Hi Nisse,

Thanks for the question.

My other colleagues may have something to add, but this is what my Catholic Commentary says on the Gospel of Luke 21, verses 20-24:

20-24 The Ruin of Jerusalem — (Matthew 24:15-20; Mark :3:14-18). "Luke here puts in clear terms what Mark has wrapped up in symbolical language such as Gentile readers could with difficulty have understood." (Lagrange).

The "abomination of desolation standing where it ought not" is missing, though he retains the word "desolation" (ερηuωσις) and applies it to Jerusalem. ερηuωσις is an active word meaning "laying waste". Jerusalem besieged by armies inevitably recalled to a Jewish mind the thought of Nabuchodonosor's siege and its result,
(4 Kings 25:1 ff.) That will be the sign for the disciples to flee from the city, (for 22 proper to Luke) this is the punishment decreed by God and it cannot he escaped. [Verse] 24. Here Luke neglects the Marcan narrative and describes in great detail the fate of the inhabitants of the city, concluding with the prediction "Jerusalem shall be trodden under foot by [i.e. shall be under the heel of] the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled"; cf. Daniel 8:13; Apocalypse 11:2. The Gentiles are to take the place of the Jews in the divine plan (cf. 20:16 and Romans 11:25).

I hope this helps,

Mike

Hi, Nisse —

This is talking about the destruction of Jerusalem which came in 70 A.D. The reference to the time of gentiles being fulfilled is also something spoken about by the Apostle Paul in Romans. There will come a day, when the gospel will have been preached to the total number of gentiles (non-Jews) who will receive it.

God knows that day and the number of gentiles that will accept Him. After that time is concluded, the Jewish people will begin to accept the gospel and the Lord will return.

John