What does Matthew 24 say about the end

To avoid misinterpretations, it is important to first of all to... Matthäus 24 to be seen in the broader context of the preceding chapters. You might be surprised to learn that the backstory of Matthäus 24 The situation begins no later than chapter 16, verse 21. There it states, in summary: “From that time on, Jesus began to tell his disciples how he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law, and be killed and on the third day rise again.” With this, Jesus gives the first hints of what, in the eyes of the disciples, appeared to be a fundamental showdown between Jesus and the religious authorities in Jerusalem. On the way to Jerusalem (20:17-19), he further prepares them for this impending conflict.

During the time of the first predictions of his Passion, Jesus took the three disciples Peter, James, and John with him to a high mountain. There they experienced the Transfiguration (17:1-13). This alone must have led the disciples to wonder whether the establishment of the Kingdom of God might be imminent (17:10-12).

Jesus goes on to announce to his disciples that they would sit on twelve thrones and judge Israel “when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne” (19:28). Undoubtedly, this raised renewed questions about the “when” and “how” of the coming of the Kingdom of God. Jesus’ talk of the Kingdom even moved the mother of James and John to ask Jesus to give her two sons special positions within it (20:20-21).

Then came the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when Jesus rode into the city on a donkey (21:1-11). According to Matthew, this fulfilled a prophecy of Zechariah, which was seen as referring to the Messiah. The whole city was on its feet, wondering what would happen when Jesus arrived. In Jerusalem, he overturned the tables of the money changers and demonstrated his messianic authority through further deeds and miracles (21:12-27). “Who is he?” the people asked in amazement (21:10).

Then, in 21:43, Jesus explains to the chief priests and elders: “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” His listeners knew that he was speaking of them. This statement by Jesus could be taken as an indication that he was about to establish his messianic kingdom, but that the religious establishment was to be excluded from it.

Is the empire being built?

The disciples who heard this must have wondered what was about to happen. Did Jesus want to immediately proclaim himself the Messiah? Was he about to attack the Roman authorities? Was he about to bring the kingdom of God? Would there be war, and what would happen to Jerusalem and the Temple?

Now we come to Matthäus 22Verse 15. Here begins the scene with the Pharisees, who try to trap Jesus with questions about taxes. With his answers, they wanted to portray him as a rebel against the Roman authorities. But Jesus answered wisely and thoughtfully, and their plan was thwarted.

On the same day, the Sadducees also had a confrontation with Jesus (22:23-32). They did not believe in the resurrection and likewise posed him a trick question about seven brothers who successively married the same woman. Whose wife would she be in the resurrection? Jesus answered indirectly, saying they did not understand their own Scriptures. He confused them by stating that there would be no marriage in the kingdom.

Then, finally, the Pharisees and Sadducees together asked him a question about the greatest commandment in the Law (22:36). He answered wisely by quoting... 3. Mose 19,18 and 5. Mose 6,5And he countered with a trick question: Whose son was the Messiah supposed to be (22:42)? Then they had to remain silent; “no one could answer him a word, nor did anyone dare to question him from that day on” (22:46).

Chapter 23 shows Jesus' polemics against the scribes and the Pharisees. Toward the end of the chapter, Jesus announces that he will send them "prophets and wise men and scribes" and predicts that they will kill, crucify, scourge, and persecute them. He puts the responsibility for all killed prophets on their shoulders. Tension is evidently rising, and the disciples must have wondered what the significance of these confrontations might be. Was Jesus about to seize power as Messiah?

Then, in prayer, Jesus addresses Jerusalem and prophesies that her house will be "left desolate." This is followed by the enigmatic remark: "For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'" (23:38-39). The disciples must have been increasingly puzzled and anxiously asking themselves questions about what Jesus was saying. Was he about to explain himself?

The prophesied temple destruction

After this, Jesus left the temple. As he went out, his breathless disciples pointed to the temple buildings. In Mark, they said, “Teacher, look at the stones and the buildings!” (13:1). Luke writes that the disciples spoke in awe of his “beautiful stones and treasures” (21:5).

