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÷÷MATTHEW 24

MATTHEW 24

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS FOR JESUS' OLIVET DISCOURSE

1. Matthew records several long sermons/teaching sessions of Jesus. They seem to be made up of
   1. Jesus' repeated emphases in different locations, with different audiences
   2. Matthew combining these to form long sermons. Matthew's Olivet discourse is three times longer than Mark 13 or Luke 21.
   3. a good example of this is Matt. 24, where Matthew adds Jesus' discussion
      1. Matt. 24:36-44 is found only in Luke 17:22-37
      2. Matt. 24:45-51 is not in the parallels. Each Gospel writer had their own sources.
   
   
2. Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 are so difficult to interpret because they deal with either two or three questions simultaneously (cf. Matt. 24:3).
   1. When will the temple be destroyed? (the questions in Mark and Luke)
   2. What will be the sign of the Messiah's return?
      1. for the judgment on the temple (i.e., Hebrew idiom, "coming")
      2. the Second Coming (but at this point the disciples would have no knowledge of this event)
   3. When will this age end?
      1. the age of temple law
      2. end time
         

         Special Topic: Disciples' Questions

3. The genre of New Testament eschatological passages is usually a combination of apocalyptic and prophetic language which is purposely ambiguous and highly symbolic. See
   1. D. Brent Sandy, Plowshares and Pruning Hooks: Rethinking the Language of Biblical Prophecy and Apocalyptics
   2. Fee and Stuart, How To Read the Bible For All Its Worth, pp. 181-204
      Special Topic: Apocalyptic Literature
      Special Topic: Prophecy (OT)
   
   
4. Several passages in the NT (cf. Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 17 and 21, 1 and 2 Thessalonians and Revelation) deal with a divine coming in judgment. These passages emphasize
   1. the exact time of the event is unknown but the event is certain
   2. we can know the general time but not specific time of the events
   3. it will occur suddenly and unexpectedly
   4. we must be prayerful, ready, and faithful to assigned tasks
      Many scholars see Matt. 24 parallel with Rev. 6.
   
   
5. There is a theological paradoxical tension between
   1. the any-moment return (cf. Matt. 24:27,44)
   2. the fact that some events in history must occur
      Special Topic: The Any-Moment Return of Jesus vs. The Noy Yet
      Special Topic: Delayed Second Coming
   
   
6. The New Testament states that some events will occur before the Second Coming:
   1. The gospel preached to the whole world (cf. Matt. 24:14; Mark 13:10)
   2. The great apostasy (cf. Matt. 24:10-13, 21; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:1ff.; 2 Thess. 2:3)
   3. The revelation of the "man of sin" (cf. Dan. 7:23-26; 9:24-27; 2 Thess. 2:3)
   4. Removal of that/who restrains (cf. 2 Thess. 2:6-7)
   5. Jewish revival (cf. Zech. 12:10; Romans 11)
   
   
7. For good resources on comparing the different theories related to this chapter, see
   1. Four views On the Book of Revelation several authors (ISBN 0-310-21080-1)
      1. Preterism ‒ pp. 35-92
      2. Idealism ᰪ pp. 93-132
      3. Progressive Dispensationalism ‒ pp. 133-176
      4. Classical Dispensationalsim ‒ pp. 177-231
   2. Steve Gregg, Revelation: four Views, Revised and Updated (ISBN 978140167216)
      1. Historicist
      2. Preterist
      3. Futurist
      4. Idealist
   3. I have become a Partial Preterist/Idealist. The books that have caused me to rethink my Futurist upbringing are:
      1. John L. Bray, Matthew 24 Fulfilled
      2. Kenneth L. Gentry
          (1)  Before Jerusalem Fell
          (2)  The Olivet Discourses Made Easy
      3. Jay E. Adams, The Time Is At Hand
   
   
8. Matthew 24-25 forms a literal unit and should be interpreted together!
   
   
9. I find it interesting that the Gospel of John does not mention or allude to the Olivet Discourse. One possible reason is that he addresses the same issues in his Apocalypse (Revelation), written before the Gospel (Partial Preterism, see Kenneth Gentry, Before Jerusalem Fell, p. 242, #30).

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

÷MATTHEW 24:1-2

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 24:1-2
 ¹Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. ²And He said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down."

24:1 "the temple" This was the Greek word for the whole temple area (hieron, cf. Mark 13:1). Jesus had been teaching there (i.e., Solomon's Portico) since Matt. 21:23. The building itself (naos, cf. Mark 15:38) had become the great Jewish hope (cf. Jeremiah 7), a symbol of God's exclusive love and promise of protection for the Jews.

▣ "buildings" They were white polished limestone with gold trim. This building project took Herod the Great more than 46 years to complete (cf. John. 2:20). This project was meant to placate the Jews, who were upset because an Idumean (Edom) was ruling over them.

Special Topic: Herod and His Family

24:2 "Truly" This is literally "amen" Only Jesus started His sentences with a single or double "amen."

