Hi everyone. Welcome back to daily gospel exegesis. Our goal here is to help you prepare for the Gospel reading. You'll hear at today's mass so we're giving you an exegesis of the literal sense of the scripture. So we're helping you understand what the gospel text means in its original context. So that when you go to mass your In your mind, you'll be more prepared to hear what the priest might have to say or the person doing the mass will have to say about this particular reading.
So today we get to a really interesting text and in many ways quite a difficult text that's often been misinterpreted. So it's a longer text, Luke chapter 21 verses 5 to 19. When some were talking about the temple remarking, how it was adorned with fine, stonework and
votive offerings. Jesus said all these things you are staring at. Now the time will come when not a single Stone will be left on another everything will be destroyed and they put him and they put to him this question Master they said when will this happen and what sign will there be that this is about to take place? Take care not to be deceived he said because many will come using my name and saying, I am he and the time is near at hand,
refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened for, this is something that must happen, but the end is not so soon. Then he said to them Nation will fight against nation and Kingdom against Kingdom, there will be great, earthquakes and plagues and famines here. And there there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. But before all this happens, men will seize you and persecute
you. They will hand you over to the synagogues and to imprisonment and bring you before Kings and governors because of my name. And that will be your opportunity to Bear witness. Keep this carefully in mind you are not to prepare your defense because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict you'll be betrayed even In by parents and brothers, relations and friends. And some of you will be put to death.
You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair on your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives. So you we see Jesus here doing an eschatological prophecy his speaking. In a way that we don't often get to hear him speak in the gospels, but it's really important that we understand what he was saying. So as always, we want to start by thinking about the context. So Jesus has arrived in Jerusalem for the last week of his life and he's already
cleanse the temple. Now, he's teaching in the temple. It's important to keep in mind that he's speaking primarily here to people who are already his followers. So this is addressed to Christians, not to the world in general. And we're going to see here. What's often been called the Olivet discourse? At least that's what it's often called in the gospel of Matthew. But you'll notice that this one is apparently not on the Mount of Olives it, but it's very
similar themes. So we'll talk about that as we go. So starting at verse 5, it says when some were talking about the temple remarking how it was adorned with fine, stonework and votive offerings. So there's people in the audience who are looking at the temple and marring it and it was a truly remarkable building. We know from history that the temple had lots of gold and it was made of pure massive, white stones. Some of these Stones were nearly 40 feet in length.
A lot of these were installed in herod's, renovations in 19 BC. So, by the time, Of Jesus it was really quite an amazing building it. Even had a golden Vine at the entrance from which hung these votive offerings. The verse he imagines votive offerings. So those will be gifts dedicated to God. So the people standing around with Jesus admiring, these beautiful, big white stones and the gold votive offerings. It was one of the most beautiful and exquisite buildings in the
world. Some people have compared it to maybe it's similar to st. Peter's Basilica today. It was it had that kind of wow her effect when you walked in. And people from that time period. Some Roman historians have said that from a distance. The temple looked like a snow-covered Mountain. It was that kind of beautiful. So Jesus, your notices that people are admiring it. So he uses the opportunity to
foretell its destruction. So we're going to see here an extended speech about the destruction of the temple. Keep this in mind, it's specifically about the destruction of the temple. It's not about the end of the world as such and it's a long speech, what we see. Here is the first half of what is the Olivet discourse in Matthew's gospel. Jesus speech here has many similarities to Jeremiah's speech in Jeremiah seven when Jeremiah predicted the destruction of the first temple.
Now, interestingly, when Jesus predictions about the Temple of fulfilled in 70 AD when the temple is destroyed. It's destroyed by fire on the same day and the same month, the ninth of of as when the Babylonians destroyed the first temple. So the second temple was apparently destroyed. On the anniversary of the destruction of the first temple. So from this, we can see that
God does work in patterns. Now, some Scholars have looked at this and maybe some Catholics might look at this sometimes and they think that here Jesus is talking about the end of the world, the end of time, it can be read that way certainly. And some people in the tradition of the church have but I think if we're looking at the literal sense, what's Jesus primarily referring to, he's referring to the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, he's telling his audience.
