Hermeneutics: Matthew Chap 24 Pt. 5

This is part 10 of hermeneutics, and we're up to section 8 on practice. What we've been doing, for those of you who may not have been here, we went through all the principles of hermeneutics, the background of hermeneutics, the necessity of hermeneutics, and all of those type of things, and then we've been applying what we've learned to Matthew 24.

One of the reasons we chose Matthew 24 is because it is one of those portions of Scripture that is subject to a wide variety of interpretations and some wild speculation that has no grounds in the text itself.

So one of the things that we keep pointing out, it's important to keep the context of Matthew 24 in mind. Remember that this discourse is occasioned by the questions of the apostles as they are coming out of the temple.

And so the first three verses really set up the whole discourse. Jesus came out of the temple and was going away when his disciples came up to point out the temple building to him. And remember in Luke, Luke expands on that.

They're talking about the magnificence of the temple and how beautiful it's adorned. And he said to them, do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another which will not be torn down.

As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately saying, and here's three questions. Tell us when these things happen. What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?

That's the context for all of Matthew 24.

All right.

And we concluded in the earlier verses as those verses and following that these are not three unrelated questions, but they are questions that are all pertaining to the same event. And the event, the main event is the destruction of the temple, which is, again, you can see that in the first three verses.

We've also concluded that the events being spoken of are the events of the end of the Old Covenant age, which took place between roughly 30 and 70 A .D. And then we ended with this verse. This is the last verse that we looked at last week.

Verse 22, and unless those days have been cut short, no life would have been saved, but for the sake of the elect, those days shall be cut short. And we saw how that, looking at the writings of Josephus and Tacitus and Eusebius, how that was a very apt description of those days.

So the end of the Old Covenant age was exactly how Jesus Christ said it would be as he stood on the Mount of Olives. We look at Matthew 24, 25, and we can see that the things that Jesus prophesied came true exactly as he said they would.

In fact, it was a period of great tribulation. Remember, we went through all of the historical references to show just how bad it was. And then Jesus continues with further warnings. Verse 23, then if anyone says to you, Behold, here is the Christ, or there he is, do not believe him.

For false Christ and false prophet will arise and will show great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Now we've looked at, oh, okay, and then, Behold, I have told you in advance.

We're going to look at just those three. We're going to focus more on 25 because verses 23 and 24, we've looked at those contexts before, and I'll show you in a minute. Now notice what Jesus is saying.

He's warning. He says, if somebody's come and says, Here's the Messiah, here's the Christ, don't believe him. All right. Because false Christ and false prophets will arise, some even showing great signs and wonders, if possible, even the elect.

In other words, they're going to be very, very convincing. That's the idea we have here. All right. Now we've already seen from the historical data, and again, both the scriptural historical data and also the extent to writers such as Josephus, Tacitus, and Eusebius.

The fact that Jesus repeats this warning is extremely significant. Remember, he's already warned of these same things that we just saw. So he is warning his disciples not to fall victim to these false prophets.

That's the main emphasis of his words right here. He says they will come even manifesting signs and wonders. And we've already seen that that occurred during this time period. All right. In past lessons, these men can be so convincing, even the elect have to beware.

Now, again, this is something that took place in that time frame. But as with most things that occur in Scripture, what does Solomon say? There's nothing new under the sun. This is still a very appropriate warning for us today.

In the church, you have many people coming as wolves in sheep's clothing. And so even though what Jesus is warning of primarily took place back in the first century, that doesn't mean that these scriptures are not appropriate for us and for us to take the same warning.

Right.

Then Jesus highlights the warning with these words. Behold, I have told you in advance. In other words, basically what he's saying is I'm leaving you with no excuse. And again, remember, he's talking specifically at this point to the apostles and to everyone who will be reading Matthew's gospel.

And who was Matthew's gospel written to? The Jews, Jewish, especially Jewish Christians.

OK.

The detailed warning, the repetition of the warning and the emphasis of his word show the seriousness of these events. In other words, this is not some small event. I mean, Jesus really has this on his heart and he's pouring his heart out to him.

Notice the details. You go through Matthew 24 and it's very detailed. All right. And then the repetition. How many times now? I think this is the third time. Warnings, false Christ, false prophets. All right.

And then the emphasis. Behold. Verse 25 begins with the word behold. What do we know about this word?

Behold.

What do we know about it? Do I have to do a song and dance up here?

Come on.

