Matthew 24:36-51 (Jesus' Second Coming)

Introduction

English Standard Version Chapter 24

No One Knows That Day and Hour

36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

This week we finally arrive at the second part of Matthew chapter 24, it’s the section in which Jesus transitions from describing the events that led up to and culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple in 70 AD, to Jesus’ parousia (pa-ru-sia), the Greek word that refers to Jesus’ second coming. The word parousia literally means, coming.

Twofold question

And again, as we look at verses 36-51 it’s important to keep in mind the disciple’s initial question back in verse 3 in order to rightly understand Jesus’ answer,

English Standard Version Chapter 24

3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Their question is twofold, 1) when will these things be? What things? When will the stones of the Temple be thrown down, and 2) what will be the sign of your coming? What will be the sign of your parousia at the end of the age?

Now, I mentioned this at the outset of our series through Matthew 24, but it’s worth mentioning it again. It’s very likely the disciples asked this question with the assumption that the destruction of the Temple and Jesus’ second coming would be parts of the same eschatological event. In their minds, the destruction of the Temple could only mean one thing, the end of the age, which is why I believe they conflated the two events when they asked, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” They appear to assume that the one must result in the other, that they’re a part of the same event, at the end of the age.

Twofold answer

However, it’s at verse 36 that we see Jesus make a clear distinction between the destruction of the Temple (described in verses 3-35) and his second coming at the end of the age (here in verses 36-51). In the first section, Jesus clearly answers the first part of their question regarding the destruction of the Temple, and he gives them signs that will precede its destruction, as well as signs of its imminent destruction when Jerusalem is finally surrounded by armies. Then in the second section (what we’re going to look at today) Jesus begins to describe his second coming. He says there starting in verse 36,

English Standard Version Chapter 24

36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

No signs

What’s particularly unique about this event is that it will not be accompanied by signs, that concerning the coming of the Son of Man no one will know the day or the hour. This event is different than the destruction of the Temple which is marked specifically by signs. However, in our modern context, the irony is that we tend to attribute the signs that were associated with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple with Jesus’ second coming at the end of the age, but what Jesus is describing here is a time specifically not marked by signs, a coming that is, by design, without signs.

Unexpected

In fact, all of chapter 25 and its parables, which, of course, come immediately after chapter 24, depend upon the unexpected nature of Christ’s coming. Jesus’ answer to his disciple’s question doesn’t begin and end in chapter 24, rather it begins in chapter 24 and ends in chapter 25. And all of the parables in chapter 25, and the short parable here at the end of chapter 24 all depend upon the premise that no one knows the day or the hour of Christ’s coming, that Jesus’ return will be unexpected. Therefore, if there were signs associated with his second coming then his parousia would not be a surprise.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins at the beginning of chapter 25 is all about whether ten unmarried women are ready when the bridegroom shows up unexpectedly in the middle of the night. The Parable of the Talents follows immediately after in chapter 25, verse 14, when a master entrusts his property to three different men, and after a long time returns unannounced to settle accounts with them. And even here in chapter 24, in verses 45-51 Jesus gives a small parable of a master who will come on a day when his servants do not expect.

No signs by design

And it’s also important we understand that, as we walk through this text, Jesus’ second coming is purposefully unaccompanied by signs. His second advent is not accompanied by signs by design. His unexpected arrival is intended to reveal the content of our hearts, it’s a test. “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) Which is why Jesus will go on to give these three parables, to teach his disciples what it means to be ready, what it looks like to be faithful.

Normal, routine affairs

Now, let’s continue reading, and start again there in verse 36,

English Standard Version Chapter 24

36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.

In other words, the coming of the Son of Man will be just like it was in the days of Noah. In those days everyone was engaged in the normal, routine affairs of life, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving marriage, right up until the day Noah entered the ark, they were unaware of the judgement that was coming, until the flood came and swept them all away.

In the Gospel of Luke he records a second, and similar analogy that Jesus gave in Luke 17:28,

English Standard Version Chapter 17

28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, 29 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— 30 so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

When speaking of the great and terrible Day of the Lord in his letter to the church in Thessalonica, the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3,

English Standard Version Chapter 5

5 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

The coming of the Son of Man will take place when no one expects it, when people say, “There is peace and security.”

Not a secret rapture

Then Jesus goes on there in verse 40,

English Standard Version Chapter 24

40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

Some have used this text to teach what’s known as a secret rapture. If you’ve read any of the Left Behind series (or seen and of the films), for instance, texts like this one are understood to teach that people will suddenly be left behind while believers are secretly raptured into heaven, leaving only their clothes behind.

