TEACHING NOTES Matthew 24:13–14 ESV 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Gospel of the kingdom = Notice that Jesus refers to His gospel as “the gospel of the kingdom.” Proclaimed throughout the whole world = We must realize that the biblical authors know nothing about the world being a globe. The Greek word used here for “world” is oikoumene, which refers to an inhabited area or an empire. For the New Testament writers, the Roman Empire was the entire world. Then the end will come = The end of what? Here we must remember that the context is about Jerusalem and the temple, not the end of the world. After Jesus said these things, the apostles went on spreading the gospel all over the known world for the next 38 years. At the time that Jerusalem was destroyed, the gospel had already reached every area of the Roman Empire. ​ Matthew 24:15 ESV 15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), Abomination of desolation = Jesus tells us that we need to read and understand Daniel’s prophesies in Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11. Daniel’s prophesy states that a ruler would desolate the temple by committing an abomination inside the Holy of Holies. Daniel is told that from the time of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem (Ezra 7) to the desolation of the temple would be 490 years. This has happened more than once in Jewish history. The first abomination of desolation occurred in 586 BC when Babylon destroyed the temple. The second occurred in the intertestamental period when Antiochus Epiphanes turned God’s temple into a Greek temple and began sacrificing pigs in the temple to Greek gods (1 Macc. 1:20-53). The last abomination of desolation occurred in AD 70 when the Roman general Titus came into the temple at the end of the Jewish War. Titus set up Roman idols in the Holy of Holies and made sacrifices to them, spread out a scroll of the Torah and had intercourse with two harlots on the scroll, took all the temple vessels, and then burned down the temple. These events are well attested by multiple ancient Jewish and Roman sources. ​ Matthew 24:16–18 ESV 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. Let those in Judea flee to the mountains = Jesus is warning the disciples that when they see these things happening, they must get away from Jerusalem immediately. Obviously, these disciples would have also warned other believers as well. History: Josephus describes a speedy exodus of Jews in Nov.-Dec. 66 AD (The Wars of the Jews 2.20.556). Eusebius writes that those who believed Jesus’ warning fled to Pella, Jordan as these events unfolded (Church History 3.5.3). This is also attested by Epiphanius (Panarion 29.7.7-8 and 30.2.7). ​ Matthew 24:19–20 ESV 19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. Pray that your flight may not be in winter = In Israel, winter was flood season. The Jordan river would flood, making it too dangerous to cross. The Christians who fled to Pella had to cross the Jordan River during flood season. However, Revelation 12 describes a woman (symbol of God’s people) fleeing to the wilderness and kept safe for 1,260 days or 3.5 years (Rev. 12:1-6). The dragon (Satan) pursues the woman and tries to kill her with a flood, but the ground opens (earthquake) and swallows the flood waters (Rev. 12:13-17). Or on a Sabbath = In Israel, long-distance travel was forbidden on the Sabbath. ​ Matthew 24:21 ESV 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. Then there will be great tribulation = This is where people get the idea of “The Great Tribulation” that is most often described as a 7-year period in the future. However, Jesus is not talking about our future and nowhere in the Bible is this period described as being 7 years long. It is repeatedly described as being 3 1/2 years long in the Bible, which is exactly the length the Jewish War. Such has not been and never will be = Josephus used the same terminology in describing the Jewish War. ​ Matthew 24:22 ESV 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. If those days had no been cut short = Jesus is saying that certain events would be cut short so some people would survive. This pause in the war would give time for the elect (believers) to escape. History: Josephus tells us that when the war first began in 66 AD, the general Cestius and the Roman army had gotten all the way to the temple wall but then suddenly fled away. Josephus says that Cestius had won the war, but suddenly fled “without any reason in the world” (The Wars of the Jews 2.19.538-540). Josephus believed that God had done something supernatural at the temple that only Cestius saw and it scared him so much he stopped the war. This event gave ample time for any believers to flee Jerusalem. ​ Matthew 24:23–28 ESV 23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. See I have told YOU beforehand = Jesus is warning His disciples, not a distant future generation. Jesus is saying that believers in the first century would experience these events. It would make no sense for Jesus to warn His disciples about these events if they would be dead for thousands of years before they happened. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather = Jesus is saying that if the disciples don’t heed His warning they will be killed. History: Josephus claims, though scholars dispute his numbers, that there were approx. 1,100,000 people killed during the war and 97,000 were taken captive by the Romans. Other historians state that between 63 and 70 AD the number of people killed in and around Judea was 1,337,490. Signs in the Heavens ​ Matthew 24:29–30 ESV 29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Immediately after the tribulation of those days = As these events begin to conclude there will be signs in the heavens to signal the end. Sun and moon darkened, stars will fall = Many modern readers take these phrases literally. However, Jesus is using Old Testament language that has always been understood as figurative in Israel’s history. This language was common in the Old Testament for describing a time of trouble and even the destruction of Jerusalem. This was not new ideas original to Jesus. For example, God tells Jeremiah to prophesy against Jerusalem that false prophets would come before its destruction in 587 BC (Jer. 5). Isaiah, Ezekiel, Joel, Zephaniah, Zechariah all said that the sun and moon would be darkened and the stars falling when Jerusalem would be destroyed (Isa. 13:10; 24:23; Ezek. 32:7; Joel 2:10; Zeph. 1:14-18; Zech. 14:1-21). However, figurative language does mean that nothing will actually happen in the heavens, but that strange things will be happening in the heavens as signs that judgment is coming. Solar and lunar eclipses, along with