Luke 21:5-19 NRSV

The Destruction of the Temple Foretold

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.’ Signs and Persecutions 7 They asked him, ‘Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?’ ⁸And 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.’ ¹⁰Then he said to them, ‘Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; ¹¹there 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. ¹³This will give you an opportunity to testify. ¹⁴So make up your minds not to prepare your defence in advance; ¹⁵for I will give you words^* and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. ¹⁶You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷You will be hated by all because of my name. ¹⁸But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹By your endurance you will gain your souls.

Once again the commentators begin this section as Barclay does, with words like ‘... from verse 5 onwards this becomes a very difficult chapter ...’ Barclay suggests that beneath it lie four different conceptions:

Firstly, there is the conception of the ‘day of the Lord’: The Jews regarded time as being in two ages: the present age, which was altogether evil, incapable of being cured and fit only for destruction; the age to come which was a golden age of God and Jewish supremacy. In between there would be a ‘day of the Lord’, which would be a terrible time of cosmic upheaval and destruction because this would be the birth pangs of the coming of the new age. The Old Testament prophets are full of passages referring to this. They speak of the day of the Lord coming suddenly and that the world would be shattered and the entire cosmos would be in uproar. This idea formed one of the basic conceptions of religious thought in the time of Jesus and so everyone would have had some idea of what was meant here. (Verses 9 and 11)

Secondly, there is the conception of the prophesied fall of Jerusalem: We know that Jerusalem fell to the Romans in AD 70 after the most dreadful battle and a time of horrific hardship and over a million Jews perished and 97,000 were taken away into captivity. The Jewish nation was in effect obliterated; the Temple was destroyed and became a desolation. (Verses 5-6)

Thirdly, there is the conception of the second coming of Christ: Jesus was sure that he was to come again and the early Church waited eagerly for that coming but before this, there would be many false claimants to be the returned Christ and there would be great upheavals. (Verses 7-9)

Lastly, there is the conception of the persecution to come: Jesus foresaw and foretold the terrible things that his people would need to endure for his sake. (Verses 12-19)

It appears that it was the splendour of the Temple that moved Jesus to say something. The pillars of the porches and the cloisters were columns of white marble, forty feet high, each made of one block of stone. There was a great vine make of solid gold and each of the clusters was as tall as a man. [We get all this detail from Josephus.] There were plates of gold of great weight and when the sun rose, reflected a fiery splendour making people turn their eyes away. It appeared to strangers (from a distance) like a mountain covered with snow because those parts that were not covered with gilt, appeared white. To the Jews of the day, it was unthinkable that this wonderful building would ever be raised to the ground!

But Jesus was astute enough to be able to see ahead and could prophesy of the disaster to come. He was also completely honest and made it clear to his disciples that being one of his disciples would not mean an easy life. Barclay tells of a man in the middle of a great struggle who wrote to a friend: “Heads are rolling in the sand; come and add yours.” Barclay comments: “Jesus believed in men enough to offer them, not an easy way, but a way of heroes.”

But he does not leave us with this troubling news, adding that we would never need to face the troubled times alone. It is the testimony of history that great Christians have experienced, even in the midst of torture and when they were awaiting death, they knew the depth of the presence of Christ with them. Even in my insignificant way, when I was struggling with the pancreatic tumour so many years ago, I too knew the presence of our Lord in the most intimate and beautiful way. Barclay writes: “A prison can be like a palace, a scaffold like a throne, the storms of life like summer weather when Christ is with us ...” and concludes: “The person who walk with Christ may lose his life but they can never lose their soul.”

I turn now to Tom Wright for inspiration ...

                 

All the evangelists deal with Jesus prophesying about the end times, but Luke’s account addresses the question most specifically. What was shocking to the disciples was the thought that their magnificent Temple would be torn down. Tom Wright writes: “... the most beautiful building one could imagine, adorned and decorated by the skill and love of hundreds of years, and occupying the central place in the national life, religion and imagination – would be torn down ...’ seemed unthinkable. Jesus seemed to be suggesting that the Temple was wrong, and this was impossible for the average devout Jew to ever contemplate this idea just as it would be for an American thinking about the devastation of the White House or the Washington Memorial. But the Temple was even more important to the Jews because it represented a thousand years of God’s dealings with his people.

It is interesting to me that Tom Wright gives examples from America. It has made me wonder what British buildings might occupy a similar place in our hearts: Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral, York Minster (where I was ordained)?

Their confusion would have been added to by the thought that Jesus would no longer be with them in person and yet they would be identified with him and suffer as a result. There would also be all sorts of disasters and much suffering.

Even their own people would not be friendly, because they will see Jesus as having corrupted their religion and led Israel astray; families would be split and Christians would be blamed for all sorts of catastrophes; they would become the one’s everyone loved to hate!

So much for the bad news!

Jesus also promised that he would provide them with everything they needed to be able to deal with all this – wisdom – and the security that whatever happens to us, our souls will always be safe and secure.

I am showing my year 08 classes the film Gandhi. I am always moved by the simple beauty of his life and philosophy and his love for the teachings of Jesus. He, a Hindu, reveals so much of the love of Jesus that makes him a wonderful example and challenge to us.

