Matthew 24:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Instead, He specifically focuses on the upcoming conflicts for the Jewish people, who were becoming unsettled by the Roman victories. This situation was significant enough to instill fear among them, prompting Christ to foretell these events. To demonstrate that He would directly oppose the Jews and contend with them, He mentions not only battles but also the calamities—famine, disease, and earthquakes—that God would unleash upon them, illustrating that He would allow these wars to occur intentionally, rather than as mere human occurrences, but rather as a consequence of divine wrath. Consequently, He asserts that these events will not arise by mere chance or abruptly, but will come with unmistakable signs. To counter any notion among the Jews that the believers at that time were to blame for such misfortunes, He provided them with their guiding reason; “Verily I say unto you, that all these things shall come upon this generation” (Matt. 23:36), reminding them of their heinous actions. Additionally, to ensure that they would not dismiss this prophecy’s complete fulfillment given the variety of calamities, He added: “Behold, be not dismayed, for all these things must come to pass,” indicating that everything He foretold, including impending trials, would not obstruct the realization of His words. While there may be disturbances and chaos, they will not weaken His predictions. Moreover, since Christ proclaimed to the Jews, “You shall not see Me henceforth until you cry, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord’” (Matthew 23:39), and the disciples assumed that the destruction of Jerusalem would coincide with the end of the world, He clarified their misunderstanding by stating, “but it is not yet the end.” Their mindset is evident from their inquiry. Indeed, what did they want to know? “When will it be?” Essentially, they were asking when Jerusalem would fall and what would be the sign of His coming and the end of the age. However, Christ did not respond to this question immediately; instead, He first addressed necessary matters and teachings that needed to be understood beforehand. He refrained from discussing Jerusalem or His second coming at that moment, focusing instead on the tribulation that was imminent.

Alternatively, do not be frightened as if the end has arrived, meaning the destruction of the temple and the city; all of this must occur, but it is not the final chapter, nor the downfall of Jerusalem, which would happen later. Chrysostom notes that the disciples, having previously learned of the severe consequences facing the Jews, regarded it with indifference, as if it were an issue for someone else, and envisioned the blessings of the Second Coming of Christ arriving quietly; consequently, they stirred up the matter. Nevertheless, Christ continues to warn them of forthcoming challenges to ready them for the battle ahead, instructing them to remain vigilant against deceivers and not to be intimidated by the rumors of conflict. They are threatened by two factions – from the deceivers and from the Romans – an overwhelming storm, both internal and external.

Christ answered not as a historian, who details events in order, but rather as a prophet who proclaims what is to come. Prophecies are conveyed as sacraments and are understood similarly. So, what does this mean? To grasp the spiritual significance of the signs Christ mentions—wars, famines, earthquakes—we must recognize that these cannot solely pertain to Jerusalem's downfall, as during the capture, there was no uprising in a spiritual sense among the people, such as heresy rising against heresy. In the apostolic age, the seeds of heresies were merely being sown, but they did not fully sprout until the era of Christian kings, and it is only in our current times that they have become fully developed and robust. Furthermore, there was no spiritual famine at the time of Jerusalem's destruction; instead, there was an abundance, as the Psalmist articulated, “Thou visitest the earth, and quenchest its thirst, and enrichest it abundantly” (Psalm 64:10). If we are to interpret these signs in a literal sense, they provide no insight regarding the end of the age, as wars have always existed and continue to do so. The same applies to famines and earthquakes. An event cannot be deemed a sign of what is to come if it is commonplace. Only something entirely novel can rightfully be called a sign. Just as there exists a physical Jerusalem that has already been spiritually defeated, there is a second entity—a spiritual Jerusalem, the Church of Christ—which must endure testing in the final days and is indeed undergoing such trials. The signs the Lord referenced, therefore, should be understood in both a spiritual and a literal light. Literally, they connect to Jerusalem's destruction; spiritually, they pertain to the trial of the Church at the end of the age. Thus, consider both: what transpired prior to Jerusalem's fall and what will transpire before the ultimate trial of the Church of Christ.

And there shall be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. Anyone familiar with Josephus will recognize the famines, pestilences, and earthquakes that afflicted Judea before Jerusalem's fall. In a spiritual context, prior to the Church's downfall, it is undeniable that both spiritual famines for the Word of God and spiritual earthquakes, alongside various manifestations of carnal sins, will impact the Christian community. Many divisions would never have emerged among Christians had there not been a deep hunger for the Word of God; likewise, they would not have endured so many pestilences, meaning ailments of the fleshly desires, were it not for external pressures. This is illustrated by the Lord in the parable of the sower, where the enemy sows tares among the wheat: “When men slept,” that is, when they lacked vigilance against sin, “his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat” (Matt. 13:25).

Even when all nations rise to instill fear, if you have faith in God, that fear can become as insignificant as all nations are before Him, who regards them as just a drop from a bucket and a mere speck of dust on the scales” (Isaiah 40:15). Therefore, maintain your faith, truthfulness, and confidence in God, and do not be afraid, trusting in His Providence.

"Behold, do not be frightened, for all these things must come to pass." St. Philaret of Moscow notes that one might question how strife, disasters, and the suffering of the righteous can occur under the custodianship of a wise, just, and benevolent Providence. While this question may appear compelling, it is actually presumptuous, as it suggests that mankind can ascend to challenge the Creator and Judge of the universe and fathom the mysteries of His governance. Let us provide a concise response to the questioner. Have you not heard Christ declare that regarding the trials faced by His followers, “All these things must come to pass”? Can you doubt that Christ embodies the utmost Wisdom, Truth, and Goodness? How can you question that anything governed by His will must inevitably embody wisdom, truth, and goodness? This can be observed in the unfolding of events, should you gaze upon them with discernment. “The Lord speaks of the conflicts that occurred in Palestine, rather than throughout the whole world. For what relevance do such events have for His disciples?” St. Chrysostom comments. But this is not the conclusion; the ultimate fate of the temple and the city will not arrive suddenly after these events.

