Matthew 24:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

NIV: "If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

NASB: And if those days had not been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

CSB: Unless those days were cut short, no one would be saved. But those days will be cut short because of the elect.

NLT: In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.

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

NKJV: And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

Some believe Jesus' predictions about the horrors yet to come were fulfilled in AD 70, with the Roman siege and sacking of Jerusalem (Matthew 24:15–20). However, in those events, the desolation of the temple came near the end, not at the beginning. And while the bloodshed was horrible, it was not an outlier for warfare of that era. As a result, some Bible teachers believe this to be true, while also holding that those events will be repeated on a larger scale at the end of the age.

A further problem for a complete, full, AD 70 interpretation is the transition from verse 20 to the statement Christ makes here. Taken in context, Jesus seems to be saying that the same days which involve the abomination (Matthew 24:15) and intense danger (Matthew 24:21) threaten to annihilate the entire human race. If Jesus is suddenly switching gears to speak of a different time, He gives no indication that the subject has changed.

Some scholars point to Daniel 12:1, suggesting that Jesus is speaking of Daniel's 1,260 days. This is three-and-a-half years and is often linked to the "great tribulation" Jesus mentioned (Matthew 24:21). Jesus is saying that the time of great suffering will be ended in order to spare those who belong to God and in order that some human beings should be saved. It seems best to read this as describing a period of great trouble that will come right at the end of the age before the return of Christ (Matthew 24:14) to the earth as Judge and King (Revelation 19:11–15).

Matthew 24:15–28 begins with a warning to all in Jerusalem to flee to the mountains when the abomination that will bring desolation to the temple stands in the holy place. This will be a terrible time, especially for those who are particularly vulnerable. That tribulation will be worse than anything ever, though another tribulation will come right before Jesus' return. It will be cut short to save some of humanity and for the sake of the elect, all those who truly believe in Christ. When He returns, everyone will know.

Jesus makes a dire prediction about the destruction of the temple. Immediately after this, while seated on the Mount of Olives, Jesus responds to a question from the disciples. They ask when judgment will come and what signs will signal His return. Christ describes a season of unimaginable world turmoil and persecution. He points to a specific moment of defilement of the temple, at which point people should run for their lives. Jesus speaks of world-threatening tribulation which will be cut short right before He returns as King and Judge. Since nobody can possibly know when He will return, His followers must live in readiness.

Jesus has just left the temple area, after delivering a blistering criticism of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23). After predicting that the temple would be destroyed, He answers their questions about the end times. He speaks of a period when He will be gone from earth and they will be persecuted and killed. The world will be in turmoil, but the gospel will be preached everywhere. Nobody knows exactly when Jesus' return will be completed, so his followers should constantly be prepared. Jesus continues to teach on these themes in the next chapter.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.