We need beauty in our lives, but do we often mistake it for things that are majestic and splendid in their size and expense. I would like to suggest that the example of our Lord would suggest that it comes in much simpler ways. One of the most beautiful places for me is Mount St Bernard Abbey just up the road from where we live. It is the Church of a community of Cistercians and epitomises their simplicity of life and worship. It is stark in appearance, but filled with an aura that can only come with years of prayer and silence.

No matter what happens to us, as Wesley said on his death bed: “And the greatest thing of all is: God is with us!”

Stop Speculating!

Here, in my judgment, is one of the subtlest temptations that faces any Christian in any era: If we are not careful, we can get diverted here from what Christ has called us to do in this present age. This happened in Thessalonica not twenty years after Jesus died, and Saint Paul met the issue head on. Some of the folk there got so caught up in expecting and predicting the imminent return of the Lord that they had ceased to do any work and degenerated into idle busybodies who prattled only about the future (2 Thessalonians 3:11). Paul rebuked this tendency to let an over-interest in "the last things" divert us from faithfulness to "the first things."

There is an old story about a warrior who was struck one day by a poisonous arrow. This man happened to be a speculative sort of person, so as he lay on the ground he mused to himself: "I wonder what kind of wood this arrow is made of? What sort of birds, do you suppose, the feathers come from? I wonder what type of man shot this arrow — tall or short, dark or light." His comrades, who saw his plight, could bear it no longer, but cried out in frustration: "For God's sake, man! Stop speculating and pull out the arrow!"

Need I say more?

Gary L. Carver and Tom M. Garrison, Sermons for Sundays in Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany: Building a Victorious Life, CSS Publishing Company, Inc.
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When All Hope Seems Lost

  

Fiorello LaGuardia was mayor of New York City during the Depression, and he was quite a character. He would ride the city fire trucks, take entire orphanages to baseball games and whenever the city newspapers went on strike, he would get on the radio and read the Sunday "funnies" to the children.

At any rate, one bitter cold winter's night in 1935, Mayor LaGuardia turned up in a night court that served the poorest ward in the city, dismissed the judge for the evening and took over the bench himself. After he heard a few cases, a tattered old woman was brought before him, accused of stealing a loaf of bread.

She told LaGuardia that her daughter's husband had deserted her, her daughter was sick and her grandchildren were starving. But the shopkeeper, from whom the bread was stolen, insisted on pressing charges. "My store is in a very bad neighborhood, your honor," he said. "She's got to be punished in order to teach other people a lesson."

The mayor sighed. He turned to the old woman and said, "I've got to punish you," he said. "The law makes no exception - ten dollars or ten days in jail."

But even as he spoke, LaGuardia was reaching into his pocket and pulling out a ten dollar bill. "Here is the woman's fine," he said, "and furthermore, I'm going to fine everyone in this court room fifty cents for living in a city where a person has to steal bread so that her grandchildren can eat. Mr. Bailiff, collect the fines and give them to the defendant."

The following day, the New York Times reported that $47.50 was turned over to the bewildered old woman. It was given by the red-faced store owner, some seventy petty criminals, people with traffic violations and city policemen - and they all gave their mayor a standing ovation as they handed over their money.

That's how it will be with God's world. Just when it seems that all hope is lost, and goodness and mercy shall never win, the Great Judge will come to set things right, deciding for the hungry and the meek of the earth.

Erskine White, Together in Christ, CSS Publishing Company
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Apologies for the lateness of recent blogs. It has been a result of technical difficulties.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-end NRSV

The Man of Lawlessness

¹As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters,^{* 2}not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. ³Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one^* is revealed, the one destined for destruction.^{* 4}He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God. ⁵Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you?

Chosen for Salvation

¹³ But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters^* beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits^* for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. ¹⁴For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news,^* so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵So then, brothers and sisters,^* stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter. ¹⁶ Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, ¹⁷comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.

Barclay describes this as one of the most difficult passages in all the New Testament, mostly because the imagery used here is so foreign to the modern reader. For those who heard (or read) it for the first time, they would have required no explanation, but to us, who do not have their local knowledge, it is obscure!

Paul is telling the Thessalonians that they must give up their hysterical waiting for the Second Coming. He denied that he had ever said that the ‘Day of the Lord’ had already come, because before this could happen much still needed to be fulfilled. The events were as follows: there would come an age of great rebellion against God; into this world there already was a secret evil power which would be behind this rebellion. There was something that was the incarnation of evil as Jesus had been the incarnation of God. In time, the power that was restraining this evil power would be removed and then the devil incarnate would come. When this happened, he would gather his followers around him just as Jesus had done. Those who had refused to accept Christ would accept him. What would follow would be a great battle in which the Christ would destroy the devil and his followers and then Christ’s people would be gathered and all evil would be destroyed.

This is where the context becomes important: All the eastern faiths shared a belief in the power of evil and in a battle between the powers of evil and good. So, Paul was using imagery that was commonly accepted at the time. Jews had the idea of a humanised devil as the antithesis of God and Christians took this over in the form of the Antichrist. They all believed in a final battle where all evil would be destroyed.

