Mateus 24
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
Mateus 24
Spurgeon on Election - Andrew Fuller remarks, in a letter to two relatives:: ' I used to think that the doctrine of election was a reason why we need not pray, and I fear there are many who split upon this rock, who think it is to no purpose to pray, as things will be as they will be. But I now see that the doctrine of election is the greatest encouragement instead of a discouragement to prayer. He that decreed that any one should be finally saved, decreed that it should be in the way of prayer; as much as he that has decreed what we shall possess of the things of this life, has decreed that it shall be in the way of industry; and as we never think of being idle in common business, because God has decreed what we shall possess of this world's good, so neither should we be slothful in the business of our souls, because our final state is decreed.' From the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other - These phrases speak of a global gathering of the elect who are scattered to the "four corners" of the world (from the four points of the compass). Mark writes that "then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth, to the farthest end of heaven." (Mk 13:27) The four winds are related to heaven in Jer 49:36, Daniel 7:2, Daniel 8:8 and Zechariah 2:6. Specifically in Zechariah Jehovah spoke of the dispersion of the Jews to the four winds of the heavens… "Ho there! Flee from the land of the north," declares the LORD, "for I have dispersed you as the four winds of the heavens," declares the LORD. In Deuteronomy Moses prophesied of the future salvation of the elect of Israel… So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the LORD your God has banished you (Ed: cf dispersed), and you return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, then the LORD your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. (Ed: From context, this gathering is not up to heaven, but back to the land promised to Israel in Genesis). "If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. "And the LORD your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. "Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live (Ed: This is the essence of the radical heart change wrought by the New Covenant). "And the LORD your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. (Ed: The final fulfillment of this prophecy will occur at the end of the Great Tribulation when Messiah will utterly defeat all the Gentile nations gathered against Israel - cf Zech 12:3, 14:2). "And you shall again obey the LORD, and observe all His commandments which I command you today. "Then the LORD your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground (Ed: Note that this implies redeemed Israel during the Millennium will finally, fully inhabit the literal land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Joseph), for the LORD will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers. (Deuteronomy 30:1-9) When Messiah returns everything changes, even as it did when He came into each of our hearts the moment we believed in Him! Israel will mourn over Him (Zech 12:10, cf Mt 24:30-note, Rev 1:7-note). Unrepentant Israel (two thirds!) will be destroyed (Zech 13:8). Repentant Israel, the believing remnant, will believe in Him Whom they have pierced and ALL will be saved (Ro 11:26, 27-note = "All" of the third that come through the "refining fires" [Zech 13:9, Da 12:10-note] of the time of Jacob's distress - Jer 30:7-note, the time of distress such as has never occurred - Da 12:1-note, the Great Tribulation that begins when the Jews in Jerusalem see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place -Mt 24:15-note, Mt 24:21-note). They will be saved because Messiah "will sprinkle clean water on" them and they "will be clean." He "will cleanse (them) from all (their) filthiness and from all (their idols)." (Ezek 36:25-note, cp fulfillment of Da 9:24-note) and "give (them) a new heart and put a new spirit within (them) and… will remove the heart of stone from (their) flesh and give (them) a heart of flesh. And (He) will put (His) Spirit within (them) and cause (them) to walk in (His) statutes, and (they) will be careful to observe (His) ordinances (because now they have the law written in their heart - Jer 31:31, 32, 33,34-note) and (they) will live in the land (of Israel - in the Millennium) that (He) gave to (their) forefathers (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob), so (they) will be (His) people and (He) will be (their) God." (Ezek 36:26, 27,28-note). John Walvoord - The entire passage from Matthew 24:15-31 is the specific answer to the disciples of the sign of His coming and of the end of the age, with the climactic sign being the second coming and the glory that attends it, and will fulfill the prophecy of Acts 1:11 that Christ will return as He went up into heaven, that is, His return will be physical, gradual, visible, and with clouds. Matthew 24:31 brings to a close the first doctrinal section of the Olivet discourse, and what follows is a series of applications and illustrations. Matthew 24:32 "Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near: Apo de. tes sukes mathete (2PAAM) ten parabolen hotan ede o klados auts genetai (3SAMS) apalos kai ta phulla ekphue (3SPAS) ginoskete (2PPAI) hoti eggus to theros.: CLICK FOR >60 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS OF THIS VERSE KJV Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: NET "Learn this parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. ESV "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. NIV "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. NLT "Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. YLT 'And from the fig-tree learn ye the simile: When already its branch may have become tender, and the leaves it may put forth, ye know that summer is nigh, ASV Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh Mk 13:28,29 Luke 21:29-31, Isaiah 34:4 Matthew 24 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Parallel passages: Mk 13:28Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. Lk 21:29-30-note Then He told them a parable: “Behold the fig tree and all the trees; 30 as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near. PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE Now (de) - At the present time or moment. Now is used especially in conversation to draw attention to a particular statement or point in a narrative. Hiebert remarks that "now is transitional, marking the turn to the concluding hortatory section." Jesus the Creator now presents a picture that portrays His coming. One can envision Him pointing to one of the fig trees on the Mount of Olives, for it was spring when plants He created bloom, including the fig tree.
