Mateus 24

John Phillips · Citado em PreceptAustin

Mateus 24

Phillips writes "The Lord's reference to telos and "enduring to the end" (Mt 24:13, 14) forms a natural bridge from the first topic (the nations of the world) to the second topic (the nation of Israel). By far the most dramatic and terrible end-time events for Israel will be the coming of the antichrist, the great tribulation, and the battle of Armageddon. These national disasters will prune the fig tree of all its bad fruit and prepare the remnant for the return of Christ." (Exploring the Gospel of Matthew) In the preceding context Jesus links the "sign" of the abomination of desolation with the worldwide preaching of the Gospel predicting... And this GOSPEL of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end (telos) shall come. (Mt 24:14-note) First, notice that the immediate context of Jesus' "sign" in Mt 24:15 is "the end shall come." The end of what is the question? Some writers ignore the immediate context and say this is "a sign of the approaching destruction of Jerusalem." But the second question of the disciples in Mt 24:3 was for Jesus to give them a sign of the end of the age, not the end of the Temple. If you ask the wrong question, you will very likely arrive at the wrong interpretation as does Smith's Bible Dictionary. Second, Jesus prophecy of the Gospel Going Global begs the question as to whether there are any other Scriptures that make a similar declaration? In Revelation the apostle John declares... And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an ETERNAL GOSPEL (Ed: cp "the eternal covenant" Heb 13:20-note) to preach (Ed: More literally "gospelled the gospel") to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people (Ed: compare Jesus' phrase "the whole world" in Mt 24:14); and he said with a loud voice, "Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters." (Rev 14:6-7-note) Comment: Notice that an angelically proclaimed global Gospel will be a clear sign to all of the world that the end is near! It won't be a man in Times Square wearing a sandwich sign that proclaims "The end is near"! No it will be God's messenger, an angel in midheaven! And no one will miss this sign! Of course if they don't have eyes to see or ears to hear (spiritually), they won't fully understand the implications of "the hour of His Judgment." So what is the "hour of His judgment" that "has come?" At this time in the progressive sequence of the divine judgments, the world has already experienced the 7 Seal and 7 Trumpet judgments (the Seventh Trumpet sounding in Rev 11:15) and in Revelation 14 the world is on the verge of the final outpouring of God's righteous wrath from the "seven angels who had seven plagues (referring to the Seven "Bowl" or "Vial" judgments - Rev 15:7-note, Rev 16:1-note), which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished." (Rev 15:1-note) While space precludes a detailed chronological review of the events in the Revelation, upon careful observation it is very probable that this Eternal Gospel will be proclaimed at the mid-point of the last Seven years of this age (aka Daniel's Seventieth Week). And as summarized above, the Global Gospel proclamation is contemporaneous with the unveiling of the abominable sign in Matthew 24:15! And so the world will see the convergence (if you will) of the greatest outpouring of divine wrath (3.5 years = the Great Tribulation) and the the greatest proclamation of the Gospel (Global for ALL to hear!) In the midst of wrath God remembers mercy and as Jesus prophesied "then the end shall come." (Mt 24:14) John

Mateus 24

Phillips - Many think the ultimate place of hiding and security for these refugees will be the ancient rock city of Petra. (Exploring the Gospel of Matthew) NET Note on flee to the mountains - Fleeing to the mountains is a key OT image: Ge 19:17; Jdg 6:2; Isa 15:5; Jer 16:16; Zech 14:5. Mt 24:16 describes fleeing at the beginning of the Great Tribulation (the "time of Jacob's distress" - Jer 30:7-note). Zechariah describes another "fleeing" from Jerusalem by the Jews but it is apparently toward last part of the 3.5 years of the Great Tribulation (because it is associated with the Lord's return Zech 14:3-4. John MacArthur calls the Zech 14 passage "the climax of the time of Jacob's distress." - Jer 30:5-7) - "And you will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD, my God, will come (cp Mt 24:29-30), and all the holy ones with Him!" (Zechariah 14:5) John

Mateus 24

Phillips has an interesting note on for the sake of the elect - This is another of those statements in Scripture that show how much the careless and unbelieving world owes to the presence of God's people in its midst. (Exploring the Gospel of Matthew) The elect speaks of believers and in context specifically speaks of Jewish believers. Of course, this passage is clearly applicable to Gentile believers who come to faith in the Great Tribulation. The fact that there will be Jewish and Gentile believers alive when Jesus this time is "cut short" provides a population on earth who will then enter into the Millennium. If all the elect were killed, there would be no elect to populate the Messianic Kingdom. Jesus expands on this idea in Mt 25:31-45 where the Judgment of the Sheep and Goats determines which of those who are alive after the Great Tribulation will enter into His Kingdom, which will initially be populated only of true believers. Zechariah speaks of the Jewish elect who will be saved out of the Great Tribulation - “In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity. ....8"And it will come about in all the land," Declares the LORD, "That two parts in it will be cut off and perish; but the third will be left in it. "And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, 'They are My people,' And they will say, 'The LORD is my God.'" (This is the language of the New Covenant into which 1/3 of the Jews will enter by grace through faith = Jer 31:31-34-note) (Zechariah 13:1-note; Zechariah 13:8-9-note) Comment: The Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD with killing of up to a million or more Jews was a foreshadowing (BUT NOT A FULFILLMENT) of the refining fires of Zechariah 13:8-9 (cf Da 12:10 “Many [JEWS = the 1/3] will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked [JEWS - the 2/3's] will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand [DO YOU HAVE INSIGHT TO UNDERSTAND OR HAVE YOU BOUGHT INTO THE LIE OF replacement theology aka supersessionism?]."), but there is absolutely no record that 1/3 of the Jews were born again at that time! In the holocaust of WWII there was a foreshadowing (BUT NOT A FULFILLMENT) of this final, ultimate "holocaust" (Great Tribulation) for at that time one-third of the Jews in the world were killed (6 million). In the final time of testing on the Jews two-thirds of the world's population of Jews will be killed. At that time one-third will be saved, the remnant that Paul referred to when he said "All Israel will be saved." (Ro 11:26-27-note). Clearly, Paul is referring to "all" of the one-third described by Zechariah 13:8-9. Elect (chosen) (1588)(eklektos from verb eklego which in middle voice [eklegomai] means select or pick out for one's self which is derived from ek =out + lego =call) means literally the "called out ones" or "chosen out ones". The idea of eklektos is the ones who have been chosen for one's self, selected out of a larger number. In regard to election as related to salvation,

Mateus 24

Phillips - "The Lord warned His people not to be deceived, not to be lured out of hiding, for His return would be very evident." (Exploring the Gospel of Matthew) Gundry - If possible, even the selected ones" puts emphasis on the extremity of this danger of deception. (Commentary on the New Testament: Verse-by-Verse Explanations with a Literal Translation) Possible(1415)(dunatos from dunamai = referring to power one has by virtue of inherent ability and resources; see study of dunamis) means powerful, able, strong. Able describes that which has sufficient or necessary power, means, skill, or resources to accomplish an objective. Praise our Shield and Defender Who ensures that even great signs and wonders will not be able to mislead us! Elect (1588)(eklektos from verb eklego which in middle voice [eklegomai] means select or pick out for one's self which is derived from ek =out + lego =call) means literally the "called out ones" or "chosen out ones". The idea of eklektos is the ones who have been chosen for one's self, selected out of a larger number. Kenneth

