Matthew 24:9-13; Mark 13:9, 11-13
The persecution revealed in Luke was “before” the destruction of the Temple. That persecution
foreshadowed the future persecution revealed by Matthew and Mark. The future
persecution takes place in the Tribulation period, the time of Jacob’s trouble,
the seventieth week of Daniel.
Matthew writes in precise chronological language so that we
may know the timing of the events. He does so in two ways. First, in the
progression of terms used to show movement of thought. This progression is seen
in the term tribulation. Notice that Matthew moves from “tribulation” (24:9, KJV “to
be afflicted”), to “great tribulation”
(24:21), to “after the tribulation”
(24:29). This progression of thought falls naturally into the periods of
Daniel’s Seventieth Week. Daniel saw the week as divided into two halves. The division
is when the Antichrist breaks the covenant with Israel in the middle of the
week. The terminology of the discourse suggests that Jesus was using Daniel’s
prophecy as a point of reference for this discourse. Both Daniel and Jesus
divide the week with the same event: the abomination of desolation (24:15).
Matthew refers to the first half of the week as the “tribulation”; the last half of the week is referred to as the “great tribulation” (24:15-28); and then
the events after the week by the phrase “after
the tribulation” (24:29-31).
Second, besides chronological progression of thought,
Matthew used the time word, “then” throughout
the discourse (24:9, 10, 14, 16, 21, 23, 30, 40). The Greek word is toute. Matthew uses this word 90
times in his gospel, more that the rest of the New Testament writers combined.
The word is “a demonstrative adverb of time, denoting at that time.”[1] The
word then in verse 9 means simultaneously as the events that occur in verses
4-8. Matthew places this persecution with the beginning of sorrows. This
presents a problem for those who believe that the Church age separates Matthew
24:8 and 9. They look upon Matthew 24:4-8 as historical, and verse 9 as future.
However, the word “then” makes it
difficult to hold such a view. The word does not mean after the beginning of
sorrows, but at the same time or simultaneously with. Verse 9 cannot be
projected into the second half of the tribulation. There is no sequence here,
for this persecution will take place during the same time as the beginning of
sorrows. And as we have seen, the beginning of sorrows refers to the first half
of the tribulation period, and corresponds to the events of Revelation 6.
Persecution
The believers during the beginning of sorrows will be
delivered unto tribulation and persecution. Mark centers his text around the
words “delivered up,” using the
phrase three times (Mark 13:9, 11, 12). The phrase denotes persecution caused
deliberately. This parallels the fifth seal of Revelation 6:9-11. During the
first half of the tribulation there will be suffering and martyrdom for those
who hold to the truth of God’s Word. It is wrong to think that suffering and
martyrdom are limited to the last half of the Tribulation period. In the last
half, known as the Great Tribulation, suffering will be greatly intensified
(cf. Revelation 11:7-10; 13:7; 16:6; 17:6; 18:24). Suffering will occur in the
first 3 ½ years.
This end time persecution is in complete harmony with the
Old Testament prophets. Moses in Deuteronomy 4:30 declares that persecution in
the latter days is one element that will cause His people to return to God. The
expression “latter days” puts Moses
and Jesus on the same ground. “The Prophet like unto Moses speaks to the
beginnings of the same Tribulation,” points out Armerding.[2]
The cause of this persecution is the hatred of the believers
by “all nations” (Matthew 24:9). This
attitude will be universal in scope. It will not be limited to the Gentiles but
their own brethren (unbelieving Israel) also will share that attitude, a
fulfillment of Isaiah 66:5. Notice, this persecution will be religious and
theological. The remnant will see persecution “on account of my name” (Matthew 24:9) says Jesus.
This attitude is seen even during this present dispensation.
I am reminded of a story of a young Arab who converted to Christ from Islam. He
was slain by his own relatives because of that conversion. Even among the Jews
today, when a Jew is converted to Christ, his family considers him dead, even
to the point they hold a funeral and puts an empty casket in the family plot
with the person’s name on the headstone. Those believers will suffer the peril
of religious persecution like none in history. There will be a great multitude
who will give their lives for Christ (cf. Revelation 7:9, 13-14). Satan will
unsuccessfully try to do away with God’s people by any means. Persecution will
not destroy them, but strengthen their faithfulness and devotion to the Christ
who died for them.
Apostasy
The peril of persecution will be accompanied by the peril of
apostasy, for “many false prophets shall
rise, and shall deceived many” (Matthew 24:11). The term “false prophets” tell us that this is
Jewish in nature. The Greek word is pseudoprophetes,
and is used several times outside this discourse (Matthew 7:15; Luke 6:26; Acts
13:6; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1; Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10). Each reference
upholds the idea that the subject is Jewish false prophets. As a rule,
Gaebelein is correct when stating: “The Jewish age has false prophets; the
Christian age has false teachers.”[3] Commenting
on 2 Peter 2:1, Bruce Ware observes: “Here false prophets are distinguished
from pseudodidaskalos, “false
teachers.” The implication is clear: False prophets were Israel’s trouble;
false teachers are the church’s problem. Jesus’ use of the pesudoprophetes then, in the Olivet Discourse calls for a Jewish
understanding of the term unless some contrary internal contextual evidence can
be advanced to show that the word has taken on some different and rare meaning.
