Position in Matthew's gospel

The Olivet Discourse forms the fifth of the five teaching sections in Matthew's gospel. It follows the fifth narrative section, which describes the increasing hostility shown by the religious leaders against Jesus, particularly following the cleansing of the temple (21:12-13).

The cleansing of the temple is followed by the three parables Jesus told against the religious leaders (ch 21-22). The first is the man with two sons (21:28-32), following the discussion of the authority of John the Baptist. The second is the landowner and the tenants (21:33-46), and the third is the invitation to the wedding feast (22:1-14).

Then follow three questions from the religious leaders in an attempt to catch Jesus out (22:15-40). The first question concerns paying taxes to Caesar (22:15-22), the second from the Sadducees about marriage in the resurrection (22:23-33), and the third is the question about the greatest commandment (22:34-40), followed by the impossible question Jesus asked in return (22:41-46).

Then comes the denunciation of the Pharisees (23:1-12), and the seven woes against the hypocrites (23:13-36), their destiny will be the place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (24:51). Jesus is lamenting over Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets (23:37-39). Their house is left desolate.

Because the Pharisees and religious leaders rejected the King and the Kingdom, Jesus predicted the destruction of the city, which would happen forty years later in AD 70. Chapter 24 forms a bridge between Jesus's public ministry, which came to a climax with the conflict with the temple authorities (ch 21-23), and the Passion narrative, the final clash with the authorities (ch 26-27).

A strong connection is made between the rejection of Jesus and the destruction of the temple. Because the religious leaders, and the vast majority of the people who followed their example, were not going to turn to Jesus and accept him as their long-awaited Messiah, Jesus predicted God’s judgement over the city and its people.

The destruction of the temple will also be a dramatic demonstration of the coming of the New Covenant, which would be inward and spiritual, as predicted by Jeremiah (31:31-33). Through the coming of Jesus, the Old Covenant was brought to an end, removing the need for the outward ceremonies and sacrifices in the temple. So we need to see AD 70 as a judgement on the spiritual blindness of Jerusalem and its religious leadership, but also the sign that something greater than the temple is here. Because the Jewish leaders chose to reject Jesus and the New Covenant, and to continue with the old form of outward temple religion, the temple had to be destroyed.

As with the OT prophets, these judgements will be so terrible that they will foreshadow the final judgement at the second coming. In Matthew’s account, it is not always so clear when he records Jesus speaking about AD 70, and when Jesus was speaking about the final Day of the Lord. Because of this, there are many different interpretations of this passage, which lie between the two extremes of all about second coming and the preceding events, or all about the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70.

I would suggest that some of chapter 24 is about the fall of Jerusalem, and some is about the second coming, in a similar pattern to Mark 13 and Luke 21. There is an interchange between the two.

A. The fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple in AD 70 (v4-28)
B. The second coming (v29-31)
A. The fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple in AD 70 (v 32-35)
B. The second coming (v36-44)

The key is careful observation, to identify what the text actually says.

Introduction to set the scene (v1-2)

“As Jesus came out of the temple and was going away, his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. Then he asked them, ‘You see all these, do you not? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’”

His disciples were impressed with the size of the temple, particularly the size of the stones (Mk 13:1). Herod's temple was one of the wonders of the ancient world. It covered one sixth of the old city of Jerusalem. It consisted of a series of courts, the smaller buildings were joined to the main temple by colonnades. It had an magnificent ornate facade. Herod the Great had it built as an attempt to please the Jews. It replaced the temple built by Zerubbabel. It took 46 years to build (John 2:20), starting in 19 BC, until 27 AD, but was still not completed during the lifetime of Jesus. The south-western view of the temple rose 60 m (200 feet) over Jerusalem. The wailing wall formed the base of this wall. It cast an image of dazzling whiteness from its marble walls and blinding fire from its golden domes. Some of the marble stones weighed 100 tons.

These are some quotations about the brilliance of the temple. The first two are from Josephus, the Jewish historian.

“Now the temple was built of stone that were white and strong, and each of their length was 25 cubits (10m, 37 feet), their height was 8 (4m, 12 feet) and their breadth about 12 (6m, 18 feet).” (Josephus Antiquities of the Jews 15,11,3).

