|
|
Calvin's Commentaries
The Harmony of the Gospels
MATTHEW 24:1-8; MARK 13:1-8; LUKE 21:5-11
|
Matthew 24:1-8 |
Mark 13:1-8 |
Luke 21:5-11 |
|
1. And Jesus went out, and departed
from the temple, and his disciples came to him, to point out
to him the buildings of the temple. 2. And Jesus said
to them, Do you not see all these things? Verily I say to
you, There shall not be left one stone upon another that
shall not be thrown down. 3. And while he was sitting
on the mountain of Olives, the disciples came to him
privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things be? and
what is the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4. And Jesus answering said to them, Take heed that
no man deceive you. 5. For many will come in my name,
saying, I am Christ, and will deceive many. 6. For
you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you be
not troubled; for all these things must happen, but the end
is not yet. 7. For nation will rise against nation,
and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be pestilences,
and famines, and earthquakes in various places. 8. But
all these things are the beginnings of sorrows. |
1. And while he was going out of the
temple, one of his disciples saith to him, Master, see what
stones and what buildings! 2. And Jesus answering
saith to him, Seest thou these vast, buildings? There shall
not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown
down. 3. And while he was sitting on the mountain of
Olives, opposite to the temple, Peter, and James, and John,
and Andrew, asked him privately, 4. Tell us, when
will these things be, and what is the sign when all these
things shall be accomplished? 5. And Jesus answering
began to say to them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
6. For many will come in my name, saying, I am Christ,
and will deceive many. 7. And when you shall hear of
wars and rumors of wars, be not troubled; for these things
must be, but the end is not yet. 8. For nation will
rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there
will be earthquakes in various places. These things are the
beginnings of sorrows. |
5. And while some were saying
concerning the temple, that it was adorned with beautiful
stones and gifts, he said, 6. The days will come,
when of those things which you see there shall not be left
one stone upon another which shall not be thrown down.
7. And they asked him, saying, Master, when shall these
things be? and what is the sign when those things shall
begin to take place? 8. And he said, Take heed that
you be not deceived; for many will come in my name, saying,
It is I; and the time approaches: do not therefore follow
them. 9. But when you shall hear of wars and
seditions, be not terrified: for these things must first
take place; but the end is not immediately. [
10. Then he said to them, Nation will rise against
nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11. And there
will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines,
and pestilences; and there will be frightful appearances and
great signs from heaven. |
Matthew
24:1. And Jesus went out. The
disciples undoubtedly perceived that Christ was paying, as it were,
his last adieu to the temple. It remained, therefor that he should
erect a new temple far more magnificent, and that he should
produce a more flourishing condition of the kingdom, as had been
foretold by the Prophets; for he had nothing to do with that
temple, in which every thing was opposed to him. But again, the
disciples could not believe that the magnificent splendor of the
temple would give way to Christ. And it ought to be carefully
observed that, owing to the prodigious costliness of the temple,
their eyes were so dazzled by the splendor of its present
aspect, that they could scarcely entertain the hope that the kingdom
of Christ would arise. They do not, indeed, in express terms
acknowledge their hesitation, but they tacitly throw out a
suggestion of it, when they allege, in opposition to Christ, the
mass of stones which must be got out of the way, and which
must indeed be utterly laid low if he intended to reign. Many simple
persons of our own day are carried away by a similar admiration of
Popery; for, perceiving it to be supported by very great wealth and
by immense power, they are filled with absolute amazement, so as to
despise a Church of mean and slovenly aspect. Many even think that
we are mad in laboring to effect its destruction, as if this were
nothing less than an attempt to draw down the sun out of heaven. And
yet, there is no reason to wonder that a spectacle so imposing held
the disciples of Christ in astonishment; for how great expense that
building cost Herod, may be concluded from the single fact, that he
kept ten thousand workmen employed on it for eight successive years.
Nor is it without reason that they admire the stones which,
Josephus tells us, were superlatively beautiful, and were fifteen
125125
cubits in length, twelve in height, and eight in breadth. Besides,
so great was the reverence entertained for the temple even in
remote districts, that scarcely any person would venture to suppose
that it could ever be destroyed.
