A framework for understanding Matthew 24 and Christ’s return

In Matthew 24, Jesus’ disciples question him about his return. But Jesus’ response expanded into a more far-reaching answer than they had apparently expected. This article examines Jesus’ answers to their questions and provides a logical framework for how to read and interpret this chapter for a better understanding of Christ’s return.

Matthew 24 is one of the most debated chapters in the gospels, with most Bible teachers taking either a premillennial or amillennial view. This article will not take a strong stand on these theologies but instead focus on the structure of the chapter.

Christ’s return

Matthew 24 starts with Jesus commenting to his disciples about the impending destruction of the Jerusalem temple. The disciples then questioned him about his statement:

Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” 3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”  (Matthew 24:1-3)

The Disciples’ questions

The disciples’ response to Jesus’ comment about the temple’s destruction was to ask him three questions:

1. When will the temple be destroyed?
2. What will be the sign of your coming?
3. What will be the sign of the end of the age?

The three questions were asked together, so we can assume the disciples thought they were closely related. One of the reasons for such disagreement on this chapter is that it’s unclear if Jesus gave his answers in the order he received the questions, or if there was any order to them at all. So, it’s uncertain which answers correspond to which question, which is the subject of this article.

Early beliefs about Christ’s return

It’s clear the disciples didn’t fully understand the relation between the temple destruction, Christ’s return, and the end of the age. It’s possible they thought that one answer would cover all three questions.

Many early disciples believed that Christ would return soon after he rose and ascended. So, it’s also possible the twelve thought all three events would happen at the same time and happen soon. This is suggested by the fact that even after hearing Jesus’ teaching of Matthew 24 and just before he ascended, they still asked him if God would at that time “restore the kingdom to Israel” (Acts 1:6). Jesus’ answer is telling:

It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  (Acts 1: 7-8)

In other words, there was much work to be done before Jesus would come again and restore God’s kingdom. The disciples had to preach the good news to many nations and to the farthest reaches of the earth.

Last days

The term “last days” comes from the Old Testament passages of Isaiah 2:2, Hosea 3:5, Joel 2:28 (quoted in Acts 2:17), and Micah 4:1. These passages prophesied a future time of salvation, renewal, blessing, and revival, believed by many to be initiated by the Messiah. The disciples knew that Jesus had promised to return and bring with him his promised blessings. So “last days” is a term generally used by New Testament authors to refer to the time between Jesus’ first and second comings:

  In the last days he has spoken to us by his Son….  (Hebrews 1:2)

… in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.  (2 Peter 3:3)

The events that occurred on the Day of Pentecost confirmed to the apostles that the last days had begun (Acts 2: 14-21). So, the disciple’s three questions concerned the “last days” as they understood the term, that it was a single block of time. They apparently thought its time span was relatively short, but as we know now, it’s longer than anyone had ever anticipated. Regardless, we assume the events Jesus described in Matthew 24 all fall within this time.

Framework for understanding Matthew 24

Some Bible teachers reject that Matthew could have recorded answers that didn’t clearly match each question. In their belief, for the Bible to be God’s Word, the syntax, selection of words, and the order of words and passages were exactly dictated by God.

But this is problematic for Matthew 24 for two reasons. First, in reading this chapter, a logical sequence of answers that match each question is anything but clear. Second, no one knows the time of Christ’s return, so the disciples’ understanding of this teaching had to be incomplete, even up to their death.

Preterist theologians claim to solve this problem by saying all of the events of chapter 24 including Christ’s return were fulfilled in 70 A.D. at the Roman destruction of Jerusalem. They claim Christ’s promised coming was his judgment on Israel in 70 A.D. and therefore not a physical but a spiritual return. But a physical return is clearly promised in Scripture (Acts 1:11).

I believe material relevant to each question occurs in sections. The following is my attempt to delineate these sections and match them to the relevant questions.

