Matthew 24 - Introduction
Jesus foretells the destruction of the temple as he takes his final leave of it, and teaches what were the signs of his coming. These predictions are also recorded in Mark 13; Luke 21:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus foretells the destruction of the temple as he takes his final leave of it, and teaches what were the signs of his coming. These predictions are also recorded in Mark 13; Luke 21:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS WENT OUT - He was going over to the Mount of Olives, Matthew 24:3. THE BUILDINGS OF THE TEMPLE - The temple itself, with the surrounding courts, porches, and other edifices. See the notes at Matthew 21:12. Mark says that they particularly pointed out the “stones” of the temple, as well as... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE SHALL NOT BE LEFT HERE ONE STONE UPON ANOTHER - At the time this was spoken, no event was more improbable than this. The temple was vast, rich, splendid. It was the pride of the nation, and the nation was at peace. Yet in the short space of 40 years all this was accomplished exactly. Jerusalem... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SAT UPON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES - See the notes at Matthew 21:1. From that mount there was a magnificent view of the whole city. THE DISCIPLES CAME UNTO HIM PRIVATELY - Not all of them, but Peter, James, John, and Andrew, Mark 13:3. The prediction that the temple would be destroyed Matthew 24:2 had... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE HEED ... - Jesus, in reply to their question, first gives them a caution to beware of deception. They were to be constantly on their guard, because many would arise to deceive the people. MANY SHALL COME IN MY NAME - Not in the name or by the authority of Jesus, or claiming to be His followers... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL HEAR OF WARS ... - It is recorded in the history of Rome that violent agitations prevailed in the Roman empire previous to the destruction of Jerusalem. Four emperors, Nero, Galba, Otho, and Vitellius, suffered violent deaths in the short space of eighteen months. In consequence of thes... [ Continue Reading ]
NATION SHALL RISE AGAINST NATION, AND KINGDOM AGAINST KINGDOM - At Caesarea the Jews and Syrians contended about the right to the city, and twenty thousand of the Jews were slain. At this blow the whole nation of the Jews was exasperated, and carried war and desolation through the Syrian cities and... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS - Far heavier calamities are yet to come before the end.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO BE AFFLICTED - By persecution, imprisonment, scourging, etc. “They shall deliver you up to councils” (Mark). To the great council, or Sanhedrin - for this is the word in the original. See the notes at Matthew 5:22. This was fulfilled when Peter and John were brought before the council, Acts 4:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
MANY SHALL BE OFFENDED - See the notes at Matthew 5:29. Many shall stumble, fall, apostatize from a profession of religion. Many who “professed” to love me will then show that they had no “real” attachment to me; and in those trying times it will be seen that they knew nothing of genuine Christian l... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MANY FALSE PROPHETS - Many men pretending to be prophets or foretellers of future events. This refers not to the false “Messiahs” of which he had spoken Matthew 24:5, but to prophets who should appear during the siege of the city. Of them Josephus says: “The tyrannical zealots who ruled the city... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BECAUSE INIQUITY ... - The word “iniquity” here seems to include the cruelty of the Jews and Romans in their persecutions; the betraying of Christians by those who professed to be such; and the pernicious errors of false prophets arid others. The effect of all this would be, that the ardor of fe... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT SHALL ENDURE UNTO THE END, THE SAME SHALL BE SAVED - The word “end,” here, has by some been thought to mean the destruction of Jerusalem, or the end of the Jewish economy, and the meaning has been supposed to be “he that perseveres in bearing these persecutions to the end of the wars shall b... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM SHALL BE PREACHED IN ALL THE WORLD - The evidence that this was done is to be chiefly derived from the New Testament, and there it is clear. Thus Paul declares that it was preached to every creature under heaven Colossians 1:6, Colossians 1:23; that the faith of the Ro... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION - This is a Hebrew expression, meaning an abominable or hateful destroyer. The Gentiles were all held in abomination by the Jews, Acts 10:28. The abomination of desolation means the Roman army, and is so explained by Luke 21:20. The Roman army is further called the “abo... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN LET THEM ... - Then Christians may know that the end is come, and should seek a place of safety. Destruction would not only visit the “city,” but would extend to the surrounding part of Judea. THE MOUNTAINS - The mountains of Palestine abound in caves, a safe retreat for those who are pursued.... [ Continue Reading ]