Consider what must have happened in the hearts of the disciples. Jesus' statements about the devastation of Jerusalem and its confrontations with the religious authorities frightened and excited the disciples. You must have wondered why he was talking about the imminent downfall of Judaism and its institutions. Should not Messiah come to strengthen both? From the words of the disciples about the temple sounds indirectly the concern: It should not be done even this mighty church a damage?

Jesus thwarts their hopes and deepens their fearful premonitions. He brushes aside their praise of the temple: “Do you not see all these things? Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down” (24:2). This must have been a profound shock to the disciples. They believed the Messiah would save Jerusalem and the temple, not destroy them. When Jesus spoke of these things, the disciples must have been thinking of the end of Gentile rule and the glorious resurgence of Israel; both are prophesied so many times in the Hebrew Scriptures. They knew that these events were to occur in the “time of the end,” in the “last days” (Dan 8,17(11:35 and 40; 12:4 and 9). Then the Messiah would appear or “come” to establish the Kingdom of God. This meant that Israel would rise to national greatness and form the spearhead of the kingdom.

When will that happen?

The disciples – who believed Jesus to be the Messiah – were naturally eager to know if the “time of the end” had finally arrived. There was great anticipation that Jesus would soon announce that he was the Messiah. (Joh 2,12-18)No wonder, then, that the disciples pressed the master to explain the manner and time of his “coming”.

As Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, the excited disciples approached him privately, wanting some "insider" information. "Tell us," they begged, "when will this happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the world?"Mt 24,3.) They wanted to know when the things prophesied by Jesus about Jerusalem would come to pass, because they undoubtedly connected them with the end times and his "coming".

When the disciples spoke of the "coming," they did not have a "second" coming in mind. They imagined that the Messiah would come and set up his kingdom in Jerusalem very soon, and it would last "forever." They did not know a division into a “first” and “second” coming.

Another important point to consider is... Matthäus 24,3 This must be taken into account, because the verse is a kind of summary of the entire chapter 24. The disciples' question is repeated, and some key words are italicized: "Tell us," they asked, "when will this happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" They wanted to know when the things Jesus had prophesied about Jerusalem would happen, because they connected them with the "end of the world" (more precisely: the end of the age, the era) and his "coming."

Three questions of the disciples

Three questions from the disciples emerge. First, they wanted to know when "this" would happen. "This" could refer to the desolation of Jerusalem and the Temple, whose destruction Jesus had just prophesied. Second, they wanted to know what "sign" would announce his coming; Jesus tells them, as we will see, later in chapter 24, verse 30. And third, the disciples wanted to know when the "end" would occur. Jesus tells them that this is not for them to know (24:36).

If we consider these three questions – and Jesus' answers to them – separately, we can spare ourselves a whole series of Matthäus 24 related problems and misinterpretations. Jesus tells his disciples that Jerusalem and the Temple (the "that") will indeed be destroyed during their lifetime. But the "sign" they asked for will be connected with his coming, not the destruction of the city. And to the third question, he answers that no one knows the hour of his return and the "end" of the age.

Three questions then in Matthäus 24 and three separate answers that Jesus gives to them. These answers decouple events that form a unity in the disciples' questions and sever their temporal connection. Jesus' second coming and the "end of the age" may therefore still lie in the future, even though the destruction of Jerusalem (70 AD) is already a very long time ago.

This does not mean – as I said – that the disciples viewed the destruction of Jerusalem separately from the “end”. With almost 100 percent certainty they didn't do that. And besides, they reckoned with the imminent occurrence of the events (theologians use the technical term "imminent expectation").

Let's see how these questions are addressed in Matthäus 24 This will be discussed further. First, we note that Jesus apparently has no particular interest in speaking about the circumstances of "the end." It is his disciples who probe, who ask questions, and Jesus responds to them and offers some explanations.

