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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 24:15 - 24:28
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_24:15-28
15"Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains; 17Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things that are in his house. 18Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,'or 'There He is,'do not believe him. 24For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25Behold, I have told you in advance. 26So if they say to you, 'Behold, He is in the wilderness,'do not got out, or, 'Behold, He is in the inner rooms,'do not believe them. 27For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather."
Mat_24:15
NASB, NKJV "the abomination of desolation"
NRSV "the desolating sacrilege"
TEV "the Awful Horror"
NJB "the appalling abomination"
The word "desolation" meant sacrilege. This was used in Dan_9:27; Dan_11:31; Dan_12:11. It seems originally to refer to Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 168 b.c. (cf. Dan_8:9-14; 1Ma_1:54). Also in Dan_7:7-8 it related to the Antichrist of the end time (cf. 2Th_2:4). Luk_21:20 helps us interpret this as possibly the coming of Titus'army in a.d. 70. It cannot refer to the siege of Jerusalem itself because it would be too late for believers to escape.
This is an example of a phrase being used in several different but related senses. This is called multiple fulfillment prophecy. Often it is difficult to interpret until after the events occur. Then looking back, the typology is obvious. For more detailed notes on Daniel see my commentary at hyperlink
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NASB, NKJV,
NRSV "standing in the holy place"
TEV "it will be standing in the holy place"
NJB "set up in the holy place"
The Greek participle "standing" is neuter, not masculine. It should be translated " it," which backs up the interpretation of "it" being the Roman army under Titus in a.d. 70. "Holy Place" referred to the first part of the central shrine of the Temple. Titus set up Roman standards representing their pagan gods in this area of the temple.
NASB, NRSV,
NJB "(let the reader understand)"
NKJV "(whoever reads, let him understand)"
TEV "(Note to the reader: understand what this means)"
This was a comment by Matthew to his Christian readers. Everyone read aloud in the ancient Mediterranean world. A regular attender at synagogue should know God's word. It may relate to the specific phrase "the abomination of desolation" in Dan_9:27; Dan_11:31; Dan_12:11.
Mat_24:16 "then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains" Eusebius, an early church historian (4th century a.d.), informs us that the Christian community fled to the city of Pella in Perea when the Roman army appeared and began to surround Jerusalem.
Mat_24:17 "Whoever is on the housetop" The houses had flat roofs. They were used as the place of social gathering in the hot months. It has been said that one could walk across Jerusalem on the roofs of houses. Apparently some houses were built next to the city's wall. When the army was seen, immediate flight was necessary.
Mat_24:18 "must not turn back to get his cloak" This referred to one's outer cloak which was used as sleeping gear. They were to flee immediately and not go back even for what was perceived as necessities of life.
Mat_24:19 "But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies" See Mar_13:17. This referred to the destruction of Jerusalem only! These disciples'questions to Jesus related to three separate issues: the destruction of Jerusalem, His Second Coming, and the end of the age. The problem is that these questions were dealt with at the same time. There is no easy verse division by topic.
Mat_24:20 "But pray that your flight will not be in the winter" This phrase was related to the difficulties of pregnant women fleeing quickly. This is not a warning to today's women not to be pregnant at the Second Coming. Matthew, written to Jews, adds the phrase "or on the Sabbath" which is left out of Mar_13:18. Jewish believers would be reluctant to flee on a Sabbath.
I am struck by two things related to this verse.
1. Jesus did not know the exact date of the destruction of Jerusalem.
2. Believers'prayers could affect the exact date of the destruction of Jerusalem.
Mat_24:21 "such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will" This is a Hebrew idiomatic phrase similar to many in the OT (cf. Exo_10:14; Exo_11:6; Jer_30:7; Dan_12:1; Joe_2:2).
Mat_24:22 If all the Christians fled as Eusebius tells us they did, then this might be a reference to the Jewish people, the OT elect (God still has a purpose for national Israel cf. Romans 9-11). However because of the use of the term "elect" in Mat_24:24; Mat_24:31, it seems to refer to believing Jews. For "elect" see Special Topic below.
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Mat_24:23; Mat_24:26 The true Messiah's coming will not be secret or hidden. It will not be to a select group but visible to all (Mat_24:27). Biblically there is no "secret rapture." See note at Mat_24:40-41.