2.
Verily I say to you. As the vast
size and wealth of the temple, like a veil hung before the
eyes of the disciples, did not permit them to elevate their faith to
the true reign of Christ, which was still future, so he affirms with
an oath, that those things which occupy their attention will quickly
perish. This prediction of the destruction of the temple, therefore,
opened up a path for the ignorant and weak.
126126
Now, though it was advantageous that the temple should be
destroyed, lest its services and shadows might exercise an undue
influence on the Jews, who were already too much attached to earthly
elements, yet the chief reason was, that God determined, by this
dreadful example, to take vengeance on that nation, for having
rejected his Son, and despised the grace which was brought by him.
And, therefore, this threatening must have intimidated the disciples
from taking part with a rebellious people; as the punishments which
Scripture denounces against the wicked ought now to deter us from
those crimes which provoke the wrath of God. Every thing that it
tells us, even about the fading and transitory aspect of the world,
ought to correct the vanity of our senses, which too eagerly follow
pomp, and luxury, and pleasure. But more especially, what it
declares respecting the fearful destruction of Antichrist and his
followers, ought to remove every obstacle which hinders us from
pursuing the right course of faith.
3.
And while he was sitting. Mark mentions four disciples,
Peter, James, John, and Andrew But neither he nor Luke states
the matter so fully as Matthew; for they only say that the disciples
inquired about the time of the destruction of the temple, and
— as it was a thing difficult to be believed — what outward sign
of it God would give from heaven. Matthew tells us that they
inquired about the time of Christ’s coming, and of the end of the
world. But it must be observed that, having believed from their
infancy that the temple would stand till the end of time, and having
this opinion deeply rooted in their minds, they did not suppose
that, while the building of the world stood, the temple
could fall to ruins. Accordingly, as soon as Christ said that
the temple would be destroyed, their thoughts immediately turned
to the end of the world; and—as one error leads to
another—having been convinced that, as soon as the reign of Christ
should commence, they would be in every respect happy, they leave
warfare out of the account, and fly all at once to a triumph. They
associate the coming of Christ and the end of the world
as things inseparable from each other; and by the end of the
world they mean the restoration of all things, so that nothing
may be wanting to complete the happiness of the godly.
We now perceive that they leap at once to various
questions, because they had given way to these foolish imaginations,
that the temple could not fall without shaking the whole
world; that the termination of the shadows of the Law, and of the
whole world, would be the same; that it would be immediately
followed by the exhibition of the glory of Christ’s kingdom, which
would make the children of God perfectly happy; that a visible
renovation of the world was at hand, which would instantly bring
order out of a state of confusion. But above all, a foolish hope
which they entertained, as to the immediate reign of Christ, drove
them to hasten to the attainment of happiness and rest, without
attending to the means. Just as, when they see that Christ is risen
from the dead, (Acts 1:6,) they rush forward to grasp at that
happiness, which is laid up for us in heaven, and which must be
attained through faith and patience.
Now though our condition is different, because we
have not been educated among the shadows of the Law, so as to be
infatuated by that superstition of an earthly kingdom of Christ, yet
scarcely one person in a hundred is to be found who does not labor
under a very similar disease. For since all men naturally shrink
from annoyances, combats, and every kind of cross, the dislike of
these things urges them, without moderation and without hope, to
rush forward unseasonably to the fruit of hope. Thus no man wishes
to sow the seed, but all wish to reap the harvest before the season
arrives. To return to the disciples, they had indeed formed
in their minds some good seed of faith, but they do not wait till it
arrive at maturity; and holding, at the same time, erroneous views,
they confound the perfection of Christ’s reign with the commencement
of it, and wish to enjoy on earth what they ought to seek for in
heaven.
4.
And Jesus answering said to them. They received an answer very
different from what they had expected; for whereas they were eager
for a triumph, as if they had already finished their warfare, Christ
exhorts them to long patience. As if he had said, “You wish to seize
the prize at the very outset, but you must first finish the course.
You would draw down to earth the kingdom of God, which no man can
obtain till he ascend to heaven.” Now while this chapter contains
admonitions highly useful for regulating the course of our life, we
see that, by a wonderful purpose of God, the mistake into which the
apostles fell is made to turn to our advantage. The amount of the
present instruction is, that the preaching of the Gospel is like
sowing the seed, and therefore we ought to wait patiently for the
time of reaping; and that it arises from improper delicacy or
effeminacy, if we lose courage on account of the frost, or snow, or
clouds of winter or other unpleasant seasons.
Take heed lest any man deceive you. There
are two charges which Christ expressly gives to the disciples, to
beware of false teachers, and not to be terrified by scandals. By
these words he gives warning that his Church, so long as its
pilgrimage in the world shall last, will be exposed to these evils.
But they might be apt to think that this was inconsistent, since the
prophets gave a widely different description of the future reign of
Christ. Isaiah predicts that all will then be taught of
God, (54:13.) The words of God are: I will pour out my Spirit
on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your
young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams,
(Joel 2:28.)
A still more abundant light of understanding is
promised by Jeremiah. No longer shall any man teach his neighbor,
nor a man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall know me
from the least to the greatest, (Jeremiah 31:34.)
And, therefore, we need not wonder if the Jews
expected, that when the Sun of righteousness had arisen, as
Malachi (4:2) had predicted, they would be entirely free from every
cloud of error. Hence, also, the woman of Samaria said, When the
Messiah cometh, he will teach us all things, (John 4:25.)
Now we know what splendid promises of peace,
righteousness, joy, and abundance of all blessings, are to be found
everywhere in Scripture. We need not, therefore, wonder if they
expected that, at the coming of Christ, they would be delivered from
commotions of war, from extortions and every kind of injustice, and,
in short, from famine and pestilence.
But Christ warns them, that false teachers will
henceforth give no less annoyance to the godly than false prophets
gave to the ancient people; and that disturbances will be not less
frequent under the Gospel than they formerly were under the Law. Not
that those prophecies which I have just mentioned will fail to be
accomplished, but because the full accomplishment of them does not
immediately appear in one day; for it is enough that believers now
obtain a taste of those blessings, so as to cherish the hope of the
full enjoyment of them at a future period. And, therefore, they were
greatly mistaken, who wished to hay at the commencement of the
Gospel, an immediate and perfect exhibition of those things which we
see accomplished from day to day. Besides, that happiness which the
prophets ascribe to the reign of Christ, though it cannot be
altogether annihilated by the depravity of man, is retarded or
delayed by it. It is true that the Lord, in contending with the
malice of men, opens up a way for his blessings through every
obstacle; and, indeed, it would be unreasonable to suppose that what
is founded on the undeserved goodness of God, and does not depend on
the will of man, should be set aside through their fault.
Yet, that they may receive some punishment for
their ingratitude he drops upon them in small measure his favors,
which would otherwise flow on them in the richest abundance. Hence
arises a labyrinth of evils, through which believers wander all
their life, though they are pursuing the straight road to salvation,
having Christ for their guide, who holds out to them the torch of
his Gospel. Hence arises a multitude of combats, so that they have a
hard warfare, though there is no danger of their being vanquished.
Hence arise disturbances so numerous and so sudden, that they are
kept in perpetual uneasiness, though, resting on Christ, they remain
firm to the end. And since Christ enjoins his disciples to beware of
impostures, let us know that the means of defense will not be
wanting, provided that they are not wanting to themselves.
And therefore, whatever arts Satan may employ, let us entertain no
doubt that we shall be safe from them, if every one of us keep
diligent watch on his own station.
5.
For many shall come in my name. He does not as yet speak
generally of false and perverse doctrines, but refers to one class
which was sort of introduction to all errors, by which Satan has
attempted, in various ways, to corrupt the pure doctrine of the
Gospel. For shortly after Christ’s resurrection, there arose
impostors, every one of whom professed to be the Christ. And
as the true Redeemer had not only been removed from the world, but
oppressed by the ignominy of the cross, and yet the minds of all
were excited by the hope and inflamed with the desire of redemption,
those men had in their power a plausible opportunity of deceiving.