Mateus 24

Phillips - The signs of the Lord's return will not be lying signs such as those produced by the beast and his wizard prophet. There will be awesome signs, shaking heaven above and earth beneath, (Exploring the Gospel of Matthew) Stuart Weber - The Messiah's coming will be accompanied by supernatural manipulations of celestial bodies—or at least manipulations of their appearance, or their ability to give light. These signs in the sky will be such that all people of earth can see them and realize that the Messiah is coming, If only one of these, signs were given, it might be explained away as an eclipse or a meteor shower. But all of them together can be caused only by the hand of God. The second coming of Christ to establish his kingdom on earth will be a majestic event that will extend over many hours. The earth and its occupants will be forced to watch, amazed, as the armies of the hosts of heaven descend to the earth in the vicinity of the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:4). (Holman New Testament Commentary) WITHOUT FURTHER ADO! In Mt 24:29 Jesus jumps to the very end of Daniel's Seventieth Week. And in plain English, immediately means at once, instantly, without any intervening time. Forthwith. Straightaway. Right away. Here and now. Without delay. Let the text say what it says -- "immediately after the tribulation" means exactly what you think it means (regardless of the fact that a number of erudite expositors try to twist Jesus' words saying they don't really mean what they appear to mean). In the entertainment world the phrase "without further ado" signifies that it is time for the featured performer, of the headliner if you will, the appearance of the one everyone is eager to see. And so without further ado the Father will send His precious Son, the true star, the Bright Morning Star, Who will appear to a dark world reeling from the final pouring out of God's righteous wrath, bringing that terrible time of tribulation to an abrupt termination! (cf "cut short" Mt 24:22). What tribulation? Well, if English words mean anything and context is king in interpretation, Jesus is clearly referring to the "great tribulation" He has just described in Mt 24:21. A simple reading of His words could not be plainer. To try to make any other sense out of His words is nonsense! The problem with many of the commentaries is that they have a certain theological persuasion which in essence causes them to eschew (deliberately avoid) and/or ignore a plain reading of the text because to do so would disturb their particular systematic theological and eschatological interpretation. So as you read Matthew 24, seek first the teaching of the Spirit of truth before you seek the thoughts of men (including the thoughts you are reading in my comments!) He alone inspired Matthew to pen these words and He alone can lead you into all the truth! McNeile (1915) commenting on Mt 24:29 and the word immediately (eutheos) says "This is true sequel of Mt 24:15f., 19-22; the thlipsis is that of Mt 24:21, the climax of the "Pangs" being followed immediately by the End. In Mark 13:24-27 ("but in those days, after that tribulation") both the tribulation and the Parousia are in "those days," i.e. they are successive events in the same period and alla ("but" - Strong's 235) adds a note of encouragement: the tribulation will be terrible (Mt 24:14-20), but the Parousia will follow at once. Convulsions of the heavenly bodies, normally so unerring in obedience to God's laws, were a standing feature of Hebrew eschatology (Isa 13:10, 24:21, 23, 34:4, Jer 4:23, Ezek 32:7ff, Joel 2:10, 30ff, Amos 5:20, Zeph 1:15, Hag 2:6, 21, cf 2Pe 3:12, Rev 6:12ff). (The Gospel according to St. Matthew) Robert Gundry on immediately - "Immediately" denies a temporal gap between "the affliction of those days" and the celestial disasters that will accompany the Son of Man's publicly visible coming. The two occurrences of "and then" put those disasters and that coming in the same time frame. They'll take place concurrently. The celestial disasters provide a dark backdrop against which the glory of the Son of Man's coming will shine all the brighter. These disasters will feature a darkening of our primary luminaries, the sun and the moon. Jesus doesn't say what will darken them, so that the point lies solely in the contrast between their darkening and the glory of the Son of Man's coming, a glory emphasized with "much." (Commentary on the New Testament: Verse-by-Verse Explanations with a Literal Translation, Hendrickson Publishers, 2010) David Turner on immediately - This is the period of ultimate, unparalleled anguish (lit. "tribulation") described in 24:15ff (cf. Dan 12:1). (Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 11: Matthew and Mark) Thomas Ice on immediately - Moulton and Milligan, in examples from the Greek papyri, emphasize that the use of this word means "at once." Since "an adverb usually modifies the verb closest to it," immediately relates directly to the verb "to darken." Thus, the events of Matthew 24:29 will follow the tribulation immediately, at once, without any other events intervening, or without a time delay. This would mean within the expanded chronology of the events of the tribulation found in Revelation 4-19, that Matthew 24:29-31 will follow immediately the final bowl judgment found in Revelation 16:17-21. This explains the parenthetical warning in the next-to-the-last bowl judgment which reads as follows: "Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments, lest he walk about naked and men see his shame" (Revelation 16:15). It won't be long from the time in which the sixth bowl judgment takes place, until Christ returns. Revelation 17-18 is an overview of the judgment upon Babylon, which surveys items that will take place throughout the tribulation and second coming. Thus, from a chronological aspect in Revelation, Revelation 16 is followed in time by Revelation 19. (Matthew 24:28-29 Corpses and Vultures) James Morison - This word immediately has been a perfect rack of torture to such expositors as have lost their way in the interpretation of the chapter.…The whole difficulty arises from assuming that the tribulation of those days has reference to the tribulation that was to be experienced in connection with the destruction of Jerusalem. (See Matthew 24:16-21.) There is not however the slightest necessity for making such an assumption. There is every reason indeed for rejecting it, …This great mistake is founded on an unwarrantably narrow view of the Saviour's aim in His discourse in general, and on an inappropriately microscopic way of peering toward telescopic objects. (A Practical Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Matthew) C H Spurgeon on Mt 24:29-30 - These verses must apply to the Coming of the King at the last great day, we must regard Christ's words here as prophetic of the final manifestation of the "Son of Man coming in the clouds." Immediately" (2112)(eutheos from euthus = straight, immediate) is an adverb which generally means at once, right away, forthwith, straightaway, without an interval of time or a point of time subsequent to a previous point of time. Note that the actual interval of time depends on the nature of the events and the manner in which the sequence is interpreted by the writer. Eutheos is a "time sensitive" word (see expression of time) and should prompt questions like "To what time does it refer?" or "What happens in this time?" Eutheos - 36x in 36v all but one use (shortly) translated "immediately" - Matt 4:20, 22; 8:3; 13:5; 14:22, 31; 20:34; 21:2; 24:29; 25:15; 26:49, 74; 27:48; Mark 7:35; Luke 5:13; 12:36, 54; 14:5; 17:7; 21:9; John 5:9; 6:21; 18:27; Acts 9:18, 20, 34; 12:10; 16:10; 17:10, 14; 21:30; 22:29; Gal 1:16; Jas 1:24; 3 John 1:14; Rev 4:2 Note: Be aware of the fact that the King James Version is translated from the Textus Receptus, which has over 80 uses of eutheos in the NT including 40 in the Gospel of Mark. However, most of the more modern translations (NAS, ESV) use the Nestle-Aland (Novum Testamentum Graece) as their Greek source which has only 36 uses of eutheos including only one in Mark (Mark 7:35). NAS has 40 uses of the word "immediately" in Mark's Gospel but all (except Mk 7:35) are a translation of the Greek word euthus. Ralph Earle comments that "This reflects the main characteristic of Mark's Gospel—rapid action. Whereas John gives us in his Gospel a studied portrait of Jesus, the lines of which were drawn with loving care after a long lifetime of meditating on his Lord, and Matthew and Luke give us a series of colored slides, Mark presents a moving picture of Jesus' life. Most verses of the first chapter begin with "and," plus the fact that euthus occurs no less than 11 times here. We see Jesus moving rapidly from one scene of action to another." (Word Meanings in the New Testament) Here are the parallel descriptions in Mark and Luke describing this tumultuous time... But in those days, after that tribulation, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL BE FALLING from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory. (Mark 13:24-26) And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory. (Luke 21:25-27) The tribulation - The definitive article ("the") is present in the Greek text and serves to mark this as a reference not to tribulation, distress or affliction in general but to the specific tribulation. In context Jesus has just described the coming unprecedented time of the Great Tribulation (Mt 24:21-note) which is "set in motion" when the abomination of desolation stands in the holy place (Mt 24:15-note). This time of tribulation clearly parallels Daniel 9:27 when the Antichrist will make a firm covenant with the many (nation of Israel) for one week (Seven Years = Daniel's Seventieth Week), but in the middle of the week (3.5 years = 1260 days = 42 months = Time, times, half a time) he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate." (See commentary) Paul's description of the Antichrist in the Temple clearly parallels "the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place" (Mt 24:15-note) Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (the Day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the Temple of God (cf "the holy place" = Mt 24:15-note), displaying himself as being God.(2Thes 2:3-4-note) Tribulation (2347)(thlipsis from thlibo = to crush, press together, squash, hem in, compress, squeeze in turn derived from thlÃ¡o = to break) originally expressed sheer, physical pressure on someone. Thlipsis is a strong term which does not refer to minor inconveniences, but to real hardships. Medically thlipsis was used of the pulse (pressure of the blood against the vessel wall). Thlipsis describes a pressing together as grapes as when they are crushed beneath a heavy weight. According to the ancient law of England, those who willfully refused to plead guilty, had heavy weights placed on their breasts, and were pressed and crushed to death, a gruesome picture of a literal thlipsis. When will these events take place? If one compares the OT passages and passages in the Revelation, it is clear that Jesus is describing the events in the book of the Revelation where John begins his description of this time, a time which is known as the Day of the LORD. These awesome, fearful cosmic disturbances are like a great "divine drum roll" preparing the world for the parousia of the King of kings which the King Himself describes in Mt 24:30-note and His bondservant John describes in Revelation 19:11-16-note. Michael Wilkins - The phrase "immediately after the distress of those days" (Mt 24:29) introduces a temporal sequence: The Son of Man will come after that time of tribulation. Here "distress" (thlipsis) connects with Mt 24:21 to point to a specific period of great tribulation. The adverbial expression "immediately after" emphasizes that the celestial signs and the coming of Jesus will occur after the time of "great distress" just described in Mt 24:15-28.....those who see these events occurring at the end suggest that one must "wildly spiritualize" (Toussaint, Behold the King : a study of Matthew - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - BORROW, page 266) these events in order to see them as occurring at the fall of Jerusalem (Ed: 70AD). Once again, the mixture of prophecy referring to both the fall of Jerusalem and the end of the age should be acknowledged. Although the judgment that will be brought on Israel in A.D. 70 with the fall of Jerusalem does seem to be in Jesus' mind (cf. Mt 23:37-39; Luke 21:20-24), the primary emphasis rests on the end of the age when He will come as the Son of Man in great universal power. (The NIV Application Commentary)

