Matthew 24

1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

The same incident is also recorded in Mark 13:1; and Luke 21:5.

2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

24:2 See ye not all these things? Jesus was talking about the Temple which still existed. Some claim He was talking about a future Temple yet to be built, immediately prior to the Second Coming. But that's awkward. Others claim He was talking about both Temples. But there isn't any precedent in the Bible for such a 'double fulfilment' hermeneutic. There shall not he left one stone upon another - This was fulfilled in AD70 when Titus, the Roman general, ordered the very foundations of the Temple to be dug up, and the stones burnt with fire to retrieve all the gold - then the ground on which it stood was ploughed up by Turnus Rufus.

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?

24:3 As he sat on the mount of Olives - From there they could look out over the Temple. It was the existing Temple that they had in mind, not some future Temple. When shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? - The disciples asked three questions: the timing of the Temple's destruction; the signs of Christ's coming, and of the end of the world. Notice, concerning the destruction of the Temple, they asked its timing - but concerning His coming and the end of the world, they asked not concerning its timing, but concerning its signs. The Lord answers all three questions, but of the timing of the Temple's destruction He gives some indication, but of His return and of the end of the world He gives no indication of their timing but only of their signs. Of that day, no-one knows the day nor the hour. But the imminence of the Temple's destruction could be approximately known. The challenge is to distinguish which parts of the chapter answer which question. Whether or not that's entirely possible, I don't know. Jesus now proceeds to answer those three questions.

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.

24:5 Many shall come in my name - John the Apostle wrote that many antichrists had already gone out into the world, in the first century (I John 2:18). Many impostors did appear in Jerusalem a few years before the destruction of the city; "...undoubtedly because that was the time wherein the Jews in general expected the Messiah" (John Wesley).

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.

24:6 All these things must come to pass - leading-up to the destruction of the Temple - But the end - of the world, is not yet - but the end of the world is still quite far away - these things, leading up to the destruction of the Temple, are merely the beginning of birthpangs.

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.

24:8 These things shall happen during the lead-up to the destruction of the Temple, and afterwards until His coming, until the end - but these do not indicate the end of the world: these are merely like the beginning of painful birth contractions. The catastrophes that happened in the lifetime of the early disciples would have been immediate indicators that the timing of Jerusalem's destruction was near, for Jesus had told them that it would happen in their generation. But of His coming, Jesus has told us that no-one knows when it will happen. Therefore the catastrophes that occur in our generations, unlike in the early church's prior to the destruction of the Temple, are no indication that the Lord's return is going to happen in our generation. They merely indicate that contractions have started! They don't indicate how much longer the labour will be.


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.

24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to affliction - the Apostles, but also many of those that believe through their word. The Apostles would be killed, before Jerusalem would be destroyed. Nevertheless, the timing of the Temple's destruction was so near that Jesus told the Apostles they wouldn't even have had a chance to finish preaching throughout all the Judean villages before the event would take place.


10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

24:10 Then shall many he offended - This falling-away was already evident at the time of writing of the Epistle to the Hebrews. Paul said also that all those of Asia had forsaken him.

11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

24:11 The Epistles warn that this was already happening in the first century.

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

24:12 This was already happening by the time John wrote the letters to the seven churches, in the Book of Revelation.

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

These trials seem to happen in most every generation, therefore endurance-to-the-end is a trait required by every generation of believers.
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.

24:14 This Gospel shall he preached in all the world - Paul said that the Gospel had already been preached to every creature under heaven, even in his day. This will continue, right up until the end. Jesus seems to speak fluidly of the destruction of the Jerusalem, and of His coming, and of the end of the world, almost as if they are each part-and-parcel of the same topic, even though the destruction of the Temple came to pass earlier than His coming.

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:)

24:15 When ye see the abomination of desolation - Daniel's term is, The abomination that maketh desolate, Dan 11:31. Question: did this come to pass around the time of the Temple's destruction, or does it refer to events still to happen, closer to His coming? It could refer to the pagan banners set-up in the Temple by the invading Roman legions, which bear pictures of their idols: Standing in the holy place - The Holy Place doesn't exist today, because the Temple was destroyed in AD70. Therefore, all of this probably refers to the Temple then existing. Unless, the term "holy place" refers to the mount itself, not to the inner court of the Temple. He that readeth let him understand - Jesus linked Daniel's prophecy with His own. See Mark 13:14; Luke 21:20; Dan 9:27. It might help to look at Daniel's prophecy, to see whether its fulfilment fits better in the first century, or in some future time.

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

24:16 Then let them who are in Judea flee to the mountains - "So the Christians did, and were preserved. It is remarkable that after the Romans under Cestus Gallus made their first advances toward Jerusalem, they suddenly withdrew again, in a most unexpected and indeed impolitic manner. This the Christians took as a signal to retire, which they did, some to Pella, and others to Mount Libanus" (John Wesley).

17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

24:17 Let not him that is on the house top come down to take any thing out of his house - The topic here is about the destruction of Jerusalem, not about Christ's coming - because if it was about Christ's coming, why worry about fleeing from the city!

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!

