Exploring the narrow side streets of a European city always gives me a thrill. Recently I had the opportunity to travel to Italy for a family wedding. My husband, sons and I made a brief stopover in Florence, a city I last visited over 30 years ago. I enjoyed showing my family a few highlights like Michelangelo’s exquisite sculpture of David, Botticelli’s iconic painting The Birth of Venus, and the ornate white marble Duomo di Firenze. I also loved expanding my knowledge of the city by biking thorough it with a local tour guide. True to form, I already have a list of additional places to explore if I’m ever fortunate enough to return to Tuscany.
Studying the Bible can be a bit like my recent travel experience. As we re-visit familiar passages and study them further our knowledge increases, our understanding grows, and our curiosity widens. Maybe you’re familiar with the highlights of Matthew chapters 23-25 but haven’t had the chance to delve much deeper. So today, let’s take a tour of these three dense chapters to increase or understanding of them. This post is longer than usual but bold headings will help you focus on the parts that are most helpful to you. I’ve borrowed quite a bit from a teaching by Jen Wilkin listed at the bottom.1
Chapter 23 Woes
Woes are messages of lament and warning of impending judgement and calamity. In this chapter, Jesus pronounces judgement on the Pharisees who have been the target of His rebukes throughout Matthew’s Gospel. Now in Jerusalem and nearing the end of His ministry, Jesus doesn’t hold back from speaking harsh truth about hard hearts. Wilkin points out that each of the seven woes corresponds to the blessings in the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount. More modern translations like the NIV do not include Matthew 23:14 which, when included, makes the eight woes correspond to the eight beatitudes. (The missing verse is “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.” 23:14, KJV)
| Blessings (5:3-10) | Woes (23:13-33) |
| Poor in spirit, theirs is the kingdom of heaven | You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces (thus making it inaccessible) |
| Those who mourn, they will be comforted | You devour widows/ mourners |
| The meek who will inherit the earth | You travel the earth to make converts who are sons of hell |
| Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness | You make hollow, false oaths with no regard for righteousness |
| The merciful | Neglect justice, mercy & faithfulness |
| The pure in heart | Hypocrites- clean on the outside but impure on the inside; full of greed & self-indulgence |
| The peacemakers | Hypocrites- appear righteous but filled with wickedness (robbing people of peace) |
| Those persecuted because of righteousness | Took part in persecuting and shedding blood of righteous prophets |
Jesus concludes the woes with an expression of grief: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (23:37-39, NIV) The city that should celebrate Him as the Messiah and King will reject and crucify Him in a matter of days.
Chapter 24 Signs of the End of the Age
Jesus delivers this fifth and final chunk of teaching in Matthew’s Gospel known as the “Olivet Discourse” while sitting with His disciples on the Mount of Olives. Three prevailing schools of thought affect the way the signs of the end of the age are interpreted:
- Those who see events described in this chapter as historical and fulfilled when Rome conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the temple in 70 AD.
- Those who believe the events described are a future reality. (This view came into prominence in the 20th century and was popularized by books, movies, and songs about the rapture.)
- Those who believe the descriptions in this passage are multi-layered and that some have taken place whiles others have yet to occur.
Common Ground Between All Three Viewpoints:
- Jesus will appear in a way that all nations will see Him
- Jesus will come with power and great glory
- Angels will sound a loud trumpet to gather God’s people
- The elect will be gathered from all parts of the world
For a more detailed explanation of these three views, see the appendix at the end of this post. Below are a few new insights I learned about these chapters.
Destruction of the Temple
Chapter 24 opens, “Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “’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.’ 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?’” (24:1-3, NIV)
Many of the events Jesus describes here came to pass in 70 AD when the Roman General Titus conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the temple. Jerusalem was subjected to a brutal five- month siege that culminated when the Romans committed the ultimate sacrilegious act by carrying their religious and military symbol of an eagle into the Holy of Holies. This may be what Jesus foreshadows in verses 15-28 when He says, “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” (24:15-16, NIV) The abomination that causes desolation would have been like Israel’s 9/11 or Pearl Harbor. It was an event that marked them that they would never forget.
The historian Josephus says over 350,000 Jews lost their lives during this period while other historians say up to 1 million may have perished. Multitudes suffered and fled the city to save their lives. Jesus said the events He was describing would happen within “this generation” (verse 34). A generation in the Bible is about 40 years; this teaching occurred in 33 AD, and Rome destroyed the temple in 70 AD. So, the temple’s destruction happened within that generation.
Carcass, Vultures, Sun, Moon, Stars
Jesus describes a chilling scene: “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. 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.’” (24:28-9, NIV)
Jen Wilkin explains that carcass/ vulture imagery is symbolic. The word “eagles” can also be translated as “vultures.” So, eagles/ vultures could represent the Roman legions circling around Israel, symbolized as a carcass. The sun, moon, and stars also have a metaphorical element. Since they were worshipped by different cultures who influenced the Israelites at various times, this could be a comment about the ultimate end of idolatry when Christ returns.