Mateus 24
Spurgeon comments - The visible creation, which is like the garment of the invisible God, is waxing old and wearing out, and our great King is not so poor that he must always wear the same robes; he will ere long fold up the worlds and put them aside as worn out vestures, and he will array himself in new attire, making a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. How readily will all this be done. "Thou shalt change them and they shall be changed; "as in the creation so in the restoration, omnipotence shall work its way without hindrance. Isaiah 51:6 records... Lift up your eyes to the sky, Then look to the earth beneath; For the sky will vanish like smoke, And the earth will wear out like a garment And its inhabitants will die in like manner; But My salvation will be forever, And My righteousness will not wane. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not (ou me = strong double negative) the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished. (Mt 5:18-note) Comment: Note Jesus' use of the "time sensitive" conjunction "until" which means up to the point in time. Until indicates the time when something will happen, in this case the dissolution of the entire universe. The great truth is that the Law will outlast the universe. This begs the question of where am I investing my time? Am I memorizing God's eternal Word, that Word which will never pass away? (See also Memory Verses by Topic) Peter writes that "the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!" (2Pe 3:10-12-note) John
Mateus 24
Spurgeon - That he will come, is certain. That his coming may be at any moment, is equally sure; and, therefore, we ought to be always ready for his appearing. You do not know (ou eido) - This is the reason for the command to be alert. Jesus uses the negative particle "ou" which can be paraphrased "you absolutely do not know!" One of the reasons we are not to know the day of Christ return is so that we might conduct ourselves daily as if it might be today! What (Who) you are looking for will determine what (Who) you are living for! Instead of speculating on Christ's return, start living for Christ's return, whenever it is. ESV Study Bible - Christians should not merely keep looking for the coming of the Son of Man. Instead they should be completing the work of the Great Commission (Mt 28:19-20), as well as being prepared and expectant, because the time of Christ's return is unknown (Mt 24:36). On readiness for Christ's return; cf. 1Th 5:1-11; 1Pe 4:7; 2Pe 3:2-18. Phil Newton on when Jesus will return - He will come again but the time is known only to God and not to man… At a time when everything seems normal. So far, nothing ominous has crossed the scene-just normal living. That is just the point that Christ makes. At a time when everything seems to be normal for most of humanity, Jesus Christ will return. You remember that the people around Noah continued living life the way they had always lived, in spite of the strange man building a huge ship nowhere near water. Noah preached, warning of God's judgment and calling for righteousness, but everyone just kept living normally-no anxiety, no concern for how the old man's ship would float, no thought of divine judgment. Even the terminology in the verse describes the casual munching of food and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage-just normal life… If we knew the date of Christ' return, you can count on the human tendency to coast in spiritual discipline to kick in gear. Procrastination would rule people's lives if they knew the date of Christ's return. So Christ does not pass along that data… Discovering the date of Christ's return is not our business. Our responsibility is to be personally prepared through perseverance and to help others prepare for Christ's return by faithfully proclaiming the gospel. The warnings Christ gives serve to arouse us from slumbering. In the same way that the blare of an emergency siren in the middle of the night startles us into alertness, the warnings that Christ and the other biblical writers give serve to sharpen our senses for action instead of spiritual slumber. (Mt 24:36-44 When Will Christ Return?) Your Lord - Clearly the implication is that believers are no longer their own but belong to the One Who purchased them with His blood (1Cor 6:19, 20, Rev 5:9). He will call us to account. Your Lord is coming - This phrase recalls the Aramaic word Maranatha (see discussion) = "Our Lord, come!" Is coming is not parousia but erchomai a verb which simply means to come from one place (in context from Heaven) to another (earth). Notice that erchomai is in the present tense which speaks of a process and signifies that His future coming is just as certain as an event that is currently in process! Erchomai is used to refer to Jesus' future coming in Mt 10:23, Acts 1:11, 1Cor 4:5, 11:26, 2Th 1:10, Mt 16:27, 25:31, Mk 8:38, Lk 9:26, Mt 24:30, Mk 13:26, Lk 21:27. In John 14:18 Jesus told His disciples "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come (erchomai) to you." Some interpret this as a promise of His coming to His disciples after His resurrection whereas other see this as a reference to His coming in the form of the Spirit of Christ which occurred at Pentecost. A third less likely possibility is that Jesus was foretelling of His coming (to which He had alluded in Jn 14:3 which also uses erchomai) in the parousia. J
Mateus 24
