37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings,' and ye would not!

1 Deut. 32:11; Ps. 17:8; 36:7; 57: 1; 61: 4.

chias," but that these words have been inserted by some transcriber who mistook this Zachariah for the prophet Zechariah, whose father's name was Barachiah. Zech. 1:1. Lange prefers the second of these explanations; Alford, the third.

36. This generation. Compare ch. 16:28; 24:34.

37. Gathered thy children; i. e. for protection against the approaching danger. The figure is taken from the hen, which collects her brood under her for defense against the attack of the eagle. Compare ch. 24 : 28.

38. Your house; the temple or city. This had been called the dwelling-place of God (ver. 21; 2 Chron. 6:2; Ps. 26:8); but from henceforth he has departed, and it is now desolate, a forsaken ruin. It is now "your house," not his.

This

39. See me. This solemn declaration was Christ's formal abandonment of the nation; their final rejection by their own Messiah, whom they had refused to receive. From this time Jesus no more appeared in public to the Jews. — Till ye shall say; till ye shall so much desire me that you will invoke blessings on one who appears in my name. refers to the predicted repentance and return of the Jews in the last times. Deut. 4:30, 31; Hos. 3:5; Zech. 12: 10; Rom. II: I-28. The last three verses of this chapter had been spoken by Christ on an earlier occasion (Luke 13:34, 35); but the words "from henceforth were then omitted, as the time for the fulfillment had not yet come.

PRACTICAL THOUGHTS.

3. The personal wickedness of rulers does not justify disobedience to their authority, except when they require unlawful acts. We are to respect the office, though we condemn the man.

38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth,'till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.2

2 Ps. 118: 26.

4. There is the widest contrast between the commands of Christ and the

rites and ordinances of men. His yoke is easy, his burden light; that of earthly teachers is often exacting and intolerable.

5. The inordinate love of human applause is a dangerous foe to true virtue.

12. It is entirely safe to leave our honor, as well as all things else, to the divine care. The character of his people is as dear to Christ as to themselves, and he will see in due time to its proper vindication.

13. The original meaning of the word "hypocrite " is a playactor. It implies that the person appears in an assumed character, to deceive those who behold him. The deception, however, is rarely complete before men, and never before God.

15. Proselytism to party is a very different thing from winning a soul to Christ.

16-22. Christian sobriety requires the utmost simplicity of language. The milder forms of adjuration and exclamation in which many persons indulge often imply an ultimate reference to God, and are both foolish and wicked.

23. No punctiliousness in outward observances can atone for the neglect of a single moral duty.

36. Men are not punished for the wickedness of their fathers, though they suffer in consequence of it. They are punished always and only for their own sins. Ezek. 18:20. But the fact that they are in the line of a peculiarly depraved ancestry, practicing wickedness which has become hereditary among them, may be a reason why the forbearance which spared their fathers should not be exercised toward them. So the long succession of crimes which had marked the history of the Jews for many generations was a reason in ad

CHAPTER XXIV.

129. CHRIST PREDICTS HIS SECOND COMING.

Mark 13:1-37; Luke 21:5-36.

ND Jesus went out and de

on temple, and

his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

11 Ki. 9:7; Jer. 26: 18; Mic. 3:12.

dition to their own guilt why that generation should receive the punishment it deserved for its own sins. Ex. 20:5.

39. The divine judgments are mingled often with mercy. The very language of Christ pronouncing the judicial abandonment of the nation by its own Messiah, implied an ultimate restoration. Let the prayers of Christians hasten the day when the scattered tribes shall look again to Him whom they have so long rejected, and welcome with joy whomsoever cometh "in the name of the Lord."

CHAPTER XXIV.

SECTION 129. -1. The buildings. Luke says "goodly stones and gifts." Christ's denunciation against the temple (ch. 23: 38) evidently caused great surprise and consternation in the minds of the disciples. They seem at first unable to comprehend it; and as they retired, they call his attention to the magnitude and costliness of the hewed stones of which the temple was built, and the rich ornaments with which it was decorated, as if to ask whether he really meant to say that such a structure was to perish. Josephus (Ant. v. 5. 1) represents some of the stones to have been 40 cubits (70 feet) in length. He says also that its pure white marble appeared in the distance like a mountain of snow, and the radiance of its gilded roof under the sun's rays was too dazzling for the eye to bear.

2. See ye not; probably a question designed to deepen their attention. - One stone. Josephus says that the Roman emperor commanded the whole city and temple to be demolished; which command was so executed that strangers coming thither would not believe that the place had ever been inhabited.