Mateus 24

Phillips - Exploring the Gospel of Matthew; Jon Courson). Of that day and hour - This does not mean we can know the year! Some have falsely reasoned that since He just said day and hour, that does not mean we cannot discern the year, but that is fallacious reasoning and is not correct. The Adventist spredicted 1844 and were wrong! Jehovah's Witnesses predicted 1916 and were wrong! Only the Father knows the timing and clearly this includes His knowledge of the specific year, which no one can know. Phil Newton adds that "The expression, "day and hour," was not intended to exclude only the preciseness of predictability but to go on with broader predictions. As John Broadus wisely comments, "It is mere quibbling to say that still we may ascertain the year and month" [Selected Works of John Broadus, vol. 3, 492]. And that was written in the late 1800's. I'm not sure if Dr. Broadus could have imagined the "quibbling" the next century has endured! (Sermons from the Gospel of Matthew) In Acts the disciples asked the resurrected Jesus "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" Jesus made it clear that "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority." (Acts 1:7,8). No one (3762)(oudeis from ou = not + de = even + heis = one) means not even a single one. Glover has an interesting comment (quoted by Leon Morris in the Pillar NT Commentary) on Jesus' words noting that "No day is named, that every day may be hallowed by the sense of the possibility of its being the day of His Advent. It helps to hallow each day of life, to realize that before its close we may be in the presence of Christ's glory." (A Teacher's Commentary on the Gospel of St. Matthew - London, 1956) Broadus writes "how cheerfully should we his followers rest in ignorance that cannot be removed, trusting in all things to our Heavenly Father's wisdom and goodness, striving to obey his clearly revealed will, and leaning on his goodness for support" Leon

