Matthew 24:1, commentary and pictures

Jesus leaves the temple for the last time after declaring its house left desolate, with His disciples following Him toward the Mount of Olives, and as they go they point Him to its massive stones and grandeur as if it must stand forever. He answers that not one stone shall remain upon another, a word fulfilled about forty years later when Roman legions destroyed the city and more than a million perished. The departure opens the discourse of Matthew 24 and 25, given privately on Olivet in answer to their question about the temple's overthrow and the sign of His coming and the end of the world. The account of Jerusalem's downfall is mingled with the destruction of the world, so that the city's fate typifies the more terrible final destruction by fire and the judgment when earthly history ends. In departing and foretelling its end He shows that true religion does not depend on its forms and ceremonies, for He Himself is greater than the temple in whom all its services find fulfillment, and that no towering human building is secure when an impenitent people rejects His mercy and warnings.

Leaving the Temple

Jesus went out and departed from the temple after declaring its house left desolate, pronouncing woes upon Jerusalem and lamenting over it and denouncing the hypocrisy of the Jewish rulers. His disciples accompanied Him as He left toward the Mount of Olives, and two days before the Passover He sat on its slope overlooking Jerusalem and looked again at the city and its magnificent temple standing like a crown on the sacred mount. This was after a wearying day's work speaking at length in answer to the Pharisees' questions with predictions and warnings, a short time before entering Gethsemane to bear the sins of the world. The prophecy that follows was spoken to His disciples from Olivet and looks ahead to Jerusalem's fate and His second coming, and to the suffering and persecution His followers would meet as their Master did from His departure until His return to deliver them.

As they left, the disciples came to Him to show Him the buildings of the temple and drew His attention to their strength, grandeur and beauty. They pointed to its massive, finely fitted stones and imposing construction, thinking the grand, beautiful structure must stand forever. They were amazed at His warning that it would be left desolate, unable to imagine how its stones could be overthrown or how such destruction could come, and concerned about what His words meant.

In answer He declared that not one stone would be left upon another, that the temple would be torn down. That destruction was later carried out by the Roman legions about forty years afterward, when more than a million people perished in the siege and the nation's rejection of the Son of God decided its fate.

Paul later returned to Jerusalem and viewed the city and the temple with changed views, knowing that God's retributive judgment was hanging over them.

Prophecy of Jerusalem and End

This departure from the temple opens the discourse of Matthew 24 and 25, spoken privately from Olivet in answer to the disciples' question about the destruction of the temple and the sign of His coming and of the end of the world. The question was prompted by His prediction of desolation, and the answer looks forward both to the fate of Jerusalem and to His second coming. It also looks ahead to the suffering, humiliation, reproach and persecution His followers would meet from His departure until His return to deliver them.

The chapter traces the important events from His first advent to His second. It foretells the destruction of Jerusalem, the persecution and suffering of the church, the preaching of the gospel throughout the world, flight from Judea when the abomination of desolation stands in the holy place, signs in the heavens, and His coming with power and great glory in His kingdom to gather His elect. It warns to watch and be ready because the day and hour of that coming are unknown. The Sabbath taught in connection with that flight remains the creation Sabbath, with no new Sabbath announced after the crucifixion.

The description of Jerusalem's downfall also foresees the destruction of the world, mingling the two events together. The destruction of Jerusalem and its temple represents, typifies and points to the more terrible final destruction of the world by fire, the final judgment and the destruction of the earth when the history of this earth is swallowed up in endless eternity. Jerusalem was lost because its people refused truth and light and mercy, persisted in rebellion, and had God's protection withdrawn, and those who continue to refuse God's truth and mercy will likewise face punishment. Thus the prophetic words about Jerusalem reach beyond that historical event to warn those living in earth's final days.

In this brief compass the prophecy covers the whole dispensation to the complete restitution of all things, dwelling especially on the thrilling and momentous closing scenes of this world's history. It follows the church in her warfare and sufferings on to promised redemption, the final triumph of the people of God, the destruction of Satan and all his followers, the total and eternal extirpation of evil from the universe, and the renovation of the earth as the everlasting inheritance of the saints when the great controversy is concluded. It is presented as the beginning of that history of the church's conflict through to its final redemption.

The second advent taught here is still future and was not fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem. The predictions of the great Teacher are being fulfilled today, showing that His coming is at hand. They are to be studied and brought before believers and unbelievers, presented by ministers and teachers above matters of lesser consequence, because the truths they contain decide eternal destiny, and their unmistakable fulfilment calls the church to arouse to questions of eternal importance.

The chapter gives an outline of what is to come upon the world, including the perils of the last days now being lived in and the judgments approaching the wicked. It lays urgency upon warning those perishing in sin and giving the last message of mercy. Nearness is to be learned at the doors from signs as from the fig tree, for His words will not pass away. All are to watch and be ready because the hour of the Lord's coming and of the Son of man's coming in an unexpected hour is unknown. The faithful and wise servant gives meat in due season, while the evil servant who says his lord delays his coming and smites his fellow servants and eats and drinks with the drunken will be cut asunder and appointed with the hypocrites. Eternal riches come only through self-denial and sacrifice of earthly riches, through much tribulation and giving all to Christ, with means entrusted by the Lord invested in gospel work rather than spent in self-gratification, for earthly riches trusted as the chief good will crumble into dust.

Judgment and Present Warning

Matthew 24:1 shows Jesus going out and departing from the temple after pronouncing woes upon Jerusalem, lamenting over it and warning of coming calamities, as His disciples come to show Him the buildings of the temple. They point to its massive stones and its grand, beautiful, imposing buildings, thinking the structure must stand forever, and they are amazed at His warning of desolation because they cannot yet imagine its overthrow. In answer He declares that not one stone will be left upon another, teaching that even the most solid, towering human buildings and grand cities cannot stand when God sends judgment upon an impenitent city and people that have rejected His messengers, appeals and warnings. That apparent permanence is like San Francisco, whose towering buildings its inhabitants likewise expected to endure until calamity fell upon it, as seen also in the destruction of Jerusalem. In contrast to the modest chapel proposed for Loma Linda, in the closing days of earth's history many sinful cities and their lofty buildings will be destroyed.

The warning over Jerusalem also pointed to and represents the more terrible destruction of the world at the end of its history, when earth's history is swallowed up, typifying that final destruction and marking the end of God's long forbearance toward persistent rejection of His law and His Son. Jerusalem was brought low and lost because its people refused the truth and light, rejected Christ's mercy, chose Barabbas, persisted in rebellion against His way, law and Son, and chose their own course until God's protection was withdrawn. Its downfall followed about forty years later, when more than a million people perished in the siege, proving that the nation's rejection of the Son of God decided its fate. Those who continue to refuse God's mercy and truth will likewise face punishment, and rejecting God's holy memorial, the Sabbath, brings grave consequences.

In departing from the temple and foretelling its end He taught that true religion did not depend on its forms and ceremonies, making them of none effect and purifying religion from dependence on them. He announced Himself greater than the temple, proclaiming Himself the Way, the Truth and the Life in whom all Jewish ceremony and typical service was to find its fulfillment. He stands forth in the place of the temple, with all the offices of the church centered in Himself alone.

Because that greater destruction, the destruction of the world, is near at hand and of great consequence, members of God's church have no time to spend in dissension and strife. They have no time for criticizing and condemning one another, and no call to sit in judgment upon others or to pass sentence upon brethren. That work Christ alone can do.