14 And G2532 this G5124 gospel G2098 of the kingdom G932 shall be preached G2784 in G1722 all G3650 the world G3625 for G1519 a witness G3142 unto all G3956 nations; G1484 and G2532 then G5119 shall the end G5056 come. G2240
Which G3588 is come G3918 unto G1519 you, G5209 as G2531 G2532 it is in G1722 all G3956 the world; G2889 and G2532 bringeth forth fruit, G2076 G2592 as G2531 it doth also G2532 in G1722 you, G5213 since G575 the G3739 day G2250 ye heard G191 of it, and G2532 knew G1921 the grace G5485 of God G2316 in G1722 truth: G225
And G2532 I saw G1492 another G243 angel G32 fly G4072 in G1722 the midst of heaven, G3321 having G2192 the everlasting G166 gospel G2098 to preach G2097 unto them that dwell G2730 on G1909 the earth, G1093 and G2532 to every G3956 nation, G1484 and G2532 kindred, G5443 and G2532 tongue, G1100 and G2532 people, G2992
If G1489 ye continue G1961 in the faith G4102 grounded G2311 and G2532 settled, G1476 and G2532 be not G3361 moved away G3334 from G575 the hope G1680 of the gospel, G2098 which G3739 ye have heard, G191 and which G3588 was preached G2784 to G1722 every G3956 creature G2937 which is under G5259 heaven; G3772 whereof G3739 I G1473 Paul G3972 am made G1096 a minister; G1249
Now G1161 to him that is of power G1410 to stablish G4741 you G5209 according G2596 to my G3450 gospel, G2098 and G2532 the preaching G2782 of Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 according G2596 to the revelation G602 of the mystery, G3466 which was kept secret G4601 since the world began, G5550 G166 But G1161 now G3568 is made manifest, G5319 and G5037 by G1223 the scriptures G1124 of the prophets, G4397 according G2596 to the commandment G2003 of the everlasting G166 God, G2316 made known G1107 to G1519 all G3956 nations G1484 for G1519 the obedience G5218 of faith: G4102
And G2532 Jesus G2424 went about G4013 all G3956 the cities G4172 and G2532 villages, G2968 teaching G1321 in G1722 their G846 synagogues, G4864 and G2532 preaching G2784 the gospel G2098 of the kingdom, G932 and G2532 healing G2323 every G3956 sickness G3554 and G2532 every G3956 disease G3119 among G1722 the people. G2992
And G1161 as ye go, G4198 preach, G2784 saying, G3004 G3754 The kingdom G932 of heaven G3772 is at hand. G1448
Because G3754 thou hast kept G5083 the word G3056 of my G3450 patience, G5281 I also G2504 will keep G5083 thee G4571 from G1537 the hour G5610 of temptation, G3986 which G3588 shall come G3195 G2064 upon G1909 all G3650 the world, G3625 to try G3985 them that dwell G2730 upon G1909 the earth. G1093
And G2532 he said G2036 unto them, G846 Go ye G4198 into G1519 all G537 the world, G2889 and preach G2784 the gospel G2098 to every G3956 creature. G2937 He that believeth G4100 and G2532 is baptized G907 shall be saved; G4982 but G1161 he that believeth not G569 shall be damned. G2632
And G1161 ye shall G3195 hear G191 of wars G4171 and G2532 rumours G189 of wars: G4171 see G3708 that ye be G2360 not G3361 troubled: G2360 for G1063 all G3956 these things must G1163 come to pass, G1096 but G235 the end G5056 is G2076 not yet. G3768
And G1161 as he G846 sat G2521 upon G1909 the mount G3735 of Olives, G1636 the disciples G3101 came G4334 unto him G846 privately, G2596 G2398 saying, G3004 Tell G2036 us, G2254 when G4219 shall G2071 these things G5023 be? G2071 and G2532 what G5101 shall be the sign G4592 of thy G4674 coming, G3952 and G2532 of the end G4930 of the world? G165
And G2532 Jesus G2424 went about G4013 all G3650 Galilee, G1056 teaching G1321 in G1722 their G846 synagogues, G4864 and G2532 preaching G2784 the gospel G2098 of the kingdom, G932 and G2532 healing G2323 all G3956 manner of sickness G3554 and G2532 all G3956 manner of disease G3119 among G1722 the people. G2992
Behold the day, H3117 behold, it is come: H935 the morning H6843 is gone forth; H3318 the rod H4294 hath blossomed, H6692 pride H2087 hath budded. H6524
Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 An evil, H7451 an only H259 evil, H7451 behold, is come. H935 An end H7093 is come, H935 the end H7093 is come: H935 it watcheth H6974 for thee; behold, it is come. H935 The morning H6843 is come H935 unto thee, O thou that dwellest H3427 in the land: H776 the time H6256 is come, H935 H935 the day H3117 of trouble H4103 is near, H7138 and not the sounding again H1906 of the mountains. H2022
And G2532 the devil, G1228 taking G321 him G846 up G321 into G1519 an high G5308 mountain, G3735 shewed G1166 unto him G846 all G3956 the kingdoms G932 of the world G3625 in G1722 a moment G4743 of time. G5550