2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.1

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when2 shall these things be? and what shall

2 Acts 1:7; 1 Thess. 5:1.

3. The disciples; not all of them, but Peter, James, John, and Andrew. Mark.

We are here brought to one of the most important, and at the same time most difficult, passages in the N. Testament. It comprises two questions of the disciples, growing out of our Lord's reiterated prediction of the overthrow of the temple and the city, and his answer thereto, extending to the close of ch. 25. The scope of the whole may be seen to advantage from the following synopsis : I. THE INQUIRY.

I. When shall these things be?
2. What shall be the signs preced-
ing them? Ch. 24: 3.

II. THE REPLY.

1. The signs of his coming, prefaced by a caution against being deceived. Ver. 4-31.

2. The time of it.

a. In that generation. Ver. 34. b. The day and the hour unknown. Ver. 36.

c. Sudden and unexpected. V. 37-41.

3. Watching for the event enforced : a. By the example of one watch

ing for a thief. Ver. 43. b. Of a servant left in charge. c. By the parable of the virgins; ch. 25:1-13.

d. And of the talents. Ver.

be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.1

5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

ye

be

6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that not troubled; for all these things 1 Eph. 5:6; 2 Thess. 2:3. 2 Jer. 14:14.

that the reply of our Saviour embraces not only the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, but also the general judgment; but in what way it does this they are not agreed. Some think that his language was designed to have throughout a double sense, referring primarily to the former event, and secondarily, yet more emphatically, to the latter. Barnes says, "The principle on which this combined description of two events was spoken, appears to be that they could be described in the same words, and therefore the accounts are intermingled." Others suppose a transition to have taken place in the discourse, so that while it began with the former event, it ended with the latter. Those, however, who hold this view are not agreed as to the place where the supposed transition is to be found. This point will be more particularly considered as we proceed to the several verses.

3. These things; i. e. the overthrow of the temple, and the judgments of God upon the nation. Ch. 23 36-38.- Of thy coming. Gr., thy parousia. The manifestation of Christ in his glory as King and Judge, to punish his foes and establish his long-expected kingdom on earth. This was the event which John the Baptist, Christ himself, and the apostles, had announced as being at hand. — End of the world. Note ch. 12: 32; 13:39. "It should be kept in mind that when the end of the world' is spoken of in the N. T., the term aion, the present dispensation or order of things, is used, and not kosmos, the planetary system, the created universe." Schaff. In Luke this inquiry is, "What sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?"

must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

8 All these are the beginning of

sorrows.

9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you:

3 Hag. 2: 22.

showing that both questions have reference to the same things. It is therefore to one grand event, or cluster of events, viz., the coming of Christ, the destruction of the temple, and the close of the existing dispensation, which in their view were cotemporaneous, that the disciples referred in their inquiry.

4. Take heed. Our Lord prefaces his answer with a solemn caution against being deceived.

5. In my name; not in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, but of the Messiah; claiming to be him, or to represent him.

6. Wars. There were numerous plots and rebellions against the Roman authority, in which much blood was shed; also commotions in Rome itself, during which four emperors in eighteen months came to a violent death. - Must come to pass; are among the inevitable incidents of the times.

7. Famines. See Acts 11:28. There was also a famine in Judæa, in the third year of Nero's reign.-Pestilences. These were the usual accompaniments of famines. One at Rome, in A. D. 65, carried away 30,000 persons. — Earthquakes; in Crete, in A. D. 46; at Rome, in 51; in Phrygia, in 53; in Laodicea, in 60. Tacitus says, "The destruction of entire cities is frequently reported."

8. Sorrows; literally, birth-pangs. The new era of the Messiah's reign which they would introduce was conceived of as a new birth or regeneration of the world. Note ch. 19:28.

9. Then; during that period. - Hated. Tacitus styles Christians " a detestable race of men. Compare Acts 28: 22; I Pet. 2:12; 3:16; 4: 14.

10. Offended; shall apostatize from

and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

IO And then shall many be offended,1 and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

II And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

1 Ch. 11:6; 13:57; 2 Tim. 1:15.

the faith. 2 Tim. 4:16; 1 John 2:19.

Betray. Tacitus says that when the Christians were persecuted by Nero, "a great multitude were convicted by the testimony of persons from among themselves."

11. False prophets; teachers of error. Acts 20:30; Rom. 16: 17; 2 Cor. 11: 13; Gal. 1:7; 1 Tim. 1:7; 2 Tim. 2: 18; 2 Pet. 2: 1, 2; 1 Jno. 4:1; Jude 4.

12. Wax cold; even the ardor of many true Christians will abate under the influence of the general lawlessness of the times. Gal. 3:1; 2 Tim. 1:15; Rev. 3:15.