“Now the outward face of the temple in its front wanted nothing that was likely to surprise either men's minds or their eyes; for it was covered all over with plates of gold of great weight, and, at the first rising of the sun, reflected back a very fiery splendour, and made those who forced themselves to look upon it to turn their eyes away, just as they would have done at the sun's own rays. But this temple appeared to strangers, when they were at a distance, like a mountain covered with snow; for, as to those parts of that were not gilt, they were exceeding white. ... Of its stones, some of them were 45 cubits (20 m, 67 feet) in length, 5 cubits (2m, 7 feet) in height and 6 cubits (3m, 9 feet) in breadth” (Josephus War of the Jews 5,5,6).

The Jewish Rabbis said this about the temple, “He who has not seen Jerusalem in her splendour has never seen a desirable city in his life. He who has not seen the Temple in its full construction has never seen a glorious building in his life” (Talmud, Sukkah 51b).

Tacitus, the Roman historian described the temple as "a temple of immense wealth"(History 5,8)The Jews were extremely proud of their temple, as the place of the presence of God. They considered it blasphemy to speak against it. Both Jeremiah (Jer 7 & 26), and Stephen (Acts 7:48-49) spoke against the temple. Also, Jesus was finally charged with speaking against the temple (Jn 2:20, Mt 26:61), a charge which led to his death.

Jesus then predicts the destruction of the temple, days will come when not one stone will be left upon another. His statement is introduced ‘Truly I tell you’, which is Matthew's indication that Jesus was about to say something very important. Jesus was more interested in service to God, than in the beauty of the place of worship.

Historical fulfilment

In AD 70, after the fall of Jerusalem to the Roman armies and fire had burnt the temple, Titus ordered the demolition of the temple. All its buildings were levelled to the ground. Josephus said this, “Caesar (Titus) gave orders that they should now demolish the entire city and temple ... but for all the rest of the wall, it was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that there was left nothing to make those that came thither believe it had ever been inhabited” (War of the Jews 7,1,1).

Two questions (v3-4)

“When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’”.

Sitting on the Mount of Olives, opposite and looking towards the temple mount, the disciples asked Jesus two questions, wanting an explanation of the prediction of his prediction of the destruction of the temple (v2). According to Mark (13:3), these were the inner group of three disciples (Peter, James and John), plus Andrew.

The first question is, ‘When will this be? The Greek uses the phrase ‘these things’, translated as ‘this’. Through this chapter, ‘these things’ normally refer to the temple and its destruction. The second question is, ‘What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’ It is evident that the disciples assumed that the two events were connected in some way.

Comparison with the other gospels

The questions in Mark 13:4 and Luke 21:7 are similar, but have a different emphasis from Matthew. The first question, ‘When will this be?’, referring to the destruction of the temple, is the same in all three Gospels. The difference is with the second question. In Mark, the question is ‘What will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?’ (Mk 13:4), and in Luke the question is, ‘What will be the sign when this is about to take place?’ (Luke 21:7).

In both Mark’s and Luke’s account have the main emphasis in the second question is on the destruction of the temple, while Matthew has more of an emphasis on the second coming. A link is made between the destruction of the temple and the final consummation at the second coming. The destruction of the temple must come first, and in some ways foreshadows the second coming.

Warnings about false Messiahs (v4-5)

“Jesus answered them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray’.”

He warns the disciples not to be led astray by false Messiahs. The false Messiahs will copy Jesus in saying ‘I am’, the declaration of deity in John's gospel, or by saying that the time of the end is near. Many people will follow them and be led astray.

The expectation of the disciples is probably that the destruction of the temple would happen at the same time as Jesus coming in his glory, at the second coming. Because of this, Jesus warns them not to expect the time of the end too soon. They must not be misled by people claiming to be the Messiah and claiming that the end is soon. There are more warnings about false messiahs later (v23-26).

Warnings to the disciples about world events (v6-8)

“And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birthpangs.”

We should notice the imperatives, where the disciples are told what to do. This is an exhortation, showing Jesus' pastoral concern for them. We should also notice the use of the pronoun ‘you’, indicating that the disciples will live to see and will experience these things.