Mateus 24:1-3

Phillips observes that "The King had passed final judgment on the nation of Israel (cf Matthew 23:38-39). All that remained was the cross. But first, in an astonishing prophetic discourse, the King gave His disciples a sketch of the general tenor of the new church age that was about to be inserted into time, and then went on to speak of the end-time events that would herald His coming again. This important prophetic statement gathers together the main threads of Old Testament end-time prophecy and the threads of New Testament prophecy, weaves them into an imposing fabric of eschatology, and embroiders the fabric with flashes of insight from the Lord's omniscient foreknowledge." (Exploring the Gospel of Matthew) Warren Wiersbe sets the stage for Matthew 24 commenting that "The Olivet Discourse grew out of some questions the disciples asked when Jesus told them that the temple would one day be destroyed. First, they wanted to know when. This answer is not recorded in Matthew but is given in Luke 21:20-24. Second, they asked about the sign of Christ's return. This is answered in Matthew 24:29-44. In their final question, they asked about the sign of the end of the age. Christ's reply is in Matthew 24:4-28. (The Bible Exposition Commentary) Gotquestions - It is important to recognize that Jesus' teaching in this discourse is in reference to Israel and not the Church. Christ was speaking of God's future program for Israel. Other passages to consider when studying the Olivet Discourse are Daniel 9:24-27 and Revelation 6:1 - 19:21, which refer to the future seven-year period called the tribulation. God's program for the Church concludes with the rapture, which is not taught in the Olivet Discourse. The rapture of the Church is found in John 14:1-4; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. In Matthew 23:1-37, 38-39, Jesus had spoken to the Pharisees concerning judgment. This can be seen in the "woe" statements in that chapter. (What is the Olivet Discourse?) David Platt - Jesus' prophecies concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and His second coming are a call for His disciples to trust in His authority, persevere in His power, and long for His return. (Exalting Christ in Matthew) THE GLORY DEPARTS THE TEMPLE! Jesus came out from the Temple - "All the discourses since Mt 21:23 have been in the Temple courts." (A T Robertson) This final departure of Jesus from the Temple marked the end of His public ministry! Mark 13:1 has a similar phrase "He was going out" (present tense) picturing Him in the act of leaving. The statement about Jesus' leaving the Temple is not found in Luke 21:1-6 which at least raises the possibility that the latter discourse was delivered in the Temple complex. However most commentators consider Luke 21 as part of Jesus' classic Olivet Discourse. Fruchtenbaum points out that "Actually, at that time, the Temple buildings were not yet completed. The Temple Compound was begun by Herod the Great in 20 B.C., but it was not finished until A.D. 64, only six years before its destruction. The words of the Olivet Discourse were spoken in the year A.D. 30, and so the building of the Temple Compound had been going on for fifty years. They would continue the building for another 34 years." (The Footsteps of the Messiah- A Study of the Sequence of Prophetic Events) Was going away - The imperfect tense (continuous action) gives us a vivid description of Jesus. One can picture Him as He keeps on walking away from the Temple for the last time. So here we see Jesus the One Who alone possessed "glory as of the only begotten from the Father" (Jn 1:14-Eastern Gate (just as did the Shekinah glory - Ezek 10:19-see description) which was also the likely route of His "Triumphant Entrance" into Jerusalem (cp Lk 19:28-48) two days earlier ("Palm Sunday"). However the glory of will one day return, because the Glorious One will return! Indeed, Ezekiel prophesies that "the (Shekinah) glory of Jehovah (cf Jesus - Jn 1:14-note) would one day in the future come into the Millennial Temple "by the way of the gate facing toward the East." (Ezekiel 43:4-see Golden Gate; See related note on "The Gate to Prophecy") Related Resource: The Stepwise Departure of The Glory of the LORD from Solomon's Temple Tony Garland makes an interesting observation that there is a "parallel with Jesus, the Glory of the Lord, departing the Temple to the Mount of Olives and the Shekinah Glory which departed in the same manner in Ezekiel's day (Ezek 11:22-23-note cf. Mt. 23:38). In both cases, some time thereafter the Temple was destroyed." (See depiction of the departure of the Shekinah glory in Ezekiel 8:1-11:25) Jesus (2424)(Iesous) is transliteration of the Greek Iesous, which in turn is the transliteration of the Hebrew name Jehoshua (Yehoshua) or Jeshua (Yeshua) which mean Jehovah is help or Jehovah is salvation. Stated another way the Greek Iesous corresponds to the OT Jehoshua (Yehoshua) which is contracted as Jeshua (Yeshua). NET Note on Jesus - The Greek form of the name Iēsous, which was translated into Latin as Jesus, is the same as the Hebrew Yeshua (Joshua), which means "Yahweh saves" (Yahweh is typically rendered as "LORD" in the OT). His disciples came up to point out the Temple buildings to Him - Mark says "one of His disciples" (Mk 13:1) apparently acted as spokesman for the group and directed Jesus' attention to the magnificent structures. The Synoptic Gospels do not state specifically why they did this. However keeping the context in mind, they may have been motivated by the fact that Jesus had just stated "Behold, your house (the Temple) is being left to you desolate!" (Mt 23:38 - discussed more fully in comments below on Mt 24:3) Luke 21:5 says "some were talking about the Temple, that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts." (Lk 21:5) Aren't we all like the disciples, awe struck by the beauty of man made edifices, but sadly often minimizing the super-human Beautiful One Himself! The Temple (See Herod's Temple) buildings - Construction of the Temple had begun nearly 50 years earlier under the direction of Herod the Great and would still be ongoing 40 years later when it was utterly destroyed! (cf Eccl 1:2-3!) The summit of Mount Zion had been dug away to leave a plateau of 1,000 feet square. At the far end of it was the Temple itself (naos). It was built of white marble plated with gold, and it shone in the sun so that a man could scarcely bear to look at it. Between the Lower City and the Temple Mount lay the Tyropoeon Valley, and across this valley stretched a colossal bridge. Its arches had a span of 41 1/2 feet, and its spring stones were 24 feet long by 6 inches thick. The Temple area was surrounded by great porches, Solomon's Porticos and the Royal Porch (Acts 3:11-12). These porches were upheld by pillars, cut out of solid blocks of marble in one piece. They were 37 1/2 feet high, and of such a thickness that three men linked together could scarcely put their arms round them. At the corners of the Temple angle stones have been found which measure from 20 to 40 feet in length, and which weigh more than 100 tons. How they were ever cut and placed in position is one of the mysteries of ancient engineering. Little wonder that these Galilean fishermen looked and directed Jesus' attention to them. Others are like Herod who focused on the trappings of "religion" at the expense of a relationship with the Righteous One!. Hiebert - According to Josephus, part of it was built of strong, white stones each measuring twenty-five cubits long, eight high, and about twelve in breadth (37 1/2′ Ã— 12′ Ã— 18′). Some of these massive stones weighed more than one hundred tons. The plural buildings denotes the Temple proper as well as the various courts with their chambers and magnificent colonnades, all of which rested on the platform which Herod the Great had constructed for the enlarged Temple area. Luke mentioned also the costly votive offerings with which the temple was decorated (Luke 21:5). The Herodian Temple was recognized as one of the architectural wonders of the Roman world. (Ibid) Related resources: Jewish Christian Alfred Edersheim's Temple--Its Ministry and Services Josephus - scroll down page to "Chapter 11" for discussion of Temple Tacitus-Book V Chapter 8 described the Temple as "enormous riches" The Temple buildings - The disciples focused on the exterior of the Temple. Jesus focusing on the real meaning of the Temple, which was supposed to symbolize the presence of God. And of course Jesus knew that not only was much (most) of the religious activity associated with the Temple a sham, He also knew that the religious leaders would soon reject Him as the God that the Temple symbolized. Temple (2411)(hieron) referred to a building which was set apart and dedicated to the worship and service of the gods. In the NT hieron was used to designate the entire complex, the entire sacred enclosure, with its porticos, courts, and other subordinate buildings. The Greek word Naos referred to the Temple proper, including the inner sanctuary, composed of the outer room, the Holy of Holies and the innermost Holy Place. When our Lord taught in the Temple, He taught in the hieron, in one of the temple porches. He expelled the money-changers from the hieron, the court of the Gentiles. When the veil of the Temple was rent at the time of the death of our Lord (Mt 27:52, cp Heb 10:19-22-note), it was the veil of the naos, the curtain separating the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place. When Zacharias entered the Temple to burn incense (Lk 1:9), he entered the naos, the Holy Place where the altar of incense stood while the multitude were in prayer outside in the hieron the temple complex (Lk 1:10). Matthew 24:2 And 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.": o de apokritheis (APPMSN) eipen (3SAAI) autois ou blepete (2PPAI) tauta panta? Amen lego (1SPAI) humin ou me aphethe (3SAPS) ode lithos epi lithon os ou kataluthesetai (3SFPI): 1Ki 9:7-8 Jer 26:18 Eze 7:20-22 Da 9:26,27 Mic 3:12 Lu 19:44 2Pe 3:11 Rock left after Temple Destroyed THE OLIVET DISCOURSE: THE TEMPLE'S DESTRUCTION DECREED Parallel passages: Luke 19:44 and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation." Mark 13:2 And Jesus said to him ("one of His disciples" - Mk 13:1), "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down." Luke 21:6 "As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down." Do you not see all these things? - In Mark 13:2 Jesus asked "Do you see these great buildings" (cf "it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts" - Lk 21:50) thus acknowledging the magnificence of the Temple complex. Hiebert says the disciples were "justified in viewing it with admiration. The words ("Do you not see...") may be viewed either as a question or an assertion. If they are a question, Jesus asked the disciple(s), "Is your attention centered on the grand material structure?" If they are an assertion, Jesus acknowledged that the disciple(s) was occupied with the grandeur before Him. To view the reply as a question seems preferable. In either case, His words fixed attention on the material temple itself in preparation for His astonishing announcement." (Ibid) Truly (Amen) (281)(amen) when used by Jesus before a saying was to stress the truth and validity of the sayings by His own acknowledgment of them. The idea is "I solemnly assure you." Not one stone here will be left upon another - Up to this time during the day (it was probably toward Tuesday evening now - cf Mk 11:19) Jesus had been teaching (cf Mk 11:20-12:44), acting as the "forth teller" but now He switches to "foreteller" uttering a dramatic prophecy that would soon come to pass. Jesus predicted the complete and utter destruction of the Temple, a prophecy that was fulfilled in 70AD. Jesus had foretold metaphorically of the destruction of the "Temple" of His body (Jn 2:19, Mk 14:58, Acts 6:14), but now He spoke of a literal destruction of the holy Temple, not His holy body. Although some of the stones which were set in place by Herod the Great in his expansion of the Temple complex are still visible on the southeast corner of the Temple Mount, that does not at all invalidate the literal fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy, because He was referring to the stones of the actual Temple of which not a stone remains left upon another. Not one stone...upon another (Literally = "stone upon stone") - In Matthew's version Jesus uses a strong double negative (ou me) signifying absolutely not one stone of the Temple would remain intact. His negative emphasis is even stronger in Mark 13:2 for He uses the double negative twice - "Absolutely not even one stone will be left upon another which will absolutely not be torn down." His prediction was stated about as dogmatically as it could be stated in the original Greek! John

