How To Divide Jesus’ Great End-Time Prophecy
Matthew 24 and 25. These two chapters deal with prophecies concerning (1) the Jews, (2) the church, and (3) the Gentiles. Aside from what is found in the book of Revelation, these two chapters contain the most significant prophecies for our present age. Whereas the book of Revelation gives details, the Gospel of Matthew treats only of principles. These two chapters are not easy to read. In general, there are three varied schools of thought: (a) that all which is prophesied here pertains to the church, as advocated by Benjamin Newton; (b) that all in these chapters is related to the Jews, as championed by John Nelson Darby and C. I. Scofield; and (c) that some of the material in these two chapters concerns the church, as we maintain. The reason for such differences lies in one’s understanding of who or what the disciples stand for: whether (a) the disciples represent the church; (b) the disciples symbolize the Jews; or (c) the disciples signify the Jewish remnant as well as the pillars of the church.
How to divide these two chapters is of utmost importance, else we will be confused by the first two schools.
Let us retrace our steps and review the background for these two chapters, as furnished for the reader of this Gospel in chapters 21 to 23. As recorded in 21.43 the Lord prophesies that the kingdom of God will be taken away from the Jews. In 22.21 we see that He charges the Jews to be submissive to the Gentile power. And in 23 we observe Him chiding the Pharisees. The “house” in 23.38 is the same as the “temple” in 24.1. There it should be stated as “my Father’s house”—but it has come to be termed “your house”. All this indicates that the Lord has clearly rejected the children of Israel. Such, then, is the background.
Before the Lord are two classes of people: (1) the rejected Jews, and (2) a nation that can bear fruits (21.43). In this connection, therefore, the disciples may represent (a) the Jewish remnant, and (b) the called out ones. Accordingly, we have a combination of the Jews and the church. It is highly important for us to find out which section relates to the Jews and which relates to the church. In our view (and in the view of others too, such as D. M. Panton who felt that 24.31 is a distinctive line of demarcation), 24.1-31 pertains to the Jews, while 24.32-25.46 pertains to the church. This division is based on internal as well as external evidences, as follows.
A. 24.1-31 concerns the Jews, since everything here is literally interpreted; but 24.32-25.46 concerns the church since everything there is spiritually interpreted. For example, “winter” in verse 20 is literal since it is in actual fact a difficult thing to flee in the winter (“sabbath” too is literal); “summer” in verse 32, however, is to be spiritually interpreted since it points to the soon coming of the kingdom (while the “fig tree” refers to the nation of Israel). Or as another example, in verse 26 “the inner chambers” must be interpreted literally, whereas in verse 43 “the house” is to be interpreted spiritually. Hence what concerns the Jews is to be literally interpreted; but what concerns the church is to be spiritually interpreted (see Matt. 13.11-13).
B. The part before 24.31 is full of Jewish background, as is made clear by the usage of such terms as “the holy place” (v.15), “in Judea” (v.16), and “sabbath” (v.20); but the part after 24.31 is plainly without any localized restriction in its terminology.
C. The things mentioned before 24.31 are physical in nature, whereas all those things mentioned afterwards are moral in character. For instance, the nations, the mothers with children, and the children mentioned in the first part are all physical or literal in meaning; yet the virgins, the servants and the householder, and the goats and the sheep cited in chapter 25 have moral implications about them. In addition, “go . . . forth” in 24.26 and “went forth” in 25.1 are different in character, with the former being literal and the latter being moral in their implications.
D. Before 24.31 there is no moral demand included; what is required is to flee. But after 24.31 there are moral demands presented, such as watch, be ready, and so forth—which actions are the responsibilities of the saints at the end time.
E. Since the Jews are still expecting the Messiah, there are false Christs being mentioned before 24.31; but there is no word about false Christs after 24.31, because the latter part is addressed to the church.
