Matthew 24:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

NIV: For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

NASB: For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

CSB: For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

NLT: For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes.

KJV: For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

NKJV: For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Nobody will miss the return of Jesus. The event won't be exclusive, or hidden, or known only to a few. When He comes the next time (Revelation 19:11–15). At His second coming, He won't appear only to a small group of the faithful. He won't be hidden away in the "inner rooms" of some monastery-style retreat. He won't be off in the wilderness with news arriving to them as a rumor (Matthew 24:25–26).

Here, Jesus adds more dramatic emphasis to this point. His arrival will be as public, and as obvious, as a blast of lightning. He ties this to His role as the "Son of Man," a title also taken from prophecy (Daniel 7:13, Matthew 26:64). While Jesus' first coming was in humility (Luke 2:7), and for sacrifice (Philippians 2:8), His second coming will be in His absolute power, and for judgment (Hebrews 9:27–28; Romans 14:11).

Jesus doesn't want His followers to be led astray by false saviors: those trying to deceive Christians by distorting the truth He has taught them. He doesn't want them led into doubt, unbelief, lawlessness, or lovelessness (Matthew 24:10–14).

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.

Accessed 4/29/2024 6:16:11 AM