Matthew 24:1-2 ESV
(1) Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple.
(2) But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
As Jesus and his disciples were leaving the temple on this day, it appears the disciples for some reason had become awe-struck by the magnificence of the Temple grounds. Mark and Luke's accounts convey the same thoughts. The great accomplishments of men and what they have erected do indeed strike a sense of awe in us sometimes, and this was one of those days. Jesus in his reply reminds them how quickly these great works of men can be brought to nothing. This brings curiosity into the minds of the disciples as to when these things will be. To more fully understand their question, let's look at all three Gospels.
Matthew 24:3 ESV
(3) As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
Mark 13:3-4 ESV
(3) And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
(4) “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?”
Luke 21:7
(7) And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?”
Here we need to remind ourselves our purpose is to look only at what is in the text and how they might have understood it, and not to place our own understanding from our current day perspective upon the text. Looking only at Matthew, we are tempted in our minds to go to the end of the world and the second coming. But that is not what the disciples asked, they would have had no concept of that reality as we have today. Looking at Mark and Luke we can better understand the question, when will the temple be destroyed, what will be the sign of its destruction, the end of the current age, and the beginning of the Messiah's earthly rule? In the minds of the disciples, a time in which the Temple would not exist would consititute the end of an age. There is simply nothing more to be seen in the text other than their question. Jesus answers their curiosity in great detail, yet not as they seem to expect, for he cautions them about such curiosity and being led away by false teachers taking advantage of those overly occupied in such things.
Matthew 24:4-5 ESV
(4) And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.
(5) For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.
One was Theudas in the time of Claudius Caesar when Cuspius Fadus was governor of Judea. He persuaded a great number to follow him to the river Jordan, which he promised to divide, by a word of command, and give them a passage over; and thereby, as the historian observes, "he deceived many"; which is the very thing that is here predicted. But he and his company were routed by Fadus, and his head was cut off.
Another called the Egyptian, mentioned in Act 21:38 made an uproar, and led four thousand cut-throats into the wilderness; one historian states this same man persuaded thirty thousand men to follow him to Mount Olivet, promising a free passage into the city; but he being vanquished by Felix, then governor of Judea; fled, and many of his followers were killed and taken. One Dositheus the Samaritan, asserted himself to be Christ [Messiah]; and also one called Menander affirmed, that no man could be saved unless he was baptized in his name; these are instances all before the destruction of Jerusalem.
Matthew 24:6-8 ESV
(6) And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.
(7) For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
(8) All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
Mark and Luke speak the same, this was the second sign Jesus gave to his disciples concerning the coming destruction. The disciples would witness various commotions, insurrections, and seditions, against the Romans, and their governors; and the intestine slaughters committed among them before the siege of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple. Under Cureanus the Roman governor, sedition was raised on the day of the Passover, in which twenty thousand perished; after that, in another tumult, ten thousand were destroyed by cut-throats: in Ascalon two thousand more, in Ptolemais two thousand, at Alexandria fifty thousand, at Damascus ten thousand, and elsewhere in great numbers.
Various famines were witnessed by the disciples before Jerusalem's destruction, one of these famines was in Claudius Caesar's time foretold by Agabus, mentioned in Act 11:28 the most dreadful ones there were, while Jerusalem was besieged, and before its utter ruin, related by Josephus.
Earthquakes were experienced at Crete, in cities in Asia, and in the times of Nero; particularly the three cities of Phrygia, Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Colosse; which were near to each other, and are all said to perish this way, in his reign; and Rome itself felt a tremor, in the reign of Galba.
Matthew 24:8-9 ESV
(8) All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
(9) “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake.
The disciples did indeed experience these things before the destruction.
Matthew 24:10-14 ESV
(10) And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.
(11) And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
(12) And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.
(13) But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
(14) And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
From our perspective, our minds are tempted to go to the end of the world, but that is not what the disciples heard or what Jesus said to them. The Gospel was indeed preached to the whole known world before the destruction of the Jewish Temple.
Colossians 1:5-6 ESV
(5) because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel,
(6) which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,
The end of the Jewish state, the end of the city and temple was to follow this universal preaching of the Gospel all over the world, it was the last criterion and sign, of the destruction of Jerusalem. I have presented these fulfillments to help us refrain from taking our minds away from what the disciples heard and understood that day, and our temptation to place other interpretations upon it. That is not to say, that in God's Sovereign Providence, all these events do not mirror Christ's second coming and the end of the world, they most certainly do. And they very well agree with world conditions and events presented by our earlier study in the epistles. However, we must not push them further than the text allows them to go. Jesus now moves on to the actual destruction of the city and Temple itself and the cause.
Matthew 24:15 ESV (15)
“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
This abomination of desolation has taken on various interpretations, so for our focus here, Luke's account is helpful.
Luke 21:20 ESV
(20) But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.
We have here a connection made by Jesus to Daniel, the most likely reading being referenced is Daniel 9:27. We will look at it in the ISV version, the ESV uses wings (כָּנָף) and the KJV uses overspreading (כָּנָף) as the cause, and the ISV seems to be more clear and in agreement with Luke when it renders the abomination of desolation as a destructive people. (כָּנָף)
Daniel 9:27 ISV
(27) He will make a binding covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he will pause both the sacrifice and grain offerings. Destructive people will cause desolation on the pinnacle until it is complete and what has been decreed is poured out on the desolator.'"
