“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33 even so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. 34 “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away (οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ – ou mē parelthē ) until all these things take place. 35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away (οὐ μὴ παρέλθωσιν – ou mē parelthōsin).” (Matthew 24:32-35)
In the above passage, I have emboldened the subjunctives of emphatic negation and provided a transliteration for them.
This passage is very important because of what Jesus is saying with regard to His Second Coming. Now we are not going to get into all of the eschatological views on Christ’s Second Coming with the ‘hair-splitting’ variations in the interpretations of amill-, premill-, postmill-, and preterist approaches; nor will we consider pre-, mid-, and post-tribulation views of the rapture. However, what we do want to do with this passage is mine for some very obvious truths in relation to the context of the 24th chapter of Matthew as a whole. Therefore, we are going to first of all look at the significant verses that precede this passage in seven different sections.
Today, I will offer you the first.
Section I – Matthew 24:1-3
And Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2 And He answered and said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here shall be left upon another, which will not be torn down.” 3 And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:1-3)
Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple
In this section, Jesus is telling His disciples of the future destruction of the Temple that will occur in 70 AD under the Roman General, Titus, who later became Emperor of Rome from 79-81 AD:
Titus’ skill in diplomacy brought about a reconciliation . On Nero’s death (June 9, 68), Titus’ diplomatic expertise was once again in demand. He was sent to Rome on a delicate mission, ostensibly to pay his respects to Galba, but in fact to assess his family’s standing with the new emperor. However, on reaching Corinth, he heard of Galba’s death, openly advocated that his father seize power, and returned to Judea. His role in Vespasian’s ultimate success (he was first proclaimed emperor on July 1, 69) was again essentially diplomatic, involving constant negotiations with Flavian supporters in Egypt, Judea, and Syria. As a reward, he was made consul in absentia and replaced Vespasian as supreme commander of the Jewish war. Victory came quickly: by July 70 the Antonia had fallen and in August the temple was taken and destroyed. The rebels were not completely defeated, however, until 74 when the fortress of Masada was taken.1
The Temple Is Destroyed Despite Efforts to Preserve It
There’s something unique about this quote; Jesus spoke these words around 33AD, when Titus was only about six years old,2 and the Jewish Wars had not even begun to commence! How did He know? Jesus, who was God in the flesh “and the exact representation of His nature” (Hebrews 1:3), saw it all, even “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:3-6), and He was telling His disciples what was going to happen. Indeed, Josephus, a Jewish historian of the first century, wrote about the destruction of Rome in 70 AD in vivid detail, as is presented below:
And now, since Caesar was no way able to restrain the enthusiastic fury of the soldiers, and the fire proceeded on more and more, he went into the holy place of the temple, with his commanders, and saw it, with what was in it, which he found to be far superior to what the relations of foreigners contained, and not inferior to what we ourselves boasted of and believed about it. But as the flame had not as yet reached to its inward parts, but was still consuming the rooms that were about the holy house, and Titus supposing what the fact was, that the house itself might yet he saved, he came in haste and endeavored to persuade the soldiers to quench the fire, and gave order to Liberalius the centurion, and one of those spearmen that were about him, to beat the soldiers that were refractory with their staves, and to restrain them; yet were their passions too hard for the regards they had for Caesar, and the dread they had of him who forbade them, as was their hatred of the Jews, and a certain vehement inclination to fight them, too hard for them also. Moreover, the hope of plunder induced many to go on, as having this opinion, that all the places within were full of money, and as seeing that all round about it was made of gold. And besides, one of those that went into the place prevented Caesar, when he ran so hastily out to restrain the soldiers, and threw the fire upon the hinges of the gate, in the dark; whereby the flame burst out from within the holy house itself immediately, when the commanders retired, and Caesar with them, and when nobody any longer forbade those that were without to set fire to it. And thus was the holy house burnt down, without Caesar’s approbation. Now although any one would justly lament the destruction of such a work as this was, since it was the most admirable of all the works that we have seen or heard of, both for its curious structure and its magnitude, and also for the vast wealth bestowed upon it, as well as for the glorious reputation it had for its holiness; yet might such a one comfort himself with this thought, that it was fate that decreed it so to be, which is inevitable, both as to living creatures, and as to works and places also. However, one cannot but wonder at the accuracy of this period thereto relating; for the same month and day were now observed, as I said before, wherein the holy house was burnt formerly by the Babylonians. Now the number of years that passed from its first foundation, which was laid by king Solomon, till this its destruction, which happened in the second year of the reign of Vespasian, are collected to be one thousand one hundred and thirty, besides seven months and fifteen days; and from the second building of it, which was done by Haggai, in the second year of Cyrus the king, till its destruction under Vespasian, there were six hundred and thirty-nine years and forty-five days.3
What is interesting to note about this account is that even though Titus attempted to stop his soldiers from burning and completely destroying the Temple, he failed to do so, and thus, Jesus’ Words, totally apart from his cognizance, were completely fulfilled in Matthew 24:2: “And He answered and said to them, ‘Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here shall be left upon another, which will not be torn down.’”
