35 Heaven G3772 and G2532 earth G1093 shall pass away, G3928 but G1161 my G3450 words G3056 shall G3928 not G3364 pass away. G3928
The grass H2682 withereth, H3001 the flower H6731 fadeth: H5034 but the word H1697 of our God H430 shall stand H6965 for ever. H5769
For G1063 verily G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 Till G2193 G302 heaven G3772 and G2532 earth G1093 pass, G3928 one G1520 jot G2503 or G2228 one G3391 tittle G2762 shall in no wise G3364 pass G3928 from G575 the law, G3551 till G2193 G302 all G3956 be fulfilled. G1096
So shall my word H1697 be that goeth forth H3318 out of my mouth: H6310 it shall not return H7725 unto me void, H7387 but it shall accomplish H6213 that which I please, H2654 and it shall prosper H6743 in the thing whereto I sent H7971 it.
Lift up H5375 your eyes H5869 to the heavens, H8064 and look H5027 upon the earth H776 beneath: for the heavens H8064 shall vanish away H4414 like smoke, H6227 and the earth H776 shall wax old H1086 like a garment, H899 and they that dwell H3427 therein shall die H4191 in like H3644 manner: H3654 but my salvation H3444 shall be for ever, H5769 and my righteousness H6666 shall not be abolished. H2865
Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 which giveth H5414 the sun H8121 for a light H216 by day, H3119 and the ordinances H2708 of the moon H3394 and of the stars H3556 for a light H216 by night, H3915 which divideth H7280 the sea H3220 when the waves H1530 thereof roar; H1993 The LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 is his name: H8034 If those ordinances H2706 depart H4185 from before H6440 me, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 then the seed H2233 of Israel H3478 also shall cease H7673 from being a nation H1471 before H6440 me for ever. H3117
And G2532 I saw G1492 a great G3173 white G3022 throne, G2362 and G2532 him that sat G2521 on G1909 it, G846 from G575 whose G3739 face G4383 the earth G1093 and G2532 the heaven G3772 fled away; G5343 and G2532 there was found G2147 no G3756 place G5117 for them. G846
But G1161 the heavens G3772 and G2532 the earth, G1093 which are now, G3568 by the same G846 word G3056 are G1526 kept in store, G2343 reserved G5083 unto fire G4442 against G1519 the day G2250 of judgment G2920 and G2532 perdition G684 of ungodly G765 men. G444 But, G1161 beloved, G27 be G2990 not G3361 G5209 ignorant G2990 of this one G1520 thing, G5124 that G3754 one G3391 day G2250 is with G3844 the Lord G2962 as G5613 a thousand G5507 years, G2094 and G2532 a thousand G5507 years G2094 as G5613 one G3391 day. G2250 The Lord G2962 is G1019 not G3756 slack G1019 concerning his promise, G1860 as G5613 some men G5100 count G2233 slackness; G1022 but G235 is longsuffering G3114 to G1519 us-ward, G2248 not G3361 willing G1014 that any G5100 should perish, G622 but G235 that all G3956 should come G5562 to G1519 repentance. G3341 But G1161 the day G2250 of the Lord G2962 will come G2240 as G5613 a thief G2812 in G1722 the night; G3571 in G1722 the which G3739 the heavens G3772 shall pass away G3928 with a great noise, G4500 and G1161 the elements G4747 shall melt G3089 with fervent heat, G2741 the earth G1093 also G2532 and G2532 the works G2041 that are therein G1722 G846 shall be burned up. G2618 Seeing then G3767 that all G3956 these things G5130 shall be dissolved, G3089 what manner G4217 of persons ought G1163 ye G5209 to be G5225 in G1722 all holy G40 conversation G391 and G2532 godliness, G2150 Looking for G4328 and G2532 hasting G4692 unto the coming G3952 of the day G2250 of God, G2316 wherein G1223 G3739 the heavens G3772 being on fire G4448 shall be dissolved, G3089 and G2532 the elements G4747 shall melt G5080 with fervent heat? G2741
And G2532 unto the angel G32 of the church G1577 of the Laodiceans G2994 write; G1125 These things G3592 saith G3004 the Amen, G281 the faithful G4103 and G2532 true G228 witness, G3144 the beginning G746 of the creation G2937 of God; G2316
They G846 shall perish; G622 but G1161 thou G4771 remainest; G1265 and G2532 they all G3956 shall wax old G3822 as G5613 doth a garment; G2440 And G2532 as G5616 a vesture G4018 shalt thou fold G1667 them G846 up, G1667 and G2532 they shall be changed: G236 but G1161 thou G4771 art G1488 the same, G846 and G2532 thy G4675 years G2094 shall G1587 not G3756 fail. G1587
And all the host H6635 of heaven H8064 shall be dissolved, H4743 and the heavens H8064 shall be rolled together H1556 as a scroll: H5612 and all their host H6635 shall fall down, H5034 as the leaf H5929 falleth off H5034 from the vine, H1612 and as a falling H5034 fig from the fig tree. H8384
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.