The disciples, not disputing either the truth or the equity of this sentence, nor doubting of the accomplishment of it, inquire, When shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (ver. 3.) Some think these questions do all point at one and the same thing-the destruction of the temple, and the period of the Jewish Church and nation, which Christ had himself spoken of as his coming (chap. xvi. 28), and which would be the consummation of the age (for so it may be read), the finishing of that dispensation. Others think their question, When shall these things be? refers to the destruction of Jerusalem, and the other two to the end of the world; or Christ's coming may refer to his setting up his gospel kingdom, and the end of the world to the day of judgment. I rather incline to think, that their question looked no farther than the event Christ now foretold; but it appears by other passages, that they had very confused thoughts of future events; so that perhaps it is not possible to put any certain construction upon this question of theirs. But Christ, in his answer, though he does not expressly rectify the mistakes of his disciples (that must be done by the pouring out of the Spirit), yet looks farther than their question, and instructs his Church, not only concerning the great events of that age, the destruction of Jerusalem, but concerning his second coming at the end of time, which here he insensibly slides into a discourse of; and of that it is plain he speaks in the next chapter, which is a continuation of this sermon. 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, "Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For 'many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 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. 9 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 Pshall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 15 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:) 16 Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath-day: 21 For "then shall be great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: *but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. 23 'Then if 23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 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 q e Eph. v. 6; Col. ii. 8, 18; 2 Thess. ii. 3; 1 John iv. 1. Jer. xiv. 14. xxiii. 21, 25; ver. 24; John V. 43. g Ver. 11. yer. 5, 11; 2 Thess. ii. 9-11; Rev. xiii. 13. a John vi. 37, x. 28, 29; Mark xiii. 13; Heb. iii. 6, 14; Rev. ii. 10. o Chap. iv. 23, t Luke xxiii. 29. z Deut. xiii. 1; b elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before. 26 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. 27 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. 28 For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29 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: 30 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. 31 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. b Luke xvii. 24. c Job xxxix. 30; Luke xvii. 37. d Dan. vii. 11, 12. Amos v. 20, viii. 9; Mark xiii. 24; Luke xxi. 21, 25; Acts ii. 20; Rev. vi. 12. Mark xiii. 26; Rev. i. 7. i Chap. xiii. 41; 1 Cor. xv. 52; 1 Thess. iv. 16. e Isa. xiii. 10; Ezek. xxxii. 7; Joel ii. 10, 31, iii. 15; f Dan. vii. 13. g Zech. xii. 12. h Chap. xvi. 27; || Or, with a trumpet, and a great voice. The disciples had asked, concerning the times, When shall these things be? Christ gives them no answer to that, after what number of days and years his prediction should be accomplished, for it is not for us to know the times (Acts i. 7); but they had asked, What shall be the sign? That question he answers fully, for we are concerned to understand the signs of the times, chap. xvi. 3. Now the prophecy primarily respects the events near at hand,-the destruction of Jerusalem, the period of the Jewish Church and State, the calling of the Gentiles, and the setting up of Christ's kingdom in the world; but as the prophecies of the Old Testament, which have an immediate reference to the affairs of the Jews and the revolutions of their state, under the figure of them, do certainly look farther, to the gospel Church and the kingdom of the Messiah, and are so expounded in the New Testament, and such expressions are found in those predictions as are peculiar thereto and not applicable otherwise; so this prophecy, under the type of Jerusalem's destruction, looks as far forward as the general judgment; and, as is usual in prophecies, some passages are most applicable to the type, and others to the antitype; and toward the close, as usual, it points more particularly to the latter. '' Christ foretells the going forth of deceivers (ver. 4), pretending to divine inspiration, an immediate mission, and a spirit of prophecy, when it was all a lie. Such there had been formerly (Jer. xxiii. 