Luke 21:32Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Look around, dear brethren; we are witnessing the fulfillment of what has been foretold. Daily, our world faces a barrage of fresh and escalating disasters. Reflect on how many remain from the countless multitude; still, plagues befall us unexpectedly, new trials strike us out of the blue. In youth, the body thrives—strong, unblemished, full of vigor—yet in old age, it becomes worn, the neck weakens, and breath quickens with difficulty. Just as the body ages and faces decline, so too has the world, once vibrant in its youth, now burdened by its old age and incessant calamity.

Thus, my brethren, do not cling to what is unable to endure. Remember the wisdom of the Apostle: "Do not love the world, nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15). Just days ago, a fierce storm ravaged vineyards, demolished homes, and leveled churches. Many who were healthy and full of plans for tomorrow unexpectedly met their end beneath the debris. We must understand that this was orchestrated by the invisible Judge—who shifted the gentlest breeze, summoned a storm from a single cloud, and shook the ground, toppling many structures. If even such minor disruptions are fearsome, what will occur when the Judge appears in glory, ready to execute judgment upon sinners?

Paul reminds us of the gravity of this power: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). The Psalmist articulates this same might, stating, "God will come, our God, and will not keep silence; a fire shall devour before Him, and around Him shall be a mighty tempest" (Psalm 49:3). The magnitude of the Last Judgment will bring tumult and flame; the tempest will engulf those consumed by fire. Therefore, dear brethren, keep this day ever before your minds. What appears difficult to grasp becomes clearer through comparison. The Prophet warns us, "Near is the great day of the Lord, near and exceedingly bitter; the voice of the day of the Lord is harsh. Strong is the day of His wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of desolation and extinction, a day of darkness and gloom" (Soph. 1:14-16). The Lord also declares through His prophet, "I will shake the heavens and the earth" (Haggai 2:22). If He can rattle the air and the earth cannot endure, who will withstand the shaking of the heavens?

What are the dreadful occurrences we witness if not precursors of the impending wrath? It is crucial for us to understand that the present terrors differ greatly from the final fear—just as the herald’s visage diverges from that of the formidable Judge. Therefore, beloved brethren, contemplate that day earnestly, amend your ways, alter your habits, resist temptations, and wash away your sins with tears. The more prepared you are to encounter the coming of the eternal Judge, the more earnestly you will act in anticipation of His approach.

Likewise, when you witness these signs (which I have previously indicated) unfolding among the Jewish people, be assured that the time of reckoning is at hand (Matt. 24:33; Mk. 13:29), and judgment is imminent. Indeed, it is near," the Teacher proclaimed emphatically, "I assure you, this generation will not pass away until all is fulfilled; for in Jerusalem, not one stone shall remain upon another. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words will endure forever."

Furthermore, the Lord emphasizes the certainty of His prophecy, stating that heaven and earth could be obliterated before His words would fail to happen. After providing a general outline of the initial realization of His prophecies, the Lord cautions, "But of that day and hour, no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." He compares the suddenness of that final day to the unexpected flood that swept away Noah's contemporaries, as well as the surprise of an enemy attack, akin to one laborer being taken while another is left.

The wisdom in His assertion that neither the angels nor He knows the specific time serves to prevent undue curiosity and inquiries. While it is clear that the Son, as God, possesses knowledge, in His human form He embraces this ignorance to illustrate the distinction between the visible and the unimaginable.

First, Christ stated, “ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars; nation against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, shall rise up.” Indeed, the entire region was engulfed in unrest; Judea was in open rebellion, and armies from Spain, Gaul, and Germany on one side clashed with forces from Illyria and Syria on the other, all racing to Rome to decide the succession of the imperial throne following Nero's death. “There will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in places,” and Roman historians recorded that these catastrophic events struck humanity with remarkable severity during this period. Extraordinary omens appeared in the sky: a frightening comet resembling a sickle shone above Jerusalem for an entire year before the war, instilling terror in the populace. “Yet this is the beginning of tribulation.” Following this, the days were to arrive when “the enemies shall encamp around thee (Jerusalem), and encircle thee, and constrain thee from every place, and shall ravage thee, and shall beat thy children within thee: and there shall not remain in thee one stone upon another for thou hast not recognised the time of thy visitation” (Luke 19:43-44). “Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be” (Matt. 24:21). However, this dreadful judgment was to affect only the Jews. Those who “recognized the time of the visitation” were spared and could escape by fleeing from Judea into the mountains.

Christ provided a sign for Christians to discern the impending calamities so they could seek refuge in advance. “When you see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” The meaning of the abomination of desolation was well understood—it referred to the establishment of pagan banners by the Romans on the sacred territory of the holy city, and Christians heeded this warning. Once Titus situated his forces outside of the city and displayed his pagan banners, the Christians recalled Christ's caution and escaped to the mountainous city of Pella across the Jordan. Jerusalem faced imminent ruin, being spiritually and morally a lifeless body, for “where there is a corpse, there the eagles will gather,” just as they gathered to tear apart the lifeless form. Pella emerged as the primary center for the Church of Christ until Emperor Hadrian permitted Christians to return to rebuild from the remnants of the fallen city.

This dire judgment from God unfolded after the deaths of the Apostles, who, as Christ had predicted, endured suffering and were mostly martyred; yet one among them survived this calamity, the one concerning whom Christ stated: “if I will that he abide while I come” (John 21:22). This was John, “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” He was destined to shine in the firmament of the apostolic age longer than any of the other apostles, and he remained a faithful witness almost to the conclusion of that era.