The Meaning of Luke 21:20 Explained

Luke 21:20

KJV: And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

YLT: 'And when ye may see Jerusalem surrounded by encampments, then know that come nigh did her desolation;

Darby: But when ye see Jerusalem encompassed with armies, then know that its desolation is drawn nigh.

ASV: But when ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  when  ye shall see  Jerusalem  compassed  with  armies,  then  know  that  the desolation  thereof  is nigh. 

What does Luke 21:20 Mean?

Study Notes

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Luke 21:20 ; Luke 21:24 are not included in the report of the Olivet discourse as given by Matthew and Mark. Two sieges of Jerusalem are in view in that discourse. Luke 21:20-24 refers to the siege by Titus, A.D. 70, when the city was taken, and Luke 21:24 literally fulfilled. But that siege and its horrors but adumbrate the final siege at the end of this age, in which the "great tribulation" culminates. At that time the city will be taken, but delivered by the glorious appearing of the Lord Revelation 19:11-21 . The references in; Matthew 24:15-28 ,; Mark 13:14-26 are to the final tribulation siege; Luke 21:20-24 to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus. In Luke the sign is the compassing of Jerusalem by armies Luke 21:20 in; Matthew 24:15 ; Mark 13:14 the sign is the abomination in the holy place. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 .

Verse Meaning

The sign that Jerusalem"s destruction was imminent would be the presence of besieging armies (cf. Luke 21:7). This happened when Titus encircled the city with troops and put it under siege beginning in A.D68.

Context Summary

Luke 21:20-28 - The Coming Of The Son Of Man In Glory
This paragraph clearly has its first reference to the fall of Jerusalem, which took place a.d. 70. The directions given by our Lord were of the greatest service to the Christian church, the members of which in large numbers, fled to Pella, across the Jordan, and so escaped the horrors of the siege. But beyond this each great event, such as the dissolution of the Hebrew state, the overthrow of the Roman Empire, the rise of the Reformation, the French Revolution, and so forth, is another stage in the advent of our Lord. He is always "coming in a cloud" so far as the eyes of men are concerned; but with the growing glory of clearer revelation and increased spiritual power. And all these stages are leading up to His final unveiling at His second advent.
That generation did not pass away before these portents were fulfilled; but each great period or chapter of history closes with similar signs. It is as though nature were as sympathetic to the experiences of the race, as the body is to the motions of the soul. Again behold the travail-pangs of creation, through which the new heavens and the new earth are being born. See Romans 8:22, etc. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 21

1  Jesus commends the poor widow
5  He foretells the destruction of the temple, and of the city Jerusalem;
25  the signs also which shall be before the last day
34  He exhorts them to be watchful

Greek Commentary for Luke 21:20

Compassed with armies [κυκλουμενην υπο στρατοπεδων]
Present passive participle of κυκλοω — kukloō to circle, encircle, from κυκλος — kuklos circle. Old verb, but only four times in N.T. The point of this warning is the present tense, being encircled. It will be too late after the city is surrounded. It is objected by some that Jesus, not to say Luke, could not have spoken (or written) these words before the Roman armies came. One may ask why not, if such a thing as predictive prophecy can exist and especially in the case of the Lord Jesus. The word στρατοπεδων — stratopedōn (στρατος — stratos army, πεδον — pedon plain) is a military camp and then an army in camp. Old word, but only here in the N.T. [source]
Then know [τοτε γνωτε]
Second aorist active imperative of γινωσκω — ginōskō Christians did flee from Jerusalem to Pella before it was too late as directed in Luke 21:21; Mark 13:14.; Matthew 24:16. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 21:20

Matthew 24:15 The abomination of desolation [το βδελυγμα της ερεμωσεως]
An allusion to Daniel 9:27; Daniel 11:31; Daniel 12:11. Antiochus Epiphanes erected an altar to Zeus on the altar of Jehovah (1 Maccabees 1:54, 59; 6:7; 2 Maccabees 6:1-5). The desolation in the mind of Jesus is apparently the Roman army (Luke 21:20) in the temple, an application of the words of Daniel to this dread event. The verb βδελυσσομαι — bdelussomai is to feel nausea because of stench, to abhor, to detest. Idolatry was a stench to God (Luke 16:15; Revelation 17:4). Josephus tells us that the Romans burned the temple and offered sacrifices to their ensigns placed by the eastern gate when they proclaimed Titus as Emperor. [source]
Hebrews 11:30 Compassed about [κυκλωθέντα]
Comp. Luke 21:20; John 10:24. oP. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 21:20 mean?

When then you see being encircled by encampments Jerusalem then know that has drawn near the desolation of her
Ὅταν δὲ ἴδητε κυκλουμένην ὑπὸ στρατοπέδων Ἰερουσαλήμ τότε γνῶτε ὅτι ἤγγικεν ἐρήμωσις αὐτῆς

ἴδητε  you  see 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.
κυκλουμένην  being  encircled 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: κυκλεύω 
Sense: to go around, lead around.
στρατοπέδων  encampments 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: στρατόπεδον  
Sense: a military camp.
Ἰερουσαλήμ  Jerusalem 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: Ἰερουσαλήμ  
Sense: denotes either the city itself or the inhabitants.
γνῶτε  know 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: γινώσκω  
Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
ἤγγικεν  has  drawn  near 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐγγίζω  
Sense: to bring near, to join one thing to another.
ἐρήμωσις  desolation 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐρήμωσις  
Sense: a making desolate, desolation.
αὐτῆς  of  her 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.

What are the major concepts related to Luke 21:20?

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