Matthew 24:6-8

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 24:6

And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars ,.... This is the second sign of the destruction of Jerusalem: it is observable that this, and some of the following signs, are given by the Jews, as signs of the Messiah's coming; whereas they were forerunners of their ruin, for the rejection of him who was already come. They suppose the Messiah will come in the seventh year, or the year of rest and release: "On the seventh year (they say F8 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 97. 1. & Megilia,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 24:7

This seems to be a distinct and third sign, foreboding the general calamity of the Jews; that there should be not only seditions and intestine wars, in the midst of their country, but there should be wars in other nations, one with another; and with the Jews, and the Jews with them: and this also is made a sign of the Messiah's coming by them, for so they say F11 Bereshit Rabba, sect. 42. fol. 37. 1. ; "when thou seest, מלכיות מתגרות אלו באלו , "kingdoms stirred up one against... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 24:8

All these are the beginning of sorrows ,.... They were only a prelude unto them, and forerunners of them; they were only some foretastes of what would be, and were far from being the worst that should be endured. These were but light, in comparison of what befell the Jews, in their dreadful destruction. The word here used, signifies the sorrows and pains of a woman in travail. The Jews expect great sorrows and distresses in the times of the Messiah, and use a word to express them by, which... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 24:6

The next signs given by our Lord are wars and rumors of wars, etc. - These may be seen in Josephus, Ant. b. xviii. c. 9; War, b. ii. c. 10; especially as to the rumors of wars, when Caligula ordered his statue to be set up in the temple of God, which the Jews having refused, had every reason to expect a war with the Romans, and were in such consternation on the occasion that they even neglected to till their land. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 24:7

Nation shall rise against nation - This portended the dissensions, insurrections and mutual slaughter of the Jews, and those of other nations, who dwelt in the same cities together; as particularly at Caesarea, where the Jews and Syrians contended about the right of the city, which ended there in the total expulsion of the Jews, above 20,000 of whom were slain. The whole Jewish nation being exasperated at this, flew to arms, and burnt and plundered the neighboring cities and villages of the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 24:8

All these are the beginning of sorrows - Ωδινων , travailing pains. The whole land of Judea is represented under the notion of a woman in grievous travail; but our Lord intimates, that all that had already been mentioned were only the first pangs and throes, and nothing in comparison of that hard and death-bringing labor, which should afterwards take place. From the calamities of the nation in general, our Lord passes to those of the Christians; and, indeed, the sufferings of his... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 24:6

Verse 6 6For you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. He describes here those commotions only which arose in Judea, for we shall find him soon afterwards saying that the flame will spread much wider. As he had formerly enjoined them to beware lest any man deceived them, so now he bids them meet with courage rumors of wars and wars themselves; for they would be in danger of giving way when surrounded by calamities, especially if they had promised to themselves ease and pleasure. For all these... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 24:8

Verse 8 8.But all these things are the beginnings of sorrows. Not that believers, who always have abundant consolations in calamities, should consume themselves with grief, but that they should lay their account with a long exercise of patience. Luke adds likewise earthquakes, and signs from heaven, with respect to which, though we have no authentic history of them, yet it is enough that they were predicted by Christ. The reader will find the rest in Josephus, (Wars of the Jews, VI. 5:3.) read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 24:1-14

The great prophecy: General predictions of coming sorrows. I. THE TEMPLE . 1 . The Lord ' s departure. Jesus went out. He had taught in the temple for the last time. He had greatly loved that holy house of God. He had shown a burning zeal for its honour. Twice he had expelled the crowd of traffickers who made it a house of merchandise, a den of thieves. He "would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple." He so strongly insisted upon the duty of... read more

Group of Brands