Mat 24:30-31 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 30. The sign of the Son of man . The evidence that Christ is coming to destroy the city of Jerusalem. It is not to be denied, however, that this description is applicable also to his coming at the day of judgment. The disciples had asked him, what should be the sign of his coming, and of the end of the world . In his answer, he has reference to both events, and his language may be regarded as descriptive of both. At the destruction of Jerusalem, the sign or evidence of his coming was found in the fulfillment of these predictions. At the end of the world, the sign of his coming will be his personal approach with the glory of his Father and the holy angels, . All the tribes of the earth mourn . This is, either all the tribes or people of the land of Judea shall mourn at the great calamities coming upon them, or all the nations of the world shall wail when He comes to judgment. All the wicked shall mourn at the prospect of their doom, . The cause of their wailing at the day of judgment shall be chiefly that they have pierced, killed, rejected the Saviour, and that they deserve the condemnation that is coming upon them, . And they shall see the Son of man . The Lord Jesus coming to judgment. Probably this refers more directly to his coming at the last day, though it may also mean that the evidence of his coming to destroy Jerusalem shall then be seen. In the clouds of heaven . He ascended in a cloud, . He shall return in like manner, . The clouds of heaven denote not the clouds in heaven, but the clouds that appear to shut heaven, or the sky, from our view. With power . Power, manifest in the destruction of Jerusalem, by the wonders that preceded it, and by the overturning of the temple and city. In the day of judgment, power manifest by consuming the material world, by raising the dead, by changing those who may be alive when he shall come; that is, making their bodies like those who have died, and been raised up, by bringing the affairs of the world to a close, receiving the righteous to heaven, and by sending the wicked, however numerous or however strong, down to hell, . Great glory . The word glory here means the visible display of his honour and majesty. This glory will be manifested by the manner of his coming, by the presence of the angels, ; and by the wonders that shall attend him down the sky. (c) "of man in" (d) "and they shall"

Matthew 24:30-31

Verse 30. The sign of the Son of man. The evidence that Christ is coming to destroy the city of Jerusalem. It is not to be denied, however, that this description is applicable also to his coming at the day of judgment. The disciples had asked him, Mt 24:3 what should be the sign of his coming, and of the end of the world. In his answer, he has reference to both events, and his language may be regarded as descriptive of both. At the destruction of Jerusalem, the sign or evidence of his coming was found in the fulfillment of these predictions. At the end of the world, the sign of his coming will be his personal approach with the glory of his Father and the holy angels, 1Thes 4:16, Lk 21:27, Mt 26:64, Acts 1:11.

All the tribes of the earth mourn. This is, either all the tribes or people of the land of Judea shall mourn at the great calamities coming upon them, or all the nations of the world shall wail when He comes to judgment. All the wicked shall mourn at the prospect of their doom, Rev 1:7. The cause of their wailing at the day of judgment shall be chiefly that they have pierced, killed, rejected the Saviour, and that they deserve the condemnation that is coming upon them, Jn 19:37, Zech 12:12.

And they shall see the Son of man. The Lord Jesus coming to judgment. Probably this refers more directly to his coming at the last day, though it may also mean that the evidence of his coming to destroy Jerusalem shall then be seen.

In the clouds of heaven. He ascended in a cloud, Acts 1:9. He shall return in like manner, Acts 1:11. The clouds of heaven denote not the clouds in heaven, but the clouds that appear to shut heaven, or the sky, from our view.

With power. Power, manifest in the destruction of Jerusalem, by the wonders that preceded it, and by the overturning of the temple and city. In the day of judgment, power manifest by consuming the material world, 2Pet 3:7,10,12by raising the dead, Jn 5:29, 30, 1Cor 15:52 by changing those who may be alive when he shall come; that is, making their bodies like those who have died, and been raised up, 1Thes 4:17, 1Cor 15:52 by bringing the affairs of the world to a close, receiving the righteous to heaven, Mt 25:34, 1Cor 15:57 and by sending the wicked, however numerous or however strong, down to hell, Mt 25:41,46, Jn 5:29.

Great glory. The word glory here means the visible display of his honour and majesty. This glory will be manifested by the manner of his coming, Mt 26:64 by the presence of the angels, Mt 25:31; and by the wonders that shall attend him down the sky.

(c) "of man in" Dan 7:13, Rev 1:7 (d) "and they shall" Mt 16:27, Mk 13:26, Lk 22:69 Verse 31. And he shall send his angels. Angels signify, literally, messengers, Lk 7:24, 9:52. The word is often applied to inanimate objects, or to anything that God employs to rescue his people from danger, Ps 104:4. But it most commonly refers to the race of intelligences more exalted than man, who are employed often in the work of man's rescue from ruin, and his salvation, Heb 1:14. In either of these senses, it might here refer to deliverance granted to his people in the calamities of Jerusalem. It is said that there is reason to believe that not one Christian perished in the destruction of that city, God having in various ways secured their escape, so that they fled to Pella, where they dwelt when the city was destroyed. But the language seems to refer rather to the end of the world; and no doubt its principal application was intended to be to the gathering of his elect, at the day of judgment.

With a great sound of a trumpet. The Jewish assemblies used to be called together by the sound of a trumpet, as ours are by bells, Lev 25:9, Nu 10:2, Jud 3:27. Hence, when they spoke of convening an assembly, they spoke also of doing it by sounding a trumpet. Our Saviour, speaking to Jews, used language to which they were accustomed, and described the assembling of the people at the last day in language which they were accustomed to use in calling assemblies together. It is not certain, however, that he meant that this would be literally so, but only to indicate the certainty that the world would be assembled together. Similar language is often used, when speaking of the judgment, 1Thes 4:16, 1Cor 15:52. A trump, or trumpet was a wind instrument, made at first of the horns of oxen, and afterwards of rams' horns, cut off at the smaller extremity. In some instances it was made of brass, in the form of a horn. The common trumpet was straight, made of brass or silver, a cubit in length, the larger extremity shaped so as to resemble a small bell. In times of peace, in assembling the people, this was sounded softly. In times of calamity, or war, or any great commotion, it was sounded loud. Perhaps this was referred to when our Saviour said, with a great sound of a trumpet.

They shall gather together his elect. Elect. Mt 24:22. The word means Christians--the chosen of God. If this refers to the destruction of Jerusalem, it means, God shall send forth his messengers--whatever he may choose to employ for that purpose--signs, wonders, human messengers, or the angels themselves--and gather Christians into a place of safety, so that they shall not be destroyed with the Jews. If it refers to the last judgment, as it doubtless in a primary or secondary sense does, then it means that he will send his angels to gather his chosen, his elect, together from all places, Mt 13:39,41-43. This shall be done before the living shall be changed, 1Cor 15:51,52, 1Thes 4:16,17.

From the four winds. That is, from the four quarters of the globe--east, west, north, and south. The Jews expressed those quarters by the winds blowing from them. See Eze 37:9. See also Is 43:5,6.

From one end of heaven etc. Mark says, Mk 13:27 from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven." The expression denotes that they shall be gathered from all parts of the earth where they are scattered.

The word heaven is here used to denote the visible heavens or the sky, meaning that through the whole world he would gather them. See Ps 19:1-6, De 4:32.

(1) "angels" or, "with a trumpet and a great voice" (e) "sound" 1Thes 4:16 (f) "his elect" Zech 14:5