Spurgeon - Perhaps you can imagine how eagerly the householder watches when he expects thieves. Every little sound alarms him. He thinks he hears someone at the door; then he fancies it is someone at the window; but he is on the alert, with eye and ear and his whole being wide awake. So ought we to be, with regard to the coming of the Lord, as watchful as if we knew that Christ would come tonight; we do not know that he will come so soon, yet it may be so, "for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." Henry
Mateus 24
Spurgeon - He was a servant, you see; so this is a warning, not to the outside world, but to you who are inside the nominal church, and who profess to be servants of God; and it is especially a warning to those of us who are ministers of the gospel. Oh, that we may never begin to smite our fellow servants! Of course, we shall not do it with the fist, but we may do it with the tongue; and may we never be numbered with those who are living for the delights of the flesh! If so, see what must come to us. The weight of Jesus' words of warning makes on one want to have a sign posted on the door of his office or house - "Test (present imperative = continually!!!) yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine (present imperative = continually!!!) yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you-- unless indeed you fail the test?" (2Cor 13:5-note) Ivor Powell agrees writing that "Such a warning coming from the lips of Jesus should be sufficient to make every professing Christian examine the quality of his faith and conduct. Apathy is a cancer which destroys the soul." Cut … in pieces - As discussed below this Greek verb dichotomeo literally means to cut into two parts. While this could be interpreted literally (cp Da 2:5, 3:29, Heb 11:37 "sawn in two" - same idea but not dichotomeo), it is clear he is still alive after being cut in pieces (although this could be his soul in hell, which is in a sense "alive" forever). In either event, this verb clearly is intended to depict a severe degree of punishment in this life possibly but especially in the life to come! The evil slave sowed a beating but he will reap being "cut… in pieces!" As John
Mateus 24
Spurgeon - There are rewards for faithful service; — not of debt, but of grace; — not according to the law, but according to the discipline of the house of God. Oh, that we may be such faithful servants that our Lord may make us rulers over all that he has! Billy Graham - If God has given you more than your neighbors, dedicate it to Christ, and realize that you are only a steward of that which God has given you—some day you will have to give an account for every penny you spent. Truly I say to you - "I solemnly assure you" - "For Amen I say to you." Amen says "What I say is true and trustworthy." Truly (Amen, Verily = "In very truth") (281)(amen) is a transliteration of the Hebrew noun amen into Latin, into English and into many other languages, so that it is essentially a word recognized by almost all modern cultures. In fact amen has been called the best-known word in human speech. To say "Amen" confirms a statement by someone else. However in Jesus' teachings (Himself the ultimate "Amen" = Rev 3:14), amen speaks of His supreme authority and conveys the sense of what follows is an important and trustworthy statement, so listen closely! Readiness Will Be Rewarded Put in charge (2525)(kathistemi from katá = down + hístēmi = to set or stand) means literally "to stand or set down". Most of the NT uses of kathistemi are figurative as in the present passage and refer to "setting someone down in office" or appointing or assigning a person to a position of authority. To put in charge or to appoint one to administer an office. To set in an elevated position. Of all his possessions - Not some but all! John Riddle - The Lord's figure is timeless in application. He refers to the requirements of the servant; he is 'faithful and wise': to the responsibility of the servant; he is made 'ruler over all his household': to the reliability of the servant; when the lord returns, he finds the servant 'so doing': to the reward of the servant; he is made ruler over 'all his goods'. Here, then, is a servant in complete submission to an appreciative lord. The 'Lord of all' is no less appreciative of faithful service, as is clear in His call to serve, and by His assured compensation: 'If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour', John 12:26. (Day by Day: Moments with the Master)
Mateus 24
Spurgeon comments: The last verse sets forth very forcibly the contrast between the righteous and the ungodly, thus making the blessedness of the godly appear all the more remarkable. Usually we see Ebal and Gerizim, the blessing and the curse, set the one over against the other, to invest both with the greater solemnity. The wicked shall see it (Ps 112:9), and be grieved. The ungodly shall first see the example of the saints to their own condemnation, and shall at last behold the happiness of the godly and to the increase of their eternal misery. The child of wrath shall be obliged to witness the blessedness of the righteous, though the sight shall make him gnaw his own heart. He shall fret and fume, lament and wax angry, but he shall not be able to prevent it, for God's blessing is sure and effectual. Ed comment: Beloved do you understand what Spurgeon is saying the Psalmist is saying? Clearly the lost in hell will see what they have lost! Oh my! What a horrible thought. Jesus echoes this incredible truth in Luke 13:28 saying ""There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth there when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being cast