Luke 21: Jesus and Theophilus Face to Face - Luke's Scene Shift

Luke 21: Jesus and Theophilus Face to Face - Luke's Scene Shift

4 "All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."

6 "As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down."

12 "But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name."

13 "And so you will bear testimony to me."

19 "Stand firm, and you will win life."

In chapter 21, Luke shifts the tone to discuss the end times, heightening the sense of urgency. Up until now, it has been a confrontation between Jesus and his adversaries, but Luke stages an encounter between Jesus and Theophilus. The seemingly abrupt and simple scene of the widow’s offering (verses 1-4) serves as a signal for this shift. Unlike the rich who gave out of their abundance, the widow gave all she had to live on. So, how much should Theophilus give? What must Theophilus endure to become a follower of Jesus? The timing of Luke's question is crucial. By shifting the scene, Luke places Theophilus' moment of decision before Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, rather than after. Now, Theophilus must internally wrestle with Jesus' arrest, death, and resurrection. This is undoubtedly a clever trap set by Luke.

Rome devastated Jerusalem, fulfilling Jesus' prophecy about the end times. The people of Jerusalem were terrified, as described in the scriptures (verse 26). Amidst this chaos, the persecution of Christians by Rome became an opportunity to testify about Jesus (verses 7-19). Christians exchanged their lives for the chance to bear witness to Jesus. The widow's offering of two small coins carries the same significance. Luke suggests to Theophilus that he must gain life through death (verse 19). Theophilus cannot merely regard Jesus as an interesting philosophy. It seems that Theophilus found the decision difficult or was cautious, as he had to read the second letter, which became the Acts of the Apostles.