What's going to happen? To the temple in 70 AD. Having said that though, we know that the Jews at this time viewed the temple as a model of the universe as a whole, the temple was kind of a mini model of the entire Cosmos. So in this sense, the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, foreshadows the Temple of the real Universe in
the future. And that's why when we get to this imagery of the Stars will fall and all that sort of thing, there's probably a hint here that the cosmological symbols In the temple are being referred to and we'll talk about that when we get there. So this is a long speech and we're just going to see the first part of it in today's reading. So Jesus, he says, all these things you are staring at now. So he's talking about the
temple, the time will come. So Jesus is giving a prophecy is about to predict something that's going to happen. The destruction of the temple. In 70 AD, the Jewish people have been attacked, lots of times in their history. If you know the Old Testament history Israel was attacked. A lot and in the lead up to 70 AD, there were many attacks on Jerusalem, but it was only finally destroyed by fire in 70 AD. When the leader Titus came in
and destroyed the temple. It was a huge event for the Jews. In fact, they've never really recovered from it. If you go to Israel and Jerusalem today, there will still be people that mourn. They physically mourn, the destruction of the temple. So this is a momentous occasion that Jesus is predicting here. Now, Jesus has already done this.
If you've been listening to the podcast for a little while now he's already predicted the destruction of the temple in chapter 17. And then again in chapter 19, in fact, in Chapter 13, quite early on, he said, Jerusalem your house will be left to you desolate and then in chapter 19, he specifically said, the reason that Jerusalem will be destroyed is because they reject him as Messiah. So, all through the Gospel of Luke, there's this theme that
the temple will be destroyed. It's a punishment from God for rejecting the Messiah here. Jesus gives us very specific description of how that destruction is going to look. So he says here, not a single Stone will be left on another and we know from history that by the end of the jewish-roman war, the temple was literally dismantled Stone by Stone. There was no Stones left, apparently there was nothing left, but a field by the end of it.
So when Jesus, he says, not a single Stone will be left on another, think about how shocked the audience would be. Jesus has just said, they're great Temple will be destroyed. That's shocking. So they asked, Jesus for more information, they say master when will this happen? And what sign will there be that this is about to take place? So they asked Jesus here to questions they say, when will this happen? And what sign will there be? That this is about to take place now.
Apparently, Jesus doesn't answer their first question about precise timing. Jesus doesn't say, when will this happen? He does give them a ballpark but he doesn't give them an exact date.
So when it's going to happen but he does give a very clear and extended answer to the second question which is what signs will there be that this is about to take place, he gives them a very clear answer on what signs they will be in the lead up to the destruction of the Temple. His Focus all the way through here is for his audience. The disciples to not become stressed or carried away. When they see the signs starting
to happen. He starts in verse 8, by telling his disciples, take care not to be deceived. We can translate that take care that you are not LED astray. So Jesus knows about in the time leading up to the destruction of the temple. There's going to be a lot of Messianic fervor. There's going to be a lot of people hoping that the Messiah will come. There's going to be people claiming that their the Messiah. It's all going to be very political and very a lot of
people be excited. A lot of people will be angry, he doesn't want his disciples to be carried away in all the craziness that some of the Jews get involved in and in the lead-up to the destruction of the temple. And he says here because many We'll come using my name and saying, I am. He so Jesus, he says that before the destruction of the temple, many people claim to be Christ and we know that many did claim that many claim to be the Messiah in the Years leading up to 70 AD.
Some of them got quite a big following But ultimately they were all killed. We can see a couple of examples of this in scripture Acts, chapter 5 records. One example of someone who claimed to be a messiah and then ad 56. There's a reference to someone else who leads a rebellion, it kind of a Messianic rebellion and you can read about that in Acts chapter 21.
So, in the book of Acts, there's examples of people who claim to be the Messiah and it gets even more heated in the, in the lead-up to the destruction of the temple. Jesus, he says, the time is near at hand, refused to join them. So he says, when these things happen, when they see when the false Messiahs start to claim to be the Messiah, the time is near at hand, refuse to join them. So the Messianic Impostors will claim that the kingdom of God is about to come.
And they'll say things like, don't worry, God will protect us. The kingdom of God is about to come. It'll Wipe Out the Romans some people even go so far. As to say, I'm the Messiah, I'm the one that will do it. The zealots in particular, were a group who just before 70 AD, they claimed that they were bringing about the kingdom of God. Some of them did anyway so Jesus command here to his disciples is when you see these things happening, don't join them.
That's his Ice don't get involved in that craziness. Jesus says, when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened for, this is something that must happen, but the end is not so soon. So, Jesus says, they'll be Wars and revolutions, but they should not be frightened. They, those are things that will and must happen before the final destruction of the temple. But they're not, the destruction
of the temple themselves. So he says, don't be alarmed about the wars that you hear about. We know that there were lots of Wars between 'In a T30 and AD 70 in the Roman emperor in that Roman Empire. You just look at history and you'll see that particularly there was great turmoil amongst the Romans after Nero died in ad 68. There was a lot of fighting amongst the leading Romans about who is going to take, who is going to be the next Emperor on top of that.