F. Matthew 25.31-46 is to the Church about the nations. No such stipulation is given to the Jews.
Matthew 24 and 25. These two chapters deal with prophecies concerning (1) the Jews, (2) the church, and (3) the Gentiles. Aside from what is found in the book of Revelation, these two chapters contain the most significant prophecies for our present age. Whereas the book of Revelation gives details, the Gospel of Matthew treats only of principles. These two chapters are not easy to read. In general, there are three varied schools of thought: (a) that all which is prophesied here pertains to the church, as advocated by Benjamin Newton; (b) that all in these chapters is related to the Jews, as championed by John Nelson Darby and C. I. Scofield; and (c) that some of the material in these two chapters concerns the church, as we maintain. The reason for such differences lies in one’s understanding of who or what the disciples stand for: whether (a) the disciples represent the church; (b) the disciples symbolize the Jews; or (c) the disciples signify the Jewish remnant as well as the pillars of the church.
How to divide these two chapters is of utmost importance, else we will be confused by the first two schools.
Let us retrace our steps and review the background for these two chapters, as furnished for the reader of this Gospel in chapters 21 to 23. As recorded in 21.43 the Lord prophesies that the kingdom of God will be taken away from the Jews. In 22.21 we see that He charges the Jews to be submissive to the Gentile power. And in 23 we observe Him chiding the Pharisees. The “house” in 23.38 is the same as the “temple” in 24.1. There it should be stated as “my Father’s house”—but it has come to be termed “your house”. All this indicates that the Lord has clearly rejected the children of Israel. Such, then, is the background.
Before the Lord are two classes of people: (1) the rejected Jews, and (2) a nation that can bear fruits (21.43). In this connection, therefore, the disciples may represent (a) the Jewish remnant, and (b) the called out ones. Accordingly, we have a combination of the Jews and the church. It is highly important for us to find out which section relates to the Jews and which relates to the church. In our view (and in the view of others too, such as D. M. Panton who felt that 24.31 is a distinctive line of demarcation), 24.1-31 pertains to the Jews, while 24.32-25.46 pertains to the church. This division is based on internal as well as external evidences, as follows.
A. 24.1-31 concerns the Jews, since everything here is literally interpreted; but 24.32-25.46 concerns the church since everything there is spiritually interpreted. For example, “winter” in verse 20 is literal since it is in actual fact a difficult thing to flee in the winter (“sabbath” too is literal); “summer” in verse 32, however, is to be spiritually interpreted since it points to the soon coming of the kingdom (while the “fig tree” refers to the nation of Israel). Or as another example, in verse 26 “the inner chambers” must be interpreted literally, whereas in verse 43 “the house” is to be interpreted spiritually. Hence what concerns the Jews is to be literally interpreted; but what concerns the church is to be spiritually interpreted (see Matt. 13.11-13).
B. The part before 24.31 is full of Jewish background, as is made clear by the usage of such terms as “the holy place” (v.15), “in Judea” (v.16), and “sabbath” (v.20); but the part after 24.31 is plainly without any localized restriction in its terminology.
C. The things mentioned before 24.31 are physical in nature, whereas all those things mentioned afterwards are moral in character. For instance, the nations, the mothers with children, and the children mentioned in the first part are all physical or literal in meaning; yet the virgins, the servants and the householder, and the goats and the sheep cited in chapter 25 have moral implications about them. In addition, “go . . . forth” in 24.26 and “went forth” in 25.1 are different in character, with the former being literal and the latter being moral in their implications.
D. Before 24.31 there is no moral demand included; what is required is to flee. But after 24.31 there are moral demands presented, such as watch, be ready, and so forth—which actions are the responsibilities of the saints at the end time.
E. Since the Jews are still expecting the Messiah, there are false Christs being mentioned before 24.31; but there is no word about false Christs after 24.31, because the latter part is addressed to the church.
F. Matthew 25.31-46 is to the Church about the nations. No such stipulation is given to the Jews.
