What was happening when Jesus spoke these words to His disciples?

Jesus had just left the temple in Jerusalem after warning that it would be left desolate. The disciples were impressed with the temple buildings and pointed them out to Him, but He told them that not one stone would be left on another. Later, on the Mount of Olives, they came to Him in private and asked when this would happen, and what sign would show His coming and the end of the age. His long reply in this passage answers those questions and prepares them for coming trouble.

What does Jesus mean by wars, famines, and earthquakes being the beginning of sorrows?

Jesus says there will be wars, rumours of wars, nations rising against nations, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in many places. He tells His disciples not to panic, because these things must happen, but they do not mean the end has arrived yet. He calls them “the beginning of sorrows,” like the first pains of childbirth. In other words, they are real and painful, but they are early signs that more is coming, not proof that the final moment has already arrived.

What is the abomination of desolation and why does Jesus tell them to flee?

Jesus mentions “the abomination of desolation” spoken of by Daniel and says that when it stands in the holy place, those in Judea should flee to the mountains without delay. The wording points to something or someone detestable standing where it should not, bringing ruin. Faithful readers have seen this in more than one way, including idolatry in the temple or a corrupting of true worship. Whatever its exact form, Jesus treats it as a clear warning sign that great danger has arrived, so His people should escape quickly.

Why does Jesus warn so strongly about false christs and false prophets?

Jesus repeats this warning several times because times of fear and trouble make people easy to mislead. He says many will come in His name, claiming to be the Christ, and they will deceive many. Some will even show great signs and wonders so that, if it were possible, they would deceive the very elect. He is telling His followers not to run after reports of a secret Messiah in the desert or inner rooms. His real coming will be open and clear, like lightning flashing across the sky.

What does Jesus teach about enduring to the end and being saved?

In the middle of talk about persecution, betrayal, hatred, and growing sin, Jesus says, “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” He is not saying believers earn salvation by their own strength, but that real faith holds on to Him even when it is hard. Many will fall away, but those who keep trusting Christ through trials show that they belong to Him. This gives both a sober warning about falling away and a steady encouragement to keep going, knowing God keeps His people.

How will the coming of the Son of Man be different from false claims about Christ?

Jesus says His coming will not be hidden or private. People might say, “Here is Christ” or “He is in the secret chambers,” but He tells His followers not to believe it. Instead, He compares His coming to lightning that flashes from east to west, seen by all. After a time of tribulation, there will be signs in the heavens, and then all the tribes of the earth will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with power and great glory. It will be public, obvious, and impossible to miss.

What does it mean that no one knows the day or hour of Jesus’ return?

Jesus plainly says that no one knows the day or hour of that final coming, not even the angels, but only the Father. He compares it to the days of Noah, when people were eating, drinking, and marrying until the flood suddenly came. The point is not to make people guess dates, but to stop them from doing so. Since we do not know the exact time, the right response is to stay awake spiritually, live faithfully, and be ready at any moment, instead of growing careless or delaying repentance.

Why does Jesus compare His coming to the days of Noah, with one taken and one left?

Jesus uses Noah’s days to show how ordinary life will look right up until sudden judgment comes. People then were busy with daily life and were not ready when the flood came and took them all away. In the same way, two people may be working side by side or grinding at a mill when one is taken and the other left. The point is not to satisfy curiosity about the details, but to stress that His coming will divide people, and that outward nearness is not the same as being ready in heart.

What is the lesson of the fig tree and the faithful and evil servants in this passage?

With the fig tree, Jesus says that when its branch becomes tender and leaves appear, you know summer is near. In the same way, when His followers see the things He has described, they should know “it is near, even at the doors.” The servant stories then show how to live while waiting. The faithful servant keeps doing his duty until his master returns and is blessed. The evil servant assumes a delay, lives in sin, and is judged. Together they teach watching, steady obedience, and not presuming on time.

Matt.24.1

Matthew 24:1

KJV

And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

Temple Destruction and Other Signs

Signs of Christ’s Return

1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

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

And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Witnessing to All Nations

Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

The Abomination of Desolation

Perilous Times

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Behold, I have told you before.

The Return of the Son of Man

Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

The Glorious Return

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

Parable of the Fig Tree

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

So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Readiness at Any Hour

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Be Ready for His Coming

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Cross References

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