What do we know about the word behold? Behold expresses either great emphasis or great surprise. Whenever you see that word behold, you should stop. Because it's meant to do that, especially in the Greek.

It's like putting up a red flag. I'm going to say something now that's extremely important. So then he begins, behold, I've told you in advance. Okay. So in other words, this is something that they should be looking out for.

Behold. It's a strong word used for emphasis and to show the importance of what follows. So Jesus began his discourse with a similar warning. Verses 4 and 5. Jesus answered and said to them, see to it that no one misleads you.

All right. For many will come in my name saying, I am the Christ and will mislead many. And we've seen how that is absolutely true. But now Jesus gets even more specific. He said, so if they say to you, and now watch these words carefully.

If they say to you, behold, he is in the wilderness. Do not go out. Or behold, he is in the inner rooms. Do not believe them. Notice if you've got some specificity here. Points to basic locations, different locations.

But again, what's the emphasis? Don't believe them. And it's the specific wording of this verse is important. Once again, I'm going to quote John Gill, one of our favorite theologians, who happens to be a Reformed Baptist.

It was usual for these imposters to lead their followers into deserts, pretending to work wonders in such solitary places. Notice now this is John Gill looking back at the historical record. So during the siege, Simon, the son of Giora, collected together many thousands in the mountains and desert parts of Judea, and the above-mentioned Jonathan, after the destruction of the city, led great multitudes into the desert.

I think it's by accident that Jesus warned about if they say, don't go out there, he's out there in the wilderness. It's exactly where they wound up telling people to go. All right? Now those who remember the words of Christ, as recorded by Matthew in 24 and 25, were not misled.

And again, we know this, that for the most part, very few Christians lost their lives, if any, during the siege of Jerusalem because of these warnings of Jesus. But John Gill continues. Or should others say, behold, or for certain, the Messiah is in one of the secret and fortified places of the temple, where during some time of the siege, where John and Eliezer, the heads of the zealots, do not believe them.

Some reference may be had to the chamber of secrets which was in the temple. Remember, we've talked about how at one point, the temple was the center of the bloodshed in the siege of Jerusalem.

All right?

Again, notice Jesus warns, and everything that he warned has taken place. 100 accuracy. Once again, how specific the words of Jesus explain what will come to pass. Verse 27 is an important verse as Jesus ties in the destruction of the temple with the phrase, the coming of the Son of Man.

Watch this.

Look.

For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Okay, now, the coming of Christ associated with the end of the Old Covenant age will not be a secret event.

That's an intentional capital. All right. Now, notice. Now, a lot of people will agree that so far up to verse 26, oh, yeah, it's just talking about the destruction of Jerusalem. But as soon as they come here and they see that phrase, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be, they say, oh, that's second coming.

Okay? But what license do we have to do that? We have to take it into context. Jesus' warning of things that are going to happen in the lifetime of the apostles when the temple is going to be destroyed, which happened at about 70 A .D.

All right. But what he's saying here, now, and look carefully at the wording of verse 27. He says that it's going to be just like lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west. That's what the coming of the Son of Man will be.

Will not be a secret event. He will not be gathering small groups in the wilderness. He will not be making a last stand in the temple. That's what the false Christ will do. His coming will be like lightning flashes across the sky.

Is that a secret? I don't think so. It will not be hidden. It will come suddenly. And Jesus begins this thought with the word for. Greek scholars, gar is the word that's there.

All right.

Jesus begins with word for. In other words, he is giving a reason not to follow the false messiahs. This is directly connected. You can't separate verse 27 because he's saying don't be led by the false prophets.

Why not? Because or for his coming will be like lightning. Listen to John Calvin on this verse. The meaning, therefore, is that everyone who collects his forces into a secret place in order to regain the freedom of the nation by arms falsely pretends to be the Christ.

For the Redeemer is sent to disfuse his grace suddenly and unexpectedly through every quarter of this world. But these two things are quite contrary to shut up redemption within some corner and to spread it through the whole world.

See what he's saying. Can't have it both ways. Can't have it in a corner and spread to the whole world. All right. The disciples were thus reminded that they must no longer seek a Redeemer within the small enclosure of Judea because he will suddenly extend the limits of his kingdom to the uttermost ends of the world, including Long Island.

Right.

Calvin makes a lot of sense here, doesn't he? And indeed, this astonishing rapidity with which the gospel flew through every part of the world was a manifest testimony of divine power. For it could not be the result of human industry that the light of the gospel, as soon as it appeared, darted from one side of the world to the opposite side like lightning.

And therefore, it is not without reason that Christ introduces this circumstance for demonstrating and magnifying his heavenly glory. Besides, by holding out this vast extent of the kingdom, he intended to show that the desolation of Judea would not hinder him from reigning.

You see what he's saying? In other words, what are we studying? Well, in Matthew 24, the destruction of Jerusalem, the destruction of the temple. Does he need Jerusalem and a throne in Jerusalem to be there for him to reign?

No, he's reigning from on high, at the right hand of the Father. The most powerful seed in the universe. I underline this one. Besides, by holding out this vast extent of his kingdom, he intended to show that the desolation of Judea would not hinder him from reigning.

Now, this is the question. When will these things take place? Because, as I mentioned, there's a lot of people who will take everything that I've just said, but that's all future. That's all the second coming.

Jesus is clearly continuing to speak of the end of the old covenant age and the destruction of the temple. There is no hermeneutical or biblical justification to separate anything that we've studied so far from the beginning of the passage.

The destruction of the temple, which is synonymous with the end of the old covenant age. Remember, with the temple gone, the old covenant age is over. Why is there any controversy? Because the use of the phrase, the coming of the Son of Man.

Many people believe that this phrase must refer to the second coming of Christ at the end of the world, which obviously is a date sometime in the future. Okay. Is that true? Is that the only legitimate use of that phrase?

Well, let's explore the scripture. The fact is, we see similar terminology describing the judgment of God. And we're going to go through some of these. God speaking to Moses in the burning bush. And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and I have given heed to their cry because of their testmasters.

For I am aware of their sufferings, so I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians. Here's an instance where you have the saying, God is coming down. And to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

That's one instance. Lightning is also a sign of the presence of God. Exodus 19. So it came about on the third day when it was morning. There were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.

And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God. We see this numerous times in the Old Testament. Thunder, lightning. The presence of God when he comes down is awesome. It's incredible, you know.

And we see it. And what are some of the phrases that we use? We see thunder. We see lightning. We see a whirlwind. We see all kinds of things that are calamitous to us to describe God. And all the people perceive the thunder, and lightning flashes, and the sound of the trumpet, the mountain smoking, and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance.

And rightly they should. Exodus 20, verse 18. And all the people perceive the thunder and lightning flashes, and the sound of the trumpet, the mountain smoking, and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance.

The people understood that these were manifestations of the presence of God. We see this again in Ezekiel's prophecy against Ammon. And you, son of man, prophesy and say, Thus says the Lord God concerning the sons of Ammon, and concerning their reproach, and say, A sword, a sword is drawn, polished for the slaughter, to cause it to consume, that it may be like lightning.

While they see you for false visions, while they divine lies for you, to place you on the necks of the wicked who are slain, whose day has come in the time of the punishment of the end. Lightning, punishment.

When you get pictures of God in lightning, thunder, whirlwind, nine times out of ten, it's picking some sort of judgment. That's how we see God coming. Zechariah. Then the Lord will appear over them, and his arrow will go forth like lightning, and the Lord God will blow the trumpet, and will march in the storm, winds of the south.

There we have winds. And he said, Deuteronomy 33 .2, The Lord came from Sinai and dawned on them from Seir. He shone forth from Mount Paran, and he came from the midst of the ten thousand holy ones at his right hand.

They were flashing lightning for them. Notice again, the Lord came from Sinai. And the Lord, what do we know when we see it? All capital letters for Lord. It's Yahweh. That's the way the translators do it.

So there we have Yahweh coming down, and for what? Right hand, they were flashing lightning for them. It's awesome. The point is, you can't relegate phrases such as the day of the Lord or the coming of the Son of Man to one particular instance.

Context is important, because if you do that, you have a problem. And here's one of those verses. Matthew 16 .28. Who remembers? What's the context for Matthew 16? Anybody remember? No, it's just before the Mount of Transfiguration.

It's when he took the disciples to Caesarea Philippi, and he says, Who am I? And Peter says, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. All right. And then he goes on, and he tells them, this is one of the first times that he tells me he's going to be taken to Jerusalem and crucified and raised on the third day.

And then after, then he rebukes Peter. And then after that, truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.

Now, if we want to make this the second coming, the final coming, we've got a problem. What's the problem? All the apostles are dead. So, whatever he's talking about, some of the apostles are still going to be alive.