Special Topic: Amen

▣ "stone" Josephus tells us that Herod the Great used polished limestones or mezzeh, which were native to this area. These foundation stones and wall stones were huge, 25x8x12 cubits (a cubit was 18-21 inches; thus, the total volume of one of these stones would have been approximately 3600 cubic feet).

Special Topic: Cubit

▣ "not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down" This is the strong grammatical structure of two DOUBLE NEGATIVES. This speaks of total destruction. This must have dumbfounded the disciples! Josephus tells us that in A.D. 70 the Roman army destroyed this site so completely that one could plow the ground on Mount Moriah (cf. Mic. 3:12; Jer. 26:18) where the temple stood.

÷MATTHEW 24:3

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 24:3
 ³As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"

24:3 "sitting on the Mount of Olives" This ridge to the east overlooked Jerusalem and the temple area. Mark's Gospel identified the disciples who asked Jesus these questions-Peter, James, John, and Andrew. Matthew reads "the disciples came up. . .to Him" (cf. Matt. 24:1 and 3).

▣ "when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming" Mark 13:4 and Luke 21:7 have two questions, but Matt. 24:3 shows the expanded questions. There were two events the disciples wanted to know about:

1. destruction of the temple
2. end of this age could refer to
   1. the age of the Mosaic sacrificial system
   2. the end of the period of Gentile domination (Daniel 2)
   3. end of history

The disciples probably thought all three would happen at one time!

The term used here translated "coming" (cf. Matt. 24:3,27,37,39; 1 Cor. 15:23; 1 Thess. 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23; 2 Thess. 2:1,8; James 5:7,8; 2 Pet. 1:16; 3:4,12; 1 John 2:28) is parousia. It is used in the OT for God coming in judgment by sending national armies as His servants (i.e., Assyria, Babylon, Rome).

Special Topic: Disciples' Questions

Special Topic: The Second Coming, last paragraph

▣ "the sign" It is surely possible (see Steve Gregg, www.thenarrowpath.com) that this refers to the army of Rome under Titus approaching Jerusalem to lay siege and put down the Jewish revolt, begun in A.D. 66.

This would make Matthew 24, like Mark 13 and Luke 21, mostly dealing with the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70. Matthew does also address an end-time return by including material from Luke 17. For a list of NT texts outside of the Gospels that speak of a Second Coming, see Contextual Insights to Mark 13, D.

÷MATTHEW 24:4-8

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 24:4-8
 ⁴And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you. ⁵For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,'and will mislead many. ⁶You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. ⁷For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. ⁸But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

24:4 "See to it that no one misleads you" This is a PRESENT ACTIVE IMPERATIVE with the NEGATIVE PARTICLE which meant stop an act in process. There were and continue to be many false signs or "precursor signs." This statement was repeated often (cf. Mark 13:5, 9, 23, 33). There is great theological confusion in this area. The church has never had a consensus on eschatology.

Every generation of Christians has tried to force their contemporary history into biblical prophecy. To date they have all been wrong. Part of the problem is that believers are to live in a moment-by-moment expectation of the Second Coming yet the prophecies are all written for one end time generation of persecuted followers. Rejoice that you do not know!

Special Topic: Why Are End-Time Events So Controversial?

24:5 "many will come in My name" This referred to false messiahs in the temple during the siege of Jerusalem (cf. Matt. 24:11, 23-24; Mark 13:6).

It could also be an allusion to the end-time (i.e., multi-fulfillment prophecy)

1. antichrist of 1 John 2:18 (anti in sense of: a. "against" or b. "in place of")
2. "Man of Sin" of 2 Thessalonians 2
3. the Sea Beast of Rev. 13:1-10

Special Topic: The Name of the Lord (NT)

▣ "I am the Christ" "Christ" is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew term messiah, which meant "an anointed one." This shows that many messianic pretenders would soon come (cf. Matt. 24:11, 24; 1 John. 2:18).

Special Topic: Messiah

Special Topic: Anointing in the Bible

▣ "and will mislead many" This shows the persuasive power of the false messiahs and the spiritual vacuum of the citizens of Jerusalem (cf. Matt. 24:11,23-26). It also shows the naivete of new believers and/or carnal Christians (cf. 1 Cor. 3:1-3; Col. 2:16-23; Heb. 5:11-14).

24:6 "that you are not frightened" This is PRESENT PASSIVE IMPERATIVE with the NEGATIVE PARTICLE, which usually means stop an act in process. Events in a fallen world must not frighten those who know and trust Jesus!

▣ "for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end" Wars (Matt. 24:6, 7), famines (Matt. 24:7), earthquakes (Matt. 24:7), and false messiahs (Matt. 24:5) are not signs of a specific judgment event, but signs of every age (cf. Matt. 24:8). The presence of these kinds of events are not a sign of the end, but of a fallen world.