Nor can it be doubted, that God permitted such reveries to impose on
the Jews, who had so basely rejected his Son. Though those mad
attempts speedily disappeared, yet God determined that disturbances
of this kind should arise among the Jews; first, that they might be
exposed to infamy and hatred; secondly, that they might altogether
abandon the hope of salvation; and, lastly, that having been so
frequently disappointed, they might rush to their destruction with
brutal stupidity. For when the world turned away from the Son of
God, to whom it belonged to collect them into holy union, it was
right that it should be driven hither and thither by tempests; and
by the same vengeance of God it was brought about, that more were
carried away by a foolish credulity, than were brought by a right
faith to obey God. This circumstance, too, was expressly stated by
Christ, that believers might not faint at perceiving the crowd of
madmen; for we know how prone we are to follow a multitude,
especially when we are few in number.
6
For you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.
He describes here those commotions only which arose in Judea,
for we shall find him soon afterwards saying that the flame will
spread much wider. As he had formerly enjoined them to beware
lest any man deceived them, so now he bids them meet with
courage rumors of wars and wars themselves; for they would be
in danger of giving way when surrounded by calamities, especially if
they had promised to themselves ease and pleasure.
For all these things must take place. He
adds this, not for the purpose of assigning a reason, but of warning
them that none of these things happened accidentally, or
without the providence of God, that they may not uselessly kick
against the spur; for nothing has a more powerful efficacy to bring
us into subjection, than when we acknowledge that those things which
appear to be confused are regulated by the good pleasure of God.
True, indeed, God himself never wants proper causes and the best
reasons for allowing the world to be disturbed; but as believers
ought to acquiesce in his mere good pleasure, Christ reckoned it
enough to exhort the disciples to prepare their minds for endurance,
and to remain firm, because such is the will of God.
But the end is not yet. He now states in
plainer terms the threatening which I have already mentioned, that
those events which were in themselves truly distressing would be
only a sort of preparation for greater calamities; because, when the
flame of war has been kindled in Judea, it will spread more widely;
for ever since the doctrine of the Gospel was published, a similar
ingratitude prevailing among other nations has aroused the wrath of
God against them. Hence it happened that, having broken the bond of
peace with God, they tore themselves by mutual contentions; having
refused to obey the government of God, they yielded to the violence
of their enemies; not having permitted themselves to be reconciled
to God, they broke out into quarrels with one another; in short,
having shut themselves out from the heavenly salvation, they raged
against each other, and filled the earth with murders. Knowing how
obstinate the malice of the world would be, he again adds,
8.
But all these things are the beginnings
of sorrows. Not that believers, who always have abundant
consolations in calamities, should consume themselves with grief,
but that they should lay their account with a long exercise of
patience. Luke adds likewise earthquakes, and signs from heaven,
with respect to which, though we have no authentic history of
them, yet it is enough that they were predicted by Christ. The
reader will find the rest in Josephus, (Wars of the Jews, VI. 5:3.)
|
Matthew 24:9-14 |
Mark 13:9-13 |
Luke 21:12-19 |
|
9. Then will they deliver you up to
be afflicted, and will kill you; and you will be hated by
all nations on account of my name. 10. And then will
many be offended, and will deliver up one another, and will
hate one another. 11. And many false prophets will
arise, and will deceive many. 12. And because
iniquity will abound, the love of many will be cooled.
13. But he who shall persevere to the end will be saved.
14. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached
throughout the whole world for a testimony to all nations;
and then the end will come. |
9. But take heed to yourselves; for
they will deliver you up to councils and synagogues; you
will be scourged and will be brought before rulers and kings
on my account, for a testimony to them. 10. And the
gospel must first be preached among all nations. 11. And
when they shall lead you away to deliver you up, do not
think beforehand what you shall say, nor premeditate, but
whatever shall be given to you at that hour, speak; for it
is not you that speak, but the Holy Ghost. 12. And
the brother will deliver up the brother to death, and the
father the son; and the children will rise up against their
parents and will cause them to be put to death. 13. And
you will be hated by all men on account of my name. But he
that still endures to the end will be saved. |
12. But before all these things
they will lay hands upon you, and will persecute you,
delivering you up to synagogues and prisons, and dragging
you before kings and rulers on account of my name. 13. But
it will happen [
to you for a testimony. 14. Settle it therefore in
your hearts, that you must not premeditate your defense. [
15. For will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all
who oppose you will not be a le to contradict or oppose.
