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LIFE OF CHRIST
A Harmony of the Gospels

LESSON  TWENTY ONE

   

JESUS'  QUESTION

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THE PASSION WEEK
THE THIRD  &  FOURTH  DAYS  (Cont)

Matthew 22:41-46
(41)  While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,  (42)  saying, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?"
They said to Him, "The Son of David."
(43)  He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord,' saying:
(44)  'The LORD said to my Lord,
"Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool"'?
(45)  If David then calls Him 'Lord,' how is He his Son?"
 (46)  And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.
NKJV

Mark 12:35-37
(35)  Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?
 (36)  For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:
'The LORD said to my Lord,
"Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'
(37)  Therefore David himself calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"
And the common people heard Him gladly.
NKJV
Luke 20:41-44
(41)  And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David? 
(42)  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:  'The LORD said to my Lord,  "Sit at My right hand,   (43)  Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'
(44)  Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"
(45)  Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples,  (46)  "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts,  (47)  who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."
NKJV

What do you think about Christ?

Before considering the implication of the passage before us,  we need to define certain terms.

CHRIST The word  "Christ"  is the transliteration of the Greek word  "christos,"  which means
"THE  ANOINTED  ONE," and this Greek word is the translation of the Hebrew word Transliterated into the English "Messiah." In other words:
Hebrew - "mashiah' - Messiah
Greek - "christos" - Christ
English - "The Anointed One"
SON As used here, this is a Hebraism speaking of a descendant.
LORD The translation of the Greek word "kurios" which in itself means,  "Master,  one who has power over Another,  owner,"  and is the translation in the LXX of the august title of  God in the Hebrew Old Testament.

In this quotation from Psalm 110:1, we find that the two times the word Lord is used, are from two different Hebrew words:

The LORD said "Jehovah said" Jehovah being God in His relation to the earth -
as carrying out His purposes of blessing in the earth.
Unto my Lord "unto Adonai" Adonai means literally, "my prop, stay, master, or support."

Both the Scribes and the people believed that the Jewish Messiah would come from the royal line of David.
David was human,  so would the Messiah be human.
Thus,  He would be David's son.

But here Jesus reminds His hearers that David calls the Messiah his Lord. That is,  he recognizes Him as Deity.
The God of the Old Testament.

The difficulty Jesus puts before His listeners and at the same time tosses into the lap of the Pharisees,  is as to how,  since Messiah is deity,  can He also be human?

This at once brought before them the incarnation.
One of the charges brought against Him was that He called God His (private, unique) Father,  making Himself equal with God,  thus deity.
They chose to ignore the fact that He was,  in the flesh,  the son of David;  and when,  as their Messiah,  He had called Himself the Son of God,  they had raised their hands in pious horror,  and had taken up stones to stone Him.  And here,  when the proof was laid so plainly before them,  they still chose not to believe it,  and were unable to answer Him a word.

WOES  AGAINST  THE  SCRIBES  AND  PHARISEES

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Matthew 23:1-30
(1)  Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples,  (2)  saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.  (3)  Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.  (4)  For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.  (5)  But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.  (6)  They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,  (7)  greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.'  (8)  But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for one is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.  (9)  Do not call anyone on earth your father; for one is your Father, He who is in heaven.  (10)  And do not be called teachers; for one is your Teacher, the Christ.  (11)  But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.  (12)  And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
(13)  "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.  (14)  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
(15)  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
(16)  "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.'  (17)  Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?  (18)  And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.'  (19)  Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?  (20)  Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it.  (21)  He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it.  (22)  And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.
(23)  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.  (24)  Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
(25)  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.   (26)  Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.
(27)  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.  (28)  Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
(29)  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,  (30)  and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'
NKJV

Luke 20:45-47
(45)  Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples,  (46)  "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts,  (47)  who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."
NKJV

Sit in Moses' seat

They sat there formerly by Divine APPOINTMENT
They sit there now by Divine PERMISSION

The phrase  "whatever they tell you"  is actually in the past tense -
"whatsoever they  HAVE  COMMANDED  YOU."
Plus the specification of  "the seat of  MOSES."

Jesus is telling them that they should obey that pure Law delivered by God to Moses,  by Moses to the Priests,  and after generations,  by the Scribes and Pharisees,  to the people of that day.

Phylacteries

Phylacteries were small slips of  parchment or vellum,  on which certain portions of the law were written.
The Jews tied these about their foreheads and arms,  for three different purposes:

1. To put them in mind of those precepts which they should constantly observe.
2. To procure them reverence and respect in the sight of the heathen.
3. To act as amulets or charms to drive away evil spirits.

The Phylactery became an important appendage to a Pharisee's character,  insomuch that some of them wore them very broad, either that they might have the more written on them, or that, the characters being larger, they might be the more visible,  and that they might hereby acquire greater esteem among the common people,  as being more than ordinarily religious.

