Lk. 21:16. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death;
Lk. 21:17. And you shall be hated by all for My name's sake,
Having said this and diminished their fear of being unlearned, the Lord brings up yet another circumstance, both necessary and capable of shaking their souls, namely: that they will be betrayed by friends and relatives. He foretells this circumstance so that, should it happen suddenly, it would not confound them. For it strikes the soul powerfully, as David also says: "For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, – that I could bear; ...but you, who were to me as myself" (Ps. 55:13–14); and again: "who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me" (Ps. 41:9).
Lk. 21:18. But not a hair of your head shall perish, –
Lk. 21:19. By your patience save your souls.
Having said this and that they will be hated and some of them will be put to death, He adds the greatest consolation: "not a hair of your head shall perish." You, He says, will be saved, and not the slightest part of you shall perish, even though to many it will seem that it has perished; only one must endure. For by your patience you can acquire your souls. The enemy approaches as if with the intention of taking captive, and tries to seize your souls by bringing calamities upon you; but instead of silver, give patience, and by this ransom you will acquire your souls and suffer no harm in them. Pay attention to the expression: "some of you they will put to death," and you will understand it somewhat more deeply, namely: they will not put you to death entirely. You consist of two parts: soul and body. Not both, but one of these, that is the body, they will put to death, while your souls you will acquire through patience. About this He also said in another place: "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul" (Matt. 10:28).
Lk. 21:20. When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has drawn near.
Now the Lord speaks most clearly about the captivity of Jerusalem. Therefore I think that the words "but before all these" (Lk. 21:12) should be understood thus: before the famine and pestilence, and the other calamities that will occur at the time of the end of the world, you, the apostles, will be driven out, and so forth. Then for Jerusalem too calamities will come. Since they thought that the buildings of the temple would be destroyed at the time of the end, the Lord says: no! For at the time of the end there will be false prophets, famine, and pestilence from the constant wars that will be kindled because love will grow cold. But you will be driven out before the time of the end, and Jerusalem will be taken captive, and these stones will be destroyed. "When you see the city of Jerusalem surrounded by Roman armies, then know that its desolation has drawn near."
Lk. 21:21. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let those who are in the city depart from it; and let those who are in the surrounding areas not enter into it,
Lk. 21:22. Days of vengeance, so that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
Lk. 21:23. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath upon this people.
After this He bewails the calamities that would then befall the city. "Let those who are in Judea," He says, "flee to the mountains"; let those in the surrounding areas not hope that the walls of the city will protect them, but even those who are inside the city, let them go out of it. For these will be days of vengeance, so that what is written may be fulfilled, especially in the book of the prophet Daniel (Dan. 9:26–27). "Woe to those who are pregnant" (in those days), for because of the heaviness of their womb they cannot flee, "and to those who are nursing," for because of their great love for their children they can neither leave them unattended nor take them along. Some say that the Lord is here alluding to the slaughter of children, about which Josephus relates and Jeremiah prophesies (Jer. 11:22).
Lk. 21:24. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
"And Jerusalem," He says, "shall be trodden down by the Gentiles." Up to this point the discourse was about the captivity; then about the end.
Lk. 21:25. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars,
"There will be," He says, "signs in the sun and moon and stars." For with the transformation of creation, it is natural for there to be a new order in the elements as well.
Lk. 21:25. and on earth distress of nations, with perplexity;
Nations will have "despondency," that is, grief mixed with perplexity in all things.
Lk. 21:25. And the sea shall roar and be troubled;
Lk. 21:26. People will be dying from fear and expectation of calamities coming upon the world,
The sea will roar terribly, and fear and confusion will set in, so that people will expire from sheer terror and expectation of the calamities coming upon the world. Do you see? He speaks here clearly about the end of the world. For above He was speaking about Jerusalem being surrounded and trampled by pagan armies, but here He speaks of the onset of calamities for the world. This means He is now speaking about the end of the world.
Lk. 21:26. For the powers of the heavens shall be shaken,
"What I say (He says), that at the change of all creation people will be troubled? The very Angels and the foremost Powers will be troubled and terrified at such fearful changes in everything."
Lk. 21:27. And then they shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
"And then they will see the Son of Man." Who? All believers and unbelievers. "Coming on a cloud," that is, as God, with power and great glory. For then both He Himself and His cross will shine more brightly than the sun, and will be recognized by all.