Matthew 24 and Its Parallels
Introduction: Two Events That Must Not Be Confused
The teaching commonly called the Olivet Discourse appears in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. Jesus spoke these words after announcing that the magnificent Jerusalem temple would be destroyed. His disciples wanted to know when this would happen and what signs would accompany the events they expected. The central argument of this article is that Jesus distinguished two very different realities: a historical judgment upon Jerusalem, fulfilled in the first century, and His one future, personal return at the final judgment. Between these events lies the continuing life of the church in a troubled world.
This interpretation begins with the conviction that Scripture should explain Scripture. It does not assume that every statement about an “end,” every reference to suffering, or every image of judgment must concern the same event. Nor does it assume that Jesus must have answered the disciples in the order they asked their questions. Instead, it asks what the surrounding words, time expressions, historical setting, and parallel accounts require. It also distinguishes what the text directly states from conclusions that are reasonable but debated.
The main conclusion is straightforward: Jerusalem had signs that believers could recognize and act upon; the final return of Christ has no advance signs by which anyone can calculate its date. Jerusalem’s destruction ended the visible temple-centered order, but Christ’s sacrifice had already made the old sacrificial covenant obsolete. Christ’s final return, by contrast, will be public, unmistakable, and accompanied by resurrection and judgment (John 5:28-29; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 2 Peter 3:10-13).
1. The Setting and the Disciples’ Questions (Matthew 24:1-3)
Matthew begins with Jesus leaving the temple while the disciples call attention to its buildings. Jesus responds that not one stone will be left upon another. Mark 13:1-4 records the same exchange and identifies Peter, James, John, and Andrew among those asking Him privately on the Mount of Olives. Luke 21:5-7 also records the question about the temple and the signs of its approaching destruction. These accounts establish the immediate historical subject: the fate of Jerusalem and its sanctuary.
Matthew records a fuller question: “When shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” The word translated “world” in some English Bibles is the Greek word often rendered “age.” Its meaning must be decided by context, not by a fixed rule that it always means the physical universe or always means the Jewish covenant order. The disciples may have connected the temple’s destruction with their expectations concerning the Messiah’s kingdom, an expectation still evident in their question about restoring the kingdom to Israel (Acts 1:6).
The disciples’ questions must be understood in light of their expectations concerning the Messiah and His kingdom. They anticipated that Jesus would deliver Israel from foreign occupation and establish His everlasting kingdom. Consequently, their question concerning the end of the age was likely connected to the end of foreign domination and the establishment of the kingdom they expected. They did not yet understand the nature of Christ’s kingdom or the events that would accompany His final return.
Jesus’ answer corrected these expectations rather than confirming them. He explained that Jerusalem and its temple would be destroyed within that generation, but the anticipated deliverance from foreign domination and establishment of an earthly Messianic kingdom would not occur. Instead, Christ’s kingdom would endure throughout the Christian age, and His future coming would bring the present world to its end. Thus, Jesus answered their question concerning the temple’s destruction directly, while addressing their remaining questions according to what would actually occur rather than what they mistakenly expected.
2. The Conditions of the Christian Age (Matthew 24:4-14)
Matthew 24:4-14 should be understood as a forward-looking description of the Christian age. Jesus warns His followers about deception, conflict, persecution, and the danger of abandoning their faith. He emphasizes the necessity of endurance and the continuing proclamation of the gospel until the end.
These verses do not provide signs by which the destruction of Jerusalem or the final coming of Christ can be calculated. Instead, they establish the conditions under which Christians must live faithfully.
The disciples had asked about the destruction of the temple, the sign of His coming, and the end of the age (Matthew 24:3). These questions concerned events that would not all occur at the same time. Jesus therefore begins with a prolepsis, looking beyond Jerusalem’s destruction to describe the troubles Christians would encounter as they awaited His final return. His purpose is to prevent His followers from mistaking wars, disasters, false Christs, and persecution for signs that the end was approaching. By first explaining what would characterize the Christian age, He distinguishes these continuing conditions from the specific warning of Jerusalem’s approaching destruction, which He begins to address in verse 15.
Matthew 24:4-8 — These Are Not Signs of the End
Jesus begins with a warning: “Take heed that no man lead you astray” (Matthew 24:4). False Christs would arise, wars and rumors of wars would be heard, and nations would experience famines and earthquakes. These events would trouble the world, but Jesus expressly states, “the end is not yet” (verse 6).
