By Adam Winn, Ph. D.
Chair and Professor, Department of Biblical and Religious Studies at Samford University
Looking Forward with Expectation
Matthew 24:32–44
The return of Jesus is near. (32–35)
These verses come at the end of a long discourse in which Jesus is addressing His disciples’ question about His coming at “the end of the age.” Jesus has told them of many difficulties the world will face between the time of His departure and His Second Coming (vv. 4–31). Yet in verse 34, we find a passage that has troubled many Christians.
On the surface it appears to be a claim that everything from verses 4–31 (including Jesus’ Second Coming) will happen within “this generation,” that is the generation of Jesus’ own time, a problematic claim given that 2,000 years have passed and Jesus has not returned. However, here we need the eyes of first century Jews.
Jews of this time divided time into two ages, the present evil age and the future glorious age, which would be brought about by God’s Messiah.
The question asked by the disciples at the outset references this notion of a present evil age, and it sees Jesus’ Second Coming as the end of that age. Jesus’ use of “this generation” is using the same concept, with “this generation” being equivalent to the people of “the present evil age.”
With these words, Jesus is challenging common Jewish expectations, namely that when the Messiah returned, the evil age would end and a glorious age would replace it.
Here Jesus is claiming that though He has come, the present evil age, and the generation that live in it, will not pass away until he returns. Thus, those who follow Jesus the Messiah will live in an evil age and generation until the second coming.
The return of Jesus will surprise most people. (36–39)
Here Jesus tells His disciples that no one knows the day or the hour of His return except the Father. Perhaps surprisingly to us, Jesus claims that not even He knows the time of His return.
While this may trouble our trinitarian sensibilities, this comment may mean nothing more than that Jesus, during his earthly life, did not have such knowledge and thus could not share it, while the risen and resurrected Jesus may in fact know.
This is one of many possible theological explanations to something we cannot resolve here. What is most important about this text is that Jesus’ return is not something that can be predicted. It will come as a surprise to all. For those who are engaged in the everyday activities of life, it will disrupt them and catch them completely off guard.
The return of Jesus calls for us to be prepared. (40–44)
This text continues describing the unexpected nature of Jesus’ return, with people doing ordinary things when suddenly one is taken away and one is left.
There is debate about whether it is the righteous who are taken or the wicked (see Matt. 13:24–30, 36–43 that may suggest the latter), something that cannot be resolved here. However, what is most important in the passage is the message that God’s people be prepared.
They are commanded to “stay awake” and “be ready.” These instructions do not mean that God’s people somehow figure out the time of Jesus’ coming, something Jesus’ claimed not to know. Instead, it means they must be living faithfully at the time of Jesus’ coming, and that as such, they will be on the right side of His judgment when He comes.
Those who are living faithfully when the Son of Man comes, though they also do not know the day and the hour, will be prepared as Noah was when the flood waters finally came (v. 38).
This Christmas, may we not only look back to the Messiah’s first coming but look forward to the second; and in looking forward, may we live faithfully so as to be prepared when He comes.
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