Explaining The Book

Our Lord draws this doctrine into use to stir us up to watchfulness, and to this end he sets before us seven motives [Motive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7].

The first motive: there is no small hazard in case men be found secure and not watching when Christ comes, therefore watchfulness is necessary.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Matthew 24:37 Meaning – As the days of Noah were

It is safer to make ready for the day of judgment and to watch, lest we be surprised, than to be curious to know the particular time of it, for As the days of Noah were, &c.

As the old world did not believe judgment coming, although forewarned by Noah that it was coming, so fares it with the world and will be so with the multitude of the world till the day of judgment, for As the days of Noah were.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Concerning the precise time of his second coming, he says that neither man nor angel knows, but only the Father, whereby he does not exclude the rest of the Persons of the Godhead, but only the creatures.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Matthew 24:36 Meaning – Of that day and hour knoweth no man

The peremptory time of the day of judgment God keeps to himself secret, and will not have it particularly known, and therefore it should not be narrowly pried into; for, Of that day and hour knoweth no man &c.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Matthew 24:36 Meaning – Neither the Son, but the Father only

All things are not revealed, neither to the angels nor to men, but so much as may edify the Church, and as concerns us to know; for My Father only knoweth, says he.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

It is doubtful if “neither the Son” is genuine in Matthew, though it is involved in the words “Father only.” But the words are genuine in Mark 13:32.

The matter about which Jesus confesses ignorance is the time of his second coming and the end of the world. It is curious that in the face of this statement so many schemes with dates of the end of the world have been made. They have all come to naught. Jesus is confident as to the fact, but uncertain as to the time. The knowledge of Jesus while on earth was limited in other matters also, as we have seen, but limitation does not mean error. It is gratuitous to say that Jesus expected to come back soon (as we count time), after he expressly says that he did not know the time.

Robertson, A.T. – Commentary on Matthew  in The Bible for Home & School  (1911)

Matthew 24:35 Meaning – Heaven and earth shall pass

And [Christ] forbids them to doubt hereof, because his words were more firm than heaven or earth (v 35).

Whatsoever Christ says, shall be or shall not be. His word is more firm than the fabric of heaven and earth, for these shall be altered, but the Lord’s word is solid and endures for ever: Heaven and earth shall pass rather, says he, &c.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Matthew 24:35 Meaning – Signs and Time of Temple Destruction Closed

So much then, for the destruction of the temple and the signs and time thereof.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Matthew 24:34 Meaning – Verily I say unto you

…both these signs and the destruction of Jerusalem with the temple should all come to pass in the days of them that were then living

It is hard to our misbelieving hearts to give that credit to Christ’s words whereof they are worthy: but by so much more is our Lord’s love to us and care of us to be praised and admired, that he by so many means goes about to confirm and persuade us. Therefore says he, Verily I say unto you &c.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Matthew 24:34 Meaning – This generation shall not pass away till all these things be fulfilled.

This is the most difficult verse in the entire discourse unless Jesus has in mind only the destruction of Jerusalem. The use of “all these things” seems against that interpretation, but the language shifts so often from one subject to the other that one hesitates to insist too literally on the inclusive sense. Thus also a perfectly natural meaning is given to “this generation.” On the whole, fewer obstacles seem to lie in this direction, to apply the language to the destruction of the city.

Robertson, A.T. – Commentary on Matthew  in The Bible for Home & School  (1911)

Matthew 24:33 Meaning – He is nigh

Luke 21:31 has “the kingdom of God is nigh.” What is it that will be, as the fig leaves are a sign of summer, a sign of the coming of the kingdom? Is it the destruction of Jerusalem? If so, does Jesus mean that the end of the age is then near? Or will the destruction of the city be itself a means of the spread of the kingdom in the world? This latter is the more probable idea.

Robertson, A.T. – Commentary on Matthew  in The Bible for Home & School  (1911)

Matthew 24:33 Meaning – All These Things

So when [Christians before AD 70] should see the Jews doting on false Christs, hearkening to false prophets, persecuting the preachers of the gospel, growing tumultuous and seditious under hopes of a bodily liberation from the yoke of the Romans, rumours of wars arising, armies coming in upon Judea, then let them persuade themselves, says he, that when these signs should appear judgment was at the door upon that nation, and that both these signs and the destruction of Jerusalem with the temple should all come to pass in the days of them that were then living (vv 33,34).

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Is the parable about the destruction of Jerusalem, the second coming of Jesus, or both? The matter is not perfectly clear.

Robertson, A.T. – Commentary on Matthew  in The Bible for Home & School  (1911)

After he has given the signs of the destruction of Jerusalem and of his own second coming, he confirms them in the certainty the coming of both, and draws all this doctrine to good use.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Matthew 24:32 Meaning – Summer is Near

And first, he certifies them of the destruction of the temple under the parable of a fig tree; that when the fig-tree begins to bud summer is near.

When we see some part of the truth of God come to pass in our sight, it should help us to believe and expect the fulfilling of the rest: as, When we see the trees bud, we know that summer is near.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Matthew 24:31 Meaning – sound of a trumpet

The fifth sign: there shall be a great sound of a trumpet, as it were summoning all to appear before the tribunal of Christ to judgment, which teaches us that the day of judgment shall be no less terrible than the day of the promulgation of the law on Mount Sinai; as for other reasons, so for this, that as there was an audible trumpet which sounded at the giving out of the law, so shall there be an audible sound of a trumpet at the day of judging men for transgressing the law.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Matthew 24:31 Meaning – gather Christ’s elect in unto him from one end of heaven unto another

The sixth sign or evidence of Christ’s coming is, that the elect being raised from death, or instead of death changed from this mortal life to the estate of immortality, the angels shall be set on work to gather them from all the quarters of the earth whence the winds do blow, or from the utmost parts of the earth where the sight of the heavens has an end.

Although the elect be now scattered one from another in sundry respects, yet then shall they all meet together; not one shall be inlacking: for the angels shall gather Christ’s elect in unto him from one end of heaven unto another.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Matthew 24:30 Meaning – the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in heaven

The second sign or evidence of Christ’s coming is the glorious shining of Christ’s person approaching, called the sign of the Son of Man, because as the light of the sun approaching is a sign of the present appearing or rising of the sun, so shall the shining glory of Christ’s approaching, which is more bright than the sun (Acts 26:13,14) be a sign of his present appearing. What other sign of the Son of Man beside this may be, we leave it till the time come of his revealing of it.

Christ shall be seen visible judge of quick and dead at the last day in his human nature; for, the sign of the Son of Man, bodily descending, shall appear in heaven.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Matthew 24:30 Meaning – All the tribes of the earth shall mourn

The third sign of Christ’s coming is the mourning of all people, it being now manifest that the day of judgment is come. The penitent shall fall on mourning and lamenting their sins with a godly sorrow, that they may be fitted for the promised consolation of wiping all tears from their eyes, and the wicked shall fall on weeping for the misery coming on them presently, by the sentence of their judge.

Such as have mocked at the day of judgment, and scoffed at piety, and rejected or abused the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall then mourn a great mourning: All the tribes of the earth shall mourn.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Matthew 24:30 Meaning – with power and glory

The fourth sign of his coming is the manifestation of his bodily down-coming into the clouds, with power and great glory.

Howsoever Christ’s first coming was in much infirmity because he was to suffer for us, yet his second coming being to judge and to reward all according to their works, as here is said, shall be with power and glory.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

For further satisfaction of his disciples, our Lord gives six signs [Sign 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6] of his second coming.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Matthew 24:29 Meaning – immediately after the tribulation of those days

All the time before the second coming of our Lord (whatsoever comforts may be mixed) shall be days of tribulation, and not so free of the miseries of this life as some do dream: for here he tells us the second coming of our Lord shall be immediately after the tribulation of those days are ended, and brought toward a period.

When all the Church’s exercises, all her tribulations and warfare are accomplished, then shall the Comforter Jesus Christ come, to give full refreshment immediately.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Mark 13:24 has only “in those days.” Cf. Revelation 22:20, “I come quickly,” and Revelation 1:1, “shortly.” The notes of time in apocalypse are very vague and uncertain and are not to be pressed literally. Cf. 2 Peter 3:8f. Recall also the “not yet” of Jesus above and the statement of his own ignorance as to time in Matthew 24:36. The uncertainty as to the time of the end is the dominant note. Bold imagery is a characteristic of apocalyptic.

Robertson, A.T. – Commentary on Matthew  in The Bible for Home & School  (1911)

Matthew 24:29 Meaning – Sun, Moon, Stars

Yet shall his coming be in a terrible manner to the world, with such an alteration made upon the creatures (being now all of them to be changed from the estate of vanity whereunto they are subject) the sun, moon and stars, obscured by the glory of Christ, shall no more be able to give comfort to men, nor to show forth their glory as before, but shall cease from their service and lose their power, expressed here by darkening, not giving light, falling from heaven and shaking of heaven, as a tree that casteth her fruit; for so must it be ere they be made new. This is the first sign of his coming.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

[Christ] meets with an objection: if he come in the east or in the west, how shall those elect persons come to him who shall be so far removed from that place as is the west from the east. He answers, and teaches that as the eagles from all quarters are shortly gathered to the place where the carcase is, so shall all the elect be swiftly gathered together to the place where Christ shall show his bodily presence at his second coming to judgment.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Matthew 24:28 Meaning – Where the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together

We need not trouble ourselves about the swift dispatch of the last judgment, how or in what place of the world the convocation of the elect shall be; this is sufficient, we shall meet with Christ where he shall be; for, Where the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

Dickson, David – A Brief Exposition of the Evangel of Jesus Christ According to Matthew (1651)

Cf. Luke 17:37, a proverbial saying. So Job 29:30; Habakkuk 1:8. The application here is more general than in Luke.

Robertson, A.T. – Commentary on Matthew  in The Bible for Home & School  (1911)