16. And you will also be delivered up by parents, and
brothers, and relatives, and friends; and some of you they
will put to death. 17. And you will be hated by all
on account of my name. 18. And not a hair of your
head will be lost. 19. In patience possess your
souls. [
|
Matthew 24:9. Then will they deliver
you up to be afflicted. Christ now foretells to the disciples
another kind of temptation, by which, in addition to ordinary
afflictions, their faith must be tried; and that is, that they
will be hated and detested by the whole world. It is
painful and distressing enough in itself that the children of God
should be afflicted in such a manner as not to be
distinguished from the reprobate and the despisers of God, and
should be subjected to the same punishments which those men endure
on account of their crimes; and it appears to be still more unjust
that they should be severely oppressed by grievous calamities from
which the ungodly are exempted. But as wheat, after having been
beaten by the flail along with the chaff, is pressed down and
bruised by the millstone, so God not only afflicts his
children in common with the ungodly, but subdues them by the cross
even beyond others, so that we might be apt to think them more
unhappy than the rest of mankind.
But Christ treats here strictly of the
afflictions which the disciples had to endure on account of the
gospel. For, though what Paul stays is true, that those whom God
hath elected are likewise appointed by him to bear the cross,
that they may be conformed to the image of his Son,
(Romans 8:29,) yet he does not distinguish all by this special Mark
of enduring persecution from the enemies of the gospel. It is of
this species of the cross that Christ now speaks, when it becomes
necessary that believers should incur the hatred, meet the
reproaches, and provoke the fury, of the ungodly for the testimony
of the gospel. For he intended to warn his disciples that the
doctrine of the gospel, of which they were to be witnesses and
messengers, would never be pleasant or agreeable to the world, as he
had formerly explained to them. He foretells not only that they will
have to contend with a few enemies, but that, wherever they come,
all nations will oppose them.
But it was monstrous and incredible, and was
fitted to astonish and shake even the strongest minds, that the name
of the Son of God should be so infamous and hateful, that all who
professed it would be everywhere disliked. Accordingly, the words of
Mark are, take heed to yourselves. By this expression he
points out the end and use of the warning, which is, that they ought
to be prepared for endurance, lest, through want of caution, they
might be overwhelmed by temptation. The same Mark adds, that this
will be for a testimony to kings and rulers, when the disciples
of Christ shall be brought before their tribunal. Luke expresses it
a little differently, this will happen to you for a testimony,
but the sense is quite the same; for Christ means that his
gospel will be so much the more fully attested, when they have
defended it at the risk of their lives.
If the apostles had only given their attention to
preaching the gospel, and had not stood so firmly in defending it
against the furious attacks of enemies, the confirmation of it would
not have been so complete. But when they did not hesitate to expose
their lives, and were not driven from their purpose by any terrors
of death, their unshaken constancy made it manifest, how firmly they
were convinced of the goodness of their cause. It was therefore an
authentic seal of the gospel, when the apostles advanced without
terror to the tribunals of kings, and there made an open profession
of the name of Christ. Accordingly, Peter calls himself a witness
of the sufferings of Christ, (1 Peter 5:1,) whose badges he
wore; and Paul boasts that he was placed for the defense of the
gospel, (Philippians 1:17.)
This is eminently worthy of attention, that those
on whom God bestows so great an honor as to make them defenders of
his truth, may not through base treachery fall from the faith.