The significance of this statement is that these disturbances are not signs by which Christians can determine when the end will occur. Wars, political upheavals, natural disasters, and religious deception have occurred repeatedly throughout history. Their occurrence does not establish that Christ’s return is imminent.
Jesus describes these events as “the beginning of travail” (verse 8). They belong to the continuing troubles of the present world rather than constituting a prophetic timetable.
The expression “the end” must be understood within this larger discussion. Jesus does not say “the end of the age” in verses 6-14, nor does He identify the destruction of Jerusalem as the end under consideration. The subject is the continued faithfulness of His followers amid conditions that will characterize the Christian dispensation. Consequently, the end toward which this teaching looks is the end of time associated with Christ’s return.
Matthew 24:9-12 — Persecution and the Testing of Faith
Jesus next describes the opposition His disciples would encounter. They would be delivered up to tribulation, killed, and hated by all nations for His name’s sake. Many would stumble, betray one another, and be led astray by false prophets. As lawlessness increased, the love of many would grow cold.
These warnings were not limited to the years preceding A.D. 70. Persecution began during the lifetime of the apostles and continued afterward. The opposition of the world to Christ and His followers would remain a reality throughout the Christian age.
Luke 21:12-19 provides additional details, explaining that the disciples would be brought before synagogues, prisons, kings, and governors. Jesus tells them that these circumstances would provide opportunities to bear witness. The parallel accounts demonstrate that persecution was not merely something Christians were to fear; it was also an occasion for the proclamation of the gospel.
Jesus’ warning about love growing cold is particularly significant. The danger to Christians would not come only from external persecution but also from the temptation to abandon their faithfulness. The emphasis throughout this passage is therefore upon endurance rather than predicting dates.
Matthew 24:13 — Enduring to the End
Jesus declares, “But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.”
The same statement appears in Matthew 10:22, where Jesus warns His apostles of persecution and the hatred they would encounter because of His name. In both passages, the emphasis is upon remaining faithful despite opposition. The grammatical shift from the second-person plural “ye” to the general expression “he that endureth” broadens the statement beyond the immediate audience of the apostles, making the promise applicable to all who remain faithful.
The end in this statement concerns the completion of one’s course of faithfulness. For Christians who die before Christ returns, that course ends with their death. For those living when He returns, it concludes at His coming.
This understanding agrees with Revelation 2:10, which calls upon Christians to be faithful unto death, and 2 Timothy 4:7-8, where Paul describes having finished his course and kept the faith, anticipating the crown of righteousness.
It would be unreasonable to make salvation in Matthew 24:13 depend upon surviving until Jerusalem’s destruction. Christians who died faithfully before A.D. 70 were not excluded from salvation, nor did the obligation to remain faithful cease after that event. Jesus’ promise applies to faithful Christians throughout the Christian age.
Luke 21:16-19 further confirms the spiritual nature of this promise. Jesus warns that some disciples will be put to death, yet also assures them of their ultimate preservation. His promise does not mean that Christians will escape physical death, but that faithfulness will result in their final salvation.
Matthew 24:14 — The Gospel Preached and the End
Jesus continues: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come.”
The worldwide proclamation of the gospel belongs to the mission of the church throughout the Christian dispensation. Jesus had already commanded that the gospel be preached to all nations (Matthew 28:19-20), and that mission would continue beyond the destruction of Jerusalem.
Colossians 1:23 describes the gospel as having been preached “in all creation under heaven” during the lifetime of the apostles. This is a broad expression describing the worldwide proclamation of the gospel, not necessarily indicating that every individual had personally heard it. Paul’s statement demonstrates that such language could be used of the gospel’s spread during the apostolic period.
Although the gospel was described as having been preached throughout the world during the apostolic period, the end in verse 14 refers to the end of time associated with Christ’s return, not the destruction of Jerusalem.
Beginning in verse 15, Jesus returns to the immediate historical question concerning Jerusalem and its temple. Unlike the general conditions described in verses 4-14, He now identifies a specific event that His disciples could recognize and upon which those living in Judea were commanded to act.
This transition is essential to understanding the remainder of the discourse.
3. The Specific Sign: Jerusalem Surrounded (Matthew 24:15-20)
The discourse becomes strikingly local when Jesus says, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation,” and then commands those in Judea to flee to the mountains. He speaks about a person on a housetop, another in a field, pregnant women, nursing mothers, winter travel, and the Sabbath. Such instructions fit a regional disaster from which people might escape. They do not fit the final judgment, when there will be no safe mountain or nearby province to which humanity can flee.
