Water and Mountains (Part 5)
symbolism in Matt 24:3-25:1-46
Intro
Oh, man! I confess this section was hard. I considered giving up until I recalled something I read in Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey. In it, he talks about various literature structures used in the Middle East. If I recall correctly, one of them is called parallel line structures. Parallel line structures state several ideas and then repeat those ideas with further explanations.
Here’s an example:
The pots and pans were rattling. (A) Something didn't smell right. (B) I picked up my phone. (C) My child was cooking in the kitchen. (A) She burned the rice in the pan. (B) I decided to order pizza. (C)
Do you see how the first line A is explained by the second line A? The first line B is explained by the second line B. And the first line C is explained by the second line C. This is a popular way of writing in Middle Eastern literature. I think Matthew has been doing this throughout the Chapters that I’ve been summarizing, but I only just noticed it in chapter 24. An understanding of parallel line structure helps make sense of some seemingly disjointed and random bits in chapter 24.
By the way, this is the fifth blog tracing several themes in Matthew chapters 14-25. If you missed the previous blogs, here are links to those.
Themes Continued
In Chapters 24-25, Jesus teaches about being watchful, the coming trials, and judgment. Here, we read echoes of Daniel and Revelation. What does this have to do with the mountain-top and watery experiences in Matthew 14-17? Does this tie into what God’s children are to bind and loose discussed in Matthew 18-20? And where do the salesmen and sinners in Matthew 21-24:2 fit into these descriptions of trials and tribulations?
I think Jesus’ end-times sermon builds upon the themes Matthew has already established using the symbols of children, salesmen, mountains, water, marriage, cutting-off, and fruit. Religious salesmen get a new description here. They are now associated with false Messiahs and false prophets. And watery trials continue in the form of “end-times” tribulations. Let’s get into it!
Chapter Summaries
Below are section summaries and some possible meanings.
Ch 24:3-14 Mountain, Salesmen, Watery Trials, & Children: On the Mount of Olives, the disciples want to know when the previously mentioned destruction of the temple will take place and what will be the signs of Jesus’ coming and the closing of the age. Jesus warns them not to be deceived by people who claim to be the Messiah. There will be wars, famines, and persecution but these are just labor pains. Many will turn away or betray one another. False prophets will deceive people. The love of most will grow cold, but some will stay strong until the end. The gospel will be preached to the world then the end will come.
Possible Meanings: Here is the first set of parallel line structures. The structure goes like this: (A) watch out for false people, (B) hard times are coming, (C) hard times separate Jesus’ followers from the rest of the world (D) and these troubles will end. Here’s more explanation of these four ideas seen in the above verses.
(A)Jesus doesn’t answer the disciples’ request for signs right off. This harkens back to the religious leaders’ request for signs in Matthew 12:38 and 16:1. There, Jesus said that they hadn’t the eyes to see what was happening around them. Perhaps, Jesus is implying the same thing here; those with spiritual eyesight will recognize the signs already happening around them. Let’s apply this to the false Messiahs. Maybe Jesus is saying that false Messiahs have already begun to appear in the form of the religious salesman. These false Messiahs, like offspring of the religious leaders, will use God’s temple/church, God’s law/the Bible, and God’s people/congregations to make themselves greater than others like the religious leaders do in Matthew 23.
(B) These false Messiahs (religious salesmen) will bring about famines and wars (watery testing).
(C) The trials will cause people to either remain devoted to Jesus’ way or pass on their own ways to the next generation like the religious leaders have been doing.
(D) The gospel will be preached throughout the world because of how Jesus’ followers endure these hard times. This will go on until the end comes.
Ch 24:15-22 Temple, Watery Trials, Mountains, & Children: “The abomination that causes desolation” in Daniel will come about. Those in Judea should flee to the mountains. Don’t take anything with you. That flight will be tough for childbearers during winter and the Sabbath. It’ll be bad. In fact, if God didn’t cut the time short, no one would make it. For the sake of the elect, God will put an end to it.
Possible Meaning: Here Matthew repeats what has already been said through a parallel flow of ideas: (A) An abomination that causes desolation will come, i.e. false Messiahs, (B) this will bring about difficult times, (C) it’ll be tough for God’s elect and if God didn’t cut short the time, no one would make it (D), but God shortens the time for his people’s sake.
(A) This abomination that causes desolation sounds like Matthew 23:38, where Jesus says Israel’s house will be left desolate because of how the religious leaders were using God’s people. Perhaps those two passages are talking about the same thing: an abomination that causes desolation means establishing man’s ways as God’s ways. To do this is to follow the religious leaders. It shall result in desolation.
Interesting Side Note: This reminds me of the Tower of Babel and the Holy Roman Empire. Babel tried to establish a united religious system that assigned human weaknesses and needs to God. From Babel came the world religions that prey upon the least of these. On the flip side but equally abominable, the Holy Roman Empire tried to establish God’s kingdom through human strengths and powers. The hierarchy of clergymen claimed only certain chosen people had the authority to do what Christ gave all his disciples to do. Both systems of power, Babel and the Holy Roman Empire, used “the least of these” to establish themselves as the greatest on earth. Both resulted in generations of followers who taught man-made traditions instead of the ways of God/Jesus.