In a similar way to Mark’s account, Jesus warns them about wars, but tells them not be alarmed. There will be wars, but the end is not yet (v6). It is clearly stated that wars and rumours of war are not a sign of the second coming. The wars and destruction of the temple must take place before the second coming, but we are not told how long before. The popular teaching misreads the text claiming that wars, famines and earthquakes are signs of the end. However by looking carefully at the text, it is clear that Jesus stated these are only signs of the beginning, not signs of the end.

The emphasis of this section is that Jesus is discouraging a false sense of imminence of the second coming. He is urging vigilance during a period of turmoil and stress preceding the fall of Jerusalem. He is preparing his disciples for troubles in their future. The warnings are that false messiahs will come, there will be wars and rumours of wars, there will be famines, and there will be earthquakes, but these are just the beginning of the birth-pangs.

Turmoil in first century

The events between AD 30 and AD 70 fulfil these warnings. In these years there was many who claimed to be the Messiah. One was Simon the magician (Acts 8:9-24). Justin Martyr reported that, during the reign of Claudius, Simon was worshipped as a god in Rome because of his magical powers. Jerome quoted Simon as saying, “I am the word of God, I am the comforter, I am almighty, I am all there is of God” (Mansel in The Gnostic Heresies p.82), and Irenaeus wrote that Simon claimed to be the son of God and the creator of angels.

Origen wrote about the claims of Dositheus, who claimed to be the Christ foretold by Moses.

Josephus describes the time of Felix: ‘Now as for the affairs of the Jews, they grew worse and worse continually, for the country was again filled with robbers and impostors, who deluded the multitude. Yet did Felix catch and put to death many of those impostors every day, together with the robbers’.

Paul was thought to be the Egyptian who had lead a revolt (Acts 21:38).

These forty years from AD 30 to AD 70 were a time of unparalleled turmoil and wars in Israel, which were continually brewing until they erupted into a full-scale revolt against the Romans in AD 66. This revolt climaxed in the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70.

Just before AD 70, there were earthquakes in Crete, Smyrna, Miletus, Chios and Samos. There was a devastating earthquake in Phrygia (Laodicea, Hierapolis, Colossae), as well as in Rome and Judea. The city of Pompei was devastated by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in AD 63.

Earthquakes are usually followed by famine. But there was a severe famine in Judea during the days of Claudius (Acts 11:28), as well as during the reign of Nero.

However, these have continued down through history. These events described here are only the beginning of the problems. There is no evidence that these are more frequent in modern times than throughout history.

Warnings to the disciples about what will happen to them (v9-14)

“Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to the nations; and then the end will come.”

The previous set of warnings were about world events (v6-8), now these warnings become more personal (v9-14). Jesus predicts that the disciples will have to suffer because of the name of Jesus. The disciples will handed over to torture, to death, and will be hated by all nations. This is what happened to the original disciples, including the four listening to this discourse (Peter, James, John and Andrew). Peter and John were imprisoned and put on trial (Acts 4-5), and James was beheaded by Herod (Acts 12). This section is similar to Mark’s account. However the encouragement that the Spirit will give them words to say is omitted (Mk 13:11).

Also in the Book of Acts, Stephen was stoned to death (Acts 7), there was general persecution (Acts 8), and persecution by Saul (Acts 9:1). After his conversion, Paul had a life of suffering, including being beaten five times (2 Cor 11:24), as well as witnessing to the governors Felix and Festus, and King Herod Agrippa II. The disciples shared the suffering that Jesus endured soon after giving this discourse (Mt 26-27).

Jesus said that they will be hated by all because of his name (v9). Jesus asked Saul why he was persecuting him (Acts 9:1-4). Saul, like many others after him, persecuted the Christians because he hated Jesus. Jesus warned that many will fall away in when faced with persecution, like the seed sown on the rocky ground (Matt 13:5-6, 21-22). However, although the disciples will suffer physically and may be martyred, they can never be taken from the protecting hand of God. The one who endures to the end will be saved is an encouragement to persevere, because by remaining faithful to Jesus, they will receive their ultimate eternal salvation, a place with him in glory, when he comes back.