Mateus 24:1-14

Phillips observes that "The King had passed final judgment on the nation of Israel (cf Matthew 23:38-39). All that remained was the cross. But first, in an astonishing prophetic discourse, the King gave His disciples a sketch of the general tenor of the new church age that was about to be inserted into time, and then went on to speak of the end-time events that would herald His coming again. This important prophetic statement gathers together the main threads of Old Testament end-time prophecy and the threads of New Testament prophecy, weaves them into an imposing fabric of eschatology, and embroiders the fabric with flashes of insight from the Lord's omniscient foreknowledge." (Exploring the Gospel of Matthew) Warren Wiersbe sets the stage for Matthew 24 commenting that "The Olivet Discourse grew out of some questions the disciples asked when Jesus told them that the temple would one day be destroyed. First, they wanted to know when. This answer is not recorded in Matthew but is given in Luke 21:20-24. Second, they asked about the sign of Christ's return. This is answered in Matthew 24:29-44. In their final question, they asked about the sign of the end of the age. Christ's reply is in Matthew 24:4-28. (The Bible Exposition Commentary) Gotquestions - It is important to recognize that Jesus' teaching in this discourse is in reference to Israel and not the Church. Christ was speaking of God's future program for Israel. Other passages to consider when studying the Olivet Discourse are Daniel 9:24-27 and Revelation 6:1 - 19:21, which refer to the future seven-year period called the tribulation. God's program for the Church concludes with the rapture, which is not taught in the Olivet Discourse. The rapture of the Church is found in John 14:1-4; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. In Matthew 23:1-37, 38-39, Jesus had spoken to the Pharisees concerning judgment. This can be seen in the "woe" statements in that chapter. (What is the Olivet Discourse?) David Platt - Jesus' prophecies concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and His second coming are a call for His disciples to trust in His authority, persevere in His power, and long for His return. (Exalting Christ in Matthew) THE GLORY DEPARTS THE TEMPLE! Jesus came out from the Temple - "All the discourses since Mt 21:23 have been in the Temple courts." (A T Robertson) This final departure of Jesus from the Temple marked the end of His public ministry! Mark 13:1 has a similar phrase "He was going out" (present tense) picturing Him in the act of leaving. The statement about Jesus' leaving the Temple is not found in Luke 21:1-6 which at least raises the possibility that the latter discourse was delivered in the Temple complex. However most commentators consider Luke 21 as part of Jesus' classic Olivet Discourse. Fruchtenbaum points out that "Actually, at that time, the Temple buildings were not yet completed. The Temple Compound was begun by Herod the Great in 20 B.C., but it was not finished until A.D. 64, only six years before its destruction. The words of the Olivet Discourse were spoken in the year A.D. 30, and so the building of the Temple Compound had been going on for fifty years. They would continue the building for another 34 years." (The Footsteps of the Messiah- A Study of the Sequence of Prophetic Events) Was going away - The imperfect tense (continuous action) gives us a vivid description of Jesus. One can picture Him as He keeps on walking away from the Temple for the last time. So here we see Jesus the One Who alone possessed "glory as of the only begotten from the Father" (Jn 1:14-Eastern Gate (just as did the Shekinah glory - Ezek 10:19-see description) which was also the likely route of His "Triumphant Entrance" into Jerusalem (cp Lk 19:28-48) two days earlier ("Palm Sunday"). However the glory of will one day return, because the Glorious One will return! Indeed, Ezekiel prophesies that "the (Shekinah) glory of Jehovah (cf Jesus - Jn 1:14-note) would one day in the future come into the Millennial Temple "by the way of the gate facing toward the East." (Ezekiel 43:4-see Golden Gate; See related note on "The Gate to Prophecy") Related Resource: The Stepwise Departure of The Glory of the LORD from Solomon's Temple Tony Garland makes an interesting observation that there is a "parallel with Jesus, the Glory of the Lord, departing the Temple to the Mount of Olives and the Shekinah Glory which departed in the same manner in Ezekiel's day (Ezek 11:22-23-note cf. Mt. 23:38). In both cases, some time thereafter the Temple was destroyed." (See depiction of the departure of the Shekinah glory in Ezekiel 8:1-11:25) Jesus (2424)(Iesous) is transliteration of the Greek Iesous, which in turn is the transliteration of the Hebrew name Jehoshua (Yehoshua) or Jeshua&nbsnbsp;(Yeshua) which mean Jehovah is help or Jehovah is salvation. Stated another way the Greek Iesous corresponds to the OT Jehoshua (Yehoshua) which is contracted as Jeshua (Yeshua). NET Note on Jesus - The Greek form of the name Iēsous, which was translated into Latin as Jesus, is the same as the Hebrew Yeshua (Joshua), which means "Yahweh saves" (Yahweh is typically rendered as "LORD" in the OT). His disciples came up to point out the Temple buildings to Him - Mark says "one of His disciples" (Mk 13:1) apparently acted as spokesman for the group and directed Jesus' attention to the magnificent structures. The Synoptic Gospels do not state specifically why they did this. However keeping the context in mind, they may have been motivated by the fact that Jesus had just stated "Behold, your house (the Temple) is being left to you desolate!" (Mt 23:38 - discussed more fully in comments below on Mt 24:3) Luke 21:5 says "some were talking about the Temple, that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts." (Lk 21:5) Aren't we all like the disciples, awe struck by the beauty of man made edifices, but sadly often minimizing the super-human Beautiful One Himself! The Temple (See Herod's Temple) buildings - Construction of the Temple had begun nearly 50 years earlier under the direction of Herod the Great and would still be ongoing 40 years later when it was utterly destroyed! (cf Eccl 1:2-3!) The summit of Mount Zion had been dug away to leave a plateau of 1,000 feet square. At the far end of it was the Temple itself (naos). It was built of white marble plated with gold, and it shone in the sun so that a man could scarcely bear to look at it. Between the Lower City and the Temple Mount lay the Tyropoeon Valley, and across this valley stretched a colossal bridge. Its arches had a span of 41 1/2 feet, and its spring stones were 24 feet long by 6 inches thick. The Temple area was surrounded by great porches, Solomon's Porticos and the Royal Porch (Acts 3:11-12). These porches were upheld by pillars, cut out of solid blocks of marble in one piece. They were 37 1/2 feet high, and of such a thickness that three men linked together could scarcely put their arms round them. At the corners of the Temple angle stones have been found which measure from 20 to 40 feet in length, and which weigh more than 100 tons. How they were ever cut and placed in position is one of the mysteries of ancient engineering. Little wonder that these Galilean fishermen looked and directed Jesus' attention to them. Others are like Herod who focused on the trappings of "religion" at the expense of a relationship with the Righteous One!. Hiebert - According to Josephus, part of it was built of strong, white stones each measuring twenty-five cubits long, eight high, and about twelve in breadth (37 1/2′ Ã— 12′ Ã— 18′). Some of these massive stones weighed more than one hundred tons. The plural buildings denotes the Temple proper as well as the various courts with their chambers and magnificent colonnades, all of which rested on the platform which Herod the Great had constructed for the enlarged Temple area. Luke mentioned also the costly votive offerings with which the temple was decorated (Luke 21:5). The Herodian Temple was recognized as one of the architectural wonders of the Roman world. (Ibid) Related resources: Jewish Christian Alfred Edersheim's Temple--Its Ministry and Services Josephus - scroll down page to "Chapter 11" for discussion of Temple Tacitus-Book V Chapter 8 described the Temple as "enormous riches" The Temple buildings - The disciples focused on the exterior of the Temple. Jesus focusing on the real meaning of the Temple, which was supposed to symbolize the presence of God. And of course Jesus knew that not only was much (most) of the religious activity associated with the Temple a sham, He also knew that the religious leaders would soon reject Him as the God that the Temple symbolized. Temple (2411)(hieron) referred to a building which was set apart and dedicated to the worship and service of the gods. In the NT hieron was used to designate the entire complex, the entire sacred enclosure, with its porticos, courts, and other subordinate buildings. The Greek word Naos referred to the Temple proper, including the inner sanctuary, composed of the outer room, the Holy of Holies and the innermost Holy Place. When our Lord taught in the Temple, He taught in the hieron, in one of the temple porches. He expelled the money-changers from the hieron, the court of the Gentiles. When the veil of the Temple was rent at the time of the death of our Lord (Mt 27:52, cp Heb 10:19-22-note), it was the veil of the naos, the curtain separating the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place. When Zacharias entered the Temple to burn incense (Lk 1:9), he entered the naos, the Holy Place where the altar of incense stood while the multitude were in prayer outside in the hieron the temple complex (Lk 1:10). Matthew 24:2 And 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.": o de apokritheis (APPMSN) eipen (3SAAI) autois ou blepete (2PPAI) tauta panta? Amen lego (1SPAI) humin ou me aphethe (3SAPS) ode lithos epi lithon os ou kataluthesetai (3SFPI): 1Ki 9:7-8 Jer 26:18 Eze 7:20-22 Da 9:26,27 Mic 3:12 Lu 19:44 2Pe 3:11 THE OLIVET DISCOURSE: THE TEMPLE'S DESTRUCTION DECREED Related passages: Luke 19:44+ and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation." Mark 13:2+ And Jesus said to him ("one of His disciples" - Mk 13:1), "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down." Luke 21:6+ "As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down." Do you not see all these things? - In Mark 13:2 Jesus asked "Do you see these great buildings" (cf "it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts" - Lk 21:50) thus acknowledging the magnificence of the Temple complex. Hiebert says the disciples were "justified in viewing it with admiration. The words ("Do you not see...") may be viewed either as a question or an assertion. If they are a question, Jesus asked the disciple(s), "Is your attention centered on the grand material structure?" If they are an assertion, Jesus acknowledged that the disciple(s) was occupied with the grandeur before Him. To view the reply as a question seems preferable. In either case, His words fixed attention on the material temple itself in preparation for His astonishing announcement." (Ibid) Truly (Amen) (281)(amen) when used by Jesus before a saying was to stress the truth and validity of the sayings by His own acknowledgment of them. The idea is "I solemnly assure you." Not one stone here will be left upon another - Up to this time during the day (it was probably toward Tuesday evening now - cf Mk 11:19) Jesus had been teaching (cf Mk 11:20-12:44), acting as the "forth teller" but now He switches to "foreteller" uttering a dramatic prophecy that would soon come to pass. Jesus predicted the complete and utter destruction of the Temple, a prophecy that was fulfilled in 70AD. Jesus had foretold metaphorically of the destruction of the "Temple" of His body (Jn 2:19, Mk 14:58, Acts 6:14), but now He spoke of a literal destruction of the holy Temple, not His holy body. Although some of the stones which were set in place by Herod the Great in his expansion of the Temple complex are still visible on the southeast corner of the Temple Mount, that does not at all invalidate the literal fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy, because He was referring to the stones of the actual Temple of which not a stone remains left upon another. Not one stone...upon another (Literally = "stone upon stone") - In Matthew's version Jesus uses a strong double negative (ou me) signifying absolutely not one stone of the Temple would remain intact. His negative emphasis is even stronger in Mark 13:2 for He uses the double negative twice - "Absolutely not even one stone will be left upon another which will absolutely not be torn down." His prediction was stated about as dogmatically as it could be stated in the original Greek! John

