The Life of Jesus (29) Teachings Concerning Judgment Matthew 24

The Life of Jesus (29)Teachings Concerning Judgment

Matthew 24

Matthew 24

• Jesus pronounces judgment upon Jerusalem

• This chapter the playground of end of age speculations (premillenialism, 70 AD doctrine, etc.)

Matthew 24 - Background

• Jesus’ continued response to cleansing the temple & His authority

• After His rebuke of their hypocrisy (ch. 23), He pronounces judgment

• Matt. 23:36-39 – He mourns for Jerusalem

Matthew 24 - Background

•24:1-2 – Jesus prophesies the destruction of the temple•24:3, “When will these things

be?” “What will be the signs of Your coming and of the end of the age.”

Matthew 24 – The Message

•24:4-35 – the coming destruction of JerusalemAnswering the 1st question!•24:36-51 – “But of that day

and hour no one knows…” Answering the 2nd question!

Matt. 24:4-35 – Jerusalem

•24:4-5 – many would come claiming to be the Christ(cf. Acts 8:9-10, etc.)

•24:6-8 – wars, disasters, “the beginning of sorrows.” Such observations are very common in history.All these were prevalent between 50-70 AD


•24:9-10 – persecutions would come (cf. Acts 4:2-3, 5:40-41, 7:59, 1 Thess. 2:14-16,…)•24:11 - False prophets

would arise (2 Pet. 2:1-3, 2 John 9-11)


•24:12 – the love of many will grow cold (cf. Heb. 2:1-3, 3:14, 5:12-14, etc.)•24:13 – But he who endures

to the end will be saved (1 Cor. 9:27, Luke 9:62,…)


•24:14 – “this gospel will be preached in all the world…” (Col. 1:23)


•24:15-20 – “the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet (cf. Dan. 11:30-31, 12:11)


• The abomination of desolation involved foreigners defiling the temple

• In 168 BC, Antiochus Epiphanes defiled the temple with a idol of Zeus and unclean sacrifices.

• Jesus was speaking of Rome entering the temple and destroying it (cf. Luke 21:20)

Matt. 24:4-35 – Jerusalem• The point – Jerusalem and the

temple were to be destroyed - FOREVER!

• When they saw the signs Christians were to flee the city (24:16-20) (cf. Josephus, Wars II, section 24 – after sieging the city it was lifted for a while)


• Tradition says that no Christians perished in the destruction of Jerusalem!

• Also note – vs. 16 - Judea


•24:21-22 – there would be tribulation and a “shortening of days”God would avenge His people! (cf. 2 Thess. 1:6-9)


•24:23-26 – “false christs and prophets would arise” DON’T believe then!

•24:27-31 – the coming of the Son of Man (in judgment). Various descriptions associated with judgments in the prophetsIsa. 14:12, Dan 8:10, …


•24:32-33 – the parable of the fig tree – blooming in its seasonPoint: There would be signs to heed


•24:34-35 – “this generation will not come to pass till all these things take place.”

• Generation – “people living at the same time and belonging to the same reproductive age-class.” (L&N, 11.4), Col. 1:26, Matt. 1:17CONTRAST - Age (24:3)

Matt. 24:36-51 – “That day”

•24:36-51 Jesus now begins to answer their second question, “Your coming at the end of the age?”

• Age (24:3) – a particular stage of history (L&N, 67.143) Matt. 13:40, 49 (contrast this with generation)


•24:36 – “of that day and hour no one knows”…•24:37-39 – “as in the days

of Noah” – things were normal•24:40-41 – two men in field,

one taken…(one saved, one lost)


•24:42-44 – as a thief in the night – 2 Pet. 3:10-12, 1 Thess. 5:1-3

•24:45-51 – Parable of servants (one good and one evil) – BE PREPARED!

•24:51 – weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 8:12, 25:30, 22:13) – FINAL judgment!

Destruction of Jerusalem & the world contrasted – Matt. 24-25

Jerusalem (AD 70) End of World (???)

Time identified Time unknown

“This generation”“Those days”

“That day”

Events prior – specific Events prior - typical

Advance warning – fig tree

NO warning – as a thief

Judgment local – Judea Universal

Time to escape No time for escape

Israel has been judged, so will we.

Are you ready?

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The Life of Jesus (29) Teachings Concerning Judgment Matthew 24