This referred to the "birth pangs of the new age" (cf. Isa. 13:8; 26:17; 66:7; Mic. 4:9-10; Mark 13:8). This reflected the Jewish belief in the intensification of evil before the new age of righteousness. The Jews believed in two ages; the current evil age, characterized by sin and rebellion against God, and the "age to come." The New Age would be inaugurated by the coming of the Messiah. It would be a time of righteousness and fidelity to God. Although the Jewish view was true to a point, it did not take into account the two comings of the Messiah. We live in the over-lapping of these two ages. The "already" and "not yet" of the kingdom of God!

Special Topic: Birth Pains

Special Topic: This Age and the Age To Come

Special Topic: The KIngdom of God

÷MATTHEW 24:9-14

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 24:9-14
 ⁹"Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. ¹⁰At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. ¹¹Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. ¹²Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. ¹³But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. ¹⁴This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."

24:9 "Then" This term is used several times in Matthew (cf. Matt. 24:9,10,14,16,21,23,30,40; 25:1,7,31,34,37, 41,44,45). The question is

1. Is it simply a transition marker?
2. Does it designate a temporal sequence?
3. Does it designate a context sequence (like the waw consecutive in Hebrew)?

▣ Mark 13:9 is much more specific at this point. "Courts and synagogues," a phrase not found in Matt. 24:9, shows both governmental (Roman) and religious persecution (Jewish) of Christians (cf. 1 Pet. 4:12-16).

"Beaten" or literally "skinned," Jews whipped offenders thirty-nine times (i.e., thirteen times on the front and twenty-six times on the back, cf. Deut. 25:1-3; 2 Cor. 11:24).

▣ "you will be hated by all nations" Jesus prepared His disciples for the world's hatred (cf. Matt. 10:22; 21:35-36; 23:37; Mark 13:13; Luke 21:17; John 15:18,19; 1 John 3:13). The level of opposition to the gospel

1. Roman
2. Jewish
3. demonic

The implication of this phrase is that Christianity has spread into all the world (cf. Matt. 24:14) which means Jesus is referring to a future time (see Special Topic: Delayed Second Coming) .

It is also contextually possible that this refers to the mercenaries in Titus' army.

Special Topic: Why Do Christians Suffer?

▣ "because My name" Not for their own wickedness or civil crimes will believers be persecuted, but because they are Christians (cf. Matt. 5:10-16; Mark13:9; 1 Pet. 4:12-16).

24:10 "many will fall away" Under persecution and spiritual delusion many apparent followers of Jesus will "fall away" (lit. "be caused to stumble," cf. Matt. 11:6). These are the ones spoken of in the parable of the soils in Matt. 13:21 (cf. Mark 4:17; 8:13).

1. They are the ones who "do not abide" in John 15:6.
2. They are the ones who leave the fellowship in 1 John 2:18-19.
3. They are the ones described in Hebrews 6; 10 and 2 Pet. 2:20-22.

Special Topic: Apostasy (aphistēmi)

24:10-11 This implies organized opposition (cf. Mark13:12). Families will be split over Christ (cf. Matt. 10:35-37). Those who should have been changed by the gospel act like the unsaved (cf. Titus 3:2-3).

24:11 "Many false prophets" This is a frightful thought. These people are wolves in sheep's clothing (cf. Matt. 7:15-23). Believers must have a grasp of the gospel, a yieldedness to the Spirit, and a godly lifestyle to protect themselves from these pretenders (cf. 2 Peter 2; 1 John. 2:18-19; Revelation 13).

Some first century A.D. examples of these false teachers would be

1. Judaizers (Galatians)
2. Gnostics (John, Colossians, Ephesians, and 1 John)
3. followers of John the Baptist (cf. Acts 18:25; 19:3; John 1:8)
4. the false prophets of 2 Peter 2
5. the false teachers of Jude
6. the false teachers of Rev. 2:20

24:12 Persecution will reveal the true spiritual nature of the pretenders (cf. Matt. 13:20-22) or the weak (cf. 1 Tim. 6:9-10).

24:13 "but whoever endures to the end, he will be saved" This is an AORSIT ACTIVE PARTICIPLE (endure) followed by a FUTURE PASSIVE INDICATIVE (saved cf. Matt. 10:22. This is the doctrine of perseverance (Rev. 2:2, 11, 12, 26; 3:5, 12, 21) and it must be held in a dialectical tension with the doctrine of the security of the believer. Both are true! Both are gifts of God.

The term "saved" can be understood in its OT sense of physical deliverance but better, in this context, of spiritual eternal deliverance.

Endurance is an evidence of a life changing encounter with Jesus. It does not imply sinlessness, but it does contrast the actions of Matt. 24:10-12!

Special Topic: Perseverance

Special Topic: Salvation (OT)

Special Topic: Assurance

24:14 "this gospel of the kingdom" This was mentioned earlier in Matt. 4:23; 9:35. It is synonymous with "the gospel of Jesus Christ." It referred to the content of Jesus' preaching.

Special Topic: The Gospel

Special Topic: The Kingdom of God

▣ "shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations" This is the goal of Matt. 28:18-20; Luke 24:46-47; Acts 1:8! It marks a major shift away from the "Israel only" policy. This is one of the things that must occur before the Second Coming. It is impossible to know how specifically to interpret this phrase. Does it mean every single tribe or people in racial groupings or possibly everyone in the Roman world of Paul's day? This second option is possible because the phrase "the whole world" is literally "the inhabited earth."

