Matthew 24:39

And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. For the exposition of this wonderful Prophecy, which will be best apprehended by taking all the records of it together, see the notes at Mark 13:1....

39._And knew not until the deluge came. _The source and cause of their ignorance was, that unbelief had blinded their minds; as, on the other hand, we are informed by the Apostle, that _Noah _beheld at a distance, by the eyes of _faith, _the vengeance of God which was still concealed, so as to entertain an early dread of it, (Hebrews 11:7.) And here Christ compares _Noah _with the rest of the world, and _Lot _with _the inhabitants of Sodom, _that believers may learn to withdraw, lest they wander and be cut off along with others. But it must be observed that the reprobate, at that time, were hardened in their wickedness, because the Lord did not show his grace to any but his servants, by giving them a salutary warning to beware in proper time. Not that information of the future deluge was altogether withheld from the inhabitants of the world—before whose eyes

29-41 Christ foretells his second coming. It is usual for prophets to speak of things as near and just at hand, to express the greatness and certainty of them. Concerning Christ's second coming, it is foretold that there shall be a great change, in order to the making all things new. Then they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds. At his first coming, he was set for a sign that should be spoken against, but at his second coming, a sign that should be admired. Sooner or later, all sinners will be mourners; but repenting sinners look to Christ, and mourn after a godly sort; and those who sow in those tears shall shortly reap in joy. Impenitent sinners shall see Him whom they have pierced, and, though they laugh now, shall mourn and weep in endless horror and despair. The elect of God are scattered abroad; there are some in all places, and all nations; but when that great gatherin...

Verse 39. _AND KNEW NOT_] _They considered not _- did not lay Noah's warning to heart, till it was too late to profit by it: so _shall_ _it be _- and so it _was_ in this coming of the Son of man....

THEY KNEW NOT - That is, they knew not the exact time until it came upon them. So, says he, it shall be when the Son of man shall come. They shall not know “the precise time” until he comes, and then they will be found engaged in the ordinary business of life unconcerned....

EXPOSITION MATTHEW 24:1 PROPHECY OF THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM, AND OF THE TIMES OF THE END. (Mark 13:1; Luke 21:5.) There is no reason to think, with Olshauson, that St. Matthew or his editor has considerably amplified the original discourse of our Lord by introducing details and expressions from other quarters. The discourse, as we now have it (Matthew 24:1. and 25.), forms a

AND KNEW NOT UNTIL THE FLOOD CAME,.... That is, they did not advert or give heed to what Noah said to them about it: they slighted and despised his warnings; they did not believe, that what he said of the flood was true; they had notice of it, but they would not know it, and therefore God gave them up to judicial blindness and hardness of heart; and so they remained, until it came upon them at once: AND TOOK THEM ALL AWAY; the whole world of the ungodly, every man, woman, and child, except eight persons only; Noah and his wife, and his three sons and their wives; for the deluge was universal, and reached to all the inhabitants of the world, who all perished in it, excepting the above persons. SO SHALL ALSO THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN BE: such shall be, as it was, the case of the Jews, before the destruction of Jerusalem: they gave themselves up to all manner of wickedness and uncleann...

SON OF MAN (_ See Scofield) - (Matthew 8:20). _...

12. THE OLIVET DISCOURSE; THE KING REVEALS THE FUTURE OF THE KINGDOM. Chapter s 24-25. CHAPTER 24 1. The Destruction of the Temple Foretold. (Matthew 24:1 .) 2. The Questions of the Disciples. (Matthew 24:3 .) 3. The End of the Age; Events Preceding His Coming.(Matthew 24:4 .) 4. The Great Tribulation and what will Happen. (Matthew 24:15 .) 5. The Visible and Glorious Return of the King.(Matthew 24:27 .) 6. The Exhortations of the King. ...

MATTHEW 24 F. THE ESCHATOLOGICAL DISCOURSE, AND THE PARABLES OF PAROUSIA (Mark 13*, Luke 21:5 *, Luke 17:23). Mt. follows Mk. fairly closely, but appends other eschatological sayings and illustrative parables (ch. 25). The discourse arises out of a prediction of the destruction of the Temple, and is spoken in Mt. not to four disciples but to the Twelve, who ask for the sign of Thy coming (_i.e._ as Messiah, _parousia),_ and of the end of the world (or age). Jesus enumerates the events that must first occur (Matthew 24:4). With Matthew 24:4 _cf._ Mark