Jesus explicitly directs the reader to Daniel when He speaks of the “abomination of desolation” (Matthew 24:15; Daniel 9:27). Daniel connects Jerusalem’s desolation with abominations, and the history of the city shows how its own people contributed to its ruin. Their violence, internal fighting, and desecration of the temple are described by Josephus (Wars 4.3.6; 4.3.12; 5.1.1). These sins recall the covenant warnings of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28: disobedience would bring devastation upon the nation. Ezekiel 8-11 had earlier portrayed abominations in Jerusalem and judgment upon its temple before the Babylonian destruction. That earlier judgment establishes a biblical pattern: God could judge Jerusalem and its sanctuary within history without bringing the physical world to an end.
Luke 21:20 identifies the visible warning: “When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.” The surrounding armies were the sign that the city’s desolation was approaching, not the whole of the abominations that brought judgment. Roman forces under Cestius Gallus surrounded Jerusalem in A.D. 66 and then withdrew, creating an opportunity to flee. Later Roman operations were affected by political upheaval following Nero’s death. Titus eventually besieged Jerusalem in A.D. 70, and the temple was destroyed. Matthew’s command to flee and Luke’s identification of the surrounding armies thus describe the same approaching crisis.
It is also important not to claim more precision than Scripture supplies. Jesus clearly gave a recognizable warning and commanded flight. The exact moment when every believer left, and the extent to which particular Roman interruptions fulfilled the shortening of the days, are matters of historical reconstruction. They can support the interpretation without becoming necessary conditions for it.
4. The Great Tribulation of Jerusalem (Matthew 24:21-22)
Matthew 24:21 — A Tribulation Unlike Any Other
Jesus declares, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21).
The words “for then” connect this tribulation directly to the destruction of Jerusalem described in the preceding verses. Jesus is not introducing a worldwide catastrophe at the end of time. He is explaining the severity of the judgment that would come upon Jerusalem and its inhabitants.
Luke’s parallel account makes the identification particularly clear. Luke 21:23 speaks of “great distress upon the land, and wrath unto this people.” Verse 24 continues by describing people falling by the sword, being led captive into all nations, and Jerusalem being trodden down by the Gentiles. These are descriptions of the Jewish people and their city, not the final destruction of the physical world.
However, Jesus’ statement raises an important question: How could Jerusalem’s destruction in A.D. 70 be described as a tribulation unlike anything before or afterward?
The Historical Comparison
The Roman destruction of Jerusalem was an extraordinary catastrophe. Josephus describes famine, starvation, cannibalism, internal warfare, crucifixions, and the destruction of the temple. He reports that 1,100,000 people died during the siege and 97,000 were taken captive during the war (Wars 6.9.3). Although the accuracy of these figures is debated, his account leaves no doubt concerning the severity of the suffering.
Nevertheless, the destruction cannot be called the greatest human catastrophe in history if measured simply by the number of deaths. The Holocaust resulted in the murder of approximately six million Jews. Stalin’s Soviet Union saw millions die through political repression, execution, forced labor, deportations, and famine. Mao’s China in the Great Leap Forward famine alone is commonly estimated to have caused approximately 15 – 45 million deaths.
The problem becomes even more significant when the Scriptures themselves are compared.
Ezekiel 5:9 describes God’s judgment upon Jerusalem through Babylon in the sixth century B.C. God declares that because of Israel’s abominations He would do something He had never done before and would never do again. Ezekiel 5:10 describes the terrible suffering associated with that judgment, including cannibalism and the scattering of the survivors.
Daniel 9:12 likewise describes the calamity brought upon Jerusalem as something unparalleled under heaven.
If these statements and Matthew 24:21 are understood to mean that each event was numerically the greatest disaster in all human history, they appear to contradict one another.
Yet the prophecies concern different judgments, and their exceptional character must be understood in relation to the circumstances being described.
The Distinction Between the Babylonian and Roman Destructions
The Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. was devastating to Judah as a nation. The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and its temple, devastated the surrounding land, and carried many inhabitants into captivity. Famine, pestilence, warfare, and the scattering of the people characterized the judgment.
Nevertheless, God had promised that the captivity would not be permanent. Jeremiah 25:11-12 and 29:10 foretold a period of seventy years, after which the people would be permitted to return. The temple would eventually be rebuilt, and the Jewish people would again occupy their land.
The Roman destruction in A.D. 70 differed in several important respects.