However, I don’t think this text is describing a secret rapture, rather it’s a part of Jesus’ analogy of Noah’s flood. That those who are taken are those who are taken in judgement, like those swept away in Noah’s flood. The imagery here is intended to portray the unexpected nature of the flood sweeping people away in judgement, not Christians being rescued in secret. Jesus is contrasting those who will be taken by the flood of judgement with those who will be saved at the end of the age, at Christ’s second coming.

Stay awake, watch, and be ready

And then notice verse 42,

English Standard Version Chapter 24

42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

As believers we won’t don’t what day our Lord is coming any more than the world does, but we are admonished to “stay awake.” Our escape on the day of judgement will not be because we saw the signs and got out of the city in time like the Christians did in Jerusalem, instead we’ll escape the judgement by remaining awake, watching and by being on guard.

In Mark 14:33 he records Jesus saying this,

English Standard Version Chapter 13

33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.

And then Jesus goes on here in verse 43,

English Standard Version Chapter 24

43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Burglary depends upon surprise, which is why Jesus uses burglary to describe the nature of his coming. And it isn’t that we’re intended to anticipate the surprise, but rather we’re intended to be on constant alert, to always be ready.

Like a thief in the night

In fact, the early church seemed to pick up on this analogy of a thief to describe Jesus’ second coming. We saw earlier in 1 Thessalonians 5:2 where the Apostle Paul wrote,

English Standard Version Chapter 5

2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

The Apostle Peter also wrote in 2 Peter 3:10 that,

English Standard Version Chapter 3

the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

The Apostle John, when writing to the seven churches, said to the church in Sardis,

English Standard Version Chapter 3

3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.

Not like a thief in the night

Now, while Jesus will certainly come at an hour that we do not expect, like a thief in the night, that day should not surprise us like a thief. What do I mean by that? Well, turn with me to 1 Thessalonians 5:4,

English Standard Version Chapter 5

4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.

What does Paul mean when he says, “that day should not surprise you like a thief?” I thought Jesus was coming at a time that none of us would expect? Well, yes, he is coming on a day that none of us expect, but we’re children of the day, we’re children of the light, we’re not walking in darkness, and we shouldn’t be asleep like many others are, but awake and sober minded. As believers, God has not destined us for wrath, but for salvation. Therefore, that day will not elicit fear, but joy. We look forward to his coming, we look forward to the day of our salvation!

The Apostle Peter describes us as those “waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God,” and despite the heavens being set on fire and dissolved, “according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:12-13) If you have turned from your sin, and trusted in Christ alone for your salvation then you will look forward to the return of your king.

However, if you refuse his mercy, if you reject God’s only Son, his coming should be terrifying to you. It’s why his coming can also be described for some as the great and terrible day of the Lord, because for some it will be. But for those who call upon the name of the Lord they will be saved.

Which brings us to Jesus’ point in verses 45-51 here in Matthew 24,

English Standard Version Chapter 24

45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

There will certainly be scoffers that will say, “Where is the promise of his coming?”, who will deny that such a day of reckoning will ever even come, but often more subtle and dangerous is our own propensity to say to ourselves, “my master is delayed”, or “there’s time for me to indulge my flesh,” or “I’ll be faithful tomorrow before my master comes.” So Jesus tells his disciples that he “will come on a day when [that servant] does not expect him, and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place [where] there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Biblical scholar, R.T. France, put it well when he said, “To postpone readiness is to court disaster.” (R.T. France, Matt. Commentary, p. 938)

Conclusion

You see, the servant of God does not wait until tomorrow to be faithful, the faithful and wise servant is the one whom his master will find so doing when he comes, no matter the day or the hour of his coming. The servant of God does not see his master’s absence as an opportunity for sin.

Example

I’ve given this example before, but it’s worth giving it again. As a father I often send my children to clean their room, and at some point I eventually check on them, to make sure their doing what I told them to, or see if they’re finished. They don’t know when I’m coming, I didn’t tell them when I would drop in, but when I throw open the door to their room what will I find? Will I find them busily obeying my commands, or will I find them playing with their toys, neglecting what I’ve asked them to do? Either way they don’t know when I’ll show up, but if they’re busily about their father’s business, my presence won’t surprise them like a thief, they’ll be glad to see me, because they have nothing to be ashamed of.

So my prayer is we too would be faithful and wise servants, servants whom our master will find doing so when he comes.

Prayer