Bible Commentaries

Passing from the city, the disciples drew their Master's attention to the stones of the Temple, and He told them that this glorious building would be demolished so that no single stone would be left upon another.

He went on to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples came to Him privately for more spec& teaching ,on the great subjects suggested by His closing address to the crowds, and His prophecy concerning the Temple. In order to understand the teaching of this chapter we must distinctly bear in mind the questions which our Lord answered. They are three, and occur in verse three:

1. 'When shall these things be?"

2. What shall be the sign of Thy coming?"

3. "What shall be the sign of the end of the age?" The disciples did not so tabulate their questions.

In all probability they presented them as one request, supposing that all these things would happen simultaneously. Jesus' answer was directed mainly to correct this misapprehension.

Answering the first question, the Master carefully distinguished between 'these things" and "'the end." The former He declared must come to pass, but the latter is not yet (verse Matthew 24:6). Moreover, He distinctly told the nearness of them. "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished" (verse Matthew 24:34). Here again He most carefully distinguished between "these things," and "the coming of the Son of man." The former He practically dated, saying that the then existing generation should not pass until all was fulfilled. "The coming," He says, cannot be dated, for the time is known only to the Father.

The question concerning His coming He answered by declaring that when He does come there will be no doubt or question. He ended with a solemn injunction to "watch" (verse Matthew 24:42).

With reference to the third question as to the end of the age, He said:

1. "It is not yet" (verse Matthew 24:6).

2. It shall be "when this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all nations" (verse Matthew 24:14). What this may really mean is a big question. Some claim that this has already been done, and that therefore the end of the age is necessarily close at hand. This conclusion is open to grave doubt. Everything depends on the meaning of the words, "for a testimony."