Special Topic: YHWH's Eternal Redemptive Plan

▣ "then the end will come" Although the terminology and imagery of The Olivet Discourse seems to relate to the end of history at the Second Coming of Jesus, I think the majority, if not all of this sermon, relates to the Jewish War (A.D. 66-70) culminating with the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple. God's coming in judgment by means of the Roman army was His judgment on "those who pierced Him" (cf. Rev. 1:7).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 24:15-28
 ¹⁵"Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), ¹⁶then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains; ¹⁷Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things that are in his house. ¹⁸Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. ¹⁹But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ²⁰But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. ²¹For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. ²²Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. ²³Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,'or 'There He is,'do not believe him. ²⁴For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵Behold, I have told you in advance. ²⁶So if they say to you, 'Behold, He is in the wilderness,'do not got out, or, 'Behold, He is in the inner rooms,'do not believe them. ²⁷For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. ²⁸Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather."

The word "desolation" meant sacrilege. This was used in Dan. 9:27, 11:31, and 12:11. It seems originally to refer to Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 168 B.C. (cf. Dan. 8:9-14; I Mac. 1:54). Luke 21:20 helps us interpret this as possibly the coming of Titus' army in A.D. 70. It cannot refer to the siege of Jerusalem itself because it would be too late for believers to escape. They are warned to leave immediately when they see the Roman army's approach. Eusebius tells us the Jewish believers were saved (v. 16).

This is an example of a phrase being used in several different but related senses. This is called multiple fulfillment prophecy. Often it is difficult to interpret until after the events occur. Then looking back, the typology is obvious. For more detailed notes on Daniel see my commentary at www.freebiblecommentary.org.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION

SPECIAL TOPIC: ABOMINATION (OT)

SPECIAL TOPIC: TYPOLOGY

The Greek PARTICIPLE "standing" is NEUTER, not MASCULINE. It should be translated "it," which backs up the interpretation of "it" being the Roman army under Titus in A.D. 70. "Holy Place" referred to the first part of the central shrine of the temple. Titus set up Roman standards representing their pagan gods in this area of the temple.

This was a comment by Matthew to his Christian readers (also included in Mark 13:14). Everyone read aloud in the ancient Mediterranean world. A regular attender at synagogue should know God's word. It may relate to the specific phrase "the abomination of desolation" in Dan. 9:27, 11:31, and 12:11.

24:16 "then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains" Eusebius, an early church historian (4^th century A.D.), informs us that the believing Jewish community fled to the city of Pella in Perea when the Roman army appeared and began to surround Jerusalem. The vast majority of believers survived the fall of Jerusalem because they left before the Roman siege (A.D. 69-70).

24:17 "Whoever is on the housetop" The houses had flat roofs. They were used as the place of social gathering in the hot months. It has been said that one could walk across Jerusalem on the roofs of houses. Apparently some houses were built next to the city's wall. When the army was seen, immediate flight was necessary.

24:18 "must not turn back to get his cloak" This referred to one's outer cloak which was used as sleeping gear. They were to flee immediately and not go back even for what was perceived as necessities of life.

24:19 "But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies" See Mark13:17. This referred to the destruction of Jerusalem only! These disciples' questions to Jesus related to two or three separate issues: the destruction of Jerusalem, His Coming, and the end of the age. The problem is that these questions were dealt with at the same time. There is no easy verse division by topic.

24:20 "But pray that your flight will not be in the winter" This phrase was related to the difficulties of pregnant women fleeing quickly. This is not a warning to today's women not to be pregnant at the Second Coming. Matthew, written to Jews, adds the phrase "or on the Sabbath" which is left out of Mark 13:18. Jewish believers would be reluctant to flee on a Sabbath.

I am struck by two things related to this verse.

1. Jesus did not know the exact date of the destruction of Jerusalem.
2. Believers' prayers could affect the exact date of the destruction of Jerusalem.

SPECIAL TOPIC: INTERCESSORY PRAYER

SPECIAL TOPIC: EFFECTIVE PRAYER

24:21 "such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will" This is a Hebrew idiomatic hyperbolic phrase similar to many in the OT (cf. Exod. 10:14; 11:6; Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1; Joel 2:2). Josephus, Jewish Wars, adds many vivid, gruesome details, both

1. the slaughter by Vespasian in Galilee
2. the slaughter in Jerusalem by Titus

SPECIAL TOPIC: GREAT TRIBULATION

24:22 "Unless those days had been cut short" The contextual and grammar (i.e., AORIST PASSIVE INDICATIVE) identify the actor to be God.

M. R. Vincent, Word Studies, vol. 1, p. 75, has an interesting historical comment.

"As a fact, various causes did combine to shorten the siege. Herod Agrippa was stopped in his work of strengthening the walls by orders from the emperor; the Jews, absorbed in their party strifes, had totally neglected preparations to stand a siege; the magazines of corn and provisions were burnt before the arrival of Titus. Titus arrived suddenly, and the Jews voluntarily abandoned parts of the fortifications. Titus himself confessed that God was against the Jews since otherwise neither his armies nor his engines would have availed against their defences."