Mateus 24:4-8

Phillips writes "Matthew bracketed the Lord's public ministry between two sermons: the sermon on the mount, in which the emphasis was practical; and the Olivet discourse, in which the emphasis was prophetical. In one sermon we read of the rules of the kingdom; in the other we read of the return of the King. Before giving the sermon on the mount, the Lord was baptized; after giving the Olivet discourse, the Lord was buried. Prior to the first sermon He proved that the tempter could not conquer Him; after the last sermon He proved that the tomb could not conquer Him. The Olivet discourse can be divided into two parts: the Lord's end-time prophecy in Matthew 24 and the Lord's end-time parables in Matthew 25. The prophecy deals with the course of this age, and the parable with the climax of this age. The prophecy is concerned with God's judicial dealings with mankind; the parables deal with God's judgmental dealings with mankind. Both prophecy and parables are concerned with the last days as they affect the Jews, the Gentile nations, and the church." (Exploring the Gospel of Matthew) INTERPRETATIONS OF There is clearly not a consensus on how to interpret Mt 24:4-14 even among those who are conservative and interpret the Scripture literally. Here is a brief survey of the various scenarios, but it is given with a caveat that the "positions" regarding these individual's interpretation is often somewhat difficult to determine from their writings (e.g., John MacArthur is a case in point as described below). The more I study Mt 24:4-14, the more I am convinced one needs to be humble, prayerful and willing to avoid being too dogmatic. The important point is that these are general signs, but when one arrives at Mt 24:15, Jesus gives a very specific sign about which there should be no disagreement or confusion (assuming one does not interpret this sign as having been fulfilled in the past). (1) Interpretation of Mt 24:4-14 as a description of the general events of the Church Age from Jesus' day leading up to the last seven year period (aka Daniel's Seventieth Week) referred to as "the Tribulation." John Walvoord - Taken as a whole, the opening section, ending with Matthew 24:14, itemizes general signs, events, and situations which mark the progress of the age, and, with growing intensity, indicate that the end of the age is approaching. These signs, however, by their very characteristics and because they have occurred throughout the present age, do not constitute a direct answer to the question of “the sign” of the coming of the Lord....Other premillennial interpreters, however, prefer to take Matthew 24:4-14 as a unit, describing the general characteristics of the age leading up to the end... If Matthew 24:4-14 deals with general signs, then Mt 24:15-26 may be considered as specific signs. The Second Coming of Christ is revealed in Mt 24:27-31, which should be compared with the more detailed prophecy of Revelation 19:11-21. In Matthew 24:4-14, at least nine major characteristics of this general period are described....In general, these signs have been at least partially fulfilled in the present age and have characterized the period between the first and Second Coming of Christ. They should be understood as general signs rather than specific signs that the end is near. As stated in Mt 24:8, these are the beginning rather than the end of the sorrows which characterize the close of the age. (24. The Signs of the End of the Age) Stuart Weber - Jesus first warned, in general terms (24:4–14), of several characteristics of the period of time before he would return. There would be counterfeit messiahs, wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilence, earthquakes martyrs, false prophets, increasing evil, and the preaching of the gospel worldwide. (Holman New Testament Commentary) William Hendricksen commenting on Mt 24:4-12 writes "Jesus now proceeds to correct their mistaken inference. He shows them that “not everything that seems to be a sign of the end of the world is in reality such a sign.” In other words, there are also signs which only in a very general sense are deserving of that name. Whenever these separate happenings are interpreted as being infallible indications that the end of the age is immediately in sight, they deserve the name “mistaken signs.” (Hendriksen, William; Kistemaker, Simon J., Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew, Baker, 1953-2001) John

