Delivered to tribulation, death, hated by all nations
False prophets arise and mislead
Lawlessness increased
Sun and moon darkened
Stars will fall from the sky
Heavenly bodies will be shaken
Then … “the end will come” (Matthew 24:29)
How to interpret the language of Matthew 24
Context
Pronouns
Figurative or literal language
Where and when
Preceding context – Matthew 21
Matthew 21:23 – Jesus is speaking to Jews in the temple.
Preceding context – Matthew 23
Matthew 23:34-36 – Jesus is still speaking to Jews. Bad things would happen to them because they had done bad things. These things would happen in their generations (Matthew 23:35).
Immediate context – Matthew 24
Matthew 24:32-35 – Jesus is still speaking to Jews. Things would happen in the time of that generation (Matthew 24:34).
Outline of the chapter
Matthew 24:1-4 – Disciples’ questions
Matthew 24:4-44 – Jesus’ answer
Matthew 24:45-25:30 – Three parables
Matthew 24:45-41 – Evil servant
Matthew 25:1-13 – Ten virgins
Matthew 25:14-30 – Talents
Matthew 24:2 – “These things” are the temple buildings in verse 1.
Matthew 24:3 – The KJV here has “end of the world” but the NASB and a number of other translations have “end of the age.” When the Romans destroyed the temple and Jerusalem, the Jewish “age” or “system” as depicted in the Old Testament ceased to exist.
Matthew 24:4-14 – Events leading up to “the end.”
Matthew 24:15-16 – See Daniel 9:24-27.
Matthew 24:29-33 – Compare similar language in other places:
Isaiah 13:9-10 – Isaiah 13:1 shows that this was talking about Babylon.
Mark 16:15-16 – Belief is a prerequisite for baptism.
John 3:35 – See I Peter 1:22-25
Acts 2:36-38 – People must repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. Compare the language in Matthew 26:28. Arguments have been made about the word “for” but the underlying Greek word eis always points forward.
Acts 11:13-14; 10:47-48
Acts 22:16 – Compare Acts 9:3-4, 8-9. Saul believed at this point but still needed to have his sins forgiven.
The idea that when Jesus died, He died only to save those who God had already decided would be saved.
“God the Father decreed the salvation of an elect people, Christ died with the intention of redeeming those people through their union with Him and accomplished that task, and without fail the Holy Spirit brings that accomplished work to fruition in the life of the elect at the time and in the manner determined by God.” – James White, Debating Calvinism, p. 170
“Christ’s redeeming work was definite in design and accomplishment – that it was intended to render complete satisfaction for certain specified sinners, and that it actually secured salvation for these individuals and for no one else … Redemption, therefore, was designed to bring to pass God’s purpose for election.” – Steele, Thomas, and Quinn, The Five Points of Calvinism, p. 39-40
“Christ’s saving work was limited in that it was designed to save some and not others, but it was not limited in value, for it was of infinite worth and would have secured salvation for everyone if this had been God’s intention.” – Steele, Thomas, and Quinn, The Five Points of Calvinism, p. 40
Proof texts used by Calvinists
John 17
“So clear was the particularity of His work of redemption that in His High Priestly prayer the Lord says, ‘I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours’ (John 17:9).” – James White, Debating Calvinism, p. 177
“Jesus, in His High Priestly Prayer, prays not for the world, but for those given to Him by the Father. In fulfillment of the Father’s charge, Jesus had accomplished the work the Father had sent Him to do—to make God known to His people and to give them eternal life.” – Steele, Thomas, and Quinn, The Five Points of Calvinism, p. 47
Jesus was specifically praying for His apostles here.
“Isaiah prophesied, ‘He was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people’ (Isaiah 53:8). The angel told Joseph, ‘You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins’ (Matthew 1:21). Jesus explained, ‘The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many’ (Matthew 20:28). ‘I am the good shepherd,’ he preached. ‘The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep’ (John 10:11, emphasis added in all cited verses).” – Phillips, What’s So Great About the Doctrines of Grace?, p. 54
Where in the Bible do we read that the “elect” is a closed group that you cannot get into?
