Matthew
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IntroductionHaving dealt with the destruction of the Temple and the signs of his coming, Jesus now turns his attention to the "end of the age." He encourages his disciples to be watchful.
The passage
v36. Concerning the "end of the age", only the Father knows "when this will happen", for it is his intention that human life should proceed as it always has, rather than be disturbed with a date for the world's end. This, of course, implies that Jesus doesn't know exactly when he will return. On one hand, the New Testament reveals that Jesus is fully divine, but on the other hand, it reveals that Jesus is fully human and limited by that humanity. As a human, Jesus is dependent on his Heavenly Father, even in matters of knowledge. Both truths, the divinity and humanity of Jesus, must be held in tension. To affirm one and deny the other is to move into heresy.
v37-39. The Noah story serves as a type for the end of the age, although Jesus doesn't bring out the similarities, eg. he doesn't compare the sin of that age with sin today. His point is that normal life will role through to the end as it did with Noah's generation. This is God's will and for this reason, only the Father knows "when" the end will come. Ceaseless vigilance is therefore demanded of a disciple.
v40-41. Jesus now illustrates how unexpected the end will be. Normal life runs right through to the moment when the sheep are separated from the goats. Although it is often assumed that those "taken" are taken away (raptured) to heaven, they could be taken to face judgement.
v42-44. In 24:42-25:46, we are given 5 parables on watchfulness. In this, the first parable, Jesus makes the point that the coming of the Son of Man is similar to the uninvited visit of a thief. We don't know when a thief will strike, and in the same way, we don't know when the Son of Man will return. Constant vigilance must therefore be our aim.
v45-51. In the second parable Jesus makes the point that in the interim, while the disciple awaits his return, watchfulness should express itself in faithful and wise (prudent) service - the discharge of the responsibilities of discipleship. The faithful and wise servant is often understood as a leader in the church whose conduct is exemplary and whose leadership is not harsh. Yet, we should not allegorize parables. As for the "wicked" servant, he plays on the master's delay and runs his own agenda. As a consequence, "he will cut him to pieces"; the wicked servant will be "cut off from the midst of the sons of light", ie. excommunicated, treated as a hypocrite and judged accordingly.
Watchfulness
There is nothing more thrilling, in Christian theology, than studies on the second coming of Christ. It is particularly interesting when we get into the "signs of the times." Studies on the preliminary events leading up to the coming of Christ and the events surrounding his coming and his reign, can be exciting to say the least.
Yet, this is an area of study wrought with danger. There are so many theories, so many systems, that we need to be very suspicious of millennial fervor. This is particularly so when the whole weight of Jesus' teaching is upon the unexpected nature of his return. There are no warnings, no signs, as such. This is certainly the thrust of our passage for study. All the signs, we are so often told to watch out for, were for Jesus' generation, 24:34. As for our generation, we must go about our daily business in the knowledge that Christ will return when we least expect it. Christ's return will happen in much the same way as the flood engulfed Noah's generation. We will be getting on with our daily business and then, suddenly, the Son of Man will come. So his word to us is this, like Noah, be prepared, watchful, or better, be vigilant.
We could easily assume that vigilance is a rather passive activity, but this is not the way Jesus illustrates it in his five parables in Matthew chapters 24 and 25. In the first two parables we see a home owner protecting his property from a thief and a servant faithfully discharging his duties and responsibilities while his master is away. So, Jesus is speaking about an active vigilance, similar to a watchman who must stay awake otherwise the enemy will come and all will be lost.
First, there is our walk of faith. "The righteous will live by faith", and only faith. Beware not to follow the example of those foolish Galatians who replaced faith with religious duty. The walk of faith requires vigilance. It is easy to think that somehow our faithfulness earns God's approval, when in fact Jesus has already earned it for us.
Second, there is our walk with the Spirit, our keeping in step with the Spirit and his work of inward renewal. By faith we look to the Spirit to daily shape us in the image of Christ, to prepare us for eternity. To keep in step with that work of renewal requires vigilance.
In the BBC program "The Sins", the old undertaker well illustrated the necessity of vigilance, or as he called it, "fortitude". We constantly flirt with the seven deadly sins. At times we stand, and at other times we fall. To stand firm, prepared for "the day", requires "fortitude."
Discussion
1. Discuss the issue of signs in relation to Jesus' statement that "no one knows about that day or hour."
2. "Fortitude". Is this what we need?
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