| Matthew 24 | |
|---|---|
_recto_Matthew%2c_1-1%25E2%2580%25939%2c12.jpg) Matthew 1:1-9,12 on therecto side ofPapyrus 1, written about AD 250 | |
| Book | Gospel of Matthew |
| Category | Gospel |
| Christian Bible part | New Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 1 |
Matthew 24 is the twenty-fourth chapter of theGospel of Matthew in theNew Testament of theChristianBible. It commences theOlivet Discourse or "Little Apocalypse" spoken byJesusChrist, also described as theEschatological Discourse,[1] which continues intochapter 25.[2] It contains Jesus' prediction of thedestruction of theTemple inJerusalem.[3]Mark 13 andLuke 21 also cover the same material.[4][verification needed]
The original text was written inKoine Greek.This chapter is divided into 51 verses.
Some earlymanuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:
In the preceding chapters (chapters 21–23), Jesus has been teaching in the Temple and debating with thePharisees,Herodians andSadducees. Jesus and his disciples now leave the Temple (Matthew 24:1), or the temple grounds in theNew Living Translation.[5] TheologianJohn Gill observes that Jesus was "never to return".[6]
Arthur Carr reports that in descending theKedron Valley, to the east of the temple, and then ascending the slope of the Mount of Olives, the disciples could look back and see "the Temple [rising] with its colonnade of dazzling whitemarble, surmounted with golden roof andpinnacles, and founded on a substructure of huge stones".[2]
In this "introductory scene",[7]: 876 Jesus predicts that "not one stone shall be left here upon another".[8] The prediction follows the sentiments expressed by Jesus inMatthew 23:37–38:
Methodism's founderJohn Wesley says that the prediction was "most punctually fulfilled" in that the majority of the temple buildings were burned and then dug up on the orders of the invading Roman generalTitus in 70 AD.[9]
Jesus and his disciples then proceed to theMount of Olives, where a conversation occurs about "the end of the age". Jesus's words here called the "Little Apocalypse" or "Olivet Discourse". Jesus appears to have gone ahead of his disciples (Matthew 24:3), who come to him to enquire about the time of the temple's destruction (Tell us, when will these things be?, verse 3) and the significance of hisparousia (Greek:παρουσιας,parousias).Mark 13:3 states that onlyPeter,James,John, andAndrew came to speak with him.[2]
Dale Allison divides Jesus' warnings into three groups:
This verse reads 'I am Christ', lacking thedefinite article, in theGeneva Bible (1599),[11] theKing James Version,[12] and the New Matthew Bible[13] (a modernised version of the New Testament ofWilliam Tyndale).[14]Carr (1882 onwards) observes that "the Christ, the Messiah" is correct, departing from the King James Version then in use.[2]
This foretelling ofChristian suffering is concerned with making it bearable.[7]: 876
The "abomination of desolation" is alternatively described as the "desolating sacrifice" in theNew Revised Standard Version.[17] Citation fromDaniel 11:31;Daniel 12:11
The hardship associated with escape during winter is likely to arise from bad weather.[19] Allison notes the absence of any explanation as to why flight on asabbath day might also be more challenging; he suggests that Matthew's community might still have observed the sabbath as a day of rest, with its traditional travel restrictions, and been both hesitant and unprepared for flight on such a day.[7]: 877
In theBahá'í Faith,Bahá'u'lláh gives an interpretation of Matthew 24:29-31 in his major theological workKitáb-i-Íqán (The Book of Certitude),[21][22] giving detailed explanations about theallegorical meanings of each of these phrases.[23]
Jesus’ words refer to an Old Testament saying recorded inIsaiah 51:6: