THE LAST WEEK OF JESUS' PUBLIC MINISTRY AND HIS CRUCIFIXION

-Jesus Speaks of His Second Coming (and the Corresponding End of the World)

-Matthew 24:36-51; Mark 13:24-37

-With the transitional word of “But” and the specificity of “that day and hour,” we can see that

 Jesus’ now places His focus on the apostles’ question(s), “...[W]hat shall be the sign of thy

 coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matt 24:3).

-Jesus plainly indicates that there is complete secrecy regarding His second coming.  Only the

 Father in heaven knows when that will be - “...not the angels which are in heaven, neither the

 Son...” (Mark 13:32). 

            -Yet, how did Jesus not know “that day and hour?”  He had just revealed His knowledge of

             future events regarding Jerusalem.  Through His public ministry, Jesus had repeatedly

             indicated the coming events regarding His death, burial and resurrection.  He knew the

             nature of His second coming - sudden and without forewarning; yet, He did not know the

             timing of it.  It seems that He willingly forfeited that knowledge while here on earth.  Such

             would fit within the descriptive phrase of Philippians 2:7 which indicates that He “emptied

             Himself” (NASB).

            -Coffman, in his commentary on Mark, stated, “...whatever was unknown to the Son was

             unknown to him by his own choice of not knowing” (pgs 293-294). 

            -Those who make predictions regarding a specific time for our Lord’s second coming are

             claiming to have a knowledge that even our Savior did not have while here on this earth.

             How foolish!

                        -“[I]t is not only idle, but also presumptuous, for men to strive to find out by

                         mathematical calculation and expositions of prophecy that which the Son of God did

                         not know” (McGarvey/Pendleton, pgs 632-633).

-Other than Noah and his family, none of the earth’s inhabitants expected the flood.  They

             continued to go about their daily lives in full expectation of a tomorrow.  With the

 commencement of the flood, that tomorrow never arrived for them.

            -Such will be the case at the time of our Lord’s second coming.  Upon the arrival of “that

             day and hour,” there will be no tomorrow for the earth. 

-In regards to one being taken and the other being left - whether in the field or grinding at the

 mill - this shows that there will be a specific order of events on that Great Day.  This is seen

 elsewhere in the scriptures as well.  For example, consider 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 where Paul

 focuses on a specific order of events for those found faithful in Christ (both dead and alive). 

 This is also indicative of a separating of people which will occur upon our Lord’s appearing.

            -Those who prescribe to the teachings of premillenialism appeal to Matthew 24 in an attempt

             to support their inaccurate conclusions and teachings.  There is nothing in Matthew 24 that

             indicates that those “left behind” will remain on the earth for a long period of time.  Again,

             that stands in contradiction to other New Testament teachings (i.e. John 5:28-29; 2 Peter

             3:10-11).  Jesus will gather His people first and then all others will be gathered on that same

             day.  All will then stand before the Lord as two distinct groups (as we will see in our study

             of Matthew 25).

-Jesus told His disciples - and therefore us as well - “watch” (Matt 24:42) and “be...ready” (Matt

 24:44).  Since we do not know the day of His second coming, we should live our lives in view

 of the fact that it may very well be tomorrow.  And therefore, we need to be ready.

            -Since an owner of a house doesn’t know when a thief might strike, he has to remain

             watchful and ready.  “Only those who take the same care of their souls, which a master of a

             family would take for his household goods, will be prepared for the coming of Christ”

             (Boles, Matthew, pg 475).

            -A wise servant is one who serves his master while he is away.  “Blessed is that servant,

             whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing” (Matt 24:46).  Such a servant will be

             rewarded by his lord.

            -An unwise servant is one who fails to live in expectation of the master’s return.  As a result,

             he fails to serve faithfully and is therefore unprepared when the master returns.  Such a

             servant will be punished by his lord.

-“And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch” (Mark 13:37).

            -Let’s continue to serve our Lord faithfully while He is away.  Let’s live in expectation of

             His return.  May we be found as wise servants.