Summary of the Gospel of Matthew
The first of the four Gospels was created in 41 AD. Its author is Matthew – a tax collector who was called by Jesus to be one of the twelve apostles. It is one of the three so-called Synoptic Gospels (alongside the Gospels of Mark and Luke), meaning that it presents a common perspective on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. However, this does not mean the content is completely identical. Information not included in any of the other three Gospels makes up 42 percent of Matthew's account. This includes, among others, the parables: of the weeds (13:24-30), of the hidden treasure in a field (13:44), of the merchant seeking fine pearls (13:45-46), of the net cast into the sea (13:47-50), of the unmerciful servant (18:23-35), of the vineyard (20:1-16), of the two sons, one of whom promises to go to work but does not, and the other who says he will not go but does (21:28-32), of the royal banquet (22:1-14), of the ten virgins (25:1-13), and of the talents (25:14-30). Overall, the Gospel of Matthew covers the period from the birth of Jesus in 2 BCE to his meeting with the disciples just before the ascension in 33 CE:
- Matthew 1 - the genealogy of Jesus from Abraham to Joseph (1-17); an angel reveals to Joseph that Mary is pregnant by the Holy Spirit (18-25);
- Matthew 2 - the wise men from the East arrive to pay homage (1-12); an angel warns Joseph to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus (13-15); the massacre of the infants (16-18); at the angel's command, Joseph returns from Egypt with his family and settles in Nazareth (19-23);
- Matthew 3 - description of the activities of John the Baptist (1-6); conversation of John with the scholars of the Scripture (7-12): a brood of vipers (7), a tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down (10), but he who comes after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire (11); description of the baptism of Jesus (13-17);
- Matthew 4 - the temptation of Jesus (1-11): Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (4); Jesus began to preach and say: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near (17); the calling of Peter, Andrew, James, and John (18-22); description of Jesus' ministry, who went through all Galilee, teaching and healing (23-25);
- Matthew 5 - Sermon on the Mount (1-48): the eight beatitudes (1-12), salt of the earth (13), light of the world (14-16), Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it (17-19), the righteousness of Jesus' disciples must exceed that of the scribes (20), do not be angry without cause (21-26), adultery is committed in the heart (27-30), prohibition of divorce (31-32), do not swear: let yes mean yes and no mean no (33-37), do not follow the principle of 'an eye for an eye', turn the other cheek, do not withhold your coat (38-42), love your enemies (43-47), therefore be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect (48);
- Matthew 6 - continuation of the Sermon on the Mount (1-34): giving alms in secret (1-4), praying in secret (5,6), not being vain in prayers (7,8), the Lord's Prayer (9-13), forgiving offenders as a condition for receiving forgiveness from God (14,15), conditions for proper fasting (16-18), do not store up treasures (19-21), the eye is the lamp of the body (22,23), do not serve two masters (24), do not worry about life and worldly matters, examples of birds and wild lilies (24-34), seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (33);
- Matthew 7 - continuation of the Sermon on the Mount (1-29): do not judge, so that you will not be judged (1,2), do not worry about the speck in your brother's eye when you have a beam in your own (3-5), do not throw pearls before swine (6), ask, and it will be given to you (7,8), the Father in heaven will give good things to those who ask Him (9-11), the Golden Rule: so in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you (12), the wide and narrow path (13,14), beware of false prophets; by their fruits you will recognize them (15-20), not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven (21-23), parable of the two houses (24-27), the people amazed at Jesus' teaching (28,29);
- Matthew 8 - healing of a leper (1-4); healing of the centurion's servant (5-13); many will come from the east and the west and will sit at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven (11), weeping and gnashing of teeth of the sons of the kingdom (12); healing of Peter's mother-in-law (14,15); healing fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah (16,17); let the dead bury their own dead (22); calming the storm on the lake (23-27); Jesus heals two demon-possessed men, their demons rush into the pigs and drown the entire herd (28-34);
