A Call for Endurance in Times of Crisis—Lectionary Reflection for Pentecost 23C (Luke 21:5-19)

 

Luke 21:5-19 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

⁵ When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, ⁶ “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”

⁷ They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” ⁸ And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray, for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them.

⁹ “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified, for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” ¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; ¹¹ there will be great earthquakes and in various places famines and plagues, and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

¹² “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. ¹³ This will give you an opportunity to testify. ¹⁴ So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance, ¹⁵ for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. ¹⁶ You will be betrayed even by parents and siblings, by relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷ You will be hated by all because of my name. ¹⁸ But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹ By your endurance you will gain your souls.

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                In the year 70 CE, Roman armies led by Titus, son of Emperor Vespasian and the future emperor himself, took the city of Jerusalem from its defenders and destroyed everything, including the famous Temple that Herod had rebuilt. If you go to Rome, you will find the famous arch that celebrates Titus’ triumph.  For those who lived in Jerusalem, that would have been the end of their world. We like to build monuments to our triumphs and forget our losses. What glory is there in defeat? However, if you’ve ever visited the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, DC, you will find something a bit different. It’s simply a black marble wall engraved with the names of all who died in the Vietnam War. It’s not a triumphant arch, but it is extremely moving. Many would like to forget that conflict, and yet these were lives lost and shouldn’t be forgotten. It might not be an arch of triumph, but it is a reminder that often our wars lead nowhere, and lives are lost as a result.

                The reading for the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost, a reading that comes a week before the liturgical year ends on Reign of Christ Sunday, we have this apocalyptic text in which Jesus speaks of the coming destruction of the Temple. Contextually, Jesus is once again in the Temple during what we know to be Holy Week. Jesus and his disciples were discussing the adornments of this magnificent structure that Herod had invested considerable resources in. Though it was supposed to be the Temple where God was to be worshipped, most likely Herod envisioned it as a monument to his own glory. While they marveled at the structure, Jesus responded by letting them know that “the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down” (Luke 21:6). It came in the year 70. So, did Jesus predict this event? If you believe that the future is open, then this is unlikely. Besides, scholars are fairly certain that Luke wrote his Gospel after the fall of Jerusalem. But there may be a kernel here that can be mined. Jesus could have seen the “signs of the times,” such that things were heading in a direction that would lead to a conflict that might lead to the city’s destruction. Jerusalem in the year 33 CE was already becoming something of a powder keg.

                In Luke’s version of a conversation that took place with his disciples (see Matt 24:3-14; Mark 13:3-13 for other versions), Jesus is asked when this would take place. The disciples wanted to know the signs that would mark this day of destruction. Jesus answered their queries with a warning, telling them not to be led astray when people would come in his name, saying, “I am he” or suggesting the time is near. He told them not to follow these figures. This is a good reminder to ignore the next person who comes along telling us that they figured out the day of the “rapture” or second coming. They are false teachers.

                What about wars and insurrections, should we see them as signs? People who indulge in seeking prophetic guidance about the future often get excited when a war breaks out, especially if it involves Russia or Israel. The end must be near. That’s the word I heard from friends and others on social media when Russia invaded Ukraine and when the war in Gaza began. So far, Jesus hasn’t returned. Now, such things as wars when nations rise up against nations will take place, but that doesn’t mean they are signs that the end is on the horizon. What about earthquakes and other natural disasters, along with famines and plagues, should we see them as signs? Dreadful things will happen, but don’t get anxious about them. In other words, if I read this right, this is reality. Since we’re essentially two thousand years past the time when these words were spoken or written, we’ve seen a lot of these kinds of things take place. They raise important questions as to the nature of reality and where God fits into the picture.

                This apocalyptic revelation brings it down to a more personal level, where Jesus tells his disciples on the eve of his own arrest that before all of these events take place, listed above, they will face arrest and persecution. They would face hostile synagogues (suggesting that Luke is describing a time when the Christian community was separating from the synagogues, a reality that colors some of the language regarding Jews in the Gospels) and face imprisonment, while being taken before kings and governors. All of this is because of their adherence to the name of Jesus. Just a reminder, especially since we’re coming up to a big holiday, you aren’t being persecuted for the name of Jesus if the merchant says, “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.”

                In Revelation 12, John of Patmos learns that Satan/the Devil/the Dragon is defeated through the “blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not cling to life in the face of death” (Rev. 12:11). How is Satan defeated? Is it through violence? No, it’s through the blood of the Lamb (the cross) and the witness of God’s people. Here, Jesus tells his disciples that this persecution they experience will give them an “opportunity to testify.” But Jesus also tells them not to prepare a defense beforehand. Don’t worry about working up a theodicy or an apologetic so you can convince the adversary of having the wrong position regarding Jesus or God’s role in the presence of evil. Rather, know that Jesus will give his people the words needed to bear witness to the ways of God revealed in Jesus’ life and ministry, as well as his teachings. Therefore, Jesus will provide wisdom that opponents can’t withstand or contradict. That’s good news, but there is more to the story.

                Jesus wants us to know that the adversary, the accuser, may involve those closest to us. He speaks of parents betraying their children, perhaps joined by siblings. Remember how in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus’ mother and siblings seek him out because they were worried about him. He told the crowd that his true family members were those who did the will of God  (Mark 3:31-35). So, those closest to you may be the ones who betray you, though Jesus doesn’t want us to become paranoid. Nevertheless, if you follow Jesus, people may “hate” you, but don’t worry, if you endure, you will gain your souls.    

                There are forces in our midst that claim to follow Jesus but instead seek power so they can control the lives of others. They want to return to Christendom, when Christians held power over others. Prophets of Christian Nationalism have been willing to oblige them. We have a President of the United States, whose connection to the Christian faith is shaky at best, who, for political reasons, has aligned himself with groups that seek power in all areas of human life. The movement is known by a variety of names, but one of the most prominent is the Seven Mountains Mandate movement, which has taken root within white evangelicalism (see Matthew Boedy’s book The Seven Mountains Mandate, WJK Books), which I recently reviewed.

                In Ephesians 6, the author (possibly Paul) reminds us that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but the powers and principalities. Revelation 12 speaks of Satan being defeated by the cross and the testimony of God’s children. These are difficult times, and we are tempted to take power into our own hands, engaging in coercion so we get our own way. Without advocating for being passive in the face of evil, we are called to resist these forces, but we do so with our testimony. That testimony can take various forms, including the way we vote, as long as we understand that the goal is not to take power but, as Jeremiah told the exiles, we will find our welfare in the welfare of others (Jer. 29:7).

                One of the important messages that passages like this offer us is warnings against heeding false prophets. There are many such false prophets. They may promise prosperity or political power, but don’t listen to them. Instead, use discernment and the lens that Jesus’ teaching provides. Jesus came proclaiming the kingdom of God, but that kingdom isn’t a political entity in the same way that a nation-state is, even if Christians have tried to create “kingdoms” like that, which they claim to be from God. One might ask how holy the Holy Roman Empire was.

                For our part, during this time of crisis, the call is not to gain power over others, but to stay faithful, bearing witness to the love and grace of God revealed to us in the person of Jesus. That may require a great bit of endurance and patience.