3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

16 Then let them which be in Judæa flee into the mountains:

3

second coming,

And as he sat on the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy 1 coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man lead you astray. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall lead many astray. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for these things must needs come to 7 pass; but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places. 8 But all these things are the beginning of 9 travail. Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all the nations for my 10 name's sake. And then shall many stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many 12 astray. And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax 13 cold. But he that endureth to the end, 14 the same shall be saved. And this gospel

11

17 Let him which is on the housetop not come 16 derstand), then let them that are in Judown to take any thing out of his house:

17 dæa flee unto the mountains: let him that

Gr. presence. Or, the consummation of the age. 3 Or, these good tidings. ↑ Gr. inhabited earth. Or, through. Or, a holy place.

hyperbole for utter destruction (as some think): and yet of the temple proper, it is true literally, that not one stone was left upon another; the present stones remaining in the exterior court-wall.

3. The disciples. Mark specifies Peter, James, John, and Andrew. The disciples, we see by this verse, had a mixed notion of the destruction of Jerusalem, Christ's second coming, and the end of the world (or the consum mation of the age). Our Lord does not see fil to correct their error, but foretells the circumstances to which he referred when speaking of the temple's ruin. From the thirty-fourth verse (Mark 13: 30, and Luke 21:32) it is perfectly clear that all this prophecy refers to the scenes of the Jewish rebellion and the spread of the gospel to the Gentlies.

5. Saying, I am the Christ. Like Simon Magus (Acts 8: 9, 10), who seems to have meant the Messiah by "the great power of God."

6. The end of the temple, city, and nation, and so the end of the age or dispensation.

7. Nation shall rise against nation. The best commentary on the details of this prophecy is found in Josephus' "History of the Jewish War." Tacitus, the Roman historian, also gives a vivid picture of the fearful scenes occurring in the reigns of Nero, Galba, Otho, and Vitellius, all of which preceded the destruction of Jerusalem.

9. Shall kill you. James, one of the four to whom Jesus was saying these words, was one of those early lain. Peter, another auditor, and Andrew (if we may accept tradition), were slain at a later period. Shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake. In Nero's reign, the name of Christian was hated and derided. His cruel treatment of them corroborates the statements of the historians regarding their reputation. 10. Many stumble. Professing Christians, who yielded to the persecutions.

11. False prophets. Like Theudas and Barcochebas, mentioned by Josephus.

13. This verse can have only a spiritual meaning. So the parallel passage, in Luke 21: 18, must refer to God's protection of their mental peace and happiness; for the evangelist expressly declares that some of them shall die (Luke 21: 16).

14. In the whole world. This was doubtless fulfilled to the letter; as Rome held a multitude of Christians before the destruction of Jerusalem, whence the knowledge of Christianity would readily and rapidly flow, even by natural process, to all parts of the world.

15. The abomination of desolation, or desolating abomination. That is, the Roman army. By Daniel. See Dan. 9: 27, and 12: 11. In the holy place. Rather, on holy ground; that is, in the vicinity of Jerusalem. Let him that readeth understand. A caution interjected by the evangelist, as the event had not yet occurred; and he would have the Christians on their guard. He refers probably to the very expressions of Daniel in chap. 9: 22, 23, 25.

16. Flee unto the mountains. The Christians, obeying this command, fled from Jerusalem when the Roman army approached, and took refuge at Pella, across Jordan, among the mountains of Gilead.

17. The street is often accessible from the top of an Oriental house without passing through the house.

Signs of Christ's

ST. MATTHEW, XXIV.

18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

25 Behold, I have told you before.

26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

1 Or, him. 2 Or, them. 3 Gr. presence.

second coming.

is on the housetop not go down to take 18 out the things that are in his house: and let him that is in the field not return back 19 to take his cloke. But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give 20 suck in those days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither 21 on a sabbath: for then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor 22 ever shall be. And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect's sake those days 23 shall be shortened. Then if any man

25

26

shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, 24 or, Here; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you beforehand. If therefore they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth: Behold, he is in the inner chambers; believe 27 2 it not. For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the 28 Son of man. Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

29

But immediately, after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be sha30 ken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from

31

4 Or, vultures. Many ancient authorities read with a great trumpet, and they shall gather, etc. • Or, a trumpet of great sound.

19. Woe unto them. That is, alas for them.

20. Neither on a sabbath. When the gates of cities were shut, and thus the road would be obstructed. 21. The history of the Jewish war seems to demand a literal interpretation for these words. We would refer the kindred expressions in Dan. 12: 1, and Joel 2: 2, to the same event.

22. No flesh. Of the Jewish race and nation, of whom alone our Lord is speaking.

27. The coming of the Son of man. Not the coming at the last judgment, but the germination and growth of the Christian church, Christ's coming in his church.