Since there is no such evidence contextually, it is best to understand the word
to refer to false prophets in Judaism.”[4]
During the tribulation there will be a great religious
awakening among Israel. A revival of Jewish religious practices will be
reinstituted. The Levitical system will again be activated. The temple will be
rebuilt and standing, as evident by the presence of the sacrificial system when
the Antichrist will end and set up his image in the Temple (Daniel 9:27,
Matthew 24:15). Yet, the revival will be centered in national apostasy,
accompanied by false prophets.
As in all dispensations, believers will be vulnerable to
deception and apostasy. Many will be deceived (Matthew 24:11). The Greek word
is planasousin meaning to
actively lead into error and seduce. They will purposely lead astray many with
seductive promises and wonders, and tempt even the elect. Many will be seduced,
even as today false teachers abound and lead astray.
Apostasy will multiply lawlessness (Matthew 24:12).
“Doctrinal defection and laxity automatically entail moral defection and
laxity” observes Lenski.[5]
The word lawlessness is the Greek word anomia
and can be translated iniquity. In the Greek version of the OT, the word is
used with great frequency among the prophets (cf. Isaiah 24:20; Zephaniah
1:15). This character breeds cynicism—the waxing cold of love—even among those
who profess to believe. When moral defection runs wild, man’s love waxes cold,
and cynicism and meaninglessness result. Apathy and conformity will be the
characteristics of the day. In that day there will be no great outcry about
human rights of those who truly believe and are persecuted. There will be indifference
to the plight of believers because of the world’s hatred and coldness. The
world couldn’t care less. Out of this atmosphere will come the “man of lawlessness…the son of destruction”
(2 Thessalonians 2:3).
Endurance
Persecution produces persistence and endurance. Tribulation
and lawlessness always produce great resolve and revival among the people of
God. This will be true in the end times with the tribulation period. Endurance
will be needed as never before and will be exhibited in the faithful. Jesus
says of those who go into the tribulation, “he that shall endure unto the end,
the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13).
This is a difficult passage for many. Many Godly men have
omitted an exegesis of this verse in their commentaries. Of who do refer to the
verse, there is much division among three major views:
- The Historical View. This view holds that the verse means that those who endure to the end of the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem.[6] While this is a popular view, we reject it for two reasons: First, because the context is not the destruction of Jerusalem of 70 AD, but the persecution of believers in the end times. Second, because historically one cannot find a fulfillment with the destruction of the city and the Temple. The believers in the first century had abandoned the city long before the actual destruction. They did not endure the destruction, for they were absent from the city.
- The Spiritual View. This view holds that believers who endure and believe until their death will be saved. Thus, the end is equated with death, and salvation is spiritual salvation. This view is found in two forms: First, removes it from its eschatological context and spiritualizes it to a text concerning our spiritual salvation. This is held mostly by those who do not believer in eternal security. Second, some keep it in context and say that those who endure to the end of their life during the tribulation will be saved. Both views equate endurance with reaching a spiritual salvation. A major difficulty is the view tends to hold that those who do not endure are not saved. It places salvation in the hands of man, and not God.
- The Survivor View. This view holds that the promise of salvation is that of physical deliverance from the tribulation to enter into the kingdom. Walvoord says that this is a promise to those who “survive the tribulation and are still alive,” and “who will be saved, or delivered by Christ as His second coming.”[7] The Old Testament commonly equates physical deliverance with salvation (cf. Genesis 11:12; Exodus 1:22, 14:30; Judges 6:14; 1 Samuel 11:13; Ezekiel 13:18). Physical salvation is a part of the Second Coming of Christ. Walvoord notes: “The salvation that is in view here is not salvation from the guilt of sin, but deliverance from persecution and threatened martyrdom. This is brought out for instance in Romans 11:26 where it declares that ‘…all Israel will be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.’ The deliverance is bodily deliverance of the persecuted at the second coming of Christ.”[8]
Those saints that endure the
perils of end time persecution, apostasy, and cynicism will be delivered into
the Kingdom at the second coming of Christ.
[1] W.E. Vine, EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY, 123.
[2] Carl Armerding, THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, 17.
[3] Arno C. Gaebelein, MATTHEW, 484.
[4] Bruce A. Ware, “Is the Church in View in
Matthew 24-25?” BIB SAC, April 1981, 189.
[5] R.C.H. Lenski, MATTHEW, 933.
[6] R.C. Sproul, THE LAST DAYS ACCORDING TO
JESUS, 97.
[7] John Walvoord, MATTHEW, 184.
[8] John Walvoord, “Christ’s Olivet Discourse on
the Time of the End,” BIB-SAC, July 1971, 2:13.
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