Matthew 24:35Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He shews that the interval of time shall not be great, but that the coming of Christ will be presently. By the comparison of the tree He signifies the spiritual summer and peace that the just shall enjoy after their winter, while sinners on the other hand shall have a winter after summer.

However, affirming his previous statement, he declared, “It is simpler for heaven and earth, the stable and unyielding foundations, to perish than for any of my words to come to nothing.”

That now from the Evangelic and Prophetic signs that we see come to pass, we ought to look that the Lord’s coming should be nigh, who is there that denies? For daily it draws ever more and more near, but of the exact time it is said, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons. (Acts 1:7.) See how long ago the Apostle said, Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. (Rom. 13:11.) What he spoke was not false, and yet how many years have elapsed, how much more may we not say that the Lord’s coming is at hand now, that so great an accession of time has been made?

As much as to say, When the tender shoots first shew themselves in the stem of the fig tree, and the bud bursts into flower, and the bark puts forth leaves, ye perceive the approach of summer and the season of spring and growth; so when ye shall see all these things that are written, do not suppose that the end of the world is immediate, but that certain monitory signs and precursors are shewing its approach.

In affirming the unchangeability of what has been declared, he emphasizes that these firm and steadfast entities would cease to exist before the words I have spoken in response to your inquiries fail to come to fruition. Similarly, he makes a parallel statement elsewhere, declaring that "It is more convenient for heaven and earth to pass away, than for the law of one line to perish" (Luke 16:17).

As the fig has its vital powers torpid within it through the season of winter, but when that is past its branches become tender by those very powers and put forth leaves; so the world and all those who are saved had before Christ’s coming their vital energies dormant within them as in a season of winter. Christ’s Spirit breathing upon them makes the branches of their hearts soft and tender, and that which was dormant within burgeons into leaf, and makes shew of fruit. To such the summer and the coming of the glory of the Word of God is nigh at hand.

Mystically; The Synagogue is likened to the fig treeg; its branch is Antichrist, the son of the Devil, the portion of sin, the maintainer of the law; when this shall begin to swell and to put forth leaves, then summer is nigh, i. e. the approach of the day of judgment shall be perceived.

The heaven which shall pass away is not the1 starry but the2 atmospheric heaven which of old was destroyed by the deluge.

Or, when this fig shall again bud, that is, when the synagogue shall receive the word of holy preaching, as the preaching of Enoch and Elias, then we ought to understand that the day of the consummation is at hand.

Uncertainty often leads individuals to adopt a carefree attitude. When people are aware that something is certainly going to happen to them, they tend to make serious preparations. To prevent the apostles, who were grappling with doubt concerning His return, from falling into negligence, Jesus fortified His teachings with a solemn declaration: "Truly I say to you, this generation shall not pass away, as all these things shall be." In times of significant peril, extensive preparation is essential, and such readiness demands thorough guidance and admonition. It should be noted that Christ did not aim to suggest to His followers that the impending judgment was already underway, but rather that it was to occur in the future.

HEAVEN AND EARTH WILL PASS AWAY, BUT MY WORDS WILL NOT PASS AWAY. Those celestial and terrestrial realms, seemingly steadfast and unyielding, will be brought to ruin sooner than My words can fade away (St John Chrysostom). The profound divine authority present in the words of the Lord Jesus was unmistakable. Each listener understood that they were receiving more than a mere warning; indeed, heaven and earth stood ready to yield their positions to the fulfillment of His promises (Archbishop Innocent of Kherson). “Whoever questions this should reflect on all that has been proclaimed and observe,” St. Chrysostom asserts, “that subsequent occurrences have undeniably validated the truth of this prophecy. By referencing these elements, Jesus Christ aimed to illustrate that the Church holds a greater significance than heaven and earth, and to affirm His role as the Creator of everything that exists, the Sovereign of the universe.”

The signs indicating the arrival of various epochs are evident in the events themselves. Just as we can observe the soft branches and budding leaves of a fig tree to infer that summer is approaching, we can discern the nearness of different ages through these specific signs. Regarding Jerusalem, the Lord has made it abundantly clear that this generation will not pass away until everything stated about Jerusalem is fulfilled. My words hold more permanence than heaven and earth. However, the exact day and hour of these events remains unknown.

The inquiry posed by the disciples revolved around two primary topics: the timing and indications concerning the end of Jerusalem and the world, alongside the return of Christ. Until this point, the Lord has addressed the latter part of their question. Moving forward, He begins to respond regarding the timing of the foretold events. He first teaches them that they will recognize the imminent end by the signs to come, similar to how they know summer is approaching when the branches of the fig tree become soft and lush.

Do not lose sight of the signs I have provided regarding the impending devastation of Jerusalem. Consider the fig tree: when its branches soften and its leaves start to sprout, you can recognize from these familiar indicators that summer is approaching. Similarly, in relation to what I am sharing with you, when you observe the occurrences I have predicted unfolding, you will realize that judgment is imminent, already at the threshold for the people of Israel. Truly, I assure you, it will soon come to pass that many who are currently alive will bear witness to all these calamities and will experience them firsthand; every word will occur as I declare, for it is more likely for heaven and earth to perish than for my words to go unfulfilled.

Heaven and earth will fade away: this asserts the unchanging nature of the prophecy declared (see note on Matt. 5:18). Observing how precisely Christ's predictions regarding the destruction of Jerusalem and its accompanying tribulations came to pass, it is undeniable that His promise of a second coming will also be fulfilled with equal accuracy.

All who listened to these words sensed that they were uttered by the Sovereign who governs the destinies of the universe, in whose voice no proclamation will falter (Luke 1:37). Those who were meant to endure until the Jewish conflict, culminating in the fall of Jerusalem, undoubtedly bore firsthand witness to the realization of the Lord's prophecies, such as, as noted by the Church historian Eusebius, James, the first bishop of Jerusalem, along with many of Christ’s followers.