Matthew Chapter 24

The margin of the NKJV interprets Matt 24:33 as:

So you also, when you see all these things, know that He is near—at the doors!

The following are several translations who interpret it so:

“In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door.” (NLT)

“So, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.” (ASV)

“In the same way, when you see all these things, you’ll know that the Son of Man is near, right at the door.” (ISV)

“Thus ye also when ye shall see all these things observe ye that near he is at the doors” (Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible)

Compare James 5:9; Rev 3:20

The following was taken from the Pulpit Commentary in regards to Matt 24:33

“So likewise ye (οὕτω καὶ ὑμεῖς, so also ye, emphatic). As surely as buds and leaves prove the coming of summer, so ye, who have been taught, may gather from the fulfillment of the signs mentioned (verses 15-22, etc.) the approach of the end. Know that IT is near (ὅτι ἐγγύς ἐστιν). The subject is not expressed, but it must be the Son of man (verse 30), so that the rendering ought to be, he is near. Many, however, take the understood nominative to be the judgment, or the kingdom of God, or the occurrences last spoken (in regards to the fig tree) cf. At the doors; as James 5:9, on the very threshold, and therefore about to enter.”

The subject may be IT i.e. the Kingdom of God or possibly HE, the Son of man as suggested; however there is one other possibility.

IT might be in reference to the destruction of Jerusalem, recall the disciples asked three specific questions.

1) When shall these things [the destruction of the Temple, etc.] be?

2) What shall be the sign of thy presence (the Second Advent)?

3) What shall be the sign of end of the world [age]?

As stated the specific subject is not stated. The Lord could have very well been answering the disciple’s first question when he made these remarks, especially if we read Luke’s account. Thus we could see it thusly:

“As surely as buds and leaves prove the coming of summer, so ye, who have been taught (made aware of the impending destruction of the Temple, and thus the nation, so ye), may gather from the fulfillment of the signs mentioned (Luke 21:20-24) the approach of the end (The end of the Jewish polity). Know that IT is near.

Sometimes newer translations make inaccurate changes, as illustrated below. In some cases no alteration in meaning is intended, as probably in Matt 24:33 or Mark 13:29. In other cases the change may be theologically driven, as is manifestly the case in Rev 22:12.

AV (KJV, 1611) “So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” Matt 24:33

Mistaken Change “Even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors.” (ASV)

AV (KJV, 1611) “So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.” Mark 13:29

Mistaken Change “Even so ye also, when ye see these things coming to pass, know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors.” (ASV)

We believe it should be translated as “IT” so as to agree with Luke 21:31

“Even so ye also, when ye see these things coming to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh.”

If you allow scripture to interpret scripture you will arrive at the correct conclusion.

“The Lord is his own interpreter and he will make it plain”

Nevertheless both appear appropriate.

“When ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand” (Luke 21:31).

“When ye shall see all these things, know that He is nigh, even at the doors.”–Matt. 24:33.

The kingdom of God consists primarily of Christ Jesus our Lord, and the Church his body, the presence of the Son of man means the presence of the kingdom. (Compare Luke 11:20; 17:21 see margin)

Also see “Signs of Christ’s Presence, Part 1” for more on this.

Verse 33, 34 “So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” (KJV)

If we were to apply the “generation” being spoken of here as to either the JEWISH generation THEN LIVING and/or to the GOSPEL generation CHRISTIANS ALL THROUGHOUT THE GOSPEL AGE, how would we harmonize the Lord’s statement, “when you SEE all these things”, FULFILLED?

How did those living then at the beginning of the age or for that matter the majority of Christians living all throughout the Gospel age see all these things fulfilled?

“It is generally understood that the word “fulfilled” in Verse 34 should have the same meaning as the words “accomplished” or “completed“.

But the word used by our Lord does not mean “come to pass” in the sense of being ended; but “come to pass” in the sense of beginning to happen, or beginning to take place.