There is only one sign of the end, and the cause of all the persecution. The good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed to all nations (v14), repeated in the Great Commission (28:19). When the Great Commission is completed, then the end will come. The second coming will continually be held back because God is patient, not wanting any to perish, but to come to repentance (2 Pet 3:9). The task of the church is to preach the Gospel, bring people to repentance and faith, and to grow his kingdom. There will be no way of knowing when the commission is complete, only God knows that.

The sign of the impending destruction of the temple (v15-22)

“So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; the one on the housetop must not go down to take what is in the house; the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those nursing infants in those days!. Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. For at time there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those day will be cut short."

Again, we must notice the large number of imperatives, and the use of the pronoun ‘you’. This is practical instruction for the disciples.

Basic instruction

When you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place (whatever that is), flee because the destruction of the temple is soon. This is something that will happen and the practical instructions about what to do when it does. This cannot be at the end of history because of the command to flee. There is no point attempting to flee from the second coming particularly for Christians.

The comment ‘(let the reader understand)’ (v15) was added by Matthew to help his readers. These are not the words of Jesus. The essential message is ‘think about this’.

What is the desolating sacrilege?

A desolating sacrilege is an abomination so detestable that causes the temple to be made ritually unclean and to be abandoned by the people of God.

It is helpful to compare the parallel passages. ‘When you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be, (let the reader understand) then those in Judea must flee to the mountains’ (Mk 13:14) and ‘When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near' (Lk 21:20). In Mark and Matthew, Jesus using the same symbolism as in Daniel, which referred to Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Luke explains this to his Gentile readers, rewording it to refer to the Roman armies besieging Jerusalem, because they would not have the Jewish historical understanding.

What was Daniel predicting?

Daniel chapter 11 is an amazing prediction, made in the 500's BC, of the kings of the inter-testamental era, describing in detail the conflicts between the Ptolemys of Egypt and the Seleucids of Syria. Daniel describes someone he calls the ‘contemptible person’ (Dan 11:21), who will set his heart against the holy covenant (v28) and take action against the holy covenant (v30). His forces will profane the temple and take away the continual burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate (v31).

Fulfilment of this prediction (1 Macc 1:10-64)

In 168 BC, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Selucid king, who believed that he was an incarnation of the Greek god Zeus, decided that his kingdom should be one people without any individual customs (1 Macc 1:41). So he attempted to wipe out Judaism. He abolished all distinctive aspects of the Jewish religion, forbidding circumcision, all the offerings and sacrifices and the keeping of the feasts (1 Macc 1:41-50). In December of 167 BC, He dedicated the temple in Jerusalem to Zeus and sacrificed a pig on the altar of burnt offering (1 Macc 1:54). He set up a statue of Zeus before the Holy Place and made the Jews worship it. This became known as Baal Shammon (Heb) or the desolating sacrilege. This action led to a Jewish revolt, led by Judas Maccabeus, who finally expelled the Seleucids. The burnt offering was stopped for 3½ years (167-164 BC). Finally ,the temple was rededicated to God and the Feast of Purification (Hanukkah or Feast of Lights) celebrates this (1 Macc 4:44-59).

Daniel predicted that from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that desolates is set up, there will be 1290 days, which equals 3½ years, the time of Baal Shammon. (Dan 12:11). Daniel also referred to Antiochus IV Epiphanes as the little horn which grew exceedingly great towards the south and took away the regular burnt offering. He said that the transgression that makes desolate will last for 2300 evenings and mornings. This is 1250 days, or 3½ years (Dan 8:9-14).

The same symbolism used to describe the defilement of the temple by Antiochus IV Epiphanes is used, but this time it will be even worse. There will be another abomination which will profane the temple, which will precede the judgement of God, as punishment of the Jews for their rejection of the Messiah. The Christians are warned to flee to escape this wrath.

Urgency to flee

Jesus told his people, that when they see the desolating sacrilege, similar to the event in 167 BC, then let those in Judea flee to the mountains (v15). The next mountain range from Jerusalem is east of the Jordan in the region of the Decapolis. There is an urgency to flee. They must get out quickly, with no distractions. There is no time to collect belongings. If they are on roof of the house they should go down the outside steps and leave without entering the house. They need to leave Jerusalem as quickly as possible, if they are already outside the city, then do not re-enter it.