The disciples next ask Him the question that has continually been asked by believers over the past two millennia: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
[For more on this, stay tuned. Next week we will look at verses 4-8.]
Kathy Marineau says
July 18, 2012 at 8:05 amI’ve heard several times that there is both an immediate and far-future fullfillment of prophecy. Does it apply to this passage?
Linda says
July 18, 2012 at 8:40 amThis prophesy Jesus made of the temple reminds me of when he told Nathanel he saw him under the tree, before Philip ran to meet him and tell him about Jesus. Jn. 1:46-48
Jesus was God and knew all these things would happen, yet He became a man to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. What a wonderful God to be so merciful to us.
Frances Duffield says
July 18, 2012 at 9:09 amJosephus makes reference to the date of the burning of the Temple as the same date that the first Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians. Is this the 9th of Av?
Also, do any of the days (dates) in Daniel’s prophecy corrolate with this event?
Eric says
July 18, 2012 at 1:06 pmI have to disagree with the comment that Jesus was referring to the temple’s destruction in 70 AD. The context shows Jesus is talking about the tribulation period, which is still future. The destruction of the temple that Jesus talked about is still future, as is all of the other events listed in Matthew 24. That being said, Kathy may be on to something about there being both a near and a far fulfillment of the prophecy, but Jesus must be, ultimately, referring to the destruction of the temple in the tribulation period. Jesus Himself will destroy it at the end of the tribulation period, since the Antichrist will pollute it with the abomination that causes desolation.
Tom Webster says
July 18, 2012 at 6:22 pmHow wonderful to see a study that will focus on both context and the underlying original language (Greek). I have recently started my own series on the importance of context. Since Jesus was very clear that “not one” stone would be left standing, then it seems reasonable that His prediction was completely fulfilled in 70 A.D. The “wailing wall” was not a part of “these [temple buildings]” at the time Jesus made His prediction.
The importance of context is especially important these days, as many false doctrines and myths are propagated simply because things are taken out of context. And that is before the underlying language is studied properly and investigated. I look forward to the remainder of this study on Matthew 24…
Eric says
July 19, 2012 at 1:08 pmThe disciples ask Jesus “when shall these things be?” (Matthew 24:3), and Jesus’ explanation relates ONLY to the tribulation period. How, then, does the context support the position that the temple’s being destroyed in 70 AD “completely fulfilled” Jesus’ prophecy?
Tom Webster says
July 27, 2012 at 4:58 pmThe Disciples, perhaps unknowingly, asked questions that covered a long period of time. Take the context…
1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
The temple was destroyed in 70 AD, which Jesus knew would occur long before the “end of the age,” which is the context of their remaining questions. See also Luke 19:41-44, which clearly is only Jerusalem with no connection to the end of the age…
41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
Again, fulfilled in 70 AD. No connection with the events at the end of this age…
The AMPLIFIED version of Matthew 24:3 makes it clearer… [when will this take place? – i.e. the destruction of “Herod’s Temple”]
3 While He was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately and said, Tell us, when will this take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end (the completion, the consummation) of the age?
Jesus does not directly answer the question of the WHEN of the temple’s destruction [70 AD] but He answers their real question. Remember that they did not understand yet that Jesus had to rise from the dead, and may have expected the kingdom to be restored to Israel “soon.” {Remember their question in Acts 1:6}
They probably assumed the destruction of the temple would occur at the end of the age…
Later, they understood that the destruction of the temple would happen “soon” (after Jesus rose from the dead). Certainly, they knew it after 70 AD. And so do we…
donald keyes says
August 15, 2012 at 10:37 pmthe law of double reference-meaning
jhnsn d-s says
July 19, 2012 at 4:19 pmExcellent Historical information and worth a cursory read since their was an unsuccessful attempt to thwart the fulfillment of Jesus’s (yeshua)words.
“Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
It looks as though the dismantling of the temple structures and the great tribulation are In·ex·tri·cably tired together, “no nor will occur again”.
naomi says
July 25, 2012 at 8:44 pmHow comforting to know that Jesus, fully God yet fully man, was/is an exact representation of His nature. What an unimaginably awesome and merciful God we serve!
Jeff says
August 8, 2012 at 10:18 amConcerning the destruction of the temple,I had heard that the gold melted into the seams(between the stones) and the soldiers in their attempts to retreive the gold actually tore down every stone as Jesus’ prophecy foretold. Can this be verified historically?