- Matthew 9 - healing of a paralyzed man, the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins (1-8); the calling of Matthew (9); Jesus at the table in Matthew's house, dispute with the Pharisees: I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners (10-13); explanation of why Jesus' disciples do not fast (14-17); healing of a woman suffering from hemorrhage (20-22); raising the synagogue ruler's daughter (23-26); healing of two blind men (27-31); casting out a demon from a mute man (32-34); the great work of evangelization: the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest (35-38);
- Matthew 10 - the apostles receive from Jesus the power to heal and cast out demons (1); the names of the twelve (2-4); instructions for evangelistic work (5-15); therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves (16); warning of persecutions for the sake of Jesus' name (17-21); whoever endures to the end will be saved (22); you will not go through the towns of Israel until the Son of Man comes (23); do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul (28); you are more valuable than many sparrows (29-31); I did not come to bring peace, but the sword (34-36); whoever loves father or mother more is not worthy of Jesus (37); whoever finds their life will lose it (39); whoever receives you receives me (40-42);
- Matthew 11 - the disciples of John the Baptist come to Jesus with a question: Are you the one who is to come? (2-6); Jesus speaks about John (7-15): the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is (11); woe to the cities of Israel for lack of repentance, on the day of judgment it will be lighter for Sodom and Gomorrah (16-24); I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants (25); everything has been given to me by my Father (27); let the burdened take upon themselves the pleasant yoke and light load of Jesus (28-30);
- Matthew 12 - is it permissible to pluck ears of grain on the Sabbath, Jesus the Lord of the Sabbath (1-8); is it permissible to heal on the Sabbath, the scholars put Jesus to the test (10-14); the miracles of Jesus and the instructions He gave to the healed, as a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah (15-23); Jesus refutes the scholars' argument that He casts out demons by the power of Beelzebub (24-29); whoever is not with me is against me (30); the sin against the Holy Spirit (31-32); out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (34); by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned (37); the Jews demand a sign, the sign of Jonah (38-42); the evil spirit that has been cast out, when it returns, brings seven others more evil than itself (43-45); for whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother (47-50);
- Matthew 13 - the parable of the sower (1-9); explanation of why Jesus speaks to the people in parables (10-17); interpretation of the parable of the sower (18-23); parables (24-33): of the weeds (24-30,36-43), of the mustard seed (31,32), of the yeast (33); teaching in parables as fulfillment of prophecy (34,35); the kingdom of God is like: a treasure hidden in a field (44), a merchant seeking fine pearls (45,46), a net thrown into the sea (47-50); everyone well-versed in the Scriptures who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old (52); no prophet is without honor except in his own country and in his own house (53-58);
- Matthew 14 - the story of the beheading of John the Baptist (1-12); the miraculous multiplication of five loaves and two fish (13-22); calming the storm on the lake, Jesus walks on water (23-33);
- Matthew 15 - the scholars ask Jesus why his disciples do not wash their hands before eating. In response, Jesus asks about the commandment to honor father and mother (1-9); it is not what enters the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person (11, 17-20); I am sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (24); healing of the Canaanite woman’s daughter (22-28); the second miraculous feeding of the bread and fish (29-38);
- Matthew 16 - the announcement of the sign of Jonah (1-4); beware of the yeast of the Pharisees (5-12); Peter confesses that Jesus is the Son of God (13-17); Peter, the rock (18); the keys of the kingdom (19); Peter rebukes Jesus when he predicts his death (21-23); if anyone wants to follow me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me (24); whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (25);
- Matthew 17 - the vision of transfiguration (1-13); Jesus drives out a demon that his disciples could not drive out because of little faith (14-21): if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move (20);
- Matthew 18 - who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (1-5); avoid causing offense (6-9); Jesus came to save what was lost, like a shepherd who leaves 99 sheep to find one lost sheep (11-14); how to deal with a brother who has sinned (15-17); whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (18); for where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them (20); forgive seventy-seven times (21,22); the need for forgiveness: the parable of the servant who did not forgive his debtor 100 denarii, though he himself was forgiven ten thousand talents (23-35);