The Roman armies were desolating ones to the Jews, and to whom they were an abomination; not only because they consisted of Heathen men and uncircumcised persons, but chiefly because of the images of their gods, which were upon their ensign the eagle. This seems to be most likely the pondering that would have been set upon disciple's minds as they heard about armies surrounding Jerusalem.
Matthew 24:16-20 ESV
(16) then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
(17) Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house,
(18) and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak.
(19) And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days!
(20) Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.
The instructions here given by Christ were indeed followed by the disciples, Josephus in his writings takes notice with surprise, that Cestius Gallus having advanced with his army to Jerusalem, and besieged it, suddenly, without any cause, raised the siege, and withdrew his army when the city might have been easily taken. By which means a signal was made and an opportunity given to the Christians, to make their escape: which they accordingly did, and went over Jordan, as Eusebius says, to a place called Pella; so that when Titus came a few months after, there was not a Christian in the city, but they had fled as they are here told. The phrases concerning housetops and turning back to take his clothes all reference Jewish customs of the times. The statements concerning the women who were pregnant were a direction for prayer, concerning the timing of these events as all providences are in God's rule and command.
Matthew 24:21-28 ESV
(21) For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.
(22) And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
(23) Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.
(24) For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
(25) See, I have told you beforehand.
(26) So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
(27) For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
(28) Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
Mark's account is very similar, however, Luke's is phrased slightly differently.
Luke 21:23-24 ESV
(23) For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people.
(24) They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Jesus is here describing the terrible conditions experienced in the fall of Jerusalem and its destruction. The historian Josephus's account will fully convince of this who was an eyewitness of it, when he says, "Never did any city suffer such things, nor was there ever any generation that more abounded in malice or wickedness.''
In verse 27 Jesus emphasizes how quickly its destruction would come, supporting his warnings in verses 16-20 to flee quickly. Verse 28 sounds a little strange to us, it has been interpreted several ways. Mark and Luke do not use the phrase, the KJV uses Eagles to translate (ἀετός) whereas the ESV chooses Vultures (ἀετός). It is interesting to note the ensign of the Roman Empire was an Eagle, this may have been upon the minds of the disciples as Jesus spoke.
Matthew 24:29-31 ESV
(29) “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 heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
(30) Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
(31) And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Here we feel the greatest temptation yet in our minds to go to the second coming and the end of the world. But be patient with me here and remember our purpose, only what is in the text. It very well may be that Jesus jumps into a dialogue with his disciples speaking about his second coming.. If you want to read it that way, I see no problem presented. Just be aware, that nothing in the text indicates that any transaction has occurred. Jesus does not tell his disciples when he transitions into speaking of things far in the future, nor does any Apostolic writer point to any of these verses as meaning such. In context, Jesus is still speaking in response to their question concerning the destruction of the Temple. The symbolism Jesus uses in these verses of the Sun, the Moon, and the stares were not completely foreign to the disciples. We read in Genesis 37 concerning Joseph's dream:
Genesis 37:9 ESV
(9) Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
The church began with the children of Israel, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars. His reference to the tribes of the earth seeing his coming on the clouds of heaven could be symbolic of his coming as the Jewish Messiah. This or any other conclusion is a human assumption and interpretation, all of which are fallible. Such human interpretation has given rise to much controversy. When the scriptures themselves do not clearly define our interpretation, a door of opportunity is opened for opposing views concerning the text. That is not to say we should not make those interpretations, we should just remain aware that is what they are, human conjectures. So for our purpose, we will remain in the context of Jesus still speaking about the destruction of the Temple and the disciples understanding his explanations. Matthew 24 is all in agreement with what has been described concerning the end-time events we have discovered so far in the epistles. That is true if you hold to a 70 AD fulfillment or want to allow Jesus to give prophetic instruction far into the future in the end time.
Conclusion:
However you choose to read the Matthew 24 text, we still have the end-time event that will catch the world unprepared, they will be scoffing at the event itself and continue their everyday lives as usual. This coming will come upon them suddenly, and they will face judgment as the old world burns and melts away. Many will be caught up in a false system of worship, however, the true believers will not be caught unprepared, they will be looking for Christ's coming, at which those who have passed on will come with him, and those who are still alive are changed in a moment, a twinkling of an eye. This change ushers them and the resurrected dead into a new creation where they will forever be with the Lord with the wicked being cast into everlasting destruction. Less we become confused as to when this day occurs, we are assured it will not come until we see the powers of the world turn against the Gospel seemly led by a man of lawlessness. This man will be a religious man with a charismatic personality promoting himself as the answer to the world's problems. He will take his seat so to speak in what Paul calls or appears to be a "temple of God" and assumes all authority as though he were God himself. Then the day we are longing for will appear and this man along with his rule and authority and those who look to him will be destroyed and Christ will be glorified in his Church, the true "temple" and we shall be with him forevermore in a new heaven and new earth. Therefore we should comfort our hearts and establish them in every good work and word.
