Annotations Upon the New Testament, Matthew · Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIV.
Verse 1. THe buildings of the Temple] How much that building cost Herod may be gathered by this,Calvin. Erat templum hoc orbis miraculum. à Lap. Immensae opulentiae templū. Tacitus. that he had ten thousand workmen labouring about it for the space of eight yeares. The Disciples might well wonder at these stones, for they were goodly and faire, and (as Josephus writeth) fifteen Cubits long, twelve high, and eight broad.
Vers. 1. There shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down] An hyperbole, as if he should say, it shall be utterly overthrown. This was fulfilled forty yeares after Christs Ascension by Vespasian the Emperour, and his Son Titus, say Eusebius and Josephus.
Et patet exemplis oppida posse mori.
His Disciples] That is, foure of them, Peter, James, John, and Andrew. Mark. 13.3. Piscat. Calvin.Vers. 3. When shall these things be] They thought the Temple should stand as long as the world stood, therefore as soon as Christ said the Temple should be destroyed, they presently thought with themselves of the end of the world.
Which question of the Disciples having two parts, when the Temple shall be destroyed, and what shall be the sign of his comming and of the end of the world, receiveth an answer to both: To the former, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, from the 4. ver. to the 23. To the latter, concerning the comming of Christ, and the end of the world, from thence to the 42.
Vers. 6. See that ye be not troubled] A metaphore taken from an allarm which disquieteth Souldiers.Considerate ista diligenter: sed ne ita movemini istis, quasi extrema essent malorum quae Judaeos manent, ob contempta tot ad poenitentiam hortamenta. Grotius.
Vers. 7. And there shall be famines and pestilences] It is elegant in the Greek, foreign; These two words foreign and foreign, famine and pestilence, are wont often to be joyned together, as being by the sound of the Greeke words, and by a certaine naturall connexion coupled amongst themselves; the old proverbe is, foreign, after famine the pestilence.
By the whole world is not to be understood every small corner and unknown part of the world, but by a Synecdoche, the greatest part of the world then known to be inhabited, as Luke 2. Calvin. See Col. 1.6.23. Rom. 1.8. & 10.18.Vers. 14. In all the world] Some object the Antipodes and other people far remote to whom not the least fame of Christ hath yet come, this knot may be easily untied, for Christ doth neither design the severall parts of the world specially, neither doth he pre…ixe a certaine time, but only affirmes that the Gospell shall be propagated to the utmost ends of the earth before his last coming.
The end come] The end of the Temple and City, not of the world, if Chrysostome or Luke may be credited, Luke 21.20.24.
Dan. 9.27. It is abominable wings (that is Armies) bringing desolation. Austen, Cartw. Perkins.Vers. 15. The abomination of desolation] By the desolation which shall be executed by abominable men, Idolaters, the Prophet meaneth, and after him our Saviour, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romane Armies; Luke 21.20. therefore hath it, When you shall see Ierusalem besiedged by an Army.
Vers. 19. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give sucke in those daies] Because they were not free and ready to flie.
Vers. 20. But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day] Jerome saith, that our Saviour bids them pray that their flight might not be in the winter,Christus respexit ad opinionem quā tunc temporis Judaei habebant de Sabbatho, qui existimabant nulla de causa licere iter facere longius quam duorum millium cubitorum. Capellus. Vide à Lap. Because it could not but grieve them that made conscience of pleasing God, to be forced to forbeare those services on that day which God required. Mr. Hieron. nor on the Sabbath day, because in the one, extremity of cold forbids to go to the wildernesse and to lye hid in the mountaines and desarts: In the other there is either the transgression of the Law if they be willing to flie, or eminent death if they abide, so the Ordinary glosse also.
Ne scilicet festinationem, vel religio, vel itineris asperitas & brevitas dierum, impediat ac moretur. Calvin.
