Matthew 24:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

NIV: All these are the beginning of birth pains.

NASB: But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains.

CSB: All these events are the beginning of labor pains.

NLT: But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

KJV: All these are the beginning of sorrows.

NKJV: All these are the beginning of sorrows.

In response to a question about the timing of judgment against Jerusalem and the end of the age, Jesus has listed several ideas. However, these are explained as occurrences which should not be read as signs that the end has come. He has mentioned false Messiahs, which Christians are warned not to follow (Matthew 24:4–5) as well as various news about violence, natural disaster, international conflict, and so forth (Matthew 24:6–8).

Now Jesus uses a metaphor to describes these catastrophic events. They are "the beginning of the birth pains." They are not the birth, itself, or even the much-worse pains of labor, itself. In this metaphor, the delivery of the baby would represent the actual end of the age. A woman having birth pains, or contractions, may still be far from delivering the baby. Those pains contribute to the eventual time of birth, but they don't mean the child has actually arrived.

Some interpreters believe Jesus is speaking here about the first half of the time period known as the tribulation, a seven-year stretch just before Jesus returns to establish His millennial kingdom (Revelation 20:4). Others think this is a reference to worldwide sin, in general, leading up to that era.

Matthew 24:1–14 follows Jesus and the disciples out of the temple. This comes after His devastating criticism of the scribes and Pharisees in chapter 23. Christ predicts a moment when the temple will be destroyed without one stone left on another. Later, His disciples ask for more information about these future events. Jesus describes a season in which the world will be in turmoil but that alone will not be proof that the end has come. His disciples will be persecuted, killed, and hated for His name's sake. False prophets will rise and some with them will fall away from the faith.

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.