out.") He shall gnash with his teeth. Being very wrathful, and exceedingly envious, he would fain grind the righteous between his teeth; but as he cannot do that, he grinds his teeth against each other. And melt away. The heat of his passion shall melt him like wax, and the sun of God's providence shall dissolve him like snow, and at the last the fire of divine vengeance shall consume him as the fat of rams. How horrible must that life be which like the snail melts as it proceeds, leaving a slimy trail behind. Those who are grieved at goodness deserve to be worn away by such an abominable sorrow. The desire of the wicked shall perish. He shall not achieve his purpose, he shall die a disappointed man. By wickedness he hoped to accomplish his purpose -- that very wickedness shall be his defeat. While the righteous shall endure for ever, and their memory shall be always green; the ungodly man and his name shall rot from off the face of the earth. He desired to be the founder of a family, and to be remembered as some great one: he shall pass away and his name shall die with him. How wide is the gulf which separates the righteous from the wicked (Lk 16:26), and how different are the portions which the Lord deals out to them (Lk 16:23,24). O for grace to be blessed of the Lord! This will make us praise him with our whole heart. Gnashing (1030)(brugmos) describes striking, grinding or biting of teeth together. In the context of the NT uses brugmos is a manifestation or picture of the extreme anguish and utter despair of those consigned to eternal torment in hell. Moreover, it seems likely that this suffering is both emotional/spiritual and physical (involving bodily resurrection) (John 5:28-29). J S Lang comments that Jesus' description of weeping and gnashing of teeth expresses "the agony of eternal torment… perhaps more than any images of fire and brimstone, the weeping and gnashing of teeth suggest pain, regret, and eternal sorrow of an earthly life wasted. (1,001 Things You Always Wanted to Know About Angels, Demons, and the Afterlife. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers) Brugmos - 7x/7v - Matt. 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Lk. 13:28 and one use in the Septuagint - Pr 19:12 where "roaring of a lion" is translated "gnawing of a lion." Martin Luther - The gnashing of teeth … despair, when men see themselves abandoned by God. John Blanchard - The phrase 'gnashing of teeth' focuses on another emotion, as we can discover by looking at its use elsewhere in Scripture. At one point in his life, when he felt at the end of his tether, Job cried out, 'God assails me and tears me in his anger and gnashes (Ed: Lxx uses the related verb form = brucho = to grind, gnash teeth - used also in Act 7:54) his teeth at me' (Job 16:9). When Stephen was about to be stoned to death he accused his opponents of betraying and murdering Jesus, the righteous Son of God. Their response was predictable and passionate: 'When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him' (Acts 7:54). From these two examples we can see that 'gnashing of teeth' is a way of expressing anger. In hell, that anger will be more intense than any this world has ever seen. The wicked will be angry at the things which gave them pleasure on earth but now give them pain in hell; angry at the sins that wrecked their lives; angry at themselves for being who they are; angry at Satan and his helpers for producing the temptations which led them into sin; and, even while compelled to acknowledge his glory and goodness, angry at God for condemning them to this dreadful fate. (Whatever Happened to Hell?) Robert Morey commenting on Jesus' description writes that "The rabbinic picture used by Christ of people "weeping and gnashing their teeth" in the excruciating pain caused by the fires of Gehenna cannot be ignored or downplayed (Mt13:42, 50). In Re 14:10-note, Re 14:11-note, we are explicitly told that they will be tormented by sulfuric fire…for all eternity…without rest day or night. The words of the Apostle could not be clearer or plainer. The text says "tormented," not annihilated. (BORROW Death and the Afterlife) Steven
Mateus 24:9-14
Spurgeon - It is not true that one act of faith is all that is required, except you consider that one act to be continuous throughout life. If a man were a believer once, and if it were possible to cease to be so, then, of course, he is ruined. But the doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints does not speak in that manner. It says that he who is a believer shall continue so—that he who is right with God shall abide so even to the end, and unless it be so we are not partakers of Christ at all. Spurgeon - None are truly Christ’s but those who persevere in grace. Men may be nominally Christ’s, but they are not Christ’s house unless they hold fast to the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Temporary Christians are not really Christians. Perseverance—final perseverance—is the test of election. He whom God has chosen holds on and holds out even to the end, while temporary professors make only a fair show in the flesh, but, by-and-by, their faith vanishes away. But (de) is a term of contrast which in this context injects the hope that despite the extreme tribulation of the times (Mt 24:9-12), it will still be possible to endure. This group stands in diametric opposition to the many whose love grows cold. In contrast those in this group stay "hot" to the end proving they are true believers. The one who endures - This statement in one sense describes the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. Genuine disciples will endure to the end of their life or the end of this age not by their own efforts but because the indwelling Spirit enables them to endure to the end. Endurance does not save anyone but it demonstrates that one is truly saved! Stated another way, it is not one's endurance (self effort or works) that saves them but that one is able to endure because of the fact that they are saved. John