Vers. 21. For then shall be great tribulation] Rev. 20.1. Dan. 12.11. He meanes the tribulation the Jews were to endure at the siege and suprisall of Ierusalem by Titus and Vespatian. See Luk. 21.20.
Vers. 22. And except those dayes should be shortned] God did not make the daies of those troubles shorter than he had decreed, but shorter than the enimie had determined, or than any wise man who judgeth only by the rules of humane policy could have expected.
There should no flesh be saved] That is, with a temporall Salvation from the Romane Sword and devouring calamities which attended that terrible War.
Vers. 24. For there shall arise false Christs, and false Prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch that (if it were possible) they shall deceive the very Elect] The Fathers teach that this place is to be understood of Antichrist and his Ministers, the Papists confess it.
It is not possible for any of Gods Elect to be so deceived by any false teachers, as that they should fall into those errours that are fundamentall, and persist in them.See Fulke on Rhem. Test. on John 16.13. One that is in the state of grace may for a time hold such errours in religion as do trench very neere upon the foundation: For all the Elect Apostles did beleeve that Christ should be a worldly King, Mark. 10.37.41. yea, after his Passion and Resurrection they held this errour, Act. 1.6.Hilders. on Psa. 51 ver. 7. Lect. 146. The whole Church of the Galatians held for a time that a man could not be justified by faith in Christ only without the workes of the Law, 3, 4, and 5. Chapters.
Vers. 26. Secret Chambers] As when Papists say, he is in the Chappell, in the Altar, in the boxe, beleeve it not.
Vers. 28. Wheresoever the Carkase is, there will the Eagles be gathered together] That is, the Saints and Elect which now enjoy Christ. Irenaeus, Hilary, Chrysostome, Euthymius, and Beza, Interpret it of the Angels which shall accompany Christ to judgement; as the Eagles flie from far Countries through the clouds to the Carkasse, so the godly shall be taken up into the clouds to meet Christ, and shall be ever with him; The Eagles flie high, so the Saints are heavenly; The Eagles are endued with quick sight, can look upon the Sun, so the godly on the Sun of righteousness.
Vers. 29. Immediately] That must not be measured by our,Paul so speakes of the time of the last day, as if he with his hearers should live to it. 1 Thes. 4.15. but the divine Computation, in which a thousand daies are as one, Psal. 90.4. 2 Pet. 3.8. That whole time between Christs first and last comming is called by the Apostle, the last comming, yea, the last houre, Act. 2.17. 1 Cor. 10.11. Phil. 4.5. Heb. 10.25. Iam. 5.8. 1 Pet. 4.7. 1 Ioh. 2.18.
Starres shall fall from heaven] Not indeed, but in the opinion of men; The meaning is, there shall be so great a concussion of the frame of heaven, that the Stars themselves may be thought to fall. Calvin.
Shall be shaken] In Greeke foreign, which properly signifieth they shall be shaken as the Sea troubled by the waves, and shall be in danger by shaking, for it is used of a reed shaken by the wind, Mat. 11.7. Luk. 7.24. Of measure shaken, Luk. 6.38.Gerh. de exiremo judicio. Of the foundations of houses moved, Luk. 6.48. Acts 4.31. & 16.26. And metaphorically of the instability and change of things, Heb. 12.26, 27. As also of the trouble of the mind, Act. 2.25. 2 Thes. 2.2.