The borders of their garments

For the same reason,  they wore the fringes of their garments of an unusual length.
Moses had commanded  (Numbers 15:38,39)  the Israelites to put fringes to the borders of their garments,  that,  when they looked upon these distinct threads,  they might remember,  not only the law in general,  but also the very minutia,  or smaller parts of all the precepts,  rites and ceremonies,  belonging to it.
But the Pharisees went to the extreme of making these fringes overly conspicuous so as to impress those around them.

As these hypocrites were destitute of all the life and power of religion WITHIN,  they endeavored to supply its place by phylacteries and fringes WITHOUT.

In pointing out the corruptions of these men,  Jesus gives the distinguishing characteristics of all false teachers,  whether Jew or Gentile:

1. (vs. 3) "They say, and do not"
They do not live according to the truths they teach.
2. (vs. 4) "They bind heavy burdens"
They are severs to others,  point out the narrowest road to heaven,  and walk in the broad road themselves.
3. (vs. 5) "They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments"
They affect to appear righteous,  and strict observers of certain rites, etc.,  while destitute of the power of godliness
4. (vs. 6) "They love the best seats at feasts, and best seats in the synagogues"
They love worldly entertainments,  go to feasts wherever they are asked,  and seek positions of prominence in the Church.
5. (vs. 7) "And greetings in the marketplaces"
They love and seek public respect and high titles,  salutations in the market place and to be called of men  "rabbi" - eminent teacher - though they have no title to it,  either from the excellence or fruit of the teaching.

Woe to you!

And then, solemnly and terribly,  He uttered His eightfold  "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites!" Scathing them in utterance after utterance with a flame which at once revealed and scorched:

1. (vs. 13) WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES
For the ignorant erudition that closed the gates of heaven,  and the injurious jealousy that would suffer no others to enter in!
2. (vs. 14) WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES
For your oppressive hypocrisy and greed!
3. (vs. 15) WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES
For the proselytizing fanaticisms that did but produce a more perilous corruption!
4. (vs. 16) WOE TO YOU, BLIND GUIDES
For the blind hair-splitting folly that so confused the sanctity of oaths as to tempt your followers into gross profanity!
(The miserable quibbles by which,  in consequence of such pernicious teaching,  the Jews evaded their oaths became notorious even in the heathen world.  Even in the Jew's own Midrash it is said that there are ten portions of  hypocrisy in the world,  of which nine are at Jerusalem.  For instance,  in tithing anise (spices)  they made it a question whether it was enough to pay tithes of  the flower only, or also of the seed and stalk. ).
5. (vs. 23) WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES
For the petty paltry sham - scrupulosity which paid tithes of pot-herbs,  and thought nothing of justice,  mercy, and faith - which strained out animalcule from the goblet,  and swallowed camels into the heart!  (They filtered their water through linen to avoid swallowing any unclean insect.).
6. (vs. 25) WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES
For the external cleanliness of cup and platter contrasted with the gluttony and drunkenness to which they ministered!
7. (vs. 27) WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES
To the tombs that simulated the sanctity of temples - to the glistening outward plaster of hypocrisy which did but render more ghostly by contrast the reeking pollutions of the sepulcher within!
8. (vs. 29) WOE TO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES
For the mock repentance that condemned their fathers for the murder of the prophets, and yet reflected the murderous spirit of those fathers -nay, filled up and exceeded the measure of their guilt by a yet deadlier and more dreadful sacrifice!

Again, we can hear the Savior say:  HE  THAT  HATH  EARS  TO  HEAR ... LET  HIM  HEAR!!!

THE  WIDOW'S  TWO  MITES

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Mark 21:41-44
(41)  Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much.  (42)  Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans.  (43)  So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury;  (44)  for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."
 NKJV

Luke 21:1-4
(1)  And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury,  (2)  and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  (3)  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all;  (4)  for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."
NKJV

Sat opposite the treasury

In the Court of the Women,  which covered a space of  200 square feet.
All round it ran a colonnade,  and within it,  against the wall,  were the 13 chests or  "trumpets"  for charitable contributions.  Their specific objects were carefully marked on them.

Nine were for the receipt of what was legally due by worshippers
The other four for strictly voluntary gifts
This colonnade under which these chests were placed, was called the Treasury.

Here Jesus sat down and looked with a discerning eye:  HOW the crowds cast in their money.

Poor widow

The word for "poor" is "ptochos," used to designate the absolute pauper rather than the mere peasant.

Two mites

During the pre-Roman times under the Maccabees (175-140 BC),  the Jews for the first time were allowed to issue money of their own.  One such piece was the shekel.  Another piece was the "lepton,"  a tiny bronze or copper coin,  which we know as the "mite,"  because it was the coin of least value among coins.  Even the metal was inferior and deteriorated easily.