We also see that the disciples' questions about the "end" almost certainly come from a fallacy - that the events would occur very soon, and simultaneously. So it is not surprising that they counted on Jesus' "coming" as Messiah in the very near future, in the sense that it could happen in a few days or weeks. Still, they wanted a tangible "sign" to confirm his coming. With this initiate or secret knowledge, they wanted to put themselves in advantageous positions when Jesus took His step.

In this context, we should consider Jesus' remarks from Matthäus 24 The discussion was initiated by the disciples. They believed Jesus was about to seize power and wanted to know "when." They wanted a preparatory sign. In doing so, they completely misunderstood Jesus' mission.

The end: not yet

Instead of directly answering the disciples' questions, Jesus uses the opportunity to teach them three important lessons. 

The first lesson:
The scenario they were asking for was far more complicated than the disciples thought in their naivety. 

The second lesson:
When Jesus would “come”—or as we would say “come again”—they were not destined to know. 

The third lesson:
The disciples were to "watch," yes, but with an increasing focus on their relationship with God and less on local or world affairs. With these principles and the preceding discussion in mind, let us now see how Jesus' conversation with his disciples develops. First of all, he warns them not to be fooled by events that may appear to be end-time events but are not (24:4-8). Great and catastrophic events "must" happen, "but the end is not yet" (verse 6).

Then Jesus announces persecution, chaos, and death to the disciples (24:9-13). How terrifying that must have been for them! "What's all this talk of persecution and death?" they must have thought. The followers of the Messiah were supposed to triumph and conquer, not be slaughtered and destroyed, they reasoned.

Then Jesus begins to speak about how a gospel should be proclaimed to the whole world. After that, “the end will come” (24:14). This, too, must have confused the disciples. They probably thought that first the Messiah would “come,” then he would establish his kingdom, and only then would the word of the Lord go out into all the world. (Jes 2,1-4).

Next, Jesus seems to reverse course and speaks again of the destruction of the temple. He says that "an abomination of desolation shall be placed in the holy place," and "then let all who are in Judea flee to the mountains." (Mt 24,15-16)Unparalleled terror is about to befall the Jews. “For there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be,” says Jesus (24:21). It will be so terrible that no one would survive unless those days were shortened.

Although Jesus' words also have a global perspective, he primarily speaks of events in Judea and Jerusalem. "For great distress will come upon the land, and wrath against this people," Luke writes, thus more precisely outlining the context of Jesus' statements.Lk 21,23, Elberfeld Bible, emphasis added by the editor). The temple, Jerusalem and Judea are at the focus of Jesus' warning, not the whole world. The apocalyptic warning that Jesus utters applies primarily to the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea. The events of AD 66-70. have confirmed that.

Fleeing - on the Sabbath?

It is therefore not surprising that Jesus says: “Pray that your flight may not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.” (Mt 24,20)Some wonder: Why does Jesus mention the Sabbath if it is no longer obligatory for the church? Since Christians no longer have to observe the Sabbath, why is it specifically mentioned here as an obstacle? The Jews believed that traveling on the Sabbath was forbidden. They apparently even had a measure for the maximum distance that could be traveled on that day, namely a "Sabbath distance." (Apg 1,12)In Luke's Gospel, this corresponds to the distance between the Mount of Olives and the city center (according to the appendix in the Luther Bible, it was 2000 cubits, about 1 kilometer). But Jesus says a long escape into the mountains is necessary. A "Sabbath route" would not get them out of the danger zone. Jesus knows that his listeners believe they are not allowed to undertake long escape routes on the Sabbath.

This explains why he asks the disciples to ask that the flight should not fall on a sabbath. This call is to be seen in the context of their understanding of the Mosaic Law at the time. We can summarize Jesus' reasoning as follows: I know that you do not believe in long journeys on the Sabbath, and you will not do any because you believe the law requires it. So if the things that are about to come to Jerusalem fall on a sabbath, you will not escape them and you will find death. Therefore I advise you: Pray that you do not have to flee on the Sabbath. For even if they decided to flee, the travel restrictions that prevailed generally in the Jewish world, a serious obstacle dar.