Much of the vivid descriptions of the Jewish War (A.D. 66-70) come from Josephus, The War of the Jews.

▣ "but for the sake of the elect" If all the Christians fled, as Eusebius tells us they did, then this might be a reference to the Jewish people, the OT elect. However, because of the use of the term "elect" in Matt. 24:24 and 31, it seems to refer to believing Jews.

For "elect" see SPECIAL TOPIC: ELECTION/PREDESTINATION AND THE NEED FOR A THEOLOGICAL BALANCE

SPECIAL TOPIC: FORTY-TWO MONTHS

24:23,26 The true Messiah's coming will not be secret or hidden. It will not be to a select group but visible to all (Matt. 24:27). Biblically there is no "secret rapture." See full note at Matt. 24:40-41.

The concept of a "secret rapture" is not evident in the OT or NT. It became a major presupposition of a theological system first developed by John Nelson Darby (1800-1882). This is the beginning of the modern theological system called "Dispensationalism," which has several theological presuppositions.

1. all prophecies must be literally fulfilled to Israel
2. therefore, the millennium is about Israel and the church is not present (i.e., secret rapture)
3. This makes two people of God, each with their own destiny. This makes some Bible texts refer to one group and other texts refer to a second group.

I reject these as unbiblical! The best version of this theological system is the recent revision in Progressive Dispensationalism by Blaising and Beck.

Personally, I believe Dispensational scholars are godly, educated, prayerful seekers of truth! However, I disagree with their presuppositions and hermeneutics. One good source of information about Dispensationalism can be seen in Steve Gregg's YouTube videos.

1. "Dispensationalsim"
2. "The Middle East Crisis and the Danger of Dispensationalism"
3. "The Dangers of Dispensationalsim"
4. "The Modern State of Israel"

SPECIAL TOPIC: RAPTURE

24:23,26 "if" These are two THIRD CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCES which denote potential, even probable, action.

24:24 "they will show great signs and wonders" These false christs will perform miracles (cf. Matt. 7:21-23). Be careful of always identifying the miraculous with God (cf. Exod. 7:11-12,22; Deut. 13:1-3; 2 Thess. 2:9-12; Rev. 13:13; 16:14; 20:20).

We know from Josephus' Jewish Wars of the terrible fanaticism which occurred in Jerusalem during the siege by Roman legions. Many would call it caused by demonic influences.

24:25 "I have told you in advance" Jesus builds the faith of the disciples by foretelling events (cf. Mark 13:23; John 13:19; 14:29; 16:4). This clearly established Him as

1. a true prophet of God
2. the Messiah who was in control of historical events
3. one who prepares them for deception and persecution

24:27 "just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be" The contextual meaning of this imagery is that Jesus will not be found in an isolated or secret place. His coming will be known to all (cf. Rev. 1:7).

This is a good example of Matthew's recording style. His presentation of the Olivet Discourse is three times longer than Mark 13 or Luke 21. All of Jesus' sermons recorded in Matthew are longer (i.e., the Sermon on the Mount vs. the Sermon on the Plain in Luke). Matthew tends to add material from other teachings of Jesus. This verse is not in the parallels to Matt. 24, but is found in Luke 17:23-24.

It is just possible that as Mark 13 and Luke 21 have the disciples asking two questions related to the fall of Jerusalem, Matthew adds a third question (cf. Matt. 24:3) relating to the Second Coming itself.

SPECIAL TOPIC: DISCIPLES' QUESTIONS

SPECIAL TOPIC: SECOND COMING, last paragraph

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SON OF MAN

24:28 "Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather" This does not appear in Mark 13 but it does appear in Luke 17:37. It was a proverbial statement possibly from Job 39:30. If it was a cryptic reference to the end-time battle of Psalm 2, then maybe the source is Ezek. 39:17-20. It may be imagery for

1. endtime persecution and death of believers
2. God's slaughter of the enemies of Himself and His people

In this context, #2 fits best. For a good brief discussion of this verse, see Hard Sayings of the Bible, pp. 482-3.

NASB TEXT: 24:29-31
 ²⁹But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. ³¹And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

24:29 "but" This is a strong ADVERSATIVE showing a break in context. Notice all the English translations mark a paragraph division at this point.

▣ "the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light" This was OT apocalyptic language of both temporal judgment and the end-time judgment (cf. Isa. 13:10; 34:4; Ezek. 32:7-8; Joel 2:10,31; 3:15; Amos 8:9). There will be upheavals in nature at the coming of the Day of the Lord (cf. 2 Pet. 3:7,10,11,12; Rev. 6:12-14). See D. Brent Sandy, Plowshares and Pruning Hooks: Rethinking the Language of Biblical Prophecy and Apocalyptic.

