Matthew 24:1-2

Jesus walks from the temple and tells His disciples that not one stone will be left upon another—a prophetic declaration of the coming destruction of Jerusalem and its temple, which historically occurred in 70 AD under the Roman General Titus. This sets the stage: the physical temple, long seen as the center of God’s dwelling, will be dismantled, marking a monumental shift in redemptive history. The end of an age.

Matthew 24:3

The disciples ask three questions:

1. “When will this happen?” (Referring to the temple’s destruction)
2. What will be the sign of your coming? (Possibly referencing Jesus’ full vindication as Messiah, or His parousia)
3. What will be the sign of “the end of the age?“ (Not “the end of the world,” but the end of an era—perhaps the Mosaic age centered on temple worship)

These three questions frame the chapter, and Jesus’ response intertwines them, though not necessarily chronologically.

Matthew 24:4-13

Jesus addresses the first question about the destruction of the temple. He warns them not to be misled by false messiahs—such as Theudas (Acts 5:36), Judas of Galilee (Acts 5:37), “The Egyptian” (Acts 21:38), and others. He also warned them of wars, famines, earthquakes, or persecution. These were not the end, but the beginning of birth pains (v.8). This describes the volatile, violent period leading up to 70 AD, where such signs did indeed occur. Jesus cautions that His followers would be hated and many would fall away. The call is to endure the coming tribulations, with the promise that whoever “stands firm to the end will be saved” (v.13)—likely a reference to physical deliverance from the siege, those who took Jesus’s advice and fled to the mountains.

Matthew 24:14

This verse marks a transition. Then, the “gospel of the kingdom” will be proclaimed throughout the known world (Greek: oikoumene) before the end comes. This could refer to the end of the temple age, as Paul writes that the gospel had gone out to all the world (cf. Colossians 1:6, 23) before 70 AD. Thus, the temple was no longer theologically needed.

Matthew 24:15-22

Jesus now zooms in on the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem, answering the first question in greater detail. Luke 21:20 clarifies (“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies…”). Jesus instructs an urgent flight to the mountains, as the devastation will be swift and merciless. The vivid language mirrors Jewish apocalyptic style and aligns with Josephus’ accounts of the 1st-century Roman siege.

“Abomination of desolation”

“Abomination of desolation” (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15) is a phrase from the Book of Daniel that describes pagan influence or intrusion into the Jewish temple. For example, in the 2nd century BC, the Greek king Antiochus IV Epiphanes halted the twice-daily offerings in the temple and defiled it with pagan practices. By the 1st century AD, the phrase had become a well-known metaphor for foreign or pagan invasion of the temple.

During the lead-up to the Second Temple’s destruction (especially between 66–70 AD), several events fit the description of the “abomination of desolation” in a first-century Jewish context:

1. Zealot takeover of the Temple (66–67 AD)
   According to Josephus (Wars 4.3.7–9), the Zealots took over the Temple, murdered priests inside it, installed a mock high priest, and committed acts of violence and sacrilege within the sacred courts. Josephus, a Jewish historian, called this a greater pollution than any Roman act—describing it as a defilement worse than pagan invasion. (Josephus, Wars of the Jews 4.353-4.388).
2. Roman standards in the Temple (70 AD)
   When the Romans finally breached Jerusalem, they erected their military standards (which bore imperial images) in the Temple precincts and offered sacrifices to them—a direct pagan profanation of the holy place (Josephus, Wars 6.6.1).

This was a literal “abomination” (idolatry) standing in a desolate Temple, fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy. Luke even interprets this event as “Jerusalem surrounded by armies” (Luke 21:20), linking it to the same warning.

Matthew 24:23-28

Jesus now shifts to address deception in times of crisis. False messiahs and prophets will arise, performing signs and wonders. Jesus warns not to believe claims of His physical return in the wilderness or inner rooms. Instead, His vindication and “coming” will be like lightning—public, unmistakable, and visible. This could either refer to His final return or to His “coming in judgment” upon Jerusalem (a motif also seen in Isaiah 19:1).

Matthew 24:29-31

This poetic, symbolic language draws from Isaiah 13, Joel 2, and other apocalyptic texts. The “sun darkened,” “stars falling,” and “heavenly powers shaken” were standard metaphors for the fall of empires or divine judgment. The “sign of the Son of Man” in heaven (v.30) may be the ultimate vindication of Jesus as Messiah, as Jerusalem falls. The “gathering of the elect” (v.31) could signify the expansion of the Church post-70 AD, as the kingdom quickly spreads beyond Jerusalem.

Matthew 24:32-35

Jesus uses the fig tree to illustrate that just as one can tell summer is near, so these signs will indicate that judgment is close. Importantly, He states, “this generation will not pass away until all these things take place” (v.34). This anchors the fulfillment of what was said so far, including “wars and rumors of wars” in the first century. Otherwise, this tip wouldn’t be helpful at all, as there are always wars and rumors of wars everywhere on this earth. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (v.35) is a Semitic idiom for the permanence of Jesus’ words. As if saying, “what I’m saying is prophetic and you can trust it will happen.” Indeed, about 40 years later, Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed by the Romans.

Matthew 24:36-44

Now, shifting to His return, Jesus speaks of an unknown day and hour. While the destruction of the temple had signs, the final return of the Son of Man does not. Like in Noah’s day, people will be caught off guard. This could imply a dual-layered prophecy: one event with signs (70 AD) and another sudden and ultimate (final return).

Matthew 24:45-51

Jesus ends with a parable about faithfulness. The timing of judgment is unknown, but faithfulness will be rewarded. The unfaithful servant is caught unaware, paralleling those unprepared for either Jerusalem’s fall or the end of the age.

Likewise, the Book of Revelation is also dedicated to faithfulness!