Matthew24

Jesus prophesies the complete destruction of the Temple, prompting His disciples to inquire about the signs of His coming and the end of the world. He warns of widespread deception, wars, famines, and severe persecution, which are the "beginning of sorrows." Jesus describes His sudden, glorious return following a period of great tribulation and urges His followers to remain watchful and ready, as the precise time is unknown.

Prophecy of the Temple's Destruction

1
As Yeshua left the Temple and was going away, his talmidim came and called his attention to its buildings. ​
2
But he answered them, "You see all these? Yes! I tell you, they will be totally destroyed -- not a single stone will be left standing!" ​
3
When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the talmidim came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that you are coming, and that the `olam hazeh is ending?" ​

Signs of the Beginning of Sorrows

4
Yeshua replied: "Watch out! Don't let anyone fool you!
5
For many will come in my name, saying, `I am the Messiah!' and they will lead many astray.
6
You will hear the noise of wars nearby and the news of wars far off; see to it that you don't become frightened. Such things must happen, but the end is yet to come.
7
For peoples will fight each other, nations will fight each other, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various parts of the world;
8
all this is but the beginning of the `birth pains.' ​
9
At that time you will be arrested and handed over to be punished and put to death, and all peoples will hate you because of me. ​
10
At that time many will be trapped into betraying and hating each other,
11
many false prophets will appear and fool many people;
12
and many people's love will grow cold because of increased distance from Torah.
13
But whoever holds out till the end will be delivered.
14
And this Good News about the Kingdom will be announced throughout the whole world as a witness to all the Goyim. It is then that the end will come. ​

The Great Tribulation and False Christs

15
"So when you see the abomination that causes devastation spoken about through the prophet Dani'el standing in the Holy Place" (let the reader understand the allusion), ​
16
"that will be the time for those in Y'hudah to escape to the hills.
17
If someone is on the roof, he must not go down to gather his belongings from his house;
18
if someone is in the field, he must not turn back to get his coat.
19
What a terrible time it will be for pregnant women and nursing mothers!
20
Pray that you will not have to escape in winter or on Shabbat. ​
21
For there will be trouble then worse than there has ever been from the beginning of the world until now, and there will be nothing like it again! ​
22
Indeed, if the length of this time had not been limited, no one would survive; but for the sake of those who have been chosen, its length will be limited.
23
"At that time, if someone says to you, `Look! Here's the Messiah!' or, `There he is!' don't believe him.
24
For there will appear false Messiahs and false prophets performing great miracles -- amazing things! -- so as to fool even the chosen, if possible. ​
25
There! I have told you in advance!
26
So if people say to you, `Listen! He's out in the desert!' don't go; or, `Look! He's hidden away in a secret room!' don't believe it.
27
For when the Son of Man does come, it will be like lightning that flashes out of the east and fills the sky to the western horizon. ​
28
Wherever there's a dead body, that's where you find the vultures. ​

The Coming of the Son of Man

29
"But immediately following the trouble of those times, the sun will grow dark, the moon will stop shining, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in heaven will be shaken. ​
30
"Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, all the tribes of the Land will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with tremendous power and glory. ​
31
He will send out his angels with a great shofar and they will gather together his chosen people from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

32
"Now let the fig tree teach you its lesson: when its branches begin to sprout and leaves appear, you know that summer is approaching. ​
33
In the same way, when you see all these things, you are to know that the time is near, right at the door.
34
Yes! I tell you that this people will certainly not pass away before all these things happen. ​
35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

No One Knows the Day or Hour

36
"But when that day and hour will come, no one knows -- not the angels in heaven, not the Son, only the Father. ​
37
For the Son of Man's coming will be just as it was in the days of Noach. ​
38
Back then, before the Flood, people went on eating and drinking, taking wives and becoming wives, right up till the day Noach entered the ark;
39
and they didn't know what was happening until the Flood came and swept them all away. It will be just like that when the Son of Man comes.
40
Then there will be two men in a field -- one will be taken and the other left behind. ​
41
There will be two women grinding flour at the mill -- one will be taken and the other left behind.
42
So stay alert, because you don't know on what day your Lord will come. ​
43
But you do know this: had the owner of the house known when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not allowed his house to be broken into.
44
Therefore you too must always be ready, for the Son of Man will come when you are not expecting him.

