Matthew 24
You do not know that day…
1 Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2 And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”
3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5 ”For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. 6 ”You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7 ”For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8 ”But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
9 ”Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 ”At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11 ”Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12 ”Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 ”But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14 ”This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
15 ”Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 ”Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. 18 ”Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19 ”But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 ”But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21 ”For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22 ”Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 ”Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is, ‘ do not believe him. 24 ”For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25 ”Behold, I have told you in advance. 26 ”So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. 27 ”For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 ”Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
36 ”But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 37 ”For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 ”For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 ”Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 ”Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.
42 ”Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43 ”But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 ”For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.
45 ”Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 ”Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. 47 ”Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 ”But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; 50 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, 51 and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
MATTHEW 24:1-3
1 Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2 And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”
3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
“Not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”
Again we see the Instructor’s Gospel by Matthew. He compiles all the statements Jesus makes about the Last Days and puts them into one sermon regardless of the actual chronology of events. Mark and Luke are much better synoptic gospels for chronological order. Matthew combines sermons on the destruction of Jerusalem, the Day of The Lord, the persecution of Christians and the return of Jesus.
In AD 70, Rome tired of Jewish insurgencies and sent General (later Emperor) Titus to destroy Jerusalem. It was one of the worst sieges of a city in history. Jewish/Roman historian, Josephus recorded that 97,000 inhabitants were captured and 1,100,000 were killed. Other historical references cite that the Romans, upon breaking through the walls found multiple horrors including cases of mothers who had killed and roasted their own babies for food.
Keep in mind how much Matthew sought to relate the sayings and work of Jesus to the Old Testament prophesies. The Day of The Lord was a constant Old Testament theme. It is cited in Zephaniah 1:14-18, 1Thessalonians 5:2, Joel 2:30, 31, Isaiah 13:10, 13 and again in Daniel 12:11. Regarding all the prophecies it is hard to know if Jesus was referring to a different time or to events that would happen—even during the life of his disciples. All we know is that it is an unexpected time. So we shouldn’t focus our energy on such matters. Some of these events occurred within the lifetime of the disciples like the destruction of Jerusalem.
We should have clarity on one particular area though. This destruction is the result of living outside the parameters of God’s Kingdom. As Jesus later said to Peter, “Those who take up the sword, perish by it [Matthew 26:52].”
Where do we put our faith? In the structures and systems of humanity or the compassion and steadfastness of God?
The way to tell where we put our faith is to look at how we spend our resources—especially that of time. Would a third party be able to look at my schedule and see the compassion of Christ is my central commitment?
“Tell us, when…”
We can’t blame the disciples for wanting to know the when’s and how’s of Christ’s return. However Jesus is wise enough not to seek that information and declares that even he has not been allowed to know [v. 36]. If Jesus himself does not know, why is it so many religious scholars try to predict this date or proclaim they know it?
It seems human nature that if we did know this date, we would put off our salvation until the last possible moment causing others and ourselves years of misery in the process. We are far better off working towards our salvation in the interim rather than waiting for it.
Rather than waiting for the Last Day possible, let’s make everyday a day of unlimited potential. Let us focus on the harvest in the field rather than the ruminations of theologians who would be far better off working towards a compassionate world rather than musing over formulas that would purportedly give them a knowledge even Jesus was not allowed to possess.
MATTHEW 24:4-28
4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5 ”For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. 6 ”You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7 ”For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8 ”But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
9 ”Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 ”At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11 ”Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12 ”Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 ”But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14 ”This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
15 ”Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 ”Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. 18 ”Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19 ”But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 ”But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21 ”For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22 ”Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 ”Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is, ‘ do not believe him. 24 ”For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25 ”Behold, I have told you in advance. 26 ”So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. 27 ”For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 ”Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
“For many will come in My name”
To come in Christ’s name is to proclaim to be his servant while living out my own agenda. The word “Name” also meant character. What is the character of Christ if not justice for the least of these? Even more important than the name I call myself, what do the poor call me? Do the least accepted and most rejected of my community know my name? Do they say good things about me?