What is the containing force keeping the forces of evil at bay? Today we cannot answer this with any certainty. Most probably Paul was using code and was speaking of the Roman Empire. Time and again he had personally been saved from mob violence by appealing to Roman justice. As Barclay explains, “Rome was the restraining power which kept the world from insane anarchy.” The day that this Roman power was removed, there would be chaos! But we cannot be sure that this is the case.

Barclay then draws all things together to discern the following truths that can be gleaned from this passage:

Firstly, that there is a force of evil in the world: We might find this difficult to verify empirically, but most people acknowledge that there is an evil power at work in the world.

Secondly, God is in control: In some strange way, good always triumphs over evil. We as a family watched the film Ghandi together over half-term and he too made this point that throughout history, the ways of love and goodness always prevail in the end.

Thirdly, the ultimate triumph of God is sure: In the end, nothing can stand against God.

Barclay concludes: “On what side are you? In the struggle which is at the heart of the universe are you for God – or Satan?”

This is a real question and not always an easy one to answer. In Jesus’ day the Pharisees would have claimed to be on God’s side and Jesus challenged them. The parable of the Pharisee and the sinner is telling, as it really searches out where we stand.

As the old hymn puts it: “Who is on the Lord’s side? ...” is in fact this is a deeply searching question.

Barclay reminds us that these verses are a synopsis of the Christian life.

Firstly, the Christian life begins with God’s call; being chosen by God. We could never have come to God by ourselves, unless God had begun the process. It is all God’s initiative, and at the source is His love for us ... for it was while we were still sinners that Jesus died for us.

Secondly, while it might have started with God, it develops as we respond (echoes of my earlier comment on justification and sanctification). Christians are not called to dream, but to do! And this often means a fight to ‘stand firm’ and ‘hold fast’.

Thirdly, our efforts are helped by two things: (a) by the teaching, the guidance and example of godly people as God speaks to us through those to whom he has spoken. “A saint is someone who makes it easier for others to believe in God.” There are many who help us not by what they say or write, but simply by being what they are, people, whom to meet is to meet God! (b) We are helped by God Himself. We are never left to struggle alone. ‘... he who gives us the task also gives us the strength to do it. He actually does it with us. ... They that are for us are always more than they that be against us ...’

Lastly, our efforts are designed to produce two things: (a) consecration – being set apart for God – so that we might be used for God’s service. Our lives are no longer ours to do with as we please, they are God’s to do with as He pleases; (b) Salvation in heaven – Our lives do not end with time; their goal is eternity. ‘Its end is the purity which will see God.’ I am reminded yet again of that excellent TV show “The Big Silence” where, under the guidance of Christopher Jameson, the Abbot at Worth Abbey, people came to Christ through silence. He reminded us that it is in the silence that we can confront ourselves, deal with that which needs to be dealt with and so be purified and then to remember the words of Jesus: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Reese points us to the two essential conditions Paul adds for salvation.

Firstly, in verse 13(b) he speaks of ‘... the first fruits of salvation through sanctification by the Spirit ...’ Paul has already dealt with this issue in his first letter to the Thessalonians and so is brief but emphasises once more the need for believers to respond to their responsibility to allow the Holy Spirit to operate in and through them for their transformation into children of God.

Secondly, he speaks of the importance of ‘... belief in the truth ...’ Reese reminds us that the Greek speaks more about ‘... faith in the truth ...’ and a few verses earlier, Paul has spoken of ‘... love of the truth ...’ which is necessary for salvation (verse 10 which the lectionary compilers had left out of our reading).

To be ‘saved’ means to share in glory of the Lord Jesus and being aware of this ought to make us grateful and act as a strong motivating force to persevere in our calling despite the obstacles and difficulties that so often cross our path.

And so Paul calls us to stand firm in the Gospel we have heard preached as well as read in his letters and ‘... traditions ...’ I want to pause for a moment and reflect on ‘... traditions ...’ This is not the only place where Paul refers to traditions (cf 1 Cor 11:2, Galatians 1:14, Colossians 2:8, 2 Thess 3:6). From all this it would appear that he is referring to liturgical as well as doctrinal guidance in addition to moral activity. But one must note the warning of Jesus against holding fast to mere human traditions (Mk 7:3,8). We always need to ask: “Are our traditions those of the Lord and the Early Church or have they become mere human institutions?”

Back in the 1960s people like J A T Robinson, Paul Tillich and others warned us against this (often echoing the profound earlier understanding of Bonhoeffer’s call for a ‘religionless Christianity’) but we have not taken heed. We have also not altered our worship styles (or times and this matters because there are so many other family distractions at between 10-11 am) and so some people come to Christ, but do not come to the Church. The sad thing is that there are many, many people out there who are stunted in their sanctification because they are not aware of the fact that who they have placed their faith in, is the risen Christ. Even more sadly, there are those who meet the risen Christ – are not nurtured – and so fade away. Silence, reflection and deep study need also to become part of what we do. In our schools, for too many young people, Confirmation signals the end of a process rather than the beginning (or continuing) of a journey.

A difficult passage, but a challenging one and I am grateful to Barclay and Reece for guiding me through it.