- Matthew 19 - is it permissible for a man to divorce his wife for any reason? (3-9); What good thing must I do to have eternal life? (16-24); It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (24); Jesus answers Peter’s question: Look, we have left everything and followed You. What then will we have? (27-29); many of the first will be last, and the last first (30);
- Matthew 20 - the parable of the vineyard (1-16); Jesus predicts his death and resurrection to the disciples (17-19); the request of the mother of the sons of Zebedee that her sons may sit at Jesus’ right and left in the Kingdom (20-24); whoever wants to be first among you must be your servant (25-27); just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many (28); healing of two blind men on the road from Jericho (30-34);
- Matthew 21 - triumphal entry into Jerusalem (1-11); driving out the merchants from the temple (12-13); Jesus causes a fig tree to wither as an example for the apostles: if you have faith and do not doubt, you can not only do what happened to the fig tree, but if you tell this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' it will happen (18-22); Jesus asks the scholars where John's baptism came from, from heaven or from men (23-27); example of two sons, one of whom promises to go to work but does not go, and the other says he will not go, but goes (28-32); parable of the vineyard: Jesus as the rejected cornerstone (33-44);
- Matthew 22 - the parable of the wedding feast (1-14); is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor? (15-22); the Sadducees ask whose wife a woman will be after the resurrection if she had seven husbands (23-33); which commandment in the law is the greatest? (36-40); Jesus asks the Pharisees how it is possible that the Messiah is the son of David if David calls him Lord (41-46);
- Matthew 23 - speech against the Pharisees (1-39): keep everything they tell you to observe, but do not follow their deeds (3), whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (12), woe to you, for you travel over sea and land to win one convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves (15), woe to you, for you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, but neglect the more important matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness (23), you strain out a gnat but swallow a camel (24), like whitewashed tombs (27), Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing! (37), behold, your house is left to you desolate (38); from now on you will not see me until you say: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord (39);
- Matthew 24 - announcement of the destruction of the temple (1,2); when will this happen and what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the world? (3); sign of the coming destruction of the temple (4-14); abomination of desolation (15-22); the second coming of Christ like a bright light (23-28); signs in the sky, the sign of the Son of Man, gathering of the elect (29-31); this generation will not pass away until all this happens (32-35); the coming of the Lord like the days of Noah (36-39); one will be taken, and another left (40-44); the faithful and wise servant (45-51);
- Matthew 25 - parable of the 10 virgins (1-13); parable of the talents (14-30); parable of the sheep and the goats (31-46);
- Matthew 26 - the scribes and priests plot to kill Jesus (1-5); Jesus predicts his death, a woman anoints his body with fragrant oil (6-13); Judas arranges with the priests to betray Jesus for 30 silver coins (14-16); preparation of the Passover (17-20); the Lord's Supper (21-30): prediction of the betrayal (21-25), celebration of bread and wine (26-28); prediction of scandal and Peter's denial (31-35); prayer in Gethsemane (36-46): My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me (39), the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak (41); the arrest of Jesus (47-56); interrogation before Caiaphas (57-68); Peter's threefold denial of Jesus (69-75);
- Matthew 27 - Judas regrets, returns the money, and commits suicide (3-5); the priests use the returned money to buy a field designated for the burial of foreigners, fulfilling the prophecy of Jeremiah (6-10); interrogation before Pilate (11-14); Pilate gives the people the choice to release Jesus or Barabbas, his blood be on us and on our children (15-26); preparation for crucifixion and the way to Golgotha (27-32); crucifixion and death of the Lord (33-50); events that occurred after Jesus’ death: the tearing of the temple veil, resurrection, earthquake (51-56); burial of Jesus (57-61); at the priests' request, Pilate places a guard at the tomb (62-66);
- Matthew 28 - description of the resurrection, an angel appears to Mary and Mary Magdalene (1-7); Jesus reveals himself to the women and instructs the disciples to gather in Galilee (8-10); the priests bribe the soldiers to spread the story that Jesus' body was stolen by the disciples (11-15); Jesus appears to the disciples and commands them to continue the work of evangelization among all nations (16-20).
