Matthew 24:6 - Exposition

Ye shall hear ( μελλη ì σετε ἀκου ì ειν ). Ye are about, ye are destined, to hear. "Futurum complicatum, audituri eritis " (Bengel). He addresses the apostles as representatives of the whole body of believers. Wars and rumours of wars; i.e. wars near at hand, and distant wars of which the rumour only reaches you, but which threaten to approach and menace your peace (cf. Jeremiah 4:19 ). The peace which reigned at Christ's birth was rudely shattered after his death, though the wars before the destruction of Jerusalem were of no great importance. We hear of an in. tended expedition against Aretas (Josephus, 'Ant.,' 18.5. 3), of one of Caligula against the Jews (ibid., 18.8. 2), both of which, however, came to nothing. Then there were certain insurrections in the reigns of Claudius (ibid., 20.5, 3) and Nero (ibid., 20.8. 6-10). The Roman empire was disturbed; four emperors—Nero, Galba, Otho, and Vitellius—died by violence within a short space of time; the restless Parthians were a continual source of trouble. But these and such-like occurrences do little to exhaust the meaning of Christ's prediction. He is looking forward to a distant future, and sees with prophetic eye the state of warfare which has prevailed from the disruption of the Roman empire, and which shall continue unto the end. See that ye be not troubled; rather, see, be ye not troubled, Look on it all, and yet be not affrighted. All these things ( πα ì ντα ) must come to pass. All that I announce is sure to occur, not from any absolute necessity, but because of men's passions and perverseness, which will bring it to pass (see on Matthew 18:7 ; and James 4:1 ). The end is not yet. These signs might lead men to think that the final consummation was close at hand. Our Lord warns against such a conclusion. St. Paul speaks of "the end" as occurring in Christ's second advent ( 1 Corinthians 15:24 ).