The call of a Christ-centered leader today is to build a Crossable bridge between those who have and those who don’t. It is certainly not a sin to “hobnob” with the famous and wealthy, Christ did too, but does it lead to opportunities for justice?
“The beginning of birth pangs.”
The “beginning of birth pangs” is both an exciting and scary time. It is certainly a time of pain and anxiety. Many people approach birth with a birthing coach, someone who helps keep a focus on breathing and the joy to come. The birth pangs of Christ’s return will be much the same. Will others find me a birthing coach during that time or a naysayer of doom? Our world is full of people who can point out problems or master the sarcastic. It is far harder to be the coach who focuses on the task-at-hand and the hope-to-come. Which will I be?
“Most people’s love will grow cold”
Here is the bell weather way we can tell the age of Christ grows near. “Most people’s love will grow cold.”
It is telling that Christ uses the term for life’s breath going cold when he says that our love will grow cold. When our hearts and spirits stop loving, we can bet the end is near.
One can presume Christ is talking primarily about the faithful here, not just the general population. We are not just leaders of faith but also leaders of compassion. The most convincing sign of Christian leadership is when the poor call us leaders and we lead those who are well off into relationship with the poor.
Poverty is not just a resource problem. It is also a relationship problem. One of the reasons we are unable to decrease poverty is because we generally respond in a resource manner and ignore building relationships. A faith-based response is to lead people into compassion through equality in relationships.
I would like to believe our outreaches model that in our work with high-risk foster teens and street kids in Canada’s most violent city. Our focus is two-fold. Help young people articulate their values and dreams then connect them to adults in our community who will support those values or have mastered those dreams.
Important Terms
Love [G25 Agápō] sacrificial and unconditional love
Cold [G5594 Psūché] this word also means “life’s breath” as in when a person stops breathing and living
“You will be hated by all nations because of My name
To be a follower of Christ is to have the right friends AND the right enemies. If everyone approves of us then we are not really living prophetically.
To be hated because of Christ’s name also means we’re hated because our lives portray his character. Name and Character were interchangeable in Christ’s day. Your name was your bond. If our character reveals Christ’s gospel message, there will certainly be people upset with us (or even worse) because we advocate for the poor.
Important Terms
[G3686 Ònoma] Name or character
“The ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION”
This is a particularly shocking statement by Christ. The words would have far more impact to his disciples than to us. Jesus prophesies Jerusalem’s upcoming desolation and that all that will remain of the temple will be a stench of death. Of course this came true during the lifetime of many of the disciples.
At this time in history the whole Middle East continues to be marked by violence. Whole nations have become wastelands marked by the stench of death. Even if we don’t live in these areas, we must ask ourselves how our consumer choices or taxes might be used to continue a violence spawned by a lack of Gospel compassion. What can our choices and our votes do to encourage that Pax Christi (the peace of compassion) rather than Pax Romani (the peace of the biggest weapons or largest army) takes root in those areas?
A lack of involvement on our part is a form of involvement. Acquiescence is the fuel of tyrants.
Important Terms
Abomination [G946 Bdélugma] stench of death
Desolation [G2050 Erémāsis] the act of making desolate! This was surely a prophecy linked to the AD 70 destruction of Jerusalem and Matthew—ever the link to Old Testament Prophecy—also links it to Daniel’s Prophecy [Daniel 8:13, 9:25, 27, 11:31, 12:21]
“False prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders”
To be a prophet meant you found and claimed treasure in the soil. It was a word of power and symbolism. Do we find and claim treasure in the souls of human beings around us? A false prophet would claim wisdom—or a charter from God—with no results. Think of the many social commentators and pseudo-comedians of our time who sarcastically point out the problems of the world but offer no solutions or leave people feeling even more helpless.
Do my words lead to actions that lead to great Gospel justice and peace in my community or world?