Matthew 3
Mt. 3:13-17
"Then Jesus came from Galilee to Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him. (14) But John restrained Him, saying, I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me? (15) And answering Jesus said to him, Allow it now, for it is becoming to us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he allowed Him. (16) And Jesus, when He had been baptized, went up immediately out of the water. And lo, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon Him. (17) And lo, a voice from Heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (MKJV)
Commentary: the baptism of the Lord Jesus in Jordan was a visible sign of his decision to sacrifice his further life to God on full service until his death. Taking this step was necessary to "fulfill all righteousness" primarily because the decision to sacrifice had to be his own and unforced. At the same time, to perform his fullness, he had to perfectly do what was symbolized by immersion in the waters of the Jordan. In response, God gave him a full measure of his spirit and thus made our Lord his spiritual son.
Related themes:
- Expanded commentary on Mt. 3:13-17
- Water baptism (basic Biblical doctrines)
- Baptism into death (Rom. 6:1-6)
- Baptism in the spirit
Matthew 7
Mt. 7:12
"Therefore all things, whatever you desire that men should do to you, do even so to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets" (MKJV)
Commentary: the basis of ethics, both the Old and the New Testament, is the principle given in verse 12. This is not a set of regulations, but a norm saying that our actions towards others must be judged by the measure of what we would like to receive. It also means that a refusal of a specific behaviour towards another will be ethical if I accept such behavior towards myself. Therefore, we are talking about obligatory love - an indispensable minimum of good will that man owes to another.
Related themes:
Mt. 7:13,14
"'Go ye in through the strait gate, because wide [is] the gate, and broad the way that is leading to the destruction, and many are those going in through it; (14) how strait [is] the gate, and compressed the way that is leading to the life, and few are those finding it!'" (YLT)
Commentary: the reward related to walking down the narrow path is eternal life - immortal existence on the divine level. This hope is presented by God to the elect who, by accepting Him in repentance and conversion, choose the narrow path of sacrifice. The elect who do not perform the sacrifice for the Word of God are on the wide road - one that does not entail the limiting conditions, but whose end is apoleia - not perdition, but the loss of the reward of glory.
Related themes:
- Expanded commentary on Mt. 7:13,14
Mt. 7:24-27
"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock. (25) And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house. And it did not fall, for it was founded on a rock. (26) And everyone who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them shall be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand. (27) And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the wind blew and beat on that house. And it fell, and great was its fall" (MKJV)
Commentary: the parable of two houses (Mt. 7:24-27) emphasizes the need for believers to develop a crystallized character reflecting the principles of the truth. Its source is the teachings of the Word of God, so continual listening is a necessary element. On the other hand, we develop character by action; not only through 'theoretical' development of understanding, but also its practical use. The builder who puts the house on the rock, listens to the Lord's words and performs them, shaping the character that will not succumb to the storms of trial and adversity. In turn, limiting our spiritual activity only to theorizing on Biblical matters means that our character does not crystallize and will not back us up when we need it the most.
Related themes:
- Expanded commentary on Mt. 7:24-27
- New creation and transformation of the inward man (lecture)
- Seal of the spirit (2 Cor. 1:21,22)
Matthew 8
Mt. 8:11,12
"And I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of Heaven. (12) But the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (MKJV)
Commentary: the table represents the promises and teachings related to the implementation of the covenant concluded by God with Abraham. The ones coming from the East and West are pagans who were exempt from the covenant and are currently sitting at the table with Abraham due to faith in Jesus Christ. The sons of the kingdom are the chosen nation Israel, which for the most part did not show faith, did not repent, and therefore found itself in the external darkness - its members did not receive the spirit of the truth and, as a consequence, did not recognize it. While in this darkness, Israel experienced "weeping and gnashing of teeth" during the tribulation in the years 66-70.
