Luke 21:26

Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26) Men’s hearts failing them for fear.—The verb so rendered is used by St. Luke only in the New Testament. Its literal meaning is to breathe out the soul, and it was, therefore, a word which would naturally enter into the vocabulary of a physician, both in its primary and figurative sense. The mental state which it expresses exactly agrees with that described in Acts 27:20, in connection with the tempest.

For looking after those things.—Literally, for expectation, the noun being used only by St. Luke in the New Testament.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

21:5-28 With much curiosity those about Christ ask as to the time when the great desolation should be. He answers with clearness and fulness, as far as was necessary to teach them their duty; for all knowledge is desirable as far as it is in order to practice. Though spiritual judgements are the most common in gospel times, yet God makes use of temporal judgments also. Christ tells them what hard things they should suffer for his name's sake, and encourages them to bear up under their trials, and to go on in their work, notwithstanding the opposition they would meet with. God will stand by you, and own you, and assist you. This was remarkably fulfilled after the pouring out of the Spirit, by whom Christ gave his disciples wisdom and utterance. Though we may be losers for Christ, we shall not, we cannot be losers by him, in the end. It is our duty and interest at all times, especially in perilous, trying times, to secure the safety of our own souls. It is by Christian patience we keep possession of our own souls, and keep out all those impressions which would put us out of temper. We may view the prophecy before us much as those Old Testament prophecies, which, together with their great object, embrace, or glance at some nearer object of importance to the church. Having given an idea of the times for about thirty-eight years next to come, Christ shows what all those things would end in, namely, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the utter dispersion of the Jewish nation; which would be a type and figure of Christ's second coming. The scattered Jews around us preach the truth of Christianity; and prove, that though heaven and earth shall pass away, the words of Jesus shall not pass away. They also remind us to pray for those times when neither the real, nor the spiritual Jerusalem, shall any longer be trodden down by the Gentiles, and when both Jews and Gentiles shall be turned to the Lord. When Christ came to destroy the Jews, he came to redeem the Christians that were persecuted and oppressed by them; and then had the churches rest. When he comes to judge the world, he will redeem all that are his from their troubles. So fully did the Divine judgements come upon the Jews, that their city is set as an example before us, to show that sins will not pass unpunished; and that the terrors of the Lord, and his threatenings against impenitent sinners, will all come to pass, even as his word was true, and his wrath great upon Jerusalem.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Men's hearts failing them - This is an expression denoting the highest terror. The word rendered "failing" commonly denotes to "die," and here it means that the terror would be so great that people would faint and be ready to die in view of the approaching calamities. And if this was true in respect to the judgments about to come upon Judea, how much more so will it be in the day of judgment, when the wicked will be arraigned before the Son of God, and when they shall have before them the prospect of the awful sufferings of hell - the pains and woes which shall continue forever! It will be no wonder, then, if they call on the rocks and mountains to hide them from the face of God, and if their hearts sink within them at the prospect of eternal suffering.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

25-28. signs, &c.—Though the grandeur of this language carries the mind over the head of all periods but that of Christ's second coming, nearly every expression will be found used of the Lord's coming in terrible national judgments, as of Babylon, &c.; and from Lu 21:28, 32, it seems undeniable that its immediate reference was to the destruction of Jerusalem, though its ultimate reference beyond doubt is to Christ's final coming.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Luke 21:25"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Men's hearts failing them for fear,.... Of what these signs in the heaven, earth, and sea portend:

and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; on the land of Judea:

for the powers of heaven shall be shaken; See Gill on Matthew 24:29.

Geneva Study Bible

{5} Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

(5) After various severe trials the Lord will at last plainly appear to deliver his Church.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 21:26. ἀποψυχόντων: literally, dying, probably meant tropically = ὡς νεκροί, Matthew 28:4.—ἀπὸ φόβου καὶ προσδοκίας, from fear and expectation, instead of fearful expectation as in Hebrews 10:27 (φοβερὰ ἐκδοχὴ). προσδοκία here and in Acts 12:11.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

26. men’s hearts failing them] Literally, “men fainting.”

on the earth] Literally, “on the habitable world.”

the powers of heaven] i.e. the “bright dynasts” (Aesch. Ag. 6)—the Hosts of the Heavens.

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 21:26. Φίβου καὶ προσδοκίας, fear and expectation [“looking after”]) fear, viz. of things present; expectation, viz. of things future. Not even the saints shall be altogether exempt from some degree of terror: comp. ch. Luke 24:37-38 [The disciples, after the resurrection, were on the sudden appearance of Jesus at first “terrified and affrighted.” ‘Joy’ suceeds in Luke 24:41]: but soon they will recover themselves.—αἱ γὰρ δυνάμεις, for the powers) This is now no longer a mere sign, but one of those things which are coming on the earth.

Luke 21:26

Vincent's Word Studies

Failing (ἀποψυχόντων)

Only here in New Testament. The word originally means to leave off breathing; to swoon. Thus Homer, when Laertes recognizes Ulysses:

"He threw

Round his dear son his arms. The hardy chief,

Ulysses, drew him fainting (ἀποψύχοντα) to his heart."

Odyssey, xxiv., 846.

So also Sophocles, of Hector dragged behind Achilles' chariot:

"He breathed out his life (ἀπέψυξεν βίον).

Ajax, 1031.

Matthew alone uses the simple verb, ψύχω, to breathe or blow. See on wax cold, Matthew 24:12. Luke uses four compounds of this simple verb, all of which are peculiar to him. Compare cool, Luke 16:24; refreshing, Acts 3:19; gave up the ghost, Acts 5:5, Acts 5:10.

Expectation (προσδοκίας)

Only here and Acts 12:11.

The world

See on Luke 2:1.

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