MATTHEW CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR COMMENTARY

“...Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’..." (Mat 23:37-39, “Matthew Chapter Twenty-three Commentary”—this commentary may serve as a preparatory introduction to what follows).

Thus the Shekinah Glory...departed from Israel. Here now, this chapter begins in apt continuity with the former, as we are told that straightaway: '...Jesus departed from the temple...' That is, He departed from this people's spiritual and national center of gravity (with respect to said departure, consider [Exd 13:21, 33:13-15, Hos 9:12, Jhn 15:4-6, but note Mat 28:20-He abides forever with His saints]). Here now, in this chapter, is revealed the bitter end attending that selfsame-provoked departure both for Christless Israel specifically, up front, and for Godless humankind generally in due time (selfsame in that God in Christ is rejected in both cases). Of necessity, then, a twofold judgment follows below, which intended direction thereof—Christless Israel, or Godless humankind—we must clearly delineate at the appropriate places as the prophetic text unfolds.

We will follow this format:

· Verse of Scripture utilizing the YLT text followed by an NASB mouseover of that verse. Key words in the YLT text will be footnoted with a link to a word study based on the Greek text, and/or a general discussion relative to the given word. We are not biblical Greek or Hebrew scholars, please consider our grammatical constructions with a critical eye.

· Commentary We shall be commenting on this passage keeping before us at all times the crucial fact that every jot and every tittle comprising these verses came forth under the inspiration of the blessed Holy Spirit. We pray that He, by His grace, helps us along the way.

II. Matthew Chapter Twenty-four Commentary Verses

24:1-2-Ichabod

YLT TEXT: And having gone [1] forth, Jesus departed [2] from the temple [3], and his disciples [4] came near to show him the buildings of the temple, and Jesus said to them, 'Do ye not see [5] all these? verily I say to you, There may not be left here [6] a stone upon a stone, that shall not be thrown down [7].' (Mat 24:1-2, cf. Mar 13:1-2, Luk 21:5-6, Mat 24:1-2, NLT; 1Sa 4:21).

COMMENTARY: Everything in this verse set points to a foreboding desolation—words and word phrases like gone forth, departed, not be left here a stone upon a stone, thrown down. The object, the focus of this doom, is the Temple. In other words, the focus has in view (1) the spiritual “stage” of Pharisaic Judaism (consider Luk 18:10-14), and (2) the national “ballast” of Judah. Heard here by immature disciples is what sounds to them like an incredulous (1), (2), Stroke, the former spiritual, the latter national, delivered by the One thought to restore the Kingdom to Israel ( a mindset that lingered especially post-Resurrection Act 1:6). We may take it that this verse set predicts the undoing of the fabric and very fiber of the glorious spiritual and national norms that entertained the minds of the hearers of these words. What a disturbance this must have been. Small wonder they had pressing questions for Jesus just later.

In the steps of the Master a retooling was afoot, not least because, (1) above, the spiritual “stage” of Pharisaic Judaism, thought to play God the fool, and by very exercise, thought to broadcast the same, and because, (2) above, the national “ballast” of Judah, thought to hold God hostage to a building, again, by very exercise, broadcasting the same. These broadcasts and others Jesus' hearers had just before heard Him condemn, and straightaway judge (“Matthew Chapter Twenty-three “Commentary”). Here in continuity with that judgment He altogether seals it with its particulars: “...Do ye not see all these? verily I say to you, There may not be left here a stone upon a stone, that shall not be thrown down...” Thus He broadcasts. Thus God shows Himself as omniscient God, not a fool, not a call-boy. Thus He shows Himself departed from that building.

Through Jesus the Shekinah Glory once more visited Israel (Judah here), but briefly, and shone forth from that day's temple (Luk 19:47, 22:53), from those magnificent stones, endearing, but when He departed, so did any semblance of Glory. What remained was another sort of glory, more mundane, more low-plane-like, even a desolation without Him, in the broadest sense of that sorry word.

O, my Lord, stay ever in this lowly temple, that it may ever enjoy you, and ever glorify you, and ever shine forth your glory, while still you give it breath. Amen.

24:3-8-The Beginning of Travail

YLT TEXT: And when he is sitting [8] on the mount of the Olives [9], the disciples came near to him by himself, saying, 'Tell us, when shall these be? and what is the sign of thy presence [10], and of the full end of the age? [11]' And Jesus answering said to them, 'Take heed that no one may lead you astray [12], for many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ [13], and they shall lead many astray, and ye shall begin to hear of wars, and reports of wars; see, be not troubled, for it behoveth all these to come to pass, but the end [13a] is not yet. 'For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places; and all these are the beginning [13b] of sorrows [14]; (Mat 24:3-8, cf. Mar 13:3-8, Luk 21:7-11, 20-24, Mat 24:3-8, NLT; cf. Zec 14:15, Rev 6:7-8, 12).

COMMENTARY: '...Lord, we've got some questions...'

Jesus took His place, He seated Himself, somewhere removed, up yonder on the Mount of Olives, overlooking the temple: “...And when he is sitting on the mount of the Olives, the disciples came near to him by himself...” (cf. Mar 13:3). It is thought-provoking, in light of this context, to think that perhaps He seated Himself up there where He intends to touch down when He returns with His saints to smash His enemies (Rev 19:11-16, “Psalm Two Commentary”, “Psalm One-hundred-ten Commentary”); when He returns with His saints to judge the world and establish His millennial reign (not to be confused with the Rapture, at which time Jesus comes only on the clouds, calling His Church out of a world teetering on the brink [1Th 4:15-17, 2Th 2:1]). He, the glorified Messiah, thus returning as it is written of this awesome, great One ([that is, Messiah], 2Th 1:6-10, Zec 14:4; just as His feet touched the ground at His first advent, so they will touch the ground at His second advent). One so terrible in majesty that everything before Him melts as it were (Psa 46:6, 104:24-30,31-34, Amo 9:5). But presently He, incarnate, seated Himself, seated that mean frame He condescended to take upon Himself, content for the time being but to discuss that future Glory. See how He reveals its particulars piecemeal, for thus it must be revealed, it being too much for the human mind to grasp, even piecemeal, even per countless porings over in the centuries hence. He reveals its particulars in satisfaction of human minds groping to grasp: “...the disciples came near to him by himself, saying, 'Tell us, when shall these be? and what is the sign of thy presence, and of the full end of the age?...” There is some measure of dismay in those three questions we think, besides curiosity and confusion. Nevertheless, through the answers to those questions come the pieces which reveal God's program for Israel near-term, and for all of humankind on into eternity. It must be granted that pieces such as these are difficult things. And it must be granted that only an eternal mind, even the Eternal Mind, could comprehensively address, much less with integrity unfold such things (“The Alpha and the Omega”). Let us by God's grace analyze Jesus' response. One perceives an astute response, in that a vast, sweeping amount of time is packed into a concise answer. It is clear that this concision in the face of such a vast backdrop betrays clear, comprehensive knowledge of the details involved; the response is astute. One perceives a graded response wherein “first things come first.” Again this betrays clear, comprehensive knowledge of the details involved. Let's look at that gradation a little closer. It is like a pyramid standing on its tip; the broader-based-eventualities up top are addressed first (Fig. 1, top pyramid). And given top priority is the broadest base, the one up top—many (like unto the broad base up top) are to come in Jesus' Name, leading many astray. This eventuality has to be addressed first. Why? Not just because it is broad and far-reaching, more than that—because the great Program of God which Jesus unfolds next will be given either a different spin or altogether replaced with other programs, by way of many, down the ages (this push too, then, is broad): “...Take heed that no one may lead you astray, for many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and they shall lead many astray...” Note the foresight: “...they shall lead many astray...” (consider Act 5:36-39, 8:9-10, Bar Kokhba [“Son of the Star”], false prophets, false religions, “isms,” self-deified moderns (2Pe 3:3) teaching this and that contrary to the Word of God, and of course antiChrist [2Th 2:2-5, 6-9]—this list is a long one, it is well populated, it is broad]). This deception, that is, onslaught by the devil, for he is the father of lies (Jhn 8:44), particularly when it comes to the onslaught that seeks to derail Jesus' Program, must be addressed first. Satan the imitator would, of course, come in Jesus' Name (2Cr 11:14), thus pretending to offer something “better,” better messianic alternatives, other programs undergirded by that title. That cunning is his style; it is low-plane, like he is low-plane, he, qualifying the same. Jesus warns here of this, of this befooling by His adversary. That warning must come first, then may follow the Program Jesus outlines by way of response to the disciples' questions. Let's descend the pyramid by one level (Fig. 1); the span is still broad at this next level of the upside-down pyramid: “... and ye shall begin to hear of wars, and reports of wars; see, be not troubled, for it behoveth all these to come to pass, but the end is not yet. 'For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom'...” Is this not a fact of history? So it has been to the very present; this level of the upside-down pyramid is indeed broad. What else needs to be said here? Nothing, for so it is, sadly. But, of such sad things comes not the End, though terrible enough to indicate so; we must descend the pyramid, squeezing, constraining, concentrating, narrowing the levels, before the End comes. So we step down another level (Fig. 1). The span is still broad at this next level of the upside-down pyramid: “... and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places...” Another statement borne out by fact. Famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. More sad and terrible things. Again, so it has been, to the very present. Yes more sad and terrible things, together with, shoulder-to-shoulder with, the former sad and terrible things, sadly. But even so, still, of these sad and terrible things comes not the End, though they might tempt one to think so: “... and all these are the beginning of sorrows...” Please notice: we are not at all in the Tribulation here. Why? We all know that the Restrainer is still active in the world despite wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and so forth. Thus there can be no great falling away here, nor can antiChrist be revealed because he needs an environment consistent with his character in order to ascend onto the world stage—but the Restrainer restrains him here (2Th 2:2-3, 5-9). And so there can be no Tribulation down to this level (Fig. 1), for the Tribulation commences with antiChrist's appearance on the world stage and his appearance is marked by several things, one of which is apostasy. Jesus addresses antiChrist just later, and then we can talk about the Tribulation. The past levels of the upside-down pyramid consist of what we think are Fall-like realities (especially the last two); they are outlined by Jesus in an apparently matter-of-fact way, and are certainly borne out by history: “...be not troubled, for it behoveth all these to come to pass, but the end is not yet ...” We must descend down lower yet to appreciate, to attain to, the point, the point of the End. Then, as we approach the End, antiChrist will reveal himself in an environment of lawlessness devoid of the Restrainer (2Th 2:7-8), and then sore tribulation commences. As you can see by looking ahead (Fig. 1)—with the next level of the upside-down pyramid we begin to get close, to approach the End, but not at all here, though the levels just discussed are very grievous to be sure.

24:9-14-Persecution, Rampant Lawlessness, Lovelessness, A Pervasive Witness...of Such is the End

YLT TEXT: then they shall deliver you up to tribulation [15], and shall kill [16] you, and ye shall be hated [17] by all the nations [18] because of my name [19]; and then shall many be stumbled [20], and they shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another. 'And many false prophets [21] shall arise, and shall lead many astray; and because of the abounding of the lawlessness [22], the love of the many shall become cold [23]; but he who did endure [24] to the end, he shall be saved [25]; and this good news of the reign [26] shall be proclaimed in all the world, for a testimony [27] to all the nations; and then shall the end [28] arrive. (Mat 24:9-14, cf. Mar 13:9-13, Luk 21:12-18, 19, Mat 24:9-14, NLT).