Important Terms
[G5578 Psuedopropétōs] False prophets
MATTHEW 24:29-35
29 “But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. 31 “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
32 “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33 so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. 34 “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
“The SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS”
The referral to “The Son of Man” goes all the way back to Ezekiel and Christ uses the reference multiple times to refer to himself. Every Gospel writer uses the expression when speaking about Jesus. As in Mark 2:10 when Jesus declares himself God by saying he can heal sins, Mark 2:10 “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, 11 “I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.”
The Jews believed only God could forgive sins, so Jesus declares himself God by forgiving the sins of the paralytic and simultaneously healing him. It was a shocking statement and astounding feat.
How do we live both shocking and astounding lives, with a focus on healing and forgiving? Do we leave a path behind us of people who were both healed and forgiven?
“This generation will not pass away until all these things take place”
Some declare the generation did pass away before all this occurred and that this was a reference to the End Times by Jesus. But clearly—as we’ve repetitively pointed out—all of this destruction occurred while many of the disciples were still alive.
If we looked at the “signs of our time” what could we say about what will happen before “this generation passes away?”
We cannot afford another generation like ourselves. We have borrowed from our children’s environment, their economies and their political capitol. We’ve divided them along gender lines, socio-economic lines and ideological beliefs. The next generation will be the first generation that will neither be better educated than their parents nor healthier. Many in the current generation have already rejected religion because they see it as nothing but judgmental. As one young person I met once said about religion, “If I have to choose between my gay friend and your religion. Forget about it.”
We have a lot to account for and we need to take a stand for change.
MATTHEW 24 36-44
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 37 “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
40 “Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.”
42 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43 “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”
MATTHEW 24:36
“But of that day and hour no one knows not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”
No one knows…
Why do people pour through the bible trying to garner dates to pin to “the last times?” Jesus declares that, “not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone,” knows those dates. Are we greater than Jesus? To what end do we search for those dates except to distract us from the work at hand? I am all for biblical inquiry—but there is a hidden message to this reading which is; “Maybe we are not supposed to know. Maybe that shouldn’t be our concern. Maybe we are supposed to focus our energy elsewhere.”
Christ said more than we cannot know the dates; he said we will not know the dates—we are incapable of knowing them—they are for God to know. We are not to know. So, why insist on flaunting his mysteries with pretentious scholarship? It is enough for us to know that he will come again at the appropriate time. Paul’s implication to the Thessalonians was that they had more important things to do than to try and decipher the undecipherable:
1Thessolonians 5:1-2
1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
What is it that Paul thinks is more important for us to do than to gaze into the heavens, interpret the signs of the times or prophecy the future?
1Thessolonians 5:14-18
14 And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men. 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men. 16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Where is the mind of the Christ follower focused? We should be entirely focused on kindness, gentleness, encouragement, accountability, and patience. Isn’t it enough to work on being someone who “rejoices always and prays without ceasing?” This will make us far more instrumental in preparing the way for the King’s arrival than second guessing the date. We have work to do—let’s do it.
Important terms
Day [G2250, hemera]; Gentle day, the space between dawn and dark.
This word is used frequently throughout the Gospels and the letters. It is used for the most dangerous watch of the day (the moment between light and dark) and it is used for the crack of dawn. The moment when light is heralded to a darkened morning. In Romans 11:11-14, Paul uses it to tell us that it is the time when we must “wake from our stupor.” It is also used for “high time” to get things done. It is “high time”; let’s get moving!
Know/Knoweth [G1492 Eido] completely grasping a concept so much that it becomes a part of your being.
No one can know (knoweth) [G1492, eido]; this term signifies that we are “unable to even be aware”; to grasp or behold this concept. It is not that we cannot study it—it is that we don’t even know what we are studying. It would be like a halibut elaborating on the Himalayans; we have no capacity to do anything but guess about God’s timing—and to what good? We would just be wasting valuable time. The term goes as far as to imply that guessing about the time is an insult to God. It is like an opinionated man telling his neurosurgeon which nerve to cut next. Until the very day of Christ’s coming, we will never have “knowledge” of the time—we can only have opinions. Unfortunately, there are always far too many people who spend far too much time garnering scripture to justify their opinions and who will preach on things they really don’t know.
