The National tribune., 1889-04-25
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

SUBJECT: THE Duty TO BE READY FOR THE
COMING OF CHRIST.
1. introductory.
The paragraph to be studied is from the IA
nous discourse of Christ as to the Last Things.
There is wondrous diversity of opinion among
biblical students as to all that relates to Escha
tology. Chapters "a and % of ST. Matthew are
reports of one of the three longest sermons or
discourses of our Savior The other two are
the Sermon on the Mount and the Address to
the Twelve on the Thursday evening before
his crucifxion. His remarks on Last Things
have been cause of much discussion, resulting
in dearth of definite results We find our
selves on poemic field. Whichever way we
decide on mooted questions suggested we shall
find many eminent scholars arrayed against
US. We will not, however, on this account re-
fuse to study and try to reach certain useful
conclusions.
2. Data.
We would make great mistake if we con-
fine ourselves to any one of the three accounts
given of our Sayiors discourse. Hence, besides
st. Mark, Is: "a 81, be sure and study st. Mat
thew, %: 1886, and ST. Luke, 81: 1888. We
shall give special study to St. Mark, 49, 24-3l,
not covering critically the other six verses APP
pointed for the lesson. The eight verses will
require our whole attention.
g. Time.
Christ uttered the paragraph which we study
on March 16, A. ID. 80 1t was on Wednesday,
two days before the crucifxion. That was the
week of the passover. 1t was 1850 years ago.
4. Where
The Discourse, a part Of which is our lesson,
was spoken on the west side of the Mt. of Oh
ives, probably not far from its summit. (See
st. Matt, q: 81. That was grand elevation.
The hight allowed sight down into the very
streets of the city of Jerusalem. The mount
ain extends all along the east side of Jerusa-
lem, mountain aud city being separated by the
Valley of Jehoshaphat, through which runs
the brook Kedron.
5. Speakers and Hearers
Our Savior delivered the discourse. He was
the Teacher of the Disciples. They asked MIN:
When shall these things be? and what shall
be the sign of the coming, and of the end
of the world ?" These things" (St. Matt
24: 81 related specially to the ruin of the tenn
pie Compare verse 3 with % 49, Christ
was logical, and in reply kept himself close to
the questions asked. He had been speaking
particularly of the destruction of the temple
involved in the ruin of the city of Jerusalem.
There was no ambiguity about the fact of the
overthrow. What was lacking III Christ's
language was any intimatiOn as to the date
of the ruin. What the Disciples were con-
cerned about was the time of the destruction.
6. Time Covered By the Lesson
Immediately after" (V. 90 of ST. Matthew,
24) We may understand the time just sue
ceeding the destruction of Jerusalem. Doubt
less there were great natural phenomena.
Then by sun, moon and stars we often mean
the leading eminent men of nation. In the
siege and destruction of Jerusalem the promi-
nent Jewish rulers were slain or they otherwise
persisted.
"Then," (Y. 3d. The Greek word for q Their"
indicates succession of events. Just after the
incidents of Y. 30, then, or next shall appear
the signs of V. So When will such next or
successive events be apparent? There is a
great diversity of opinion. Some hold we are
to understand the entire paragraph to relate
to the destruction of Jerusalem exclusively.
Others think we must have in mind said de-
structIon mainly, but with foreshadowings of
the ruin of earth at the last day of human
history. Others see i'll the language reference
only to the end of time, the close of human
events, the immediate pTeliminaries to the
Judgment Day. We must recall the fact Christ
is answering the questions of st. Matt, 24: s.
when shall these things be? and what shall
be the sign of thy coming, and of the end
of the world?" The direct question re-
lates to the destruction of the temple in
volyed in the ruin of Jerusalem. Many
scholars believe all of chapters "a and % of
st. Matthew refer to that question. Others think
there is point where Christ terminates his an
swer to that particular inquiry, and gives full
limitations as to the end OF the material world.
The subject of the disaster awaiting the Jews
in the downfall of their capital, temple and
religious system might suggest the close of
earthly things. In their ignorance the Dis
ciples might infer the destruction of the He
brew nationality and church would itself be
feature IN the ruin of all earthly things.
The expression, the end of the world"
(St Matt, 24;3, does not necessarily imply
the termination of mundane things. The word
for world F." means in Greek, age or dispen-
sation. We may understand thus" When
shall the Jewish system of religion be brought
to a close?" That practically took place syn
enormously with the overthrow of Jerusalem
and the downfall of the temple.
The theory that Christ spoke all through
with double meaning, uttering words applica-
bic to the destruction of Jerusalem and also
to the Judgment Day, makes tumble of both
chapters "a, 20 of st. Matthew. We would
have confusion throughout Even if the Dis
ciples, in excitement and in ignorance Of the
exact force of their questions, asked all in a
single breath questions of great diversity of
meaning, yet Christ in answering would ana
lyze the inquiries and give logical replies.
The following hold to the view the para
graph relates wholly or at least primarily to
the ruin of the Jewish civil and religious sys-
TENS: Whitby, Newton, A. Clarke Watson,
Coke, Benson Barnes. Mcknight, Warburton,
Burkitt, Lightfoot, Prof Stuart Bp. Pearce,
DR.. Tower Bloomfield, Nesbitt Grotius Lowth,
Sykes, the Taylors, DIR. James Strong, Mi
chaelis, Scott, Prof. Robinson, and Samuel
Lee.
The explanation ofthe paragraph will depend
on which view we adopt as to time. Accepting
the theory the statements of the lesson refer to
the end of the Jewish dispensation, we date the
events in the year 20 A. D.. or about 40 years
after Christ prophesied their occurrence, and
not far from seven years after SITS. Matthew,
Mark and Luke recorded the prophecy.
1t is plain Christ did not propose to give the
Disciples very definite reply as to exactness
of time st. Matt, "a 81, compare Is 28)
makes n statement which might be clew
This generation shall not pass till all these
things be fulfilled" Some define genera
tion to be race, and teach the continuance
of the Hebrew race till the Judgment Day. 1t
would be more natural to understand the word
much in our sense of it, to wit, as indicating the
time required for as many to die as now live
We put the time at about 80 years. Heroditus
said there are three generations in century.
In Seder Diam the Hebrews reckoued q genera
tion at rs years. And Moses iii Ps., 90 10, gives
it as three score and ten years. See st. Matt,
%: 81 SO. The words "shall not pass " in ST.
Matt, "a: 81, imply that the greater part shall
pass off from life, but all will not. 1t is a fact
that many who were alive when Christ spoke
lived to see Jerusalem sacked and the temple
RACED to the ground. ST. John the Evangelist
did not die till nearly so years after the ruin
of the Capital of Palestine. Rabbis Simeon,
Joehaman ben Zaccai, Zadoch Ishmael, out
lived the interval between the prophecy and
its fulfllment.
Josephus tells us many of the signs which
accompanied and Immediately succeeded the
Il. - T.. a.