falling stars, were seen as signs from heaven for the Jewish people. The sign of the Son of Man = This sign of the Son of Man would be seen in the clouds. This comes directly from Daniel 7:13-14 where the Son of Man comes on the clouds to be presented to God and given an everlasting kingdom that includes people from all nations. In Daniel, the Son of Man is coming on the clouds to God, not to the earth. In Matthew 24, the Son of Man is also coming on the clouds, but never mentions Him coming down to the earth. The Son of Man is doing something in the heavens. ​ Matthew 24:31 ESV 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call = Notice here that the trumpet call is for the angels, not those on earth. The trumpet calls the angels to action. They will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of HEAVEN to the other = Notice here that the angels are not gathering from the earth but from heaven. In the Old Testament, the “four winds” are described as part of heaven and not part of the earth (Dan. 7:2; Zech. 2:6). The angels are gathering heavenly beings for battle. History: Many read Jesus’ words about the signs in heaven and immediately assumed these events have not yet happened. However, ancient historians have recorded strange events happening in the heavens during the Jewish War. Miraculous Signs During the Jewish War Josephus (Jewish eyewitness) tells us that miraculous signs were seen before and during the Jewish War and Tacitus (Roman historian) confirms them as well. These are found in Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, 6.6.288-315 and Tacitus, The Histories, 5.13. 1. A sword-shaped star stood over Jerusalem for a year. 2. A comet was seen in the sky for a year. 3. During the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a bright light shone around the altar of the temple during the 9th hour of the night. It was so bright it looked like daytime around the temple for 30 minutes. 4. At the same feast, while the high priest was bringing a heifer to be sacrificed, it gave birth to a lamb in the middle of the temple. 5. In the 6th hour of the night, the eastern gate of the temple opened by itself. It takes more than 20 men to open or close this massive brass and stone gate. Then the captain of them temple closed it back by himself. To the wise, this signaled that the temple was no longer protected. 6. At sunset on the 21st day Jyar (shortly after the above feast), multiple witnesses saw chariots and soldiers surrounding the city in the clouds. 7. During Pentecost, as the priests were doing their nightly ministrations in the temple, they felt and heard a loud quaking followed be the sound of a multitude saying, “Let us leave this place.” ​ Matthew 24:32–35 ESV 32 “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. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. Popular View of the Fig Tree: Many modern people say that the fig tree is symbolic for the nation of Israel. This view says that Jesus was predicting that Israel would again become a nation and that generation would experience all these events. Since Israel became a nation again in 1948, this view says that "this generation” began in 1948 and would end in 1988. However, proponents of this view have been updating the date ever since. This view also misses the fact that Jesus cursed a fig tree on His way into Jerusalem and declared it would never produce fruit again and the fig tree withered all the way to its roots (Matt. 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-14, 20-23). Jesus’ View: What Jesus is saying here is very simple. Just like you can tell a new season is coming by looking at the leaves of a fig tree, you can see these events happening and know the end of an age is coming. The fig tree is merely an illustration on how to discern the times. ​ Matthew 24:36 ESV 36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. Concerning the day and hour no one knows = Jesus has just given them a general time frame (within 40 years), but they will not know exactly what day or hour. This is why all the signs occurred first, to give them plenty of time to leave town. This is the basis or context for the parables Jesus tells in Matthew 25 which are focused on being ready because the day and hour are unknown. ​ Matthew 24:37–42 ESV 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. Popular View: Many modern readers assume that this passage is describing the rapture of the church before the tribulation. A close reading reveals that is not the case. If we read closely we will notice that it is not the righteous who are taken, but the unrighteous. Jesus said this event would be like the days of Noah. Who was swept away in Noah’s flood? The unrighteous. In the same way, when all these events unfold in Jerusalem the people who refused to believe Jesus would die or be taken away as slaves to Rome. ​ Matthew 24:43–44 ESV 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. If the master of the house had known = In parable form, Jesus speaks of two “masters”, one in Matt. 24:43 and another in verses 44-51. These are two different masters. In verse 43, the master seems to be in charge of Jerusalem and/or the temple. If this master had known the day and hour, he wouldn’t have let his house be destroyed. This may a reference to the Jewish leaders who rejected Jesus. ​ Matthew 24:45–51 ESV 45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Faithful and wise servant = Whereas the previous master was careless and let his house be overthrown, Jesus now describes a faithful and wise servant of a different master. This master seems to be Jesus Himself, who gives all His possessions to His faithful and wise servant. This parable is intended as a warning to the disciples (servants) not to get lazy and immoral but to be faithful and wise. In that place = While many see this as a reference to eternal hell, it seems more likely that the context is Jerusalem where much weeping and gnashing of teeth went on for over three years during the Jewish War. Jesus also uses this language when speaking about Gehenna, which was a valley outside of Jerusalem where the dead bodies of criminals and the poor were burned. What Now? In Matthew 24, Jesus is describing the judgment of Israel and the end of the Old Testament age of the Law. Those events occurred during the first century. But that leaves us with more questions. If what Jesus predicted in Matthew 24 has already happened, what about the events in Revelation? That will be covered in the next series. In short, there are still events to come in the future that are found toward the end of Revelation. The return of Christ, the final battle between good and evil, the resurrection, judgment day, and the new creation are yet to come.