For G1063 they are G1526 the spirits G4151 of devils, G1142 working G4160 miracles, G4592 which go forth G1607 G3739 G1607 unto G1909 the kings G935 of the earth G1093 and G2532 of the whole G3650 world, G3625 to gather G4863 them G846 to G1519 the battle G4171 of that G1565 great G3173 day G2250 of God G2316 Almighty. G3841
For G1063 I will G5111 not G3756 dare G5111 to speak G2980 of any G5100 of those things which G3739 Christ G5547 hath G2716 not G3756 wrought G2716 by G1223 me, G1700 to make G1519 the Gentiles G1484 obedient, G5218 by word G3056 and G2532 deed, G2041 Through G1722 mighty G1411 signs G4592 and G2532 wonders, G5059 by G1722 the power G1411 of the Spirit G4151 of God; G2316 so G5620 that from G575 Jerusalem, G2419 and G2532 round about G2945 unto G3360 Illyricum, G2437 I G3165 have fully preached G4137 the gospel G2098 of Christ. G5547 Yea, G1161 so G3779 have I strived G5389 to preach the gospel, G2097 not G3756 where G3699 Christ G5547 was named, G3687 lest G3363 I should build G3618 upon G1909 another man's G245 foundation: G2310 But G235 as G2531 it is written, G1125 To whom G3739 he G846 was G312 not G3756 spoken G312 of, G4012 they shall see: G3700 and G2532 they G3739 that have G191 not G3756 heard G191 shall understand. G4920
And G2532 now, G3568 behold, G2400 I G1473 know G1492 that G3754 ye G5210 all, G3956 among G1722 whom G3739 I have gone G1330 preaching G2784 the kingdom G932 of God, G2316 shall see G3700 my G3450 face G4383 no more. G3765
And G1161 when they found G2147 them G846 not, G3361 they drew G4951 Jason G2394 and G2532 certain G5100 brethren G80 unto G1909 the rulers of the city, G4173 crying, G994 G3754 These G3778 that have turned G387 the world G3625 upside down G387 are come G3918 hither G1759 also; G2532
And G1161 there stood up G450 one G1520 of G1537 them G846 named G3686 Agabus, G13 and signified G4591 by G1223 the Spirit G4151 that there should be G3195 G1510 great G3173 dearth G3042 throughout G1909 all G3650 the world: G3625 which G3748 G2532 came to pass G1096 in the days of G1909 Claudius G2804 Caesar. G2541
Until G891 the day G2250 in which G3739 he was taken up, G353 after that he through G1223 the Holy G40 Ghost G4151 had given commandments G1781 unto the apostles G652 whom G3739 he had chosen: G1586
Again G3825 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 That G3754 if G1437 two G1417 of you G5216 shall agree G4856 on G1909 earth G1093 as touching G4012 any G3956 thing G4229 that G3739 G1437 they shall ask, G154 it shall be done G1096 for them G846 of G3844 my G3450 Father G3962 which G3588 is in G1722 heaven. G3772
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Matthew 24
Commentary on Matthew 24 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 24
Christ's preaching was mostly practical; but, in this chapter, we have a prophetical discourse, a prediction of things to come; such however as had a practical tendency, and was intended, not to gratify the curiosity of his disciples, but to guide their consciences and conversations, and it is therefore concluded with a practical application. The church has always had particular prophecies, besides general promises, both for direction and for encouragement to believers; but it is observable, Christ preached this prophetical sermon in the close of his ministry, as the Apocalypse is the last book of the New Testament, and the prophetical books of the Old Testament are placed last, to intimate to us, that we must be well grounded in plain truths and duties, and those must first be well digested, before we dive into those things that are dark and difficult; many run themselves into confusion by beginning their Bible at the wrong end. Now, in this chapter, we have,
Mat 24:1-3
Here is,
Christ, instead of reversing the decree, ratifies it; Verily, I say unto you, there shall not be left one stone upon another.
But Christ, in his answer, though he does not expressly rectify the mistakes of his disciples (that must be done by the pouring out of the Spirit), yet looks further than their question, and instructs his church, not only concerning the great events of that age, the destruction of Jerusalem, but concerning his second coming at the end of time, which here he insensibly slides into a discourse of, and of that it is plain he speaks in the next chapter, which is a continuation of this sermon.