COMMENTARY: So we have descended further down the upside-down pyramid, to the next lower level (Fig. 1). The span is a little less broad, because of the squeezing, because the concentration and the constraint have increased at this level. Now concentration is on the people of God in the midst of all the nations—thereby are they squeezed; concentration is upon His Beloved, His Bride, His Namesakes, even Christians (Israel is not in these particular verses; Israel is, sad to say, still one of the enemies at this point). And the Constraint, the squeezing, that...has cursed the Name of Jesus, and has undertaken to expel His Name from the midst of the nations, and that by way of killing those who bear that blessed Name: “...then they shall deliver you up to tribulation, and shall kill you, and ye shall be hated by all the nations because of my name...” Thus we have descended lower, we are down lower now, because expulsion of the Most High, this killing, must needs bring us most low, must bring us down. And of course it follows, follows downward, that lawlessness abounds, and the love of many grows cold (Fig. 1): “...and because of the abounding of the lawlessness, the love of the many shall become cold...” (already at work in Paul's day with no small amount of inertia we can be sure [2Th 2:7]; imagine the inertia today [Satan has been busy since the Fall, of that we can be sure too]). It follows downward to the abounding of lawlessness and this cold love, but why? Because He, Most High, hated, sought to be expelled, is the One who stands in the place of Law, and gives expression to Law, and no less He stands in the place of Love, and gives expression to Love (“The Beatitudes”, 1Jo 4:8, 16). In this way then is hated and expelled Law, and Love, to the abounding of lawlessness and cold hearts. Thus without the Most High we are most low now. We have hurtled downward and cannot get any lower. With the hating of the Most High, even Jesus, by all the nations, to the abounding of the profane, even lawlessness and cold hearts, we have reached the bottom. In this way has emerged an environment consistent with the character of antiChrist; the time is rife now for his appearing. Moreover, now, per the proclamation of the Gospel (Mat 24:14), and the revelation of antiChrist, 2Th 2:2-3), must needs soon come the End (Fig 1). Still (literally), right here, in the darkest dark, in the coldest cold, in the face of this lawlessness and cold hearts, at the cost of their lives, God's Namesakes still proclaim His hated Name (though some be stumbled in this darkest dark and coldest cold); they proclaim that surpassing Name that stands for all that He stands for (O, That Name!); it is proclaimed as a testimony to the nations of His Law and Love. In this way it is proclaimed to the nations to their Salvation, or to their Sorrow, the which coming by their own choosing ( Jhn 3:16-18, 1Jo 5:11, “A Letter of Invitation”): “....and this good news of the reign shall be proclaimed in all the world, for a testimony to all the nations; and then shall the end arrive...” And this is the End: It is the second advent of Jesus Christ, He, smashing His enemies, judging the nations (Jesus outlines this in the conclusion to this His Olivet Discourse [Mat 25:31-37, 38-44, 45-46, "Matthew Chapter Twenty-Five Commentary"), utterly displacing their Godless programs with an iron rod, and quite setting in place the program of God that, indeed, commences per His arrival (Isa 11:1-4, 5-9). Notice: He, Jesus, will: '...come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and of His kingdom there will be no end...' (part of the Nicene Creed).

The gradation just above, that of the upside-down pyramid, is thematically very tight (Fig. 1). It consists not so subtly of a Messianic theme (false Christs, [at the head of which is antiChrist], witnessing for Christ, hatred of Christ [or, His Name], hatred of Christ's people, suffering for Christ, holding fast for Christ, the return of Christ [PAROUSIA]; interspersed is the sad reality of the Fall—death—sundry vehicles thereof, which [death] Messiah came to eliminate). This theme is understood to run from the time of Jesus Christ's first advent, through Christ's Church Age (=the days of Christ's Namesakes, the end of which is marked by Jesus' return for His Church [the Rapture]). The Messianic theme of Messiah Jesus' answer would be consistent with the Messianic nature of the question that prompted His answer.

24:15-22-The Abomination of Desolation

YLT TEXT: 'Whenever, therefore, ye may see the abomination of the desolation [29], that was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever is reading [30] let him observe [30a]) then those in Judea [30b] -- let them flee to the mounts [31]; he on the house-top -- let him not come down to take up any thing out of his house; and he in the field -- let him not turn back to take his garments. 'And wo to those with child, and to those giving suck in those days; and pray ye that your flight may not be in winter, nor on a sabbath; for there shall be then great tribulation [same as note 15], such as was not from the beginning of the world till now, no, nor may be. And if those days were not shortened [32], no flesh would have been saved; but because of the chosen [33], shall those days be shortened. (Mat 24:15-21, 22, cf. Mar 13:14-20, Luk 21:20-24, Mat 24:15-21, NLT, Mat 24:22, NLT).

COMMENTARY: Please allow us to rewrite the verses with a little bit of highlighting for clarity of reference below: '...Whenever, therefore, ye may see the abomination of the desolation, that was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever is reading let him observe)...' '...then those in Judea -- let them flee to the mounts; he on the house-top -- let him not come down to take up any thing out of his house; and he in the field -- let him not turn back to take his garments. 'And wo to those with child, and to those giving suck in those days; and pray ye that your flight may not be in winter, nor on a sabbath....', '...for there shall be then great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the world till now, no, nor may be. And if those days were not shortened, no flesh would have been saved; but because of the chosen, shall those days be shortened...'

This text gives us Jesus' response to the second part of the disciples' second question (yellow “sign” highlighting+cyan “heads up” highlighting+gray “heads up” highlighting, (note 11a see (2b)). Notice that “ye” here: “...whenever therefore, ye may see the abomination of desolation...” are the first Christians, in this case Jewish Christians, but of course a Christian is a Christian, period. The cyan highlighting is precisely for the Jews, whether in the context of “abomination2,” or “abomination3” (consider Rev 12:11-16; note twenty-nine, note thirty-one). The gray-highlighted text (1) only fits into the context of “abomination3,” and (2) only extends to the Jews. Why? Because (1) this text is Tribulation-specific text: the Tribulation commences per the ascendancy of antiChrist onto the world stage, and (2) we reckon that the Church will be long gone from the face of the earth (raptured) by the time the Tribulation commences. So this text gives us Jesus' response to the second part of the disciples' second question (note 11a see (2b)).

Now Luke gives us Jesus' response to the disciples' first question, no more ((note 11a see (1)), (Luk 21:20-24), with the possible exception of Luke 21:23, but that verse is not as descriptive as the gray-highlighted text). So were it not for Matthew (and Mark) we would not have Jesus' full response to the second part of the second (far-term) question. What remains now for analysis is Jesus' response to the first part of the far-term question (note 11a see (2a)), and that Matthew gives us in the next two verse sets just below. God has circumspectly utilized three men to record His answers to three questions, and they recorded them as they were inspired to hear them uttered, either first-hand (Matthew), or as they had it related to them once-removed (Mark [probably by Peter], Luke [probably by the disciples at large]). Notice how God distributes the load, utilizing His people in a manner consistent with the capacities He blessed them with. To the day, even our day, yours and mine Christian friend, Jehovah our God works out His purposes in the world like that (“Which of these Are You and I? Is the Church Better or Worse by Us?”).

How is antiChrist, the consummate enemy of Christ (of God) revealed? It comes by and by per the Rapture; Scripture unfolds the answer exactly—2Thessalonians 2:6-9—it is God the Holy Spirit at work through His Church that restrains lawlessness, but with the removal of the Church, the Restraint is removed, and so in this way the lawless one, the antiChrist, unrestrained, quite reveals himself. This removal of the Restraint would, further, provide impetus for a great falling away, apostasy, before the Day of the LORD (2Th 2:2-3). It is not necessary for the third temple to be entirely in place for antiChrist's revealing to occur, and with that revealing the commencement of the Tribulation, it is however necessary for it to be in place in Jerusalem for the sacrilege of “abomination3” to take place, at which time thereabouts the Tribulation translates from the first half to the sore grievous second half (gray-highlighted text, [29]). The Rapture is an event we believe will happen some uncertain amount of time prior to the onset of the Tribulation (and thus prior to the ascendancy of antiChrist onto the world stage), or, some uncertain amount of time prior to Daniel's seventieth week (Dan 9:24-27, esp. Dan 9:27). Daniel's seventieth week is one “week” of seven years, itself broken into two three and one-half year periods, or, two forty-two month periods (Rev 11:2), or, (3 ½ years) times (360 days)/([Jewish] year)=1260 days (Rev 12:6) per each half of the Tribulation—a time of great worldwide affliction and suffering incidental to the ascendancy of antiChrist onto the world stage. Jesus, at His second coming throttles this “end-time” scenario and slays that wicked talking-mouth antiChrist (2Th 2:7-8). The gray-highlighted text characterizes for us the extent and gravity of the second half of the Tribulation, the Great Tribulation—but for those days being shortened, no flesh would survive it: “... for there shall be then great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the world till now, no, nor may be. And if those days were not shortened, no flesh would have been saved; but because of the chosen, shall those days be shortened...” All of humankind is in view here: “...no flesh...”, and the Chosen are end-times Jews per the discussion of the highlighted text above (also note thirty-three). To put this carnage somewhat into perspective, according to a popular encyclopedia, the world's population as of July, 2015, was 7.3 billion people; it would grow exponentially from here going forward. One cannot help but think back by way of Scripture to the days of Noah here and the Great Flood, wherein but a meager handful, God's Chosen, were saved. Our Lord leads us to consider the days of Noah below.

24:23-28-The Second Coming of the Son of Man Will Be Unmistakable

YLT TEXT: 'Then if any one may say to you, Lo, here is the Christ [same as 13]! or here! ye may not believe; for there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and they shall give great signs [34] and wonders, so as to lead astray [same as 12], if possible, also the chosen [same as 33]. Lo, I did tell you beforehand. 'If therefore they may say to you, Lo, in the wilderness he is, ye may not go forth; lo, in the inner chambers, ye may not believe; for as the lightning doth come forth from the east, and doth appear unto the west, so shall be also the presence [same as 10] of the Son of Man [35]; for wherever the carcase [36] may be, there shall the eagles [37] be gathered together. (Mat 24:23-28, cf. Mar 13:21-23, Luk 17:22-24, 37b, Mat 24:23-28, NLT).

COMMENTARY: Here now comes finally the beginning of the answer to the first part of the disciples' second question (note 11a see (2a)). This verse set sets the stage by way of characterizing the Parousia [10]: (1) it comes at an opportune time for false Christs and false prophets. What of these false ones?, why do they appear right here? The Tribulation has begun, and satanic opportunists claiming to be Messiah take advantage of the times to engender allegiance to antiChrist; with a mass of people terribly frightened, hopelessly confused, and clinging to any offings for a return to normalcy, these false ones apparently do well here for antiChrist: “...they shall give great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, also the chosen. Lo, I did tell you before hand...” (2) it manifests itself lightning fast: “...for as the lightning doth come forth from the east, and doth appear unto the west, so shall be also the presence of the Son of Man...” (cf. 1Th 5:3), and (3) it will be unmistakable: again, like lightening: “...for as the lightning doth come forth from the east, and doth appear unto the west, so shall be also the presence of the Son of Man...”, and like the carrion, unmistakable: “...for wherever the carcase may be, there shall the eagles be gathered together...” Lightning and the carrion, who can miss them?, (4) It will come at an inopportune time for many, like a thief, striking in the night (Mat 24:42-43, 1Th 5:3, 2Pe 3:1-4). In the context of the unfolding of the great Rebellion, one might depict the response by Jesus (note 11a see (2a)) diagrammatically by way of a second gradation cozying up to shake hands with the former as the former sinks into the abyss (Fig. 1, lower pyramid). There is another gradation at work all along here which now needs to be introduced; it rises up from below to join the former gradation which is sinking into the abyss, the upper being the fallen, rebellious, Godless world at large, the lower being chosen, rebellious, Christless Israel taking on the character of the Godless world (introduction). These two gradations, fully matured, meld at the time of the End. Why? Because the one in its Godlessness will be indistinguishable from the other in its Christlessness (or, Godlessness, same thing).