Mateus 24:31
Spurgeon on Election - Andrew Fuller remarks, in a letter to two relatives:: ' I used to think that the doctrine of election was a reason why we need not pray, and I fear there are many who split upon this rock, who think it is to no purpose to pray, as things will be as they will be. But I now see that the doctrine of election is the greatest encouragement instead of a discouragement to prayer. He that decreed that any one should be finally saved, decreed that it should be in the way of prayer; as much as he that has decreed what we shall possess of the things of this life, has decreed that it shall be in the way of industry; and as we never think of being idle in common business, because God has decreed what we shall possess of this world's good, so neither should we be slothful in the business of our souls, because our final state is decreed.' From the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other - These phrases speak of a global gathering of the elect who are scattered to the "four corners" of the world (from the four points of the compass). Mark writes that "then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth, to the farthest end of heaven." (Mk 13:27) The four winds are related to heaven in Jer 49:36, Daniel 7:2, Daniel 8:8 and Zechariah 2:6. Specifically in Zechariah Jehovah spoke of the dispersion of the Jews to the four winds of the heavens… "Ho there! Flee from the land of the north," declares the LORD, "for I have dispersed you as the four winds of the heavens," declares the LORD. In Deuteronomy Moses prophesied of the future salvation of the elect of Israel… So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the LORD your God has banished you (Ed: cf dispersed), and you return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, then the LORD your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. (Ed: From context, this gathering is not up to heaven, but back to the land promised to Israel in Genesis). "If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. "And the LORD your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. "Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live (Ed: This is the essence of the radical heart change wrought by the New Covenant). "And the LORD your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. (Ed: The final fulfillment of this prophecy will occur at the end of the Great Tribulation when Messiah will utterly defeat all the Gentile nations gathered against Israel - cf Zech 12:3, 14:2). "And you shall again obey the LORD, and observe all His commandments which I command you today. "Then the LORD your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground (Ed: Note that this implies redeemed Israel during the Millennium will finally, fully inhabit the literal land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Joseph), for the LORD will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers. (Deuteronomy 30:1-9) When Messiah returns everything changes, even as it did when He came into each of our hearts the moment we believed in Him! Israel will mourn over Him (Zech 12:10, cf Mt 24:30-note, Rev 1:7-note). Unrepentant Israel (two thirds!) will be destroyed (Zech 13:8). Repentant Israel, the believing remnant, will believe in Him Whom they have pierced and ALL will be saved (Ro 11:26, 27-note = "All" of the third that come through the "refining fires" [Zech 13:9, Da 12:10-note] of the time of Jacob's distress - Jer 30:7-note, the time of distress such as has never occurred - Da 12:1-note, the Great Tribulation that begins when the Jews in Jerusalem see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place -Mt 24:15-note, Mt 24:21-note). They will be saved because Messiah "will sprinkle clean water on" them and they "will be clean." He "will cleanse (them) from all (their) filthiness and from all (their idols)." (Ezek 36:25-note, cp fulfillment of Da 9:24-note) and "give (them) a new heart and put a new spirit within (them) and… will remove the heart of stone from (their) flesh and give (them) a heart of flesh. And (He) will put (His) Spirit within (them) and cause (them) to walk in (His) statutes, and (they) will be careful to observe (His) ordinances (because now they have the law written in their heart - Jer 31:31, 32, 33,34-note) and (they) will live in the land (of Israel - in the Millennium) that (He) gave to (their) forefathers (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob), so (they) will be (His) people and (He) will be (their) God." (Ezek 36:26, 27,28-note). John Walvoord - The entire passage from Matthew 24:15-31 is the specific answer to the disciples of the sign of His coming and of the end of the age, with the climactic sign being the second coming and the glory that attends it, and will fulfill the prophecy of Acts 1:11 that Christ will return as He went up into heaven, that is, His return will be physical, gradual, visible, and with clouds. Matthew 24:31 brings to a close the first doctrinal section of the Olivet discourse, and what follows is a series of applications and illustrations.
