Matthew 24:1-3

Matthew 24:1-3
Matthew 24 has been one of the most misunderstood and abused texts in the Bible. Typically, the chapter is interpreted as being signs concerning the end of time and the foretelling of a great tribulation that will take place prior to Christ’s return. Nothing could be further from the truth. As usual, false teaching comes from a twisting of the scripture (2 Pet. 3:16) as a result of a person reading into a text the things they would like to believe or justify without giving careful consideration to context. Let’s begin our study of this chapter by considering the context.
The Temple of Jesus’ day had been in building for over 46 years and was one of the wonders of the world. It was truly a monumental achievement and the Jews considered it the primary sign that God considered them the chosen people. But as Jesus and His disciples left the Temple, Jesus made an astonishing statement: “there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” The disciples were knowledgeable enough of the Old Testament to understand this statement as the precursor to the fall of the Israel nation as foretold by Daniel (9:24-27) and Joel (2:28-32). Therefore, they asked three questions:
1. When will these things be?
2. What will be the sign of your coming?
3. What will be the sign of the close of the age?
Now, it is important to understand the meaning of their questions. Mark’s account record’s two questions that provide us an insight into the meaning of the questions recorded by Matthew. Mark’s questions are: “When will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” You will notice how Mark’s account of the second question parallels the second question in Matthew. The “sign when all these things are accomplished” parallels “the sign of your coming.” Therefore, when the disciples ask about the “coming” of Jesus, they are referring to His coming to destroy the temple, Jerusalem, and the nation. These are the very things Jesus had foretold He would do (Matt. 22:1-8; 21:42-43) and the things that were foretold by the prophets mentioned above.
The third question, “What will be the sign of the close of the age,” is not talking about the end of time, but is a natural question by Jews who knew the prophets. Daniel had prophesied that the Jewish age would come to an end (Dan. 9:24-27). Daniel 10:14 referred to this period as the “last days,” as in the last days of the Jewish period. Hebrews 1:1-2 states that “in these last days” God would speak through His Son instead of through the prophets. Joel prophesied, and Peter quoted, that the Spirit would be poured out in the “last days,” which was the same time in which the nation would fall (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:14-21).
Therefore, we conclude our introduction with this: the questions Jesus answers have to do with the destruction of the temple, the fall of the nation of Israel, and the sign when these things would take place. These are the questions Jesus answers. There will not be anything in the text that will refer to the end of time.
Berry Kercheville