Mark
13:11. Neither premeditate. This
sentence, as well as the one which immediately follows, we have
explained [
under Matthew 10:19.] Our Lord’s design in these words is, to
relieve the disciples from that anxiety which interferes with the
cheerful discharge of our duty, when we doubt our inability to
sustain the burden. Not that he wishes us to fall asleep in indolent
security, for nothing is more advantageous than to have such a
consciousness of our weakness as produces humility and excites to
prayer. But Christ advises us to cast all our cares into the bosom
of our Father, so that, relying on his promised aid, we may pursue
our course with cheerfulness. The promise is stated in different
words by Luke; not that Christ will deliver his people from death,
(for this must not always be expected,) but that he will give
them a mouth and wisdom, to confound their adversaries. Now
though Christ supplies them both with presence of mind and with
ability to speak, yet I look upon these two words as connected by
that figure of speech which is called hypallage; as if Christ
had promised that he would guide their tongues, so as to enable them
to make a wise and suitable reply.
He adds, that this wisdom will be
victorious against all their enemies, because they will not be
able to contradict, or to oppose it. Not that their impudence
will yield the palm to truth, but because that truth, which they in
vain strive to oppose, will triumph over their mad presumption.
Would that all who are called upon to make a confession of their
faith would rely on that assurance; for the power and majesty of the
Spirit would be displayed in a different manner for overthrowing the
ministers of Satan. Now that we are partly carried away by our own
feelings, and, swelled with pride, rush on heedlessly, or advance
farther than is proper, and partly confine ourselves within the
limits of improper timidity, sad experience shows that we are
deprived of the grace of God and the assistance of the Spirit. As
Christ affirms, according to Matthew and Mark, that it is the Spirit
of the Father that speaketh in us, (Matthew 10:10; Mark 13:11,) and
here declares that he will give a mouth, we infer that it is
His prerogative to fortify us by the
Spirit.
Luke
21:19. In your patience. Here
Christ enjoins on his followers a different method of defending
their life from what is dictated by carnal reason. For naturally
every man desires to place his life in safety; we collect from every
quarter those aids which we think will be best, and avoid all
danger; and, in short, we do not think that we are alive, if we are
not properly defended. But Christ prescribes to us this defense of
our life, that we should be always exposed to death, and walk
through fire, and water, and sword, (Psalm 66:12.)
And, indeed, no man will commit his soul into the
hands of God in a right manner, unless he have learned to live from
day to day constantly prepared to die.
In a word, Christ orders us to possess our life both under
the cross, and amidst the constant terrors of death.
Matthew 24:10. Then will many be
offended. He now enumerates the temptations which will arise
from bad examples. Now this is an exceedingly violent temptation,
and difficult to overcome; for Christ is to many a stone of
offense, (1 Peter 2:8,) on which some dash themselves, or by
meeting which some are thrown back, and others fall away. In this
expression Christ appears to me to include many kinds of troubles;
for not only do they that had entered into the right course fall
away, but many are exasperated against Christ; others, forgetful of
moderation and justice, break out into rage; others grow profane,
and lose every feeling of piety; and others, amidst the confusion
which prevails, take upon themselves a liberty to commit crimes.
11.
And many false prophets will arise. This warning differs from
the former, in which Christ foretold that many would come in his
name. For there he spoke only of impostors, who, shortly after
the commencement of the Gospel, gave out that they were the
Christ; but now he threatens that in all ages false teachers
will arise, to corrupt sound doctrine, as Peter tells us (2 Peter
2:1) that the Church will be no less exposed to this evil under the
Gospel than it anciently was under the Law. There is therefore no
reason why error, and certain impostures of the devil and
corruptions of piety, should strike pious minds with dismay; since
no man is properly founded on Christ, who has not learned that we
must stand firm against such attacks; for this is the undoubted
trial of our faith, when it is in no degree shaken by the false
doctrines which arise, or does he only say that false prophets
will come, but likewise that they will be so crafty as to
deceive and draw away sects after them. [
No ordinary caution is necessary here; for the multitude of those
who are going astray is like a violent tempest, which compels us to
leave the course, if we are not firmly fixed on God. On this subject
something was said but lately.