16; Ezek. xiii. 6), as was foretold. Deut. xiii. 3. He foretells also the appearance of false Christs, coming in Christ's name (ver. 5),-assuming to themselves the name peculiar to him, and saying, "I am Christ," ver. 24. There was at that time a general expectation of the appearing of the Messiah. They spoke of him as he that should come; but when he did come, the body of the nation rejected him; which those who were ambitious of making themselves a name took advantage of, and set up for Christs. Josephus speaks of several such impostors between this and the destruction of Jerusalem. "The land," says he, was overrun with magicians, seducers, and impostors, who drew the people after them in multitudes, into solitudes and deserts, to see the signs and miracles which they promised to show by the power of God." Among these are mentioned particularly Dositheus the Samaritan, who affirmed that he was Christ. Theudas, who persuaded many to go with him to the river Jordan, to see the waters divided. The names of twenty-four false Messiahs are recorded, as having appeared between the time of the Emperor Adrian and the year 1682. The Popish religion doth, in effect, set up a false Christ. The Pope comes in Christ's name, as his vicar, but invades and usurps all his offices, and so is a rival with him, and, as such, an enemy to him, a deceiver, and an antichrist. The proof they should offer for the making good of these pretences is noticed (ver. 24),—They shall show great signs and wonders. Not true miracles-those are a divine seal, and with those the doctrine of Christ stands confirmed; and therefore, if any offer to draw us from that by signs and wonders, we must have recourse to that rule given of old (Deut. xiii. 1-3), "If the sign or wonder come to pass, yet follow not him that would draw you to serve other gods, or believe in other Christs; for the Lord your God proveth you." But these were lying wonders. Yet, so nearly would they resemble true miracles, as to render it difficult to detect the imposition; so plausible would these false prophets make their claim that if it were possible they would persuade even true Christians that they were no deceivers. But that was not possible. They would be too firmly established in the belief that Jesus was the Christ, to be wholly led away by others. Christians may be some times led far astray-they may be in doubt about some great doctrines of religion-they may be perplexed by the cavils and cunning craftiness of those who do not love the truth-but they cannot be wholly deceived, and seduced from the Saviour. Our Saviour says that if this were possible, it would be done then. But it was not possible. Wars and great commotions among the nations are foretold, vers. 6, 7. When Christ was born there was a universal peace in the empire-the temple of Janus was shut; but think not that Christ came to send, or continue, such a peace (Luke xii. 51); no, his city and his wall are to be built even in troublesome times, and even wars shall forward his work. From the time that the Jews rejected Christ, and he left their house desolate, the sword did never depart from their house. It is recorded in the history of Rome, that the most violent agitations prevailed in the Roman empire previous to the destruction of Jerusalem. Four emperors, Nero, Galba, Otho, and Vitellius, suffered violent deaths in the short space of eighteen months. In consequence of these changes in the government, there were commotions throughout the empire. Parties were formed; and bloody and violent wars were the consequence of attachment to the particular emperors. This is the more remarkable, as at the time that the prophecy was made, the empire was in a state of peace. ¶ Rumours of wars. Wars declared, or threatened, but not carried into execution. Josephus says, that Bardanes, and after him Volageses, declared war against the Jews; but it was not carried into execution. He also says, that Vitellius, governor of Syria, declared war against Aretas, king of Arabia, and wished to lead his army through Palestine; but the death of Tiberius prevented the war. The end is not yet. The end of the Jewish economy. The destruction of Jerusalem will not immediately follow; be not, therefore, alarmed when you hear of those commotions. Other signs will warn you when to be alarmed, and seek security. Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, ver. 7. At Cæsarea, the Jews and Syrians contended about the right to the city, and 20,000 of the Jews were slain. At this blow the whole nation of the Jews was exasperated, and carried war and desolation through the Syrian cities and villages. Sedition and civil war spread throughout Judea; Italy was also thrown into civil war, by the contests between Otho and Vitellius for the crown. And there shall be famines. There was a famine foretold by Agabus (Acts xi. 28), which is mentioned, as having occurred, by Tacitus, Suetonius, and Eusebius; and which was so severe in Jerusalem, as Josephus reports that many people perished for want of food. Four times in the reign of Claudius (A. D. 41-54) famine prevailed in Rome, Palestine, and Greece. Pestilences. Raging, epidemic discases. The plague sweeping off multitudes of people at once. It is commonly the attendant of famine, and often produced by it. A pestilence is recorded as raging in Babylonia, A. D. 40 (Joseph. Ant., xviii. 