Jerusalem again experienced siege, famine, violence, and the destruction of its temple. However, the Jewish people were also engaged in a devastating internal conflict. Josephus describes competing factions fighting within Jerusalem, destroying food supplies, attacking their own people, and defiling the temple (Wars 4-6). The population suffered not only from the Roman siege but also from the violence and destruction inflicted by its own inhabitants.
Unlike the Babylonian captivity, there was no divine promise that the Mosaic temple and its sacrificial system would be restored after A.D. 70.
The distinction is not that the Jewish people could no longer come to God. Jews, like Gentiles, could receive salvation through Christ (Romans 1:16; 11:23). Rather, the religious order centered upon the Jerusalem temple had reached its permanent conclusion.
Understanding the Unparalleled Tribulation
The Greek word translated “tribulation” (thlipsis) describes affliction, pressure, or distress. It is not a technical term requiring the comparison of casualty totals.
The tribulation of A.D. 70 involved more than the physical suffering of a besieged population. The Jewish people witnessed their own nation torn apart by internal violence, their holy city destroyed, and their temple burned. The religious establishment that had occupied the center of their national life was brought to an end.
The Babylonian destruction and the Roman destruction were both extraordinary judgments, but they were not identical. The first was followed by a promised restoration of the nation and temple. The second marked the permanent end of the temple-centered Mosaic establishment.
Therefore, the unparalleled language of Matthew 24:21 need not be interpreted as claiming that more people died in A.D. 70 than in any other catastrophe. It describes the exceptional severity and character of that particular judgment, including the anguish of a people whose city, temple, and former religious order were destroyed.
This interpretation allows Matthew 24:21 and Ezekiel 5:9 to be understood without contradiction. Each describes a judgment extraordinary in its own circumstances, rather than requiring both to be the greatest numerical disaster in all history.
Matthew 24:22 — The Days Shortened for the Elect
Jesus continues: “And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.”
The expression “except” introduces a condition. Had the period of destruction continued without limitation, the danger to those caught within it would have been even greater. Jesus assures His disciples that the days would be shortened for the sake of the elect.
The historical circumstances surrounding Jerusalem’s destruction provide possible explanations for this statement.
In A.D. 66, Cestius Gallus advanced upon Jerusalem but unexpectedly withdrew his forces. This retreat created an opportunity for those who recognized Jesus’ warning to leave the threatened area.
Later, Roman military operations were interrupted by political developments following Nero’s death in A.D. 68. Vespasian’s campaign was affected by the struggle for imperial power, and the final siege of Jerusalem was not undertaken until Titus commanded the Roman forces in A.D. 70.
These interruptions may help explain how opportunities for escape were provided before Jerusalem’s final destruction. The early Christian tradition that believers fled to Pella is consistent with the expectation that Christians would heed Jesus’ warning, although the Gospel accounts do not identify their destination.
Another possible understanding is that God limited the duration of the final destruction itself, preventing the complete annihilation of those who remained.
The text does not expressly identify which historical interruption fulfilled the shortening of the days. Nevertheless, the meaning of Jesus’ assurance is clear: the coming judgment would be terrible, but God would place limits upon its duration for the sake of His people.
Having described the warning, the necessary response, and the destruction itself, Jesus has addressed the disciples’ question concerning the temple’s approaching ruin.
5. Continuing Tribulation in the Christian Dispensation (Matthew 24:23-28)
Matthew 24:23 — The Transition Beyond A.D. 70
Jesus begins verse 23 with the word “Then.” This temporal expression is important because it follows His completed description of Jerusalem’s approaching destruction in verses 15-22.
He now turns to the dangers Christians would encounter as they continued to await His return.
Luke’s parallel account provides additional evidence of this progression. Luke 21:20-24 describes Jerusalem surrounded by armies, its inhabitants suffering destruction and captivity, and the city falling under Gentile domination. Jesus then declares that Jerusalem would be trodden down by the Gentiles “until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”
The word “until” establishes that Gentile domination would continue for a period following Jerusalem’s destruction, a condition that continues into the 21st century (although some believe this condition ended with the establishment of Israel in 1948 or its capture of East Jerusalem in 1967). Thus, the discourse does not end with the events of A.D. 70. Jesus describes circumstances extending beyond that judgment.
The progression of Matthew 24 is essential to understanding the discourse. Jesus first describes the conditions Christians would encounter throughout the Christian age (verses 4-14). He then identifies the specific warning and destruction of Jerusalem (verses 15-22). With the transition in verse 23, He addresses the continuing danger of deception as Christians await His final return.
Matthew 24:23-26 — False Claims Concerning Christ’s Presence
Jesus warns, “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Here; believe it not” (Matthew 24:23).