The Son of Man Coming on the Clouds
Scholars agree that Jesus’ description of His return is a future reality: “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. 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.” (24:30-31, NIV)
This calls to mind the same prophecy recorded by John in Revelation: “’Look, he is coming with the clouds,’ and ‘every eye will see him, even those who pierced him’; and all peoples on earth ‘will mourn because of him.’ So shall it be! Amen.” (Revelation 1:7, NIV)
The Day and the Hour Unknown
Jesus speaks of His return by comparing it to the days of Noah: “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. 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.” (24:38-41, NIV)
The return of Son of Man hasn’t happened yet—this is pointing to end of age and consummation of all things. Several sources assert that this passage has been wrongly associated with the idea of the rapture. Instead “Jesus’ reference of Noah’s flood suggests that those who are taken away are taken in judgment. The taken will be destroyed, just as the ungodly of Noah’s day were swept away by the flood…They will be continuing with life as normal when judgment suddenly befalls them. Jesus’ second coming and the accompanying judgment will be sudden and surprising for the unprepared.”2 (If, like me, you read the Left Behind series, this is a huge paradigm shift for you. Some scholars like N.T. Wright even assert that the notion of the rapture is a misinterpretation of 1 Thessalonians 4:17)3
If you studied Revelation with me last year, you may remember that events described there were often symbolic and layered—they could mean several things at the same time and still be true. Just as history repeats itself, prophecies have truth that pushes beyond the boundaries of specific times and places. Some of what Jesus describes in this chapter took place within that generation; other events happened then and will happen again, and some are yet to take place.
Regardless of the era of history, the common theme is for believers to remain faithful and obedient to the Lord and to live anticipating Christ’s return. “The one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (24:14, NIV)
Chapter 25
In this chapter, Jesus tells three parables to illustrate the mindset and actions believers need to have as we await His return.
The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids/ Virgins emphasizes that every person is responsible for his or her own spiritual condition. “Spiritual preparation cannot be bought or borrowed at the last minute. Our relationship with God must be our own.”4 The parable highlights the contrast of people who are unprepared (subject to woe) and others prepared and waiting expectantly (receiving blessing).
The Parable of the Talents illustrates the importance of being good stewards of resources entrusted to us by God. “We are responsible to use well what God has given us. The issue is not how much we have but how well we use what we have.”5 Jen Wilkin asserts that the foolish servant represents hypocrites who will reject the Messiah when He comes while the faithful servants represent those who prepare for and accept the Messiah.This parable should prompt us to consider how we invest our time, resources, and abilities.
The Sheep and the Goats (Final Judgement): In this illustration of final judgement, the sheep represent those who are blessed, and the goats represent those who are cursed. It is similar to the “sorting” parables of the wheat/weeds and good/bad fish in Matthew 13. This parable contrasts followers of Christ with those interested in religion for the sake of self-promotion. True followers of Christ will reveal themselves by the fruit of their deeds towards those with the greatest needs. Jesus describes those who show tangible mercy to those in need, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:40, NIV) When we’ re ministering to others, we’re ministering to Jesus– no matter how mundane or trivial it may seem.
As you prayerfully examine your life in light of these parables, consider how you’re living in preparation for Christ’s return. Ask the Lord to give you the strength and courage to act on any areas that could be more aligned with His will so you can look forward to hearing Him say “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21, NIV)
Follow along with our study by ordering your copy of Tara Leigh Cobble’s Knowing Jesus as King.
Was this forwarded to you? You can receive new posts automatically in your inbox by going to www.marybethmccullum.com, entering your e-mail address and clicking “subscribe.”
- Jen Wilkin, Matthew: Warnings of Judgement, The Village Church, Feb. 1, 2018
- “What does it mean that one will be taken and the other left (Matthew 24:40)?” got questions.org
- N.T. Wright, “Farwell to the Rapture”
- NIV Life Application Study Bible, Zondervan, 1988, 1712.
- ibid
Appendix
1) Preterist or Postmillienialism: This interpretation views the events in chapter twenty four as having been already completed, It emphasizes the historical destruction of the temple by the Romans in Jerusalem in 70 AD as the fulfillment of Matthew 24-25. It contends that Christian influence on the world will continue to spread until the second coming of Christ.
2) Futurist or Premillenialism: This interpretation views the events in chapter twenty four as a future reality. It emphasizes the final return of Christ and the events leading up to it. It contends that Christians will be increasingly persecuted, there will be a literal tribulation, and a millennial (1000 year) reign of Christ on earth before the establishment of the New Heavens and New Earth. This is the most common interpretation that became the prevailing view in the 20thcentury. The Left Behind series and other books, movies and music focused on the rapture of all believers from earth.
3) Hybrid or Amillenialism: This interpretation emphasizes the destruction of Jerusalem as a foreshadowing of the final return of Christ at the end of time. It contends that God’s triumph in the current age is primarily spiritual rather than material. The Church will continue to experience persecution. There is no literal millennium and the final reign of God will be established with the second coming of Christ. The end times began at the ascension of Christ and will culminate with His return.
