SEV Biblia, Chapter 21:20
¶ Y cuando viereis a Jerusaln cercada de ejrcitos, sabed entonces que su destruccin ha llegado.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 20. And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies , etc.] The Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Persic versions read, with an army; that is, with the Roman army, as it was by the army which Titus Vespasian brought against it, and besieged it with: then know that the desolation thereof is nigh ; signifying, that there would be no deliverance to be expected, as when the Assyrian army under Rabshakeh appeared against it; but that whenever the Roman army besieged it, its destruction might be looked upon as inevitable; nor was the siege raised until it was destroyed, which was about four years after.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 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, a far as was necessary to teach them their duty; for all knowledge i 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 shoul 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 the 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 Christia patience we keep possession of our own souls, and keep out all thos impressions which would put us out of temper. We may view the prophec 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 abou thirty-eight years next to come, Christ shows what all those thing would end in, namely, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the utte dispersion of the Jewish nation; which would be a type and figure of Christ's second coming. The scattered Jews around us preach the trut of Christianity; and prove, that though heaven and earth shall pas 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 persecute 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 cit is set as an example before us, to show that sins will not pas unpunished; and that the terrors of the Lord, and his threatening against impenitent sinners, will all come to pass, even as his word wa true, and his wrath great upon Jerusalem.
Greek Textus Receptus
οταν 3752 CONJ δε 1161 CONJ ιδητε 1492 5632 V-2AAS-2P κυκλουμενην 2944 5746 V-PPP-ASF υπο 5259 PREP στρατοπεδων 4760 N-GPN την 3588 T-ASF ιερουσαλημ 2419 N-PRI τοτε 5119 ADV γνωτε 1097 5628 V-2AAM-2P οτι 3754 CONJ ηγγικεν 1448 5758 V-RAI-3S η 3588 T-NSF ερημωσις 2050 N-NSF αυτης 846 P-GSF
Robertson's NT Word Studies
21:20 {Compassed with armies} (kukloumenen hupo stratopedwn). Present passive participle of kuklow, to circle, encircle, from kuklos, circle. Old verb, but only four times in N.T. The point of this warning is the present tense, being encircled. It will be too late after the city is surrounded. It is objected by some that Jesus, not to say Luke, could not have spoken (or written) these words before the Roman armies came. One may ask why not, if such a thing as predictive prophecy can exist and especially in the case of the Lord Jesus. The word stratopedwn (stratos, army, pedon, plain) is a military camp and qen an army in camp. Old word, but only here in the N.T. {qen know} (tote gnwte). Second aorist active imperative of ginwskw. Christians did flee from Jerusalem to Pella before it was too late as directed in #Lu 21:21; Mr 13:14f.; Mt 24:16f.
