Matthew 24:17-31

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 24:17

Let him which is on the housetop ,.... Who should be there either for his devotion or recreation; for the houses of the Jews were built with flat roofs and battlements about them, which they made use of both for diversion and pleasure, and for private meditation and prayer, for social conversation, and sometimes for public preaching; see Matthew 10:27 not come down to take anything out of his house : that is, let him not come down in the inner way, but by the stairs, or ladder, on the... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 24:22

And except those days should be shortened ,.... That is, those days of tribulation which commenced at the siege of Jerusalem; and therefore cannot refer to the times before it, and the shortening of them by it, which were very dreadful and deplorable through the murders and robberies of the cut-throats and zealots; but to those after the siege began, which were very distressing to those that were within; and which, if they had not been shortened, or if the siege had been lengthened out... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 24:23

Then if any man shall say unto you ,.... Either at the time when the siege shall be begun, and the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place; or during the days of tribulation, whilst the siege lasted; or after those days were shortened, and the city destroyed, and the Roman army was gone with their captives: when some, that were scattered up and down in the country, would insinuate to their countrymen, that the Messiah was in such a place: saying, lo! here is Christ, or there,... read more

John Gill

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

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets ,.... Such as the above mentioned: these false Christs had their false prophets, who endeavoured to persuade the people to believe them to be the Messiah, as Barcochab had Akiba, who applied many prophecies to him. This man was called Barcochab, which signifies the son of a star, in allusion to Numbers 24:17 he was crowned by the Jews, and proclaimed the Messiah by Akiba; upon which a Roman army was sent against him, and a place... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 24:25

Behold, I have told you before. Meaning not before in this discourse, though he had in Matthew 24:5 signified also, that false Christs, and false prophets should arise, but before these things came to pass; so that they had sufficient notice and warning of them, and would be inexcusable if they were not upon their guard against them; and which, when they came to pass, would furnish out a considerable argument in proof of him, as the true Messiah, against all these false ones, showing him... read more

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