The English translators are confusing when they also render  "kodrantes"  with  "farthing" 
Farthing is also used in some translations for  "assarion"  in Matthew 10:29 & Luke 12:6.
"And she threw in two mites which make a farthing (kodrantes)."
The kodrantes had twice the value of a mite.
The lepton ( or "prutah," as it was called in the Hebrew) was the 8th part of an assarion -  and both of  her mites combined would equal less than one of our present day pennies.

There was a canon among the rabbins that no person shall put less than two prutahs or leptons into the treasury . This poor widow would not give less,  and her poverty prevented her from giving more.

We have only what He allows us to have

He saw how the people put money into the treasury

1. He observes ALL MEN and ALL THINGS
All our actions are before His eyes; he equally knows what we do in public and what we do in private.
2. He observes the STATE and SITUATION we are in
His eye was upon the abundance of the rich who had given much; and He was well acquainted with the poverty and desolate state of the widow who had . given her all, though that was but little in itself.
3. He observes all the MOTIVES
Which lead men to perform their respective actions;  and the different motives which lead them to perform the same actions:  He knows whether they act through vanity, self-love,  interest,  ambition,  hypocrisy,  or love,  charity,  zeal for His glory.
4. He observes the CIRCUMSTANCES
That accompany our actions: whether we act with care or negligence, with a ready mind or with reluctance.
5. He observes the JUDGMENT
Which we form of that which we do in His name: whether we esteem ourselves more on account of what we have done,  or whether we humble ourselves because we have done so little good,  and even that little in so imperfect away.

THE  GREEKS  SEEKING  JESUS

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John 12:20-36
(20)  Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast.  (21)  Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."
(22)  Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.
(23)  But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.  (24)  Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.  (25)  He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  (26)  If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
(27)  Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say?  'Father, save Me from this hour'?  But for this purpose I came to this hour.  (28)  Father, glorify Your name."  Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again."
(29)  Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to Him."
(30)  Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.  (31)  Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.  (32)  And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."  (33)  This He said, signifying by what death He would die.
(34)  The people answered Him, "We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'?  Who is this Son of Man?"
(35)  Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.  (36)  While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.
NKJV

Greeks

There are three opinions concerning these:

1. That they were proselytes who came up to worship the true God at this feast.
2. That they were real Jews, who lived in Grecian provinces, and spoke the Greek language.
3. That they were mere Gentiles,  who never knew the true God;  and,  hearing of the temple or the miracles of Jesus,  came to offer sacrifices to Jehovah,  and to worship Him according to the manner of the people of that land. 
This was not an infrequent case:  many of  the Gentiles,  Romans,  and others,  were in the habit of  sending sacrifices to the temple at Jerusalem.  As a matter of fact,  both the Greeks and Romans had a multitude of gods to whom they sacrificed,  and the addition of one more was not unusual.

They came to Philip

Some suppose that these Gentiles were of  Phoenicia or Syria,  or perhaps inhabitants of Decapolis.
They may have known Philip,  having come from Bethsaida,  and also his being the only disciple with a Greek name,  they may have felt freer to approach him.

Philip was the brother of  Nathaniel,  and aside from the four listings of the 12,  is mentioned only in the Gospel of  John:

John 1:43-50 First one called
John 6:5-7 Jesus asked him where shall we buy bread?
John 12:20-22 Greeks wanting to see Jesus
14:8-13 Lord, show us the Father

Andrew

This is not the first time that Philip and Andrew appear in connection:

John 1:44 They lived in the same town
John 6:7,8 When Philip couldn't figure out how to feed the multitude, Andrew came with the lad and his lunch
John 12:22 Philip goes to Andrew with the Greeks that wish to see Jesus

Aside from this and the fact that he was mentioned in the four listings of the 12 disciples we find:

John 1:41-44 He was Peter's brother
Matthew 4:18 He was a fisherman,  and called by Jesus at the draught of fishes
Mark 13:3,4 He was with Peter, James & John when they asked Jesus about the end time

Notice how Philip,  who seemed to have a hard time making a decision,  went to Andrew,  who seemed to know how to get things done;  and how Andrew,  although overshadowed somewhat by his brother Peter,  takes command of the situation,  and especially here,  in verse 22,  where,  after Philip comes to Andrew,  Andrew is mentioned first as the leader.

