Matthew 24 Bible Commentary

24:1  And Jesus went out from the temple¹, and was going on his way; and his disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple. DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM FORETOLD. Matthew 24:1-28; Mark 13:1-23; Luke 21:5-24
And Jesus went out from the temple, etc. See Mark 13:1.

24:2  But he answered and said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another¹, that shall not be thrown down.
There shall not be left here one stone upon another. See Mark 13:2.

24:3  And as he sat on the mount of Olives¹, the disciples² came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be³? and what [shall be] the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
As he sat on the mount of Olives, etc. See Mark 13:3.
The disciples. Peter, James, John, and Andrew (Mark 13:3).
Tell us, when shall these things be? etc. See Mark 13:4.

24:5  For many shall come in my name¹, saying, I am the Christ; and shall lead many astray.
For many shall come in my name, etc. See Mark 13:6.

24:6  And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars¹; see that ye be not troubled: for [these things] must needs come to pass; but the end is not yet.
Wars and rumors of wars, etc. See Mark 13:7.

24:7  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places.
And there shall be . . . earthquakes in divers places. See Mark 13:8.

24:9  Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation¹, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake².
Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, etc. See Mark 13:9.
And ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake. See Matthew 10:22.

24:11  And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray¹.
And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray. See Mark 13:22. This refers to the false teachers which arose in the church. The apostles bear abundant testimony to their appearance (2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Galatians 2:1-4; 1 Timothy 1:3-7,19,20; 2 Timothy 3:8,9; Titus 1:10,11; 2 Peter 2:1-3 Jude 1:4,8,10,12,16,19).

24:12  And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold¹.
And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold. The prevelance of sin tempts and encourages the feeble to commit it.

24:13  But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved¹.
But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. See notes at Matthew 10:22; Mark 13:13.

24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world¹ for a testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come².
This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world. See Mark 13:10.
And then shall the end come. Jerusalem, the seat of the old dispensation, was not removed until the new dispensation was sown throughout the then known world.

24:15  When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation¹, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let him that readeth understand)²,
The abomination of desolation. See Daniel 4:11. See Mark 13:19.
(Let him that readeth understand). See Mark 13:14.

24:16  then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains¹:
Then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains. See Mark 13:14.

24:17  let him that is on the housetop not go down to take out things that are in his house:
Let him that is on the housetop not come down, etc. See Luke 17:31.

24:19  But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days!
Woe to them that are with child, etc. See Mark 13:17.

24:20  And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter¹, neither on a sabbath²:
And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. See Mark 13:18.
Neither on a sabbath. Jewish tradition limited travel on the Sabbath day to a distance of seven furlongs [about 0.875 mi. or 1.4 km.]. The early training of many Christians led them to have scruples about breaking the Sabbath. It is possible that Jesus had these scruples in view, but by no means conclusive, for in fleeing they would need the support and friendship of their Jewish brethren, who would be apt, not only to hinder, but even in those troublous and turbulent days, to show violence to any who openly disregarded the Sabbath. For it must be remembered that the Jews, not being guided by the admonitions of Christ, would regard the sudden flight of the Christians as unnecessarily hasty.

24:21  for then shall be great tribulation¹, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be.
For then shall be great tribulation, etc. See Mark 13:19.

24:22  And except those days had been shortened¹, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
Except those days had been shortened, etc. See Mark 13:20.

24:23  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ¹, or, Here; believe [it] not.
If any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, etc. See Mark 13:21.

24:24  For there shall arise false Christs¹, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
For there shall arise false Christs, etc. See Mark 13:22.

24:27  For as the lightning¹ cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man.
For as the lightning, etc. The coming of Christ would be an event needing no herald; every man would see it for himself. See Luke 17:24.

24:28  Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together¹.
Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. See Luke 17:37.

24:29  But immediately after the tribulation of those days¹ the sun shall be darkened², and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. Matthew 24:29-51; Mark 13:24-37; Luke 21:25-37
Immediately after the tribulation of those days. Since the coming of Christ did not follow close upon the destruction of Jerusalem, the word "immediately" used by Matthew is somewhat puzzling. There are, however, three ways in which it may be explained: (1) That Jesus reckons the time after his own divine, and not after out human, fashion. Viewing the word in this light, the passage at 2 Peter 3:4-9 may almost be regarded as an inspired comment with reference to this passage. (2) The terrible judgment upon Jerusalem and the corresponding terror of the judgment day have between them no intervening season of judgment in any way worthy to be compared to either of them. The two periods, therefore, stand with regard to each other in immediate connection. (3) The tribulation which came upon the Jewish people merely began with the destruction of Jerusalem, other woes followed "at once", and, coming down through all the centuries of wandering and dispersion, they were yet unfulfilled and incomplete. See Deuteronomy 28:58-68.
The sun shall be darkened, etc. See Mark 13:24.

24:30  and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven¹: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn², and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven. The coming and the sign are the same thing. The word "sign" is used in connection with the coming of Christ to indicate that the nature of the coming (that is, the manner of its manifestations) will be fully commensurate with the importance of the event. His first coming in the manger was not so.
Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn. The coming will occasion universal mourning in the unprepared, and apparently the majority of people will be in that condition. The term "all" is not, however, to be construed as including all individuals (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).

24:31  And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet¹, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, etc. See Mark 13:27. To the Jews the trumpet would naturally be associated with the assembling of the people, for silver trumpets were used to call Israel together (Exodus 19:13,16,19; Numbers 10:1-4; Psalms 81:3-5).

24:32  Now from the fig tree learn her parable¹: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh; Matthew 24:32,33
From the fig tree learn her parable, etc. See Mark 13:28.

24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away¹, till all these things be accomplished.
This generation shall not pass away, etc. See Mark 13:30.

24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away¹, but my words shall not pass away.
Heaven and earth shall pass away, etc. See Mark 13:31.

24:36  But of that day and hour knoweth no one¹, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only.
But of that day and hour knoweth no one, etc. See Mark 13:32.

24:37  And as [were] the days of Noah¹, so shall be the coming of the Son of man.
And as [were] the days of Noah. See Luke 17:26.

24:38  For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying¹ and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,
They were eating and drinking, marrying, etc. See Luke 17:27.

24:39  and they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the coming of the Son of man¹.
So shall be the coming of the Son of man. See Luke 17:30.

24:40  Then shall two man be in the field¹; one is taken, and one is left:
Then shall two man be in the field, etc. See Luke 17:36.

24:41  two women [shall be] grinding at the mill¹; one is taken, and one is left.
Two women [shall be] grinding at the mill, etc. See Luke 17:35.

24:44  Therefore be ye also ready¹; for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Therefore be ye also ready, etc. See Luke 12:40.

24:45  Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath set over his household, to give them their food in due season?
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, etc. See Luke 12:42.

24:47  Verily I say unto you, that he will set him over all that he hath¹.
That he will set him over all that he hath. See Luke 12:44.

24:51  and shall cut him asunder¹, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth².
And shall cut him asunder. See Luke 12:46.
There shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. See Matthew 8:12.