24:29-31-The Day of the LORD, A Sign, A Sound, A Sickle

YLT TEXT: 'And immediately after the tribulation [same as 15] of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall [38] from the heaven, and the powers [39] of the heavens shall be shaken [40]; and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man [41] in the heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth smite the breast [42], and they shall see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds [43] of the heaven, with power [43a] and much glory; and he shall send his messengers with a great sound of a trumpet [44], and they shall gather [45] together his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the heavens unto the ends thereof. (Mat 24:29-31, cf. Mar 13:24-27, Luk 21:25-28, Mat 24:29-31, NLT, cf. Dan 7:13-14).

COMMENTARY: Related here is not the Rapture: “... and he shall send his messengers with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the heavens unto the ends thereof...” It is not the Rapture because we are on the far side of the Tribulation: “...And immediately after the tribulation of those days...” So who are these Chosen ones at this point in time? It would follow that these are Tribulation-period saints, well represented, and dispersed: “...and they shall gather together his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the heavens unto the ends thereof...” (cf. Rev 7:2-4, 9-all Salvation-related ministries, human and/or angelic, end here; angelic ministries for God continue ad infinitum in a non-Salvation-related manner; we suspect that the ministries of the saints on into eternity future are somehow related to the reconstituted created order spoken of below, and we reckon that these too will run ad infinitum side-by-side with the angelic ministries, to the exceeding glory of Jehovah God, not least through the accomplishment of His purposes for creating the angels and humankind).

We have arrived at the Day of the LORD. The day has arrived for that talking-mouth, antiChrist, to be slain by the breath of the mouth of the great savior God and Messiah Jesus (2Th 2:8). It is the End of which we have been speaking above; it is the second advent of Jesus Christ, which was long ago by way of prophetic Scripture demarcated by unprecedented disturbances in the Creator's celestial heavens (Isa 13:10, 34:1-4, Joe 2:28-32, Act 2:17-21, 2Pe 3:8-10, Rev 6:12-17): “....the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken...”—Jesus but repeats Himself here, repeating that which He spoke through His prophets long ago concerning this event centered precisely on Him. Consider for a moment the implications of Creation. God created the heavens and the earth from a massive amount of energy that He of Himself imparted in order to give them a mass-signature (this is referred to as primordial energy, which science to the day cannot address aright “Psalm Eight Commentary”). Now how can it be otherwise that He in His glory literally “outshines,” already from a very, very great distance from the earth, everything around Him as He comes toward the earth in that glory? Those luminaries that we study and barely understand by our sciences must without exception fade into darkness over against the One who packs more energy than all of them combined (a gross understatement [43a]). The second advent of Jesus Christ is an event that is so cataclysmic that Scripture has given us but the meanest guidance (like Creation for example, same thing), but it is sufficient for us to appreciate the omnipotent Creator. It is no wonder that Scripture says over and over that the heavens will fade away before He arrives on earth. And what of the earth?! How can it not help but “melt” here? (for as power=energy/time as said, intensity=power/area). Just His very presence necessitates exactly what Scripture is relating to us in regard to the state of the heavens and the earth at this time. If you would, think now of the Mount of Olives, Jesus' destination—no way will it be materially like it was at His first advent; we believe it, as the rest of the earth, well be reconstituted in order to “accommodate” Him (reconstitution does not imply nor demand geographical reorientation/s here under the assumption that new mundane laws are operative in the reconstitution; what we are trying to say is that the Mount of Olives will stay in the Middle East even if it is reconstituted; so likewise other global features will stay in place [insofar as we are familiar with their location at the time of Jesus]). This is the practical side to this reconstitution—there is a spiritual side, and that concerns Sin of course—the created order is fallen (Rom 8:20-25).

Only very little can be said about the glorified Jesus' brilliance; this brilliance as viewed from afar off on earth as He approaches, and it is just one individual's construction; please consider it prayerfully, and critically:

The sign of the Cross [41], together with the Son of Man in His glory (=manifest, perfect holiness): “... and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in the heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth smite the breast and they shall see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of the heaven, with power and much glory...” evinces deep mourning upon the earth at Messiah Jesus' second advent. We expect the first to “see” Jesus coming afar off will be low orbit telescopes, space probes, and the like, irrespective of their heading, given the exceeding brilliance. These will see Him as He makes His way majestically this time (not on a donkey as before) to the Mount of Olives, in the Middle East (note that it was in the other direction before—from the Mount of Olives [Zec 9:9, Mat 21:6-11]). When Jesus comes the second time His holiness will be apparent, not veiled in any way, and that means that His perfect innocence will be quite apparent too, and that beautiful, tender, lamb-like Innocence over against Jesus' signature bloody cross, itself signifying such deep love for humankind, will be too much to bear; men and women on earth hearing and seeing the news of this amazing Brilliance afar off, will sore grieve at the sight once it is appreciated, appreciated for what it is (this will take some time to sink in we suspect because it defies all naturalistic laws and precedents); they will grieve especially with respect to their guilt (they/we put Him on that signature, bloody cross). They will grieve before this great, majestic savior God, One whom they will realize gave all for them (“Psalm Twenty-two Commentary”). The Greek verb utilized (KOPTW) gives the sense of deep grieving: “...smiting the breast...” These people will not survive His coming, of course. O how they will exceedingly grieve as they see Him, Brilliant, getting closer and closer and closer, with that signature, bloody Cross before Him. And what hope is there for them of Salvation, these end-time mockers (2Pe 3:3, “A Letter of Invitation”)?

24:32-36-Fig Trees Can Talk

YLT TEXT: 'And from the fig-tree [46] learn ye the simile [47]: When already its branch may have become tender, and the leaves it may put forth, ye know that summer is nigh, so also ye, when ye may see all these, ye know that it is nigh -- at the doors. Verily I say to you, this generation may not pass away [48] till all these may come to pass [49]. The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 'And concerning that day and the hour no one hath known -- not even the messengers of the heavens -- except my Father only; (Mat 24:32-36, cf. Mar 13:28-32, Luk 21:29-33, Mat 24:32-36, NLT).

COMMENTARY: Surely everybody in Jesus' hearing knew the budding character of fig trees, so He used that particular tree as an object over against which to compare the unfurling of the signs He had spoken of (Fig 1, both pyramids). Dearest reader, have you ever looked at a broad-leaved deciduous tree in the Spring and noticed how their leaves are all furled, ready to unfurl at any moment given the right conditions? It is a beautiful sight, that furling (like a baby in the womb). We once had a silver maple tree that did that very thing---some years those leaves unfurled sooner, some years later, but friend, they always unfurled once the right environmental conditions finally came together and stayed that way more often than not going forward. And then there came a point in time not too far removed from the unfurling when “there was no looking back” if you will, those leaves stayed unfurled—Spring was in full bloom now and Summer was just around the corner as it were. All this is simple enough, we all understand it; let us use that picture to clear an apparent hurdle with these verses. The hurdle seems to be, just exactly who is meant by “this generation:” “...so also ye, when ye may see all these, know that it is nigh – at the doors. Verily I say to you, this generation may not pass away till all these may come to pass...” Is it these disciples hearing Jesus that is meant? It certainly could have been meant that way—but it turns out that something was missing—something obvious—they never saw all the right signs. It could have been intended for those disciples, that generation, but it wasn't, because, just like with our silver maple, the “environmental conditions” weren't right. This passage has in view those who actually witness these signs (Luk 12:56), and those hard-pressed folks will be the last people to see any kind of sign whatsoever, for, as we are informed by our Lord in our passage, when those sore signs unmistakably manifest, hard on the heels of that comes the End. This is more than just an “eyeball thing” here spoken of; when those signs manifest, that generation will flat know it, they, feeling the heat, bogged down with oppression. And so specifically they, to the person, will not pass away until all things spoken of come to pass.

By way of the cataclysmic events that attend our Lord's return, the prophetic text indicates that the universe as we have come to understand it is going to be unravelled, by the glorious coming of He whose finger created it, as discussed in the previous section: “...the heaven and the earth shall pass away...” It is a done deal as far as the Creator is concerned, it shall pass away He says. But why (not predominatly how, as in the previous section)? Surely the answer is because it is fallen (2Pe 3:7). When the jewel of creation, humankind, fell, the universe, created for humankind (Psa 8:3-9), fell along with him (Rom 8:20-25). Everywhere that humankind has set foot he has left a trail of blood, pollution, idolatry, and Godlessness; how does he think it will be different when, suppose, he goes to another planet and sets his heels there? If Jesus Christ is not in his heart and not on board, it does not matter where he goes, the end he brings about will always be the same: bloodshed, pollution, idolatry, Godlessness, the profane... Is this not the regular pattern with humankind, and the testimony of millennia of recorded history? Humankind must be reconstituted—a heart cleansing affair according to God (“John Chapter Three Commentary”)—and this is the thrust of the rest of Scripture besides the verses of our commentary. And of course the world which humankind has polluted and ravaged, even hijacked for Godless means to an end, must be reconstituted. These things follow easily from the facts before all of us—but what of the rest of the created order, there where humankind has not set his heels yet—why must they undergo the sort of cessations that attend the Day of the LORD? Something better is coming we reckon; something that complements the reconstituted jewel of creation's reconstitution. And given that jewel's reconstitution, even holiness, it defies mundane description. We will have to wait and see. Friend, if you are not yet one of the Family, please don't miss out on this future (“A Letter of Invitation”).

Jesus turns next to His own words, the ones spoken in the verses of our commentary, and spoken by Him per se—the Word—the same will not pass away. It is so because the Word of God, like He, is eternal (“The Alpha and the Omega”, John Chapter One Commentary”). Let us appreciate the ring of authority and confidence behind these words of Jesus and get focused on Him right here in the midst of these universal upheavals: “...The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away...” (cf. Num 23:19, Isa 51:6, Mat 5:18, “The Beatitudes”). Truly it as said even by His enemies of this great and awesome One here speaking: '...never so spake a man as this man...' (Jhn 7:46). Whence this authority and confidence? Jesus was given a very specific mission, from Father God (Redemption | Slavation). The authority He brought to that mission came from His Father (Mat 28:18, Eph 1:22, please note that here He humbly speaks as the incarnate Jesus: Jhn 14:28). He, Jesus, incarnate, knew where He came from; He, incarnate, knew what He was doing, and why; and He, incarnate, knew where He was going (Jhn 16:28). Thus with the sort of knowledge particular only to a member of the Godhead He says of His second advent, says of the Day of the LORD: “...'And concerning that day and the hour no one hath known -- not even the messengers of the heavens -- except my Father only'...” Let us not be suckered by those who think they know.

24:37-44-As in the Days of Noah, Pay Attention!, Watch!