Jesus answered them

The structure of this discourse:

A (Vs.23) THE  HOUR  IS  COME  
B (Vs.23) GLORIFICATION OF  THE  SON  OF  MAN
C (Vs.24) DEATH OF  THE  SEED
D (Vs.25,26) TO  THE  DISCIPLES LOSE  YOUR  LIFE  TO  SAVE  IT
A (V s. 27) I  CAME  FOR  THIS  HOUR  
B (Vs.28-31) GLORIFICATION OF  THE  NAME  OF  THE  FATHER
C (Vs.32,33) DEATH OF  HIMSELF
D (Vs.34-36) TO  THE  PEOPLE WALK  IN  THE  LIGHT
DISCOURSE  ON  BELIEF  AND  UNBELIEF

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John 12:37-50
(37)  But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him,  (38)  that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled,  which he spoke:
"Lord, who has believed our report?  And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?"
(39)  Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:
(40)  "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,  lest they should see with their eyes,  lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,  so that I should heal them."
(41)  These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.
(42)  Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue;  (43)  for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
(44)  Then Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.  (45)  And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.  (46)  I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.  (47)  And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.  (48)  He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him -- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.  (49)  For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.  (50)  And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."
NKJV

This entire section is divided into two sections:

(37-43) Unbelief and Belief John's Explanation
(44-50) Belief and Unbelief The Lord's Explanation

And these two sections can each be broken down thus:  UNBELIEF  and  BELIEF

A (Vs.37) UNBELIEF THEY  WOULD  NOT  BELIEVE
B (Vs.28) ISAIAH THE  ARM  OF  THE  LORD  REVEALED
C (Vs.39) CONSEQUENCE THE  COULD   NOT   BELIEVE
B (Vs.39, 40) ISAIAH BLINDED  -  HARDENED
C (Vs.40) CONSEQUENCE THEY  SHOULD  NOT  BELIEVE
B (Vs.41) ISAIAH HE  SAW  HIS  GLORY
A (Vs.42,43) BELIEF NEVERTHELESS  MANY  BELIEVED

The spiritual leaders of the Jews refused to believe,  therefore could not believe,  much the same a Pharaoh of Egypt.  But many of  the common people believed

ANSWER  TO  THE  DISCIPLES'  THREE-FOLD  QUESTION

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JESUS PREDICTS THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE

Matthew 24:1-3
(1)  Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.  (2)  And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down."
(3)  Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying,  "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"
NKJV

Mark 13:1-4
(1)  Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!"
(2)  And Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down."
(3)  Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately,  (4)  "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?"
NKJV

Luke 21:5-7
(5)  Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said,  (6)  "These things which you see -- the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down."
(7)  So they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?"
NKJV

The temple ... adorned with beautiful stones

Mark mentions  ".. .what manner of  stones!."
The building refers to the mass of  separate edifices,  enclosures,  colonnades,  halls,  and sanctuaries,  composing the Temple enclosure.

The Jews say that the temple was built of  white and green-spotted marble.
Josephus says the stones were white and strong:  50 feet long,  24 feet broad,  and 16 feet thick.
Some of the stones weighed over 100 tons.

Peter, James, John, Andrew asked Him privately

It may be that the shadows of  His thought gave a strange solemnity to His attitude and features as He sat there
silent among the silent and saddened band of His few faithful followers.  Not without a touch of awe His nearest ones - Peter, James, John, and Andrew - came near to Him,  and as they saw His eye fixed upon the Temple,  asked Him privately:

MATTHEW
   MARK
   LUKE
         
When shall these things be?   When shall these things be?   When shall these things be?
         
What will be the sign of your coming?   What will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?   What sign will there be when these things are about to take place?
         
What will be the sign of  the end of the age?        
 
 

Their "when?" remained for the present unanswered.  It was the way of Jesus,  when some ignorant or irrelevant or inadmissible question was put to Him,  to rebuke it not directly,  but by passing it over,  and by substituting for its answer some great moral lesson that was connected with it, and could alone make it valuable.  Accordingly, this question of the Apostles drew from Him the Great Eschatological Discourse,  or the Discourse of the Last Things,  of which the four moral keynotes are:

Beware! Watch! Endure! Pray!

It is evident,  from comparing the accounts of all three Synoptists,  that Jesus turned the thoughts of the disciples to two horizons,  one near and one far off,  as He suffered them to see one brief glimpse of the landscape of the future.
The boundary line of either horizon marked the winding up of an  "aeon" (age);  each was a great ending;  of each it was true that the then existing  "genea"  (first in its literal sense of  "generation,"  then its wider sense of  "race"), would not pass away until all had been fulfilled.

And one was the type of the other:  the judgment upon Jerusalem,  followed by the establishment of the visible Church on earth,  foreshadowed the judgment of the world,  and the establishment of the Kingdom at His second coming.

He expressly warned the inquiring Apostles that,  though many of the signs which He predicted would be followed by the immediate close of one great epoch in the world's history,  on the other hand the great consummation would not follow at once,  nor were they to be alarmed by the troubles and commotions of the world into any instant or feverish expectancy.

