THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
MATT. 24:29-51
MARK 13:24-37
LUKE 21:25-36
What does Jesus mean by "this generation will not pass away until....?"
"Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place." Matthew 24:34
Adam Clarke sees this comment as being true of the current generation, but more specifically, of the Jewish race:
"This generation shall not pass - Η γενεα αυτη, this race; i.e. the Jews shall not cease from being a distinct people, till all the counsels of God relative to them and the Gentiles be fulfilled."
"One should keep in mind that the primary application of this section is directed toward the future generation that will experience the days of the Tribulation and will be looking forward to the immediate coming of the King in glory. A secondary application of this passage, as with much of Scripture, is to believers living today who comprise the body of Christ, the church. The church is not in view in these verses. But just as God’s people in a future time are told to be prepared, watchful, and faithful, so too believers today should also be faithful and alert." -BKC
"But I think there is an added thought. In Jesus' day, “this generation” was a race that steadfastly refused to acknowledge Him as Messiah. I think He was predicting that national Israel would continue in its Christ-rejecting condition till His Second Coming. Then all rebellion will be crushed, and only those who willingly submit to His rule will be spared to enter the Millennium." -Believer's Bible
Who is the "one left?"
"...and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left." Matthew 24:39-40
All sides agree this is speaking about a division between those who know the Lord and those who don't--no debate in that sense. However, the question of which group is "the one left" has various factions.
Matthew Henry and Jon Courson side with the perspective that the Christians will be taken/protected and the ungodly left to face judgement. The Believer's Bible and the BKC view this as the beginning of Christ's judgement but not the rapture with the wicked swept away and Christians remaining.
"This is a controversial passage. Many say Jesus is speaking of the judgment that will take place when He comes back to rule and reign in Jerusalem. However, I join those who believe Jesus is speaking not of judgment but of the Rapture. You see, the Greek word translated "took" in verse Mat_24:39 is airo. But in verses Mat_24:40 and Mat_24:41, the word translated "taken" is paralombano. Why? Looking through my concordance, I find three other times paralombano is used. In Mat_1:20, the angel told Joseph not to be afraid to take Mary as his bride: In Mat_17:1, Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him up the Mount of Transfiguration. In Joh_14:3, Jesus said, "I will come again and take you unto Myself, that where I am there ye may be also." And I begin to see a pattern. Using paralombano, Jesus is not talking about judgment, punishment, and damnation. He's talking about a bride, glory, and Heaven. In other words, He's talking about the Rapture." -Jon Courson
24:40, 41 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken away in judgment, the other will be left to enter the Millennium. Two women will be grinding at the mill; they will be instantly separated. One will be swept away by the flood of judgment; the other left to enjoy the blessings of Christ's reign. (Vv. 40 and 41 are often used as a warning to the unsaved, in reference to the Rapture—the first phase of Christ's coming when He takes all believers to heaven and leaves all unbelievers behind for judgment. While that might be a valid application of the passage, the context makes it clear that the interpretation has to do with Christ's coming to reign.)-Believer's Bible
"As it was in Noah’s day, so it will be before the glorious coming of the Lord. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Analogous to Noah’s day, the individuals who will be “taken” are the wicked whom the Lord will take away in judgment (cf. Luk_17:37). The individuals “left” are believers who will be privileged to be on the earth to populate the kingdom of Jesus Christ in physical bodies. As the wicked were taken away in judgment and Noah was left on the earth, so the wicked will be judged and removed when Christ returns and the righteous will be left behind to become His subjects in the kingdom.
Clearly the church, the body of Christ, cannot be in view in these statements. The Lord was not describing the Rapture, for the removal of the church will not be a judgment on the church. If this were the Rapture, as some commentators affirm, the Rapture would have to be posttribulational, for this event occurs immediately before the Lord’s return in glory. But that would conflict with a number of Scriptures and present other problems that cannot be elaborated on here (cf., e.g., comments on 1 Thes. 4:13-18 and Rev. 3:10). The Lord’s warning emphasized the need to be prepared, for judgment will come at a time when people will least expect it.-BKC
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Take heed that no man deceive you;
Jesus does not answer the disciples’ question as to the time when "these things" shall occur; that is purposely left uncertain. He proceeds to warn them against the dangers which would beset them in the coming crisis. He withdraws them from the speculative to the practical (see Mat_24:23-25).-Gill?
"Watchfulness is keeping awake! We are beset by temptations to sleep. Bunyan said that we are traveling over the Enchanted Ground, the air of which is very heavy and sleep-producing. How dull we are to perceive the unseen, or to meet the great opportunities of life! Broken up alludes to the mud or clay house which could not keep off the thief. Death breaks in and carries us away from all of our treasures. See 1Th_5:2; 1Th_5:4. We had best wait for our Lord while engaged in carefully discharging our appointed tasks. The Church is a big household in which each has his niche. “To labor is to pray;” to serve is to be ready." FB Meyer
"And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch." v37 [This warning message was not for the apostles alone, but for all disciples.] -Fourfold
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| Detail from the Arch of Titus, Rome |
What does Jesus mean by "this generation will not pass away until....?"
"Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place." Matthew 24:34
Adam Clarke sees this comment as being true of the current generation, but more specifically, of the Jewish race:
"This generation shall not pass - Η γενεα αυτη, this race; i.e. the Jews shall not cease from being a distinct people, till all the counsels of God relative to them and the Gentiles be fulfilled."
"One should keep in mind that the primary application of this section is directed toward the future generation that will experience the days of the Tribulation and will be looking forward to the immediate coming of the King in glory. A secondary application of this passage, as with much of Scripture, is to believers living today who comprise the body of Christ, the church. The church is not in view in these verses. But just as God’s people in a future time are told to be prepared, watchful, and faithful, so too believers today should also be faithful and alert." -BKC
"But I think there is an added thought. In Jesus' day, “this generation” was a race that steadfastly refused to acknowledge Him as Messiah. I think He was predicting that national Israel would continue in its Christ-rejecting condition till His Second Coming. Then all rebellion will be crushed, and only those who willingly submit to His rule will be spared to enter the Millennium." -Believer's Bible
Who is the "one left?"
"...and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left." Matthew 24:39-40
All sides agree this is speaking about a division between those who know the Lord and those who don't--no debate in that sense. However, the question of which group is "the one left" has various factions.
Matthew Henry and Jon Courson side with the perspective that the Christians will be taken/protected and the ungodly left to face judgement. The Believer's Bible and the BKC view this as the beginning of Christ's judgement but not the rapture with the wicked swept away and Christians remaining.
"This is a controversial passage. Many say Jesus is speaking of the judgment that will take place when He comes back to rule and reign in Jerusalem. However, I join those who believe Jesus is speaking not of judgment but of the Rapture. You see, the Greek word translated "took" in verse Mat_24:39 is airo. But in verses Mat_24:40 and Mat_24:41, the word translated "taken" is paralombano. Why? Looking through my concordance, I find three other times paralombano is used. In Mat_1:20, the angel told Joseph not to be afraid to take Mary as his bride: In Mat_17:1, Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him up the Mount of Transfiguration. In Joh_14:3, Jesus said, "I will come again and take you unto Myself, that where I am there ye may be also." And I begin to see a pattern. Using paralombano, Jesus is not talking about judgment, punishment, and damnation. He's talking about a bride, glory, and Heaven. In other words, He's talking about the Rapture." -Jon Courson
24:40, 41 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken away in judgment, the other will be left to enter the Millennium. Two women will be grinding at the mill; they will be instantly separated. One will be swept away by the flood of judgment; the other left to enjoy the blessings of Christ's reign. (Vv. 40 and 41 are often used as a warning to the unsaved, in reference to the Rapture—the first phase of Christ's coming when He takes all believers to heaven and leaves all unbelievers behind for judgment. While that might be a valid application of the passage, the context makes it clear that the interpretation has to do with Christ's coming to reign.)-Believer's Bible
"As it was in Noah’s day, so it will be before the glorious coming of the Lord. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Analogous to Noah’s day, the individuals who will be “taken” are the wicked whom the Lord will take away in judgment (cf. Luk_17:37). The individuals “left” are believers who will be privileged to be on the earth to populate the kingdom of Jesus Christ in physical bodies. As the wicked were taken away in judgment and Noah was left on the earth, so the wicked will be judged and removed when Christ returns and the righteous will be left behind to become His subjects in the kingdom.
Clearly the church, the body of Christ, cannot be in view in these statements. The Lord was not describing the Rapture, for the removal of the church will not be a judgment on the church. If this were the Rapture, as some commentators affirm, the Rapture would have to be posttribulational, for this event occurs immediately before the Lord’s return in glory. But that would conflict with a number of Scriptures and present other problems that cannot be elaborated on here (cf., e.g., comments on 1 Thes. 4:13-18 and Rev. 3:10). The Lord’s warning emphasized the need to be prepared, for judgment will come at a time when people will least expect it.-BKC
****************************
Take heed that no man deceive you;
Jesus does not answer the disciples’ question as to the time when "these things" shall occur; that is purposely left uncertain. He proceeds to warn them against the dangers which would beset them in the coming crisis. He withdraws them from the speculative to the practical (see Mat_24:23-25).-Gill?
"Watchfulness is keeping awake! We are beset by temptations to sleep. Bunyan said that we are traveling over the Enchanted Ground, the air of which is very heavy and sleep-producing. How dull we are to perceive the unseen, or to meet the great opportunities of life! Broken up alludes to the mud or clay house which could not keep off the thief. Death breaks in and carries us away from all of our treasures. See 1Th_5:2; 1Th_5:4. We had best wait for our Lord while engaged in carefully discharging our appointed tasks. The Church is a big household in which each has his niche. “To labor is to pray;” to serve is to be ready." FB Meyer
"And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch." v37 [This warning message was not for the apostles alone, but for all disciples.] -Fourfold
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