Vers. 30. Then shall appeare the sign of the Son of man] Bellarmins mouth runs over exceedingly when he saith,De Imag. l. 2. c. 28. Communis fuit semper opinio, crucem signum filij hominis appellari: eamque in Coelo, aut in aere, Christo veniente, quasi ejus vexillum apparituram esse. Maldonar in loc. Quaeres, quodnam est signum filij hominis, id est, Christi incarnati? Resp. est Crux. à Lap. in loc. Quidam accipiunt de speciali quadam claritate ac radio quodam igneo qui immeditate Christi adventum praecedet & in momento per universum orbem se extendet. Gerh. loc. Com. Signum crucis inquit Lessius, unde ecclesia Canit, hoc signum crucis erit in coelo cum Dominus ad judicandum venerit. Quidam (inquit ille) putant ipsam erucem in qua dominus pependit, divinitus instaurandam, & ibi apparituram, sed haec minor est inquit ille quam ut toti orbi possit esse conspicua. that the Ancient Fathers ad unum omnes interpret this sign to be the Crosse: For Chrysostome thinketh it to be the Body of Christ it selfe. Theophylact holdeth the true Cross shall appeare whereon Christ dyed. Abulensis and Iansenius are of another opinion, they think it shall be a Cross compacted of glorious and lightsome aire; so Lessius de perfectionibus divinis, l. 13. thinks it shall be a great and bright figure of the Cross, a Cross made of the aire or clouds which may be seen of all. See Rhem. Testament.
It is a manner of speech borrowed from the wars,Cartw. confut. of Rhem. Test. for our Saviour by evident tokens of his glorious appearance, as by the displaying of a Banner, will gather his Saints together from all the corners of the earth. All markes of ignominie of Christ shall then be abolished, there is no likelihood then of the appearance of the Cross.
As the morning Star, or a great brightness in the firmament, is a proper sign of the Suns present rising, so this of Christs immediate coming.
There be divers opinions what this sign is. It is thought (by Calvin, Beza, Bucer,) that by this sign of the Son of man there are meant. (by way of Synecdoche) the great signs of glory and majesty which then shall compass Christ about, and shall Omnium oculos convertere ad se quasi signo dato, which seems to have strength from the explication which followeth, He shall be seen come in the clouds with power and great glory, That is▪ (saith Musculus) the foresaid events shall be certaine significations, and as it were, a sign of my coming.Abraham received the sign of Circumcision, Rom. 4. that is, Circumcision which is a signe. Ipse filius hominis tanquam signum certissimum adventus sui ad judiciū. Piscat. Gerh. It is called the sign of the Son of man by an excellency, because that Christ himself immediately upon that sign appeares. Smith. Mark. 13.26. Lu. 21.27. Hieronymus, & alij, vexillum crucis intelligunt. Mihi semper probabilior sententia eorum visa qui nubes coeli de…otari existimant. Nam quod Marcus & Lucas signi filij hominis nullam mentionem faciunt, sed simplicitur dicunt: Tunc videbunt filium hominis venientem in nubibus cum potentia multa & gloria. Mar. 13.26. Luc. 21.27. Probabiliter concludimus apud Matthaeum apparitionem signi filij hominis in coelo, esse conspectum filij hominis venientis in nubibus Coeli: praesertim cum verisimile sit, quod fuit proximum signum Christi à Discipulorum oculis abeuntis in coelum, idem fore proximum signum Christi redituri ad judicium, oculis omnium hominum primò objectum, vide licet, nubem. Hinc toties scribitur in nubibusedens adventurus. Dan. 7.13. Mat. 26.64. Mar. 14.62. Apoc. 11.7. & 14.14. Taceo quod signum filij hominis populo Israelitico interdiu praeuntis fuit columna nubis. Exod. 13.21. Scultet. obser. in Mat. Hoc verò signum, sit ne futura aliqua stella, an crux, an quale aliud, frustra inquiritur aut definitur. Paraeus in loc.