Some Jews like the zealots they took every opportunity to try to start revolutions and overthrow the Romans. So, Jesus correctly, predicts. It's going to be a time of great turmoil and many wars Jesus tells his disciples that these things will happen and they're all leading up to the big event. But he specifically says, the end is not yet.
What does he mean by the end? Of course, lots of people take this to be the end of the world, but that's actually not what it would have meant to Jesus original audience, the end probably refers to the end of the age and they had this really interesting ideas about the old age and the Messianic age. So basically what the end means is it's the Of the old Covenant system when Jesus says the end will come.
It basically means the end of the temple, the end of the old Covenant. Now, you might not be convinced by that, that might seem like it's stretching it a bit, but a lot of biblical Scholars have made this point. The phrase, the end does seem because of their views of the time that they'll be two great periods of history. When Jesus says the end will come, he means the end of the first period of History before the Messianic age.
So the teaching of the New Testament is in ad 70, the old Covenant ended And the New Covenant, the Messianic age began. Why was the temple destroyed? Well, one reason is that God had to remove the central icon of the old Covenant in order to make clear to people that the old Covenant was no longer in effect and that the New Covenant is beginning. So, it was a visible demonstration. That the old Covenant has ended, it's also an opportunity for God to vindicate.
His faithful people who've been fighting to survive, basically, and destroy those who refuse to accept the Messiah. So in ad 70 God accomplishes multiple things in Jerusalem and in Israel verse 10, then Jesus said to them Nation will fight against nation and Kingdom against Kingdom and of course we know that that does happen leading up to 70 AD verse 11, there will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines here and there. So Jesus predicts is going to be
plagues famines earthquakes. These are all natural events but in the Old Testament, these events often as symbols of divine judgment God will Bring about earthquakes and plagues and famines as a symbol of his judgment. If you look at Isaiah 29, verse 6, Isaiah 51.
Verse 19. There's references to these things in the Old Testament. So Jesus, here is apparently saying that in the lead-up to the final big act, the destruction of the temple, God will bring about Minor punishments in plagues and earthquakes. We know from history, that there was a famine that affected Jerusalem in ad, 45 to 48. If you look at Acts chapter 11, it talks about this and then Paul writes about it in his letter. To lots of other Roman writers.
Write about this great place, Great Famine. We know that there was lots of earthquakes to colossae was destroyed by an earthquake. In the ad 50s, that was a major city at the time and there was an earthquake in Pompeii as well around this same time period. Jesus says that all these unnecessary signs of judgment which precede the destruction of the temple in 70 AD but it's not the final judgment.
Then Jesus says they'll be another Of signs, they'll be fearful sights and great signs from Heaven. This can be interpreted multiple ways, and some people have thought that Jesus, here, must be referring to the end of the world, because there wasn't great signs in heaven, in ad 70 actually, that doesn't appear to be the case.
If you look at history and Roman historians from this time period they talk about these incredibly miraculous things that happen in the sky and in the city just prior to the destruction of the temple. And Of Scholars have said that Jesus words here about. They'll be fearful sights and great signs from Heaven. It does seem that Jesus, that God brought about supernatural signs in Jerusalem just before the temple was destroyed. So there's a few strange things
that happened. Here's what some historians have recorded apparently in the Years, leading to the destruction of the temple. There were voices of Angels. The could be heard from inside the temple saying we will. Now leave here. That's kind of spooky, isn't it? But people heard voices. From the temple saying we will now leave here. So it's like God's protection was removed from the temple and apparently people heard that
voice. Other people said, they saw horses running around in the clouds, getting ready for the destruction of the temple. Apparently, this is what they saw in the clouds and then we know that there were prophets walking through Jerusalem Night and Day, Warning of the destruction of the temple. There were clearly prophets sent to Jerusalem to give them one final warning. You might not have heard this before because ad 70 is often too. Elected by Christians, but it's
quite an amazing time period. Where God is doing some really interesting stuff just before the temple is destroyed. And then Jesus says, but before all this, so this is where things get a little bit more difficult to track. So Jesus has just been talking about the things that will happen in the lead-up to the destruction of the temple. And now Jesus is going to jump back in time. He's going to say what are the things that will occur before the lead-up to the Destruction of the temple.