▣ "the powers of the heavens will be shaken" This could simply be the continuation of the OT apocalyptic language, and thereby a reference to the convulsions of nature at the Lord's coming or a reference to angelic powers that influence history (cf. Dan. 10; Eph. 6:12; Col. 2:15; Rev. 12:4).

SPECIAL TOPIC: LORD OF HOSTS

24:30 "And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky" It is possible that this is a connection to Isa. 60:1-3. The "sign" would be the light of the Shekinah cloud of glory. Earthly lights fail, but God's light (cf. Gen. 1:3), the true morning star, shines forth!

Jesus' humanity (Ps. 8:4; Ezek. 2:1) and Deity (Dan. 7:13) are emphasized by the term "Son of Man." Clouds were seen as the means for transportation of Deity in the OT. Jesus used them in Acts 1:9 and 1 Thess. 4:17 which implied His Deity. This sign will be Jesus coming on the clouds of heaven as the eastern sky "opens."

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SON OF MAN (from notes on Daniel 7:13)

SPECIAL TOPIC: COMING ON THE CLOUDS

▣ "and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn" It is unusual to speak of "nations" as "tribes." This terminology fits Israel better. This context is about God's coming judgment on "those who pierced Him" (cf. Rev. 1:7). The "coming" is imagery for God's using foreign armies to judge offenders (see SPECIAL TOPIC: SECOND COMING, last paragraph).

The word translated "earth" (gē) is semantically related to the Hebrew word erets, which can mean land, country, earth (see SPECIAL TOPIC: LAND, COUNTRY, EARTH). Therefore, in this context, it refers to Palestine. God brought terrible judgment on the unbelieving Jews of Palestine by means of the Roman army (i.e., the Jewish War, A.D. 66-70). The devastation is vividly described in Josephus' The Jewish Wars.

▣ "on the clouds" See SPECIAL TOPIC: COMING ON THE CLOUDS

▣ "with power and great glory" Glory is a difficult term to define.

See note on "glory" at Matt. 16:27.

SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY (OT).

SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY (NT)

24:31 "His angels" See Mark13:27, 8:38, and 2 Thess. 1:7. God's angels are called Jesus' angels here. This implied His Deity.

It is just possible that "angels" here refers to gospel messengers who will spread the gospel across the known world of Matthew's day, and beyond.

▣ "with a great trumpet" This probably referred to the shophar, the left ram's horn, which was used to signal Jewish Sabbaths and feast days. In Isa. 27:13 there is a trumpet blast related to the last days (cf. 1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thess. 4:16).

SPECIAL TOPIC: HORNS USED BY ISRAEL

▣ "gather together His elect" This is OT imagery of restoration from exile (i.e., Deut. 30:4), here turned into an eschatological gathering (cf. Matt. 13:40-43,47-49). The exact order of these specific events is uncertain.

1. Here, it refers to gospel proclamation.
2. Paul taught that at death the believer is already with Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 5:6,8).
3. 1 Thessalonians 4:13ff. teaches that apparently something of our physical bodies, which were left here, will be united with our spirits at the Lord's coming. This implies a disembodied state between death and resurrection day.

There is so much about the end-time events and afterlife that are not recorded in the Bible. A good little book that I give away at hospitals is by William Hendriksen, The Bible On the Hereafter.

▣ "from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other" This implies

1. a worldwide following of Jesus!
2. a long period of time for the gospel to spread

The numerical four is symbolic of the world. It referred to the four corners of the world (Isa. 11:12; Rev. 7:1), the four winds of heaven (Dan. 7:2; Zech. 2:6), and the four ends of heaven (Jer. 49:36).

SPECIAL TOPIC: SYMBOLIC NUMBERS IN SCRIPTURE, A. 2.

SPECIAL TOPIC: DELAYED SECOND COMING

÷MATTHEW 24:32-35

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 24:32-35
 ³²Now learn the parable of the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; ³³So, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. ³⁴Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. ³⁵Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

24:32 "the fig tree" This parable is paralleled in Mark 13:28-32 and Luke 21:29-33. The fig tree in this proverbial passage was apparently not a symbol of Israel as in Matt. 21:18-20 and Mark 11:12-14, but a way of assuring believers that although they cannot know the specific time of God's coming judgment on Jerusalem, they can know the general time. The fig tree put out its leaves early and everyone knew spring was close. See UBS, Fauna and Flora of the Bible, pp. 118-119.

24:33 "He" This MASCULINE PRONOUN is not in the Greek text. It should be "it" (cf. Matt. 24:14).

▣ "when you see all these things" This could refer to

1. the destruction of Jerusalem
2. the transfiguration (cf. Mark 9:1; Matt. 16:27)
3. one of these specific signs of the Second Coming

I think #1 fits this context best (Partial Preterism, see Kenneth Gentry, Before Jerusalem Fell; Jay E. Adams, The Time Is At Hand; John L. Bray, Matthew 24 Fulfilled).