Some take the words to be an Hebraisme, and think Christ himself (the Son of man) is there meant, so Ierome, Estie. But it cannot be taken so, (say some) for there is an opposition between these, so that the sign can never be the thing signified, and the words following distinguish him from that sign. They shall see the Son of man. Yet other Evangelists have only these words, then shall the Son of man appeare, which confirms this last exposition. Origen takes it for the miraculous power and vertues of Christ. Chrysostome expounds it of the wounds that be in the hands, feet, and side of Christ. Mr Perkins, Rollock on 1 Thes. 4. and others, take it to be the burning up of this world at the very instant of Christs coming, mentioned by Peter, because it is also said, Dan. 7.10. A fiery streame issued out when the Ancient of dayes sate upon his throne. Others take it to be the sound of the last Trumpet, but it cannot be that, because there is a distinction between them, ver. 30, 31. Smith on the Creed, and Barlow, say, it is the infinite brightness and splendour which shall come from Christs glorious Person, the brightness whereof shall darken all other lights. See Dr Hals Paraphrase, and Beza. Bifield on Colos. saith, what that sign shall be, I cannot describe: Some think that by it is meant the Gospell, and the power of it toward the latter end of the world. Grotius Paralells it with that Rev. 19.11. the white horse, that is, the pure preaching of the Gospell. See Rev. 6.
All the tribes of the earth] That is, all people of the earth, a metaphor from the common wealth of the Jews, for the Jewish people were distributed into twelve Tribes. Synecdoche integri, for the wicked people only shall mourne. Piscat.
Mourne] Yea, and that with deepe mourning, beating their breasts as the Greeke word importeth.
Vers. 31. And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet] 1 Thes. 4 16. This is an allusion,Vide Grot. in Mat 6.2. & in loc. The Lord will use the Angels as Instruments. because by a received custome among the Jews, and those Easterne Countries, their great Assemblies were called by the sound of the Trumpet. The Angels shall not use any materiall Trumpet, but by some marvelous great shrill sound shall call all to judgment, Iohn 5.25. It is called the voice of Christ himself, Vox praeconis est vox Iudicis, the voice of the Crier is the voice of the Judge.
Ver. 34. This generation shall not pass] Some by generation understand all mankind, as if it should not be till there were a period put to mans succession,That is, one generation shall not passe untill the destruction of Jerusalem be accomplished, which was effected about forty yeares after, so it is likely that after all the signs aforesaid, before one age shall pass the day of Judgment shall come. Cartw. so the word is used, Esa. 41.4. But our Saviour addeth a determining particular, this generation. 2. Others understand it of heaven and earth, making it the same in effect with that which followeth, and so the word is used, Gen. 2.4. 3. Others understand it of Beleevers, the generation of those that seek thy face. 4. Some understand by it this age, for foreign signifieth both, and so think Christ meaneth all that time intervening between his first and second comming, so that there should be no singular change in the Church of God againe before the day of Judgement. But the most plaine and simple meaning is to expound it of the destruction of Jerusalem, and by this generation is meant the age of those men living, as Noah was just in his generation, that is, with the men of that age.
Vers. 35. Heaven and earth may passe away, but my words shall not passe away] These words may be taken either comparatively thus, Heaven and earth shall sooner passe away, as Luk. 16.17. Or positively, the heaven and earth shall passe away at the end of the world, but his word shall not passe away, that is, be destroyed, before it have its full and perfect end; for the Ceremonies and Sacrifices in the old Law did hold till Christ came, but then they were to cease in him, who was the body and fulnesse of them.
Vers. 36. But of that day and houre knoweth no man, no not the Angels of heaven, but my Father only] Christ knew it not 1. to reveale it, the Church knew it not. 2. He knew it not as man. Jansen.
Ver. 28. Eating] foreign, they gave themselves to eate, as bruit beasts; so the word signifies: for otherwise it is no fault to eate.See my Greeke Critica.
Vers. 40. The one shall be taken, and the other left] That is, say Jerome and Theophylact, the first shall be elected and safe, the other reprobated and perish. Grotius thinks it is to be referred to the distinguishing of men which is made by the Gospell, especially in those first forty yeares, a visible sign also of which was the preservation of the Christians from the evill of the siege of Ierusalem.
Vers. 43. If the good man of the house had known in what watch the thiefe would come] It hath troubled some that our Saviour should compare his comming and a thieves together, but it is not comparatio personae ad personam, or negotij ad negotium, but temporis ad tempus; not the comparing of person with person, or business with business, but of time with time.