Mat_24:23; Mat_24:26 "if" These are two third class conditional sentences which denote potential action.
Mat_24:24 "they will show great signs and wonders" These false christs will perform miracles (cf. Mat_7:21-23). Be careful of always identifying the miraculous with God (cf. Exo_7:11-12; Exo_7:22; Deu_13:1-3; 2Th_2:9-12; Rev_13:13; Rev_16:14; Mat_20:20).
Mat_24:27 "just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be" See Luk_17:24. Mark 13 does not have this phrase. This implies a visible coming. The NT does not teach a secret rapture of believers (cf. Mat_24:40-41). But it does reveal that believers dead and alive will meet the Lord in the air at His Second Coming (cf. 1Th_4:13-18). The air was considered the realm of the demonic or Satan (cf. Eph_2:2). Believers will meet Jesus in the midst of Satan's kingdom to show its total overthrow!
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Mat_24:28 "Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather" This does not appear in Mark 13 but it does appear in Luk_17:37. It was a proverbial statement possibly from Job_39:30. If it was a cryptic reference to the end time battle of Psalms 2, then maybe the source is Eze_39:17-20. It may be a metaphor for endtime persecution and death.
NASB TEXT: Mat_24:29-31
29But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
Mat_24:29 "but" This is a strong adversative showing a break in context. Notice all the English translations mark a paragraph division at this point.
▣ "the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light" This was OT apocalyptic language of the end time (cf. Isa_13:10; Isa_34:4; Eze_32:7-8; Joe_2:10; Joe_2:31; Joe_3:15; Amo_8:9). There will be upheavals in nature at the coming of the Day of the Lord (cf. 2Pe_3:7; 2Pe_3:10-12; Rev_6:12-14).
▣ "the powers of the heavens will be shaken" This could simply be the continuation of the OT apocalyptic language, and thereby a reference to the convulsions of nature at the Lord's coming or a reference to angelic powers that influence history (cf. Daniel 10; Eph_6:12; Col_2:15; Rev_12:4).
Mat_24:30 "And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky" It is possible that this is a connection to Isa_60:1-3. The " sign" would be the light of the Shekinah cloud of glory. Earthly lights fail, but God's light (cf. Gen_1:3), the true morning star, shines forth!
Jesus' humanity (Psa_8:4; Eze_2:1) and deity (Dan_7:13) are emphasized by the term "Son of Man." Clouds were seen as the means for transportation of deity in the OT. Jesus used them in Act_1:9 and 1Th_4:17 which implied His deity. This sign will be Jesus coming on the clouds of heaven as the eastern sky " opens."
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▣ "and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn" This referred to the visible return of Jesus. It will be seen by the entire world. Unbelievers will suddenly recognize the consequences of their unbelief.
▣ "on the clouds" See Special Topic following.
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▣ "with power and great glory" This shows the drastic contrast between His first coming and the Second Coming. This is the way the Jews expect the Messiah's coming. See note on "Glory" at Mat_16:27.
Mat_24:31 "His angels" See Mar_13:27; Mar_8:38, and 2Th_1:7. God's angels are called Jesus' angels here. This implied His deity.
▣ "with a great trumpet" This probably referred to the Shophar, the left ram's horn, which was used to signal Jewish Sabbaths and feast days. In Isa_27:13 there is a trumpet blast related to the last days (cf. 1Co_15:52; 1Th_4:16).
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▣ "gather together His elect" This is OT imagery of restoration from exile (i.e., Deu_30:4), here turned into an eschatological gathering (cf. Mat_13:40-43; Mat_13:47-49). The exact order of these specific end-time events is uncertain. Paul taught that at death the believer is already with Christ (cf. 2Co_5:6; 2Co_5:8). 1Th_4:13 ff. teaches that apparently something of our physical bodies, which were left here, will be united with our spirits at the Lord's coming. This implies a disembodied state between death and resurrection day. There is so much about the end-time events and afterlife that are not recorded in the Bible.
▣ "from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other" This implied a world-wide following of Jesus! It also implied a long period of time for the gospel to spread.
The numerical four is symbolic of the world. It referred to the four corners of the world (Isa_11:12; Rev_7:1), the four winds of heaven (Dan_7:2; Zec_2:6), and the four ends of heaven (Jer_49:36). See Special Topic: Symbolic Numbers In Scripture at Mat_4:2.