Mateus 24:35
Spurgeon comments - The visible creation, which is like the garment of the invisible God, is waxing old and wearing out, and our great King is not so poor that he must always wear the same robes; he will ere long fold up the worlds and put them aside as worn out vestures, and he will array himself in new attire, making a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. How readily will all this be done. "Thou shalt change them and they shall be changed; "as in the creation so in the restoration, omnipotence shall work its way without hindrance. Isaiah 51:6 records... Lift up your eyes to the sky, Then look to the earth beneath; For the sky will vanish like smoke, And the earth will wear out like a garment And its inhabitants will die in like manner; But My salvation will be forever, And My righteousness will not wane. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not (ou me = strong double negative) the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished. (Mt 5:18-note) Comment: Note Jesus' use of the "time sensitive" conjunction "until" which means up to the point in time. Until indicates the time when something will happen, in this case the dissolution of the entire universe. The great truth is that the Law will outlast the universe. This begs the question of where am I investing my time? Am I memorizing God's eternal Word, that Word which will never pass away? (See also Memory Verses by Topic) Peter writes that "the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!" (2Pe 3:10-12-note) John
Mateus 24:37-42
Spurgeon - That he will come, is certain. That his coming may be at any moment, is equally sure; and, therefore, we ought to be always ready for his appearing. You do not know (ou eido) - This is the reason for the command to be alert. Jesus uses the negative particle "ou" which can be paraphrased "you absolutely do not know!" One of the reasons we are not to know the day of Christ return is so that we might conduct ourselves daily as if it might be today! What (Who) you are looking for will determine what (Who) you are living for! Instead of speculating on Christ's return, start living for Christ's return, whenever it is. ESV Study Bible - Christians should not merely keep looking for the coming of the Son of Man. Instead they should be completing the work of the Great Commission (Mt 28:19-20), as well as being prepared and expectant, because the time of Christ's return is unknown (Mt 24:36). On readiness for Christ's return; cf. 1Th 5:1-11; 1Pe 4:7; 2Pe 3:2-18. Phil Newton on when Jesus will return - He will come again but the time is known only to God and not to man… At a time when everything seems normal. So far, nothing ominous has crossed the scene-just normal living. That is just the point that Christ makes. At a time when everything seems to be normal for most of humanity, Jesus Christ will return. You remember that the people around Noah continued living life the way they had always lived, in spite of the strange man building a huge ship nowhere near water. Noah preached, warning of God's judgment and calling for righteousness, but everyone just kept living normally-no anxiety, no concern for how the old man's ship would float, no thought of divine judgment. Even the terminology in the verse describes the casual munching of food and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage-just normal life… If we knew the date of Christ' return, you can count on the human tendency to coast in spiritual discipline to kick in gear. Procrastination would rule people's lives if they knew the date of Christ's return. So Christ does not pass along that data… Discovering the date of Christ's return is not our business. Our responsibility is to be personally prepared through perseverance and to help others prepare for Christ's return by faithfully proclaiming the gospel. The warnings Christ gives serve to arouse us from slumbering. In the same way that the blare of an emergency siren in the middle of the night startles us into alertness, the warnings that Christ and the other biblical writers give serve to sharpen our senses for action instead of spiritual slumber. (Mt 24:36-44 When Will Christ Return?) Your Lord - Clearly the implication is that believers are no longer their own but belong to the One Who purchased them with His blood (1Cor 6:19, 20, Rev 5:9). He will call us to account. Your Lord is coming - This phrase recalls the Aramaic word Maranatha (see discussion) = "Our Lord, come!" Is coming is not parousia but erchomai a verb which simply means to come from one place (in context from Heaven) to another (earth). Notice that erchomai is in the present tense which speaks of a process and signifies that His future coming is just as certain as an event that is currently in process! Erchomai is used to refer to Jesus' future coming in Mt 10:23, Acts 1:11, 1Cor 4:5, 11:26, 2Th 1:10, Mt 16:27, 25:31, Mk 8:38, Lk 9:26, Mt 24:30, Mk 13:26, Lk 21:27. In John 14:18 Jesus told His disciples "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come (erchomai) to you." Some interpret this as a promise of His coming to His disciples after His resurrection whereas other see this as a reference to His coming in the form of the Spirit of Christ which occurred at Pentecost. A third less likely possibility is that Jesus was foretelling of His coming (to which He had alluded in Jn 14:3 which also uses erchomai) in the parousia. J