9, § 8); another in Italy, A. D. 66 (Tacitus, Ann. xvi. 13). Both of these took place before the destruction of Jerusalem. Earthquakes. In prophetic language earthquakes sometimes mean political commotions. Literally, they are tremours or shakings of the earth, and often destroy cities, and lay waste whole districts of country. Many of these are mentioned as preceding the destruction of Jerusalem. Tacitus mentions one in the reign of Claudius, at Rome; and says, that in the reign of Nero the cities of Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Colosse, were overthrown; and the celebrated Pompeii was overwhelmed, and almost destroyed by an earthquake. Others are mentioned as occurring at Smyrna, Miletus, Chios, and Samos. Christ foretells the persecution of his own people and ministers, and a general apostasy and decay in religion, vers. 9, 10, 12. The cross itself is foretold, ver. 9. Of all future events we are as much concerned, though commonly as little desirous, to know of our own sufferings as of any thing else. Christ had told his disciples, when he first sent them out, what hard things they should suffer; but they had hitherto experienced little of it, and therefore he reminds them again, that the less they had suffered, the more there was behind to be filled up. Col. i. 24. The offence of the cross is mentioned, ver. 10-12. Three ill effects of persecution are foretold :-1. The apostasy of some. When the profession of Christianity begins to cost men dear, then shall many be offended -shall first fall out with, and then fall off from, their profession; they will begin to pick quarrels with their religion, sit loose to it, grow weary of it, and at length revolt from it. Suffering times. are shaking times; and those fall in the storm that stood in fair weather, like the stony-ground hearers. Chap. xiii. 21. 2. The malignity of others. When persecution is in fashion, envy, enmity, and malice, are strangely diffused into the minds of men by contagion; and charity, tenderness, and moderation, are looked upon as singularities. Then they shall betray one another; that is, those that have treacherously deserted their religion shall hate and betray those who adhere to it, for whom they have pretended friendship. Apostates have commonly been the most bitter and violent persecutors. 3. The general declining and cooling of most, ver. 12. In seducing times, when false prophets arise, in persecuting times when the saints are hated, the abounding of iniquity may be expected. Though the world always lies in wickedness, yet there are some times in which Comfort is administered in reference to this offence of the cross, for the support of the Lord's Yet that which seems chiefly intended here, is, that the end of the world shall be then, and not till then, when the gospel has done its work in the world. The gospel shall be preached, and that work carried on, when you are dead; so that all nations, first or last, shall have either the enjoyment or the refusal of the gospel; and then cometh the end, when the kingdom shall be delivered up to God, even the Father; when the mystery of God shall be finished, the mystical body completed, and the nations either converted and saved, or convicted and silenced, by the gospel; then shall the end come, of which he had said before (vers. 6, 7), not yet-not till those intermediate counsels be fulfilled. He foretells more particularly the ruin that was coming upon the people of the Jews—their city, temple, and nation, ver. 15, &c. Here he comes more closely to answer their questions concerning the desolation of the temple; and what he said here would be of use to his disciples, both for their conduct and for their comfort, in reference to that great event. He describes the several steps of that calamity, such as are usual in war. The Romans setting up the abomination of desolation in the holy place, ver. 15. This is a Hebrew expression, meaning an abominable or hateful destroyer. The Gentiles were all held in abomination by the Jews. Acts x. 28. The abomination of desolation, means the Roman army; and is so explained by Luke (xxi. 20). The Roman army is farther called the abomination, on account of the images of the emperor and the eagles, carried in front of the legions, and regarded by the Romans with divine honours. Spoken of by the prophet Daniel. Dan. ix. 26, 27, xi. 31, xii. 11. Standing in the holy place. Mark says, Standing where it ought not-meaning the same thing. All Jerusalem was esteemed holy. Matt. iv. 5. The meaning of this is, When you see the Roman armies standing in the holy city, or encamped around the temple, or the Roman ensigns or standards in the temple. Josephus farther relates, that when the city was taken, the Romans brought their idols into the temple, and placed them over the eastern gate, and sacrificed to them there. The means of preservation which thinking men should betake themselves to are mentioned (vers. 16, 