ACC ~ Luke 21 v27 - 38

OVERVIEW:

The conclusion to the eschatological discourse focuses on the need to prepare for the coming of the Son of man on clouds after people see the signs in the sky (DIDACHE). Christ comes in a cloud to cover the mystery of his heavenly descent, like the presence of God in the Old and New Testaments (AMBROSE). “Son of man” is the title most associated with Jesus in his passion. Now the crucified and glorified Christ comes from heaven (AUGUSTINE). When believers see him coming, they know that that the dead are about to be raised and they will receive the glorious body promised in the resurrection of all flesh (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). The coming of the Son of man only intensifies the fear of unbelievers, for people will wither from suffering, and fear is a sign that the end is near (AUGUSTINE). The parable of the fig tree is a simple comparison that has a double meaning. One meaning is a signal of the presence of faith in the fruit of the trees, another of unbelief signaled by the leaves of the tree that cover the deceit of sinners (AMBROSE). The advent of the kingdom in Jesus’ teaching and miracles anticipated the arrival of the kingdom in his death and resurrection. The adversity that comes on the earth after his ascension shows the world that the kingdom of God is at hand (CYPRIAN).

Jesus’ final admonition now is to beware of those things in life that would not be considered gross sins but those seemingly harmless activities that cloud our awareness of his imminent return and the fast-approaching end of the world: “dissipation and drunkenness and anxieties of daily life.” Drunkenness weakens soul and body and darkens the mind so that Christ’s coming will not come as a snare (ORIGEN). The Evangelist concludes by telling us that the people went early to the temple where Jesus was teaching by day. Then by night, he was going out to spend the night on the Mount of Olives, a common place of lodging for pilgrims who came to Jerusalem for the Passover (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA).

21:27-36 | The Coming of the Son of Man

WATCH AND PREPARE FOR THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN

ANONYMOUS: “Watch” over your life. Do not let “your lamps” go out, and do not keep “your loins ungirded,” but “be ready,” for “you do not know the hour when our Lord is coming.” [1] Meet together frequently in your search for what is good for your souls, since “a lifetime of faith will be of no advantage” [2] to you unless you prove perfect at the very end. In the final days, multitudes of false prophets and seducers will appear. Sheep will turn into wolves, and love into hatred. With the increase of iniquity, people will hate, persecute and betray each other. Then the world deceiver will appear in the disguise of God’s Son. He will work “signs and wonders,” [3] and the earth will fall into his hands. He will commit outrages such as have never occurred before. Then humankind will come to the fiery trial, “and many will fall away” [4] and perish. “Those who persevere in their faith will be saved” [5] by the Curse himself. [6] Then “there will appear the signs” [7] of the Truth: first the sign of stretched-out hands in heaven, then the sign of “a trumpet’s blast,” [8] and third, the resurrection of the dead, but not all the dead. As it has been said, “The Lord will come and all his saints with him. Then the world will see the Lord coming on the clouds of the sky.” [9] DIDACHE 16.1-7. [10]

[1] Mt 24:42, 44; Lk 12:35.

[2] Letter of Barnabas 4:9.

[3] Mt 24:24.

[4] Mt 24:10.

[5] Mt 10:22; 24:13.

[6] An obscure reference, but possibly meaning the Christ who suffered the death of one accursed (Gal 3:13; Letter of Barnabas 7:9).

[7] Mt 24:30.

[8] Mt 24:31.

[9] Zech 14:5; cf. 1 Thess 3:13; Mt 24:30.

[10] LCC 1:178-79*.

CHRIST COMES IN A CLOUD TO COVER THE HEAVENLY MYSTERY

AMBROSE: You see him in the clouds. I certainly do not think that Christ will come in the darkness of mist and the chill of rain. The clouds are visible [1] and surely cover the heaven in foggy cold. How has he set his tabernacle in the sun [2] if his coming brings the rain? Some clouds suitably cover the radiance of the heavenly mystery. Some clouds grow moist with the dew of spiritual grace. [3] Consider the cloud in the Old Testament. [4] “He spoke to them,” it says, “in a pillar of cloud.” [5] … He comes in a calm cloud in the Song of Songs, shining with the joy of a bridegroom. [6] He also comes in a swift light cloud, [7] incarnate of the Virgin. The prophet saw him as a cloud coming from the east. He fittingly said, “a light cloud,” [8] that earthly vices would not weigh down. See the cloud upon which the Holy Spirit came and the power of the Most High overshadowed. [9] When Christ will appear in the clouds, the tribes of the earth will grieve over themselves. [10] EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 10.41-43. [11]

[1] See Mt 24:30.

[2] Ps 18:6 LXX.

[3] See Is 45:8.

[4] Ex 13:21; 33:9.

[5] Ps 99:7 (98:7 LXX).

[6] See Song 3:6, 11.

[7] Is 19:1.

[8] Is 19:1.

[9] See Lk 1:35.

[10] Rev 1:7; cf. Zech 12:10.

[11] EHG 400-401**.

WE SHALL SEE HIS CRUCIFIED AND RISEN BODY

AUGUSTINE: “Then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with great power and majesty.” As I see it, this could be taken in two ways. One way is that he will come in the church as in a cloud. He continues to come in this way according to his word, “Hereafter you will see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” [1] He comes with great power and majesty because his greater power and majesty will appear in the saints to whom he will give great power, so that persecution might not overcome them. The other way in which he will come will be in his body in which he sits at the right hand of the Father. [2] In this body, he died, rose again, and ascended into heaven. It is written in the Acts of the Apostles: “When he had said these things, a cloud received him and he was taken up from their sight.” [3] The angels then said, “He shall so come as you have seen him going away.” [4] We have reason to believe that he will come not only in the same body but also in a cloud since he will come as he left, and a cloud received him as he went. LETTER 199. [5]

[1] Mt 26:61.