MATTHEW 24:37-41
37 “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” 40 “Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.”
Noah prepared
Many biblical historians believe that the flood began in the 2516 B.C. and lasted one solar year. Prior to the flood the highest accolade people would make was they were eating, drinking and having babies (which isn’t too bad when you consider they were a sustenance people, some barely surviving each day). In other words, they were doing no more and no less than an animal or reptile does everyday. Yet, God did not call us to be animals. We are drawn to meaning and purpose, spirituality and worship.
Very few things deny the presence of God more than the person who goes through every day of his life without ever acknowledging the One who gave him the capacity for meaning and endowment of faith. I would contest that hating God is better than ignoring God. The men of Noah’s time lived like animals, they went through each day of their lives completely uninterested in the God who gave them life and falsely satiating their need for spiritual intimacy.
Yet, one Godly man—Noah—was interested in having an intimate relationship with the Caller of all hearts and the humility of Noah’s heart before the Lord allowed him to hear God’s call. It was a call into a time of preparation and it wasn’t a short time of preparation either.
Noah did not finish the ark in a few weekends; it wasn’t like adding a deck on his porch. Noah began work on the ark when he was 480 years old and he had no idea how long it was going to take him to complete it. During the process, his family looked like fools to those who had closed their ears to God. Still they continued the gargantuan task. In the 600th year of his life, Noah was finally told to get into his ark—a span of 120 years of labor! That would be the equivalent of almost twenty years of our life span! We are talking about 20 years of labor on a project directed by God but seemingly fruitless in man’s viewpoint.
Would we be able to sustain such faithfulness as that? Would we be able to spend that length of time working on our call—even when it seemed hopeless? Would we be able to sustain the effort of building something that seems totally worthless in our neighbor’s eyes?
Traditions of The Deluge [G2627 Kataklusmos] are found among all the great religions of humanity; and these traditions, taken as a whole, wonderfully agree with the Biblical narrative. In fact, they agree with it in such a way as to lead to the conclusion that the Biblical account is the authentic narrative. The most remarkable of these traditions is recorded on tablets prepared by order of Assur-bani-pal, the king of Assyria. These were, however, copies of older records that date back to circa B.C. 2000.
What can we learn from Noah’s faithfulness and the lessons of his time?
We are made to worship God. We are not just called to live like animals and ignore the deepest and most profound aspects of our nature. We are, by nature, hard-wired for meaning and relationship, the spiritual and the communal. We insult God when we live in a manner that excludes or neglects him.
If we truly listen to God, our lives will be different than those around us who are not tuned in to the Creator’s still, but clear voice. The point of this story is that the follower of Christ must spend his life preparing for the Lord’s coming just as Noah spent his years preparing for the flood. At the top of our weekly planning session we should list; “Am I preparing for the Lord’s return?” This thought should not have me scrambling to a fall-out shelter. Instead, I should be living in such a way that my neighbors and my community see that I take the mission of Jesus Christ seriously.
Matt 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Can I say that my weekly task list reflects this commission? Can I say that my home is an ark to my neighborhood or to my city? Am I collecting the helpless into my hearth to prepare for the promised return of my Savior and Lord?
We don’t know when the rain is going to come or how long we should be preparing, we should just prepare. What if Noah knew he still had 120 years to prepare the ark? Don’t we think human nature would put off preparations until the 119th year? I am glad that God does not give me a timeline; either for my death or His return. In addition, I am glad He never gave to me a “job description.” If someone handed me a job description ten years ago for what I would be doing today—I would have called him or her crazy. I never expected to be in jails most of the week, working with street kids and adults, sharing my heart with the homeless. God sneaks up on us and we find ourselves “captive to joy.”