Mateus 24:4-8

Phillips comments on the Olivet Discourse that "This important prophetic statement gathers together the main threads of Old Testament end-time prophecy (ED: WHICH WAS THE BASIS FOR MOST OF THE JEWISH VIEWS LISTED BELOW REGARDING THEIR MESSIANIC HOPE ) and the threads of New Testament prophecy, weaves them into an imposing fabric of eschatology, and embroiders the fabric with flashes of insight from the Lord's omniscient foreknowledge." The following summary is taken from John MacArthur's sermon (see this sermon for expansion of each of the following points) and much of his information is derived from the work of Emil Schurer (See Schurer's discussion of The Messianic Hope - Caveat - Note that I do not agree with all of Schurer's conclusions - e.g., he dates the writing of Daniel circa 164 BC four centuries later than it was actually penned by the prophet Daniel!). (i) Before the Messiah came there would be a time of terrible tribulation. (ii) Into this chaos there would come Elijah as the forerunner and herald of the Messiah. (iii) Then there would enter the Messiah. (iv) The nations would ally themselves and gather themselves together against the champion of God. (v) The result would be the total destruction of these hostile powers. (vi) There would follow the renovation of Jerusalem. (vii) The Jews who were dispersed all over the world would be gathered into the city of the new Jerusalem. (viii) Palestine would be the centre of the world and the rest of the world subject to it. All the nations would be subdued. PARALLELS BETWEEN MATTHEW 24 AND REVELATION 6 There are parallels between the events Jesus describes in Matthew 24 and Revelation 6:1-14-note. If one accepts that the phrase birth pangs refers to an increase in intensity and number of the general signs Jesus described in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21, it is reasonable to see these things escalating in the time of the Revelation which covers the last of the last days (which many equate with the "Tribulation," specifically the events in Revelation 6:1-19:21-note) 1. False Messiahs (Mt. 24:5, 11; Mark 13:6; Luke 21:8; Rev. 6:2). 2. Wars (Mt. 24:6-7; Mark 13:7; Luke 21:9; Rev. 6:4). 3. Famines (Mt. 24:7; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:10; Rev. 6:5-6,8). 4. Pestilences (Luke 21:11; Rev. 6:8). 5. Persecution (Mt. 24:9; Mark 13:9-13; Luke 21:12-17; Rev. 6:9-11). 6. Earthquakes (Mt. 24:7; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11; Rev. 6:12). 7. Cosmic Phenomena (Mt. 24:29; Mark 13:24-25; Luke 21:11; Rev. 6:12-14).