He spoke to them with that varying interchange of  thought and speech that was natural for one whose whole being moved in the sphere of  Eternity and not of Time.

For our purposes here we will show in a limited sense the literal fulfillment of  these things as many of the disciples saw them come to pass in their life-time,  and the Apostle John,  who lived until about 100 AD,  saw almost all of it happen -

FALSE  CHRISTS

Matthew 24:4-5
(4)   And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you.  (5)  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.
NKJV

Mark 13:5-6
(5)  And Jesus, answering them, began to say: "Take heed that no one deceives you.  (6)  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and will deceive many.
NKJV

Luke 21:8
(8)  And He said: "Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.' Therefore do not go after them.
NKJV

Josephus says that there were many who,  pretending to Divine inspiration,  deceived the people,  leading out numbers of them to the desert,  pretending that God would there show them the signs of liberty,  meaning redemption from the Roman power:

1. Simon Magus Soon after the Crucifixion,  Simon Magus appeared,  and persuaded the people of Samaria that he was  "the great power of God"  (Acts 8:9,10);  and boasted among the Jews that he was the "son of God."
2. Dositheus Similar to Simon Magus was also Dositheus,  the Samaritan,  who pretended that he was  "the Christ"  foretold by Moses.
3. Theudas About 12 years after the death of  Jesus when Caspius Fadus was procurator of  Judea,  arose an imposter of the name of  Theudas,  who said that he was a "prophet,"  and persuaded a great multitude to follow him with their best effects to the river Jordan,  which he promised to divine for their passage;  and  "saying these things,"  says Josephus,  "he deceived many."  Almost the very words of Jesus.
4. An Egyptian An Egyptian false prophet led 30,000 men into the desert,  who were almost all cut off  by Felix  (see Acts 21:38).
5. Impostors Under the reign of Nero,  while Felix was procurator of Judea,  impostors of this kind were so frequent that some were taken and killed almost every day  (according to Josephus).

WARS  AND  RUMORS  OF  WARS

Matthew 24:6
(6)  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
NKJV

Mark 13:7
(7)  But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.
NKJV

Luke 21:9
(9)  But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately."
NKJV

As to the political unrest of that time,  Vincent notes that there were threats of  war against the Jews by three Roman Emperors:

1.
2.
3.		 Caligula
Claudius
Nero

When Caligula ordered his statue to be set up in the Holy of Holies in the temple of  God,  which the Jews having refused,  had every reason to expect a war with the Romans,  they were in such consternation on the occasion that they even neglected to till their land.

But Jesus said:  BE NOT TERRIFIED OR TROUBLED!

NATION  SHALL  RISE  AGAINST  NATION

Matthew 24:7a
(7)  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
NKJV

Mark 13:8a
(8 )  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
NKJV

Luke 21:10
(10)  Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
NKJV

This portended the dissensions,  insurrections,  and mutual slaughter of the Jews,  and those of other nations,  who
dwelt in the same cities together -

1. Caesarea At Caesarea,  where the Jews and Syrians contended about the right of the city,  which ended there in the total expulsion of the Jews,  above 20,000 of whom were slain.  The whole Jewish nation being exasperated at this,  flew to arms,  and burnt and plundered the neighboring cities and villages of the Syrians,  making an immense slaughter of the people.  The Syrians,  in return,  destroyed not a less number of the Jews.
2. Scythopolis At Scythopolis they murdered upwards of 13,000.
3. Ascalon At Ascalon they killed 2,500.
4. Plolemais At Plolemais they slew 2,000 and made many prisoners.
5. Alexandria At Alexandria the Jews and heathen fought, and 50,000 Jews were slain.
6. Damascus The people of  Damascus conspired against the Jews of that city ,  and,  assaulting them unarmed,  killed 10,000 of them.

KINGDOM  AGAINST  KINGDOM

This portended the open wars of  different tetrachies and provinces against each other.

1. Jews against the Samaritans That of the Jews and Galileans against the Samaritans,  for the murder of some Galileans going up to the feast of Jerusalem,  while Cumanus was procurator.
2. Jews against the Romans That of the whole nation of the Jews against the Romans and Agrippa,  and other allies of the Roman Empire;  which began when Gessius Florus was procurator.
3. In Italy That of the civil was in Italy,  while Otho and Vitellius were contending for the empire.

Jesus said:  THESE THINGS MUST COME TO PASS!

FAMINES  AND  PESTILENCE

Matthew 24:7b-8
(7)  And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.  (8)  All these are the beginning of sorrows.
NKJV

Mark 13:8b
(8)  And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles.  These are the beginnings of sorrows.
NKJV

Luke 21:11
(11)  And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.
NKJV

There was a famine foretold by Agabus (Acts 11 :28),  which is mentioned by Suetonius,  Tacitus,  and Eusebius;  that came to pass in the days of  Claudius Caesar,  and was so severe at Jerusalem that Josephus says many died for lack of food.