False Christs and false prophets would arise, making extraordinary claims and attempting to deceive even the elect. Jesus specifically warns His followers against believing reports that He has appeared in the wilderness or in some secret chamber. The deception Jesus describes concerns claims that Christ has returned or can be found at some particular earthly location. The danger continues throughout the Christian dispensation. Christians must not mistake religious claims, supposed miraculous signs, or reports of secret appearances for the genuine return of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 24:27 — The Unmistakable Return of Christ
Jesus explains why such reports must be rejected:
“For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man” (Matthew 24:27).
The comparison with lightning establishes the unmistakable character of His return. Lightning does not require someone to announce its location or guide others to a hidden place. Its appearance is immediately evident. Likewise, Christ’s return will not depend upon reports that He has appeared somewhere in the wilderness or within a private chamber. His coming will be openly manifested.
Luke 17:22-24 records similar teaching on another occasion. Jesus warns against those who say, “Lo, there!” or “Lo, here!” and again compares the revelation of the Son of Man to lightning illuminating the heavens.
Other New Testament passages reinforce the visible character of His return. Acts 1:11 declares that Jesus will return in the manner in which He ascended into heaven. Revelation 1:7 states that every eye shall see Him.
Matthew 24:28 — The Carcass and the Eagles
Jesus concludes this portion of the discourse by saying, “Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together” (Matthew 24:28).
The imagery may represent the certainty of divine judgment accompanying Christ’s return. In the preceding verse, Jesus describes His unmistakable coming. Paul explains in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 that when Jesus is revealed from heaven, He will execute judgment upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the gospel.
The gathering of eagles/vultures around a carcass may therefore symbolize the inevitable judgment awaiting the wicked when Christ returns. Just as birds of prey gather where there is a dead body, divine judgment will certainly accompany His appearing.
Habakkuk 1:8 also uses the imagery of an eagle hastening to devour in describing the Babylonian forces through whom God would execute judgment. Luke 17:37 records the same saying in connection with Jesus’ teaching concerning the revelation of the Son of Man.
Although Jesus does not expressly explain the symbolism of the carcass and the eagles/vultures, the immediate context and the parallel passages provide a reasonable basis for understanding the saying as an illustration of the certainty of judgment at His return.
6. “Immediately After the Tribulation” (Matthew 24:29-31)
Matthew 24:29 — The End of the Christian Age
Matthew 24:29 begins, “But immediately after the tribulation of those days.” Jesus has already described Jerusalem’s destruction in verses 15-22 and moved beyond that event in verses 23-28. The warnings concerning false Christs and false prophets describe dangers Christians would encounter while awaiting His return.
Consequently, “the tribulation of those days” refers to the continuing troubles of the Christian age. The word “immediately” establishes that the events Jesus now describes follow that period of tribulation. His return brings the present age, with its persecution, deception, and suffering, to its conclusion.
Mark 13:24-25 records the same progression: “But in those days, after that tribulation,” followed by the darkening of the sun and moon and the falling of the stars.
Luke’s account makes the extended period especially clear. Following his description of Jerusalem’s destruction, Luke 21:24 states that Jerusalem would be trodden down by the Gentiles until their times were fulfilled. Luke 21:25-27 then describes signs in the heavens, distress among the nations, and the coming of the Son of Man.
Taken together, the three accounts establish the progression from Jerusalem’s destruction, through the continuing period of the Christian age, to Christ’s final return.
Matthew 24:29 — Figurative Language of Cosmic Disturbance.
Jesus declares:
“But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall 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.”
The description portrays extraordinary disturbances involving the heavenly bodies and the powers of heaven. Mark 13:24-25 records similar language, while Luke 21:25-26 adds the distress of nations and men fainting for fear because of the things coming upon the world.
The Old Testament sometimes employs the darkening of heavenly bodies in descriptions of divine judgment upon nations (Isaiah 13:10; Ezekiel 32:7-8). Such language communicates the magnitude and seriousness of God’s judgment.
In Matthew 24, however, these events introduce the visible return of the Son of Man. Their significance is established by what Jesus describes next: His coming, the mourning of the earth, and the gathering of His elect.
Matthew 24:30 — The Coming of the Son of Man
Jesus continues: “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 on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
The coming described here is the return Jesus has already distinguished from false reports of His presence. In verse 27, He compared His coming to lightning visible across the heavens. Now He declares that the tribes of the earth will see Him coming with power and great glory.
