Jesus directly confronts the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees, contrasting their outward show with their inward corruption and self-exaltation, and declares that true greatness lies in service. He pronounces a series of "woes" upon them, highlighting their spiritual blindness and the hindrances they place before others, leading to his lamentation over Jerusalem's impending desolation. The sermon then transitions to Jesus' prophecy of the temple's destruction and the signs of the end times, explaining the disciples' confusion due to their earthly kingdom expectations and the subsequent postponement of God's plan for the church. It emphasizes the importance of understanding end-time prophecy, particularly the future seven-year period corresponding to Daniel's last week, and concludes with parables illustrating the necessity of watchfulness, preparedness, and faithful stewardship in anticipation of Christ's return and the final judgment.
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Introduction to lesson number ten, covering chapters twenty-three, twenty-four and twenty-five. In chapter twenty-three, the Lord first addresses himself to the multitude and the disciples, and then to the scribes and Pharisees. To the multitude and disciples, he exposes the utter hypocrisy of those who pretended to be their religious Their words of teaching may be right, but their works were all wrong. They taught the correct precepts, but their practices were a denial of their teaching.
Therefore, do what they bid you do, but do not imitate their hypocrisy. In almost every sphere of life, these hypocrites would impose themselves in order to be seen of men and obtain the praise of men. In their fashion of dress they drew attention to themselves, and when invited to any special function they sought out the chief room. When doing business in the marketplace they expected the people to address them with some dignified title, and in the synagogue they considered it their right to occupy the chief seat. All this added up to self-exaltation, and this is forbidden for the true followers of the Lord.
The principle is enunciated, that greatness is found in serving. Therefore, whosoever shall exalt himself shall be obeyed, and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. From verse thirteen to the end of the chapter there is a series of strong denunciations, and it will be profitable to mark these out by the recurring statement, Woe unto you. When the king set forth the principles of his kingdom in the Sermon on the Mount, he introduced them with a number of blessings. And now before he introduces the second Sermon on the Mount, where the king speaks forth the prophecies regarding the kingdom, he gives this series of woes.
These woes are like fields of thunder that strike conviction to the heart. And the truth being told out fearlessly like flashes of lightning exposes the darkness of unbelief and religious hypocrisy. Nevertheless, we must note as the Lord is pronouncing the words of condemnation, it leads him to tears, showing that sternness and sympathy can be balanced in declaring the truth of God. These people practiced hypocrisy and put hindrances in the way of others and denied happiness to the people who desire to enter in. They campaigned to gain converts to their own way of thinking and in so doing they brought condemnation upon their adherents.
This chapter must not be read as expressing the Lord's desire regarding his enemies, but rather as a forecast of the inevitable that awaits them on account of the course they have taken. At the close of the chapter he now looks beyond the leaders and takes them the whole nation, as represented by Jerusalem, the capital city, the place of the temple, where the glory of God had once rested in the midst of his people. Then there is expressed his great lamentation for his people, as he likens them to a brood of chickens that requires protection from approaching danger, but heed not the warning, and seek not the sheltering wings.
Israel required a center of gathering, and he was willing and able to be that center to unite the nation, but they would not. So the only alternative now is, your house is left unto you desolate. The glory departs in the person of the king, with the forecast that the next time he presents himself, they shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. In chapter twenty-three, the king has pronounced denunciations upon the leader and predicted desolation for the temple. And now at the beginning of chapter twenty-four, he predicts destruction for this great temple.
It seems very distressing to his disciples that the temple should be like desolate. But when he prophesies its destruction, that leaves them in utter confusion of thought. It is this puzzling thing that prompts them to ask the multiple questions as recorded in verse three. I suggest that a proper understanding of the teaching of this section is essential to a proper interpretation of the prophetic scriptures regarding the end time. For here we have the thread of prophecy from the rejection of Christ till the consummation of the age.
The best point from which to begin is an understanding of the difficulty which the disciples face and why they asked their question. First, let us keep in mind that these disciples were still thinking in terms of Christ setting up his earthly kingdom. The church, as we know it, was unknown to them at that time, and even after the resurrection they still asked, Will thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? Now with their thoughts centered on the earthly kingdom, Jerusalem must be the city of the great king as the center of his administration and his temple as the great religious gathering center.
Now, if this temple was to be left desolate and then destroyed, how could Messiah the king come suddenly to his temple in fulfillment of Malachi chapter three verse one? Wasn't this to be the sign of the end of the present age of Gentile power and the ushering in of the reign of Messiah? If so, then when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming and the consummation of the age? Again I say, these disciples knew nothing about the present purposes of God in calling out of people from among the Jews and Gentiles.
and welding them into one body to be known as the church. Therefore, it had not yet dawned upon them that the earthly kingdom would be postponed for a season till the Lord had accomplished his purposes relative to the church. Then, at his second advent, he would accomplish his purposes for Israel. With the completed Bible in our possession, God's plans for the church revealed in the church epistles, There is no need for people to make the same mistake today, but unfortunately, many are still confused and consider the church to be the kingdom, with no future for national Israel.