▣ "He is near, right at the door" It is these repeated time markers in

1. The Olivet Discourse (i.e., Matt. 24:2-3,33-34; Mark 13:2,29-30; Luke 21:6,28,31,32,36)
2. Jesus' words in other places aout "this generation" (cf. Matt. 12:39,41,42,45; 16:4; 17:12; 23:36; Mark 8:12,38; 9:1,19; Luke 7:31;11:29,30,31,32,50,51; 17:25)
3. the book of Revelation (cf. Rev. 1:1,3; 3:11; 22:7,10,12,20)

that force me to take seriously the original author's understanding of the immediacy of these events. It seems to violate the priority of

1. the original inspired author's clearly stated time intent
2. the original readers/hearers' ability to understand the message addressed to them and for them
3. rejection of the 2,000 year plus gap that some systems of eschatology place between John's day and the Second Coming

24:34 This verse referred to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 by the Roman legion under Titus. Jesus was merging the questions of Matt. 24:3. See note at Contextual Insights, B.

For a good brief discussion of "this generation will not pass away," see Hard Sayings of the Bible, pp. 445-448.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SOON RETURN

SPECIAL TOPIC: DELAYED SECOND COMING

24:35 What a strong statement of Jesus' self understanding. It surely relates to Matt. 5:17-19 or Isa. 40:8; 55:11. Jesus is the full revelation of the invisible God (i.e., John 1:1-14; Col. 1:15). Everything changed with His incarnation, ministry, death, and resurrection (cf. Acts 15; Galatians 3; and the book of Hebrews).

The phrase "heaven and earth" refers to the created order (see SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVEN). Second Peter 3:7,10,12 prophesy that it will be destroyed by fire (i.e., cleansed) and a new heaven and a new earth will come (i.e., Rev. 21:1; also note Heb. 12:26-27), which reflects OT prophecy (cf. Isa. 65:17; 66:22).

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE KERYGMA OF THE EARLY CHURCH

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SUPERIORITY OF THE NEW COVENANT OVER THE MOSAIC COVENANT

÷MATTHEW 24:36-41

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 24:36-41
 ³⁶But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. ³⁷For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. ³⁸For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ³⁹and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. ⁴⁰Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. ⁴¹Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.

24:36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone" This is a strong verse to deter Christians from setting specific dates for the Second Coming.

The phrase "nor the Son" is not included in Matt. 24:36 in some ancient Greek uncial manuscripts א^a, K, L, W. It is included in most translations because it does occur in MSS א, B and D, the Diatesseron, and the Greek texts known to Irenaeus, Origen, Chrysostom, and the Old Latin manuscript used by Jerome. The UBS⁴ gives its inclusion a "B" rating (almost certain). It does occur in Mark 13:32.

Jesus did have limited knowledge in some areas (i.e., Phil. 2:7), but remember, in this context He fully knew about the fall of Jerusalem in one generation. He also knew the details about His arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection!

While Jesus was here on earth He gook a subordinate role, but in eternity He is fully equal to the Father. He sits on the throne of the Universe with Him. He is given all authority in Matt. 11:27; 28:18; John 3:35; 13:3; 17:2. There is an element of the priority of the Father in passages like 1 Cor. 15:24-28.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HOUR

24:37 "Coming" This paragraph is from Luke 17 and is not in the Olivet Discourse of the other Gospels.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SECOND COMING, last paragraph.

▣ "will be just like the days of Noah" This is an idiom which meant that normal life was continuing just as in the past (cf. Matt. 24:38). This same imagery is used of Lot in Sodom in Luke 17:26-37.

24:39 The flood was a judgment of God on the unbelieving of that day, as the Jewish War (A.D. 66-70) was God's judgment of apostate Judaism.

SPECIAL TOPIC: JUDGMENT IN THE NT

24:39 "so will the coming of the Son of Man be" I have tried to communicate my current understanding of this chapter (i.e., Partial Preterism). I think it refers to "coming" imagery used of God using foreign nations to implement His judgment on faithless nations (see SPECIAL TOPIC: SECOND COMING, last paragraph). This means that most (not all) of The Olivet Discourse and the book of Revelation refer to the destruction of the Jewish state culminating in the fall of their capital and the total destruction of the temple (i.e., Matt. 24:1-3; Mark 13:1-4; Luke 21:5-7). This is the obvious event that the shocked disciples were asking about. The only way one gets a different meaning is

1. Matt. 24 includes Luke 17, which deals with the Second Coming
2. this is a multiple fulfillment prophecy
3. a system of eschatology developed by John Darby in the ninth century which inserts a 2,000 plus year gap into these texts (which does not take these texts "literally")

24:40-41 "there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left" Many try to relate this to a secret rapture. However, the context implies blessing on some and judgment on others. It is uncertain which group is blessed. Does "taken" or "left" refer to Noah and his family who were left alive after the Flood, or are those who meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess. 4:13-18)?

The only reason some want a secret rapture of believers (see notes at Matt. 24:23,26) first is to try to explain the dialectical tension in the NT documents between

1. the any moment return of the Lord
2. the fact that some things must happen first

Jesus gives several examples to denote the suddenness and unexpectedness of His return.