So he's doing a bit of a Time jump backwards in a sense, what he's done for them already is his introduced to them, he's letting them know. Look the temple is going to be destroyed, it's going to be a big deal and now what he's going to do is to go back to some things that will happen before the destruction of the temple gets near. So he's giving them some indication of things to look for that will happen that need to happen before the destruction of
the temple. Now Matthews version of the this discourse Matthews In to arrange it more chronologically. So he deliberately gives the prophecy in a way that's a bit easier to follow in terms of chronology, but Luca is going to jump backwards in time a bit So Jesus is now going to mention some things that will happen to the disciples in this time period. And in fact, he's already mentioned quite a few of these in chapter 12 verses 8 to 12.
He says here to the disciples men will seize you and persecute you. So Jesus here is going to get quite specific. And here he says, the disciples will be arrested and persecuted for preaching the gospel. And we know that that does happen in the early years before 70 AD Jesus says, they will hand you over to the synagogue. Books and to imprisonment. And again, this is something
that did happen. Jewish councils and synagogues, they maintain public order and they could impose punishments on certain Jewish people if they were causing disruption, amongst the Jews. So synagogues did have councils who would maintain public order? As we know from the book of Acts, the Jewish leaders were not impressed.
When the disciples went around preaching, in the name of Jesus, it was basically considered to be blasphemy so many of the disciples were punished and they were imprisoned as a result of preaching. The gospel. All you need to do is open any page of the book of Acts. And you'll see pretty much this happening to most of the disciples and Jesus says, they'll be an even further persecution. He says, you will be brought before Kings and governors for my name's sake.
So here he mentions not only will Jewish leaders persecute you, but Gentile ones will as well. Kings and governors a little bit later in the book of Acts. The apostles, do begin to be persecuted by the Romans and the Jews. And Jesus says, that has to be part of what's going to happen. It's part of bearing witness before the pagans. This will be surprising for the apostles to hear, probably many of them expected, not to have anything to do with the Gentiles.
They probably expected. There were just be preaching the kingdom of God to do. Is. But here Jesus says, no, actually you're going to face yourself in situations where you can have to preach to Gentile leaders as well. Jesus says, that will be your opportunity to Bear witness or you can translate that a time to Bear testimony. So Jesus warns his disciples here in advance that. When these trials happened to them, it will actually be a great opportunity to preach the
kingdom. It's an opportunity, verse 14. Keep this carefully in mind you are not to prepare your defense or You can translate this not to meditate beforehand. How to answer? This is one verse that's been misinterpreted, this is not a command for all Christians. Jesus here is not saying to all Christians, you never have to prepare in order to preach the gospel. This is a command for his disciples in the first century
for the apostolic age. He's saying that unlike professional speakers and orators in that culture who rehearse their speech over and over again before delivering them in the public squares. Jesus. He says that in this I'm when the kingdom of God, is beginning in the time of Covenant will transition, as it's often called Jesus says the holy spirit will be very active and it will give them words to say, which will Amaze the rulers.
And we know, if you look at the book of Acts, that's exactly what happens. So basically he's giving the disciples, some hope and comfort amidst, all the bad news. He says, actually, when this happens to you, it will be an opportunity to spread the kingdom and in fact I Jesus will give you the words to say through the Holy Spirit, he goes on. I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able
to resist or contradict. So Jesus Through the Holy Spirit empowered, the early, Christian leaders to give amazing speeches as testimony to the gospel. And we can think of Like Stephen speech in the book of Acts verse 16, you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends.
And we know from history that Jesus prediction here is remarkably accurate, by the way, it's worth mentioning that depending on which Bible, you pick up, or which resources, you look at to help study the gospels. Some people who are a bit skeptical of Supernatural
things. You could say, some people are skeptical that this was written before the events happened, some Scholars. Think the Best explanation of Jesus words here is that Luke is writing after all these events are occurring and he's putting words in Jesus mouth. So some Scholars even Catholic ones, unfortunately a really skeptical that Jesus could have such specific Supernatural knowledge of what's going to happen in the future so they don't think these are genuine prophecies.
They think they were written after the fact, I think it is. Orthodox believing Catholics. We don't have to resort to that option. We can say that clearly Jesus as the Son of God knows. Going to happen in the future and he tells the disciples some details about that in order to give them some comfort. So, we know that after Jesus was gone often, some members of a family would be Christians.
While others would use. Jesus says here, you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations, and friends, and that's what happened. Christians, will often persecuted by family members and friends, and they were handed over to the Jewish authorities by now, perhaps his disciples may not have been surprised by that, because earlier, he said that allegiance to the gospel, might sometimes require driving a wedge between family members.