Counter-texts
John 3:14-16 – Whoever believes will be saved. The condition was pre-selected – not the people.
Acts 10:43 – “everyone who believes”
Hebrews 5:9 – “all those who obey Him”
John 1:29
I Timothy 2:6
Titus 2:11
Hebrews 2:9
I John 2:1-2
Matthew 7:21
Mark 16:16
John 3:16
Acts 10:43
Hebrews 5:9
II Peter 3:9
Irresistible grace
“Just as Christ had the power and authority to raise Lazarus to life without obtaining his ‘permission’ to do so, He is able to raise His elect to spiritual life with just as certain a result.” – James White, Debating Calvinism, p. 197
“Simply stated, this doctrine asserts that the Holy Spirit never fails to bring to salvation those sinners whom He personally calls to Christ. He inevitably applies salvation to every sinner whom He intends to save, and it is His intention to save all the elect.” – Steele, Thomas, and Quinn, The Five Points of Calvinism, p. 52
“Therefore, just as unconditional election describes the grace of the Father and limited atonement describes the grace of the Son, irresistible grace presents the grace of the Holy Spirit.” – Phillips, What’s so Great About the Doctrines of Grace?, p. 70
Counter-texts
Acts 7:51 – “resisting the Holy Spirit”?
“The doctrine of irresistible grace does not mean that every influence of the Holy Spirit cannot be resisted. It means that the Holy Spirit, whenever he chooses, can overcome all resistance and make his influence irresistible.” – John Piper, Five Points, p. 22
Matthew 11:28 – “all who are weary …”?
John 7:37
Why preach to all? (Matthew 11:28; John 7:37)
Calvinists claim there are two calls:
There’s an outward, “general call of the gospel” that goes to everyone and “often … falls on unreceptive ears.” – John Piper, Five Points, p. 22
But there’s a second, inward call: “the Holy Spirit, in order to bring God’s elect to salvation, extends to them a special inward call in addition to the outward call contained in the gospel message … The inward change wrought in the elect sinner enables him to understand and believe spiritual truth … the renewed sinner freely and willingly turns to Christ as Lord and Savior … the special inward call of the Spirit never fails to result in the conversion of those to whom it is made … The grace which the Holy Spirit extends to the elect cannot be thwarted or refused; it never fails to bring them to true faith in Christ.” – Steele, Thomas, and Quinn, The Five Points of Calvinism, p. 53-54
Two calls in I Corinthians 1:23-24? No. There is just the call of the gospel. Romans 1:16
Acts 13:48 – “as many as were appointed to eternal life believed”
When did they start to believe?
Is their appointment why they believed?
How did they believe?
See Romans 10:17. This is how you develop faith.
John 3:15-16 – Belief led to eternal life.
Acts 16:14 – Was Lydia’s heart opened supernaturally?
Lydia heard Paul’s inspired words, through which the Lord opened her heart, and she was baptized. In other words, could it be that the Lord opened her heart through the inspired words of Paul? (Compare Acts 2:37; I Thessalonians 2:13.)
See I Timothy 2:4. The very fact that God wants ALL to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, but only SOME do, proves that God is not irresistibly causing it.
Compare Matthew 5:20; 6:1-5; 7:3-5, 12, 15. Jesus makes similar points here.
Matthew 23:5-12 – Warnings against pride.
Matthew 23:13 – See Isaiah 5:8, 13, 18, 20, 21, 22. Jesus was speaking like a prophet here, which would have surely caught their ear. It is easy to discourage others with our behavior, especially new Christians or non-Christians.
Matthew 23:16-22 – All of these examples of oaths go back to God’s authority. Misusing God’s name in this way is essentially taking the Lord’s name in vain.
Matthew 23:23-24 – Don’t focus so much on the details that you lose sight of the bigger picture.