Vincent notes four famines during the reign of Claudius,  one of which took place in Judea in AD 44,  and is mentioned above.

Pestilences are the usual after effects and attendants of famines;  as the scarcity and badness of provisions generally produce epidemic disorders.

THESE  ARE  THE  BEGINNING

Earthquakes

1. At Creta in the reign of Claudius  (AD 46 or 47).
2. At Smyma, Miletus, Chios, Samos.
3. At Rome, mentioned by Tacitus
4. At Laodicea in the reign of  Nero,  in which the city was overthrown,  as were likewise Hierapolis,  and Colosse.
5. At Campania, mentioned by Seneca.
6. At Rome,  in the reign of Galba,  mentioned by Suetonius.
7. Add to all these,  a dreadful one in Judea,  mentioned by Josephus,  accompanied by a dreadful tempest,  violent winds,  vehement showers,  and continual lightning's and thunders.

Jesus said:  THE END IS NOT YET!

THE  GOSPEL  OF  THE  KINGDOM  SHALL  BE  PREACHED

Matthew 24:9-14
(9)   "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.  (10)  And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.  (11)  Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.  (12)  And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.  (13)  But he who endures to the end shall be saved.  (14)  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
NKJV

Mark 13:9-13
(9)   "But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.  (10)  And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.  (11)  But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.  (12)  Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.  (13)  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
NKJV

Luke 21:12-19
(12)  But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.  (13)  But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.  (14)  Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer;  (15)  for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.  (16)  You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.  (17)  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  (18)  But not a hair of your head shall be lost.19 By your patience possess your souls.
NKJV

Previously to the destruction of Jerusalem,  the Gospel was not only preached in the lesser Asia,  and Greece,  and
Italy,  the greatest theatres of action then in the world;  but was likewise propagated as far:

NORTH as far as Scythia
SOUTH as far as Ethiopia
EAST as far as Parthia and India
WEST as far as Spain and Britain

In other words,  wherever there were people,  the Gospel went.
When this general publication of the Gospel shall have taken place,  then a PERIOD shall be put to the whole Jewish economy,  by the utter destruction of their city and temple.

Jesus said:   THEN SHALL THE END COME!

THE  ABOMINATION  OF  DESOLATION

Matthew 24:15-31
(15)  "Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand),  (16)  "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  (17)  Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.  (18)  And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.  (19)  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  (20)  And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.  (21)  For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.  (22)  And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.
(23)  "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it.  (24)  For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.  (25)  See, I have told you beforehand.
(26)  "Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it.  (27)  For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  (28)  For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.
(29)  "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  (30)  Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  (31)  And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
NKJV

Mark 13:14-27
(14)  "So when you see the abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not" (let the reader understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.   (15)  Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house.  (16)  And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.  (17)  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  (18)  And pray that your flight may not be in winter.  (19)  For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.  (20)  And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.
(21)  "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, He is there!' do not believe it.  (22)  For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.  (23)  But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.
(24)  "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;  (25)  the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.  (26)  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.  (27)  And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.
NKJV

Luke 21:20-28
(20)  "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  (21)  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  (22)  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  (23)  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  (24)  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
(25)  "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;  (26)  men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  (27)  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  (28)  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."
NKJV

   
MATTHEW: It is spoken of by Daniel.  It is standing in the Holy Place.
   
MARK: He is standing were he ought not
   
LUKE: Her desolation is at hand when Jerusalem is compassed with armies.

Josephus says that the Romans brought their ensigns into the temple,  and placed them over against the eastern
gate,  and sacrificed to them there.

Jesus said:  THEN LET THEM FLEE!

Let those who are in Judea flee

This counsel was remembered and wisely followed by the Christians afterwards.
Eusebius and Epiphanius say,  that at this juncture,  after Cestius Gallus had raised the siege,  and Vespasian was approaching with his army,  all who believed in Christ left Jerusalem and fled to Pella,  and other places beyond the river Jordan;  and so they all marvelously escaped the general destruction of their country:  not one of those who left at this time perished.

Jesus had ordered His followers to make their escape from Jerusalem when they should see it encompassed with armies;  but how could this be done?   God took care to provide amply for this:

In the 12th year of Nero, Cestius Gallus, the president of Syria, came against Jerusalem with a powerful army.
He might (says Josephus) have assaulted and taken the city, and thereby put an end to the war; but without any just reason, and contrary to the expectation of all, he raised the siege and departed.
Vespasian was deputed in the room of Cestius Gallus,  and prepared to besiege Jerusalem.  But the news of Nero's death,  and soon after that of Galba,  and the disturbances that followed,  and the civil wars between Otho and Vitellius,  held Vespasian and his son Titus in suspense.  Thus the city was not actually besieged in form till after Vespasian was confirmed in the empire,  and Titus was appointed to command the forces in Judea.
Titus,  having made several assaults without success,  resolved to surround the city with a wall,  which was completed in 3 days.  It was strengthened with 13 forts at proper distances,  so that all hope of safety was cut off.