The mourning of the earth accompanies this revelation. Revelation 1:7 likewise declares, “Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him,” and describes the tribes of the earth mourning over Him.
Paul describes the same revelation in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10. Jesus will be revealed from heaven with the angels of His power, bringing judgment upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the gospel. At the same time, His coming brings relief and glory to the faithful.
These passages describe the final revelation of Jesus Christ, when His return will be witnessed and His judgment executed.
The Coming of the Son of Man on the Clouds
The language of Jesus coming on the clouds must be understood in light of its use elsewhere in Scripture. No biblical passage identifies the coming of Christ on the clouds as the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
Daniel 7:13-14 describes the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven to the Ancient of Days, where He receives dominion, glory, and an everlasting kingdom. The direction of this coming is important. The Son of Man approaches God in heaven rather than descending to Jerusalem. This corresponds to Christ’s exaltation following His resurrection and ascension (Acts 2:32-36).
In Matthew 26:64 and Mark 14:62, Jesus combines the language of Daniel 7:13 with Psalm 110:1, speaking of the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds. These passages do not identify Jerusalem’s destruction as His coming. They declare His heavenly authority and vindication.
Acts 1:9-11 describes Jesus ascending into heaven and the promise that He will return. Revelation 1:7 declares that He comes with the clouds and that every eye shall see Him.
Thus, Scripture distinguishes Christ’s heavenly exaltation from His final visible return. Neither event is identified as the destruction of Jerusalem. The coming of the Son of Man in Matthew 24:30 follows the description of His unmistakable return in verse 27 and agrees with the New Testament teaching concerning His final appearing.
Matthew 24:31 — The Gathering of the Elect
Jesus concludes: “And he shall send forth 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 gathering of the elect is another feature of Christ’s return.
Paul provides a parallel description in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God. The dead in Christ will rise, and the faithful who remain alive will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord.
First Corinthians 15:51-52 likewise associates the last trumpet with the resurrection and transformation of the faithful.
Thus, the trumpet and gathering described by Jesus agree with the apostolic teaching concerning the resurrection and the final return of Christ.
The gathering extends “from the four winds,” emphasizing the comprehensive nature of the event. The elect will be gathered to Christ without regard to their earthly location.
The Conclusion of the Christian Age
Matthew 24:29-31 describes the events accompanying the final return of Jesus Christ. The tribulation of the Christian age comes to its end, the Son of Man returns in the clouds with power and great glory, angels are present, and His elect are gathered.
7. The Fig Tree and “This Generation” (Matthew 24:32-35)
The placement of the fig-tree parable follows Jesus’ description of His final coming in Matthew 24:29-31. However, the discourse has already demonstrated that Jesus does not answer the disciples’ questions in uninterrupted chronological order.
In verses 4-14, He described the conditions of the Christian age. In verses 15-22, He addressed Jerusalem’s destruction. In verses 23-31, He carried His teaching forward to His final return.
Now, in verses 32-34, He returns to the disciples’ original question concerning when the temple would be destroyed. The fig-tree illustration explains how those living at that time could recognize its approach, while the declaration concerning “this generation” establishes the timeframe in which it would occur.
Jesus illustrates this point with the parable of the fig tree. When its branches become tender and leaves appear, people know that summer is near. Likewise, when the disciples see “all these things,” they should recognize that the predicted event is near. The expression “all these things” is particularly important. In Matthew 24:2, Jesus foretold the destruction of the temple. The disciples then asked in verse 3, “When shall these things be?” Jesus returns to that same subject in verses 32-34. This connection is reinforced by the recognizable warning He had given concerning Jerusalem’s destruction and His declaration that “this generation” would not pass before these things were fulfilled.
The observable signs connected with the command to act were those of Jerusalem’s approaching destruction, especially the abomination of desolation and the surrounding armies. A sign has practical value because it can be recognized before the event it announces. This differs from His final return, which Jesus had described as unmistakable and which would not require anyone to recognize preliminary events or flee to a place of safety.
Matthew 24:33 is often translated “he is near,” but the Greek expression does not explicitly name the subject. The expression can also be understood as “it is near, even at the doors.” In the context of the disciples’ original question and the recognizable warning concerning Jerusalem, the approaching event is the city’s destruction.
Jesus then says, “This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled” (Matthew 24:34). The ordinary reading of “this generation” in Matthew 23:36 concerns the people then living. The same understanding in Matthew 24:34 fits a destruction occurring within the first century. It also avoids redefining “generation” as an indefinite race or a distant population without a clear textual reason. Luke 21:32 and Mark 13:30 preserve the same generation statement. The connection between “this generation” and “all these things” identifies the events under consideration as those concerning Jerusalem’s approaching destruction. Jesus assured His disciples that the judgment He had foretold would occur within their generation.