[2] Rom 8:34; Mk 16:19; Col 3:1.

[3] Acts 1:9.

[4] Acts 1:11.

[5] FC 30:389**.

OUR BODIES SHALL BE MADE GLORIOUS

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: He says that they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Christ will not come secretly or obscurely but as God and Lord in glory suitable for deity. He will transform all things for the better. He will renew creation and refashion the nature of people to what it was at the beginning. He said, “When these things come to pass, lift up your heads and look upward, for your redemption is near.” The dead will rise. This earthly and infirm body will put off corruption and will clothe itself with incorruption by Christ’s gift. He grants those that believe in him to be conformed to the likeness of his glorious body. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 139. [1]

[1] CGSL 556**.

DREADFUL HUMAN SUFFERING

AUGUSTINE: You say that our very suffering forces us to admit that the end is at hand when there is a fulfillment of what was foretold: “men withering away for fear and expectation of what shall come upon the whole world.” You say, “It is plain that there is no country or place in our time that is not harassed or humbled according to the words ‘for fear and expectation of what shall come upon the whole world.’” If the evils that the human race now suffers are clear signs that the Lord is about to come now, what becomes of the apostle’s words: “When they shall say, ‘Peace and security’”? [1] When the Gospel said, “men withering away for fear and expectation,” it immediately continued, “For the powers of heaven shall be moved. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with great power and majesty.” LETTER 199.36. [2]

[1] 1 Thess 5:3.

[2] FC 30:385**.

THE FIG TREE IS A SIGN OF FAITH AND A SIGN OF UNBELIEF

AMBROSE: The fig tree therefore has a double meaning: when the wild is tamed or when sins abound. Like the believer’s faith that shriveled up before it will flower, so also sinners will glory through the grace of their transgressions. On the one hand is the fruit of faith, and on the other the lewdness of unbelief. The gardening of the Evangelist as farmer produces the fruit of the fig tree for me. [1] We must not despair if sinners cover themselves with the leaves of the fig tree as with a garment of deceit, so that they may veil their conscience. Leaves without fruit are therefore suspicious. EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 45. [2]

[1] See Lk 13:9.

[2] EHG 402**.

ADVERSITY A SIGN THAT THE KINGDOM IS AT HAND

CYPRIAN: Beloved brothers and sisters, whoever serves as a soldier of God stationed in the camp of heaven already hopes for the divine things. He should recognize himself so that we should have no fear or dread at the storms and whirlwinds of the world. Through the encouragement of his provident voice, the Lord predicted that these things would come when he was instructing, teaching, preparing and strengthening the people of his church to endure everything to come. Christ foretold and prophesied that wars, famine, earthquakes and epidemics would arise in the various places. So that an unexpected and new fear of destructive agencies might not shake us, he forewarned that adversity would increase in the last times. Note that the things that were spoken of are happening. Since the things that were foretold are happening, whatever he promises will also follow. The Lord himself promises, “When you shall see these things come to pass, know that the kingdom of God is at hand.” The kingdom of God, beloved brothers and sisters, has drawn near. The reward of life, the joy of eternal salvation, the perpetual happiness and the possession of paradise once lost are now coming as the world passes away. ON MORTALITY 2. [1]

[1] FC 36:200**.

DRUNKENNESS WEAKENS SOUL AND BODY

ORIGEN: “But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare.” You heard the proclamation of the eternal King. You learned the deplorable end of “drunkenness” or “intoxication.” Imagine a skilled and wise physician who would say, “Beware, no one should drink too much from this or that herb. If he does, he will suddenly be destroyed.” I do not doubt that everyone would keep the prescriptions of the physician’s warning concerning his own health. Now the Lord, who is both the physician of souls and bodies, orders them to avoid as a deadly drink the herb “of drunkenness” and the vice “of intoxication” and also the care of worldly matters. I do not know if any one can say that he is not wounded, because these things consume him.

Drunkenness is therefore destructive in all things. It is the only thing that weakens the soul together with the body. According to the apostle, it can happen that when the body “is weak,” then the spirit is “much stronger,” [1] and when “the exterior person is destroyed, the interior person is renewed.” [2] In the illness of drunkenness, the body and the soul are destroyed at the same time. The spirit is corrupted equally with the flesh. All the members are weakened: the feet and the hands. The tongue is loosened. Darkness covers the eyes. Forgetfulness covers the mind so that one does not know himself nor does he perceive he is a person. Drunkenness of the body has that shamefulness. HOMILIES ON LEVITICUS 7.5-6. [3]

[1] 2 Cor 12:10.

[2] 2 Cor 4:16.

[3] FC 83:130-31**.

21:37-38 | Jesus Continues to Teach in the Temple

AVOIDING THE UPROARS OF THE CITY

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The crowd of the Jews and their ruler stood up against the glory of Christ and argued with the Lord of all. Anyone may perceive that those Jews prepared their snare against their own souls, because they dug for themselves pitfalls of destruction. …

It then says that by day he taught in the temple but lodged during the nights on the mountain called the Mount of Olives. Clearly what he taught were things that surpass the legal service. The time had come when the shadow must be changed into the reality. They also gladly heard him, for they often wondered about him, because Christ’s word was with power. …

He stayed during the nights on the Mount of Olives, avoiding the uproars that were in the city, that in this he might also be an example to us. It is the duty of those who would lead a life quiet and calm, full of rest, to avoid as far as possible the crowd and hubbub. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 140. [1]

[1] CGSL 561-62**.