And they have failed to perceive that the end time has yet to come. And it is with this very interesting period of time that the greater part of Matthew twenty-four is dealing. as the Lord unveils the character of the age and the events which will immediately precede his return till this earth as son of man. The study of the Lord's answer to the multiple question by the disciples occupies verses four through thirty one. And these predictions are followed by instructions taken from that which is natural and then national and then historical.
The Lord then gives a practical exhortation and then introduces a series of parables, each one having its own distinctive lesson, and the section concludes with a solemn pronouncement regarding the judgment of the nations at the time of the coming of the Son of Man. In the study of prophecy, it is essential to keep in mind that prophecy is never transferred. But it comes to pass upon those of whom it is spoken. Therefore each student should know that the Jewish age has not yet been completed. In this connection one should study the book of Daniel chapter nine, verse twenty-four through twenty-seven, and also Revelation chapter six through chapter nineteen.
If God determined four hundred and ninety years upon Judah, and only four hundred and eighty-three of these prophetic years have been fulfilled, then it should be obvious that the end time, which is seven years, is still future. This end time, which corresponds with the last week of years of Daniel's prophecy, is what the Lord describes in Matthew chapter twenty-four. In verses four through eight, I suggest that is set for some general features that will characterize the first three and a half years of the end time.
Although, these things may have been prevalent all through the time of the king's rejection, nevertheless, they will be manifested with greater intensity during this coming period of the end time. There will be religious deceptions with the uprising of false tribes. Then military destruction with the war machines. Racial disturbances shall also increase. And there will be political determination to obtain power. All this will lead to economic disorder with physical dislocations due to earthquakes. And all this is said to be only the beginning of sorrow.
Verses nine through fourteen set forth the remnant of the Jews in a three-fold relationship, first in relation to their political alliance, in which they are betrayed and afflicted and martyred. Then in respect to all other nations, they will be hated because of their testimony to the name of their God. Then in respect to their own national standing, that is among the various factions of the nation. There will be offences, betrayals, hatred and deception. And with all this there will be the increase of iniquity and the decrease of loyalty. But with the true and genuine remnant there will be continuity and testimony, as they endure to the end and cover the inhabited earth with their testimony of the good news concerning the coming king and his kingdom.
Verse fifteen is a definite time signal and introduces the abomination of desolation which was spoken of by Daniel. This clearly relates to days yet to come and corresponds with the image of the beast as portrayed in Revelation chapter thirteen. This introduces the time of the great tribulation which will extend throughout the last three and a half years of the end time. And one should note at this point All the features that mark this out as being Jewish in its character. The terms of salvation and the nature of salvation. Verses thirteen and twenty-two.
The gospel that is preached, verse fourteen. Daniel and the holy place, verse fifty. Then that are in Judea, verse sixty. The Sabbath day, verse twenty. False Christ's and false prophets, verse twenty-four. Then the coming of the Son of Man, verse twenty-seven. From verse thirty-two of chapter twenty-four to the end of chapter twenty-five, the Lord sets his teaching in the framework of principles and parables, and these have a message for all who have ears to hear. He teaches the need for watchfulness, and uses the illustration of the fig tree with leaves and fruit.
And one may well draw attention to the nation of Israel as a fig tree. And behold the movements of life and activity there. Then attention is drawn to a historical incident. And we are reminded that the age before the flood came to a sudden end with the judgment of God coming upon ungodly men. Then the Lord projects our thoughts forward again prophetically to the coming of the Son of Man. and warns us that similar things will happen, when unexpectedly the Lord shall come and some shall be taken in judgment. Watch therefore and be ready is a proper lesson for all people at all times.
Then there follows a series of parables setting forth the difference between the faithful and the evil servant, the wise and foolish virgin, and the faithful and wicked traitor. In the parable of the two servants there is a distinction of conduct which is governed by their thoughts of the returning master. One in loyalty serves as if his Lord would return at any moment. The other is wrong doctrinally and says, My Lord delayeth his coming. And then he is wrong morally as he beats his fellow servant and gets drunk with wine. When the Lord returns, the faithful and loyal servant is promoted while the evil servant is cast out.
With the virgins we find a sphere of proficient, but with the foolish five a lack of preparedness. With all the ten there appeared to be a spirit of expectancy, but only five really prepared themselves for the coming events. In light manner, wisdom will be evidenced by all who are prepared for the great coming manifestation of Christ, for the solemn issue in connection with the foolish virgins, is the fact that when they sought to enter they heard the words, I know you not. Then the parable of the traders and their responsibility to account to the Lord for what they did with the talent had been committed to them. There was ability and opportunity to produce something that would be acceptable to the returning Lord.
And then came the day for the giving of the account. And faithfulness to the trust was honored by the Lord, while unfaithfulness felt eternal loss. The chapter closes with the solemn account of the judgment of the living nation, with the sheep and the goats being separated, and the Lord announcing that he knew exactly how people acted toward him and toward his disciples. Some will hear his words, Come, he blesses, and others will hear, Depart, he curses.