Mateus 24:43-51
Spurgeon - He was a servant, you see; so this is a warning, not to the outside world, but to you who are inside the nominal church, and who profess to be servants of God; and it is especially a warning to those of us who are ministers of the gospel. Oh, that we may never begin to smite our fellow servants! Of course, we shall not do it with the fist, but we may do it with the tongue; and may we never be numbered with those who are living for the delights of the flesh! If so, see what must come to us. The weight of Jesus' words of warning makes on one want to have a sign posted on the door of his office or house - "Test (present imperative = continually!!!) yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine (present imperative = continually!!!) yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you-- unless indeed you fail the test?" (2Cor 13:5-note) Ivor Powell agrees writing that "Such a warning coming from the lips of Jesus should be sufficient to make every professing Christian examine the quality of his faith and conduct. Apathy is a cancer which destroys the soul." Cut … in pieces - As discussed below this Greek verb dichotomeo literally means to cut into two parts. While this could be interpreted literally (cp Da 2:5, 3:29, Heb 11:37 "sawn in two" - same idea but not dichotomeo), it is clear he is still alive after being cut in pieces (although this could be his soul in hell, which is in a sense "alive" forever). In either event, this verb clearly is intended to depict a severe degree of punishment in this life possibly but especially in the life to come! The evil slave sowed a beating but he will reap being "cut… in pieces!" As John
Mateus 24:43-51
Spurgeon - Perhaps you can imagine how eagerly the householder watches when he expects thieves. Every little sound alarms him. He thinks he hears someone at the door; then he fancies it is someone at the window; but he is on the alert, with eye and ear and his whole being wide awake. So ought we to be, with regard to the coming of the Lord, as watchful as if we knew that Christ would come tonight; we do not know that he will come so soon, yet it may be so, "for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." Henry
Mateus 24:43-51
Spurgeon - There are rewards for faithful service; — not of debt, but of grace; — not according to the law, but according to the discipline of the house of God. Oh, that we may be such faithful servants that our Lord may make us rulers over all that he has! Billy Graham - If God has given you more than your neighbors, dedicate it to Christ, and realize that you are only a steward of that which God has given you—some day you will have to give an account for every penny you spent. Truly I say to you - "I solemnly assure you" - "For Amen I say to you." Amen says "What I say is true and trustworthy." Truly (Amen, Verily = "In very truth") (281)(amen) is a transliteration of the Hebrew noun amen into Latin, into English and into many other languages, so that it is essentially a word recognized by almost all modern cultures. In fact amen has been called the best-known word in human speech. To say "Amen" confirms a statement by someone else. However in Jesus' teachings (Himself the ultimate "Amen" = Rev 3:14), amen speaks of His supreme authority and conveys the sense of what follows is an important and trustworthy statement, so listen closely! Readiness Will Be Rewarded Put in charge (2525)(kathistemi from katá = down + hístēmi = to set or stand) means literally "to stand or set down". Most of the NT uses of kathistemi are figurative as in the present passage and refer to "setting someone down in office" or appointing or assigning a person to a position of authority. To put in charge or to appoint one to administer an office. To set in an elevated position. Of all his possessions - Not some but all! John Riddle - The Lord's figure is timeless in application. He refers to the requirements of the servant; he is 'faithful and wise': to the responsibility of the servant; he is made 'ruler over all his household': to the reliability of the servant; when the lord returns, he finds the servant 'so doing': to the reward of the servant; he is made ruler over 'all his goods'. Here, then, is a servant in complete submission to an appreciative lord. The 'Lord of all' is no less appreciative of faithful service, as is clear in His call to serve, and by His assured compensation: 'If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour', John 12:26. (Day by Day: Moments with the Master)
Mateus 24:43-51
