Luke
Chapter 21
The Widow’s Offering
Jesus looked up and saw wealthy people depositing their gifts into the temple’s treasury.
He also saw a poor widow, who dropped in two small coins.
And he said:
“Truly, I tell you, this poor widow put in more than all of them.
For all of them gave an offering from their abundance; but she, out of her poverty, gave all she had to live on.”
While some people discussed the temple, remarking that it was decorated with fine stonework and abundant gifts, Jesus said to them:
“The days will come when not a single stone will be left on another of all that you now admire; everything will be torn down.”
And they asked him:
“Master, when will this happen, and what will be the sign that it is about to occur?”
Jesus said:
“Take care not to be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he; the time is near at hand!’ Do not follow them.
When you hear of wars and troubled times, don’t be frightened; for all these things must happen first, even though the end is not so soon.”
And Jesus said:
“Nations will fight against each other, and kingdoms will oppose kingdoms.
There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues; in many locations, strange and frightening signs from the sky will be seen.
Before all these things happen, people will lay their hands on you and persecute you; you will be handed over to synagogues and prisons, and for my sake, you will be brought before kings and governors.
This will be your opportunity to bear witness.
So keep this in mind: don’t worry in advance about what to say,
because I will provide you with words and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.
You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and some of you will be put to death.
But even though, because of my name, you will be hated by everyone.
But not a hair of your head will perish.
By your patient endurance, you will save your souls.
When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that the time has come when it will be destroyed wasteland.
If you are in Judea, flee to the mountains! If you are in Jerusalem, leave! If you are outside the city, don’t enter it!
For these will be the days of its punishment, and everything that was foretold in the Scriptures will be come true.
How difficult will it be for pregnant women and mothers nursing their babies! A great calamity will befall the land, and wrath will come upon these people.
They will be executed by the sword or taken as slaves to other nations.
Jerusalem will be trampled on by the pagans until the time of the pagans is fulfilled.
Then there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and on the earth, nations will suffer anguish, confused when they hear the roaring of the sea and its waves.
People will faint with fear just thinking about what is coming upon the world, for the forces of the universe will be shaken.
Then, at that time, they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
So, when you see things start to happen, stand tall and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is near.”
And Jesus added this comparison:
“Look at the fig tree and all the trees.
As soon as their buds sprout, you know that summer is coming.
Similarly, when you see these signs happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near.
Truly, I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all of this occurs.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
Stay alert: avoid immersing yourself in a life of pleasure, drunkenness, and worldly worries, so that that day does not catch you off guard, like a trap!
For, like a snare, that day will come upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
But always stay watchful and pray, so that you can escape everything that is about to happen and stand before the Son of Man.
During the day, Jesus would teach in the temple, then leave the city and spend the night on the Mount of Olives.
Early in the morning, people would come to the temple to listen to him.
Commentaries
The Widow’s Offering.
The scene of the offerings made by the wealthy, compared to what the widow deposited—her only possessions—serves to illustrate yet another aspect of the relationships that should exist in the new society established by the kingdom. What is valued is no longer the expensive, grand, or powerful, but rather detachment, generosity, and above all, the faith and conviction that by giving everything for the kingdom—meaning a way of life rooted in solidarity, fraternity, and equality—no one will truly be dispossessed or left unprotected.
On the Destruction of the Temple.
The prediction of the Temple’s destruction raises a question: “When will this happen, and what is the sign that it is about to occur?” Jesus’ response forms the core of Luke’s ‘eschatological discourse,’ which blends at least three specific motifs: 1. The destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem. 2. The coming of the Son of Man. 3. The end of the world. Luke emphasizes that the destruction of Jerusalem is not necessarily a sign of the end times. The key point is that the disciples be prepared, first, not to trust false alarms from charlatans or false messiahs, and second, to endure violence and persecution from enemies of the Gospel and to seize these moments as a powerful opportunity to bear witness.
The Great Tribulation.
The siege and destruction of Jerusalem should not be mistaken for the end of the world or history. God’s plan continues, and in fact, the city and temple in ruins will serve as the occasion for foreign nations that did not know God to come to know him and submit to him.
The Parousia.
The cosmic events Luke describes in this passage about the coming of the Son of Man should not be taken literally; they evoke a way of thinking typical of apocalyptic literature (cf. Dn 7:13ff) and help distinguish this first manifestation, or Incarnation, of Jesus, which is subject to human nature and limitations—his second coming with all power and glory. The disciples need to be very attentive to the signs of the times (29-31); the key is to recognize them and believe that the Lord’s return will liberate all creation. This is the core of the early community’s eschatological hope, and it remains our hope.
Vigilance and Prayer.
It was clear that the Lucan community was already experiencing discouragement and neglect of evangelization efforts because time was passing and the parousia was not arriving. This invitation from Jesus warns against giving in to apathy and despair. The same situation is seen in the communities of the other evangelists (cf. Mt 24:43-51; Mk 13:33-36).