I do not present this very brief view of the end times as a replacement for the extensive schemes that have been offered which include all the symbolism in the Old Testament Prophecies and Revelations. However, I would caution against holding any of those views which would fundamentally alter the concise view that is presented in the Gospels and general epistles. I simply present this concise New Testament view for those like myself who want to have a sufficient understanding of the end times, yet without being compelled to spend the rest of our lives trying to understand the shadows of symbolism. I do not exaggerate that statement, men in the past have devoted their entire lives to that study only to pass and have their interpretation surpassed by another. The schemes of theology surrounding the end times are vast and complicated with divisions even among their own groups. The great mysteries of God revealed in the scriptures are beyond the capacity of men, even those with great minds. Only that which is revealed through Apostolic authority or Apostolic interpretation can we receive as infallible. The work of the men who have developed those large works of theology on the end time events is greatly appreciated, but they are received for what they are, the work of men.
This simple presentation of the end-time events is not intended to hinder your study of Old Testament Prophecy or perusing the book of Revelation. All of scripture is given to us to search out the mysteries of God. However, it is presented in the hope that you will be relieved from the weight of believing you must search out the mysteries of times and events as they are shadowed beneath symbolism and dark prophetic utterances to have a sufficient and adequate understanding of those events. Many great minds have attempted to plum the depths and reveal its secrets, but none have succeeded. Many interesting things have been presented, much to contemplate and busy the mind. But no fuller understanding has been brought forth which has not been challenged by another interpretation. However, the simple view God has given us in the New Testament epistles through Apostolic authority remains without challenge and sufficient for his people.
This simple view concerning Christ's second coming has been believed and confessed by the Saints throughout Church history. I suggest it is still sufficient for our understanding today. Here are the views presented by the church throughout history.
Apostles Creed: (4th Century) "Christ . . . sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and dead."
Nicene Creed: (381 AD) "And Christ shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; whose Kingdom shall have no end.
Athanasian Creed: (6th Century) "He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty; at whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give account for their works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire."
Augsburg Confession (1530 AD) " . . . at the Consummation of the World Christ will appear for judgment, and will raise up all the dead; He will give to the godly and elect eternal life and everlasting joys, but ungodly men and the devils He will condemn to be tormented without end."
Belgic Confession (1561 AD) "Finally, we believe, according to God's Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world in fire and flame in order to cleanse it.
Then all human creatures will appear in person before the great Judge, men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet.
For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others, but will be changed in the twinkling of an eye from corruptible to incorruptible.
Then the books (that is, the consciences) will be opened, and the dead will be judged according to the things they did in the world, whether good or evil. Indeed, all people will give an account of all the idle words they have spoken, which the world regards as only playing games. And then the secrets and hypocrisies of men will be publicly uncovered in the sight of all.
Therefore, with good reason, the thought of this judgment is horrible and dreadful to wicked and evil people. But it is very pleasant and a great comfort to the righteous and elect, since their total redemption will then be accomplished. They will then receive the fruits of their labor and of the trouble they have suffered; their innocence will be openly recognized by all; and they will see the terrible vengeance that God will bring on the evil ones who tyrannized, oppressed, and tormented them in this world.
The evil ones will be convicted by the witness of their own conscience and shall be made immortal, but only to be tormented in the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
In contrast, the faithful and elect will be crowned with glory and honor. The Son of God will confess their names before God his Father and the holy and elect angels; all tears will be wiped from their eyes; and their cause, at present condemned as heretical and evil by many judges and civil officers, will be acknowledged as the cause of the Son of God.
And as a gracious reward, the Lord will make them possess a glory such as the heart of man could never imagine. So we look forward to that great day with longing in order to enjoy fully the promises of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord."
London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689) "God has appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness, by Jesus Christ; to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father; in which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged, but likewise all persons that have lived upon the earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds, and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.
The end of God's appointing this day, is for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy, in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of his justice, in the eternal damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient; for then shall the righteous go into everlasting life, and receive that fulness of joy and glory with everlasting rewards, in the presence of the Lord; but the wicked, who do not know God, and do not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast aside into everlasting torments, and punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.
As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin, and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity, so will he have the day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come, and may ever be prepared to say, Come Lord Jesus; come quickly. Amen."
Methodist Articles of Religion (1784) "Article 3: Of the Resurrection of Crist" Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and took again his body, with all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth until he returns to judge all men at the Last Day."
New Hampshire Baptist Confession (1833) "We believe that the end of the World is approaching; that at the Last Day Christ will descend from heaven and raise the dead from the grave to final (reward and) retribution; that a solemn separation will then take place; that the wicked will be adjudged to endless punishment, and the righteous to endless joy; and that this judgment will fix forever the final state of men in heaven or hell, on principles of righteousness."
Baptist Faith and Message (1963) "God, in His own time and his own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised, and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in heaven with the Lord."
David
1 Corinthians 15:1-8 ESV
(1) Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,
(2) and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
(3) For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
(4) that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
(5) and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
(6) Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
(7) Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
(8) Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
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