Matthew

24:36-51

11. Opposition and Eschatology in word, 24:1-25:46

iii] "Watch!"

Having dealt with the destruction of the temple and the signs of his coming, Jesus sets about encouraging his disciples to be watchful.

The disciples had asked Jesus a two (three?) pronged question in v3. They wanted to know about the destruction of the temple and the end of the age. They probably wanted to know when and what would be the indicating signs that these events were about to take place. Jesus then runs through the events leading up to his parousia "coming / presence", his fanerow "appearing, manifestation". Jesus then announces that all this will take place in the lifetime of his disciples, v24-25. Following his teachings on the end-times Jesus then goes on to warn his disciples to be "watchful", v36-51.

Jesus' statement that "this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place" has caused endless problems with interpretation. Knox in his study The five comings of Jesus handles Matthew's account of Jesus' eschatology is a rather unique way and so his angle is worth considering. These notes proceed on the assumption that Jesus' eschatology is layered, as was the eschatology of Israel's prophets. Jesus' words will indeed be fulfilled in the lifetime of his disciples, but they will also be fulfilled in the age to come. The destruction of Jerusalem and the desecration of the temple by the Romans is, in reality, a "coming" of Jesus. He comes, or appears, in judgement - the "abomination of desolation" is the sign of this coming, 24:15, cf. Dan.7. Yet these words also look to another terrible day, a day yet to come which will precede the end of the age and the final judgment, 25:31ff. See the introductory notes for 24:1-14 for a layered approach to Jesus' eschatological teaching.

No one knows the day or hour, v36. Obviously referencing the day of Christ's coming / appearing. As already noted in these studies, the "coming / presence" and "appearing / manifestation" of Christ refers to his coming to execute judgment. The immediate realization of this coming is focused on the "desolating sacrilege", v15, of the armies of Rome gathered before Jerusalem, which event led to the consequential destruction of the city and the desecration of the temple and the political and social upheaval associated with this catastrophe in 70AD. These events, which occurred in the lifetime of "this generation", v34, serve as a paradigm of Christ's ultimate "coming", his coming into the presence of the Ancient of Days to take up his throne and execute universal judgment. So, "that day", v36, is a day of divine judgment upon Jerusalem, and as with all such days of divine judgment, it culminates in the final day when everything is set right. The timing of such days remains a divine initiative.

oiden (oida) perf. "[no one] knows" - knows. The perfect here takes a present sense.

peri + gen. "about" - concerning.

thV hJmeraV "[that] day" - the day. A measure used to determine a period of time. Descriptive genitive.

oJ uiJoV "the Son" - Missing in some manuscripts, but it is obvious why it would be left out. The proper limitations attached to Christ's humanity do not limit his divinity.

The coming day will catch people by surprise, so be watchful, be ready, v37-44. Jesus give three examples of being caught out by "that day". First, the example of Noah's generation, v37-39. As with Noah's generation, this divine "coming" will catch most of the people of Israel unawares, but as Noah and his family were able to prepare for the coming day, so watchful believers will be prepared for the day. Tradition tells us that the Christian church evacuated Jerusalem before the Roman siege, moving to Pella across the Jordan river.

gar "-" - for. Here emphatic.

wJsper "as" - as, just as. Comparative conjunction, introducing a comparison between the days of Noah and the days of the Son of Man. In both situations, people were caught up in their daily life and then faced an unexpected divine judgment (a coming).

hJ parousia (a) "the coming" - coming, presence, arrival. The word is best understood as a divine appearing in judgment. For example, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is a "coming".

trwgonteV (tinw) part. "eating" - [they were] eating, consuming (noisily, ie. going for it). This participle, as with "drinking", "marrying", and "being given in marriage", is adverbial, modal, expressing the manner of their being in those days before the flood. Serving to express everyday life.

acri + gen. "up to" - until. "Right up to the day when Noah went into the ark", Barclay.

ouk egnwsan (ginwskw) aor. "they knew nothing" - they did not know. They were unaware, suspected nothing, "did not realize", TEV.