(B) Again Matthew explains how this abomination will make life hard for God’s people, i.e., those who are fleeing to God’s mountains, i.e. those who are experiencing labor pains of being born again. It’ll be hard for God’s elect because the love of many will grow cold like the winter and it’ll be difficult to be with those who act like it’s time to kick back and have a Sabbath while preying upon the weak.
(C) No one would make it if God didn’t limit this time.
(D) God ends the suffering for the sake of his elect. This sounds like God simply numbers man’s days on earth, i.e., we don’t live much more than 80 or 90 years. That will be the close of our time on earth.
Ch 24:23-35 Salesmen, Watery Trials, Fruit: Jesus goes on. False Messiahs and false prophets will deceive people with signs and wonders. Jesus’ coming won’t be here or there but like lightning. Vultures flock to carcasses. The heavenly lights will go out. The sign of the son of man will appear in the heavens on the clouds. People will mourn. Then the Son of Man will return with power and glory and gather the elect. Take a hint from the fig tree about when this will happen. This generation won’t pass away until they see this take place. The heavens and earth will pass away but Jesus’ words won’t.
Possible Meaning: Here we read the third reiteration of what’s already been said: (A) False Messiahs, false prophets, (B) Trials and tribulations, (C) the son of man coming to separate his own from the others (D) this generation will see the end come.
(A) False prophets deceive people. Those who follow Christ know Jesus without a shadow of a doubt. I think that part about the vultures could be a variation of “let the dead bury the dead” (Matt 8:22) i.e., religious salesmen are drawn to ways that don’t bring about eternal life. Another way to say this is: If someone claims to have found the right way to live like Jesus, look at their lifestyle. If they set themselves up as the greatest like the religious leaders did in Matt 23, you’ll know they’re vultures who won’t lead you to Jesus.
(B) Difficult times: The heavenly lights go out. I think this means that people will no longer have light to understand what their eyes are seeing. Maybe another way of saying this is that people won’t be able to understand God’s mysteries anymore. Their time on earth to decipher what heaven and earth have to proclaim about God will be over.
(C) Jesus will return with power and angels and trumpets to gather his elect who’ve seen him like lightning in their lives.
(D) When the fruit is getting ready to set, then the time is coming soon, i.e. when God’s people have reached peak season of production, then you know the end is coming. Our time to decipher God in the heavens and earth will end, but those who live by Jesus’ words will never pass away. This will be the budding of the vine that produces fruit in God’s children.
Side Note: Recall where Matthew mentions “What you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and what you loose on earth will be loose in heaven” (Matt 18:18). Perhaps this “heaven and earth passing away” might also mean the same thing: the time to bind and loose on earth and heaven will then be over when the fruit is at peak season.
Ch 24:36-51 Family, Watery trials, Salesmen and servants: No one knows when this will happen, only the Father. It’ll be like the days of Noah. Two people will be going about their business and one will be taken. So keep watch like a homeowner watching for a thief to break into his house. Be like faithful servants doing right and treating your fellow servants right. Don’t be unfaithful or mistreat your fellow servants or you’ll be thrown out.
Possible Meaning: Here Matthew arranges three examples of contrasting people. The three examples are: one, people during the time of the flood; two, people getting their house broken into by a thief; three, servants while their master is away. These three examples show how Christ-followers and religious salesmen behave.
1) Noah: Just like God cleansed the earth during Noah’s time, and just like Jesus cleansed the temple, so the son of man will finish his cleansing work in us. It’ll be like the flood. To one person it means salvation; to another it means death. This sounds like Jesus is saying no one knows when he or she will die.
2) House Thief: No one knows when Jesus, like a thief in the night, will break into our house and reveal the intentions of our hearts. At an unknown hour, God will come and demand our life. Those who decipher the signs and bind themselves to Jesus’ words will be ready for the unknown day of Jesus’ “break-in.”
3) Bad Servants: Here Jesus shows what will happen to the religious salesmen who mistreat their fellow servants. They will be thrown out with the hypocrites where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Those who don’t learn to decipher the signs around them mistreat their fellow servants and thus will be left desolate. Those bound to Jesus’ words treat others as they wish to be treated.
Ch 25:1-46 Marriage, Watery Trials, Children, & Judgment: Jesus then tells three more parables: the ten virgins with their oil lamps, the parable of the talents, and the parable of the sheep and the goats.
Possible Meaning: Matthew seems to be using these parables to further explain what we can expect in the days ahead. This section reiterates what God’s children are to bind and loose.
1) The parable of the ten virgins and the lamp oil encourages Jesus’ followers to “count the cost” and be prepared for the long wait for the bridegroom. We must have enough oil. We must not let the wicked virgins take our oil for our lamps.
2) The parable of the talents seems to encourage Jesus’ followers to use God’s wealth to increase God’s kingdom. We are to use our gifts for what lasts; we aren’t to bury our gifts for our own preservation.
3) And the parable of the sheep and goats explains how Christ's followers treat the least of these. This is what separates the sheep from the goats. Those who treat the least of these as they would Christ are truly following Christ’s way. Those who, like the religious salesmen, use God’s laws and God’s people to make themselves greater than others will be cast out where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Conclusion: We’ve covered a lot of ground in the past few weeks. I think this calls for one more post to put it all together. The final summary link will be available next week.