YLT TEXT: and as the days of Noah -- so shall be also the presence [same as 10] of the Son of Man [same as 35]; for as they were, in the days before the flood, eating, and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, till the day Noah entered into the ark, and they did not know till the flood came and took all away; so shall be also the presence of the Son of Man. Then two men shall be in the field, the one is received [50], and the one is left [51]; two women shall be grinding in the mill, one is received [same as 50], and one is left [same as 51]. 'Watch [52] ye therefore, because ye have not known in what hour [53] your Lord doth come; and this know, that if the master of the house had known in what watch [54] the thief doth come, he had watched, and not suffered his house to be broken through; because of this also ye, become ye ready [55], because in what hour ye do not think, the Son of Man doth come. (Mat 24:37-42, 43-44, cf. Mar 13:33, 35, Luk 12:39-40, 17:26-32, 33-36. Mat 24:37-42, NLT, Mat 24:43-44, NLT).

COMMENTARY: With this verse set comes now the full answer to the first part of the disciples' second question (note 11a see (2a)) and with that are addressed all three questions they asked Jesus up yonder on the Mount of Olives, up there where He, glorified, majestic, will touch His reconstituted earth at His second advent (Fig. 2).

Noah. Consider his name: “...and calleth his name Noah, saying, 'This one doth comfort us concerning our work, and concerning the labour of our hands, because of the ground which Jehovah hath cursed.'...” (Gen 5:29). Accursed ground. Soon to melt away. The dust of humankind, who returns to dust, to the ground. Very foundation underfoot upon which humankind goes about eating, and drinking, and marrying, and giving in marriage. Generation after generation that O so human record turns and turns; generation after generation it plays like that (“Ecclesiastes Chapter Three Commentary”). Why should the profane mind even doubt that it will not be like that on into the next generation? Indeed, it does not. ”As security bolsters men up in their brutal sensuality; so sensuality rocks them asleep in their carnal security” (Matthew Henry). There is no fear of God in that mind, and thus no knowledge of God; no understanding, no Truth. And so it plows ahead oblivious to the signs of God, glassy-eyed to them; quite vulnerable. The profane mind says in its heart, there where its rotten secrets lie buried as in the ground, as in a tomb: '...Business as usual. As today, so tomorrow, and again the next...' (Isa 56:12). It maps out its course and doggedly plows along, with no thoughts of God save His possible utility for this and that, especially in the crises and terrors that confront it. God is a burden to the profane mind, even a nuisance to its better-than-Thou estimations of itself. The profane mind does not fear God, it does not consider Him, even all the way to the lapping of the flood waters at the doors. It is the profane mind that our verses point to (Gen 6:5-8, Isa 22:12-14, consider Ecc 8:11), and it was precisely to such minds that Noah preached Comfort. And so it will be at the time of the End: “...for as they were, in the days before the flood, eating, and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, till the day Noah entered into the ark, and they did not know till the flood came and took all away; so shall be also the presence of the Son of Man. ...” Here we recall the prophetic timeline, and note that (1) the (preTribulation) Rapture has already occurred (Dan 12:2, 1Th 4:15-17), and (2) the Tribulation-period saints have been gathered (Mat 24:30-31)—the following in-gathering scenario fits both of these in-gathering contexts (that is, (1) and (2)), but we prefer to apply it to (2): “...Then two men shall be in the field, the one is received, and the one is left; two women shall be grinding in the mill, one is received, and one is left. 'Watch ye therefore, because ye have not known in what hour your Lord doth come; and this know, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief doth come, he had watched, and not suffered his house to be broken through; because of this also ye, become ye ready, because in what hour ye do not think, the Son of Man doth come...” We prefer to apply it to (2) because of these words by Jesus: “...become ye ready, because in what hour ye do not think, the Son of Man doth come...”

24:45-51-Hast Thou, Steward, Fed My Sheep?

YLT TEXT: 'Who, then, is the servant [56], faithful [57] and wise [58], whom his lord did set [59] over his household [60], to give them the nourishment [61] in season [62]? Happy [63] that servant, whom his lord, having come, shall find doing so; verily I say to you, that over all his substance [64] he will set [same as 59] him. 'And, if that evil servant may say in his heart [65], My Lord doth delay [66] to come, and may begin to beat the fellow-servants, and to eat and to drink with the drunken, the lord of that servant will arrive in a day when he doth not expect, and in an hour of which he doth not know, and will cut [67] him off, and his portion [68] with the hypocrites [69] will appoint [70]; there shall be the weeping [71] and the gnashing [72] of the teeth. (Mat 24:45-51, cf. Mar 13:33-37, Luk 12:41-46, 21:34-36, Mat 24:45-51, NLT, 1Th 5:2-3).

COMMENTARY: Christian friend please see, see and treasure, how our Lord's face turns always toward His own. How deeply our Lord loves His own. Yet again we hear Him saying loudly and clearly: '...feed my sheep...' (“Feed My Sheep”): “...Who, then, is the servant, faithful and wise, whom his lord did set over his household to give them the nourishment in season?...” We must stop and ponder, whom does the Lord God set over His Household? It is servants, like He, even He the Head of the Household (imagine that), thus set by God, a Head, a Servant. He, in every respect a Servant in His Day (Psa 40:6-8, Isa 42:1, 49:6, 53:1-5, 11, Zec 3:8, Jhn 6:38, 17:3-8, Act 4:27, Phl 2:5-8). He, feeding God's sheep in His day. So it must needs be that the appointed head of God's Household serves God, and serves His sheep, altogether by feeding God's sheep. O, a servile labor, well done but by that good and faithful servant, ever motivated by love, even as our Lord's face usward turns for the same reason, He, motivated by love. The appointed head of God's Household loves God above all else and straightaway loves that which God loves above all else, namely, the sheep. Thus is a head, imagine, motivated to labor servile, a head, a servant. They, in every respect a servant in their day. They, feeding God's sheep in their day.

And what of the nourishment thus fed? It is the Word of God, the Head of the Household's Word; the One whose face shines love upon His sheep, His Word it is that nourishes, that satisfies the seasons. Seasons of famine, when the abundant manna can no longer be found as before, seasons of drought, when the vital streams of faith slow to a trickle, seasons of cold, when the ember of love is quenched from without and from within, seasons of shaking, when the heart faints. Seasons; so many seasons. So many sheep to nourish, in the midst of their seasons. Thus the good and faithful servant feeds the sheep, in their seasons. Ever feeding the sheep, turning a loving face toward them, they, beloved, as the seasons, their seasons, cycle around and around and around. No end to this feeding, whilst yet our Lord tarries.

Wise is such a one serving, thus faithfully serving. Why? Here is why: “...verily I say to you, that over all his substance he [the Lord God, the Head of the Household] will set him. '...” Over all His substance the Lord God sets such a one, such a one showing themselves faithful and wise. And so it is that such as these have a share in all of God's possessions. Here is wisdom on display. Such a blessing defies comment but to say, thank you Lord; help us to feed your sheep aright, our dear beloved brethren, amen.

And now another sort of servant; here follows the negative reality: “...and if that evil servant may say in his heart, My Lord doth delay to come, and may begin to beat the fellow-servants, and to eat and to drink with the drunken, the lord of that servant will arrive in a day when he doth not expect, and in an hour of which he doth not know, and will cut him off, and his portion with the hypocrites will appoint; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of the teeth...”. There emerges a polar symmetry at this point—polar is good servant/reward over against evil servant/punishment; symmetry appears in that both the reward and the punishment are great. Why is it that the magnitude of reward on the one hand, and the magnitude of punishment on the other, is so very great? No doubt because the ministry of feeding God's sheep, that appointment in all its broad implications, its importance in God's eyes, is very great, is as great as His love for the very sheep for whom He gave His life (Redemption | Salvation). Thus it is, in its importance, equal to the ministry of Redemption | Salvation by which lost sinners are brought into the very fold here in view, a fold exceedingly expensive, and exceedingly loved, yet abused, or neglected—emotionally, physically, spiritually—certainly not loved, not shown the loving face of Jesus, a face, even His, that “strains itself” in order to turn toward them. The latter ministry (that of Redemption | Salvation) is effected by God, the former ministry (that of feeding God's sheep) is effected by His shepherds, yet, the importance of the two ministries is indistinguishable from God's perspective as we have come to understand them. In this way follows the exceeding magnitude of the polar symmetry mentioned above.

What lies behind, what motivates lousy shepherding? Two things are specifically related: (1) evil estimations, and (2) evil entertainments, all alike betraying an evil heart, indeed, betraying an evil servant—and thus not a child of God in the first place, let alone a true shepherd of the Flock: “...and if that evil servant may say in his heart, [1] My Lord doth delay to come, and [2, once] may begin to beat the fellow-servants, and [2, twice, thrice...] to eat and to drink with the drunken...” It is in their heart, this evil, like root-rot—one might as well pluck up such plants and cast them out and burn them because they contaminate and waste the space of ground that they occupy. It is better to burn that plant and clean up the ground and plant new plants there that will bear fruit, thus blessing the ground, even all around (Eze 34:8-10, 1Ti 4:16, Hbr 13:17).

It is fitting that the chapter ends with a reference to “hypocrites,” for that was Jesus' exceeding grief with those other lousy stewards, the Pharisees of the preceding chapter (“Matthew Chapter Twenty-three Commentary”). Having condemned the former, He must condemn the latter. No substantive difference here, just the names and the faces are different, that's all. As the shepherd's responsibility is great; so too their reward, or their punishment, will be great. What we see in the negative is sobering—imagine, a servant of God, fallen, and clearly steadfast in their fallenness, that is, unrepentant, is cut off, cast out of God's sight (Mat 7:21-23, consider Gal 6:7-8). Help us great God to do your work. Amen.

Praised be your Name great Jehovah God. Come, Lord Jesus; come quickly; please send Him soon Father God. Amen.

Illustrations and Tables

Figure 1. Two Gradations Wrapped Around Two Abominations in the Face of Two Judgments (see introduction).

Figure 2. Two Advents. "...He who testifies to these things says,'Yes, I am coming quickly.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus....” (Rev 22:20, cf. Zec 2:10). Come, Lord Jesus; come quickly; please send Him soon Father God. Amen.

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Notes

1. [having] Gone [forth]-Strong's G1831. Together with the aorist tense this participle conveys the perfect aspect (completed action)—the action occurred earlier, but it is now a done deal—Jesus went forth, is gone, woe! He left, specifically, the temple. As if the grammar doesn't nail the point down right here, we get redundancy as Matthew relates further '...He departed...', this time with an imperfect verb (combines the past tense with the imperfective aspect [=ongoing, habitual, or repeated action], see note two).

2. [Jesus] Departed [from the temple]-G4198. Here we get an imperfect verb form that is anchored to the participle of note one, signifying that the completed action of note one is carrying forward. The implication for Israel is tragic in that the Shekinah Glory departed (ongoing action) from the very place that Israel identified most with Jehovah God (the temple). Here then for the best possible future for Israel would be of paramount importance the words of Jesus: “...Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’...", (Mat 23:37-39, red font added).

3. [Jesus departed from the] Temple-Strong's G2411. Herod's Temple. Nelson's relates that this building was begun in 19 BC and that the main building was completed by 9 BC. The entire structure, however, was not completed until AD 64. It was razed by Titus in AD 70. For our purposes in consideration of the disciples' infatuation with it, please consider: “...The gold and white stone shone so brightly in the sun that it was difficult to look directly at the Temple...” (Nelson's 1233; see also 1233ff for Temple history and layout details).

4. [and His] Disciples [came near]-Strong's G3101. The parallel passages give us no indication of specifically who came nigh, but note just later on the Mount of Olives (Mar 13:3).