13. The end. This may be referred either to deliverance from the distresses and dangers of the siege, or to salvation in the usual sense, at the end of life. The Christians did, in fact, escape to Pella, beyond the Jordan, where they remained in safety till after the fall of the city. Still, the language appears to contrast their fidelity with the defections mentioned in the two preceding verses, and thus viewed, it should be understood in the spiritual sense.

14. Gospel of the kingdom; the good news of the approaching kingdom of the Messiah. All the world. This was literally verified, so far as the world was then known, during the lifetime of the apostles. Rom. 10: 18; Col. 1 : 6, 23. — For a witness; to bear testimony to the Jews in all lands of the coming of their Messiah, and call them to believe in him.-The end; i. e. of that age. Ver. 3; ch. 13:39.

15. Our Lord now proceeds to state more definitely the events which should indicate the immediate approach of the catastrophe. -Abomination of desolation; Dan. 11:31; 12:11. This term,

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end

come.

15 When ye, therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand

2 Heb. 3:6; Rev. 2:10. Rom. 10: 18; Rev. 14:6.

as used by the prophet, referred to an idol statue of Jupiter Olympius which was erected in the temple by Antiochus Epiphanes, as an expression of his hatred of the Jews and their religion. I Macc. 6: 7; 2 Macc. 6:2. The epithet" of desolation"— in the Hebrew, "that maketh desolate "— was given to it because of its rendering the sanctuary "desolate as to all true worshipers and legal sacrifices and rites." Stuart. As used by Christ, therefore, we should understand by it some similar pollution of the sacred city and temple. Instead of this expression, peculiar to the Jewish Scriptures, Luke, who wrote rather for Gentile readers, has, "When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies." The very presence of a Gentile army on the sacred soil, with its idolatrous stand

SPOR

Roman Standards.

ards, was a profanation. -Whoso readeth. It is not certain whether these were the words of Christ, or an explanatory note of the writer. In either case they were designed to call attention to the

16 Then let them which be in Judæa flee into the mountains :

17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house :

18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath-day:

21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the

1 Dan. 9:26; 12: 1. 2 Isa. 65:8, 9.

expression just used, as one to be particularly considered. It may have been chosen because of its partially enigmatical character, in order to avoid awaking the jealousy of the Roman authorities. Compare Dan. 9:25; 12: 10.

.

16. Flee; i. e. for safety. The road to Pella would lie over a mountainous region. But how can the Christians in Jerusalem flee after the city shall be

compassed with armies?" By a marvelous dispensation of Providence, these armies, after having prosecuted the siege several days, and having captured and burned a considerable portion of the city, suddenly broke up the siege and departed; as Josephus says (War, ii. 19 : 7), "without having received any disgrace, he (Cestius) retired from the city without any reason in the world." This gave to those who were watching for it the opportunity to escape.

17. Not come down; i. e. let him hasten his departure. There was usually an outer as well as inner flight of steps to the flat roofs of the houses; and it was possible to pass from roof to roof, till the wall of the city was reached. Note Mark 2:4.

19. Woe unto them; a prediction of the sad condition of females, who, in the circumstances mentioned, would be unable to escape.

20. The Sabbath day. The gates of the cities were closed on the Sabbath

22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved but for the elect's sake2 those days shall be shortened.

23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there ; believe it not.

24 For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders ;3 insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

25 Behold, I have told you be

fore.

26 Wherefore, if they shall say 3 Deut. 13:1-3; 2 Thess. 2:9; Rev. 13:3. (Neh. 13:19), besides which it was regarded as unlawful to travel on that day. Compare Ex. 16: 29.

21. Great tribulation. The miseries which the Jews suffered in the siege and capture of Jerusalem have never been paralleled in history. Besides all the horrors of famine (in which Deut. 28: 53-57 was literally fulfilled) and pestilence, Josephus says that no less than eleven hundred thousand of the people perished.

22. Shortened. As compared with other sieges of ancient times, that of Jesalem was very brief, only about five months. Even Titus himself was astonished at his speedy success, and attributed it to direct divine aid. — No flesh; i. e. not a man in Judæa. — For the elect's sake; in mercy to God's believing people.

23. Then; during these calamities. Believe it not. The Messiah will not appear in that manner. Compare ver. 27, 30.

24. False Christs; those who pretended to be the Messiah. Ver. II. - Signs and wonders; false miracles to support their pretended authority. Compare 2 Thess. 2:9-12. Such impostors abounded before the downfall of the city.-If possible; if the grace of God did not sustain them.

25. Told you before; I have forewarned you of the danger, therefore be on your guard.