It is good to note, as stated in the previous lesson, that the disciples didn’t question the fact that the temple was slated for destruction because they knew that from the history of the Old Testament writings and prophecy. Also, the question the disciples asked is similar to the question that Daniel asked in Chapter 12:8 and then heard God’s answer in verse 9. And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? 9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. (The time of the end is a reference to the end of the Jewish Age and temple.) Jesus understood that they knew the meaning of the time of the end and didn’t address that fact as such, as he did later for the remaining parts of the question. His discourse in Matthew 24 is the revealing of what Daniel shut up: and what Daniel shut up is the subject of the book of Revelation which reveals Jerusalem’s destruction.

Verse 4 begins, And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. Deceivers would spring up and claim to be Christ and verse 5 tells what the deceivers will do, For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Luke  recorded in Acts 5:36-37 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. 37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. Those men preceded the apostles whom Gamaliel defended in verse 35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. The word before of verse 36 is a reference to the time the apostles were preaching in that area and these days is the time of the false teachers.

Jesus continued his teachings in verses 6-8. 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. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. Those verses are used by many to teach that they are signs of the end and point to events of the current day as fulfillment of the verses. (See Mark 13:7-9) However, Jesus was speaking of the conditions of the time and the events that would happen in the coming years. There was a famine in AD 46 which is reported in Acts 11:28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world; and this took place in the days of Claudius. (RSV) In AD 61 and AD 62 there were earthquakes in Laodicea and Pompeii respectively. Jesus said of all the happenings, but the end is not yet and in verse 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. Those things would precede the actual event (destruction of the temple) and would bring anguish to the people as part of their life. The events he described had noting to do with that which would arrive later.

In verses 9-14 give the account of the events that will before the end of the age. 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. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 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. The activity of which Jesus spoke came to pass between AD 33 (Day of Pentecost) and AD 66 to AD 70. Stephen was stoned to death; Paul and Peter were executed; false prophets arose to deceive; sin grew as believers fell away from Christ as spoken of in I John and others returned to the Law. All the world refers to the Roman Empire as that was the known world at that time. The gospel was preached to the Jews (Acts 2), the Samaritans and the Gentiles (Acts 10-11). The Jews, Samaritans and the Gentiles are the nations (people) not countries as is wrongfully supposed. When Cornelius and his house (adult family and servants) received the gospel, that part of Jesus’s prophecy was fulfilled.

                The next Part V will continue with verses 13, 14 and 15.

© 09-18-2012 DEC