5. [do you not] See [all these things]-Strong's G991. A present (ongoing action in the present tense), active (subject—you/ye here—acting), indicative (statement of fact) verb form is utilized. Note first the upfront “attention-getter” if you will, the negating not: '...do you not see...' The present tense is calling for them to get off their bubbly singular, short-sighted, view of the externals (which view is perfect/completed—“grooved/a 'lovely' rut”) and dig deeper (which digging calls for ongoing action like the present tense utilized). In everyday terms one might unfold the verb and its particular grammar something like this: '...Gentlemen, can't you see beyond the phony externals here, which I condemned in your hearing just a short while ago [“Matthew Chapter Twenty-three Commentary”]?!, get with the program, and dig deeper, keep digging (“see,” ongoing action), catch the facts (indicative), catch how God feels about this place, which judgment I made perfectly clear to you...' It must have grieved Jesus that these disciples were so enamored of this very “building,” in that God was being misrepresented by its misuse, misrepresented by its fawning, phony custodians, in the eyes of a beloved people consequently misled, all of which He had condemned just earlier: “...do you not see...” Soon enough though they will get a wake up call as our Lord presently tells them that: '...this ornate place will come tumbling down...', and it will become a horror and a hissing and an eyesore (it happened before as predicted [2Ch 7:21 and Solomon's temple—is this not Jesus speaking in that day long before? Amen], why should they be surprised that it would happen again to this darling-of-a-temple as predicted by Jesus presently? Because they grasped not yet who was in their midst, the very One who spoke of old).

6. [shall not be left] Here [stone upon a stone]-Strong's G5602. Here, precisely here: '...that which is before you, and which caused your eyes to dance, and took your breath away in awe, right here, shall not be left stone upon stone!...'

7. [that shall not be] Thrown Down-Strong's G2647. KATALUW-future (that which lies before; in the remainder of the notes notice the prevalence of the future tense, as expected of a prophetic text), passive (here the subject is to be acted upon—namely, the endearing, lovely white stones cozily nestled atop and beside one another; inferred is the structure proper), indicative. Here is, on the one hand, redundancy for emphasis (over against note six), and on the other emphasis for its own sake: “...thrown down...”, that is, destroyed, demolished—not just a breach here and there—it will be consummate and it will be violent is the prediction (our verb is in the future tense). Feel the cumulative force of the KATALUW preposition+verbal roots in application to the context (G2647) while considering this prediction over against history.

8. [and when He is] Sitting. [on the Mount of Olives]-Strong's G2521. Verbal usage is present tense (continuous action in the present), middle voice (reflexive-folding back on self), mood is participle (verbal noun). It is the posture of a teacher. The learned rabbi sits when he teaches. It is also the posture of a dignitary. Thus, Jesus' sitting is befitting.

9. [and when He is sitting on the] Mount of Olives. A north-south trending ridge of rounded hills east of Jerusalem that, at a height of approximately 2676 feet | 830 meters, overlooks the temple (Nelson's 864). There sitting, with this breath-taking view of a secure Jerusalem (albeit under the heavy thumb of Rome—already the smell of the prophetic smoke is in the air here), its walls, and the glitzy temple before Him and the disciples, Jesus foretold of the same's no doubt inconceivable, by His disciples' thinking, utter doom (“utter” is probably what would be inconceivable to them). What can we learn here for our day, stepping back and taking a “Mount of Olives perspective | view of things” if you will? Suppose we let Jerusalem stand for one's nation, her walls for that nation's military | technology, and her temple for that nation's spirituality, then we ought always remember that if God laid waste His chosen people as they dwelt “securely” leaning on their threefold prop (Jerusalem, walls, temple) instead of, singularly, Him, He will lay waste one's nation with its multiplied Godless props in accordance with His prophetic Word as concerning one's nation and the nations in the larger context of His good and holy plans for humankind (this chapter deals with these sorts of themes). A nation's utter doom is not so inconceivable these days given the cruel, wicked killing machines the human mind has conceived of and can deploy today. We say this not as pessimists, but because it is appropriate to the context of this highly prophetic chapter of God's holy Word. The good news is that the end of the prophecy is cause for optimism—but only for the people of Jehovah God.

10. [the disciples came near to him by himself, saying, tell us, when shall these be? and what is the sign of thy] Presence [and of the full end of the age]-Strong's G3952. Literally the Greek has it PAROUSIA—”near being,” and this by way of (Jesus') “near coming.” The Holy Spirit is the PARAKLHTOS, He, the Holy Spirit, ”called near” in Jesus' physical absence (Jhn 14:16-18). Here, in the same spirit, Jesus draws near personally by way of His second coming/advent, at which time “PARAKLHTOS” will meld with “PAROUSIA”.

11. [and of the full] End of the Age-Strong's G4930, G165. The Greek gives the sense of a consummation, a “coming to a head” (SUNTELEIA). Here is meant the second advent of Jesus Christ—not the Rapture, at which time Jesus comes to remove His Church from the world. At His second advent He manifestly comes to the earth (Rev 19:11-16). This we understand as the “Day of the LORD” as mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments (Isa 2:12, 13:6, 9, Jer 46:10, Amo 5:18-20, Joe 2:31-32, Act 2:20).

11a. The three questions the disciples asked Jesus while He was seated on the Mount of Olives: '...Tell us, (1) when shall these be?, and (2a) what is the sign of thy presence, and (2b) of the full end of the age?...'

12. [take heed that no one may lead you] Astray-Strong's G4105. Deceive.

13. [many shall come in my name, saying, I am the] Christ-Strong's G5547. Messiah, the Anointed One of God in context. Jesus (alone) is Christ, amen!

13a. [and ye shall begin to hear of wars, and reports of wars; see, be not troubled, for it behoveth all these to come to pass, but the] End [is not yet]-Strong's G5056. By end is meant the end of the age (note eleven).

13b. [and ye shall begin to hear of wars, and reports of wars; see, be not troubled, for it behoveth all these to come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places, and all these are the] Beginning [of sorrows]-Strong's-G746. Apologies, but we must resort to a negative illustration: imagine a “pain scale,” say from 0 to 10, where 0 is minimum pain and 10 is maximum pain. We understand “beginning” here as being near the 0 end of the scale (but not exactly at 0 of course)—somewhere near the beginning of the pain scale is meant. It is like labor pain versus birth pain, the former precedes the other; with the commencement of the former the latter is inevitable. And both are painful enough, but the latter is quite great. By analogy, we are given the pain attending the Fall, which we fully comprehend; over against that we imagine the pain (the travail and tumult and tribulation) attending the End, as Scripture describes it; then both are understood to be painful enough, but the pain attending the End is understood, relatively, to be quite great. Please notice: we cannot judge the transition from Fall-like pain to Tribulation-pain simply by way of making judgments about the extent and gravity of the Fall-like pain in our particular generation (because: “...it behoveth all these to come to pass...”, there is no distinguishing feature to these from one generation to the next, it is always “Fall-like”). That judgment comes by way of very specific signs that are unmistakable. In other words, there has to be a way for us to know without question that a sign is End-like and not Fall-like, and God in this chapter outlines these things for us.

14. [all these are the beginning of] Sorrows-Strong's G5604. Travail or birth pangs is maybe to be preferred. It is like unto a woman's labor pains which signal the holy, high drama (physical, emotional, spiritual) of childbirth that is shortly to manifest (1Th 5:2-3).

15. [then they shall deliver you up to] Tribulation [and shall kill you]-Strong's G2347. Or, affliction, persecution.

16. [and shall] Kill [you]-G615. A future, active, indicative verb. There is a general escalation of sorrows predicted here that starts with affliction, persecution, tribulation, and ends in death—>

17. [and ye shall be] Hated [by all the nations because of my name]-G3404. Verbal usage is present, passive, participle—ongoing action in the present tense directed at the subject (ye/you, the Church). One must assume that the “present” meant here is the propagating moment starting with the utterance of these words by Jesus—and so it has been, sometimes more hatred, sometimes less, across the centuries; and on it goes, reaching a climax at the End.

18. [and ye shall be hated by all the] Nations [because of my name]-Strong's G1484. A nation, particularly its people. Peoples. The people belonging to a particular nation, a particular geographical region. The word is translated from the Greek ETHNOS. Probably the Gentile nations are in view here, though it is clear that much hatred still comes from Jewish people (the nation of Israel).

19. [hated by all the nations because of my] Name-Strong's G3686. The Name in view here is the Name of Jesus, who characterizes God, who characterizes His Name (“O, That Name!”), who reveals God, even Truth. That Name, Jesus, is the reason for the bloodletting of notes fifteen and sixteen. O how the mirror of Truth is hated, stoned, shattered, so that it might not reflect, that it might not reveal, indeed, so that it might not reprove.

20. [and then shall many be] Stumbled [and they shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another]-Strong's G4624. Verbal usage is future, passive, indicative. Affliction, persecution, tribulation, and death will become stumbling blocks to faith in Jesus Christ—with such high stakes only those with true faith and belief in Jesus will suffer for Him, the rest shall fall away, shall even play the traitor to save their own necks. Thus not only shall “the cream rise to the top,” it shall remain precisely there, even though the heat would endeavor to disperse, to drive it back into the phony's, the coward's and the traitor's base beneath (cf. 1Jo 2:19).

21. [and many false] Prophets [shall arise]-Strong's G5578. Pseudo-prophets, that is, pretenders claiming to have been contacted by Jehovah God with a specific message that they then utter under pretense of advocacy for God.

22. [because of the abounding of the] Lawlessness-Strong's G458. Lawlessness (ANOMIA). The Law of God—His laws, precepts, statutes—are broken almost without measure, as if they were not Law, as if they were superseded, supplanted, by some other Law, that at its core condones the violation of God's Law in favor of its own valuations and norms. Since man's law at its best is but an image of God's great Law, man's law, insomuch as it might still reflect God's Law, is broken here almost without measure as well. Is this not a frightening prediction, this lawlessness? We believe that not long after world war II humankind entered this sore stage in its history. By the early twenty-first century new “precedents” of lawlessness are evident, and the trend appears to be firmly in place going forward. After all, antiChrist needs just such an environment to prevail so that he can step up into it and show himself a “wonder-boy” sort of peacemaker (one aspect of lawlessness is violence). We expect this lawlessness to greatly escalate going forward therefore. The lawlessness that Jesus foresaw and predicted in its culmination must be horrific if today's lawlessness is any indication of what lies ahead.

23. [the love of the many shall become] Cold-Strong's G5594. Verbal usages is second future (merely a spelling change from the first/normal future—meaning is unaltered), passive, indicative. The Greek is the basis of the prefix psycho- (where the hyphen is utilized before a vowel); blowing, breath, wind, soul, spirit, mind. This is an interesting construction. There are some possibilities that probably shouldn't be pressed too much. We like the plain and simple “shall grow cold.” How does love grow cold? In context we are told it is because lawlessness is rampant. So, still, how does that cause love to grow cold? Could it be because of mistrust? If lawlessness is rampant, who can one trust?, let alone love? This sort of cold love in the hearts of many can only exasperate a lawlessness that is already rampant one would think. These are horrible times to be sure.

