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William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 24:1-31

We have already seen that it is one of the great characteristics of Matthew that he gathers together in large blocks the teaching of Jesus about different subjects. In Matthew 24:1-51 he gathers together things that Jesus said about the future and gives us the vision of things to come. In so doing Matthew weaves together sayings of Jesus about different aspects of the future; and it will make this difficult chapter very much easier to understand if we can disentangle the various strands and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 24:18

Neither let him which is in the field ,.... Ploughing, or sowing, or employed in any other parts of husbandry, or rural business, return back to take clothes ; for it was usual to work in the fields without their clothes, as at ploughing and sowing. Hence those words of Virgil F5 Georgic. l. 1. . "Nudus ara, sere nudus, hyems ignava colono.' Upon which Servius observes, that in good weather, when the sun warms the earth, men might plough and sow without their clothes: and it is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 24:19

And woe unto them that are with child ,.... Not that it should be criminal for them to be with child, or a judgment on them; for it was always esteemed a blessing to be fruitful, and bear children: but this expresses the miserable circumstances such would be in, who, by reason of their heavy burdens, would not be able to make so speedy a flight, as the case would require; or would be obliged to stay at home, and endure all the miseries of the siege: so that these words, as the following are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 24:20

But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter ,.... When days are short, and unfit for long journeys, and roads are bad, and sometimes not passable, through large snows, or floods of water; and when to dwell in desert places, and lodge in mountains, must be very uncomfortable: wherefore Christ directs to pray to God, who has the disposal of all events, and of the timing of them, that he would so order things in the course of his providence, that their flight might not be in such a season... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 24:21

For then shall be great tribulation ,.... This is urged as a reason for their speedy flight; since the calamity that would come upon those who should remain in the city, what through the sword, famine, pestilence, murders, robberies, &c.; would be such as was not since the beginning of the world, to this time, no, nor ever shall be . The burning of Sodom and Gomorrha, the bondage of the children of Israel in Egypt, their captivity in Babylon, and all their distresses and afflictions... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 24:18

Neither let him which is in the field return back - Because when once the army of the Romans sits down before the city, there shall be no more any possibility of escape, as they shall never remove till Jerusalem be destroyed. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 24:19

And wo unto them (alas! for them) that are with child, etc. - For such persons are not in a condition to make their escape; neither can they bear the miseries of the siege. Josephus says the houses were full of women and children that perished by the famine; and that the mothers snatched the food even out of their own children's mouths. See War, b. v. c. 10. But he relates a more horrid story than this, of one Mary, the daughter of Eliezar, illustrious for her family and riches, who, being... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 24:20

But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter - For the hardness of the season, the badness of the roads, the shortness of the days, and the length of the nights, will all be great impediments to your flight. Rabbi Tanchum observes, "that the favor of God was particularly manifested in the destruction of the first temple, in not obliging the Jews to go out in the winter, but in the summer." See the place in Lightfoot. Neither on the Sabbath-day - That you may not raise the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 24:21

For then shall be great tribulation - No history can furnish us with a parallel to the calamities and miseries of the Jews: - rapine, murder, famine, and pestilence within: fire and sword, and all the horrors of war, without. Our Lord wept at the foresight of these calamities; and it is almost impossible for any humane person to read the relation of them in Josephus without weeping also. St. Luke, Luke 21:22 , calls these the days of vengeance, that all things which were written might be... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 24:21

Verse 21 21For there will then be great tribulation. Luke says also, that there will be days of vengeance, and of wrath on that people, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. For since the people, through obstinate malice, had then broken the covenant of God, it was proper that alarming changes should take place, by which the earth itself and the air would be shaken. True, indeed, the most destructive plague inflicted on the Jews was, that the light of heavenly doctrine was... read more

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