It is wise of God to sneak up on us because very few of us seem capable of choosing the path of sacrifice and endurance—especially when we learn that it will engage so much of our lives in efforts deemed worthless by this world.
Yet—though the path is hard—our Lord’s yoke is perfectly crafted. not easy [Mt 11:30]. The term the Lord uses is that his yoke [G5533 Chrestos] is “better on our shoulders,” it is gracious and well-fit. Remember our Lord was a craftsman, not just a carpenter. Carving yokes would be among his primary specialties. Oxen were the most important farm implements of Christ’s time. They were the tractors for the majority of the world (and still are in many developing countries). A craftsman didn’t reduce the oxen’s load, he made the perfect yoke that would never blister or tear the animal’s shoulders.
Our Lord has the “most appropriate” yoke in store for us; but He does not have an easy life in mind. However, because our yoke is so well-fit; there is joy in wearing it.
Today, the church is our ark. It must become the place where those “hard-wired for God” can prepare for the Lord’s coming. It must become the place where we can connect between the spiritual and the relational, between God and His people. It is not, however a fortress. From the church, we must receive the strength to go out and to invite others in. The doors must remain wide open so that all those who hunger and are lost might find respite and care.
Does that describe my church? Is that the mission of our people? Are we a fortress-people or a refugee boat for the lost?
One will be taken and one will be left
The Lord is quite clear about who will be taken and who will be left. He says it very plainly earlier in this chapter:
Matthew 24:12-14
12 “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
The one who “endures,” whose “love does not grow cold…” Can I say that “enduring warmth” is the catchphrase others use to describe me? Does my warm love endure and compel the cold cynics of this world? Do I continue to burn with Christ’s love even when others don’t love me back or the world turns a cold shoulder to me? Am I “hot” in a tepid world?
This is critical stuff, because this statement of Jesus tells me how my “enduring warmth” is tied to his return. When will Christ return? “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come [v.14].”
Jesus did his part; am I doing mine? Do I want him to return soon? Then, what am I doing to make sure that; “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations?”
Peter had a similar response when speaking about his Best Friend’s return. The Lord will return when all come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:8-9
8But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
That word, “repentance,” is worth diving into as well. [G3341 Metanoia] literally means “Beyond knowing.” Like Nicodemus, we don’t make our way to Jesus through mental gymnastics and ideology, though I firmly believe our study should be rigorous and habitual. We make our way to Jesus through wonder, compassion and faith—a belief in things unseen.
Where can I take the Lord’s wonder today? What does it look like to lead others to wonder—to beyond knowledge? Is my lamp burning in the darkest corners of my part of the world? Am I going to get out and comb the streets today to find the one place in my community where someone hasn’t heard about how much God loves them? Then we would be one more soul closer to Christ’s return!
Important terms
The coming of the Son of Man [G3952, Parousia]; being near, the advent (return) specifically of Christ.
The parousia should be a daily event for the disciple of Christ. Our Lord reveals himself in a continually deepening manner as we obey him. However, parousia corresponds directly with apokalupsis—the revealing of the Son of Man—and both phrases point to a specific age that is to come. An age of full revelation—not just to followers—but to all people. However, it will not be “good news” to all people. For some people, the justice of Jesus will be very frightening.
Shall be taken [G3880, paralambro], to be brought near, taken above, amazed (as in learning), or to assume an office (take our place by Christ).
At the coming of Jesus we shall be taken in amazement, brought near to God’s understanding and finally see clearly.
1 Corinthians 13:12-13
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
All of our judgmental attitudes and pre-judgment of others will be gone and replaced with compassion. Our sight will finally be freed of selfishness and the weight of our self-righteous anger lifted from our shoulders. We will understand as God understands and in that understanding we will love.
MATTHEW 24:42-44
42 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43 “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”
Am I prepared?