24. [but he who did] Endure [to the end, he shall be saved]-Strong's G5278. Verbal usage is aorist, active, participle. The aorist puts emphasis on, draws attention to: “...to the end...” Why? Because our Lord is looking back in time here from one point (the Salvation point, or perhaps the beginning of travail, either way, the inception point from the perspective of the aorist) to another point (the End point, now from the perspective of the cumulative aorist) and emphasizing this interval (wherein one must get busy for God though the times are tough) by way of the aorist. Not to get lost in the grammar, the aorist is simply trying to draw our attention to the fact that one must endure for a time, a season, an interval, with the understanding from the context that said time is going to be very hard. The voice is active which means the subject (the reader) is doing the implied action (enduring), and the participle relates the sense of continuance: endure this affliction, endure that persecution, endure what not, in this tough interval (cf. Rom 2:7). Now the intended meaning—we think it is to hold fast to one's faith in Jesus Christ; in practice, this would include, in the extreme, in the tough environment related, martyrdom; less extremely, perhaps bearing mockery, abuse, physical and emotional abuse, job-related stresses and losses, and so on.

25. [but he who did endure to the end, he shall be] Saved-Strong's G4982. Verbal usage is future, passive, indicative. The passive voice relates that the subject (the endurer) is the object/focus of the implied action (being saved). Those who endure per note twenty-four will be saved (cf. 1Pe 1:6-9-similarly in the context of a difficult environment—written to the churches in the four Roman provinces of northern Asia Minor [Balchin 267]).

26. [and this good news of the] Reign [shall be proclaimed in all the world]-Strong's G932. The Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God broke in on the world with the first advent of the incarnate King Jesus (Mar 1:14-15), and then again in His absence at Pentecost (Act 2:1 ff; King Jesus reigns by proxy in believers' hearts by way of His blessed Spirit—He is King of kings after all—this title requires that He always be King and accordingly that He always have a manifest Kingdom; in this way the pseudo-king Satan is constrained in the world; Satan is but a pseudo-king). Jesus preached, He elucidated and revealed, what this Kingdom of God is all about throughout His ministry; in this way He proclaimed it, and now the proclamation goes on by way of His Church, His Kingdom subjects. And what we learn by this Proclamation, by way of the Gospel, is that the Kingdom of God, in its character, has Jesus' character (consider, for example, “The Beatitudes”). Here is the antithesis of the world system that is in place today. In place today is the Kingdom of Godless Man and of the usurper, of the “I-would-be-God,” the pseudo-king—Satan the phony—whom Godless man serves, is subject to. The Kingdom of God, His Reign, resonates with the nature of God for it relates that which He the King demands, which demand betrays His nature; that is to say, it betrays His holiness (He is sanctified, and precisely in those particulars, in that sanctification, in that holiness, being set apart, He distinguishes Himself from the Kingdom of Godless Man and the pseudo-king he serves). Thus by contrast, by sanctification, over against the status quo, He reveals Himself in an understandable way to humankind. Technically, in its outworking, the Kingdom of God is that sphere in which He has dominion. Well, you say, does not God, as Sovereign have, hands down, dominion everywhere? No way—we mean to say, not with respect to volitional creatures—here a holy God has dominion only when such a creature puts Him on the throne of their heart (outside of that not so little contingency He has dominion everywhere of course). Thus the nature of the Reign, betrayed by its demands, may manifest in that God-enthroning-creature, that subject, per the holiness discussion just before. So, in short, with respect to volitional humankind, the Kingdom of God is tangibly manifested by way of true believers (be it Old Testament or New Testament subject-saints), and such as these, since the first advent of Jesus Christ, are found precisely in His Church, which He established at Pentecost. In this way the Kingdom of God is a present reality, resonating with the nature, with the demands, of the King, He, King Jesus, reigning by proxy by way of His blessed Spirit in the hearts of those subjects that have enthroned Him there (cf. “Isaiah Chapter Fifty-six Commentary,” passim).

27. [and this good news of the reign shall be proclaimed in all the world for a] Testimony [to all the nations]-Strong's G3142. Testimony proclaimed (Act 8:4, Rom 10:18, Col 1:5-6, “Colossians Chapter One Commentary: From Knowledge to the Sanctified Life, God's Power Sets and Upholds”), in general, witness. The Kingdom of God bears witness against the Kingdom of Godless Man and the pseudo-king he serves. It does so clearly, by way of content, contrast, conviction, and conscience. Note that testimonies are legal things bespeaking of trial and judgment.

28. [then shall the] End [arrive]-G5056. the second advent of Jesus Christ and the program of God that commences per His second coming (note eleven).

29. [whenever therefore ye may see the] Abomination of the Desolation [that was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place]-Strong's G946+G2050. The sense is dynamic, not static, by way of the article (the): “...abomination of the desolation...” (BDELUGMA THS ERHMWSEWS). The active desolation in view is that of defilement and sacrilege, and the focus of all this is the Jerusalem Temple (by the way, notice the same active defilement ever imposed upon the human temple, that holy place wherein Almighty God is pleased to dwell by way of His Spirit thanks to Jesus; surely this is not just an arbitrary analog!). An important consideration here is that we have one point in space (the Jerusalem Temple) hosting multiple abomination scenarios across time. That point in space, the Temple, is fixed, but as time passed, there visited several different of these abominations. Daniel only is the proper guide to understanding this particular abomination. Daniel, God's sixth-century BC prophet, under divine inspiration, foresaw an abomination of which he spoke, he foresaw a manifest vehicle for sacrilege standing in the holy place, the holy place being an aspect of the Temple (updated 12/07/2015, A.s.). Each temple (there have been two, and a third is expected) has its own vehicle, has its own abomination of (the) desolation—the first (Solomon's Temple): Antiochus Epiphanes' sau (second-century BC, henceforth “abomination1”), the second (Zerubbabel | Herod's Temple): the Roman Eagle, (first-century AD, henceforth “abomination2”), and the third (a future Temple): the Sea Beast of Revelation chapter 13 (henceforth “abomination3” [we mean here an act, that is, a sacrilege perpetrated by antiChrist, he, antiChrist, being Satan's vehicle], AD xxxx; “Revelation Chapter Thirteen Commentary”). As a sixth-century BC prophet, the abomination of (the) desolation spoken of by Daniel could legitimately be any of these three—a sau, an eagle, or a beast and their attendant desolation scenarios. How can we accurately determine which one Daniel (and thus Jesus) meant? There is an argument of elimination and intersection that helps us—when speaking of abominations, Daniel did not speak of a sau, nor did he speak of an eagle (as best as we know, these are the only verses wherein he speaks literally of an abomination—Dan 9:27, 11:31, 12:11 [sixth-century BC]). Accordingly, let us eliminate “abomination1”, and “abomination2” from consideration. What is left? Indeed, a point of intersection of which Daniel had plenty to say; Daniel had plenty to say about beasts (esp. Dan 7:2-8, 23-25 [sixth-century BC]), and these quite fit into the antiChrist-abomination-desolation-scenario (2Th 2:4, cf. Isa 14:12-14, “Revelation Chapter Thirteen Commentary,” “Revelation Chapter Seventeen Commentary”). Though we have not an exact argument here, it is almost certainly the case that the Beast, the antiChrist, is in view in Matthew 24:15, and thus in view is our “abomination3” above. The revealing of this abomination awaits the construction of the third temple and the revealing of the lawless one, the son of perdition, the beast of Revelation chapter thirteen, indeed, the antiChrist. And so a peripheral observation would be that Matthew 24:15-21, 22, probably refers to a sacrilege beyond that of the abomination of the Roman Eagle (we assume it is not a sacrilege before the time of Jesus [the sau-scenario], that is, before Jesus' prophecy), and following this reasoning, Matthew 24:15-21,22, probably ought not be applied to the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. In this regard, Luke shows that disaster to be Jesus' response to the disciples' first question (Luk 21:20-24). Matthew (and Mark) give us Jesus' answer to both parts of the disciples' second question (note 11a see (1, 2a, 2b)).

30. [whoever is] Reading [let him observe]-Strong's G314. Verbal usage is present (ongoing action in the present tense), active (subject—reader--acts), participle (verbal noun here shouldering the continuance). Reading is good literally and contextually: ',,,whoever is reading this “heads up” text watch and pay attention...' That is, '...watch, continually watch, because it unfolds in steps, time steps, people steps, peoples steps, political steps, economic steps, religious steps, watch it unfold and grasp soberly the steps coming to a “head” if you will; keep watching for the manifestation of this “head,” even antiChrist | “abomination3,” from one generation of brethren to the next; help each other out and pass the information baton along (continuance) as you go; read, ever make good reads, and watch, ever watch [1Th 5:6])...'

30a. [whoever is reading, let him] Observe-Strong's G3539. Verbal usage is present, active, imperative. We get the sense of '...pay attention, watch...' Together with note 30 we get the sense of: '...they who are grasping the big picture here, they who are making good reads, must pay attention, ever watch...' Note the imperative!

30b. [then those in ] Judea [—let them flee to the mounts]. Strong's G2449. Not only are Jesus' hearers here Jewish Christians, their very land is implicated.

31. [then those in Judea let them flee to the] Mounts. With respect to “abomination2,” possibly Pella, beyond Jordan (so Henry; cf. Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History | Cruse 70), is that place to which prudent Christians fled, thus remaining safe (no tension here—recall that the first Christians were Jewish). They, seeing the handwriting on the wall (seeing “abomination2,” the Roman Eagle, outside the walls of Zion and assuming the prophecy per se [(note 11a see (1, 2a, 2b))] was coming to a “head” in their generation). This prudence would be consistent with those Christians who were “watching,” who were “paying attention,” in respect of, and in accordance with, Jesus' warnings concerning the abomination of which He warned—unbeknownst to them—manifestly, “abomination2” in that generation (or, on the prophetic timeline). And while these remained safe, snugly nestled in God's mounts as though in His arms, the slaughter in Jerusalem was horrific (Luk 23:29, Lam 4:3-4), those slaughtered disrespectful of, trivializing, Jesus and His words, even His blessed warnings here, to their doom (Pro 22:3). In respect of “abomination3,” persecution under antiChrist warrants the same sober attention and reactionary flight (consider Zec 14:4-5, Rev 12:6-14?). In general, there are many a days when Jesus' warnings seem afar off and improbable, “unbeknownst” if you will (updated 12/07/2015, A.s.), but His warnings are founded on the foresight of omniscience, and so it is exceedingly wise to “watch,” and “pay attention” as though at any moment the horror which lies behind His warnings might materialize (manifestly “abomination3” in our generation). And such a one with such a mindset watching, in turn with God's eye seeing, is apt to flee, timely, to their Pella, to safety, nestled there in the arms, even the will of God, with nary a harm coming their way. Christian friend, let us keep our eyes on the Middle East these days, watching, for “abomination3” and all its necessary contingencies, for our flight to safety will be a Rapture flight (are you ready?); but beforehand we must watch and be ready, doing our Savior's work, impressing the urgency of the hour upon those whom He places about us...

