The common paraphrase of this command is "watch world news, so that as you begin to see prophecy unfold, you can escape the horrors of the Tribulation." Coupled with watching and overcoming, the next subject that Jesus addresses in Luke 21:36 is prayer. Test yourselves. . To grasp just how important prayer is, notice the example of Daniel, one of the three most righteous men in the Bible, according to Ezekiel 14:14. In our former association, we obeyed the instructions in Luke 21:7-33 to watch world events, but we did not closely follow Christ's commands in Luke 21:34-36 to guard our spiritual condition, hence the scattering. How important is it to overcome? Christ is speaking, not just about prayer, but also about the frequency of our prayers. They must be our base, and then we can stack other instruction on them. First of all, Luke 21:12,16 indicates that many believers will be persecuted, and some will be put to death. In this one point, they failed, and what a foolish failure it was! This is because the second coming of Jesus has two distinct aspects, separated by an appreciable time. The Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11). What are works? Their oil—their good works, their overcoming—proved insufficient for the task. Luke 21:36 (WNT) But beware of slumbering; and every moment pray that you may be fully strengthened to escape from all these coming evils, and to take your stand in the presence of the Son of Man." These two activities are pillars that support the foundation on which our Christian lives rest during these end times. THE CONTEXT We are tempted to ignore apocalyptic texts such as this. Therefore, "overcome," more clearly than "watch," communicates to someone living today what Luke 21:36 says we should be doing as we near the end of the age. Prayer, for us, becomes a spiritual life-and-death question, not just a physical one as Daniel faced. Luke 21:34-36 They are not symbols, nor were they imaginary or invisible. Is it to us? The premier end-time book, Revelation, repeatedly emphasizes that overcoming is "job one" for us (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 12:11; 21:7). Luke 21:34-36 They discover common interests. John W. Ritenbaugh 11:33. Imagine what would happen if a guard, while pacing at his post, was attracted by something to one side. Do we give Him some time in the morning or evening, but the rest of the day He is in none, or very few, of our thoughts? How many excuses would we have made to avoid those lions? Wycliffe If we do not neglect the spiritual (verses 34-35), and instead watch and pray always, we can "escape all these things" (verses 7-33) and enter God's Kingdom. Darby Biblical Commentary (Bible study) Luke 21:25-36 EXEGESIS: LUKE 21:5-24. For most of it, Christ gives the warning signs that signal the end of the age (Luke 21:6-7; Matthew 24:2-3). We are not destined for wrath. These are the last few days before Jesus is arrested and crucified. Hebrews 13:15 urges us to offer prayer to God "continually." James 5:15-16 God intends prayer to be communication with Him to develop a beautiful relationship begun through the acceptance of Christ's sacrifice. An institution that God intends to be very beautiful is destroyed because a love of a beautiful relationship is not paired with a love of righteousness. "Surfeiting" (KJV) or "carousing" (NKJV) means indulging in one's appetites excessively. That’s what He was warning them about. THE CONTEXT We are tempted to ignore apocalyptic texts such as this. Just over two decades ago, an elderly man named Herbert Armstrong cried out, "Wake up!" Luke 21:36 Doing so places us in very dangerous company (Psalm 10:4). In our former association, we obeyed the instructions in Luke 21:7-33 to watch world events, but we did not closely follow Christ's commands in Luke 21:34-36 to guard our spiritual condition, hence the scattering. 3. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. He is not doing a great deal of thinking about the One to whom he is betrothed. He stands near and can return at any time. If God mentioning something twice establishes it (Genesis 41:32), how significant is a subject when He mentions it fifteen times? To emphasize that "watch" in Luke 21:36 is all about the spiritual and not about the physical, notice how agrupneo is used in its only other appearances in the New Testament: Mark 13:33: "Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is." They had not continued to overcome. Answer: Jesus used the phrase watch and pray on a couple of different occasions. The Greek word translated "watch," at its most basic, means "to be sleepless," implying continuous and wakeful concern, such as being on watch when a loved one is ill. There is very little meditation. A Laodicean is lulled into a spiritual complacency and apathy by the attractiveness of the world. (This verse parallels Luke 21:36. A careful reading shows that the "watch" of Luke 21:36 is only minimally directing us to watch world events. In Luke 21:36, Christ also commands us to "watch." 1 Corinthians 7:35 1. In other words, "watch" as originally intended covers the entire process of overcoming that is our calling. ), “may be accounted worthy” (A.V[181]), also gives a very good meaning, even in some respects preferable.— σταθῆναι , to stand—in the judgment (so, many), or to be presented to, placed before. It is a roadmap to safety and salvation. Prayer becomes ineffective. In this end-time message, Christ says seven times, "I know your works" (Revelation 2:2, 9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15). To get what Luke 21:36 means based on its source text, scroll down or follow these links for the original scriptural meaning , biblical context and relative popularity. Biblical Commentary (Bible study) Luke 21:25-36 EXEGESIS: LUKE 21:5-24. While prayer is important, notice that in Luke 21:36, Jesus does not use just the word "pray" but the phrase "pray always." In our day, "watch" has lost much of its original power. Luke 21:34-36 I.S.V. A tremendous amount of effort is put into commenting on world events and tying them into biblical prophecy. Self-examination is such an important spiritual activity that God includes it as a major part of one of His seven festivals, the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Jesus said these things in 32 AD. Watching signifies a state of being untouched by any influence that may cloud the mind; one "watching" guards against drowsiness or confusion. Luke 21:36 is frequently interpreted to mean that we should be closely watching current events so we know how close we are to Christ's return. 