Jesus said:  LET HIM ... NOT GO BACK!

In the inner rooms

Josephus mentions a false prophet who declared to the people in the city that God commanded them to go up
into the Temple,  and there they should receive the signs of deliverance.  A multitude of men,  women,  and children,  went up accordingly;  but,  instead of deliverance,  the Romans set the place on fire,  and 6,000 perished miserably in the flames,  or in attempting to escape them.

Jesus said: DO NOT BELIEVE IT!      DO NOT BE DECEIVED!

The eagles

The Roman armies,  called so partly from their strength and fierceness,  and partly from the figure of these animals that was always wrought on their ensigns,  or even in brass,  placed on the tops of their ensign-staves.
It is remarkable that the Roman fury pursued these wretched men wherever they were found.
The Jewish nation was indeed a  "dead carcass"  doomed to be devoured;  and the Roman eagles were the commissioned devourers.

The Five Examples of  the End

In the last half of  this discourse Jesus gave in answer to their questions,  He used 5 illustrations:

PARABLE  OF  THE  FIG  TREE

Matthew 24:32-35
(32)   "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  (33)  So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near -- at the doors!   (34)  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  (35)  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.(36)  "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
NKJV

Mark 13:28-31

(28)  "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  (29)  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near -- at the doors!  (30)  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  (31)  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  (32)  "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 
NKJV

Luke 21:29-33
(29)  Then He spoke to them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  (30)  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  (31)  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  (32)  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  (33)  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
NKJV

1.  The fig tree

A. When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves YOU ALSO...KNOW The "Fig Tree" is a type of Israel
B. Heaven and earth will bass away BUT HIS WORD IS TRUE!
C. But of that day and hour no one knows NOT EVEN THE ANGELS PREPARATION IS NECESSARY!

THE  DAYS  OF  NOAH

Matthew 24:36-39
(37)  But as the days of  Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  (38)  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,  (39)  and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
NKJV

Mark 13:32-33

(33)  Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.
NKJV


2.  The days of  Noah

A. They ... did not know until the flood came HIS WORD IS TRUE!
B. So also will the coming of the Son of Man be PREPARATION IS NECESSARY!

THE  WISE  AND  EVIL  SERVANTS

Matthew 24:45-51
(45)  "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?  (46)  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.  (47)  Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.  (48)  But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,'   (49)  and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards,50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of,  (51)  and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
NKJV

Mark 13:34-37
(34)  It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.  (35)  Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming -- in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning --   (36)  lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"
NKJV

3.  The Wise and Evil Servants

A. Blessed is that servant whom his master...will find so doing OBEDIENCE BRINGS BLESSING!
B. That evil servant says in his heart, "My master is delaying his coming"
The master...will come on a day when he is not looking for him		 PREPARATION IS NECESSARY!
C. Will cut him in two and appoint his portion with the hypocrites HIS WORD IS TRUE!

THE  TEN  VIRGINS

Matthew 25:1-13
(1)  "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  (2)  Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  (3)  Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,  (4)  but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  (5)  But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
(6)  "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'  (7)  Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.  (8)  And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'  (9)  But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'  (10)  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
(11)  "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'  (12)  But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'
(13)  "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
NKJV

4.  The Ten Virgins

A. Five were wise BECAUSE THEY WERE PREPARED!
B. Five were foolish BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT PREPARED!

FAITHFUL  AND  UNFAITHFUL  SERVANTS

Matthew 25:14-30
(14)  "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.  (15)  And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  (16)  Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  (17)  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  (18)  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.  (19)  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
(20)  "So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'  (21)  His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'  (22)  He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.'  (23)  His lord said to him,' Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
(24)  "Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  (25)  And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.'
(26)  "But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  (27)  So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.  (28)  So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
(29)  'For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.  (30)  And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
NKJV

5.  Faithful and Unfaithful Servants

A. Two were wise BECAUSE THEY WERE FAITHFUL!
B. One was unwise BECAUSE HE WAS NOT FAITHFUL!

THE  SON  OF  MAN  WILL  JUDGE  THE  NATIONS

Matthew 25:31-46
(31)  "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.  (32)  All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  (33)  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  (34)  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  (35)  for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;  (36)  I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'
(37)  "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  (38)  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  (39)  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  (40)  And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'
(41)  "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:  (42)  for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;  (43)  I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'
(44)  "Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  (45)  Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'  (46)  And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
NKJV

This is in answer to the third question:  "What will be the sign of  the end of  the age?"

