Jesus doesn't directly answer when these devastating events will happen, but instead immediately addresses what signs will precede them. This subtle shift redirects their anxious curiosity about timing to a more practical focus on recognizing God's unfolding plans and being prepared.
And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just after Jesus predicted the utter destruction of the magnificent Temple, his disciples, astonished and perhaps a bit anxious, asked when these devastating events would happen and what signs would signal their approach. This question, echoing similar inquiries to Jesus in Matthew and Mark, prompts his detailed prophecy about future calamities, which he weaves together to speak of both Jerusalem's fall and his ultimate return.
The disciples were eager to know, and honestly, who wouldn't be? They asked Jesus, 'When will these things happen?' But Jesus' response takes us on a journey of understanding signs, not just dates.
Jesus often redirected questions about specific timing toward understanding the signs that precede significant events. This wasn't about avoiding the question, but about shifting the focus from a precise calendar date to discerning God's unfolding purposes.
Ever asked a question and gotten an answer that wasn't quite what you expected, but ended up being exactly what you needed? That's Jesus at work here.
Jesus didn't always answer questions directly, especially when they veered into speculation or curiosity that wasn't focused on faithfulness. His approach in Luke 21:7 shows us how to handle potentially distracting inquiries.
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Understand the original words
didaskale · Greek Noun
An authoritative instructor, specifically one who interprets the Law of God. In the New Testament, it is the title often given to Jesus, acknowledging His divine authority to teach truth.
sēmeion · Greek Noun
A miracle, occurrence, or prophetic marker intended to point toward a greater spiritual reality or a future event decreed by God. It serves as evidence of God's sovereign unfolding of history.
planaō · Greek Verb
To be caused to wander from the truth, to be deceived, or to be led into error. It is a frequent warning in Scripture against false teachings and false messiahs who attempt to draw believers away from Christ.
egō eimi · Greek Pronoun and Verb
A title of historical and theological significance, referring to the one promised by God to deliver His people. Jesus uses this to warn against imposters who will claim divine authority or messianic status to deceive the faithful.
The disciples' question about the timing and signs of the Temple's destruction and Jesus' coming was directly tied to the immediate context of Jesus' prophetic warnings during His final week. The subsequent Roman-Jewish War and the Temple's destruction served as a stark, historical fulfillment of these pronouncements, offering a tangible, though terrifying, glimpse of divine judgment.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus' Ministry in Jerusalem
During His final week, Jesus taught in Jerusalem, including on the Mount of Olives, just days before His crucifixion. His teachings often addressed themes of judgment and the future.
AD 66-70
First Jewish-Roman War Begins
Jewish rebels revolted against Roman rule, sparking a devastating war that led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.
AD 70
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Roman legions under Titus besieged and ultimately destroyed Jerusalem, burning the Second Temple. This event was a catastrophic fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy.
This passage presents the same question asked by the disciples to Jesus, concerning the signs of the end times and His coming, providing a parallel account that highlights the significance of their inquiry.
Mark 13:4Mark's Gospel also records the disciples asking Jesus privately about the timing and signs of these events, emphasizing the disciples' earnest desire to understand the future.
Luke 17:20Jesus' response in this verse, stating that the kingdom of God does not come with observable signs, contrasts with the disciples' expectation and underscores Jesus' focus on internal transformation over outward spectacle.
Acts 1:7Jesus' answer to a similar question about timing, stating it is not for the disciples to know the times or seasons, reinforces the theme that God's schedule is not meant for human comprehension.
2 Peter 3:10This passage describes the coming of the Day of the Lord as a certain event that will arrive suddenly, echoing the disciples' anxiety about timing and the signs that precede it.
pooleLuke 21:7: "And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?"
Mark saith, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately. Matthew brings two things more within the compass of their question, viz. What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? Our Saviour answereth this question from Luke 21:8-32 . The most of what he saith we have before met with in Matthew and Mark. It is the harder to…
barnesLuke 21:7: "And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?"
The account of the destruction of Jerusalem contained in this chapter has been fully considered in the notes at Matthew 24 . All that will be necessary here will be an explanation of a few words that did not occur in that chapter.
Jesus doesn't directly answer when these devastating events will happen, but instead immediately addresses what signs will precede them. This subtle shift redirects their anxious curiosity about timing to a more practical focus on recognizing God's unfolding plans and being prepared.
Just after Jesus predicted the utter destruction of the magnificent Temple, his disciples, astonished and perhaps a bit anxious, asked when these devastating events would happen and what signs would signal their approach. This question, echoing similar inquiries to Jesus in Matthew and Mark, prompts his detailed prophecy about future calamities, which he weaves together to speak of both Jerusalem's fall and his ultimate return.
Just after Jesus predicted the utter destruction of the magnificent Temple, his disciples, astonished and perhaps a bit anxious, asked when these devastating events would happen and what signs would signal their approach. This question, echoing similar inquiries to Jesus in Matthew and Mark, prompts his detailed prophecy about future calamities, which he weaves together to speak of both Jerusalem's fall and his ultimate return.
"And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time…" — Jesus doesn't directly answer when these devastating events will happen, but instead immediately addresses what signs will precede them. This subtle shift redirects their anxious curiosity about…
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Last reviewed October 2026
