee and rebel commander who fought the Romans in Galilee in AD 66. The Jews drove out the Romans until General Vespasian arrived with his greater army. Josephus was captured, but unlike many Jews, he was not killed. Vespasian made him a recorder; he traveled with Titus, Vespasian's son, on his march to conquer Jerusalem. Having seen the power of Rome's army, Josephus tried to convince the Jews to surrender. His efforts were futile.

While he was captured, many other rebel leaders in Galilee fled to Jerusalem. They soon realized the Jewish religious leaders, who were primarily Sadducees, did not hate the Romans. Angry with their lack of national pride, the Zealots killed many. A civil war ensued. Titus wisely besieged the city but did not immediately attack, letting the Jews thin their own population first. At one point, a faction even burned a storehouse of food that would have supplied the city for years.

Josephus recorded the events in The Wars of the Jews. He wrote that over a million were killed by both Romans and other Jews. Nearly a hundred thousand were taken captive, many sold into slavery. People who tried to flee Jerusalem were often slaughtered. According to a story reported by Josephus, at least one woman, starving because Jewish insurrectionists kept stealing her food, roasted and ate her baby son.

In AD 70, Titus led his army to breach the walls and take the city. The Jews were scattered across the world. They would not have a homeland again until 1948, after the Holocaust drove other nations to act on their behalf. Jerusalem is still not fully controlled by the Israelites; Muslims hold the temple Mount.

But Jesus promises this is not the end. One day, the times of the Gentiles will be over. Jesus will return and judge the nations for their wickedness. "The Son of Man [will come] in a cloud with power and great glory" (Luke 21:27). The Jews will look to their Messiah and be redeemed (Luke 21:25–28).

Luke 21:20–24 answers the disciples' question regarding what signs will precede the destruction of the temple (Luke 21:6–7). Jesus reveals that all Jerusalem will be destroyed. This happened decades after Jesus' ascension, during the Roman attack in AD 70. Jesus' next prophecy skips the church age and covers His return at the end of the tribulation (Luke 21:25–28), mentioning the "times of the Gentiles" (Luke 21:24) but not providing specific details. Matthew 24:15–20 and Mark 13:14–18 also record Jesus' words about the destruction of Jerusalem.

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.