Related themes:
[beginning of page]Matthew 10
Mt. 10:28
"And do not fear those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell" (MKJV)
Commentary: the concept of the soul defines personality in the Bible. That is why Jesus says that man can kill the body - which is obvious - but he cannot kill the soul because the 'record' of our personality, our identity, is with God who can give it a body as he wants to be resurrected. The one who can kill the soul in hell is God. Gehenna, which appears in the original, is the Biblical representation of the second (eternal) death. The one who is thrown into it receives a verdict of eternal perdition and simply ceases to exist forever. And this is a bigger problem according to Jesus then death of the material body, for if the evil of man's character turns out to be so great that no repentance is possible, then the only direction that God's justice can assign for him, is eternal destruction. Meanwhile, temporal death from the point of view of faith is the end of a certain stage, but it is not the end of everything because we hope for resurrection.
Related themes:
[beginning of page]Matthew 22
Mt. 22:1-14
"And Jesus answering, again spake to them in similes, saying, (2) 'The reign of the heavens was likened to a man, a king, who made marriage-feasts for his son, (3) and he sent forth his servants to call those having been called to the marriage-feasts, and they were not willing to come. (4) 'Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Say to those who have been called: Lo, my dinner I prepared, my oxen and the fatlings have been killed, and all things [are] ready, come ye to the marriage-feasts; (5) and they, having disregarded [it], went away, the one to his own field, and the other to his merchandise; (6) and the rest, having laid hold on his servants, did insult and slay [them]. (7) 'And the king having heard, was wroth, and having sent forth his soldiers, he destroyed those murderers, and their city he set on fire; (8) then saith he to his servants, The marriage-feast indeed is ready, and those called were not worthy, (9) be going, then, on to the cross-ways, and as many as ye may find, call ye to the marriage-feasts. (10) 'And those servants, having gone forth to the ways, did gather all, as many as they found, both bad and good, and the marriage-feast apartment was filled with those reclining. (11) 'And the king having come in to view those reclining, saw there a man not clothed with clothing of the marriage-feast, (12) and he saith to him, Comrade, how didst thou come in hither, not having clothing of the marriage-feast? and he was speechless. (13) 'Then said the king to the ministrants, Having bound his feet and hands, take him up and cast forth to the outer darkness, there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of the teeth; (14) for many are called, and few chosen'" (YLT)
Commentary: the feast to which the king invites is the feast of God's Word. Its participants are invited by servants - evangelists and teachers. Everyone is invited whom the Gospel message reaches. Some of the invited (called) come to the feast through repentance and conversion to God through Jesus Christ. However, only the elect can feed on the menu served to guests - those predestined by God who receive on the condition of repentance and conversion the spirit of sacrifice for the truth, which introduces the elect to the knowledge of spiritual matters by the direct study of the Scriptures. At the same time, the spirit of truth is for the elect the source of birth of the new character (a new inner man), due to which the ones invited to the feast cover themselves with the robe of just deeds. The man without the robe does not participate in the feast and similarly believers who did not receive the spirit of new birth do not feed on the Word directly through the instructions of the Holy Bible, but through prophets and teachers.
Related themes:
[beginning of page]Matthew 24
Mt. 24:1-14
"And Jesus went out and departed from the temple. And His disciples came to Him to show Him the buildings of the temple. (2) And Jesus said to them, Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, There shall not be left here one stone on another that shall not be thrown down. (3) And as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world? (4) And Jesus answered and said to them, Take heed that no man deceive you. (5) For many will come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and will deceive many. (6) And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled, for all these things must occur; but the end is not yet. (7) For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places. (8) All these are the beginning of sorrows. (9) Then they will deliver you up to be afflicted and will kill you. And you will be hated of all nations for My name's sake. (10) And then many will be offended, and will betray one another, and will hate one another. (11) And many false prophets will rise and deceive many. (12) And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will become cold. (13) But he who endures to the end, the same shall be kept safe. (14) And this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all nations. And then the end shall come" (MKJV)
Commentary: Mt. 24:1-14 is part of a larger prophecy in which Jesus answers three questions from the apostles. The first question concerns the future of the temple. When our Lord, turning to her, announces that "there shall not be left here one stone on another," the apostles want to know when this will happen. The events described in Mt. 24:4-14 are a sign of events whose fulfillment would foretell the destruction of the temple and all of Jerusalem in 70 C.E.