20)-Then let them which are in Judea flee. There is no other way to help yourselves than by flying for the same. This is a prediction of the ruin itself—that it should be irresistible; that it would be impossible for the stoutest hearts to make head against it, or contend with it, but they must have recourse to the last shift-getting out of the way. It is also a direction to the followers of Christ what to do,-not to say, A confederacy, with those who fought and warred against the Romans for the preservation of their city and nation; but let them acquiesce in the decree that was gone forth, and with all speed quit the city and country, as they would quit a falling house or a sinking ship, vers. 17, 18. The life will be in danger, in imminent danger-the scourge will slay suddenly; and therefore he that is on the house-top when the alarm comes, let him not come down into the house, to look after his effects there, but go the nearest way down to make his escape; and so he that shall be in the field will find it his wisest course to run immediately, and not return to fetch his clothes, or the wealth of his house. Those to whom Christ spoke this immediately, did not live to see this dismal day-none of all the twelve but John only; but they left the direction to their successors in profession, who pursued it-and it was of use to them; for when the Christians in Jerusalem and Judea saw the ruin coming on, they all retired to a town called Pella, and other places beyond Jordan, where they were safe; so that of the many thousands that perished in the destruction of Jerusalem, there is no evidence that so much as one Christian perished. Euseb. Eccl. Hist. Thus the prudent man foresees the evil, and hides himself. Prov. xxii. 3; Heb. xi. 7. This warning was not kept private— Matthew's Gospel was published long before that destruction, so that others might have taken the advantage of it; but their perishing through their unbelief of this, was a figure of their eternal perishing through their unbelief of the warnings Christ gave concerning the wrath to come. But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, nor on the Sabbath-day, ver. 20. There is a remedy, but you must flee; the decree is gone forth. Let it suffice thee-speak no more of that matter, but labour to make the best of that which is; and when you cannot in faith pray that you may not be forced to flee, yet pray that the circumstances of it may be graciously ordered, that though the cup may not pass from you, yet the extremity of the judgment may be prevented. They must pray, first, That their flight, if it were the will of God, might not be in the winter, when the days are short, the weather cold and stormy. Neither on the Sabbath-day. This intimates Christ's design, that a weekly Sabbath should be observed in his Church after the preaching of the gospel to all the world. We read not of any of the ordinances of the Jewish Church, which were purely ceremonial, that Christ ever expressed any care about-because they were all to vanish; but for the Sabbath he often showed a concern. The greatness of the troubles which should immediately ensue are pointed out (ver. 21),-Then shall be great tribulation. Then, when the measure of iniquity is full-then, when the servants of God are sealed and secured-then come the troubles. Nothing can be done against Sodom till Lot is entered into Zoar-and then look for fire and brimstone immediately. The word tribulation means calamity, or suffering. Luke (xxi. 24) has specified in what this tribulation should consist. "They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled." That is, until the time allotted for the Gentiles to do it shall be fully accomplished; or as long as God is pleased to suffer them to do it. The first thing mentioned by Luke is, that they should "fall by the edge of the sword;" that is, should be slain in war, as the sword was then principally used in war. This was most strikingly fulfilled. Josephus, in describing it, uses almost the very words of our Saviour. "All the calamities," says he, "which had befallen any nation from the beginning of the world, were but small in comparison with those of the Jews." He has given the following account of one part of the massacre, when the city was taken:-" And now, rushing into the city, they slew whomsoever they found, without distinction, and burnt the houses and all the people who had fled into them. And when they entered for the sake of plunder, they found whole families of dead persons, and houses full of carcasses destroyed by famine; then they came out with their hands empty. And though they thus pitied the dead, they had not the same emotion for the living, but killed all they met; whereby they filled the lanes with dead bodies. The whole city ran with blood; insomuch that many things which were burning were extinguished by the blood." Jewish War, b. vi. ch. 8, § 5; ch. 9, § 2, 3. He adds, that in the siege of Jerusalem not fewer than eleven hundred thousand perished. (Jewish Wars, b. vi. ch. 9, § 3.) In the ad C C |