1. Noah's flood, Matt. 24:37-38
2. thief in the night, Matt. 24:43
3. the master's return, Matt. 24:45-46
4. delayed bridegroom, 25:5-6
5. possibly "lightning" in Matt. 24:27

Believers' only option is to be ready at all times (cf. Matt. 24:44; 25:10,13)! For a good brief discussion of this verse see F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions, p. 61.

SPECIAL TOPIC: RAPTURE

÷MATTHEW 24:42-44

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 24:42-44
 ⁴²Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. ⁴³But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁴For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

24:42 "be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming" This parable is paralleled in Luke 12:39-40. The emphasis on

1. being ready (cf. Matt. 24:43, 44)
2. the uncertainty of the time (cf. Matt. 24:39,47,49,50; 25:5,13)

are recurrent themes in the chapter.

The uncertainty of the time provides motivation for the continued readiness of each and every generation of believers.

1. the fall of Jerusalem (A.D. 70)
2. the fall of the Roman Empire (A.D. 476)
3. the Second Coming of Jesus

The Second Coming (see SPECIAL TOPIC: SECOND COMING) is the reality of one generation of believers, but the hope of every generation of believers.

24:43 "if" This is a SECOND CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCE, which is called "contrary to fact." A statement is made that is false so the conclusion drawn from it is also false.

▣ "the head of the house had known. . ." This phrase relates to several of Jesus' statements about how He was to overcome the kingdom of Satan.

1. the temptations of Matt. 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13; Mark 1:12-13 failed
2. exorcisms proved Jesus' power over Satan ‒ Matt. 12:22-29; Luke 10:17-20
3. Jesus casts out Satan ‒ John 12:31; 16:11; Luke 10:18
4. Jesus came to destroy the works of the Devil ‒ 1 John 3:8
5. He has delivered believers from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of His beloved Son ‒ Col. 1:13; Acts 26:18; Eph. 5:8; 1 Thess. 5:5; 1 Pet. 2:9

24:44 "you also must be ready" This phrase is PRESENT (deponent) IMPERATIVE (cf. Mark 13:5,9,23). This is the key for believers, not speculation and dogmatism about the when and how!

▣ "an hour" See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HOUR.

▣ "when you do not think" The fact that so many expect His coming soon may be an evidence that this is not the last generation (cf. Luke 12:40; 21:36; Mark 13:33)!

÷MATTHEW 24:45-51

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 24:45-51
 ⁴⁵Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? ⁴⁶Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. ⁴⁷Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁸But if that evil slave says in his heart, 'My master is not coming for a long time,'⁴⁹and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with the drunkards; ⁵⁰the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, ⁵¹and will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

24:45 "put in charge of his household" Some see this as relating this parable to Christian leaders (cf. Luke 12-41-48). In this context it related to Jesus' continuing confrontation with the Jewish leaders of His day.

24:46 Believers must remain active, ready, and faithful (cf. Luke 12:37-38; James 1:12; Rev. 16:15). The when and how of the Second Coming is not the issue!

24:47 "Truly" This is literally "amen." Jesus uniquely starts important statements with "Amen" or "Amen, amen."

SPECIAL TOPIC: AMEN

▣ "he will put him in charge of all his possessions" See Matt. 13:12, 25:29, and Luke 19:17.

24:48 "if" This is a THIRD CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCE, which meant potential future action. Good stewardship brings greater responsibility (cf. Matt. 25:21,23; Mark 4:24-25 form one literary unit).

▣ "heart" See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HEART.

▣ "My master is not coming for a long time" This represents the concept of a delay in the Second Coming (cf. Matt. 25:5; 2 Thess. 2; 2 Pet. 3:4).

SPECIAL TOPIC: DELAYED SECOND COMING

24:50 "the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know" See Matt. 24:27,44; 25:6, 13. This reflects the "any-moment" coming of the Lord in judgment.

24:51 "will cut him to pieces" There is uncertainty as to whether this is metaphorical or literal (cf. 2 Sam. 12:31; Heb. 11:37). It is surely a description of OT judgment.

▣ "with the hypocrites" The parallel in Luke 12:46 has "unbelievers." Matthew calls the Pharisees "hypocrites" several times.

SPECIAL TOPIC: HYPOCRITES

▣ "weeping" These last two items are judgment imagery. Weeping was a sign of great sadness (cf. Matt. 25:30).

▣ "gnashing of teeth" This represents anger or pain (cf. Matt. 8:12; 13:42,50; 22:13; 25:30).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. What is the basic purpose of this chapter?
2. Does Matt. 24:4-7 describe the end time?
3. How does Daniel's prophecy (Dan. 7:23-28; 9:24-27; 11:26-29) relate to this chapter?
4. Why does Jesus use language like Matt. 24:24?
5. Can we know when the Lord will come again?
6. Is the time of Second Coming imminent, delayed, or time uncertain?
7. How could Jesus not know the time (Matt. 24:36)?
8. What is the major emphasis of this section (Matt. 24:45-51)?
9. Do you expect Jesus' return in your lifetime? Why?

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