eJwV "until" - Forming a temporal clause expressing a period of time up to when: "until".

hren (airw) aor. "took" - took up. Took away, swept away, destroyed.

aJpantaV (aJpas) adj. "them all" - everything.

ouJtwV estai "this is how it will be" - this will be. "It will be just like this."

hJ parousia tou uiJou tou anqrwpou "the coming of the Son of Man" - the coming / presence of the son of man [will be this way / thus]. As above, "the coming" refers to an enactment of divine judgment, and this will be executed by the Son of Man. Jesus' adoption of the enigmatic messianic title "Son of Man" is quite apt here as he is referencing Daniel's "Son of Man", the one who comes to the Ancient of Day to receive glory and power, Dan.7:13-14. The "coming" is heavenward for enthronement and judgment, rather than a coming to earth. The direction of Christ's coming is somewhat confusing, but in the end the consequences of this "coming" are indeed experienced on earth, eg. the destruction of Jerusalem / the destruction of the world in the last day and the gathering of the "watchful" in heavenly assembly.

The second illustration of those caught out by the coming day; the worker in the field and the woman at the mill, v40-42. Many a sermon has made the point that Jesus is obviously going to return during the day as these activities don't take place at night - although they do now!!!! There is little agreement as to where to place the next paragraph. Probably v42 is best placed with v40 and 41, but note NIV.

paralambanetai (paralambanw) pres. "will be taken" - is taken. A futuristic present. It is interesting how we automatically assume that the person "taken" is taken to heaven, but of course, the one "taken" may be the one "swept away". It could be dangerous to put up our hand and say "please take me"!

alhqousai (alhqw) pres. pas. "[two women] will be grinding" - [two] grinding. The participle is adjectival, limiting "two", presumably "two women", "two women who are grinding."

en "with [a hand mill]" - in, by, with [the millstone]. Obviously an instrumental sense here, "grinding by means of a millstone", "with", as NIV. v42

oun "therefore" - Drawing a conclusion.

grhgoreite (grhgorew) imp. "watch" - keep awake. A figurative meaning such as "watch / be alert / be on guard" works, but possibly better, "be prepared."

oJti "because" - that. Here causal, as NIV.

poia/ hJmera/ (a) "on what day" - A dative of time which may be properly translated "when". Luke has "hour", while Matthew combines the two in 25:13.

The third illustration of those caught out by the coming day; the home owner, v43-44.

ginwskete (ginwskw) pres. imp. "understand [this]" - know. Possibly an emphatic imperative, "keep this clearly in mind", NEB. It is also possible to take the verb as indicative, "you know (you understand the following situation where the owner of a home is inevitably going to be caught out by a thief because he can never know at what time the thief is going to strike)"; "It is obvious that", Barclay.

oJti "-" - that. Introducing a dependent statement of perception expressing what the reader should know.

ei + pluperf. ind. ...... an + aor. ind. .... an + aor. ind. "if ....." - Forming a conditional clause, 2nd. class where the condition in the protasis is untrue; "if, as is not the case, the householder had known at what watch in the night the thief was coming, then he would have been on the watch, and then he would not have allowed his house to be broken into".

h/dei (oida) pluperf. "had known" - "Had any inkling."

poia/ fulakh/ dat. "at what time of night" - in which watch. The dative is local. The night watch consists of blocks of three hours.

diorucqhnai (diorussw) aor. pas. inf. "be broken into" - [the house of him he would not have allowed] to be dug through, broken though to. As in digging through a mud brick wall. The infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of the verb "allow, permit."

dia + acc. "so" - because of, on account of [this]. "For this reason."

eJtoimoi adj. "ready" - Further indicating that the sense of "watch" is "be prepared."

oJti "because" - that. Here serving to form a causal clause, "because ....", as NIV.

hJ/ .... wJra/ "at an hour" - when in hour. Dative of time, "when you are not expecting him."