Thus, Jesus distinguishes the destruction of Jerusalem, which had recognizable warnings and would occur within that generation, from His final return, for which no comparable warning or timetable is given.
Jesus concludes His declarations in Matthew 24:32-34 and Luke 21:28-32 with the assurance, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). Having declared that these things would occur within that generation, He now emphasizes the certainty of their fulfillment. Even heaven and earth are less enduring than His words. The destruction of Jerusalem was not merely a possibility or a warning that might go unfulfilled. It was the certain judgment of God, and His disciples could depend upon every word He had spoken.
8. Luke’s “Kingdom of God Is Near” (Luke 21:31)
Luke’s account provides additional understanding of the events surrounding Jerusalem’s destruction. In Luke 21:28, Jesus declares, “But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption draweth nigh.” He then presents the parable of the fig tree and concludes, “Even so ye also, when ye see these things coming to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh” (Luke 21:31). These statements correspond to Matthew 24:32-33, where Jesus uses the fig tree to illustrate how His disciples would recognize the approaching fulfillment of His prophecy. Although Luke places the statement concerning redemption before the parable, while Matthew places the corresponding statement about nearness afterward, the difference in arrangement does not change the meaning of the illustration. Both accounts describe events that the disciples could observe and recognize as indicating that the promised fulfillment was approaching.
The redemption mentioned in Luke 21:28 finds an important connection in Paul’s discussion of redemption in Romans 8. Paul writes, “And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:23). The expression “our body” is singular, in contrast to the plural “your mortal bodies” in Romans 8:11. This distinction supports understanding the redemption in verse 23 as referring to the corporate body of believers rather than the resurrection of individual physical bodies. The church had already been established, and Christians had received the firstfruits of the Spirit, yet the full realization of their position as God’s redeemed people remained connected to the passing of the Mosaic establishment. Paul identifies adoption as one of the privileges belonging to Israel (Romans 9:4), while Galatians 4:4-5 explains that Christ came to redeem those under the law so that they might receive adoption. The destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 brought the temple-centered Mosaic establishment to its permanent end, leaving the redeemed body of Christ as the people of God under the new covenant.
Daniel’s prophecy provides further understanding of the kingdom’s nearness. In Daniel 7:13-14, the Son of Man approaches the Ancient of Days and receives dominion, glory, and an everlasting kingdom. This was fulfilled in Christ’s exaltation following His resurrection and ascension. However, Daniel later declares that “the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High” (Daniel 7:27). Christ’s reception of the kingdom and the saints’ reception of the kingdom are therefore distinguished in the prophecy. Christ received His authority at His exaltation, while the saints’ reception of the kingdom followed the judgment described in Daniel’s vision. This distinction explains how Jesus could speak of the kingdom as approaching even though it had already been established. Colossians 1:13 describes Christians as having been translated into the kingdom of God’s Son, demonstrating that the kingdom existed before Jerusalem’s destruction.
Hebrews 12:26-28 further explains this distinction by describing the removal of things that could be shaken so that the things which could not be shaken would remain. The writer then speaks of Christians as “receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:28). The Greek word translated “receiving” is a present active participle, describing an action in progress. The writer does not describe the saints as having already completed their reception of the kingdom, but as being in the process of receiving it. Although Christ had already established His kingdom, its reception by the saints was still underway when Hebrews was written. The anticipated removal of the things that could be shaken provides the historical setting for the completion of that reception. The temple-centered Mosaic establishment was approaching its removal, while the kingdom of Christ would remain. Jerusalem’s destruction brought that historical transition to its completion, publicly demonstrating that God’s people were no longer identified by the earthly temple, the Levitical priesthood, or the sacrifices of the former covenant. The saints thus received the kingdom in the sense described by Daniel, not because Christ had only then begun to reign, but because the remaining establishment of the former covenant had been removed.
Consequently, Luke’s statements concerning approaching redemption and the nearness of the kingdom are closely related. The redemption of the corporate body described in Romans 8:23, the kingdom given to the saints in Daniel 7:27, and the unshakable kingdom of Hebrews 12:28 find their historical fulfillment in the events surrounding Jerusalem’s destruction. The church did not begin in A.D. 70, nor did Christ become King at that time. Rather, the destruction of Jerusalem completed the historical passing of the Mosaic establishment and demonstrated the enduring place of Christ’s redeemed people in His kingdom. This redemption concerns the corporate people of God and is distinct from the resurrection of the dead and final judgment that will accompany Christ’s future return.