Mat 24:4-31
The disciples had asked concerning the times, When shall these things be? Christ gives them no answer to that, after what number of days and years his prediction should be accomplished, for it is not for us to know the times (Acts 1:7); but they had asked, What shall be the sign? That question he answers fully, for we are concerned to understand the signs of the times, ch. 16:3. Now the prophecy primarily respects the events near at hand-the destruction of Jerusalem, the period of the Jewish church and state, the calling of the Gentiles, and the setting up of Christ's kingdom in the world; but as the prophecies of the Old Testament, which have an immediate reference to the affairs of the Jews and the revolutions of their state, under the figure of them do certainly look further, to the gospel church and the kingdom of the Messiah, and are so expounded in the New Testament, and such expressions are found in those predictions as are peculiar thereto and not applicable otherwise; so this prophecy, under the type of Jerusalem's destruction, looks as far forward as the general judgment; and, as is usual in prophecies, some passages are most applicable to the type, and others to the antitype; and toward the close, as usual, it points more particularly to the latter. It is observable, that what Christ here saith to his disciples tends more to engage their caution than to satisfy their curiosity; more to prepare them for the events that should happen than to give them a distinct idea of the events themselves. This is that good understanding of the time which we should all covet, thence to infer what Israel ought to do: and so this prophecy is of standing lasting use to the church, and will be so to the end of time; for the thing that hath been, is that which shall be (Eccl. 1:5, 6, 7, 9), and the series, connection, and presages, of events, are much the same still that they were then; so that upon the prophecy of this chapter, pointing at that event, moral prognostications may be made, and such constructions of the signs of the times as the wise man's heart will know how to improve.
Three times in this discourse he mentions the appearing of false prophets, which was,
Now concerning these deceivers, observe here,
Here is,
We must not be troubled, for two reasons.
This gives a melancholy prospect of the times, that there shall be such a great decay of love; but,
Reference being here had to a prophecy, which is commonly dark and obscure, Christ inserts this memorandum, "Whoso readeth, let him understand; whoso readeth the prophecy of Daniel, let him understand that it is to have its accomplishment now shortly in the desolations of Jerusalem.' Note, Those that read the scriptures, should labour to understand the scriptures, else their reading is to little purpose; we cannot use that which we do not understand. See Jn. 5:39; Acts 8:30. The angel that delivered this prophecy to Daniel, stirred him up to know and understand, Dan. 9:25. And we must not despair of understanding even dark prophecies; the great New-Testament prophecy is called a revelation, not a secret. Now things revealed belong to us, and therefore must be humbly and diligently searched into. Or, Let him understand, not only the scriptures which speak of those things, but by the scriptures let him understand the times, 1 Chr. 12:32. Let him observe, and take notice; so some read it; let him be assured, that, notwithstanding the vain hopes with which the deluded people feed themselves, the abominable armies will make desolate.
But here is one word of comfort in the midst of all this terror-that for the elects' sake these days shall be shortened, not made shorter than what God had determined (for that which is determined, shall be poured upon the desolate, Dan. 9:27), but shorter than what he might have decreed, if he had dealt with them according to their sins; shorter than what the enemy designed, who would have cut all off, if God who made use of them to serve his own purpose, had not set bounds to their wrath; shorter than one who judged by human probabilities would have imagined. Note,
Now here are two things intimated concerning it.
The only objection against this, is, that it is said to be immediately after the tribulation of those days; but as to that,
Now concerning Christ's second coming, it is here foretold,
Mat 24:32-51
We have here the practical application of the foregoing prediction; in general, we must expect and prepare for the events here foretold.
Now touching the events foretold here, which we are to expect,
It will be a surprising day, and a separating day.
Now this here is applicable,
The application of this, concerning the old world, we have in these words; So shall the coming of the Son of man be; that is,
When ruin came upon Jerusalem, a distinction was made by Divine Providence, according to that which had been before made by divine grace; for all the Christians among them were saved from perishing in that calamity, by the special care of Heaven. If two were at work in the field together, and one of them was a Christian, he was taken into a place of shelter, and had his life given him for a prey, while the other was left to the sword of the enemy. Nay, if but two women were grinding at the mill, if one of them belonged to Christ, though but a woman, a poor woman, a servant, she was taken to a place of safety, and the other abandoned. Thus the meek of the earth are hid in the day of the Lord's anger (Zep. 2:3), either in heaven, or under heaven. Note, Distinguishing preservations, in times of general destruction, are special tokens of God's favour, and ought so to be acknowledged. If we are safe when thousands fall on our right hand and our left, are not consumed when others are consumed round about us, so that we are as brands plucked out of the fire, we have reason to say, It is of the Lord's mercies, and it is a great mercy.