HIM WHICH IS ON THE HOUSE-TOP - The roofs of the houses in Eastern countries were made flat, so that they were favorable places for walking and retirement. See the notes at Matthew 9:1. The meaning here is, that He who should be on the house-top when this calamity came upon the city “should flee wit... [ Continue Reading ]
RETURN BACK TO TAKE HIS CLOTHES - His clothes which, in “working,” He had laid aside, or which, in fleeing, he should throw off as an encumbrance. “Clothes” here means the “outer” garment, commonly laid aside when men worked or ran. See the notes at Matthew 5:40. These directions were followed. It... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT PRAY YE ... - The destruction was certainly coming. It could not be prevented; yet it was right to pray for a mitigation of the circumstances, that it might be as mild as possible. So we know that calamity is before us; sickness, pain, bereavement, and death are in our path; yet, though we know... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE SHALL BE GREAT TRIBULATION - The word “tribulation” means calamity or “suffering.” Luke Luke 21:24 has specified in what this tribulation would consist: “They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentile... [ Continue Reading ]
EXCEPT THOSE DAYS SHOULD BE SHORTENED - If the calamities of the siege should be lengthened out. If famine and war should be suffered to rage. NO FLESH BE SAVED - None of the nation would be preserved alive. All the inhabitants of Judea would perish. The war, famine, and pestilence would entirely d... [ Continue Reading ]
LO, HERE IS CHRIST - The Messiah. The Jews expected the Messiah to deliver them from Roman oppression. In the time of these great calamities they would anxiously look for him. Many would claim “to be” the Messiah. Many would follow those who set up that claim. Many would rejoice to believe that he w... [ Continue Reading ]
FALSE CHRISTS - Persons claiming to be the Messiah. FALSE PROPHETS - Persons claiming to be “the prophet” spoken of by Moses Deuteronomy 18:15; or persons pretending to declare the way of deliverance from the Romans, and calling the people to follow them. See Matthew 24:5. SHALL SHOW GREAT SIGNS AN... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, I HAVE TOLD YOU BEFORE - Mark adds Mark 13:23, “take ye heed.” The reason why he told them before was that they might be on their guard, and be prepared for those calamities.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, HE IS IN THE DESERT - The Jews had formed the expectation that the Messiah would appear suddenly from some unexpected quarter; hence, many would be looking to desert places, expecting that he would come from them. Accordingly, most of the impostors and pretended prophets led their people int... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR AS THE LIGHTNING COMETH OUT OF THE EAST ... - This is not designed to denote the quarter from which he would come, but the manner. He does not mean to affirm that the “Son of man” will come from the “east,” but that he will come in a rapid and unexpected manner, like the lightning. Many would be... [ Continue Reading ]
WHERESOEVER ... - The words in this verse are proverbial. Vultures and eagles easily ascertain where dead bodies are, and hasten to devour them. So with the Roman army. Jerusalem is like a dead and putrid corpse. Its life is gone, and it is ready to be devoured. The Roman armies will find it out, as... [ Continue Reading ]
