And then if any man shall say to you ,.... During those days of tribulation and affliction, or when shortened and at an end: lo! here is Christ, or lo! he is there ; the Messiah has appeared in such or in such a place, to deliver you from your national distresses and calamities, and from the Roman yoke and bondage: believe him not ; give no credit to such a report, for the reason following; See Gill on Matthew 24:23 . read more
For false Christs and false prophets shall rise ,.... As there did, both before and after the destruction of Jerusalem: and shall show signs and wonders ; as they pretended to do, and did, at least to the appearance of people: to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect ; who were chosen in Christ, unto eternal life; in consequence of which they truly believed in him, and were constant followers of him; but this was not possible: though such was the force of their deception, that... read more
But take ye heed ,.... The Persic version adds, "of them"; of the false Christs, and false prophets: for though the purposes of God, concerning the salvation of his elect, are infrustrable; his promises are yea and amen; his grace is efficacious and irresistible, and his power uncontrollable; and the salvation of his chosen ones certain; yet it becomes them to be on their guard against every deception, and temptation, and to make use of all means for their perseverance: behold, I have... read more
But in those days, after that tribulation ,.... That is, after the destruction of the city and temple of Jerusalem, and the miseries and calamities attending it, in the times immediately following it; see Matthew 24:29 ; the sun shall be darkened : so the Shekinah, or glory of the divine majesty was withdrawn, and all the symbols of the divine presence were gone, when the temple was destroyed: and the moon shall not give her light ; the ceremonial law, which though abolished by the... read more
And the stars of heaven shall fall ,.... The Jewish Rabbins and doctors, who fell off from the written word, and compiled their "Misna", or oral law, their book of traditions, and set it up above the Bible, the foundation of which was laid immediately upon their dispersion. And the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken ; the ordinances of the legal dispensation, which were shaken before, but now so shaken as to be removed; compare Haggai 2:6 with Hebrews 12:26 ; See Gill on ... read more
And then shall they see the son of man ,.... Not in person, but in the power of his wrath and vengeance; of which the Jews then had a convincing evidence, and full proof; and even of his being come in the flesh, as if they had seen him in person: this shows, that the sign of the son of man, in Matthew 24:30 is the same with the son of man: coming in the clouds with great power and glory ; not to judgment, but having taken vengeance on the Jewish nation, to set up his kingdom and glory... read more
And then he shall send his angels ,.... The ministers of the Gospel to preach it, and plant more churches among the Gentiles, since that at Jerusalem was entirely broken up: and shall gather together his elect ; that is, he the son of man, or Christ, shall gather them by the ministry of his servants; or "they shall gather them", as the Ethiopic version reads; and as Beza says it is read in a certain copy: these ministers shall be the means of gathering such whom God has chosen from all... read more
Now learn a parable of the fig tree ,.... Our Lord was now upon the Mount of Olives, in one part of which fig trees grew in great plenty, and one, or more, might be near, and in view; and it was the time of year, the passover being at hand, for its putting forth: when her branch is yet tender ; and soft and opening, through the sap now in motion: and putteth forth leaves ; from the branches: ye know, that summer is near ; from such an appearance on the fig tree; See Gill on ... read more
So ye, in like manner ,.... This is an accommodation of the parable to the present case: when ye shall see these things come to pass ; the signs preceding the destruction of Jerusalem, and especially the abomination of desolation, or the Roman army surrounding it: know that it, or he is nigh, even at at the doors; either that the destruction of Jerusalem is near; or that the son of man is just ready to come to take vengeance on it; or as Luke says, Luke 21:31 , the kingdom of God... read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 13:20
And except that the Lord had shortened those days ,.... Had determined that those days of affliction should be but few, and not last long; that the siege should not be longer continued, and the devastations within and without be prolonged: no flesh should be saved ; there would not have been a Jew left; that nation and race of men must have been utterly destroyed from off the face of the earth: but for elect's sake, whom he hath chosen ; in Christ, unto eternal salvation; who were... read more