If you look at Chapter 14 verse 26, he says that he even gets more explicit, though. Jesus says, some of you will be put to death. And we know that most of the Apostles, perhaps all of them, although it's not 100% clear. Certainly many Christian leaders were killed as a result of their faith and Jesus is warning them. Look, these are the things that are going to come in the coming years. Verse 17, you will be hated by all men on account of my
namesake. So this is kind of a summary statement of Everything Jesus. This has just said, he says that because they follow God's will as laid out by the Messiah. The Son of, Man, they are going to be persecuted. The Jews will hate them. The Romans will hate them sometimes even their own family, and friends will hate them, and that seems to be pretty bad news. Although Jesus in The Sermon on the Mount pretty much talking about the same topic. He says to the disciples
blessed. Are you when you are persecuted for my name's sake, so he's constantly telling them that when these things happen, they shouldn't be surprised, they shouldn't be downhearted. It's an opportunity to preach the gospel and it will actually lead to their own sanctification and greater glory. Verse 18. Jesus says, you'll be hated by all men but not a hair of your
head will be lost. This is an interesting phrase now, that's not literally true because many of the disciples did die, they did lose limbs, they do lose hair. So it has to be a hyperbole. It has to be a metaphor for something. Not a hair of your head will be lost. It has to mean something like this, ultimately, the disciples who are faithful to God will be with him. In heaven, all of the Earthly trials will be nothing in comparison to the rewards that
we receive in the next life. Although you're persecuted ultimately not a hair of your head will be lost. That's the perspective. He wants them to have an internal perspective, notice the degree of suffering, the Jesus warns, his Apostles and other leading disciples, that they'll experience, but also correspondingly, they have a greater degree of Glory when they spread the kingdom of God and when they're persecuted for it, they'll have great.
Words in heaven, Jesus is constantly telling the leading Apostles and the leading Disciples of the glory and the suffering that they'll share. There's actually a lot of words, Jesus has just for the leading disciples in the gospels, and we know that later in the book of Acts, the disciples rejoice. When they are persecuted for Jesus name. You can see that in Acts chapter 5 verse 41, verse 19.
He says your endurance will win you your lives, or you can translate this different ways by your endurance. You will gain your lives or the other gospels have this as he
who perseveres will be saved. So this idea of saving your life, it has something to do with saving something and it appears to mean, in this case, saving your soul The teaching here is that if the Christian disciples keep the faith and they don't deny Jesus in the coming years, in the apostolic age, despite the fierce persecution. If they don't deny Jesus, they will receive eternal life. I think that's the best way to understand. Jesus words here, your endurance will when you your lives.
A lot of Christians are not comfortable with that because that implies that you may lose your salvation or that you have to do something to retain your salvation. But that is, of course, Catholic teaching. You must hold fast to God. And Not deny Jesus. Jesus goes on to amplify this further in the gospel of Matthew. When he says he who acknowledges me before others, I will acknowledge before my father, but he who denies me before others?
I will deny before my father. So clearly there's a warning here. If you give up the faith you may not make it to Heaven. That's what he's telling the Christian leaders here. Now, there is actually more to this discourse where Jesus gets even more graphic about what's going to happen. In that time period, you can hear the next part on Thursday of week, 34 in ordinary time, let's turn to the catechism and the catechism of the Catholic Church, of course, is a summary of Catholic teachings.
There's one specific paragraph which makes reference to this. It's an interesting one, paragraph 675. This is in the section called the church's ultimate trial. So it's the part of the catechism, which tells us The Catholic Church's beliefs about what's going to happen in the
end times. So here it sees a possible further, application of Jesus prophecy here in Luke chapter 21, this is primarily about what's going to happen to the early Apostles in the apostolic age as we've been discussing. But the catechism here also sees that the things that happen then in the apostolic age or a foreshadowing of a greater persecution, which will eventually come upon all Christians at the End of Time. Here's what paragraph 675 says.
Before Christ's Second Coming, the church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many Believers. The persecution that accompanies. Her pilgrimage on Earth will unveil the mystery of iniquity in the form of a religious deception offering men and apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth. The supreme religious deception is that of the Antichrist a pseudo messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Messiah.
In the Flesh. So the church has some quite specific beliefs about what the end of time is going to look like. So that section of the catechism is well worth, looking at all include this in the show notes as well. So I hope you've learned something new today. It is quite a difficult text but hopefully this has helped shed some light on what it's all about. Thanks for your support of the
ministry. Please, keep telling other people about it. Leave a positive review on iTunes or subscribe on YouTube and you can always send in your questions to logical Bible study at Gmail.com all of the links are in the episode description and hopefully, you'll tune in again tomorrow.