2. "Try this." 21: 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. See what over 145,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. As we have seen, in Luke 21:36, Christ reveals that the roles of watching—or paying careful attention to overcoming—and praying always are vital to our Christian lives at this time. In verse 36, Christ ties together all He has said throughout the chapter. Humans, whether with people or with God, build their relationships the same way: They talk to each other—a lot. Luke 21:36 "Overcome" better communicates the battle we have joined (Romans 12:21; I John 5:4-5; Revelation 21:7). 34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. Consequently, we cannot build a beautiful spiritual temple on the wrong foundation. Daniel believed that prayer was so essential that he chose to risk his life to lions rather than lose contact with God for even a part of a day. But does this assumption agree with Scripture? 25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. Pre-tribulation rapturists often quote Luke 21:36 “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” They say that “escape all these things” means that the christians will be raptured up to heaven before the Great Tribulation. Salvation itself hinges on our cooperation with Him in overcoming (Matthew 25:30). Conversely, considering the implications of John 17:3, Jesus gives a chilling judgment to the virgins who fail to overcome: "I do not know you" (Matthew 25:12). I. δεόμενοι, these nearer events, which are about to befall the city, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers. On the first date, they may not know much about each another, but with further contact their knowledge of each other grows. Luke 21:36. To get what Luke 21:36 means based on its source text, scroll down or follow these links for the original scriptural meaning , biblical context and relative popularity. Clearly, Jesus' message is not an admonition to watch world events so that we will know when He will return. 21: 36Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. It certainly does seem to urge believers to pray accordingly. Matthew : . K.J.V. Frequently, when the Bible mentions being asleep or tells us to wake up, it refers to our spiritual state (Matthew 25:5; Romans 13:11; I Thessalonians 5:6-8). The world has successfully squeezed the couple into its mold. This world, especially in its advertizing, is pushing the overuse of our appetites all the time. If we do not wake up eventually, God has a three-and-a-half-year plan guaranteed to get our attention. Interestingly, the condition of the church at that time mirrors how Luke 21:36 was generally applied—physical rather than spiritual. He has been teaching daily in the Temple. Because of the Bible's obviously high regard for Daniel, it is reasonable to assume that his attitude about prayer played a significant part in deserving the label of "righteous." Luke 21:36, NIV: "Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.'". We should not be allowing this world to hammer away at our minds and attitudes—taking up our lives, our time, with things that should not be our concern. "Use your time this way." A.F.V "These things" … Once a builder lays a foundation for a small, three-bedroom house, it automatically limits what he can and cannot construct on it. They were not prepared for the long haul. 2. The foregoing interpretation of the nonphysical use of swords does not say that the two swords did not exist (Luke 22:38). We live in a spectator nation. These are the last few days before Jesus is arrested and crucified. Βίος , life, means life considered either as to its duration (1 Peter 4:3); the means of support (Mark 12:44; Luke 8:43; Luke 21:4; 1 John 3:17); or the manner of leading it (1 Timothy 2:2). Luke Bible Study (Journey with Jesus) Luke 6:27-36, The Hardest Commandment. If we choose to be lackadaisical about overcoming or prayer, are missing either ticket, or have only a partial ticket, we will likely be required to "buy" those same two tickets at a very dear price in the Tribulation. Some of the saints will survive all the incremental tribulations of the Great Tribulation, as they come up, until the end of the Great Tribulation. In Luke 21:25-26, He spoke of unmistakable calamity to shake the earth before the coming of Jesus. He says, "Develop this beautiful relationship with God that I've made possible for you. Luke 21:36 Watching events unfold is not what makes us "worthy to escape," but our cooperation with God as He forms His character image in us does. Proverbs 3:6 Since the slave refers to Jesus as “Master," it implies the slave is a believer, but in the parables (and in … If we observed a marriage in which the husband and wife only mumbled to each other a little in the morning and/or a little at night, we would conclude that that relationship was in trouble. The common paraphrase of this command is "watch world news, so that as you begin to see prophecy unfold, you can escape the horrors of the Tribulation.". (The ministry's first priority is the spiritual health of called-out Christians.). The rift between Jesus and the religious leaders has been growing. It could be food or drink or many other things. See what over 145,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. To stand before the Son of man. It is always a good practice to allow the Bible to interpret itself rather than adding extra-biblical interpretations (II Peter 1:20). Luke 21:36 ESV. Luke 12:35-38 Luke 21:36 Despite all the evidence that will be available for us to witness and thus motivate us, He feels it is necessary to warn us to be alert. David C. Grabbe A. As an example of the loose terminology, "the days of the Son of man" in verse 22 refers to the kingdom period (see verses 20–24). We can see why Christ tells those living at the end, when Laodiceanism reigns, that we have to overcome and pray always. We can begin to see that his love of beauty is taking him in the wrong direction, and the abuse falls on the relationship that he most needs to build and to protect. Watching has become an activity that puts us on the sidelines and not on the field of battle, an idea foreign to the original meaning of the word. keep awake." Luke 21:36 Weymouth's New Testament goes so far as to read, "every moment.". Verses 34-35 provide the context for Jesus' command to "watch": But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.