All Nations - from the beginning of  the world - to the end of  the world

The Judgment

On The Left On the Right
Goats Sheep
Depart from Me Come
Cursed Blessed of  My Father
Into everlasting fire Inherit the kingdom
Prepared for the devil  and his angels Prepared for you
Everlasting Punishment Eternal Life

Why?

The King Was On The Left On the Right
Hungry Gave Me no food Gave Me food
Thirsty Gave Me no drink Gave Me drink
A stranger Took Me not in Took Me in
Naked Did not clothe Me Clothed Me
Sick Did not visit Me Visited Me
In  Prison Did not visit Me Came to Me

How

On The Left On the Right
Did not do it for even one of the least Did it for even one of the least

"Whenever you did it for one of my brothers, even one of the least important ones."

Matthew 12:50
For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."      (NKJV)

Proverbs 28:27
He who gives to the poor will lack nothing,  but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.

Matthew 10:40-42
He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.     (NIV)

Hebrews 6:10
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.      (NIV)

Proverbs 19:17
He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.     (NIV)

Proverbs 14:31
He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.   (NIV)

Proverbs 17:5
He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.   (NIV)

Isaiah 58:7-8
Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?  Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.      (NIV)

WATCH  THEREFORE

Luke 21:34-36
(34)  "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.  (35)  For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  (36)  Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."
NKJV

The key phrase of this entire section concerning the answer of  Jesus to the questions of the four disciples is:

WE  DO  NOT  KNOW  THE  DAY  NOR  THE  HOUR

Which brings us right back to the three questions the disciples had asked.
Their  "when?"  remained for the present unanswered.

And the keynotes:

 BEWARE! WATCH! ENDURE! PRAY!
         
THE  CONSPIRACY  BETWEEN  THE  JEWS  AND  JUDAS

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Matthew 26:1-5; 14-16
(1)  Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples,  (2)  "You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified."
(3)   Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,  (4)  and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him.  (5)  But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people."
(14) Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests   (15)  and said, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.  (16)  So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.
NKJV
Mark 14:1,2, 10, 11
 
(1)  After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death.  (2)  But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people."
(10) Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them.  (11)  And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.
NKJV
Luke 22:1-6
(1)   Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, 
 (2)  and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.  
(3)  Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the twelve.   (4)  And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.   (5)  They were delighted and agreed to give him money.   (6)  He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.
NIV

Plotted to take Jesus by trickery

The providence of  God frustrated their artful craftiness;  and that event which they wished to conduct with
the greatest privacy and silence was transacted with all possible celebrity and publicity,  amidst the thousands who resorted to Jerusalem,  at this season,  for the keeping of the Passover.

It was,  doubtless,  of the very first importance that the crucifixion of Christ,  which was preparatory to the most essential achievement of Christianity - His resurrection from the grave - should be exhibited before many witnesses,  and in the most open manner,  that infidelity might not attempt,  in future,  to invalidate the evidences of the Christian Faith,  by alleging that  "these things were done in a corner."

Lest there be an uproar

It was usual for the Jews to punish criminals at the public feasts and festivals;  but in this case they were afraid
of an insurrection.  It is likely they feared the Galileans,  as being the countrymen of  Jesus,  more than the people of Jerusalem.

Judas went to the chief priests

The house of Caiaphas was probably in or near the Temple precincts.
The gates both of  the city and of  the Temple were usually closed at sundown,  but at the time of this vast yearly gathering it was natural that the rules should have been a little relaxed for the general convenience; and when Judas slink away from his brethren on that fatal evening he would rely on being admitted without difficulty within the city precincts, and into the presence of the assembled elders.

Some of the priests had probably already seen him before;  others would doubtless recognize him.
If  Judas resembled the conception of  him which tradition has handed down - "That furtive mien, that scowling eye,  of  hair that red and tufted fell" - they could have hardly failed to notice the man of  Kerioth as one of those who followed Jesus - perhaps to despise and to detest him,  as the only one of the apostles to be from Judea.

Thirty pieces of silver

This would probably be the Jewish Shekel, worth about 64 cents.
30 of them would equal $19,20 - the price of a slave.

With the gloating eyes of  that avarice which was his besetting sin,  he might gaze on the silver coins,

Stamped on the one side with an olive branch,  the symbol of  peace.
On the other side with a censer, the type of prayer,
and bearing the superscription,  "Jerusalem the Holy."
(what strange irony of history!)

From that time he sought opportunity to betray Him

"Satan entered into him."
He had not been always bad,  but as he did not master his sin,  his sin mastered him,  and led him on,  as a slave,  to his retribution and ruin.  He was now ever anxiously,  eagerly,  suspiciously upon the watch for the opportunity to deliver the Lord.

(End of Lesson Twenty One)

 

 
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