28. Instead of interpreting this verse (which is a quotation from Job 39: 30) of the carcass of the Jewish nation and the eagles of Rome, we suggest a closer connection with the context, thus: "For wheresoever the carcass (a superstitious and wicked people) is, there will the birds of prey (the false Christs and false prophets) be gathered together to feed on them."

29. Immediately. We cannot leap to the final judgment with this word in our way. That which follows must belong to the apostolic age, or else (with Meyer) we must accuse the Saviour of error in statement. If we do this, there is no Christ, and no Christianity. A Christ who prophesied falsely is no Christ at all, and a Christianity based on such a one can be only a delusion. The sun, moon, stars, and heavenly powers (nebulæ) represent, in prophetic language, the various grades of governmental dignities (in the present instance, those of the Jewish people, of whom our Lord is speaking). The failure of their light, their fall and shaking, refer to the changes in the polity of the Jews upon the destruction of Jerusalem. Their independence was gone, their high-priest and other priests had no more significance or vocation: the scribes fell from their high estate, and the rabbinical authority was rudely shaken. 30. The sign of the Son of man. Gr., To anuelov, the sign, signal, standard, or device lifted up, er ovpar (in heaven); that is, in the region of God's church. The old sign, in the old church, was the temple and its ceremonies. Now that was gone, and the cross became the central thought and the outward emblem of the new church. Then shall all, etc., mourn, and they shall see. Hebraic style for, "Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn when they shall see," etc. The pagan nations would lament as they should see the rapid advance of the Christian church over the world. The Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven. This is not the same coming that is called Christ's revelation from heaven with the angels of his power (1 Thess. 1:7), and his coming with his holy ones (Jude 14). That is his final coming to judgment, but this is his coming in the progress of his church. So it is in Rev. 1: 7. The clouds represent the mystery of his progress. In Rev. 1: 7 we have the mourning of the pagans, as here. The whole world, including the Jews who pierced him, is said to behold this marvellous growth of the church. It was Christ's coming in the apostolic day.

31. His angels. The preachers of the word. With a great sound of a trumpet. Prophetic language

32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When | his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

36¶ But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

32

second coming.

the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that 33 the summer is nigh; even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know ye that 1he is 34 nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but 36 my words shall not pass away. But of

that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, 2 neither the 37 Son, but the Father only. And as were the days of Noah, so shall be the 3 coming 38 of the Son of man. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah en39 tered into the ark, and they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the 3 coming of the Son of man. 40 Then shall two men be in the field; one is 41 taken, and one is left: two women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken, and 42 one is left. Watch therefore: for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through. Therefore be ye also ready: for in an hour that ye think not 45 the Son of man cometh. Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath set over his household, to give them

3

44

4

46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when 46 their food in due season? Blessed is that he cometh shall find so doing.

47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

6 servant, whom his lord when he cometh 47 shall find so doing. Verily I say unto

you, that he will set him over all that he 48 hath. But if that evil servant shall say 49 in his heart, My lord tarrieth; and shall

begin to beat his fellow-servants, and shall eat and drink with the drunken; 50 the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an 51 hour when he knoweth not, and shall cut

1 Or, it. 2 Many authorities, some ancient, omit neither the Son. 3 Gr. presence. 4 Or, But this ye know. 5 Gr. digged through. Gr. bond-servant. 7 Or, severely scourge him.

for the powerful influence of the preached word. Gather together his elect. Form churches. From one end of heaven to the other. See on verse 14. The three events that were to follow immediately the destruction of Jerusalem were thus: (1) the overturning and alteration of the ruling elements of Jewry, (2) the elevation of the cross as the key-sign and key-thought of the church, (3) the marvellous growth of the church in every land.

34. This verse absolutely prohibits all reference of the foregoing verses to the last judgment, and shuts us up to the interpretation above given, at least in its general character.

36. Neither the Son. Our Lord here plainly states his lack of knowledge in his humiliation. He experienced gradations in wisdom, we know from Luke 2:52. In the King James version this phrase is found only in Mark (chap. 13: 32), but the MS. authority clearly places it here also.

37. The coming of the Son of man. The phrase has two sides, -one that of the growth of the church; and the other that of the destruction of the Jewish city, temple, and ceremonial. The unexpected and sudden character of the siege, and its result, are compared to the suddenness of the Flood, which, nevertheless, had been predicted a hundred and twenty years (Gen. 6:3). Jerusalem was destroyed by Titus in the reign of his father Vespasian, in the year 70 after Christ, about forty years after this prophecy was uttered.

42. At this point our Lord appears to generalize, and speak of his coming, not only at the destruction of Jeru salem, but also at the affliction or death of any one, and at the end of the world; the same religious lessons being applicable to all.

43. The watchful disciple is likened to a master of a house watching against a thief. Afterward he is likened (45-47) to a faithful servant watching for his master's return home. The former simile emphasizes the escape from loss; the latter, the obtaining reward. Watch - watched. The likeness between these words is not found in the Greek.