Bible Commentaries

1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!

Ver. 1. What manner of stones, &c.] Huge stones, and so cunningly cemented, as it were inoculated, the one into the other, that a man would have thought, and sworn almost, that they had been all but one entire stone. {a} Josephus writeth of these stones, that they were fifteen cubits long, twelve high, and eight broad.

{a} Quasi tota moles ex unico ingenti lapide in tantam magnitudinem consurgeret.

2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Ver. 2. There shall not be left one stone, &c.] There is no trusting, therefore, to forts and strongholds; no, though they be munitions of rocks, as Isaiah speaketh. The Jebusites that jeered David and his forces were thrown out of their Sion. Babylon, that bore herself bold upon her twenty years’ provision laid in for a siege, and upon her high towers and thick walls, was surprised by Cyrus. So was this goodly temple by Titus, who left only three towers of this stately edifice unrazed, to declare unto posterity the strength of the place and valour of the vanquisher. But sixty-five years after, Aelius Hadrian inflicting on the rebelling Jews a wonderful slaughter, subverted those remainders, and sprinkled salt upon the foundation.

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,

Ver. 3. {See Trapp on "Matthew 24:1"} {See Trapp on "Matthew 24:2"} {See Trapp on "Matthew 24:3"}

4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?

Ver. 4. Shall be fulfilled] or, have an end, συντελεισθαι, that is, be destroyed, as Matthew 13:2. Which yet these apostles held not destroyable till the world’s destruction, as appears Matthew 24:1-51.

5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:

Ver. 5. And Jesus answering them, &c.] Not directly to their question, but far better to their edification. This was ordinary with our Saviour.

6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.

Ver. 7. The end shall not be yet] Neither of the world, nor of the temple.

8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

Ver. 8. The beginning of sorrows] The sorrows and throes of child birth, ωδινων, which are nothing so bad at first, as in the birth.

9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.

Ver. 9. See Matthew 10:17; Matthew 24:9. {See Trapp on "Matthew 10:17"} {See Trapp on "Matthew 24:9"}

10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.

Ver. 10. Among all nations] i.e. Among other nations than the Jews.

11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

Ver. 11. Neither do ye premeditate] Con not your answers, as boys use to do their orations and school exercises, which the Greeks call μελετας, whereunto Beza thinks our Saviour here aludeth.

12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.

Ver. 12. See Matthew 10:21.

13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Ver. 13. And ye shall be hated of all men] Odio generis humani, as Tacitus (lib. 15), speaking of the Christians under Nero. St Luke adds, "But there shall not a hair of your heads perish," for "the very hairs of your head are numbered," saith St Matthew. {Matthew 10:30}

14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:

Ver. 14. The abomination of desolation] The Roman forces, therefore most abominable to God and his angels, because they desolated the pleasant land and abolished the true worship of God. See Revelation 17:4-5.

Where it ought not] viz. In respect of the Romans, who did it only out of ambition and covetousness. See Isaiah 10:7.

15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:

Ver. 15. {See Trapp on "Matthew 24:16"} {See Trapp on "Matthew 24:17"}

16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.

Ver. 16. {See Trapp on "Matthew 24:18"}

17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

Ver. 17. {See Trapp on "Matthew 24:19"}

18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.

Ver. 18. {See Trapp on "Matthew 24:20"}

19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.

Ver. 19. For in those days shall be affliction] Gr. "Those days shall be affliction," as if the very time were nothing else but affliction in itself. {See Trapp on "Matthew 24:21"}

20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.

Ver. 20. Except the Lord had shortened] Mutilaverat, truncaverat, εκολοβωσε. Not in respect of the divine decree, but, 1. Of the long miseries that the people had deserved. 2. Of the enemies’ rage, that would have exceeded. See Zechariah 1:13.

21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:

22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.

24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,

Ver. 24. {See Trapp on "Matthew 24:29"}

25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

Ver. 25. {See Trapp on "Matthew 24:29"}

26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Ver. 26. {See Trapp on "Matthew 24:30"}

27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

Ver. 27. {See Trapp on "Matthew 24:31"}

28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:

Ver. 28. Now learn a parable of the fig tree] We should not rest content with a natural use of the creatures, as brutes do, but pick some spiritual matter out of every sensible object. Thus Reverend Master Deering, when the sun shone on his face now lying on his death bed, fell into a sweet meditation of the glory of God and his approaching joy. (Dr Hall’s Art of Divine Meditation.)

29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.

30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.

Ver. 30. Till all these things be done] Begun they were in the destruction of Jerusalem, carried on by the enemies’ rage against the Church, and to be ended with the last age of the Church, which begins at the coming of Christ in the flesh.

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

32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

Ver. 34. The porter to watch] That the rest did their work.

35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

Ver. 35. When the master cometh] But come he will to judgment, as sure as that he hath destroyed Jerusalem; this is a pledge of the other.

36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Ver. 37. Watch] What Cerbidius Scevola was wont to say of the civil law, holds more true of the divine law: Ius civile scriptum est vigilantibus, non dormitantibus. The law was written for those that observe to obey it. And that very good counsel that Bucer gives upon this text, Merito semper sonare auribus nostris debet haec vox, vigilate. This word watch should be ever sounding in our ears, running in our minds. Let it be our constant care, that death do not surprise us suddenly. No guest comes unawares to him that keeps a constant table.