As already mentioned, we can relate this part of Jesus' warnings to the destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred in the year 70. Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, who still kept the Law of Moses, (Apg 21,17-26)They would be affected and would have to flee. They would face a conflict of conscience with the Sabbath law should circumstances require them to flee on that day.

Still not the "sign"

Meanwhile, Jesus continued his discourse, which aimed to answer his disciples' three questions about "when" he would come. We observe that so far he has essentially only explained when he will not come. He separates the catastrophe that will befall Jerusalem from the "sign" and from the coming of "the end." At this point, the disciples must have believed that the devastation of Jerusalem and Judea was the "sign" they were seeking. But they were mistaken, and Jesus points out their error. He says, "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There he is!', do not believe it." (Mt 24,23)Not to believe it? What were the disciples supposed to make of it? They must have wondered: We plead with him to give us a sign of his kingdom, and he only talks about when the end will come, and mentions things that look like the sign, but are not.

Nevertheless, Jesus continues to tell the disciples when he will not come, when he will not appear. “So if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness!’ do not go out; or, ‘Look, he is inside the house!’ do not believe it” (24:26). He wants to make it clear that the disciples should not be misled, neither by world events nor by people who thought they knew that the sign of the end had occurred. Perhaps he even wants to tell them that the fall of Jerusalem and the Temple does not yet herald “the end.”

Now verse 29. Here Jesus finally begins to tell the disciples something about the "sign" of his coming, ie he answers their second question. The sun and moon are said to darken, and "the stars" (perhaps comets or meteorites) are said to fall from the sky. The whole solar system will shake.

Finally, Jesus tells the disciples the “sign” they are waiting for. He says, “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (24:30). Then Jesus asks the disciples to learn a parable about the fig tree (24:32-34). As soon as the branches soften and leaves sprout, you know that summer is approaching. “In the same way, when you see all these things, you know that summer is near, right at the door” (24:33).

All that

“All that” – what is that? Is it just wars, earthquakes and famines here and there? No. This is just the beginning of labor pains. There are many more afflictions to come before “the end.” Does “all this” end with the appearance of false prophets and the preaching of the gospel? Again, no. Is “all of this” fulfilled through the adversity in Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple? No. So what do you mean by “all of this”?

Before we answer, a little digression, anticipating in time something that the apostolic church had to learn and about which the synoptic gospels tell. The fall of Jerusalem in the year 70, the destruction of the temple and the death of many Jewish priests and spokesmen (and also some apostles) must have hit the church hard. It is almost certain that the Church believed that Jesus would return immediately after these events. But it did not materialize, and that must have offended some Christians.

Now, of course, the gospels show that before Jesus returns, much more should or should happen than just the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. The church could not conclude from Jesus' absence after the fall of Jerusalem that it had been misled. In teaching the Church, all three Synoptics repeat: Until you see the "sign" of the Son of man appearing in heaven, do not listen to those who say that he has already come or will soon come.

Nobody knows about the hour

Now we come to the core message that Jesus conveyed in the dialogue of Matthäus 24 wants to convey his message. His words in Matthäus 24 They are less prophetic in nature; rather, they are a teaching on Christian living. Matthäus 24 Jesus' admonition to his disciples is: Be constantly spiritually prepared, precisely because you do not know and cannot know when I will return. The parables in Matthäus 25 They illustrate the same basic message. Accepting this – that the timing is and will remain unknown – immediately clears up many misunderstandings surrounding it. Matthäus 24 The chapter states that Jesus does not intend to make any prophecies about the exact time of the "end" or his return. The "watch" means: be constantly spiritually alert, always be prepared. And not: constantly follow world events. No "when" prophecy is given.

As seen in later history, Jerusalem was indeed the focal point of many turbulent events and developments. 1099, for example, the Christian Crusaders surrounded the city and slaughtered all the inhabitants. During World War I, British General Allenby captured the city and dissolved it from the Turkish Empire. And today, as we all know, Jerusalem and Judea play a central role in the Jewish-Arab conflict.

