Matthew 24:8

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 24:8

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 24:8

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 24:8

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 24:1-51

PROPHECY OF THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM , AND OF THE TIMES OF THE END . ( Mark 13:1-37 ; Luke 21:5-36 .) There is no reason to think, with Olshauson, that St. Matthew or his editor has considerably amplified the original discourse of our Lord by introducing details and expressions from other quarters. The discourse, as we now have it ( Matthew 24:1-51 . and 25.), forms a distinct whole, divided into certain portions closely related to each other and it... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 24:4-14

Signs of the advent. The coming of Christ in his kingdom being the great event of prophecy to be fulfilled, the time and signs of that coming became questions of intense interest to the disciples. The time is generally indicated by the signs. These are— I. APOSTASY THROUGH THE INFLUENCE OF FALSE CHRISTS . 1 . Many antichrists appeared before the destruction of Jerusalem. 2 . Many have since been deceived by the popes. 3 . Many have been deceived in the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 24:4-41

The first portion of the great prophecy. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 24:8

Beginning of sorrows; ὠδι ì νων : labour pangs, travailings. The metaphor often occurs (see Isaiah 26:17 ; Jeremiah 13:21 ; Hosea 13:13 , etc). These great events are called "labour pangs" because they usher in the new creation, "the regeneration" spoken of in Matthew 19:28 (see note there). St. Paul writes ( Romans 8:22 ), "The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." The tribulations and calamities which preceded and accompanied the overthrow... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 24:8

The beginning of sorrows - Far heavier calamities are yet to come before the end. read more

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