Wars and disasters

4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.  (Matthew 24:4-8)  

This section appears to provide answers to questions 1 and 2. Jesus’ disciples were not to believe any other claims to messiahship than his. Many false messiahs will make this claim in the disciples’ time, afterward, and throughout history. But Jesus alone is the Christ, and only a physical appearance of Jesus Christ will fulfill his promise and confirm that he had actually returned.

And they were not to think that wars signaled an immediate return of Christ. Wars, tribulations, and conflict have always occurred because they are part of human life and history.

Birth pangs

This passage affirms that great and significant events and calamities would happen during the disciples’ time and up to Christ’s return.  Even though international conflicts, famines, and earthquakes will always occur, Jesus was affirming that calamities will increase before his coming.

As any mother knows, birth pangs happen with increasing severity, length, and frequency as the time of birth approaches. Birth pangs imply a birth will occur, which in this context means the birth of a new age. Verses 5 and 6 therefore seem to imply that Christ’s return and the end of this age happen at the same time, so practically, questions 2 and 3 are the same question.

Persecution and the Great Commission

9 Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.  (Matthew 24:9-14)

This section appears to concern mostly Christ’s coming and the end of the age, questions 2 and 3. The mention of “all nations” implies the persecution will occur in Gentile nations, not just first century Israel. Even though persecution did occur during the first century and the Roman siege of Jerusalem, Jesus was warning that it would be sure to occur in all of church history, in all nations.

The “faith” mentioned would not be the Jewish faith, but the faith of professing believers in Christ. That “many will turn away from the faith” suggests that there will have been many years of church growth and countless people professing the Christian faith before a widespread apostasy occurs within the church.

“The one who stands firm to the end will be saved” (vs. 13) relates more to those being handed over to persecution (vs. 9). It doesn’t mean the disciples will lose their eternal salvation for not “standing firm.” Jesus was telling them that their safety during that time of great tribulation depended on following his instructions to the end. For the first century disciples, if they fled Jerusalem, they would be saved from certain death.

Verse 14 clearly refers to the Great Commission described in Matthew 28:16-20. The end will occur after the gospel is preached in “the whole world” and to “all nations” as Jesus commanded. This clearly means global and not just local evangelism within Israel. God’s plan is that all nations, tribes, and languages be represented in heaven before God. And when that threshold is attained—when the gospel has been preached in the whole world—then the Father will send his Son back into the world to reap the harvest, and the end will come.

Abomination of desolation

15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!

20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.  (Matthew 24:15-22)

This section clearly relates to question 1, “When will the temple be destroyed?” It concerns those living in Judea during a time of great conflict and danger. Luke elaborates: “when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies . . . flee to the mountains” (Luke 21:20-21).

The Roman siege of Jerusalem is one of the most documented conflicts of the ancient world, recorded by Josephus. The Romans erected siege works around the city and battered the city walls with large rocks. The inhabitants of the city endured great distress and famine. When the Roman army finally broke through the walls, many had already died of starvation. The Romans then slaughtered thousands and destroyed the temple.

Jesus’ warning was that when people see the temple being desecrated and the daily sacrifice abolished as prophesied by Daniel (Daniel 11:31), those who are in Jerusalem should not stay but flee to safety while they have the chance. Temple desecration had already occurred in 167 B.C. when Antiochus Epiphanes sacrificed a pig and set up an image of Zeus in the Jewish temple.

But its complete desecration occurred in 70 A.D. During that time the Romans abolished the sacrifice by entering the temple even into the Holy of Holies, carrying their standards bearing images of the emperor and the gods they worshipped. They then plundered the temple’s treasures and destroyed it completely.

“The elect” in this passage may refer specifically to the Jews. If that attack in 70 A.D. had continued for much longer, the entire Jewish population would’ve been destroyed.

Some premillennialists maintain this scenario will occur in Jerusalem again after the Jewish temple is rebuilt immediately prior to Christ’s return.