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION OF THOSE DAYS - That is, immediately after these tribulations, events will occur that “may be properly represented” by the darkening of the sun and moon, and by the stars falling from heaven. The word rendered “immediately” - εὐθέως eutheōs - means, properly, “st... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SIGN OF THE SON OF MAN - The “evidence” that he is coming to destroy the city of Jerusalem. It is not to be denied, however, that this description is applicable also to his coming at the day of judgment. The disciples had asked him Matthew 24:3 what should be the sign of his coming, and “of the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL SEND HIS ANGELS - “Angels” signify, literally, “messengers,” Luke 7:24; Luke 9:52. The word is often applied to inanimate objects, or to anything that God employs to rescue his people from danger Psalms 104:4; but it most commonly refers to the race of intelligent beings more exalted th... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW LEARN A PARABLE - See the notes at Matthew 13:3. The word here means, rather, “an illustration” make a “comparison,” or judge of this as you do respecting a fig-tree. FIG-TREE - This was spoken on the Mount of Olives, which produced not only olives, but figs. Possibly one was near when he spoke... [ Continue Reading ]
SO LIKEWISE YE ... - In the same manner, when you see what I have predicted the “signs” around Jerusalem - then know that its destruction is at hand, IS NEAR - Luke says Luke 21:28, “your redemption draweth nigh, and Luke 21:31 the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” Your deliverance from the dangers... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS GENERATION ... - This age; this race of people. A generation is about 30 or 40 years. The destruction of Jerusalem took place about forty years after this was spoken. See the notes at Matthew 16:28. TILL ALL THESE THINGS ... - Until these things shall be accomplished. Until events shall take pl... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL PASS AWAY ... - You may sooner expect to see the heaven and earth pass away and return to nothing, than my words to fail.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT OF THAT DAY AND HOUR - Of the precise time of the fulfillment. The “general signs” of its approach have been given, as the budding of the fig-tree is a certain indication that summer is near; but “the precise time” is not indicated by these things. One part of their inquiry was Matthew 24:3 when... [ Continue Reading ]
NOE - The Greek way of writing “Noah.” See Gen. 6–9. The coming of the Son of man would be as it was in the days of Noah: * In its being sudden and unexpected, the “precise time” not being made known, though the “general” indications had been given. * The world would be found as it was then.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR AS IN THE DAYS ... - The things mentioned here denote attention to the affairs of this life rather than to what was coming on them. It does not mean that these things were wrong, but only that such was their actual employment, and that they were regardless of what was coming upon them.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY KNEW NOT - That is, they knew not the exact time until it came upon them. So, says he, it shall be when the Son of man shall come. They shall not know “the precise time” until he comes, and then they will be found engaged in the ordinary business of life unconcerned.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHALL TWO BE IN THE FIELD ... - The calamity will come suddenly. There will be no escape for those whom it overtakes. ONE SHALL BE TAKEN - The word “taken” may mean either to be taken away from the danger - that is, rescued, as Lot was Luke 17:28, or to be taken away “by death.” Probably the l... [ Continue Reading ]
TWO WOMEN ... - Grinding in the East was performed, as it is now, chiefly by hand. The millstones were about 2 feet in diameter and 12 foot in thickness. The lower one was fixed, and the upper one was turned by a handle or crank. This was done by two persons, who sat opposite to each other. One took... [ Continue Reading ]
WATCH - Be looking for his coming. Be expecting it as near; as a great event; as coming in an unexpected manner. Watch the signs of his coming, and be ready.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT KNOW THIS ... - If a man knew the hour, or “about the hour,” when a robber would come, he would be ready for him. So you know not the exact hour, but you know it is near, when the Son of man will come. He will come suddenly, as a thief comes, without giving previous warning, 1Th 5:2; 2 Peter 3:1... [ Continue Reading ]
BE YE ALSO READY - Luke Luke 21:36 says that he charged them to pray always, that they might be accounted worthy to escape those things - the judgments coming upon the wicked - and to stand before the Son of man - that is, to stand there approved by him, or to be admitted to his favor. He also charg... [ Continue Reading ]
This passage is, in fact, “a parable,” though it is not expressly so called. The design is to show that his disciples should act as if they were each moment expecting his return. This he illustrates by the conduct of a servant who did not expect his master soon to return, who acted with great improp... [ Continue Reading ]