Spurgeon comments: The last verse sets forth very forcibly the contrast between the righteous and the ungodly, thus making the blessedness of the godly appear all the more remarkable. Usually we see Ebal and Gerizim, the blessing and the curse, set the one over against the other, to invest both with the greater solemnity. The wicked shall see it (Ps 112:9), and be grieved. The ungodly shall first see the example of the saints to their own condemnation, and shall at last behold the happiness of the godly and to the increase of their eternal misery. The child of wrath shall be obliged to witness the blessedness of the righteous, though the sight shall make him gnaw his own heart. He shall fret and fume, lament and wax angry, but he shall not be able to prevent it, for God's blessing is sure and effectual. Ed comment: Beloved do you understand what Spurgeon is saying the Psalmist is saying? Clearly the lost in hell will see what they have lost! Oh my! What a horrible thought. Jesus echoes this incredible truth in Luke 13:28 saying ""There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth there when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being cast out.") He shall gnash with his teeth. Being very wrathful, and exceedingly envious, he would fain grind the righteous between his teeth; but as he cannot do that, he grinds his teeth against each other. And melt away. The heat of his passion shall melt him like wax, and the sun of God's providence shall dissolve him like snow, and at the last the fire of divine vengeance shall consume him as the fat of rams. How horrible must that life be which like the snail melts as it proceeds, leaving a slimy trail behind. Those who are grieved at goodness deserve to be worn away by such an abominable sorrow. The desire of the wicked shall perish. He shall not achieve his purpose, he shall die a disappointed man. By wickedness he hoped to accomplish his purpose -- that very wickedness shall be his defeat. While the righteous shall endure for ever, and their memory shall be always green; the ungodly man and his name shall rot from off the face of the earth. He desired to be the founder of a family, and to be remembered as some great one: he shall pass away and his name shall die with him. How wide is the gulf which separates the righteous from the wicked (Lk 16:26), and how different are the portions which the Lord deals out to them (Lk 16:23,24). O for grace to be blessed of the Lord! This will make us praise him with our whole heart. Gnashing (1030)(brugmos) describes striking, grinding or biting of teeth together. In the context of the NT uses brugmos is a manifestation or picture of the extreme anguish and utter despair of those consigned to eternal torment in hell. Moreover, it seems likely that this suffering is both emotional/spiritual and physical (involving bodily resurrection) (John 5:28-29). J S Lang comments that Jesus' description of weeping and gnashing of teeth expresses "the agony of eternal torment… perhaps more than any images of fire and brimstone, the weeping and gnashing of teeth suggest pain, regret, and eternal sorrow of an earthly life wasted. (1,001 Things You Always Wanted to Know About Angels, Demons, and the Afterlife. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers) Brugmos - 7x/7v - Matt. 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Lk. 13:28 and one use in the Septuagint - Pr 19:12 where "roaring of a lion" is translated "gnawing of a lion." Martin Luther - The gnashing of teeth … despair, when men see themselves abandoned by God. John Blanchard - The phrase 'gnashing of teeth' focuses on another emotion, as we can discover by looking at its use elsewhere in Scripture. At one point in his life, when he felt at the end of his tether, Job cried out, 'God assails me and tears me in his anger and gnashes (Ed: Lxx uses the related verb form = brucho = to grind, gnash teeth - used also in Act 7:54) his teeth at me' (Job 16:9). When Stephen was about to be stoned to death he accused his opponents of betraying and murdering Jesus, the righteous Son of God. Their response was predictable and passionate: 'When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him' (Acts 7:54). From these two examples we can see that 'gnashing of teeth' is a way of expressing anger. In hell, that anger will be more intense than any this world has ever seen. The wicked will be angry at the things which gave them pleasure on earth but now give them pain in hell; angry at the sins that wrecked their lives; angry at themselves for being who they are; angry at Satan and his helpers for producing the temptations which led them into sin; and, even while compelled to acknowledge his glory and goodness, angry at God for condemning them to this dreadful fate. (Whatever Happened to Hell?) Robert Morey commenting on Jesus' description writes that "The rabbinic picture used by Christ of people "weeping and gnashing their teeth" in the excruciating pain caused by the fires of Gehenna cannot be ignored or downplayed (Mt13:42, 50). In Re 14:10-note, Re 14:11-note, we are explicitly told that they will be tormented by sulfuric fire…for all eternity…without rest day or night. The words of the Apostle could not be clearer or plainer. The text says "tormented," not annihilated. (BORROW Death and the Afterlife) Steven