Luke 21:29 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.

NIV: He told them this parable: 'Look at the fig tree and all the trees.

NASB: And He told them a parable: 'Look at the fig tree and all the trees:

CSB: Then he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.

NLT: Then he gave them this illustration: 'Notice the fig tree, or any other tree.

KJV: And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

NKJV: Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.

It is the week before the crucifixion. Jesus spends His nights on the Mount of Olives but His days in the temple Court. There, He instructs the people and debates religious leaders (Luke 21:37–38). He has just defended His authority before a crowd, humiliating and angering the Pharisees, elders, scribes, and Sadducees (Luke 20). As Jesus and the Twelve return to the Mount of Olives, the disciples marvel at the beauty of the temple. Jesus gives them an ominous warning: it will not stand forever; it will be destroyed. Peter, Andrew, James, and John ask when (Mark 13:3; Luke 21:5–7).

In response, Jesus describes the hardships the world—but especially the Jews—will face between His ascension and second coming. The temple will be destroyed "when [they] see Jerusalem surrounded by armies" (Luke 21:20). This happened in AD 70 when the Romans sacked Jerusalem. But Jesus also predicts persecution, war, murder, and natural disasters (Luke 21:8–24). Now, He wants them to understand a much more important event: when He returns to judge the world (Luke 21:25–28).

Jesus has said, "But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Mark 13:32). Later, shortly before Jesus returns to heaven in a cloud of glory, the disciples will ask Him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" Jesus responds, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority" (Acts 1:6–7). We don't know if Jesus knows the date of His return now—at this moment in the modern world—but it's clear that we, fallible people, do not.

That doesn't mean there won't be signs when the time draws closer. The events of the tribulation will be as clear as the leaves on a fig tree that show summer is coming (Luke 21:29–30). At the end, Jesus will return.

Luke 21:29–33 is Jesus' practical application to the warnings in Luke 21:25–28. His prophecies begin when the disciples are first persecuted and continue through His second coming at the end of the tribulation (Luke 21:8–28). Now, Jesus tells them to keep watch for the signs of His return. If they are to faithfully serve Him, they need to focus on God's kingdom, not their earthly comforts or decadent and avoidant behavior. Matthew 24:32–35 and Mark 13:28–31 cover the same material, but Matthew continues in a great deal more detail in Matthew 24:36—25:46.

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.