Chiasm in Luke 21:25-26
There’s a neat little chiasm in Luke 21:25-26:
A. Signs in sun, moon stars B. on earth dismay among nations C. in perplexity at roaring of the sea and waves B. men fainting with fear and expectations of things coming upon the oikoumene A. powers of heavens shaken.
A couple of things are clear about this. First, we are completely in the realm of Gentile imagery. You’ve got the explicit mention of the “nations” and the “oikoumene” in the B/B’ sections, the sea at the center. That means, second, that the sun, moon, stars/powers of heaven imagery in the outer frame is referring to Gentile powers. Judgment falls on Jerusalem, and then on the Gentile world (as always in the OT). This leads right into the fulfillment of Dan 7, the “Son of Man coming in a cloud,” to receive the power and dominion that had belonged to the “powers of the heavens” that have now been shaken.
Peter Leithart
Peter J. Leithart is President of Theopolis Institute. He is the author of numerous books on theology, literature, and culture, including Theopolitan, Defending Constantine, and Baptized Body.
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