Luke 21:27Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

For as in this world the moon and the stars are soon dimmed by the rising of the sun, so at the glorious appearance of Christ shall the sun become dark, and the moon not shed her ray, and the stars shall fall from heaven, stripped of their former attire, that they may put on the robe of a better light.

Or else, When the higher world shall be changed, then also the lower elements shall suffer loss; whence it follows, And on the earth distress of nations, &c. As if He said, the sea shall roar terribly, and its shores shall be shaken with the tempest, so that of the people and nations of the earth there shall be distress, that is, a universal misery, so that they shall pine away from fear and expectation of the evils which are coming upon the world.

Great must be understood in like manner. For His first appearance He made in our weakness and lowliness, the second He shall celebrate in all His own power.

But that the Lord may not seem to have foretold as extraordinary those things concerning His second coming, which were wont to happen to this world even before His first coming, and that we may not be laughed at by those who have read more and greater events than these in the history of nations, I think what has been said may be better understood to apply to the Church. For the Church is the sun, the moon, and the stars, to whom it was said, Fair as the moon, elect as the sun. (Cant. 6:10.) And she will then not be seen for the unbounded rage of the persecutors.

While many also fall away from religion, clear faith will be obscured by the cloud of unbelief, for to me that Sun of righteousness is either diminished or increased according to my faith; and as the moon in its monthly wanings, or when it is opposite the sun by the interposition of the earth, suffers eclipse, so also the holy Church when the sins of the flesh oppose the heavenly light, cannot borrow the brightness of divine light from Christ’s rays. For in persecutions, the love of this world generally shuts out the light of the divine Sun; the stars also fall, that is, men who shine in glory fall when the bitterness of persecution waxes sharp and prevails. And this must be until the multitude of the Church be gathered in, for thus are the good tried and the weak made manifest.

Be vigilant as you await the return of Christ. Ensure your lamps remain lit and your girdles are secure, for you do not know when our Lord will arrive. Regularly come together, reflecting on what nourishes your souls; for your faith will bear little fruit unless you remain steadfast in the final days. In these last times, there will be an increase in false prophets and those who seek to destroy, with innocent ones turning to hostility. As lawlessness abounds, people will harbor hate towards one another, leading to betrayal and persecution. At that point, the deceiver, appearing as the Son of God, will emerge, performing signs and wonders, dominion over the earth will be granted to him, and he will commit unthinkable wrongs never seen before.

Or the powers of heaven are those which preside over the sensible parts of the universe, which indeed shall then be shaken that they may attain to a better state. For they shall be discharged from the ministry with which they serve God toward the sensible bodies in their perishing condition.

For whom does He call the powers of heaven, but the angels, dominions, principalities, and powers? which at the coming of the strict Judge shall then appear visibly to our eyes, that they may strictly exact judgment of us, seeing that now our invisible Creator patiently bears with us.

Thus it is said in Job, the pillars of heaven tremble and are afraid at his reproof. (Job 26:11.) What then do the boards do, when the pillars tremble? what does the shrub of the desert suffer, when the cedar of Paradise is shaken?

After describing a series of alarming events, the Lord focused on the imminent judgment of God concerning Jerusalem. He stated, "As for Jerusalem, the certainty of its destruction is at hand, as the abomination of desolation, as mentioned by Daniel, will manifest in the holy place. Therefore, those who seek to escape this devastation must flee immediately from Judea. Those who choose to remain will endure a tribulation unlike anything experienced since the foundation of the world. At that time, there will be false prophets rising among them, but do not place your faith in them. The Son of Man will come with the brilliance of lightning, not confined to a specific location or form, but as the judgment of God (Matthew 24:15-28). He will reveal His full glory at the culmination of the age (29-31)."

The conclusion of the current age will involve the total annihilation of its existing structure, leading to a complete transformation (cf. 2 Pet. 3:10, 12, 13). As this profound disturbance in the visible realm unfolds, when celestial signs begin to manifest and turmoil arises in the oceans and upon the land (Lk.), there will be widespread despair among the nations and confusion; individuals will be overwhelmed with fear and anticipation of the disasters approaching the cosmos (Lk.). "Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven," and all the tribes of the earth will mourn (Matt.), those whom their conscience will accuse of transgressions.

Those who have faith in Christ and adhere to the will of His Father need not feel frightened or disheartened. Instead, as these events begin to unfold, they should rejoice because their liberation from this mortal existence and the onset of eternal happiness is imminent. They should lift their gaze confidently to the heavens and witness the sign of the Son of Man, followed by His glorious return upon the clouds with immense power and majesty. Jesus did not specify the nature of this sign, nor did His disciples inquire about it. Clearly, it will be an unmistakable sign that signifies the arrival of Christ. According to John Chrysostom, this sign will be the cross.

The exact timing of the Lord's return and the conclusion of the world remains a mystery even to the angels; however, certain signs can indicate the proximity of these significant events. At that time, the sun and moon will lose their light, the stars will descend like autumn leaves, and the celestial powers will be disturbed. There will be a profound disruption of the established order, and then Christ will command His angels with trumpets to gather His elect from the four corners of the earth.