Many who had yet to witness the establishment of the Messiah's kingdom—anticipated and hoped for—failed to recognize the signs indicating the collapse of the existing order, which, according to Jewish belief, would be completely transformed with the arrival of His kingdom. Thus, they collectively asked which signs would signify the opening of His kingdom and the culmination of the age.

This is evident in two ways: first, the significant upheavals in the world that are foretold clearly pertain to the last days; second, the message of Christ's glorious return for judgment is unmistakably conveyed. The discourse is structured such that the initial portion focuses more on the Jerusalem destruction, while the latter addresses the end of the world.

In the lead-up to Jerusalem’s destruction, false messiahs were to appear, as stated in Matthew 4-6, Mark 5-6, and Luke 8. All the Gospel writers indicate that Christ’s prophetic words began with a caution against deceivers claiming to be the Messiah, warning that many would be misled. Luke emphasizes, “and this time is near,” suggesting a close connection to the events preceding Jerusalem's downfall. Indeed, prior to this period, numerous deceivers arose in Palestine, as noted in the New Testament (Acts 5:36). It should be noted that while it is unclear whether these deceivers explicitly claimed to be the Messiah, they acted as though they were the true leaders of the people, claiming a role and significance within the kingdom of God that rightfully belonged only to Christ. As such, these individuals were, in essence, false messiahs.

There will be national unrest, conflicts, and violent wars; nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom; famine, pestilence, and earthquakes will add to the tribulations; signs will occur in the heavens; and many will proclaim the coming end of the world. Do not believe them!”

Now let us examine how historians recount the fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy, particularly regarding the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. The Jews, who identified themselves as subjects of God alone, consistently harbored deep resentment towards the Romans, seeking every chance to rebel against them and cast off the burdensome shackles. The cruelty and greed of Roman procurators fueled this animosity. The situation for the Jews became particularly dire during Florus' governance. When they implored the Roman emperor to remove him and were denied, they revolted, slaughtering the Roman soldiers responsible for maintaining order in Jerusalem, thereby seizing control for themselves. Soon, other cities joined in the insurrection, leading to widespread rebellion throughout Palestine. Troops were dispatched to quell the uprising, and under Vespasian’s command, they advanced into Galilee. Thus commenced the Jewish war, meticulously detailed by its chronicler, the Jewish historian Josephus Flavius.

Recalling the words of Jesus, “Beware lest anyone deceive you, for many will come in my name” (Matthew 24:4), the Apostles remained steadfast against the allure of false prophets and impostors, many of whom emerged during that tumultuous time. Josephus Flavius documents that Palestine was rife with deceivers and magicians, who led the populace into the wilderness to perform seeming miracles as if by divine power. Among such charlatans were Dositheus the Samaritan, who proclaimed himself as the Christ, Simon the Magician, also a Samaritan, who claimed to be the son of God, as well as Theudas, Menander, an Egyptian, and others. Rejecting Christ, the Jews of that era eagerly anticipated a conquering Messiah, which made them susceptible to any fraud. All of this chaos preceded the destruction of Jerusalem; it was a necessary precursor, and thus it unfolded.

Deceptive leaders will emerge, enticing followers with flattery and intimidation; however, they are called to remain unwavering in their faith towards their Savior and Master, enduring all for His sake, for those who persevere until the end shall be delivered.

Following a period of general peace under Augustus, the time leading up to the fall of Jerusalem was marked by numerous wars and unrest, largely driven by the turmoil surrounding the imperial Roman government, often controlled arbitrarily by the Praetorians. The assertion "But this is not yet the end" does not signify the conclusion of the age or the world, but rather of Jerusalem itself. This indicates that the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the Jewish kingdom will not occur immediately following these tribulations; instead, it is merely the beginning of the sorrows that lie ahead.

Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; there will be famines and earthquakes in various places, as well as distress and signs from heaven. All these things represent the inception of sorrows—the beginning of calamities that will herald a chain of dreadful events culminating in the fall of Jerusalem and the temple.

The precise fulfillment of the Lord's words is evident through authentic accounts of those who lived during that time. The period from the crucifixion of the Lord to the prophesied destruction of the city and the temple was marked by unrest and conflict throughout Judea and the Roman Empire, a time described by a Roman historian as “abundant with calamities, cruel battles, disturbances, and fearsome even amidst peace.” Exploiting the unease that permeated the populace, false messiahs arose among the Jews, drawing in the credulous (Acts 5:36, 37). These troubles were compounded by natural disasters: earthquakes devastated many prosperous cities across Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Achaia; a severe famine struck in Rome, Greece, and even in Jerusalem itself (Acts 11:28); and a widespread plague ravaged regions in the east and in Italy. The historian of Rome also spoke of extraordinary signs in the heavens—terrifying thunder and other manifestations of divine wrath that threatened people for their increasing wickedness and sins. A Judean historian lists numerous remarkable occurrences that foretold the fall of Jerusalem, such as a comet resembling a sword observed over the city for an entire year, a brilliant light shining in the temple at night, the gates of the temple swinging open at midnight when twenty men could barely budge them, visions of chariots and armies in the sky, and finally, on the day of Pentecost, as the priests entered the temple, a sound and a voice proclaiming, “Let us depart from this place.” When viewed through the lens of the God-man, the various calamities and signs preceding Jerusalem’s destruction emerge as foreshadowings of even greater tribulations to come at the end of the world.