Matthew 24:29

Immediately after the tribulation, &c.— Commentators generally understand this and what follows, of the end of the world, and of Christ's coming to judgment; but the words evidently shew that he is not speaking of any distant event, but of something consequent upon the tribulation before-mentioned,and that must be the destruction of Jerusalem. It is true, his figures are very strong; but no stronger than are used by the ancient prophets on similar occasions. See Isaiah 13. Bishop Warburton observes upon the subject, that this prophesy of Jesus concerning the approachingdestruction of Jerusalem by Titus, is conceived in such high and swelling terms, that not only the modern interpreters, but the ancient likewise, have supposed, that our Lord interweaves into it a direct prediction of his coming to judgment: but if we consider the nature of the two dispensations, and the necessity of abolishing the former before the introduction of the latter,it will then appear, that this prophesy does not respect Christ's second coming to judgment, but his first, in the abolition of the Jewish polity, and the establishment of the Christian; that kingdom of Christ which commenced on the total ceasing of the theocracy. This was the true establishment of Christianity, not that effected by the donations or conversions of Constantine. This therefore being one of the most important aeras in the economy of grace, and the most awful revolution in all God's religious dispensations, we see the elegance and propriety of the terms in question, to denote so great an event, together with the destruction of Jerusalem, by which it was effected: for in the old prophetic language, thechangeandfallof principalities and powers, whether spiritual or civil, are signified by the shaking of heaven and earth,—the darkening the sun,—and moon,—and the falling of the stars; as the rise and establishment of new ones are by processions in the clouds of heaven, by the sound of trumpets, and the assembling together of hosts and congregations. See Bishop Newton, Bishop Warburton's Julian, b. 1 Chronicles 1 p. 21 and the next note.