An Interpretation of Matthew 24-25 (Part 11)
Dr. Thomas Ice
And because lawlessness is increased, most people's love willgrow cold. But the one who enduresto the end, he shall be saved." -Matthew 24:12-13
In Matthew24:9-14, Jesus is talking about the spiritual condition of those during thefirst half of the seven-year tribulation period. It is not a pretty sight. Since believers will be persecuted and put to death, extremepressure will be on believers, especially Jewish believers to flake out and fallaway from serving Jesus the Messiah.
Increased Lawlessness
The Greek word anomia is usually translated as "lawless" or"iniquity." It carries with it theidea of deliberately disobeying a specific standard. In the context of this passage-God's standard. Often the word "lawless" is used inapposition to "righteousness" or "good deeds" (Matt. 23:28; Rom. 6:19; 2 Cor.6:14; Titus 2:14; Heb. 1:9). ArnoGaebelein explains:
"Lawlessness shall prevail;"that is, complete anarchy will hold sway. This too is clearly seen in the breaking of the sixth seal (Rev.vi:12-17). The earthquake, thedarkened sun, the blood-red moon, the falling stars, the rolled up heavens andthe removal of mountains and island are all great symbols of starling politicalevents, which will take place in the first three and one-half years. . . . thereign of terror and anarchy, worse than that of the French revolution and theRussian revolution of today, all classes of men, the kings, the wealthy, therich and the poor, the bondman and the free, will be seized with terror. . .. This is the sixth seal, and itis precisely what the Lord saith: "Lawlessness shall prevail!"
This time oflawlessness is surely an unusual time in all human history. Leon Morris says that it is "a way oflife that refuses to recognize any divine law, which is identical for Matthewwith a way of life in which one's neighbor no longer has any legal claim."
What does thephrase "is increased" mean in this context. Commentators are in agreement that it means unusually rapidor exponential increase. Morrisnotes that "the thought is that in the days of which Jesus is speakinglawlessness will not simply increase a little: it will be multiplied."
Love Will Grow Cold
The result oflawless increasing will be that "most people's love will grow cold." There is a cause effect relationship inthis passage. The phrase "mostpeople" is literally "the many." Morris tells us that in this context, "'the many,' indicates themajority; . . . 'most of you.'"[6] This is one of the reasons I think itis speaking of the unbelieving world, as opposed to believers. The rest of Scripture does not supportthe notion that most believers will be characterized by apostasy during thetribulation, instead, this is the state in which the world in general ischaracterized. "This seems morerelated to the general condition of the world," says Ed Glasscock, "than to thefollowers of Jesus."[7]
What does Jesusmean when he says, "love will grow cold." The expression itself is clear: loss of love. The mainsignificance is to see the cause/effect relationship between lawlessness andloss of love. Morris explains itwell:
But real love is impossible for the lawless person. By definition the lawless person ismotivated by personal, selfish concerns, not by any regard for others or forthe rules that govern our intercourse with one another. So with the upsurge of lawlessnessthere is a cooling off of love. The one necessarily involves the other.[8]
It is in justsuch an environment that will facilitate the man of lawlessness of 2Thessalonians 2 to set up his image in God's rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem. And, it is to just such an act thatJesus' current discourse is moving (24:15).
End-Time Endurance
The exact meaningand implications of "the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved," is ahotly debated passage. Some usethis passage to teach a Christian doctrine known as the perseverance of thesaints." While others believe thatit refers to a physical deliverance. I hold to the latter position, primarily because it is the only viewthat makes sense in this specific context.
The first issuethat must be dealt with in this matter is the meaning of the term "saved." Because the word "saved" is used in theNew Testament to refer to the time when one becomes a Christian (the moment ofjustification as in), many just plug that meaning into this passage. The leading Greek lexicon of our dayssays that the basic meaning of this word is "save, keep from harm, preserve, rescue."
