The Meaning of Luke 21:28 Explained

Luke 21:28

KJV: And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

YLT: and these things beginning to happen bend yourselves back, and lift up your heads, because your redemption doth draw nigh.'

Darby: But when these things begin to come to pass, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws nigh.

ASV: But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption draweth nigh.

What is the context of Luke 21:28?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  when these things  begin  to come to pass,  then look up,  and  lift up  your  heads;  for  your  redemption  draweth nigh. 

What does Luke 21:28 Mean?

Study Notes

redemption
, See Scofield " Romans 8:19 ", See Scofield " Romans 8:23 "
Redemption
Redemption, "to deliver by paying a price." The N.T. doctrine. The N.T. records the fulfilment of the O.T. types and prophecies of redemption through the sacrifice of Christ. The completed truth is set forth in the three words which are translated redemption
(1) agorazo, "to purchase in the market." The underlying thought is of a slave-market. The subjects of redemption are "sold under sin" Romans 7:14 but are, moreover, under sentence of death; Ezekiel 18:4 ,; John 3:18 ; John 3:19 ; Romans 3:19 ; Galatians 3:10 , and the purchase price is the blood of the Redeemer who dies in their stead; Galatians 3:13 ; 2 Corinthians 5:21 ; Matthew 20:28 ,; Mark 10:45 ; 1 Timothy 2:6 ; 1 Peter 1:18 .
(2) exagorazo, "to buy out of the market." The redeemed are never again to be exposed to sale;
(3) lutroo, "to loose," "to set free by paying a price" John 8:32 ; Galatians 4:4 ; Galatians 4:5 ; Galatians 4:31 ; Galatians 5:13 ; Romans 8:21 . Redemption is by sacrifice and by power (See Scofield " Exodus 14:30 ") Christ paid the price, the Holy Spirit makes deliverance actual in experience Romans 8:2 .
(See Scofield " Isaiah 59:20 ") . See Scofield " Romans 1:16 ".
grace Grace (in salvation), Romans 4:4-16 ; Romans 3:24 . (See Scofield " John 1:17 ") .

Verse Meaning

These calamities should have the result that believers living then will realize that the Second Coming is very near. Consequently they should prepare to meet the Lord. The approach of their redemption refers to the approach of the final stage of their redemption, namely, their entering the safety of the kingdom (cf. Psalm 111:9; Isaiah 63:4; Daniel 4:34). When Jesus returns, He will remove believers from the Tribulation by ending it. This verse contains encouragement for believers. Lifting up the head is symbolic of hope and rejoicing (cf. Judges 8:28; Job 10:15; Psalm 24:7; Psalm 83:3).

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 21:28

Look up [ανακυπσατε]
First aorist active imperative of ανακυπτω — anakuptō to raise up. Here of the soul as in John 8:7, John 8:10, but in Luke 13:11 of the body. These the only N.T. examples of this common verb. [source]
Redemption [απολυτρωσις]
Act of redeeming from απολυτροω — apolutroō The final act at the second coming of Christ, a glorious hope. [source]
Look up []
See on Luke 13:11. Graphic, as implying being previously bowed down with sorrow. [source]
Redemption [ἀπολύτρωσις]
See on lettest depart, Luke 2:29. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 21:28

Romans 3:24 Redemption [ἀπολυτρώσεως]
From ἀπολυτρόω toredeem by paying the λύτρον priceMostly in Paul. See Luke 21:28; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 11:35. The distinction must be carefully maintained between this word and λύτρον ransomThe Vulgate, by translating both redemptio, confounds the work of Christ with its result. Christ's death is nowhere styled λύτρωσις redemptionHis death is the λύτρον ransomfiguratively, not literally, in the sense of a compensation; the medium of the redemption, answering to the fact that Christ gave Himself for us. [source]
Hebrews 9:12 Through his own blood [δια του ιδιου αιματος]
This is the great distinction between Christ as High Priest and all other high priests. They offer blood (Hebrews 9:7), but he offered his own blood. He is both victim and High Priest. See the same phrase in Hebrews 13:12; Acts 20:28. Once for all In contrast to the repeated (annual) entrances of the Levitical high priests (Hebrews 9:7). Into the holy place Here, as in Hebrews 9:8, Hebrews 9:24 heaven itself. Having obtained First aorist middle (indirect) participle of ευρισκω — heuriskō simultaneous action with εισηλτεν — eisēlthen and by or of himself “as the issue of personal labour directed to this end” (Westcott). The value of Christ‘s offering consists in the fact that he is the Son of God as well as the Son of man, that he is sinless and so a perfect sacrifice with no need of an offering for himself, and that it is voluntary on his part (John 10:17). Λυτρωσις — Lutrōsis (from λυτροω — lutroō) is a late word for the act of ransoming (cf. λυτρον — lutron ransom), in O.T. only here and Luke 1:68; Luke 2:38. But απολυτρωσις — apolutrōsis elsewhere (as in Luke 21:28; Romans 3:24; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 11:35). For “eternal” (αιωνιαν — aiōnian here feminine form) see Hebrews 6:2. The author now turns to discuss the better sacrifice (9:13-10:18) already introduced. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 21:28 mean?

Beginning then of these things to come to pass look up and lift up the heads of you because draws near the redemption
ἀρχομένων δὲ τούτων γίνεσθαι ἀνακύψατε καὶ ἐπάρατε τὰς κεφαλὰς ὑμῶν διότι ἐγγίζει ἀπολύτρωσις

ἀρχομένων  Beginning 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: ἄρχω  
Sense: to be the first to do (anything), to begin.
τούτων  of  these  things 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
γίνεσθαι  to  come  to  pass 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
ἀνακύψατε  look  up 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἀνακύπτω  
Sense: to raise or lift one’s self up.
ἐπάρατε  lift  up 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἐπαίρω  
Sense: to lift up, raise up, raise on high.
κεφαλὰς  heads 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: κεφαλή  
Sense: the head, both of men and often of animals.
ὑμῶν  of  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
διότι  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: διότι  
Sense: on this account that, because.
ἐγγίζει  draws  near 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐγγίζω  
Sense: to bring near, to join one thing to another.
ἀπολύτρωσις  redemption 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀπολύτρωσις  
Sense: a releasing effected by payment of ransom.