24:19 Wo to them that are with child, and to them that give suck - This wouldn't be a problem if Jesus was talking about the Rapture here. But He was talking about the destruction of the Temple and city.

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

24:20 Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter - "They did so; and their flight was in the spring. Neither on the Sabbath - Being on many accounts inconvenient; beside that many would have scrupled to travel far on that day. For the Jews thought it unlawful to walk above two thousand paces (two miles) on the Sabbath day" (John Wesley).

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.

24:21 Then shall be great tribulation - Notice, 'great tribulation' is a term that refers to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Notice also it doesn't say, "The Great Tribulation" but just "great tribulation". If this refers only to a future time in Israel's history, then did Jesus really say nothing of Israel's sufferings in AD70? and ever since? So they must have referred to the events of the Jewish-Roman War AD67-70. But they may refer to the ensuing Jewish history too, because Israel's sufferings certainly didn't end in AD70.

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.

24:22 And unless those days were shortened - "By the taking of Jerusalem sooner than could be expected:" No flesh would be saved - "The whole nation would be destroyed. But for the elect's sake - That is, for the sake of the Christians" (John Wesley). Israel's sufferings might have been much worse, if left up to the vengeance of the Romans, but it was for the sake of the believers that God cut the days short.

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

24:23 See also Mark 13:21; Luke 17:23.

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.

24:24 This danger existed prior to the destruction of the Temple, and still today.

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.

24:27 For as the lightning goeth forth - For the next coming of Christ will he as quick as lightning; so that there will not be time for any such previous warning.

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

24:28 Don't be deceived - don't expect the Lord's coming to precede the death and destruction of Jerusalem. This Jesus said, to counter the disciples incorrect assumption that Israel could not be destroyed before the Kingdom arrives. Had He not corrected them, then upon seeing the imminent destruction of Jerusalem, they may have mistakenly looked somewhere for the returned Christ. But Christ's return, when it later happens, shall be so open as to be universally unmistakeable. This information was designed to help the disciples make sense of the destruction - rather than the exaltation - of the city of Jerusalem, which was to occur less than a generation later.

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:

24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days - Does He mean, the tribulation surrounding the siege and destruction of Jerusalem? If so, then the "sun darkened" and "moon not giving her light" etc would be symbolic prophetic language referring to the demise of the nation. But if it refers to the ongoing tribulations faced by Israel particularly, and also by persecuted Christians, and also by the whole world in divers places, then it could refer more literally to the astronomical bodies. In other words, although He was answering a more specific question about the existing Temple, He was indicating that such catastrophes would describe the entire period from then onwards right up until the time of His coming. Daniel, and Jesus, and we - have no idea of the exact timing. But Jesus did tell parables that indicated time - "a long journey".

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.

24:30 Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven - Daniel saw a vision of this.

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.

24:31 They shall gather together his elect - "That is, all that have endured to the end in the faith which worketh by love" (John Wesley). The book of Revelation mentions trumpets. So does Paul.

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:

24:32 Learn a parable - "Our Lord having spoke of the signs preceding the two grand events, concerning which the apostles had inquired, begins here to speak of the time of them. And to the question proposed, Mt 24:3, concerning the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, he answers Mt 24:34. Concerning the time of the end of the world, he answers Mt 24:36. Mark 13:28; Luke 21:29" (John Wesley).

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

24:33 "It is near" may refer to all three events. Everything Jesus mentioned is all part of what was in the church's future, at the time when Jesus foretold it. All of this was necessary information in order for the Apostles to formulate a proper idea of how they might expect the future to unfold. The budding of the fig-tree does not refer to Israel's rebirth in the 20th century, because the fig-tree is not always used in Scripture as an exclusive symbol of Israel, but also of other nations - and it's always used in the context of a nation being destroyed, not rebirthed. Besides, in Luke's account, it adds, "...and all the treee..." not only the fig tree. So if it really is used here as a symbol of Israel's rebirth, then all the nations (all the trees) must experience a rebirth too. "All these things" therefore refers to all the things Jesus had just finished describing.

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

24:34 A great part of that generation hd indeed passed away, but not all of it, before the city and temple were destroyed 39 or 40 years later. But I'm not sure whether this refers to the generation that saw the destruction of the Temple, or whether it has a wider, more distant meaning.

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

The Apostles weren't expecting such calamity to be in Israel's future! But Jesus reassurred them.

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

24:36 But of that day - This might qualify what was meant when He said earlier that this generation would not pass away until all these things were fulfilled - because here, He now refers to a distinct day - "that" day. Of the timing of the Temple's destruction, He was able to say, "This generation shall not pass away" - but of "that" day - the day of His coming and of the end of the world - He could only say, No man knoweth. Or, is He referring still to the destruction of the Temple, and saying that having told of the signs, He cannot now tell of the timing?
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

See 24:37 and Luke 17:26.

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.

24:40 One is taken - up into the air, in the rapture? or taken by death, in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD70?

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

24:41 Whether He speaks here of events surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem, or of events to occur on the day of Judgment; whether He speaks of being taken by death, or taken up as in the rapture, the main point is - we don't know when it's going to happen, therefore we should be ready at all times.

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?


46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when 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,

51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.