Many commentarieson this passage fail to consider the contextual factors before they startsermonizing on endurance in the Christian life. They make this into a passage that teaches the Christiandoctrine of endurance, even though it is not supported by the specific factorsin the text.[11] Truly, there is a Christian doctrine ofendurance taught in the Epistles (Rom. 12:12; 1 Cor. 13:7; 2 Tim. 2:10, 12;Heb. 12:3, 7; James 1:12; 5:11; 1 Pet. 2:20). This doctrine teaches that one of the many characterqualities that believer is to have is endurance. Why is this so? It is true because endurance under suffering produces character (Rom.5:3-4). Yet, none of thosereferences to the Christian doctrine of endurance speak of "enduring to theend." Instead, passages that speakof enduring to the end all occur within the same context-the tribulation (Matt.10:22; 24:13; Mark 13:13; Luke 21:19; Rev. 13:10; 14:12). John Walvoord explains:
The age in general, climaxing with the second coming of Christ,has the promise that those that endure to the end (Mt 24:13), that is, survivethe tribulation and are still alive, will be saved, or delivered, by Christ atHis second coming. This is not areference to salvation from sin, but rather the deliverance of survivors at theend of the age as stated, for instance, in Romans 11:26, where the Delivererwill save the nation Israel from its persecutors.[12]
Specifically thissection is referring to the Jewish remnant, who, if they endure to the end,will be physically rescued by Christ at His second advent and they will go intothe millennial kingdom in their mortal bodies (Matt. 25:21, 34). William Kelly explains: "It is evident that the language isonly applicable in its full force to Jews-believing ones, no doubt, but stillJews in the midst of a nation judicially chastised for their apostacy from Godand rejection of their own Messiah. . . . Thus there is a certain, defined period of endurance-an end to come, astruly as there was a beginning of sorrows."[13]
Parallel Passages
Thereare a number of parallel passages to Matthew 24:13 that support myunderstanding of this text. First,Daniel 12:1 says, "Now at that time Michael, thegreat prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. Andthere will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was anation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is foundwritten in the book, will be rescued." Michael tells Daniel that this will be the time of tribulation in whichthe elect Jews will be rescued, which is the Hebrew word for saved.
Second,Mark 13:13, a direct parallel passage to Matthew 24:13 and says, "And you willbe hated by all on account of My name, but the one who endures to the end, heshall be saved." The first half ofMark 13:13 is a summary statement of Matthew 24:9-12, which is followed by theendurance statement in both passages. Luke 21:18-19, also parallel says, "Yet not a hair of your head willperish. By your endurance you willgain your lives." This is theclearest of all when it reads: "you will gain your lives." "Lives" is the normal word for physicallife.
Third, Matthew 10:22,also within the context of the future tribulation says, "And you will be hatedby all on account of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end whowill be saved." Once again we seean emphasis upon the physical deliverance of Jews during the tribulation aftera time of persecution.
Finally,the two passages in Revelation (13:10 and 14:12) which speak of the"perseverance of the saints," also are references to physical deliverance. Both references are clearly within atribulational context and speak of physical deliverance when one endures to theend.
Conclusion
We have come toan end of a section in Christ's discourse. Speaking specifically to Jewish believers during thetribulation (the remnant), He alerts them to the many dangers that willconfront them during this unique period of history. Having told them of the great trials of this time, Christpromises that the ones who physically make it to the time of His second comingwill be delivered into the Millennial kingdom which will come at the end of thetribulation period. Maranatha!
(To BeContinued . . .)
Endnotes
[1] Arno C. Gaebelein, The Gospel of Matthew: An Exposition (Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, [1910] 1961), pp. 484-85.
[2] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992), f. n., 23, p.600-01.
[3] Robert Govett, The Prophecy on Olivet (Miami Springs, FL: Conley & Schoettle Publishing Co., [1881] 1985), p. 29.
[4] Morris, Matthew, f. n. 22, p. 600.
[5] James Morison, A Practical Commentary on theGospel According to St. Matthew(London: Hodder and Stoughton,1883), p. 461.
[6] Morris, Matthew, f. n. 24, p. 601.
[7] Ed Glasscock, Moody Gospel Commentary: Matthew (Chicago: Moody Press, 1997), p. 466.
[8] Morris, Matthew, p. 601.
[9] William F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich, AGreek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Chicago: University ofChicago Press, 1957), p. 805.
[10] Glasscock, Matthew, p. 466.
[11] An example of one who turns this passage into asermon on Christian endurance is found in John MacArthur, The New TestamentCommentary: Matthew 24-28 (Chicago: Moody Press, 1989), pp. 28-29.
[12] John F. Walvoord, Matthew: Thy Kingdom Come (Chicago: Moody Press, 1974), p. 184.
[13] William Kelly, Lectures on The Gospel ofMatthew (Sunbury, PA: Believers Bookshelf, 1971 [1868]), p.484.