Frameworks:
Matthew's Gospel, chapter 24
(The
objective of these ‘Frameworks' is to provide an easy-to-read
layout of the text in order then to use these individual verses
for verse-by-verse study or meditation. To focus each
verse we have also added in italic a description of what is happening)
FRAMEWORKS:
Matthew, chapter 24
v.1,2
Destruction of the Temple
v.3-8
General Signs of the beginning
v.9-14
Coming Persecution & Falling Away
v.15-22
Coming Desolation & Distress
v.23-26
Beware False Messiahs
v.27-31
His Second Coming
v.32-35
Watch for the Signs
v.36-44
The Day and Hour Unknown
v.45-51
Parable of the waiting servants
v.1,2
Destruction of the Temple
v.1
(outside the
temple the disciples comment on the grand building) Jesus
left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up
to him to call his attention to its buildings.
v.2
(Jesus says
it will be thrown down) “Do
you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one
stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
v.3-8
General Signs of the beginning
v.3
(the disciples
ask when it will happen) As
Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to
him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and
what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
v.4
(don't be deceived
he replies) Jesus answered:
“Watch out that no one deceives you.
v.5
(many will come
claiming to be Messiah but don't be taken in) For
many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,' and will
deceive many.
v.6
(even when you
hear of wars, it's not the time of the end) You
will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you
are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still
to come.
v.7
(many upheavals
will happen) Nation will rise
against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines
and earthquakes in various places.
v.8
(but they are
just early day happenings, not the end) All
these are the beginning of birth pains.
v.9-14
Coming Persecution & Falling Away
v.9
(times will
be tough for my followers) “Then
you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and
you will be hated by all nations because of me.
v.10,11 (many
will turn from the faith and much deception will occur) At
that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and
hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive
many people.
v.12,13
(wickedness
will increase, love will decrease, but hold firm) Because
of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,
but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
v.14
(the gospel
will be preached around the whole world before the end) And
this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world
as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
v.15-22
Coming Desolation & Distress
v.15,16
(when an idol
is seen in the temple, start running) “So
when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that
causes desolation,' [Dan 9:27; 11:31; 12:11] spoken
of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— then
let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
v.17
(don't pause
at home) Let no one on the housetop
go down to take anything out of the house.
v.18
(don't pause
in the field) Let no one in
the field go back to get their cloak.
v.19
(for the defenceless
it will be terrible) How dreadful
it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!
v.20
(pray it will
happen when you can easily get away) Pray
that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.
v.21
(it will be
the most terrible of times) For
then there will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning
of the world until now—and never to be equalled again.
v.22
(so some will
survive it will be cut short) “If
those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for
the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
v.23-26
Beware False Messiahs
v.23
(again reject
apparent Messiah's) At that
time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!' or, ‘There
he is!' do not believe it.
v.24
(they will all
be false even if doing signs and wonders) For
false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great
signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
v.25
(I've given
you due warning) See, I have
told you ahead of time.
v.26
(don't believe
what you might hear about me) “So
if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,' do
not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe
it.
v.27-31
His Second Coming
v.27
(as the lightning
in the sky, so will be my coming) For
as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west,
so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
v.28
(crowds gather
for morbid things – that won't be me) Wherever
there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
v.29
(you'll know
it by what goes on in the sky) “Immediately
after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and
the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the
sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' [Isa
13:10; 34:4]
v.30
(then you'll
see me coming power in the sky so everyone can see) “Then
will appear the sign of the Son of Man 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. [Dan
7:13-14 ]
v.31 (and
my angels will collect up the believers) And
he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will
gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens
to the other.
v.32-35
Watch for the Signs
v.32
(you learn by
nature how seasons change) “Now
learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get
tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.
v.33
(so watch for
these signs) Even so, when you
see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.
v.34
(this existence
of mankind will see it happen) Truly
I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until
all these things have happened.
v.35
(my words will
never be lost) Heaven and earth
will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
v.36-44
The Day and Hour Unknown
v.36
(only the Father
knows exactly when that will be) “But
about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven,
nor the Son, but only the Father.
v.37
(it will be
rather like what happened with Noah) As
it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the
Son of Man.
v.38,39
(people ignored
his warnings until the flood came and it was too late. So it will
be at the end) For in the days
before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and
giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they
knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and
took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the
Son of Man.
v.40,41
(individuals
will be snatched away) Two men
will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two
women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and
the other left.
v.42
(so remain alert)
“Therefore keep watch, because you
do not know on what day your Lord will come.
v.43
(be vigilant
as a house owner who had been warned about a break-in)
But understand this: If the owner
of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming,
he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken
into.
v.44
(so, not knowing
when, you must just remain alert) So
you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an
hour when you do not expect him.
v.45-51
Parable of the waiting servants
v.45
(who can be
qualified to feed my people to the end, preparing them and keeping
them ready) “Who then is the
faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of
the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper
time?
v.46
(how good if
he's still faithfully doing it when I come) It
will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so
when he returns.
v.47
(such a one
will be rewarded) Truly I tell
you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
v.48,49
(but if such
a one falls away, he'll be in trouble) But
suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master
is staying away a long time,' and he then begins to beat his fellow
servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.
v.50
(… if the master
comes when he's not expecting) The
master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect
him and at an hour he is not aware of.
v.51
(he will be
severely dealt with) He will
cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites,
where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.