Hindrances to fleeing

Pregnant and nursing mothers will find it harder to travel fast enough (v19). Winter makes travelling more difficult (v20), and travelling long distances on the Sabbath is considered as work, and breaking the Sabbath (v20).

Reasons to flee

In those days there will be great suffering, or tribulation, on the earth. This will be the judgement of God against the unbelieving Jews, who rejected the coming of their Messiah (v21). During the Jewish rebellion against the Romans and the fall of Jerusalem, between AD 68 and 70, a million people died in the city, by sword, crucifixion, starvation or cannibalism.

Fulfilment in AD 70

The siege, capture and destruction of Jerusalem is described in detail by Josephus in his ‘Wars of the Jews’, as he was an eyewitness to the events. Between AD 66-68, the Romans occupied the whole of the country of Judah apart from Jerusalem. In AD 68 they cut off the city, beginning a siege, which lasted for two years. In AD 70 the Roman general Titus captured and destroyed Jerusalem. An arch was dedicated to his victory and still stands in the Roman forum in Rome.

The desecration of the temple

The temple had been on the brink of being desecrated in AD 40. The mad emperor Caligula (Gaius) thought he was a god and planned to have an image of himself set up in the Holy Place of the Jerusalem temple. His advisers begged him not to do it, knowing that it would cause civil war in Judea. However, Caligula died in AD 41, before the desecration was done.

The zealots defiled the temple, before the Romans captured the city. The Christians were told to flee when they saw the temple desolated. It would be impossible to flee once the city was besieged. During this period, the zealots (nationalistic, militaristic people who didn not care about Judaism) moved into and occupied the temple area (Josephus Wars of the Jews 4.3.7) they allowed persons who had committed crimes to roam freely in the Holy of Holies and committed murder within the temple itself (War 4,5,4).

These acts of sacrilege were climaxed in the winter of AD 67-68 by the farcical investiture of a clown by the name of Phanni as High Priest (War 4.3.6-8). In response to this specific action, Ananus, one of the retired High Priests with tears lamented, “It would have been far better for me to have died before I had seen the house of God laden with such abominations and its unapproachable and hallowed places crowded with the feet of murderers” (Josephus War 4.3.10).

Jewish Christians who had met in the porches of the temple from the earliest days found this spectacle no less offensive. It seems probable that they recognised Phanni as ‘the appalling sacrilege usurping a position which is not his’, consigning the temple to destruction.

In response to Jesus's warning, they fled to Pella, before the Romans surrounded the city. The oracle specified that those in Judea were to flee to the mountains, and since Jerusalem itself is located in the mountains, the Christians understood the prophecy to refer to some other range of mountains beyond Judea, and the nearest such range was in the Transjordan, with Pella in their foothills.

Josephus wrote this, “... our nation suffered these things under Antiochus Epiphanes, according to Daniel's vision (of the little horn - ch 8), and what he wrote many years before they came to pass. In the very same manner Daniel also wrote concerning the Roman government, and that our country should be made desolate by them” (Ant 10.11.7), and “For there was an ancient saying of inspired men that the city would be taken and the sanctuary burned to the ground by right of war, when it should be visited by sedition and native hands should be the first to defile God’s sacred precinct. This saying the Zealots did not disbelieve, yet they lent themselves as instruments of its accomplishment" (War 4.6.3).

Josephus, a Jewish historian was stating that the temple was destroyed because the Jews themselves had created the desolating sacrilege.

The flight of the Christians to Pella

After the Roman armies started to surround the city, there was a brief break in the siege, when Vespasian went to Rome after the death of Nero. During this break, the Christians in Jerusalem fled to Pella in the Transjordan. When the city fell, there were no Christians there. God had miraculously preserved his ‘elect’ (v20).

Eusebius, the fourth century church historian, wrote this, ‘But before the war, the people of the Church of Jerusalem were bidden in an oracle given by revelation to men worthy of it to depart from the city and to dwell in a city of Perea called Pella. To it those who believed in Christ migrated from Jerusalem. Once the holy men (Christians) had completely left the Jews and all Judea, the justice of God at last overtook them, since they had committed such transgressions against Christ and his apostles. Divine justice completely blotted out that impious generation from among men’ (Ecclesiastical History III.v.3).

