Bible Commentaries

1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.

Ver. 1. {See Trapp on "Mark 12:41"}

2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.

Ver. 2. Casting in thither two mites] That is, two eighth parts of a half-penny, saith the Syriac. {See Trapp on "Mark 12:41"} {See Trapp on "Mark 12:42"}

3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:

4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,

Ver. 5. {See Trapp on "Matthew 24:1"}

6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Ver. 6. {See Trapp on "Matthew 24:2"}

7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

Ver. 7. {See Trapp on "Matthew 24:3"}

8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

Ver. 8. See Matthew 24:4-5, &c.

9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.

Ver. 9. See Matthew 24:6, &c.

10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.

Ver. 12. See Matthew 24:9; Mark 13:9.

13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

Ver. 13. And it shall turn to you, &c.] While the valour of the martyrs and the savageness of the persecutors strove together, till both, exceeding nature and belief, bred wonder and astonishment in beholders and hearers.

14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:

Ver. 14. See Matthew 10:19; Mark 13:11; {See Trapp on "Matthew 10:19"} {See Trapp on "Mark 13:11"}

15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.

17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.

18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

Ver. 18. See Matthew 10:30; {See Trapp on "Matthew 10:30"} See also for explication, 1 Samuel 14:45; 2 Samuel 14:11; Acts 27:34.

19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

Ver. 19. In your patience possess] That is, enjoy yourselves, however the world goes with you. He that cannot have patience had need made up his pack and get out of the world, for here is no being for him. Burleigh, lord treasurer, was wont to say that he overcame envy more by patience than pertinace.

20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

Ver. 20. Jerusalem compassed with armies] By Cestius Gallus, a little before that fatal siege by Titus. So God gave his people this sign, to take best course for their own safety.

21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

Ver. 21. See Matthew 24:16; Mark 13:14.

22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

Ver. 22. See Matthew 24:15-17.

23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

Ver. 23. See Matthew 24:15-17.

24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

Ver. 24. Until the times of the Gentiles] The Gentiles then shall not always tread down Jerusalem. Those kings of the East, the Jews, may, likely, have their way prepared to it, through Euphrates, Revelation 16:12, and Jerusalem be again inhabited by them, even in Jerusalem, Zechariah 12:6. But this will be not long before the last day, Luke 21:25.

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Ver. 25. See Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24; 2 Peter 3:10.

26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Ver. 26. Men’s hearts failing them] What marvel though wicked men be dispirited, and even ring their bells backwards, when they shall see all on a light fire? Moses himself may tremble at the terror of the mount, and Abraham show some trepidation in such a fright.

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Ver. 27. Coming in a cloud] As on a chariot. See Revelation 1:7.

28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Ver. 28. Look up] You that shall then be found alive shall soon be caught up, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18, and fully freed from all evils and enemies.

29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

Ver. 29. See Matthew 24:32; Mark 13:28;

30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

Ver. 33. See Matthew 5:18.

34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

Ver. 34. Take heed that your hearts] The disciples themselves had in them the common poison of nature, and so were obnoxious even to the most reproachful evils. That, πανσπερμια, if watered with the temptation of Satan, what sin may it not produce in the best, unless God prevent? Let the best take heed that they be not irregulares gulares, making the corpse a cloak bag, the gut a gulf, &c. A full belly makes a foul heart: the rankest weeds grow out of the fattest soil.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

Ver. 35. As a snare] See Ecclesiastes 9:12. {See Trapp on "Ecclesiastes 9:12"}

36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Ver. 36. That ye may be accounted worthy] Great is the emphasis of this word, καταξιωθητε (saith learned Beza), for it gives us to understand that we owe all to the free election of God, who loved us first, and so accepted us for worthy, Revelation 3:4.

37 And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.

Ver. 37. And in the day] So he divided his time between preaching and praying; as did also his apostles, Acts 6:4. {See Trapp on "Acts 6:4"}

38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

Ver. 38. Came early in the morning] Mancabat, saith the Vulgate, imitating the Greek, ωρθριζε. Let our people look upon their forwardliness, and be ashamed of their long lying, tardy coming to hear the word.