32. [for there shall be then great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the world till now, no, nor may be. And if those days were not] Shortened [no flesh would have been saved; but because of the chosen, shall those days be shortened]-Strong's G2856. This verse tracks the second half of the Tribulation, the “great tribulation.” As such, the Church has long been removed—the chosen here are probably Tribulation saints (Rev 7:13-14, 12:6—predominantly [Messianic] Jews). Verbal usage is aorist (here probably the cumulative aorist is in view). This great tribulation is allowed to run from some definite starting point in time up until a definite other point in time further along when it is decreed to end—a span given by Daniel 7:25, some 1260 days. How do we know the time span from Daniel 7:25, which says simply: '...time, times, and half a time...'? “Time” is singular, that means one, “times” is plural, but, the rub is,”how much” plural? It has to be minimized because that is the only plural number that is anchored (this follows the deductive rule of minimization—if one does not minimize, the answer is open-ended and thus absurd) and so for “times” we assign the value two—two is plural and also minimal-plural (as concerns integers), and half a time is of course half of one. So if we add all this together we get one “time+two “time”+one-half “time=three and one half “time”. So what then is the meaning of “time”?(!). Well, if we take the simple and direct route—time, is time as we understand it on the human plane (that is certainly in keeping with the context). Sticking with the context, a year is the longest unit of familiar time that has packed into it all the other units (second, minute, hour, day...year), so we eliminate the others and focus on the year time unit. But, we could divide our familiar notion of time into some fraction of a year on the low end, and multiples of a year on the high end, and conclude that one or the other is our “time” in view here—but on the low end we could divide time into fractions of a year ad infinitum—that would be absurd, so we eliminate that possibility; on the high end we could talk about given multiples of a year, but that too would be absurd because again, the high end would thus be open-ended; we are left with only one possibility—”time” in our context is precisely one year, and so we get here three and one-half years. And following the context, given 360 days in one Jewish year, we arrive at the 1260 days mentioned (updated 12/08/2015, A.s.). Returning to the role of the aorist now, we can see how beautifully the aorist paints a vivid picture as to how the tribulation is to run—with well-defined termini it runs; inferred is that God is in control throughout, even though Godlessness is everywhere. Further verbal usage is passive (subject=days gets the action—the days of tribulation are cut short), indicative (statement of fact). Cut short, in this way not allowed to realize the full potential of its (beastly, bloody, brutal) runaway inertia (by the sudden appearance of Jesus Christ [2Th 2:8]).

33. [but because of the] Chosen [those days will be shortened]-Strong's G1588. (cf. Rom 8:30, 11:5). Tribulation saints, no doubt many a Jew, those to whom they witness in those bloody days.

34. [there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall give great] Signs and Wonders-G4592+G5059. A sign “ signifies” something. What is the sign of the number -1? The sign is the minus sign in front of the number. What does it signify? It signifies a number less than zero. Translating to the plural, to numbers per se, we may say that numbers less than zero carry an up front minus sign. Thus when one sees a minus sign affixed to a number one immediately identifies the number (here is cognition)—if one grasps the concept of “zero.” What of this concept of zero? One must go about, somehow, proving it—to oneself, to others interested in numbers less than zero. Now it is a wonder indeed that there is such a thing as “zero”—what exactly does that mean? It means something in simple contexts, as, for example, in the context of counting real objects. Nevertheless, thus proven, so it stands, facilitating cognition. Thus one may identify numbers less than zero, numbers that carry the minus sign. By analogy, in our passage, the “signs” pretend to signify identification with Messiah, and the “wonders” bespeak of their mechanics—satanic so-called miracle-proofs which defy naturalistic explanation (Satan is but an imitator).

35. [for as the lightning doth come forth from the east, and doth appear unto the west, so shall be also the presence of the] Son of Man. TOU hUIOU TOU ANQRWPOU. “...Jesus applied this title to Himself in three distinct ways: First He used the title in a general way, almost as a substitute for the pronoun 'I' (Luk 7:33-34, probably Luk 9:58). Second, Jesus used the title to emphasize that 'the Son of Man must suffer' (Mar 8:31, 9:12, 14:21, 49). Finally, Jesus used the title 'Son of Man' to refer to Himself as the one who exercised exceptional authority—authority delegated to Him by God (Mar 2:10, 28, 13:26). […] Only once was Jesus referred to as the Son of Man by anyone other than Himself. This occurred when Stephen, condemned by the Jewish San Hedrin, saw 'the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God' (Act 7:56). In Stephen's vision the Son of Man stood as his heavenly advocate, in fulfillment of Jesus' words: 'Whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.' (Luk 12:8)...” (Nelson's 667-68). Maybe a fourth, simply by virtue of the literal words that comprise this title would be identification with humankind.

36. [wherever the] Carcase [may be, there shall the eagles be gathered together]-Strong's G4430. Here is meant carrion. Carrion, for what it is, is unmistakable. One cannot miss it. This is the application in context—thus too the second coming of the Son of Man will be unmistakable. God here awakens us from our slumber by giving us a repulsive object lesson that will be sure to register in our minds. In general, He could hardly have been more redundant in our passage in indicating that His second coming will be unmistakable. But why? Maybe because this contrasts so over against His first coming...who knew? In other words He says: '...do not expect it to be the same the next time I come...'

37. [wherever the carcase may be, there shall the] Eagles [be gathered together]-Strong's G105. The golden eagle, for example, is one possibility—these are birds of prey that may be found at waste and/or roadkill sites. From the context, we do not think that this is a reference somehow to the Roman Eagle, the Roman standard. The idea is that these birds unmistakably recognize that to which they are irresistibly drawn.

38. [and 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 the heaven]-Strong's G4098. Verbal usage is future, we like the passive voice (subject—stars—acted upon, here likely by way of an intrinsic law/s aggravated and gone awry—maybe gravitational+nuclear laws [as concerns the very significant centrifugal forces attending the fusion of hydrogen into helium which are normally balanced by the very significant centripetal forces related to the star's gravitational pull on itself; this balance is very sensitive and if disturbed the star may implode or explode, the direction depending on the initial conditions and the manner of disturbance at work and the time frame involved]; of course it is understood that it is the finger of the Creator that has disturbed His heretofore smooth running systems by rewriting their laws; the middle voice would indicate some manner of disturbance wherein the star degrades by folding back on itself through an ever-worsening status quo to the extent that the star is manifestly displaced from its equilibrium position with respect to its environs, but that does not entirely give credence to the Cause [our God], so we prefer the passive voice; we could talk about galaxies [Isa 13:10, 34:4, Eze 32:7, Joe 2:31] as well here, but since the text specifically refers to stars we shall leave it at that), the mood is indicative.

39. [and the] Powers [of the heavens shall be shaken]-Strong's G1411. This power is captured by the laws that govern the dynamics of the mundane heavens—take away these laws and there is chaos of the sort described in our passage. The power is in the laws, which humankind fastidiously, fervently, feverishly, seeks to understand; these laws have become like gods to “heady” moderns, that believe not that Jehovah God wrote these laws, laws that are but like play-things to Him, the Eternal Mind. O let us not feverishly worship the blessing, but rather the Benefactor, even the Creator!, and move forward our understanding of His universe in fellowship with Him, including Him in our quests, honoring and praising Him, and applying that which we learn, that which He teaches us, in such a way that keeps His higher laws and precepts and statutes (powers)—thus we manifestly honor Him; thus we manifestly include Him in our quests.

40. [and the powers of the heavens shall be] Shaken-Strong's G4531. Verbal usage is future, passive, indicative. The laws that govern the dynamics of the mundane heavens are disturbed (to some extent rewritten—by Jehovah God it is understood). In this way the Eternal Mind shows Himself as Creator, even Sovereign (the created order is His and must adjust itself to His “rewrites”).

41. [then shall appear the] Sign of the Son of Man [in the heaven]. What is the single, most identifying, material sign, that the whole world immediately identifies, unmistakably, with Jesus (with the Son of Man)? It is the Cross. What does it signify? It signifies the love of God for humankind in Redemption; humankind, with whom God identifies. And the “wonder,” the miracle, of the Cross, is, Resurrection, even Salvation, life eternal in the presence of Jehovah God, who identifies with humankind, and loves humankind, to the extent that He laid down His life for us and redeemed us, on that rugged old cross. All of that and so much more is packed into the sign of the Cross. The sign of the Son of Man, and the sign of the Cross, these are identically the same thing. The Son of Man came to this earth so that He might be nailed to that cross. And there dying (Jhn 19:30), He accomplished that for which He came—foremost, the Redemption of humankind, thus giving expression to the sign of the Cross, to the sign of the Son of Man (“A Letter of Invitation”).

42. [then shall all the tribes of the earth] Smite [the Breast]-Strong's G2875. Verbal usage is future, middle, indicative. Grieve, mourn, bewail. Notice the middle voice—this emotion, sore borne, surges forth from deep within. Notice too that there is inferred here a certain cognizance, a “dawning,” that greatly moves these peoples, that quite awakens, that quite stirs this emotion that nevertheless surges forth from deep within. What could that cognizance be (Mat 24:30)?

43. [and they shall see the Son of Man coming upon the] Clouds [of the heaven with power and much glory]-Strong's G3507. Literally, clouds, themselves comprised of liquid droplets (largely water) and/or frozen crystals suspended in the atmosphere above the surface of the earth. Just exactly where the earth's atmosphere (the first heaven) ends, and inner space (the second heaven) begins, is not crisp (there is no precise boundary between the earth's atmosphere and inner space). Jesus' “...coming upon the clouds..” taken literally (which we do) has some leeway as concerns said clouds' distance from the surface of the earth when this event occurs therefore. There can be no doubt that He, coming in great power and glory, will be seen and heard afar off though (Hab 3:4, Mat 17:1-2, Heb 1:3, Rev 1:12-18); apparently the sign of the Son of Man (note forty-one) will be visible first, which suggests its appearing in the second heaven somewhere, then Jesus in His glory appears next as He at some point (of His choosing) touches earth's atmosphere.

43a. [and they shall see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of the heaven with] Power [and much glory]-Strong's G1411. Cognate with “dynamite.” To put this term into perspective with a mundane example, physicists define power as energy per unit time (power=energy/time); therefore the shorter the time interval in which a fixed amount of energy is delivered to a given system, the greater the power delivered to that system and also the greater the power drain on the source of that energy—all this because the denominator of the power fraction (power=energy/time) is getting smaller. The power delivered to the immediate environs upon the explosion of dynamite is great because a fair amount of energy is delivered to the immediate environs in a brief interval of time for example. From a purely physical perspective, Jesus the Creator's power is staggering—consider: He, of Himself, spoke the universe into existence...in a short time—that is, in a finite, relatively brief interval of time the energy of the entire universe was spoken into existence (as concerns this time see Gentry passim; he offers strong evidence based on an abundance of Po-218 radiohalo signatures in the earth's bedrock granites). Since power is energy per unit time (power=energy/time), and since the energy, His energy, contained in the universe is vast, given a finite, but relatively brief interval of time in which this energy in its ultimately myriad, manifest forms was delivered, the power associated with the Creation event, and thus the Source, Jesus, is mind-boggling. Now this is but the power, His power, which He condescends to allow us to grasp, mundane, physical things—it in no way captures His manifest Power, which we believe is infinite and unsearchable. The point we would like to make is that the power, His power, associated with Creation, which we can somewhat understand, pales in comparison to His manifest, personal power. Just looking at this from a physical perspective, going by that which He places before us and allows us to grasp in the created order, it is abundantly clear that were His power revealed, as in His second advent, there would be realized an unprecedented disturbance in the heavens; in terms of radiative energy (visible light, and/or otherwise), the universe would have to darken over against His brilliance. His second advent will “peg the meters,” meters that are scanning the heavens looking for all the wrong things... And yet, imagine now, spiritually speaking, the Power of the Cross unto Redemption | Salvation is greater than all these mundane things!, and therein—not in the former—lies our Lord's glory! His Power is multifaceted, infinite. Is not this great One to be feared (awe, reverence, trembling...)?

44. [and he shall send his messengers with a great sound of a] Trumpet-Strong's G4536. Probably a great voice, here likened to a great trumpet. Inferred is the notion of “announcement” (compare these verses—the implication of “voice” is apparent: 1Cr 15:52, 1Th 4:16, Hbr 12:19, Rev 1:10, 4:1, 8:2, 6, 13).

