‘Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.’

This is the one passage in the NT that seems to speak of the return of Jerusalem to the custody of the Jews.

For some, the ‘times of the Gentiles’ came to an end on 14th May, 1948, when Israel became an independent state, or Jane 1967, with the capture of East Jerusalem.

For Derek White, of Christian Friends of Israel, there is no doubt:

‘The plain meaning of these words of Jesus is that the imposition of Gentile rule and possession of Jerusalem is to have an end, and that it will come again into the possession of the Jewish people as their Capital. It is impossible, without doing disservice to all reasonable Bible interpretation, to spiritualise “Jerusalem” here and make it mean anything other than the city, the Capital of Israel, called by that name. In the first part of verse 24 Jesus is certainly speaking literally and therefore also in the second part of that verse. The implication of this verse is the restoration of sovereignty to the Jewish nation when the “times of the Gentiles” have run their course. Many believe this Scripture to have had its fulfilment in June 1967 when Israeli forces liberated East Jerusalem from Arab rule and returned it to Jewish jurisdiction for the first time in 1900 years. Whether or not this is so, we are certainly within the period of the close of the times of the Gentiles.’

But for most commentators, the issue is not nearly so clear-cut.  Stein (NAC), for example, says,

‘there may be hints in Luke about a future restoration of Israel in Lk 13:35 and Lk 21:24, but they are elusive, so that certainty on this issue is impossible.’

However, our Lord says nothing here about what would happen to Jerusalem at the end of the period spoken of.  The view of Hendriksen (citing Greijdanus & Lenski in support) is that the period of oppression of Jerusalem will last until the end of the age, the theme to which our Lord now turns, in vv25-28.

According to McKnight, this suggests either that:

(1) the city will be dominated for only a limited time and that during this period Gentiles will be converted to the Messiah (cf. Dan 8:13–14; 12:5–13; Mk 13:20; Rom 11:25–27) or that

(2) the mission to the Gentiles will run its predestined course, and God will then turn once more to work with the nation of Israel.’

(DJG, 1st ed., art. ‘Gentiles’ (McKnight)

The contributor to HSB regards ‘the times of the Gentiles’ as meaning simply ‘the period of Gentile domination of the city’.  See Rev 11:2.

France suggests that

‘in context the phrase seems to mean “for as long as God permits the Gentiles to have the upper hand.”’  France adds that, ‘no specific cutoff point for the period of Gentile dominance is stated.’

Travis remarks that although Jesus taught that the OT prophecies concerning the Kingdom of God were fulfilled in his own ministry, there is nothing to suggest that he expected a time when the Jews would have political independence in Palestine.  And although the present text does speak of the trampling down of Jerusalem until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled, it does not say that Jewish sovereignty will be restored at that time.  It is consistent with the general tenor of Jesus’ teaching that the fulfillment of the times of the Gentiles would be followed by the parousia.  (I Believe in the Second Coming of Jesus)

Ryrie (Study Bible) thinks that this refers to:

‘The period of Gentile domination of Jerusalem, which probably began under Nebuchadnezzar (587 B.C.), was certainly in effect in A.D. 70 and continues into the Tribulation (cf. Rev. 11:2).’

Matthew Poole judged:

‘Some from this text think, that there shall be a time when the Jews shall repossess the city of Jerusalem. Whether any such thing can be from hence gathered, I doubt.’