Luke chapter 21

vs 1

Probably hard not to see their donations. I assume that it was not a pass-the-bag type of thing like we do in churches, but rather than you just went up and gave it to a person, or put it in a box or something similar.

vs 2

And so the comparison between the giving of the rich and the poor is made. But Jesus makes it a different way.

vs 3-4

We often read this story and think about the sacrificial giving of the widow. But to be honest, I think it's irresponsible to put all your money in the church bag. Some people think that's faith. I think God gave you the money in the first place, to look after your family.

I think we read this story out of context with the story before it. The Teachers of the law have just been charged with devouring the houses of the widow. There it was in action.

vs 5

I'm sure it was a beautiful building. And it was a talking point of the city, I'll bet.

vs 6

In about, what, 40 years from when Jesus said this, it would happen. And from then on, the temple would never ever be rebuilt. The temple, in every part of Israel's history, was the bad part about their religion, methinks. Some of the best jewish reformation happened when they didn't have a temple - during the exile.

vs 7

This seems to me a reasonable question. I mean, especially when you're a disciple, you're hoping for the skinny on these sorts of things.

vs 8

I wonder when the first person claiming he was Jesus appeared? Considering that there's a common mental disorder where you claim to be God (or Jesus), that would have happened within a few hundred years - once Christianity had become more culturally acceptable. But someone like the Waco cult thing - probably happened within 30 years or so, knowing humanity.

vs 9

Remember that wars and rumours of wars will not signal the end of the world! They just happen! And remember that they don't just happen, they must happen! That doesn't mean we have to like it - only that God's got a plan.

vs 10

I think every generation has seen that. We seem to think that only WW1 and WW2 count, and that before that there was only the Crusades or something. War is a human constant. It doesn't signify anything short of we suck at being friends.