False Messiahs

23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.  (Matthew 24:23-28)

Because of the wording “At that time,” the warning in verse 23 appears to relate to the previous discussion of the Roman attack on Jerusalem. The disciples were not to think Christ’s return was imminent just because Jerusalem and the temple are destroyed. Many false Christs would appear and deceive people, as they did at that time of the Roman siege, and they were not to follow them. “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather” refers to how spiritual death and darkness will follow wherever false messiahs and apostasy occur.

Instead of being a secretive event, Christ’s return will be obvious, sudden, and unexpected, like lightning. The light will be so bright that even though it comes in the east, those in the west will see it. It has been 2000 years now since he made that promise. But when it happens, all people will see it or know of it, and no one will have secret or special knowledge.

Christ’s return on the clouds of heaven

29 “Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.  (Matthew 24:29-31)

This section obviously concerns question 2. “Immediately” in verse 29 is interpreted by preterists to mean that Christ’s coming would occur immediately after the temple destruction. But “those days” more likely refers to verses 27-28, the distress of the days just prior to Christ’s return.

The Son of man appearing on the clouds of heaven is originally from Daniel 7, which describes the Messiah coming from heaven to take his rightful reign on earth. Amillennialists see this as Christ coming with clouds into heaven before the Father to take his reign. But the statement that all peoples will mourn when they see Christ (vs. 30) supports the first view. To commence his reign, Christ will gather God’s elect, the body of believers from all over the world. So, the messianic kingdom will be populated by those who were faithful to the Son of Man and who submit to God’s rule.

Signs of Christ’s return

32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.  (Matthew 24:32-35)

This section appears to relate to question 1. “When you see all these things” cannot be referring to Jesus coming in the clouds and the gathering of the elect. It could only refer to people seeing the events preceding the destruction of Jerusalem. That present generation that heard Christ’s words would live to see the events he described. Jesus spoke these words around 30 A.D. and the temple was destroyed in 70 A.D., a period of one generation.

Premillennialism provides an alternate view, that “these things” refers to the events immediately preceding Christ’s return, and “this generation” refers to the generation of people who are alive when these events occur.

Christ’s return sudden and unexpected

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  (Matthew 24:36)

This clearly concerns question 2 regarding Christ’s coming. No one knows the exact time of Christ’s return, not even the angels nor the Son, but only the Father. Jesus wasn’t denying his deity or omniscience. He may had been referring to the ancient Jewish wedding custom wherein the groom’s father had the sole authority to decide when the bridal chamber was complete and the wedding could begin. Jesus, being the bridegroom of the Father’s wedding feast, will need to wait on the Father’s command as to the right time to come back for his bride, the church.

37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.  (Matthew 24:37-40)

Jesus gives the “days of Noah” as an example of the nature of Christ’s return. People were living their lives as though nothing would happen, believing God would never judge them. After a long period of Noah’s warning and preaching, judgment came quickly.

Jesus’ example of two men in the field and two women at the mill has led to different interpretations. The context suggests that the man and the woman who are taken are those being judged and punished, not being saved. However, many believe the converse is true, that those who are taken are “taken up by God to meet Christ in the air” as described by 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17.

Does this passage teach a separate “rapture” of believers? I don’t believe so. I see only one return of Christ in Scripture, the purpose of which is to bring salvation and transformation to believers and judgment to the unrepentant. This means that the 1 Thessalonians 4 passage describes the resurrection of believers—the same as in 1 Corinthians 15—and not a separate event.

Stay awake

In any case, every believer should be spiritually awake and wait expectantly for our Lord’s coming.

All the admonitions and parables that follow in Matthew 24 and 25 deal with this theme of the sudden return of Christ and the necessity of being prepared. Both judgment for the unrepentant and deliverance for the faithful will be swift and unexpected. We who believe in Christ have the promise of his return as a sure hope, but we need to be spiritually awake, so he doesn’t catch us sleeping and unprepared.

May this article inspire you to a deeper study of God’s Word. If it was helpful to you, please leave a comment.

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