Lk 21:20-28
[Jesus said to his disciples,] 20“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is at hand. 21Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Let those within the city escape from it, and let those in the countryside not enter the city, 22for these days are the time of punishment when all the scriptures are fulfilled. 23Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth and a wrathful judgment upon this people. 24They will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
25“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.”
THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN: Parousia (Greek for “presence” or “arrival”) is used in the Hellenistic-Roman world to refer to the ceremonial visit of a ruler to a city or to the apparition of a god coming to help the people. In the New Testament it is used in the technical sense for the Second Coming, the arrival of Jesus at the end of the age.
The Gospel describes the coming of the Son of Man “in a cloud with power and glory.” The Parousia will be preceded by signs derived from the Book of Daniel which mentions a transcendent figure, “one like the son of man” who is brought to God’s throne and receives power, glory, and kingship (Dn 7:13ff). The “son of man” is the collective Israel, and the vision is about God’s glorification of his people, which is the last act of world history. God will vindicate his reign and defeat all hostile powers. Written during the persecution of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the vision described in apocalyptic genre is meant to strengthen and encourage the Jews to persevere in their faith.
Christians applied this image in Daniel to Jesus as Savior and Judge. But unlike in Daniel where the “son of man” is the object of God’s empowerment, Jesus as the Son of Man will come with power and glory, a role attributed to God. During his ministry, Jesus announced that, as the Son of Man, he would be rejected, humiliated, and put to death. His coming to glory as the eschatological judge will vindicate his dignity over all detractors.