Jesus' Teaching on the Future Judgment – Matthew 24:1–25:46
As the second part of the Judgment Discourse, Jesus focused on God's judgment that is coming upon faithless Israel and its leaders. The main point for Christians is the call to live faithfully to God as they await the kingdom.
Matthew 24:1
The
Temple. The Temple in Jerusalem was the most important part of Jewish worship, culture, and identity. It was first built by King Solomon but had been destroyed and then rebuilt in the 5th century BC. It was finally destroyed by the Romans in AD70.
Matthew 24:3
Your coming and the
end of the
age. Based on various OT teachings, the Jewish people expected God to return to bring about the age of his final reign upon the earth, also known as the kingdom of God. With Jesus' teaching his disciples now understood that these events are centered on Jesus himself as the true King and the one who will bring the kingdom of God upon the earth. They do not yet fully understand, however, when these things will happen.
Tribulation for Christians – Matthew 24:5-14
Jesus described the trials and difficulties of the present age for his followers until his final return. This time will include both great persecution and the spread of the gospel throughout the whole world.
Matthew 24:15
Abomination of
desolation. This odd expression comes from the Book of Daniel (Dan. 9:26-27; 11:31) and refers to the destruction of Jerusalem and the defilement of God's Temple by Gentile unbelievers. Here Jesus picks up on this language to explain the events that will happen in AD70 as well as before his final return to the earth.
Matthew 24:16
Flee to the
mountains. During the Jewish war in the decades following Jesus' life, many Christians fled Jerusalem "in obedience to a prophecy," as the church historian Eusebius records (
Ecclesiastical History 3.5).
Matthew 24:17-18
Housetop …
field. These images are used to express the urgency and suddenness of the tribulation that is coming upon the world.
Matthew 24:22
The
elect. Jesus has already taught that God must reveal the Son to people or else they will not be able to understand and believe (Matt. 11:25-27). These are the "
elect" he is referring to.
Matthew 24:27
Son of
Man. Jesus frequently (Matt. 8:20; 9:6; 16:13; 20:28; 24:30; 26:64) referred to himself with this designation from Daniel 7:13-14. This expression highlights Jesus' authority and unique role in God's work in the world.
Matthew 24:29
The
sun will be
darkened, the
moon will not give its
light. These are poetic, symbolic images that are used to refer to the coming of the new and final age of the world that God will bring through Jesus. They symbolize a reversal of creation to indicate a change in the cosmos.
Matthew 24:30
coming on the
clouds of the
sky. There is a mysterious figure in Daniel 7 who is distinct from God ("the Ancient of Days") and yet who shares God's nature and is honored by all peoples throughout the world. This Son of Man is seen in heaven coming on clouds. Jesus was claiming that he is this Son of Man. When Jesus repeats this claim in the presence of the Jewish High Priest, the Jews understood that he was making a claim to be divine and they accuse Jesus of blasphemy (Matt. 26:64-66). See
WLC 56;
BC 37.
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