Faithful on Fridays Blog

Scene Twelve

This divine drama takes a turn in Chapter 21 as Jesus prepared His followers for two important future events: the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple and His Second Coming. The first one was near-future and the second, far-future; both are impending. Other gospels cover these events, however, from Luke’s Gentile perspective he alone includes Jesus’ prediction that “Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until their times are fulfilled.” After all these interviews Luke must’ve begun to understand the hatred felt for Jesus by the religious leaders, but the Romans? Why do they care?

The prophets had foretold this destruction in Dan. 9, 11, and 12 and Luke was learning how to connect the Old Testament prophecies to what he was told about the Messiah. He didn’t know, but that destruction would be about ten years later in his time and experience. 

Many Christians don’t understand the value of the Old Testament either, only focusing on the New; that’s a mistake. Similar to Luke, we’ll understand His Second Coming better as we gain insight into His First Coming. Jesus continued teaching about His Return by giving warnings that remain valid today:

• Don’t allow yourselves to be oppressed by emotions or the world’s addictions because they’re spiritual traps. 

• Stay alert by reminding yourselves of ‘That Day’ because it’s coming and you want to be ready.

• Be prayful, that’s where your strength lies. 

• Everyone will stand before the Son of Man.

There’s only a small section of Chapter 22 that’s unique to Luke, yet fascinating, and that’s Jesus’ encounter with Simon Peter (vs. 31-32) when the Lord gives insight into Satan’s role in His future. Jesus told Peter that Satan had demanded authority over him but He prayed for his strength to endure. Would he make wrong choices, of course, but Jesus alerted him that when he turned back, and he would, he’d strengthen his brothers. Did Luke have this conversation directly with Peter? Why didn’t Peter include it when he dictated his gospel to Mark? Shame, sorrow, discouragement, we don’t know, but he undoubtedly told Luke about it.

After Jesus is arrested (Chapter 23) and Pilate happily hands him over to Herod for more questioning, unique to Luke, Jesus continued His silence. His destiny was the cross. As a Gentile Luke must’ve been surprised Jesus wouldn’t defend Himself to these Roman officials and in vs. 27-31 as the grief-stricken women followed, He warned them to not weep for Him, but for themselves and their families because, again, merciless persecution and destruction was coming. 

Luke’s deep understanding of the gospel message was undoubtedly sinking into his soul as he listened and wrote realizing he was a part of this story and needed to be ready as well. 70AD is the year of fulfillment of this prophecy, Jerusalem and the Temple were indeed destroyed and the Jewish people dispersed to the nations until 1948 when God began the restoration of Israel and her people that continues today.