Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 24:3

"And as he sat on the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" — Matthew 24:3 (ASV)

The little procession continued ascending the Mount of Olives until Jesus reached a resting-place from which He could see the temple (Mark 3:3). There He sat down, and the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”

These are the questions that have been asked in every age since our Savior’s day. There are two distinct questions here, perhaps three. The disciples inquired first about the time of the destruction of the temple, and then about the sign of Christ’s coming, and of “the consummation of the age” (R.V. margin).

The answers of Jesus contained much that was mysterious and that could only be fully understood as what He foretold actually occurred. He told His disciples some things that related to the siege of Jerusalem, some that concerned His Second Advent, and some that would immediately precede “the end of the world.”

When we have clearer light, we may possibly perceive that all our Savior’s predictions on this memorable occasion had some connection with all three of these great events.

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world?

The little procession continued ascending the Mount of Olives until Jesus reached a resting-place from which he could see the temple (Mark 13:3). There he sat down, and the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world? These are the questions that have been asked in every age since our Savior's day. There are two distinct questions here, perhaps three.

The disciples inquired first about the time of the destruction of the temple, and then about the sign of Christ's coming, and of "the consummation of the age" (R.V. margin). The answers of Jesus contained much that was mysterious, and that could only be fully understood as what he foretold actually occurred. He told his disciples some things which related to the siege of Jerusalem, some which concerned his Second Advent, and some which would immediately precede "the end of the world." When we have clearer light, we may possibly perceive that all our Savior's predictions on this memorable occasion had some connection with all three of these great events.

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives,

The little procession continued ascending the Mount of Olives, until Jesus reached a resting-place from which he could see the temple.

The disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

There are two distinct questions here, perhaps three. The disciples inquired first about the time of the destruction of the temple, and then about the sign of Christ's coming, and of "the consummation of the age", as it is in the margin of the Revised Version. The answers of Jesus contained much that was mysterious, which could only be fully understood as what he foretold actually occurred. He told his disciples some things which related to the siege of Jerusalem, some which concerned his Second Advent, and some which would immediately precede "the end of the world."

When we have clearer light, we may possibly perceive that all our Saviour's predictions on this memorable occasion had some connection with all three of these great events.