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Luke 21: The Widow's Gift and the End of the Age

Jesus honors a poor widow's offering, foretells the destruction of the temple and the signs of the age, and calls his people to watchful endurance.

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Luke 21 (WEB)

1 He looked up, and saw the rich people who were putting their gifts into the treasury.

2 He saw a certain poor widow casting in two small brass coins.

3 He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow put in more than all of them,

4 for all these put in gifts for God from their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, put in all that she had to live on.”

5 As some were talking about the temple and how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts, he said,

6 “As for these things which you see, the days will come, in which there will not be left here one stone on another that will not be thrown down.”

7 They asked him, “Teacher, so when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are about to happen?”

8 He said, “Watch out that you don’t get led astray, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is at hand.’ Therefore don’t follow them.

9 When you hear of wars and disturbances, don’t be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end won’t come immediately.”

10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

11 There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in various places. There will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name’s sake.

13 It will turn out as a testimony for you.

14 Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to answer,

15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict.

16 You will be handed over even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will cause some of you to be put to death.

17 You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake.

18 And not a hair of your head will perish.

19 “By your endurance you will win your lives.

20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand.

21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who are in the middle of her depart. Let those who are in the country not enter therein.

22 For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

23 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse infants in those days! For there will be great distress in the land, and wrath to this people.

24 They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

25 There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves;

26 men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”

29 He told them a parable. “See the fig tree, and all the trees.

30 When they are already budding, you see it and know by your own selves that the summer is already near.

31 Even so you also, when you see these things happening, know that God’s Kingdom is near.

32 Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things are accomplished.

33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.

34 “So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly.

35 For it will come like a snare on all those who dwell on the surface of all the earth.

36 Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

37 Every day Jesus was teaching in the temple, and every night he would go out and spend the night on the mountain that is called Olivet.

38 All the people came early in the morning to him in the temple to hear him.

Summary

Watching the offerings in the temple, Jesus notices a poor widow who puts in two small coins and declares that she has given more than all the rich, for she gave out of her poverty everything she had. When some admire the temple's beauty, Jesus foretells that not one stone will be left on another. He warns his followers of false messiahs, wars, persecutions, and cosmic signs, urging them not to be terrified but to use the times to bear witness, promising them words and wisdom no enemy can resist. He speaks of Jerusalem surrounded and trampled, and of the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory, at which his people are to lift up their heads, for their redemption draws near. Like a fig tree budding before summer, these signs announce that the kingdom of God is near. Jesus calls his people to stay awake and to pray for strength to stand before him.

Main Characters

  • Jesus — Commends the widow's offering and teaches about the end of the age and the coming of the Son of Man
  • The poor widow — Gives two small coins, all she had, and is honored by Jesus above the rich
  • The disciples — Ask when these things will happen and receive Jesus' call to watchful endurance

Key Verse

Luke 21:33 (WEB)

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.

Lessons Learned

  • God measures our giving not by the amount but by the heart and the cost behind it.
  • Earthly grandeur is temporary, but the word of Jesus endures forever.
  • Followers of Jesus should expect trials yet use them as opportunities to witness.
  • Christ will return in glory, so his people are to watch, pray, and stand ready.
  • God sees the heart behind our giving. Jesus says the poor widow 'put in more than all of them,' giving out of her poverty 'all that she had to live on' (Luke 21:3-4, WEB).
  • Jesus' words outlast everything that seems permanent. He declares, 'Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away' (Luke 21:33, WEB).
  • Trials become opportunities for testimony. Jesus tells his followers, 'It will turn out as a testimony for you,' and promises them 'a mouth and wisdom' their adversaries cannot resist (Luke 21:13-15, WEB).
  • Christ will return visibly and gloriously. Jesus says they will see 'the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory' (Luke 21:27, WEB), and his people may lift up their heads.
  • Watchfulness and prayer prepare us for that day. Jesus warns them to watch and pray always 'that you may be counted worthy... to stand before the Son of Man' (Luke 21:36, WEB).
  1. Why does Jesus say the widow gave more than all the wealthy givers?
  2. How does Jesus respond to the admiration of the temple, and what does he predict?
  3. What does Jesus tell his followers to expect, and how are they to respond to persecution?
  4. How does Jesus describe the coming of the Son of Man, and what hope does it hold for his people?
  5. Where in your own life is God inviting you to give or to trust him more fully, even from a place of little?
  1. The rich gave out of their abundance, but the widow gave two small coins, all she had to live on (Luke 21:3-4). Jesus measures the gift by sacrifice and trust, not by the sum, so her offering is the greatest of all.
  2. When people admire the temple's stones and gifts, Jesus foretells that not one stone will be left upon another (Luke 21:5-6). Even the most magnificent earthly structure will pass, while his word remains (21:33).
  3. Jesus warns of wars, persecutions, and betrayals (Luke 21:9-17), yet tells his followers not to be terrified and to see these as chances to testify. He promises wisdom no opponent can withstand and that not a hair of their head will perish (21:15, 18).
  4. Jesus describes the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory (Luke 21:27). Far from fearing, his people are to look up because their redemption is near, and the budding fig tree shows the kingdom is at hand (21:28-31).
  5. This is a personal application question. Invite members to share where they sense God calling them to greater trust or generosity. As leader, encourage honest reflection and point to the widow's quiet faith, and do not press anyone to share more than they wish.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), the King James Version (KJV), and the American Standard Version (ASV), all of which are in the public domain.