PrevMatthew 24:27Next

Matthew 24

And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

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.

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?

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

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.

Behold, I have told you before.

Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

What does Matthew 24:27 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 24:27 speaks of the second coming of Christ using the imagery of lightning that flashes across the sky from the east and shines to the west.

The verse suggests that Jesus' return will be sudden, visible, and unmistakable, just as lightning is clearly seen by all in its path.

The reference to the east and west also implies a universal nature to Christ's return – it will be an event that encompasses the entire world, not a local or hidden occurrence.

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Matthew 24 is part of what is known popularly as the Olivet Discourse, which contains Jesus' teachings on the end times.

The discourse is a response to the disciples' questions regarding the signs of Jesus' coming and the end of the age.

The Gospel of Matthew was written in a Jewish context, likely around A.D. 70, a period when there was turmoil and expectation of divine intervention.

The destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem may have occurred around this time, intensifying apocalyptic expectations among early Christians.

Theological Insights

Within Christian theology, this verse is often discussed concerning the doctrine of Parousia, the second coming of Christ. There are different interpretations among Christian denominations regarding the nature and timing of the second coming.

Preterist View: Some theologians interpret this verse as referencing events that occurred in the first century, such as the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in A.D. 70, believing that Jesus' prophecies were fulfilled within that generation.
Futurist View: Others interpret it as a prophecy yet to be fulfilled, indicating that Jesus' second coming will be a future, global event that will be obvious to all.
Historicist View: This interpretation sees the verse as part of a prophecy that unfolds throughout history, culminating in Jesus' return.
Idealist or Symbolic View: Some hold that this verse symbolically represents the ongoing spiritual victory of Christ in the world.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, this verse can inspire believers to live with expectation and readiness, as the return of Christ can happen at any moment.

It can also encourage individuals to focus on their faith and actions rather than trying to predict specific dates for eschatological events.

The universality and suddenness of the event call for a vigilant and global perspective on Christian mission and ethics.

Cross-References

1 Thessalonians 5:2: "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night."
Luke 17:24: "For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day."
Revelation 1:7: "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.

Even so, Amen."

Language Study

The verse utilizes the Greek word "astrape" (ἀστραπή), which can mean "lightning" or "brightness." It is linked with the verb "phaino" (φαίνω), meaning "to appear" or "to shine," indicating a very visible, public revelation.

"Son of man" is derived from the Greek "huios tou anthropou," which is a title Jesus frequently uses for Himself and bears eschatological significance originating from the book of Daniel in the Old Testament.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient cultures, lightning was often seen as a manifestation of divine power or judgment. In Greek mythology, Zeus is known for his lightning bolts. In the Hebrew Bible, lightning is associated with God's majesty (Psalm 77:18).

Thus, the use of this imagery would resonate with both Jewish and Gentile readers, signifying a powerful divine action.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, lightning is a natural phenomenon caused by the discharge of electricity in the atmosphere, visible over great distances.

While the verse is not speaking of lightning from a meteorological standpoint, the imagery cleverly communicates the idea of a quick, unmistakable event that cannot be missed by observers.

Commentaries

Commentators provide various perspectives:

John Calvin emphasized the consolation Christians receive from knowing Christ will surely return with great glory.
Matthew Henry saw this verse as a warning that Christ's second coming cannot be hidden and will be manifest to all.
**R.T.

France** highlights the unexpectedness and universality of Christ's return.

**N.T.

Wright** often emphasizes the first-century context and may see this as referring to the vindication of Jesus’ ministry following the destruction of the Temple, as well as a future hope.

Scholars continue to explore the eschatological implications of this passage, noting its impact on Christian eschatology and how it shaped the early Christian community's expectations and conduct.

Matthew 24

Matthew 24

What does Matthew 24:27 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 24:27 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?