Related themes:
[beginning of page]Mt. 24:15-22
"Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand). (16) Then let those in Judea flee into the mountains. (17) Let him on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house; (18) nor let him in the field turn back to take his clothes. (19) And woe to those who are with child, and to those who give suck in those days! (20) But pray that your flight is not in the winter, nor on the sabbath day; (21) for then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be. (22) And unless those days should be shortened, no flesh would be saved. But for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened" (MKJV)
Commentary: the description given by our Lord in Mt. 24:15-22 is in answer to the disciples' question about the sign of the impending destruction of the temple. This sign was to be the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place. The prophecy was fulfilled when Roman troops stood in the holy place of Jerusalem and began to lay siege to it. The withdrawal of the Romans for several months allowed those who believed the Lord's words and recognized the fulfillment of the foretold events to flee from the city. The tribulation that followed the return of the Romans meets the criteria of a tribulation "such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be," so the entire passage in Mt. 24:15-22 deals with the events of the end of the Jewish Age in 66-70 CE.
Related themes:
- Expanded commentary on Mt. 24:15-22
- There shall not be left here one stone on another (Mt. 24:1-14)
- Desolating abomination (Dan. 11:31)
Mt. 24:23-28
"Then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ! Or, There! Do not believe it. (24) For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders; so much so that, if it were possible, they would deceive even the elect. (25) Behold, I have told you beforehand. (26) Therefore if they shall say to you, Behold, He is in the desert! Do not go out. Behold, He is in the secret rooms! Do not believe it. (27) For as the lightning comes out of the east and shines even to the west, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man. (28) For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered" (MKJV)
Commentary: the coming spoken of in verse 27 is the Greek parousia - presence. From verses 23-26 it is clear that it was to be an invisible presence - otherwise it would be possible to physically pinpoint the Lord's return. Its essence was to be bright shining. The Greek word astrape, which is sometimes translated as lightning, primarily means bright light, regardless of its source. The Lord will therefore not be seen personally during his parousia, but its visible sign will be a bright light. In the expanded commentary on Mt. 24:23-31 I wrote that just as at his first coming the sign was a bright star, so at his second coming the Lord's parousia will be announced to the world by a brightly shining star-like object - but it will not be a star, but an asteroid passing very close to the earth. Thus will begin the period of trouble that will immediately precede the millennium of Christ's reign. During this time of the Lord's invisible presence the symbolic eagles (the Lord's consecrated people) will feed on carcass – will study creed errors in order to be delivered from them and to engage in the work of pronouncing God's judgments to the world
Related themes:
- Expanded commentary on Mt. 24:23-31
- Parousia - apocalypse - epiphany, or the scenario of Christ's second coming (lecture)
Mt. 24:29-31
"And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. (30) And then the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in the heavens. And then all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of the heaven with power and great glory. (31) And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other" (MKJV)
Commentary: verses 29-31 describe the events of the parousia and the apocalypse. The parousia is described in verses 29b, 30a and 31. "The powers of the heavens shall be shaken" because the proximity of the earth during the first flyby of the asteroid will disrupt its trajectory and put it on a collision course with our planet. Not 'then' (afterwards), but 'at that time' "the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in the heavens". These will be simultaneous events - the proximity of the earth will be the cause of the asteroid's visibility to humans and the disruption of its trajectory due to the influence of the earth's magnetism. 'Then' - in the aftermath of this event - "all the tribes of the earth shall mourn" because the information that the asteroid is on a collision course with the earth will reach the public. During the parousia "He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other" because it will be the time for the pronouncement of the Lord's judgments by his consecrated people (angels), so that the elect who have not yet "secured" their position before God will be "gathered together" as antitypical Levites (if they undertake their consecration and do the necessary spiritual work). "And immediately after the tribulation of those days" (verses 23-28 describe the parousia) there will come the apocalypse - the collision of an asteroid and its accompanying smaller rock material with the earth. Therefore, verse 29a says that "the stars shall fall from the heaven." The result of this collision will be a huge mass of dust rising into the air, which will obscure the sky ("the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light"). Thus, the nations "shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds."
