Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Matthew 24:1-51
The Intrusion of the World Matthew 24:12 No doubt this referred originally to the great crash of the fall of Jerusalem. But one cannot help seeing that the whole prophecy describes rather the constantly recurring features of all epochs of great change affecting the kingdom of heaven than the details of special circumstances attaching to some one event. I. Observe that it is more inside the Church that iniquity is said to abound. There may be a fair amount of morality and obedience in the... read more
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Matthew 24:3
(3) The disciples came unto him privately.—From St. Mark we learn their names—“Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew;” i.e., the four in the first of the three groups that made up the Twelve. The position of Andrew as the last is noticeable, as connected with the general pre-eminence of the first three.The sign of thy coming.—Literally, of Thy presence. The passage is memorable as the first occurrence of the word (παρονσία, parousia), which was so prominent in the teaching of the Epistles (1... read more