Matthew 24 (KJV)

Matthew 24:1–14

The temple's fall and the beginning of troubles

And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

As the disciples admire the temple buildings, Jesus predicts that not one stone will be left on another. On the Mount of Olives they ask when this will happen and what will signal his coming and the end of the age. He warns of false messiahs, wars, famines and earthquakes, of persecution and falling away, and says the end will come only after the good news has been preached to all nations.

What does this mean?

'The end of the world' (KJV) is more exactly 'the end of the age'. 'Coming' translates parousia, a word for the arrival of a ruler, which became the standard Christian term for Christ's return. 'Sorrows' (KJV) or 'birth pains' (WEB) was a Jewish image for the sufferings expected before the new age.

Historical context

Herod's temple, with its massive white stonework and gold decoration, was famed across the Roman world. In AD 70, after a Jewish revolt, Roman forces under Titus destroyed it; it has never been rebuilt.

Why does it matter?

Chapters 24–25 form the last of Matthew's five discourses. Christians have long differed on how much of it refers to the events of AD 70 and how much to a future end.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Matthew 24:15–28

The desolating sacrilege and false messiahs

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

Jesus tells those in Judea to flee to the mountains when they see 'the abomination of desolation' standing in the holy place, without stopping to collect belongings, because the distress will be unparalleled. He warns them not to believe claims that the Messiah is here or there, since his coming will be as unmistakable as lightning.

Scripture connection · Reference

Matthew 24:15 refers to Daniel 11:31 · Daniel 12:11

And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
Daniel 11:31 · KJV
And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Daniel 12:11 · KJV

Historians usually connect Daniel's phrase with the desecration of the Jerusalem temple in 167 BC. Jesus applies it to a coming crisis; interpretations of its fulfilment differ.

What does this mean?

'Abomination of desolation' means a detestable thing that defiles the sanctuary. 'Let the reader understand' is an aside to whoever reads the text aloud or privately. 'Elect' (KJV) means God's chosen people. 'Eagles' (KJV) and 'vultures' (WEB) translate one Greek word that can mean either.

Historical context

Flat roofs were reached by outside stairs, so one could flee without going indoors. Winter rains made roads and rivers hard to cross, and Sabbath travel was restricted. The church historian Eusebius records that Jerusalem's Christians fled to Pella, east of the Jordan, before the city fell, though some scholars doubt the report. Josephus describes several would-be prophets and deliverers in these years who led followers into the wilderness.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Matthew 24:29–35

The coming of the Son of Man

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

After those days of distress, Jesus says, the sun and moon will darken, stars will fall and the heavens shake; the sign of the Son of Man will appear, and all peoples will see him coming on the clouds with power and glory, sending his angels to gather his chosen ones. As fig leaves announce summer, these signs show he is near. This generation will not pass away until all these things happen.

What does this mean?

Darkened sun and falling stars are traditional prophetic images for God's intervention in history, used of the fall of Babylon and other powers (Isaiah 13:10; 34:4). 'Coming on the clouds' echoes Daniel 7:13.

Why does it matter?

Verse 34, about 'this generation', is one of the most debated sayings in the Gospels. Some interpreters refer it to the events of AD 70, some to the generation that sees the final signs, some to the Jewish people or humanity in general; others conclude that Jesus or the early church expected the end within a lifetime.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Matthew 24:36–44

No one knows the day or hour

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Jesus says no one knows the day or hour of his coming, not even the angels, but only the Father. It will come suddenly, as the flood came on people going about ordinary life in Noah's day: one person will be taken and another left. So his followers must stay alert, like a householder who would have kept watch had he known when a thief was coming.

What does this mean?

'Watch' means stay awake and alert. A 'watch' of the night (verse 43) is one of its divisions.

Historical context

Many modern translations add 'nor the Son', found in some early manuscripts and in Mark 13:32; the KJV and WEB do not have it here.

Why does it matter?

'One taken, one left' is read in different ways: popular modern teaching about a 'rapture' sees those taken as rescued, while many interpreters note that in the flood comparison those 'taken' are swept away in judgment. The passage stresses readiness rather than prediction, and many Christian traditions have discouraged setting dates for the end.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Matthew 24:45–51

The faithful and the wicked servant

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus describes a servant put in charge of his master's household. If he is found doing his job when the master returns, he will be promoted; if he decides the master is delayed and begins beating his fellow servants and drinking, the master will return unexpectedly and punish him severely.

What does this mean?

'Cut him asunder' (KJV) or 'cut him in pieces' (WEB) is a severe punishment, possibly meant figuratively for being cut off. 'Weeping and gnashing of teeth' is Matthew's recurring image for final exclusion.

Historical context

Wealthy households were often run by a trusted slave or steward who managed other slaves and supplies while the owner was away.

Why does it matter?

This is the first of four parables (24:45–25:46) about how to live while waiting for the Son of Man, each involving a delay and a reckoning. Many scholars think the theme of delay addresses readers who wondered why his return had not yet come.

Editorial notes, not scripture.