Related themes:
- The sign of the Son of Man (Mt. 24:23-31)
- Parousia - apocalypse - epiphany, or the scenario of Christ's second coming (lecture)
- The great multitude (Rev. 7:9-17)
- The parable of the ten virgins (Mt. 25:1-13)
Mt. 24:32-35
"Now learn a parable of the fig tree. When its branch is still tender and puts out leaves, you know that summer is near. (33) So you, likewise, when you see all these things, shall know that it is near, at the doors. (34) Truly I say to you, This generation shall not pass until all these things are fulfilled. (35) The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away" (MKJV)
Commentary: the Biblical generation covers a period of 120 years. According to Mt. 24:32-35, 'all these things' – that is, the events of the parousia and the apocalypse described in the earlier verses – were to happen before the end of the generation. On the other hand, the countdown would begin with the "greening" of the Israelite fig tree, the time of the first signs of favor returning to that nation.
Related themes:
- Expanded commentary on Mt. 24:32-35
- The sign of the Son of Man (Mt. 24:23-31)
- Parousia - apocalypse - epiphany, or the scenario of Christ's second coming (lecture)
- The parable of the ten virgins (Mt. 25:1-13)
Matthew 25
Mt. 25:1-13
"Then shall the kingdom of Heaven be likened to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. (2) And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. (3) The foolish ones took their lamps, but took no oil with them. (4) But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. (5) While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. (6) And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes! Go out to meet him. (7) Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. (8) And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps have gone out. (9) But the wise answered, saying, No, lest there be not enough for us and you. But rather go to those who sell, and buy for yourselves. (10) And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came. And they who were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. (11) Afterwards the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. (12) But he answered and said, Truly I say to you, I do not know you. (13) Therefore watch, for you do not know either the day or the hour in which the Son of Man comes" (MKJV)
Commentary: the night in the parable represents the delay of the Bridegroom, which began in 1918 after the disappointment of waiting for the Lord's coming in 1914. The morning will come in 2036 with the revelation of Jesus Christ, first in the apocalypse that will destroy the present world order, and then in the epiphany by sending the spirit upon all flesh. Midnight falls in 1977 when the last winner of the Gospel Age calling entered the class of kings with the Lord Jesus. The virgins who then lacked the oil of spirit were not ready to meet the Bridegroom's call and thus lost the highest prize to which they aspired.
Related themes:
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Mt. 28:19,20
"...having gone, then, disciple all the nations, (baptizing them -- to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all, whatever I did command you,) and lo, I am with you all the days -- till the full end of the age" (YLT)
Commentary: believers in Jesus Christ are to make disciples of all nations. They fulfill this duty, proclaiming faith in Jesus Christ and the need for repentance in his name. Repentance means turning away from the current way of thinking and behavior, and in this sense it is the death of the old man. The name means character in the Bible. Repentance in the name of Jesus is an adoption of the principles represented in the Lord and in this sense the 'new man' is born - the new character in place of the character put to death by repentance. Water baptism, with which believers in Christ are baptized, illustrates this twofold process: spiritual death in repentance (immersion in water) and spiritual resurrection (emergence). Because the goal is to identify the character of believers with the character of Jesus Christ, we are baptized in his name (not: in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit).
Related themes:
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