Josephus wrote that, “... many of the most eminent of the Jews swam away from the city (Jerusalem), as from a ship when it was going to sink” (War 2,20,1), and “There were many of the Jews that deserted every day and fled away from the Zealots, although their flight was very difficult, since they had guarded every passage out of the city, and slew every one that was caught at them, as taking it for granted they were going over to the Romans” (War 4,6,3).

Further warnings about false Messiahs (v23-28, as in v4-5)

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There he is!’ - do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Take note, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

The basic message is if anyone comes, claiming to be the Messiah, don not believe them, even if they perform wonderful signs and miracles. Don't be deceived. By contrast, when Jesus comes back, it will be unmistakable, like lightning (v27). No one will need to be told about it.

This paragraph ends with a rather strange comment. “Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather” (v28). It is not certain what Jesus' strange comment means. It may refer to the ‘great supper of God’ (Rev 19:21), the apocalyptic judgement scene where the vultures feed on the corpses of the dead. Vultures were often associated with predictions of judgement. The Jews had a particular horror of their body being eaten and not buried properly, removing any hope of a future resurrection. Another suggestion is that the eagles (vultures) may refer to the eagle images on the standards of the Roman armies, but this is unlikely.

The Son of Man coming (v29-31)

“Immediately after the suffering of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’ with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

It is quite a common prophetic pattern to predict a near event, followed by a far-off event. The fulfilment of the near event is proof and assurance that the far-off event will happen. The near event is a foreshadowing of the final far-off event. The fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple is the near event, which will foreshadow the final judgement. The events of AD 70 guarantees that the final judgement and the second coming will happen.

There is a difficult question concerning the word ‘immediately’ (v29). How soon is this? It makes it sound that the second coming is straight after the fall of Jerusalem.

The darkening of the sun and moon, and stars falling from heaven are cosmic signs often associated with the Day of the Lord in the prophets (eg. Ezek 32:7, Joel 2:7). Jesus is using similar apocalyptic language as found in the prophets. These will cause great fear, distress and turmoil, when all the people of the earth, the unbelievers, will mourn (Rev 1:7).

Quoting from Daniel, the Son of man will come on the clouds of heaven (Dan 7:13). Quoting these words led to Jesus being condemned to death for blasphemy (Mk 14:62-64). Clouds are frequently associated with the appearance of the glory of God in the OT.

The paragraph ends with the angels gathering the elect, the believers. This is the final harvest that Jesus spoke about in the parables, and is described in the Book of Revelation (Rev 14:14-16).

Two parables to illustrate the two parts of the teaching

This is followed by two parables. The first is the lesson from the fig tree (v32), which illustrates the teaching about the destruction of the temple (v15-28). The second is the owner of the house staying awake (v42), illustrating the teaching about the second coming (v29-31).

As noted above, there is an interchange between the destruction of the temple and fall of Jerusalem, and the second coming.

A. The fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple in AD 70 (v4-28)
B. The second coming (v29-31)
A. The fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple in AD 70 (v 32-35)
B. The second coming (v36-44)

The fig tree (v32-35)

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he (or it) is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

The Mount of Olives is famous for its fig trees. Unlike most trees in Israel, fig trees are deciduous, losing their leaves in the winter. At Passover time, when Jesus gave this discourse, the leaves start to sprout. The disciples would see this around them as Jesus spoke. The sprouting of leaves on the fig tree is a sign that spring is here, so summer is coming and figs will soon grow (Song of Solomon 2:11-13).

Jesus calls the disciples to observe the fig tree, and what is happening in Jerusalem. The leaves growing on the fig tree is a sign that summer is nearly here. In the same way, ‘these things’ (the desolating sacrilege) (v15) is a sign that the destruction of the temple is nearly here. In this chapter ‘these things’ take place in ‘those days’.

Finally Jesus gives the timing of ‘these things’, that this generation will not pass away before all these things take place (v34). In the previous chapter, Jesus condemned the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, predicting that judgement will come upon this generation (23:36). In other words, people living at the time Jesus spoke these words will live to witness their fulfilment. In the Scriptures a generation is often thought of as forty years. Jesus made this prediction around AD 30. The temple was made desolate around AD 68, before it was destroyed in AD 70.