Mateus 24:15

Mateus 24:16-20

Mateus 24:22

Mateus 24:23-24

Mateus 24:29

Phillips - The signs of the Lord's return will not be lying signs such as those produced by the beast and his wizard prophet. There will be awesome signs, shaking heaven above and earth beneath, (Exploring the Gospel of Matthew) Stuart Weber - The Messiah's coming will be accompanied by supernatural manipulations of celestial bodies—or at least manipulations of their appearance, or their ability to give light. These signs in the sky will be such that all people of earth can see them and realize that the Messiah is coming, If only one of these, signs were given, it might be explained away as an eclipse or a meteor shower. But all of them together can be caused only by the hand of God. The second coming of Christ to establish his kingdom on earth will be a majestic event that will extend over many hours. The earth and its occupants will be forced to watch, amazed, as the armies of the hosts of heaven descend to the earth in the vicinity of the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:4). (Holman New Testament Commentary) WITHOUT FURTHER ADO! In Mt 24:29 Jesus jumps to the very end of Daniel's Seventieth Week. And in plain English, immediately means at once, instantly, without any intervening time. Forthwith. Straightaway. Right away. Here and now. Without delay. Let the text say what it says -- "immediately after the tribulation" means exactly what you think it means (regardless of the fact that a number of erudite expositors try to twist Jesus' words saying they don't really mean what they appear to mean). In the entertainment world the phrase "without further ado" signifies that it is time for the featured performer, of the headliner if you will, the appearance of the one everyone is eager to see. And so without further ado the Father will send His precious Son, the true star, the Bright Morning Star, Who will appear to a dark world reeling from the final pouring out of God's righteous wrath, bringing that terrible time of tribulation to an abrupt termination! (cf "cut short" Mt 24:22). What tribulation? Well, if English words mean anything and context is king in interpretation, Jesus is clearly referring to the "great tribulation" He has just described in Mt 24:21. A simple reading of His words could not be plainer. To try to make any other sense out of His words is nonsense! The problem with many of the commentaries is that they have a certain theological persuasion which in essence causes them to eschew (deliberately avoid) and/or ignore a plain reading of the text because to do so would disturb their particular systematic theological and eschatological interpretation. So as you read Matthew 24, seek first the teaching of the Spirit of truth before you seek the thoughts of men (including the thoughts you are reading in my comments!) He alone inspired Matthew to pen these words and He alone can lead you into all the truth! McNeile (1915) commenting on Mt 24:29 and the word immediately (eutheos) says "This is true sequel of Mt 24:15f., 19-22; the thlipsis is that of Mt 24:21, the climax of the "Pangs" being followed immediately by the End. In Mark 13:24-27 ("but in those days, after that tribulation") both the tribulation and the Parousia are in "those days," i.e. they are successive events in the same period and alla ("but" - Strong's 235) adds a note of encouragement: the tribulation will be terrible (Mt 24:14-20), but the Parousia will follow at once. Convulsions of the heavenly bodies, normally so unerring in obedience to God's laws, were a standing feature of Hebrew eschatology (Isa 13:10, 24:21, 23, 34:4, Jer 4:23, Ezek 32:7ff, Joel 2:10, 30ff, Amos 5:20, Zeph 1:15, Hag 2:6, 21, cf 2Pe 3:12, Rev 6:12ff). (The Gospel according to St. Matthew) Robert Gundry on immediately - "Immediately" denies a temporal gap between "the affliction of those days" and the celestial disasters that will accompany the Son of Man's publicly visible coming. The two occurrences of "and then" put those disasters and that coming in the same time frame. They'll take place concurrently. The celestial disasters provide a dark backdrop against which the glory of the Son of Man's coming will shine all the brighter. These disasters will feature a darkening of our primary luminaries, the sun and the moon. Jesus doesn't say what will darken them, so that the point lies solely in the contrast between their darkening and the glory of the Son of Man's coming, a glory emphasized with "much." (Commentary on the New Testament: Verse-by-Verse Explanations with a Literal Translation, Hendrickson Publishers, 2010) David Turner on immediately - This is the period of ultimate, unparalleled anguish (lit. "tribulation") described in 24:15ff (cf. Dan 12:1). (Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 11: Matthew and Mark) Thomas Ice on immediately - Moulton and Milligan, in examples from the Greek papyri, emphasize that the use of this word means "at once." Since "an adverb usually modifies the verb closest to it," immediately relates directly to the verb "to darken." Thus, the events of Matthew 24:29 will follow the tribulation immediately, at once, without any other events intervening, or without a time delay. This would mean within the expanded chronology of the events of the tribulation found in Revelation 4-19, that Matthew 24:29-31 will follow immediately the final bowl judgment found in Revelation 16:17-21. This explains the parenthetical warning in the next-to-the-last bowl judgment which reads as follows: "Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments, lest he walk about naked and men see his shame" (Revelation 16:15). It won't be long from the time in which the sixth bowl judgment takes place, until Christ returns. Revelation 17-18 is an overview of the judgment upon Babylon, which surveys items that will take place throughout the tribulation and second coming. Thus, from a chronological aspect in Revelation, Revelation 16 is followed in time by Revelation 19. (Matthew 24:28-29 Corpses and Vultures) James Morison - This word immediately has been a perfect rack of torture to such expositors as have lost their way in the interpretation of the chapter.…The whole difficulty arises from assuming that the tribulation of those days has reference to the tribulation that was to be experienced in connection with the destruction of Jerusalem. (See Matthew 24:16-21.) There is not however the slightest necessity for making such an assumption. There is every reason indeed for rejecting it, …This great mistake is founded on an unwarrantably narrow view of the Saviour's aim in His discourse in general, and on an inappropriately microscopic way of peering toward telescopic objects. (A Practical Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Matthew) C H Spurgeon on Mt 24:29-30 - These verses must apply to the Coming of the King at the last great day, we must regard Christ's words here as prophetic of the final manifestation of the "Son of Man coming in the clouds." Immediately" (2112)(eutheos from euthus = straight, immediate) is an adverb which generally means at once, right away, forthwith, straightaway, without an interval of time or a point of time subsequent to a previous point of time. Note that the actual interval of time depends on the nature of the events and the manner in which the sequence is interpreted by the writer. Eutheos is a "time sensitive" word (see expression of time) and should prompt questions like "To what time does it refer?" or "What happens in this time?" Eutheos - 36x in 36v all but one use (shortly) translated "immediately" - Matt 4:20, 22; 8:3; 13:5; 14:22, 31; 20:34; 21:2; 24:29; 25:15; 26:49, 74; 27:48; Mark 7:35; Luke 5:13; 12:36, 54; 14:5; 17:7; 21:9; John 5:9; 6:21; 18:27; Acts 9:18, 20, 34; 12:10; 16:10; 17:10, 14; 21:30; 22:29; Gal 1:16; Jas 1:24; 3 John 1:14; Rev 4:2 Note: Be aware of the fact that the King James Version is translated from the Textus Receptus, which has over 80 uses of eutheos in the NT including 40 in the Gospel of Mark. However, most of the more modern translations (NAS, ESV) use the Nestle-Aland (Novum Testamentum Graece) as their Greek source which has only 36 uses of eutheos including only one in Mark (Mark 7:35). NAS has 40 uses of the word "immediately" in Mark's Gospel but all (except Mk 7:35) are a translation of the Greek word euthus. Ralph Earle comments that "This reflects the main characteristic of Mark's Gospel—rapid action. Whereas John gives us in his Gospel a studied portrait of Jesus, the lines of which were drawn with loving care after a long lifetime of meditating on his Lord, and Matthew and Luke give us a series of colored slides, Mark presents a moving picture of Jesus' life. Most verses of the first chapter begin with "and," plus the fact that euthus occurs no less than 11 times here. We see Jesus moving rapidly from one scene of action to another." (Word Meanings in the New Testament) Here are the parallel descriptions in Mark and Luke describing this tumultuous time... But in those days, after that tribulation, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL BE FALLING from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory. (Mark 13:24-26) And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory. (Luke 21:25-27) The tribulation - The definitive article ("the") is present in the Greek text and serves to mark this as a reference not to tribulation, distress or affliction in general but to the specific tribulation. In context Jesus has just described the coming unprecedented time of the Great Tribulation (Mt 24:21-note) which is "set in motion" when the abomination of desolation stands in the holy place (Mt 24:15-note). This time of tribulation clearly parallels Daniel 9:27 when the Antichrist will make a firm covenant with the many (nation of Israel) for one week (Seven Years = Daniel's Seventieth Week), but in the middle of the week (3.5 years = 1260 days = 42 months = Time, times, half a time) he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate." (See commentary) Paul's description of the Antichrist in the Temple clearly parallels "the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place" (Mt 24:15-note) Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (the Day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the Temple of God (cf "the holy place" = Mt 24:15-note), displaying himself as being God.(2Thes 2:3-4-note) Tribulation (2347)(thlipsis from thlibo = to crush, press together, squash, hem in, compress, squeeze in turn derived from thlÃ¡o = to break) originally expressed sheer, physical pressure on someone. Thlipsis is a strong term which does not refer to minor inconveniences, but to real hardships. Medically thlipsis was used of the pulse (pressure of the blood against the vessel wall). Thlipsis describes a pressing together as grapes as when they are crushed beneath a heavy weight. According to the ancient law of England, those who willfully refused to plead guilty, had heavy weights placed on their breasts, and were pressed and crushed to death, a gruesome picture of a literal thlipsis. When will these events take place? If one compares the OT passages and passages in the Revelation, it is clear that Jesus is describing the events in the book of the Revelation where John begins his description of this time, a time which is known as the Day of the LORD. These awesome, fearful cosmic disturbances are like a great "divine drum roll" preparing the world for the parousia of the King of kings which the King Himself describes in Mt 24:30-note and His bondservant John describes in Revelation 19:11-16-note. Michael Wilkins - The phrase "immediately after the distress of those days" (Mt 24:29) introduces a temporal sequence: The Son of Man will come after that time of tribulation. Here "distress" (thlipsis) connects with Mt 24:21 to point to a specific period of great tribulation. The adverbial expression "immediately after" emphasizes that the celestial signs and the coming of Jesus will occur after the time of "great distress" just described in Mt 24:15-28.....those who see these events occurring at the end suggest that one must "wildly spiritualize" (Toussaint, Behold the King, 266) these events in order to see them as occurring at the fall of Jerusalem (Ed: 70AD). Once again, the mixture of prophecy referring to both the fall of Jerusalem and the end of the age should be acknowledged. Although the judgment that will be brought on Israel in A.D. 70 with the fall of Jerusalem does seem to be in Jesus' mind (cf. Mt 23:37-39; Luke 21:20-24), the primary emphasis rests on the end of the age when He will come as the Son of Man in great universal power. (The NIV Application Commentary)

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