One Greek scholar and writer says on this word:

“The Lord concludes this special prophecy of the tribulation adding, “Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass till all these things BEGIN to take place‘.” He then explains that the Greek word Genetai used by our Lord here is a derivative of the Greek Ginomai, which has a wide variety of meanings, few of which are so definite as the thought in our word “fulfilled“.

He further says “The word genetai from ginomai means ‘to begin to be’; ‘to come to be’; and is quite different from pleroo (Strong’s # 4137) which does mean ‘to fulfil’.”

In Luke 21:32 which is the parallel passage, we have the former word (genetai) “BEGIN TO BE“, while in Verse 24, we have the latter word (plērōthōsin: from pleroo) “FULFILLED” [referring to the Times of the Gentiles].

Professors Young and Strong, in their concordances verify this suggestion regarding ginomai. Young shows it to be translated “be” — (the verb “to be“) 249 times; “come to pass” 82 times, and many other forms which show a present and not a past fulfillment.

Strong says ginomai (to cause to be; “to become“) — is used with great latitude. He then gives a list of words which include “arise” “be assembled“; “be” “be brought to pass“, “continue” and many more indicative of a present happening.

Note: Luke 21:31 (NKJV), “So you also, when you see these things happening (genetai Strong’s # 1096) know that the kingdom of God is near.”

As another instance we may note a form of genetai in John 13:2, which in our Authorized Version is translated “and supper being ended“. It is quite clear from Matt 24:26-28, that supper was not ended but was only just beginning. The Revised Version renders it “and during supper“; the Diaglott translates it “as supper was preparing“.

What the Lord really said was “This generation shall not pass till ‘all these things’ ‘begin to happen’.” And they did begin to happen to that very generation!

As if to show that this is the correct thought the Lord throws in a very illuminating phrase when in Matt 24:6, 8 He said “THE END is not yet” — “these are the BEGINNING of sorrows“.

This throws a new light on this baffling passage. The cup of Divine retribution was placed to the lips of that generation, and they drank deeply of its bitter draught, but that generation did not empty the cup. The great tribulation (the beginning of sorrows) only BEGAN in their days. The overthrow of their city and nation was only the beginning of those special curses incorporated in the terms of their national ‘Covenant. Warning the fathers of the penalties which the forsaking of their Covenant would entail (Deut. 28:15-68) he told them God would pluck them out of their land and curse them in field and home, and cast them into the wide places of the earth. Nowhere, not even in the Papal catalogue of cursing’s, are such terrible words to be found; and in their infliction there is nothing so terrible to be found in the records of history. That it had a portion of its fulfillment in the siege of Jerusalem is certain when we read Deut. 28:49-57; and that the nation from afar is the Roman nation seems to admit of no doubt whatever. Then Deut. 28:64 says “The Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from one end of the earth to the other“. Jesus said, “And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and be lead away captive into all nations” (Luke 21:24).

Evidently then, while the sack of Jerusalem saw the beginning of their “great tribulation“, yet, terrible as it was, it was only the beginning of sorrows and not the end. It was to continue till they should repent and be prepared to say “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord“. Our Lord calls it “the tribulation of those days“. “Those days” span an Age-the period that lies between Jerusalem’s destruction, and that happier day when God pours upon them the spirit of supplication, when every family shall weep apart. (Zech 10:12).

When therefore the Lord said “this generation shall not pass till all these things begin to come to pass“, his words were not intended to cover all the signs and portents associated with his Parousia, but had reference only to the retributive measures due to be inflicted upon that rebellious nation, and to have their beginning with that then present generation. – Bible Study Monthly, Eng.

“If this is correct, this would mean that this prophecy would only have to start to be fulfilled in our Lords time, not completed then, or even on this end of the age. In that interpretation, it seems likely that the Lord was simply telling the disciples, that THEIR GENERATION would not pass away, until the events just described, would BEGIN to happen. They would not have to have been completed, but only started by the end of that generation. Historically that was true in that Jerusalem was destroyed in the time of that generation. We also see that the mystery of lawlessness was already working during the Apostles time, and that it soon developed into the false church system, Papacy.” (Revelation Notes Southern Wisconsin)

We move on to Verses 35 and 36 in our next post.