Now, there are some who say, because the very next chapter, Matthew 17, is the Transfiguration. You say, oh, well, he was talking about the Transfiguration. Well, that presents with a problem. What's the problem there?

None of them are dead. And would Jesus say, some of you will be alive when they'll all be alive? That's not the precision. When we see Jesus speaking, he speaks with precision. So, and you can't tell me that he didn't know that nobody was going to die in four days.

So, we see that this phrase, the Son of Man coming in his kingdom, is used in a different way than the final coming at the end of the world. Matthew 10, 23, but whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to the next, for truly I say to you, you shall not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.

Again, who is he talking to? He's talking to the disciples, very specifically. So, it's going to happen in their lifetime. John Gill, once again, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be, which must be understood not of his last coming to judgment, though that will be sudden, visible, and universal, okay, but of his coming in his wrath and vengeance to destroy that people.

Now, notice, coming in his wrath and vengeance to destroy that people. All the descriptions that we've seen in these verses are all those of judgment and punishment that God will wreak upon those who are disobedient.

Why, well, let's just pause here. We haven't studied this part yet, but why those people? Why did he single them out for this type of judgment? Go ahead, John.

Well, I've always thought, you know, for them to continue animal sacrifices after the Son of God was crucified, it's an abomination. They're denying the blood that was shed. So, that's true.

That's true. Calista. They crucified God. Yeah, they crucified Jesus. They killed him, and they called for his blood to be upon their head. Remember, Jesus had already told me, he says, the blood from all the righteous, from Abel to Zechariah, will be upon this generation, and then they call for the blood on themselves.

So, he is coming. That's why you see this apocalyptic language being used that's going to take place in the first century upon the apostate nation of Israel, because they have rejected the Christ, not only rejected him, but blasphemed, and we're still committing abominations.

Yes.

Wouldn't this also be why it's called the Great Tribulation? There would not be a tribulation worse, because in God's justice, the worst thing you could possibly do is kill the only innocent man that ever lived.

So, that would have to warrant the greatest tribulation or the greatest punishment, where people are looking for that in the future, that minimizes what they did to Jesus at that time. If there's a greater tribulation, there would have to be a greater sin,.

And there's no greater sin than crucifying the Lord. Sure, and if you go through the life of Jesus, what did he say? Sodom and Gomorrah will stand up in the day, because if they had what you had, they would have repented.

Oh, okay. Great minds think alike. All right. So, that after this, to look for the Messiah in a desert or secret chamber must argue great stupidity and blindness, when his coming was as sudden, visible, powerful, and general to the destruction of that nation as the lightning that comes from the east, and in a moment shines to the west.

You see what Gil is saying? He said, this is so obvious that he came in judgment, that that nation was judged by him, that God himself came down in judgment upon that nation, that to say otherwise, well, I wouldn't choose, well, yeah, I would.

I'd probably choose those words, too, but he said, it's stupidity or blindness, all right, and it's so obvious, just like lightning. Who can't see lightning? You have to be blind. Thorshall is coming, Sammy is coming in wrath as the lightning that comes from the east, and in a moment shines to the west.

John Lightfoot, one of my favorite commentators, I love John Lightfoot, said that Christ taking vengeance of that exceeding wicked nation is called Christ coming in glory and his coming in the clouds.

Remember, it doesn't have to be a physical manifestation. He's manifested himself in the judgment that he's pouring out on those nations. The meaning, therefore, of the words before us is this, while they shall falsely say that the Christ is to be seen here or there, behold, he's in the desert, one shall say another, behold, he is in the secret chambers, he himself shall come like lightning with sudden and altogether unexpected vengeance, they shall meet him whom they could not find, they shall find him whom they sought, but quite another than what they looked for.

Just read that again, behold, he's in secret. They were looking for him, but they didn't expect what they got. Questions? That's as far as we're going to go. We're going to continue with this. There's still a lot of meat in this chapter, but I think you'll see, if you just follow it contextually, applying the simple rules of hermeneutics, this is definitely talking about the time of the old covenant age and the beginning of the new.

Questions?

And now Christ is coming in glory, in vindication. I mean, how he appears to Saul, confronting someone who's persecuting the church, but persecuting him, and he's glorified in that.

Remember, God is glorified even in the destruction of the wicked. It's hard for us to grasp that, but that's what the scripture teaches. Why? Because it's just.