“Be on the alert!” Here is one of the most frequently utilized terms in the Gospels signifying the action we must take as the “groundwork” for the coming of Jesus Christ. The term is used for “get ready” and “be prepared.” It is used by Jesus to call cripples from their mats. Angels also use it to call the indecisive or inactive from their slumber (stupor). This is the term Gabriel uses when he “kick-starts” Joseph at a time when the carpenter is vacillating about 1) what to do with his pregnant fiancé and 2) whether his family should leave Bethlehem after the warning from the three magi. The term should be significant to all Christians as it tells listeners to, “Rise up from obscurity.”
”Be on the alert!” “Wake from your slumber!” “Rise from obscurity!”
Let us rise from obscurity, Christians. When our Savior comes; let us be found “on the alert.”
Important terms
“Be on the alert!” [G1127 gregoreuo]; this word means to be vigilant, especially watchful and was also used for a guard “on the watch.”
The root word is egeiro [G1453], which means to “awake from your stupor,” to “rise up from your disease” and even to “step out of obscurity” and into history.
MATTHEW 24:45-51
45 ”Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. 47 “Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 “But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; 50 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, 51 and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
“Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes”
How do we become blessed by Jesus? We “feed his household at the proper time.” This is not a reference to providing for church-going members at a buffet dinner. This is a reference to feeding the hungry (which will be further elaborated on in Matthew 25).
“Weeping and gnashing of teeth”
When Christ refers to hell, he often uses these terms—weeping and gnashing of teeth. When do we weep? Over lost opportunities. When do we grind our teeth? When we see the opportunities we’ve lost in life. Think of Dives, the Rich Man, pondering Lazarus. The wealthy man had every opportunity in life to reach out to Lazarus and never took them. Eventually Dives became so accustomed to stepping over the beggar at his gate, that Lazarus became like a fixture to him. His heart had turned cold to the plight of the poor—even on his own doorstep.
Today’s Lazarus are the jails, the homeless shelters or long-term care facilities we drive by everyday. The prophet Amos tells us to not turn aside the poor at our own gate.
Amos 5:12
12For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great, You who distress the righteous and accept bribes And turn aside the poor in the gate.
13Therefore at such a time the prudent person keeps silent, for it is an evil time. 14Seek good and not evil, that you may live.
Jesus says we become complete when we give completely to the poor.
Matthew 19:21
21Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.
He also tells us to always remember the poor as if they were our Lord himself.
Matthew 26:11
“For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me.
Matthew 25:35-40
35”For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’37“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40“The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’”
In the afterlife, Dives pines (weeps and gnashes his teeth) for another chance, he wants Abraham to “tell that beggar” to fetch him even a drop of water. If he won’t do that, Dives wants Abraham to tell Lazarus to warn his brothers. But Lazarus’ days of being used by the likes of Dives are over. Dives can no longer boss Lazarus around. The rich man has formed his afterlife and lost the opportunity to change it. It is obvious that he still can’t get past the point where he thinks the poor beggar is beneath him.
What will our afterlife be like? We can get clues from our present life. If we are uncomfortable with the poor and rejected in this life, why would a forever of being with the poor and rejected be any different? Eternity is the accumulation of our behavior in this life.
Throughout this reading, Jesus is warning his disciples (and us) to consider what will be permanent. It won’t be the amazing buildings around us; the structures of humanity will rise and fall. It won’t be our corporations or legal systems; the institutions of humanity will dissolve in chaos.
What lasts are the ways we consistently treat people and the tenets of the Gospel. Build our lives upon these things and we will withstand the changes of time.
Important Terms
Weeping [G2805 Klauthmoú] from Klaiò—to week and wail, lamentation by beating the breast. To weep and mourn.
Gnashing [G1030 Brugmós] to grind and crunch one’s teeth together, image is drawn from a person in a fit of envy, rage, pain and so forth. Referring also to the roar or growl of a lion.