Luke 21:22 Meaning Explained

Luke 21:22

for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.

English Standard Version (ESV)

This verse highlights that God's justice isn't random; it's the fulfilling of what He's already declared. The word for "vengeance" here speaks of a full, righteous satisfaction, echoing countless prophecies of judgment against persistent rebellion.

What Luke 21:22 means

Jesus has just predicted the destruction of the Temple, shocking his disciples. This verse explains that the coming devastation of Jerusalem by the Roman army is not random but a divine judgment. It's a fulfillment of prophecies God had given through various prophets about the consequences of Israel's persistent disobedience.

God's Justice and Written Judgment

When we hear the word 'vengeance,' it can sound harsh. But what does it truly mean in God's economy?

Jesus declares that the coming destruction of Jerusalem is a time of "vengeance." This isn't about God losing control or acting impulsively. The original Greek word speaks of exacting full justice or satisfaction. It's about a righteous, deliberate response to sin.

Crucially, Jesus links this vengeance directly to "all that is written." This means the judgment wasn't a surprise to God, nor was it a new decree. It was the inevitable outcome of accumulated disobedience, foretold by prophets like Daniel. The destruction of Jerusalem was the fulfillment of ancient warnings against a people who repeatedly turned away from God.

The Prophetic Echo of Judgment

Jesus points to the past to explain the future. What does this connection reveal about God's faithfulness?

Jesus' statement, "to fulfill all that is written," is a profound declaration. It signals that the coming destruction of Jerusalem wasn't an isolated event, but the culmination of a long history of God's dealings with His people.

The prophets had repeatedly warned Israel and Judah about the consequences of their sin—idolatry, injustice, and rejection of God's messengers. These warnings were written down, becoming part of God's revealed will and the historical record of His covenant faithfulness.

When Jesus speaks of "days of vengeance," He's confirming that the judgment about to fall is not arbitrary, but the direct, predictable result of their persistent rebellion. God remains faithful to His promises, both to bless obedience and to judge disobedience, as meticulously documented throughout Scripture.

Understand the original words

Original language

vengeanceἐκδικήσεώς

ekdikēseōs · Greek Noun

A term often used in Scripture to denote divine justice executed against those who have rejected God's covenant or harmed His people, asserting His sovereignty and righteousness.

fulfillπλησθῆναι

plēsthenai · Greek Verb

The concept that God's revealed will in the Law, Prophets, and Psalms must come to pass; it affirms the reliability and authority of Scripture.

Historical context

Written: Likely in the early to mid-60s AD.
Author: Traditionally understood to be Luke the physician and companion of Paul, though authorship is debated by some scholars.
Location: Written from Rome, while Luke was accompanying Paul on his missionary journeys.
Genre: Gospel narrative, characterized by detailed historical accounts and a focus on Jesus' teachings and ministry.

Historical background

Jesus' words point to the impending destruction of Jerusalem by Rome as a climactic fulfillment of centuries of prophetic warnings about God's judgment on a persistently unfaithful people.

c. 700 BC
Prophetic Warnings of Judgment
Prophets like Isaiah and Micah warn Jerusalem of impending judgment and destruction due to its wickedness and unfaithfulness.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Babylonian forces destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling many of its people. This event fulfills earlier prophecies of judgment.
c. 538 BC
Return from Exile
Many Jews return from Babylonian exile and begin rebuilding the Temple and Jerusalem. However, the deep-seated issues of unfaithfulness persist.
c. 167-164 BC
Maccabean Revolt
A period of conflict and upheaval as Jews resist Hellenistic (Greek) influence and religious oppression, highlighting ongoing struggles for faithfulness.
c. 49 BC

Key themes

01Divine judgment fulfilled
02Written prophecies enacted
03God's justice exacted

Cross-references

Daniel 9:26-27

This passage directly foretells the destruction of the city and the sanctuary, aligning with the 'days of vengeance' that fulfill 'all that is written' in Luke 21:22.

Deuteronomy 28:49-57

This extensive list of curses and judgments for disobedience in the Old Testament provides the written context of divine retribution that Jesus declared would be fulfilled.

Matthew 24:21

Jesus uses the phrase 'great tribulation' here, which is a parallel concept to the 'days of vengeance' and speaks of the same impending judgment on Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 25:12

This verse speaks of Babylon's punishment after seventy years, a concept of divine vengeance for sin that echoes the broader theme of God's justice being executed.

Isaiah 29:2-4

This prophecy vividly describes God's judgment against Jerusalem ('Ariel'), fulfilling the 'days of vengeance' for its sins, as Jesus indicated would happen.

Scholarly commentary

Luke 21:22: "For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled."

See Poole on "Luke 21:21"
poole

Luke 21:22: "For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled."

Vengeance (ἐκδικήσεως)Of rendering full justice, or satisfaction. See on avenge, Luke 18:3.
vincent

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What Luke 21:22 means

Original language

vengeanceἐκδικήσεώς

ekdikēseōs · Greek Noun

A term often used in Scripture to denote divine justice executed against those who have rejected God's covenant or harmed His people, asserting His sovereignty and righteousness.

fulfillπλησθῆναι

plēsthenai · Greek Verb

The concept that God's revealed will in the Law, Prophets, and Psalms must come to pass; it affirms the reliability and authority of Scripture.

Historical context

Written: Likely in the early to mid-60s AD.
Author: Traditionally understood to be Luke the physician and companion of Paul, though authorship is debated by some scholars.
Location: Written from Rome, while Luke was accompanying Paul on his missionary journeys.
Genre: Gospel narrative, characterized by detailed historical accounts and a focus on Jesus' teachings and ministry.

Historical background

Jesus' words point to the impending destruction of Jerusalem by Rome as a climactic fulfillment of centuries of prophetic warnings about God's judgment on a persistently unfaithful people.

c. 700 BC

Prophetic Warnings of Judgment

Prophets like Isaiah and Micah warn Jerusalem of impending judgment and destruction due to its wickedness and unfaithfulness.

586 BC

Fall of Jerusalem

Babylonian forces destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling many of its people. This event fulfills earlier prophecies of judgment.

c. 538 BC

Return from Exile

Many Jews return from Babylonian exile and begin rebuilding the Temple and Jerusalem. However, the deep-seated issues of unfaithfulness persist.

c. 167-164 BC

Maccabean Revolt

A period of conflict and upheaval as Jews resist Hellenistic (Greek) influence and religious oppression, highlighting ongoing struggles for faithfulness.

c. 49 BC