9. The Unknown Day: Noah, the Thief, and Readiness (Matthew 24:36-44)
The disciples had anticipated deliverance from foreign domination and the establishment of an earthly Messianic kingdom. In answering their first question, Jesus described Jerusalem’s destruction and its signs within their generation. However, the larger portion of the dialogue corrected the misunderstandings reflected in the remaining questions they asked. Jesus taught them concerning the continuing Christian age and His eventual return at the end of the present world. Although Jesus had addressed His return in part, He now focuses more upon the character of that day as He has in other passages.
He proceeds to compare His coming to the days of Noah, when people continued ordinary life until judgment overtook them. Jesus describes two people in a field and two women grinding; one is taken and another left. The command is to watch, because the disciples do not know when their Lord will come.
The contrast with Jerusalem is powerful. Jesus gave people in Judea a specific visible warning and told them to flee. He gives no corresponding geographical escape plan or calculable signal for the final return. First Thessalonians 5:2 uses the same picture of the day of the Lord arriving like a thief in the night. Second Peter 3:10 also employs the thief comparison while discussing the passing of the present heavens. The central lesson is readiness, not date-setting.
Noah preached righteousness and built the ark, warning his generation of the coming judgment. However, neither his preaching nor the construction of the ark provided a sign indicating when the rain would begin. Likewise, Christians proclaim the future return of Christ and continue building upon the foundation of Christ (I Corinthians 3:11), but neither activity is a sign of when He will appear. Jesus’ comparison emphasizes that His return will occur without an advance sign announcing its approach. Therefore, His disciples must remain prepared rather than expecting a warning that the appointed time has arrived. This universal command is expressed in the parallel of Mark 13:37: “And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”
10. Resurrection, Judgment, and the End of the Present World
The one final return is not merely a change of political power. Jesus teaches that the hour is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth, some to life and some to judgment (John 5:28-29). First Corinthians 15:22-26 describes the defeat of death and the consummation of Christ’s reign. First Thessalonians 4:16-17 speaks of the dead in Christ rising and the living faithful meeting the Lord. Second Thessalonians 1:7-10 connects His revelation with righteous judgment.
These passages supply the theological reason to distinguish AD 70 from the final coming. Jerusalem’s destruction was devastating, but the general resurrection did not occur then, death was not abolished, and the present creation did not pass away. The final coming is therefore still future. Second Peter 3:10-13 connects that day with the passing of the present heavens and earth and the hope of new heavens and a new earth. Christians wait not for another Mosaic kingdom but for the completion of God’s saving purpose in Christ.
This conclusion also guards against multiplying returns. The New Testament may use language about Christ visiting a congregation in judgment or discipline (for example, Revelation 2:5), but that is not another bodily return. Historical judgments and the one personal return are distinct categories.
Conclusion: Signs for Jerusalem, Readiness for Christ
The disciples approached Jesus with questions shaped by their expectations concerning the Messiah and His kingdom. When Jesus announced the destruction of the temple, they sought to understand when these things would occur, what would signify His coming, and how these events related to the end of their present circumstances under foreign domination. They did not yet understand that Jerusalem’s destruction, the reign of Christ, and His return would unfold differently from what they expected.
Jesus answered their questions by revealing what would actually occur. Jerusalem and its temple would be destroyed within their generation, and He provided specific warnings by which His disciples could recognize the approaching danger and flee. However, the destruction of Jerusalem would not bring the earthly Messianic kingdom they anticipated. Instead, Christ’s kingdom would continue throughout the Christian age, during which His followers would encounter persecution, false teachers, wars, and other troubles. These conditions were not signs by which they could determine when the end would come.
Jesus also taught that His return would be unmistakable and would occur without advance signs announcing its approach. Unlike Jerusalem’s destruction, which could be anticipated through the warnings He provided, the day of His return would remain unknown. His disciples were therefore instructed to watch and remain prepared. That return would bring the resurrection, final judgment, and the passing of the present heavens and earth.
Thus, the Olivet Discourse answers the disciples’ questions while correcting the expectations behind them. Jerusalem’s destruction belonged to their generation; Christ’s kingdom would endure beyond it; and His one return would bring the present world to its appointed end. The lesson for His disciples, then and now, is not to search for signs of His approaching return, but to remain faithful and prepared whenever He comes.