Parable of the Faithful Servant

45
"Who is the faithful and sensible servant whose master puts him in charge of the household staff, to give them their food at the proper time? ​
46
It will go well with that servant if he is found doing his job when his master comes.
47
Yes, I tell you that he will put him in charge of all he owns.
48
But if that servant is wicked and says to himself, `My master is taking his time'; ​
49
and he starts beating up his fellow servants and spends his time eating and drinking with drunkards;
50
then his master will come on a day the servant does not expect, at a time he doesn't know;
51
and he will cut him in two and put him with the hypocrites, where people will wail and grind their teeth! ​

Study Notes for Matthew 24

Verse 1

This discourse, known as the Olivet Discourse, takes place on the Mount of Olives, where Jesus answers questions about the future. The disciples proudly showed off the magnificent Herodian Temple complex, which had been under construction for decades.

Verse 2

Jesus’ prophecy of total destruction was fulfilled literally in AD 70 when the Roman army, under General Titus, besieged Jerusalem and dismantled the Temple stone by stone.

Verse 3

The disciples asked three distinct, but related, questions: (1) When will the temple fall? (2) What is the sign of your coming (*parousia*)? (3) What is the sign of the end of the age? Jesus blends the answers, treating the destruction of Jerusalem as a type or foreshadowing of the final judgment.

Verse 8

The Greek word for 'sorrows' (*ōdin*) literally means 'birth pains.' These events—wars, famines, and earthquakes—are painful precursors that signal the inevitable arrival of the new age, but they are not the end itself.

Verse 9

Jesus warns that persecution and martyrdom are inherent parts of the mission, occurring throughout the church age until the end.

Verse 14

The worldwide proclamation of the Gospel is presented here as a necessary prerequisite and a final sign before the end of the age comes. This emphasizes the mission mandate of the church.

Verse 15

The 'abomination of desolation' is a clear reference to Daniel (9:27). In the immediate historical context, this likely refers to the desecration of the Temple area by the Roman armies in AD 70, signaling the time for Judean Christians to flee.

Verse 20

Fleeing in winter would be difficult due to weather, and fleeing on the Sabbath would violate Jewish law, potentially causing conflict or preventing them from traveling far outside their city.

Verse 21

While this language is often used to describe the ultimate final judgment, in its immediate context, it describes the unprecedented horror and suffering inflicted upon Jerusalem during the Roman siege (AD 66–70).

Verse 24

The warning against false Christs is intensified, noting they will use 'great signs and wonders' to deceive even the most devoted believers, underscoring the necessity of spiritual discernment.

Verse 27

The true coming of the Son of Man will not be secret or localized; it will be sudden, unmistakable, and visible to everyone, like a flash of lightning across the sky.

Verse 28

This proverb means that judgment (the carcass) will inevitably draw the instruments of judgment (the eagles/vultures). This may allude metaphorically to divine judgment or literally to the Roman military standards, which featured the eagle.

Verse 29

The phrase 'immediately after' links the cosmic signs to the preceding tribulation. This uses traditional apocalyptic imagery (Isaiah 13:10) to describe the dramatic, world-altering nature of Christ’s return.

Verse 30

The 'sign of the Son of man' is Christ himself appearing in glory. His arrival will cause the 'tribes of the earth' (often interpreted as non-believers) to mourn in recognition of the judgment that is upon them.

Verse 32

The fig tree parable is an analogy instructing the disciples to recognize the signs of the times. Just as spring follows the budding of the tree, the end will follow the fulfillment of these prophecies.

Verse 34

This is one of the most debated verses. It likely refers to the generation living in AD 70 who witnessed the fulfillment of the prophecies concerning the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem (vv. 4–22).

Verse 36

This verse establishes the absolute divine prerogative over the timing of the end, emphasizing that the timing is hidden even from the Son, underscoring the mystery of the Godhead and the finality of the Father's plan.

Verse 37

The comparison to Noah’s day highlights that the world will be engaged in normal, mundane activities, completely oblivious to the impending divine judgment.

Verse 40

This illustrates the sudden, selective nature of judgment and separation at the time of Christ's coming. The focus is on the unexpected nature of the division.

Verse 42

The practical command resulting from the unknown timing is 'Watch.' Vigilance involves sustained spiritual readiness and faithful living.

Verse 45

This parable shifts the focus from timing to preparedness and responsibility. The faithful servant is one who diligently carries out his duties (serving the household) while awaiting the master's return.

Verse 48

The 'evil servant' is characterized by a lack of faith and presumption rooted in the master’s delay. This delay leads to moral laxity and abuse of authority.

Verse 51

The severe punishment emphasizes that unfaithfulness in service will result in the same judgment reserved for hypocrites, characterized by eternal suffering ('weeping and gnashing of teeth').

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