It is essential for a believer to be constantly prepared for Christ's coming because its timing is unknown. This need to be prepared is reinforced in the teaching parable of the servant, v45-51. Although the parable is often used to draw out the requirements for faithful service while waiting for Christ's parousia, the parable simply encourages disciples to be ready to meet the return of the Master. As for what constitutes the preparedness of a "faithful and wise" disciple, the requirements must be sourced elsewhere in the NT. The Pauline epistles define the "work" as reliance / faith in the work /faithfulness of Christ. Such "work" saves us, blesses rather than curses, and eternally so in the day of judgment, the day of Christ's "appearing / coming."

fronimoV adj. "wise" - thoughtful, sensible, intelligent.

katesthsen (kaqisthmi) aor. "has put in charge" - appointed. "Set over", TH.

epi "of" - over

dounai (didwmi) inf. "to give" - to give. The infinitive here expresses either purpose or consequence, although often the difference becomes blurred, so "in order to give."

autoiV dat. "them" - to them. Dative of indirect object.

makarioV adj. "it will be good for" - blessed, happy [is the slave].

elqwn (ercomai) aor. part. "when he returns" - having come. The participle is adverbial, temporal, as NIV; "when he comes home", TEV.

amhn legw "I tell [you] the truth" - amen/truly I say [to you].

oJti "-" - that. Forming an object clause / independent statement, indirect speech, expressing the content of what the master will say.

toiV uJparcousin (uJparcw) part. "possessions" - the possessions. The participle here functions as a substantive, "everything he owns", NJB, "property", NEB, "over all his goods", Morris.

ean + subj. "[but] suppose" - if. Introducing a conditional sentence , 3rd class, where the reality of the condition is a possibility, although here, hypothetical, "if, as my be the case, ..... then ......" The apodosis of the conditional sentence (the "then" clause) does not appear until v50, 51 (then he will come back at an unexpected time and cut him to pieces). If the disciple is not prepared, then he will be caught out and punished accordingly.

oJ kakoV douloV ekeinoV "that servant is wicked" - that wicked servant. The change to a "wicked servant" in the context seems incongruous which is why the NIV and others give the sense "but if he is a bad servant", ie. acts badly as described, then ......

en th/ kardia/ autou "to himself" - in the heart of him.

cronizei (cronizw) "is staying away a long time" - is lingering, delaying, taking his time, not likely to come back for a long time. "If however, the watchman is untrustworthy, he mutters to himself, 'my master will not be back right away; and, maybe, he will never come back'", Junkins.

kai "and [he] then" - and. Coordinative; "if that wicked servant says ..... and he begins to beat ..... and (de) eats and (kai) he drinks ...."

arxhtai (arcomai) aor. subj. "he begins" - he begins. Subjunctive as the verbs in this sentence stand with "says" in v48, together forming the protasis of the conditional sentence. "Starts beating the other servants", CEV.

tuptein (tuptw) inf. "to beat" - The infinitive is complementary, completing the meaning of "begins". "to mistreat / abuse / treat unlovingly."

sundoulouV (oV) "fellow servants" - fellow slave. "Fellow servants."

hJ/ dat. "-" - which. The case of the relative pronoun here has been attracted by the dative of "hour" and so is not "by", or "in" which.

ou prosdoka/ (prosdokaw) "does not expect" - he does not expect. The master will come back unexpectedly. "When he least expects him and at an hour which he does not know", Cassirer.

dicotomhsei (dicotomew) fut. "he will cut [him] to pieces]" - he will cut in two. The phrase is used of slicing up a sacrificial victim. The language is strong, serving to make an impact, but probably too strong for Western ears; "that servant's master will return suddenly ...... and will punish him severely and send him off to share the penalty of the unfaithful - to his bitter sorrow and regret", Phillips.

qhsei (tiqhmi) fut. "assign" - he will put, place. "Make him share the fate of", TEV. "Treat him the same way as", TH

twn uJpokritwn (hV) "the hypocrites" - one who pretends to be other than he really is*. Luke has "unbelievers".

klauqmoV (oV) "weeping" - loud crying. The anguish and suffering of the lost.

Matthew Introduction

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