45. [and they shall] Gather [together His chosen]-Strong's G1996. Verbal usage is future, active, indicative. Gather (the Chosen) together over against one another, like unto a great selfsame-type harvest taken from a vast and diverse field, even from out of the midst of those who have not come to faith and presently (in the Tribulation), for disdain of faith in the Savior Jesus, must remain. Thus the booming command, the great voice of God, sends forth His angels in that day to gather His Chosen out of a Tribulation-ravaged world.

46. [and from the] Fig Tree. [learn ye the simile]. Literally a fig tree is meant; this familiar tree itself is not symbolic of Israel in this context, but rather is a vehicle for symbolic communication—a simile per note forty-seven.

47. [learn ye the] Simile-Strong's G3850. PARABOLH—parable. Literally this means to throw down side-by-side. In practice, one of these “sides” is something well understood, while the other, usually something not so well understood, is elucidated by comparison to its better understood counterpart. While Jesus utilized parables in this manner to communicate the light of God's Truth, oftentimes even this simple communicative mechanism did not penetrate into the dark abyss of the minds and hearts of His hearers (Mar 4:10-13). In our context the fig tree of note forty-six and the temporal schedule attending its budding is the well understood “side,” while the other, the temporal schedule of Jesus' second coming is not so well understood in its particulars. There is certainly nothing precise about a fig tree's budding over against the seasons except to say that when it puts forth its leaves summer is nigh—there is quite a bit of variance there from year to year in the actual arrival of summer—but, on the heels of that, summer does come, sooner or later. So too the signs given by Jesus, like unto the fig tree's budding, indicate which season we may expect, but that's all. That's enough though. So roughly where are we today? Given particularly the rampant lawlessness, and ice-cold hearts (toward Jehovah God, toward fellow human beings) worldwide, it would seem that Jesus' Summer is nigh, even at the doors (early twenty-first century).

48. [this generation may not] Pass Away [till all these may come to pass]-Strong's G3928. Verbal usage is second aorist (same as the first aorist except for spelling; indicates simple past; here we get the sense of the inceptive aorist—a point of inception in the past is inferred—that point being the beginning of the appearance of said signs; here anchored to the aorist of note forty-nine), active voice (subject—generation—acts, that is, passes away), subjunctive (whereas the indicative mood is a statement of fact, the subjunctive mood is a statement of possibility—subjunctive translates to indicative when possibility translates to fact/reality).

49. [this generation may not pass away till all these may] Come to Pass-Strong's G1096. Verbal usage is second aorist (now we get the cumulative aorist sense, but anchored to the aorist of note forty-eight), middle voice (reflexive—action of subject—signs—folding back on itself: signs 'filling themselves up' in common parlance, or, coming to full fruition), subjunctive. The following applies to note forty-eight as well: this “coming to pass” of the signs has an implied terminus of which, however, no one knows but our Father God. Only He knows the breadth and depth and length of the substance comprising these signs.

50. [then two men shall be in the field, the one is] Received [the other is left]-Strong's G3880. Verbal usage is present (through the auxiliary verb is; the event is in the future), passive (subject—one in the field— receives the action [is received]), indicative. This word in the Greek paints a beautiful picture in context—to take to oneself—PARALAMBANETAI.

51. [then two men shall be in the field, the one is received, the other is] Left-Strong's G863. Verbal usage is present, passive, indicative. Left, let be—AFIETAI—here is a picture of rejection.

52. Watch [ye therefore, because ye have not known in what hour your Lord doth come]-Strong's G1127. Verbal usage is present (here we have ongoing action in the present tense), active (ye/you watch), imperative (a command, as understood by the people of Jehovah God, not a curious, peculiar suggestion, as it might seem to everyone else). Be on the lookout!, set yourself on the ramparts and take keen notice!, be vigilant!, that sort of thing (1Th 5:6).

53. [watch ye therefore, because ye have not known in what] Hour [your Lord doth come]-Strong's G5610. As depicting some particular instant, time.

54. [if the master of the house had known in what] Watch [the thief doth come, he had watched, and not suffered his house to be broken through]-Strong's G5438. A regular interval of time during which attention is paid to suspicious and unusual activity in the environs. “By the New Testament period the Roman system of four watches had been adopted (Mat 14:25; Mar 6:48). These were apparently named as follows: evening, midnight, cockcrow (NRSV); the crowing of the rooster (NKJV), and morning (Mar 13:35).” (Nelson's 1304-05).

55. [because of this also ye, become ye] Ready [because in what hour ye do not think, the Son of Man doth come]-Strong's G2092. Ready, prepared. Prepared how?, why? Prepared for our Lord's coming, in such a way, as to be received (PARALAMBANW, note fifty), not left (AFIHMI, note fifty-one), (Zep 2:3, 2Pe 3:11, 14, “A Letter of Invitation” with respect to the how question).

56. [who then is the] Servant [faithful and wise]-Strong's G1401. Servant of God, servant of the brethren, servant of the lost, maybe steward by extension (contrast “Eli and the Church,” compare “Which of These Are You and I, Is the Church Better or Worse by Us?”).

57. [who then is the servant ] Faithful [and wise]-Strong's G4103. Mirror-like; mirrors are faithful (here enters the dynamic of Truth). Program-like; programs are faithful (here enters the dynamic of Execution). Friend-like; (true) friends are faithful (here enters the dynamic of Love).

58. [who then is the servant faithful and] Wise-Strong's G5429. Fearing the Lord—here is wisdom (“Be Holy”).

59. [whom his Lord did] Set [over His household]-Strong's G2525. Verbal usage is aorist, active, indicative. KAQISTHMI EPI—appoint (literally “stand over,” thus set).

60. [whom his Lord did set over His] Household-Strong's G2322. Well, all sorts of domestic ideas are applicable, notions and ideas we are all familiar with as parents, or sons and daughters, family things, but here it is fair in context to maintain those notions and ideas and then take them to another level and think bout the family of Christian brethren, that family, that blessed and beloved and beautiful Household of our Father God, so essentially we are going to go with the Christian Church (the Flock of God) in one's generation and place in application above.

61. [to give them] Nourishment [in season]-Strong's G5160. Food, meat. In context, the Word of God, counsel and guidance therefrom; training in holiness (“Feed My Sheep”). And, not least, love, and care and protection.

62. [to give them nourishment in] Season-Strong's G2540. In season. When is that? When the Flock is an hungered, dry-mouthed, slump-shouldered, for lack of nourishment (note sixty-one), even to strengthen them in their fight against the onslaughts of the devil. And again, when they become lax in their vigilance of the signs mentioned heretofore, they must be nourished commensurately so as to foster vigilance.

63. Happy [that servant, whom his lord, having come, shall find doing so]-Strong's G3107. Blessed (of God), thus happy.

64. [over all his] Substance [he will set him]-Strong's G5224. Possessions—here, at least, we have the (reconstituted) created order (there is more to God's substance than that though). What a promise we have here, amen?! Imagine, being thus set as an overseer of God's possessions—the mind just cannot wrap around that aright because His possessions are so vast—there's room here for plenty of overseers. But maybe you are not yet a Christian dearest reader—O friend, if you are not yet saved, have not yet bowed the knee to the great savior God Jesus, get busy and do so now beloved friend (“A Letter of Invitation”). Don't miss out on this blessing friend, we want you to be there with us, and the family of God, in fellowship with this great God Jehovah. This is our prayer for you dearest reader, amen.

65. [and, if that evil servant may say in his] Heart [my Lord doth delay to come]-Strong's G2588. Here is that intimate space that betrays us before the Lord God and, that, by and by, “lays us bare” before others.

66. [and, if that evil servant may say in his heart, my Lord doth] Delay [to come and may begin to beat the fellow-servants, and to eat and to drink with the drunken, the lord of that servant will arrive in a day when he doth not expect, and in an hour of which he doth not know]-Strong's G5549. Tarry.

67. [the lord of that servant will arrive in a day when he doth not expect, and in an hour of which he doth not know, and will] Cut [him off, and his portion with the hypocrites will appoint]-Strong's G1371. Verbal usage is future, active, indicative. Here is a severing. Jesus could hardly have put it any plainer.

68. [the lord of that servant will arrive in a day when he doth not expect, and in an hour of which he doth not know, and will cut him off, and his] Portion [with the hypocrites will appoint]-Strong's G3313. Phony Christian-stewards will be cut off—no rewards, no heaven, only bitter, grievous eternity separated from Jehovah God; separated, all alike with those Godless ones whom, at heart, they were kin-in-spirit with from the beginning (thus, from the outset, not a child of God). God is not mocked (Gal 6:7-8).

69. [ the lord of that servant will arrive in a day when he doth not expect, and in an hour of which he doth not know, and will cut him off, and his portion with the] Hypocrites [will appoint]-Strong's G5273. Here is an actor, a phony.

70. [the lord of that servant will arrive in a day when he doth not expect, and in an hour of which he doth not know, and will cut him off, and his portion with the hypocrites will] Appoint-Strong's G5087. Verbal usage is future, active, indicative. It is an appointment, a dire one—the door to the Household, a Household precious in God's sight, and expensive, a Household abused and misused by this phony one, is henceforth shut up tight, specifically, to them (Luk 13:25).

71. [there shall be the] Weeping [and the gnashing of the teeth]-Strong's G2805. Many tears here, sincere tears, from this phony one, even a confluence of tears, from Godless ones and phony ones alike, flowing, gushing, never filling the vast expanses of endless eternity.

72. [there shall be the weeping and the] Gnashing [of the teeth]-Strong's G1030. Grinding, gnashing, of the teeth; opportunities, aplenty, missed, now ever an irrecoverable loss, sore vexing. Misery; no God; no brethren; no light; no hope. Endless misery.

English (transliteration) to Greek Character Mapping

A->ALPHA	B->BETA	C->CHI	D->DELTA	E->EPSILON	F->PHI	G->GAMMA
H->ETA	I->IOTA	K->KAPPA	L->LAMBDA	M->MU	N->NU	O->OMICRON
P->PI	Q->THETA	R->RHO	S->SIGMA	T->TAU	U->UPSILON	W->OMEGA
X->XI	Y->PSI	Z->ZETA	; or :-> ^.(ano teleia)

MATTHEW CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR COMMENTARY

Contents

I. Introduction

II. Matthew Chapter Twenty-four Commentary Verses

24:1-2-Ichabod

24:3-8-The Beginning of Travail

24:9-14-Persecution, Rampant Lawlessness, Lovelessness, A Pervasive Witness...of Such is the End

24:15-22-The Abomination of Desolation

24:23-28-The Second Coming of the Son of Man Will Be Unmistakable

24:29-31-The Day of the LORD, A Sign, A Sound, A Sickle

24:32-36-Fig Trees Can Talk

24:37-44-As in the Days of Noah, Pay Attention!, Watch!

24:45-51-Hast Thou, Steward, Fed My Sheep?

Illustrations and Tables

Figure 1. Two Gradations Wrapped Around Two Abominations in the Face of Two Judgments (see introduction).

Figure 2. Two Advents. "...He who testifies to these things says,'Yes, I am coming quickly.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus....” (Rev 22:20, cf. Zec 2:10). Come, Lord Jesus; come quickly; please send Him soon Father God. Amen.

Works Cited and References

Notes

English (transliteration) to Greek Character Mapping

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