Luke chapter 21 begins with the story of a poor widow putting two small coins into the temple treasury. Why is the widow’s story the introduction to the prophecy of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem?
At the time of Christ, the Temple in Jerusalem was a massive building; it took forty-six years to complete, and ten thousand skilled workmen were said to have been employed in its construction. According to the historian Josephus, some of the stones were seventy feet in length, twelve feet in height and eighteen feet in width. The Temple was adorned with gold, silver and precious stones; it was a magnificent sight to behold.
As the disciples marveled at the Temple, Jesus surprised them by prophesying its destruction. Within forty years, Titus, the son of Emperor Vespasian, together with the Roman legions, eventually destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple.
The siege of Jerusalem lasted for over four months from April to August in 70AD. In order to imagine the magnitude of this battle, Josephus claimed that over 1.1 million people were killed, while another historian, Tacitus, estimated around 600,000. A documentary on the Siege of Jerusalem gives a chilling account on the brutality of this First Jewish-Roman war (https://youtu.be/y741QbT1YEo). This brings to mind what Jesus said to the women of Jerusalem while He was carrying the Cross to Golgotha: “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.’ At that time people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall upon us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’” (Luke 23:28-30). For those who lived in Jerusalem at the time, it could very well have been the end of the world.
The disciples asked Jesus, “When will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” (Luke 21:7)
Jesus gave the disciples four signs:
- The first sign is the appearance of false Christs; Jesus said: “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ (Luke 21:8)” Historically in the years between 33-67AD, there were multiple Jewish uprisings against the Romans throughout Galilee, Judea and the surrounding areas, which were led by those who appeared to be the Messiah, and who asserted that the time for establishing the eternal kingdom had arrived.
- The second sign are wars and rumors of wars; Jesus said: “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” (Luke 21:9) Beginning in 67AD, the Roman emperor ordered the campaign against the Jewish uprisings. The Romans proved successful in quelling the uprisings in many places until the only major strongholds of Jewish resistance left was Jerusalem and Masada.
- The third sign are natural calamities; Jesus said: “There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.” (Luke 21:11) There is historical evidence for significant earthquakes, famine and pestilence in the years between 33-70AD in that part of the world.
- The fourth sign is the persecution of the disciples; Jesus said: “Before all this happens, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name.” (Luke 21:12) The Book of Acts furnishes abundant evidence of the persecution of Christians. Peter, James and Paul, and doubtless many more of the apostles suffered martyrdom before the destruction of the Temple.
Jesus said: “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is at hand. Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Let those within the city escape from it, and let those in the countryside not enter the city, for these days are the time of punishment when all the scriptures are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:20-22) One of the strategies of the Roman army was to build a wall around Jerusalem, thereby preventing anyone from getting in or out.
What is the significance of the story of the poor widow? Right before the story of the poor widow, Jesus denounced the corruption of the religious leaders of the Temple.
Luke 20:46-47: “Be on guard against the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and love greetings in marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.”
Some bible commentaries suggest that the extra land needed for building the Second Temple and its courtyards used to be occupied by widow’s houses. The land was repossessed and the houses were demolished to make room for additional grounds around the Temple. Hence the words “they devour the houses of widows” bear a literal meaning, in which widows have been robbed of their homes.
Jesus used the story of the poor widow to illustrate how bad Jerusalem has become. The poor widow’s story is evidence of what the prophet Ezekiel saw in the Temple over 600 years earlier: “The people of the land have practiced oppression and committed robbery, and they have wronged the poor and needy and have oppressed the sojourner without justice” (Ezekiel 22:29).
When Jesus was at the Temple for the last time, Jesus lamented over Jerusalem: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you were unwilling! Behold, your house will be abandoned, desolate.” (Matthew 23:37-38)
In Catholic Tradition, the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem has been regarded as the type and symbol of the Second Coming of Christ. The reason is because these two events are so closely intertwined in Luke 21, such that the literal fulfillment of the first gives an assurance that the latter will also come to pass.
In view of such prophecies, the heart of every Christian should be focused on the Second Coming of the Master. The followers of Christ must be on their guard lest they be overcome by evil influences. There will be temptation to self-indulgence, indifference and obsessions to worldly cares. Believers are warned to be on their watch lest the coming of Christ catch them unprepared. They are urged to watch and pray, and to keep the faith so that they may be ready for the Master’s arrival.