12
Because iniquity will abound. How far and wide this evil
extends every person ought to know, but there are very few who
observe it. For in consequence of the superior clearness with which
the light of the gospel discovers the malice of men, even good and
properly regulated minds grow cool, and almost lose the
desire to exercise benevolence. Each of them reasons thus with
himself, that the duties which they perform to one person, or to
another, are thrown away, because experience and daily practice show
that almost all are ungrateful, or treacherous, or wicked. This is
unquestionably a weighty and dangerous temptation; for what could be
more unreasonable than to approve of a doctrine, by which the desire
of doing good, and the rigor of charity, appear to be diminished?
And yet when the gospel makes its appearance, charity, which ought
to kindle the hearts of all men with its warmth, rather grows
cool. But we must observe the source of this evil, which Christ
points out, namely, that many lose courage, because through their
weakness they are unable to stem the flood of iniquity which flows
on every hand. Christ requires from his followers, on the other
hand, such courage as to persist in striving against it; as Paul
also enjoins us not to be weary of performing deeds of
kindness and beneficence, (2 Thessalonians 3:13.) Although, then,
the charity of many, overwhelmed by the mass of iniquities, should
give way, Christ warns believers that they must surmount this
obstacle, lest, overcome by bad examples, they apostatize. And
therefore he repeats the statement, that no man can be saved,
unless he strive lawfully, (2 Timothy 2:5,) so as to
persevere to the end
14.
And the gospel of the kingdom will be
preached throughout the whole world. Our Lord, having delivered
a discourse which gave no small occasion for sorrow, seasonably adds
this consolation, to raise up minds that were cast down, or to
uphold those which were falling. Whatever may be the contrivances of
Satan, and how numerous soever may be the multitudes which he
carries away, yet the gospel will maintain its ground till it
be spread through the whole world. This might indeed appear
to be incredible; but it was the duty of the apostles, relying on
this testimony of their Master, to cherish hope against hope, and,
in the meantime, to strive vigorously to discharge their office. As
to the objection brought by some, that to this day not even the
slightest report concerning Christ has reached the Antipodes
and other very distant nations, this difficulty may be speedily
resolved; for Christ does not absolutely refer to every portion of
the world, and does not fix a particular time, but only affirms that
the gospel—which, all would have thought, was immediately to
be banished from Judea, its native habitation would be spread to the
farthest bounds of the world before the day of his last coming.
For a testimony to all nations. He
describes this to be the end of preaching; for although God has
never left himself (aμaρτυρον)
without witness, (Acts 14:17,) and although in special manner he
testified to the Jews concerning himself, yet it was a testimony
remarkable beyond all others when he revealed himself in Christ;
and therefore Paul says, that he was manifested in due time,
(1 Timothy 2:6,) because this was the proper season for calling the
whole world to God. Let us, therefore, learn that, wherever the
gospel is preached, it is as if God himself came into the midst of
us, and solemnly and expressly besought us, that we may not wander
in darkness, as if we knew not where to go, and that those who
refuse to obey may be rendered inexcusable.
And then will the end come. This is
improperly restricted by some to the destruction of the temple, and
the abolition of the service of the Law; for it ought to be
understood as referring to the end and renovation of the
world. Those two things having been blended by the disciples, as if
the temple could not be overthrown without the destruction of the
whole world, Christ, in replying to the whole question which had
been put to him, reminded them that a long and melancholy succession
of calamities was at hand, and that they must not hasten to seize
the prize, before they had passed through many contests and dangers.
In this manner, therefore, we ought to explain this latter clause:
“The end of the world will not come before I have tried my Church,
for a long period, by severe and painful temptations,” for it is
contrasted with the false imagination which the apostles had formed
in their minds. Hence, too, we ought to learn that no particular
time is here fixed, as if the last day were to follow in immediate
succession those events which were just now foretold; for the
believers long ago experienced the fulfillment of those predictions
which we have now examined, and yet Christ did not immediately
appear. But Christ had no other design than to restrain the
apostles, who were disposed to fly with excessive eagerness to the
possession of the heavenly glory, and to show them the necessity of
patience; as if he had said, that redemption was not so close at
hand as they had imagined it to be, but that they must pass through
long windings.
|
|