Jesus' words are eternal, in contrast to the transience of the created world (35) What he predicted will happen, without any doubt. The prediction is sealed with Jesus' word. Jesus’ words are eternal, in the same way as God's word is eternal, a another pointer to the deity of Jesus.

Watch - Be alert! (v36-44)

“But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so to will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left; Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”

Most of this section is not included in Mark’s account. This paragraph illustrates the teaching about the second coming (v29-31). Continually, when speaking about his second coming, Jesus urged faithful vigilance, so that they will be prepared for his coming. His predictions are not intended to satisfy our human curiosity about the ‘end times’, or to give an excuse to rejoice at the judgement of the wicked. Instead he gave practical instructions, calling his people to be ready, so the day will not come as a nasty surprise.

It contrasts ‘those days’ when ‘these things’ (the destruction of Jerusalem) take place with ‘that day’ (v36). ‘That day’ is the Day of the Lord, spoken about by many of the prophets in the OT (eg Amos 8:3,9,13). Three times in this paragraph Jesus said that no one except God the Father knows the timing of the second coming (v36, 42, 44). Because of this, we need to keep alert, or awake, being spiritually vigilant. There is no sign for the second coming. There are no historical events that have to happen first, apart from the destruction of the temple. In Luke’s Gospel, this teaching is separated and given in a different context from the Olivet Discourse (Lk 17:26-37).

Matthew gives an example of Noah and the flood from the OT (v37-39), showing the suddenness of God's judgements, which came without warning and destroyed all who were not faithful to God and listening to him (Gen 7:6). Just as at the time of the flood, people will be living their ordinary lives, and the second coming will come as a surprise, and catch people out, by which time it will be too late. History will come to an end and there will be no further opportunity to repent.

At the end there will be a complete, permanent and irrevocable separation between the believers and the unbelievers (v40-41). This is clear. How it happens is not so clear. ‘One is taken and the other is left’. This is left ambiguous, leaving the question, ‘Is it better to be left or taken?’ Is the one taken, taken to meet Christ at his coming (as in 1 Thess 5:16-17), or is the one taken, taken away for judgement?

The main command is to keep awake (v42), so we can withstand the persecution and temptation to fall away, and be read to meet and stand before the Son of Man when he comes. He is speaking about spiritual readiness to meet our Saviour, which could be at any time, either when we die, or when Jesus returns.

The answer to the original questions

The disciples asked Jesus a question with two parts, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming an of the end of the age” (v3). The destruction of the temple will take place within the lifetime of this generation (v34). When you see the temple desecrated, then flee with urgency. But as for a sign of his coming, there will be no sign or idea of timing, so we need to be ready to meet him (v36, 42, 44).

Summary of chapter 24

God will be judging Jerusalem and the Jewish establishment because they rejected their Messiah. This judgement is an illustration and foreshadowing of the final judgement. God will preserve the believers through this terrible time. Jesus warned them ahead of time, and they listened. They took his warnings seriously, and acted on them.

What we learn about the second coming.

Jesus will come back a second time, but no one knows when. Five times we are told that he will come at an unexpected hour. However it will be after AD 70, after ‘these things’, and after the Gospel has been preached to all nations. There will be no signs of the second coming. It will be unmistakable, like lightning, everyone will see it (Rev 1:7). The parables following in chapter 25 teach that there will be a delay. The second coming is not yet, so we need to get on and live our lives in service to God, and preach the Gospel, while there is still opportunity. There will be a final separation, as in the days of Noah, some will be saved for glory, and some will miss out and face judgement.

Before the second coming, there will be false messiahs - do not believe them. If people set dates - do not believe them. Christians will be persecuted, so are called to endure the persecution and remain faithful to Jesus. There will be wars and rumours of wars, but these are merely the beginning, not a sign of the end.

In this teaching Jesus said nothing about a millennium, the thousand year reign before or after the second coming, and nothing about the restoration of the Jews to geographical Israel at any time in the future.

Why is the second coming important?

The fact that Jesus will return teaches us that life will not go on forever. Our individual lives will not go on forever either. We are challenged to think about our lives and what will happen to us at the end, when we will stand before Almighty God and give account for our lives. The basic question will be, ‘what did you do about Jesus?’, and not ‘what good deeds did you do?’.