To summarize: When the disciples asked Jesus "when" the end would come, he replied, "You cannot know." This statement was clearly difficult to accept, and still is. For even after his resurrection, the disciples continued to press him with questions like, "Lord, will you at that time restore the kingdom to Israel?" (Apg 1,6)And again Jesus answers: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority…” (verse 7).

Despite Jesus' clear teaching, Christians throughout the ages have repeated the error of the apostles. Again and again speculation about the time of the "end" accumulated, Jesus' coming was predicted again and again. But history proved Jesus right and every number juggler wrong. Quite simply: we cannot know when “the end” will come.

Keep watch

What should we do while we wait for Jesus' return? Jesus answers this for his disciples, and the answer applies to us as well. He says: "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come... Therefore you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect." (Mt 24,42-44)Being vigilant in the sense of "observing world events" is not what is meant here. "Watchfulness" refers to the Christian's relationship with God. He must always be prepared to encounter his Creator.

In the remainder of chapter 24 and in chapter 25, Jesus then elaborates on what is meant by "watching." In the parable of the faithful and the wicked servant, he urges his disciples to avoid worldly sins and not to be overcome by the allure of sin (24:45-51). The moral? Jesus says that the master of the wicked servant will "come on a day when he does not expect it and at an hour he does not know" (24:50).

A similar lesson is conveyed in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (25:1-25). Some of the virgins are not ready, not "awake," when the bridegroom arrives. They are excluded from the kingdom. The moral? Jesus says, "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour" (25:13). In the parable of the talents, Jesus speaks of himself as a person going on a journey (25:14-30). He was likely thinking of his sojourn in heaven before his return. The servants were to manage the entrusted goods faithfully in the meantime.

Finally, in the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus addresses the shepherd duties that will be given to the disciples during his absence. He is here directing their attention from the "when" of His coming to the consequences that coming will have on their eternal life. His coming and resurrection are to be their judgment day. The day Jesus separates the sheep (his true followers) from the goats (the evil shepherds).

In the parable, Jesus works with symbols based on the physical needs of the disciples. They fed him when he was hungry, gave him drink when he was thirsty, took him up when he was a stranger, clothed him when he was naked. The disciples were surprised and said that they had never seen him as such.

But Jesus wanted to illustrate pastoral virtues with this. “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (25:40). Who is a brother or sister of Jesus? One of his true followers. So Jesus commands his disciples to be good stewards and shepherds of his flock—his Church.

Thus ends the long discourse in which Jesus answers the three questions of his disciples: When will Jerusalem and the temple be destroyed? What will be the "sign" of his coming? When will the “end of the world” occur?

summary

The disciples hear with horror that the temple buildings are to be destroyed. They ask when that is to happen and when "the end" and Jesus' "coming" is to occur. As I said, in all probability they reckoned with the fact that Jesus ascended the throne of the Messiah right then and let the kingdom of God dawn in all power and glory. Jesus warns against such thinking. There will be a delay before "the end". Jerusalem and the Temple will be destroyed, but the life of the Church will go on. Persecution of Christians and terrible tribulations will come upon Judea. The disciples are shocked. They had thought that the Messiah's disciples would have an immediate sweeping victory, the Promised Land would be conquered, true worship restored. And now these predictions of the destruction of the Temple and the persecution of the believers. But there are more startling lessons to come. The only "sign" that the disciples will see of Jesus' coming is His coming itself. This "sign" no longer has a protective function because it comes too late. This all leads to Jesus' core statement that no one can prophesy when "the end" will occur or when Jesus will return.

Jesus addressed the concerns of his disciples, which stemmed from a flawed way of thinking, and derived a spiritual teaching from them. In the words of D.A. Carson: “The disciples’ questions are answered, and the reader is encouraged to rejoice in the Lord’s return and, while the Master is far away, to live responsibly, faithfully, compassionately, and courageously (24:45–25:46)” (ibid., p. 495). 

by Paul Kroll