Advent Readings: Luke 21

Luke 21

The chapter is continuing the Jesus’ walk through the Temple. Leaders, people, disciples, and even the stones are playing a role here. Temple was a precious jewel in the necklace of Herod’s construction projects. He was able to bring the water from the Mediterranean Sea to the capital via aqueduct. He built a stadium, proving himself as a faithful admirer of Roman culture. But above all was the expansion of the Second Temple. And yet, Jesus, looking at the noble stones which adorned the Temple, said that there will not be left one stone upon another that will not be thrown down (Lk. 21:6). After this horrific prediction, Jesus continues with the destruction of Jerusalem (Lk. 21:20).

Cult and culture are twins that cannot be fully separated. The way people worship will affect the social realm of life. This places Temple into the center of Judean society of Jesus’ days. Why, then, Jesus – as the God incarnate – would allow it to be destroyed?

The short – devotional or blogpost – answer is that Temple is good as long as it directs people to worship God. When the Temple becomes a center of worship, it turns into an idol. And true God doesn’t like idols – all idols should be destroyed. As it was in the days of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:4), it was in the days of God Incarnate – some of the people did not acknowledge His presence, while some, following Jesus, still had their eyes on the stones of the Temple…

Yet, what is needed to say, He is taking the first hit. He didn’t smash it for the sins of people. Jesus takes the sins of people upon Himself, and allows His body to be crucified, paying for all types of idolatries. Only when they rejected forgiveness over and over again (cp. Acts 21:27-28), placing their hopes in the “place”/Temple instead of the One who should be worshiped in the Temple, the idol was destroyed.