Journal: Southern Baptist Journal of Theology
Volume: SBJT 16:3 (Fall 2012)
Article: Jesus, The Destruction Of Jerusalem, And The Coming Of The Son Of Man In Luke 21:5-38
Author: Robert H. Stein

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SBJT 16:3 (Fall 2012) p. 18

Jesus, The Destruction Of Jerusalem, And The Coming Of The Son Of Man In Luke 21:5-38

Robert H. Stein

Robert H. Stein is Senior Professor of New Testament Interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Dr. Stein earned the Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary, and also taught at Bethel College and Bethel Theological Seminary from 1969-1997. He is a renowned scholar and has written numerous books, articles, and reviews, including Studying the Synoptic Gospels: Origin and Interpretation (Baker, 2001), Jesus the Messiah: A Survey of the Life of Christ (InterVarsity, 1996), and Luke in the New American Commentary series (B&H, 1992).

In Luke 21:5-38 we encounter Jesus’ third and largest pronouncement in this Gospel concerning the destruction of the Jewish temple and the city of Jerusalem. The two earlier pronouncements in 13:34-35 and 19:41-44 are much shorter and less detailed. Along with the parallel accounts in Matthew 23:37-39, 24:1-44, and Mark 13:1-37, we find numerous other examples of Jesus’ foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem in Mark 14:58; 15:29; John 2:19-20; Acts 6:14. In addition we find an acted out parable of this in Jesus’ cleansing of the temple (Mark 11:12-25), and there are suggestions of this in the parable of the pounds (19:11-27) and parable of the vineyard (Mark 12:1-11/ Luke 20:19-18). Consequently, Jesus’ prophetic proclamation of the temple’s destruction is one of the most certain aspects of his teaching and was a major cause of his death. Like the OT prophets Jesus boldly warned of God’s forthcoming destruction of Israel’s glorious temple.

Luke 21:5-7: The Introduction And Key To Understanding Luke 21:5-38

The discourse opens with an anonymous “some” commenting to Jesus over the beauty and magnificence of the temple. In Mark 13:1 the “some” is referred to as “one of the disciples” and in Matthew 24:1 as “his disciples.” Luke may have used “some” to direct Jesus’ reply to his gentile audience and Theophilus...

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