Matthew 24:11

Here are two signs more given:

1. The abounding of false teachers.

2. The abatements of Christians’ zeal, and love to God.

For the matter of Mat 24:11, See Poole on "Mat 24:23" and See Poole on "Mat 24:24", where we shall meet with it more fully.

By the aboundings of iniquity here, we may either understand the rage, and malice, and cruelty of the enemies of the gospel; or the apostasy of such as are professors. Both these are great temptations, and though they will not extinguish that holy fire which God hath kindled in good souls, yet they have oft times a very ill influence upon them, to abate of their former warmth in the ways of God. Or if we understand it of love to brethren, the apostasy of professors much cools the Christian, not knowing who they may trust and confide in as sincere. If by the abounding of iniquity we understand the abounding of profaneness in the general, (which always also aboundeth most in times of persecution), that also hath no small influence upon Christians’ warmth in their profession, to cool and abate it: see Heb 10:25; 2Ti 1:15; 4:16.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Mat 24:11-13. Καὶ πολλοὶ, κ.τ.λ., and many, etc.) Faith, love, and hope must be anxiously preserved.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat_24:11. Besides this ruinous apostasy in consequence of persecution from without, there is the propagation of error by false Christian teachers living in the very bosom of the church itself (comp. Mat_7:15). These latter should not be more precisely defined (Köstlin: extreme antinomian tendencies; Hilgenfeld: those who adhere to Pauline views; comp. also Weiss, Bibl. Theol. p. 586, ed. 2). The history of the apostolic age has sufficiently confirmed this prediction, Act_20:30; 1Jn_4:1.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 24:11 . ψευδοπροφῆται , false prophets. The connection requires that these should be within the Christian community (otherwise in Mat 24:24 ), giving false presentations of the faith with corrupt motives. A common feature in connection with new religious movements ( vide on Mat 7:15 ).

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 11. False prophets] Also were to be raised up; such as Simon Magus and his followers; and the false apostles complained of by St. Paul, 2Co 11:13, who were deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. Such also were Hymeneus and Philetus, 2Ti 2:17-18.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(11) Many false prophets shall rise.—The later writings of the New Testament bear repeated testimony to this feature of the ten years that preceded the destruction of Jerusalem. St. John speaks of false prophets (1Jn_4:1), and many antichrists (1Jn_2:18); St. Peter of “false teachers” (2Pe_2:1), like the false prophets of old; St. Paul of men who should give heed to seducing spirits (1Ti_4:1). These show the extent of the evil which was the natural outcome of the feverish excitement of the people. In Josephus (Wars, vi. 5, § 2) we have the record of this working of false prophecy in more immediate connection with Judæa and Jerusalem. Up to the last moment of the capture of the city by Titus, men were buoyed up with false hopes of deliverance, based on the predictions of fanatics and impostors.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11. false prophets] At the siege of Jerusalem “false prophets suborned by the Zealots kept the people in a state of feverish excitement, as though the appointed Deliverer would still appear.” Milman’s History of the Jews, ii. 371.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And many false prophets shall rise,.... Out of, from among the churches of Christ; at least under the name of Christians; for false teachers are here meant, men of heretical principles, pretending to a spirit of prophecy, and to new revelations, and a better understanding of the Scriptures; such as Simon Magus, Ebion, and Cerinthus, who denied the proper deity, and real humanity of Christ; Carpocrates, and the Gnostics his followers, the Nicolaitans, Hymcneus, Philetus, and others:

and shall deceive many: as they all of them had their followers, and large numbers of them, whose faith was subverted by them; and who followed their pernicious ways, being imposed upon and seduced by their fair words, specious pretences, and licentious practices.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

Ver. 11. And shall deceive many] Witness the Eastern and Western Antichrist, those deceitful workers, that have drawn millions of souls into hell by their grand impostures. The world went wondering after those two beasts, which, as the panther, hid their horrid heads, that they might take men with their flesh pleasing superstitions. And (as the serpent scytale) when they cannot otherwise overtake the flying passenger, they so bewitch him with their beauty and bravery, that he hath no power to pass away.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And many false prophets - Many men pretending to be prophets or foretellers of future events. This refers not to the false “Messiahs” of which he had spoken Mat 24:5, but to prophets who should appear during the siege of the city. Of them Josephus says: “The tyrannical zealots who ruled the city suborned “many false prophets” to declare that aid would be given to the people from heaven. This was done to prevent them from attempting to desert, and to inspire confidence in God.” - “Jewish Wars,” b. 6 chapter 5, section 2, 3.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And many false prophets shall rise, like those lying teachers mentioned by St. Peter, (2nd Epistle chap. ii. ver. 1) who shall bring in sects of perdition, (i.e. heresies destructive of salvation) bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

False prophets (ver. 24). These were not necessarily predictors or soothsayers, but teachers having, as they said, a message from God. Such pretenders have arisen in every great crisis; but the Jews a few years later were deceived continually by fanatics or impostors, who professed to be inspired, and premised the infatuated people deliverance, urging them to resist the Romans, in expectation of the coming of Messiah to lead them to immediate victory (comp. Josephus, "Bell. Jud:," 6:5:2). The designation "false prophets" applies also to those heretical teachers who vexed the peace of the early Church, and of whom St. John expressly speaks, "Many false prophets are gone out into the world". (1Jn_4:1) These were Judaizing and Gnostic teachers, who tried to mar the good work of the apostles. (see Act_20:30 Rom_16:17, 18 2Co_11:13 Gal_1:7-9 Col_2:18-23, etc.) Throughout the Christian ages heresiarchs have always raised their evil voices, and the history of the Church is very much composed of accounts of such teachers, and of the efforts made to suppress them and to correct their pernicious doctrines.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11. Many false prophets. False teachers. Compare Gal. 1:7; 1 John 2:12, 18; 4:1; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 Tim. 4:1. See also Josephus, Book VI. 5, sec. 3.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

11. ψευδοπροφῆται. At the siege of Jerusalem ‘false prophets suborned by the Zealots kept the people in a state of feverish excitement, as though the appointed Deliverer would still appear.’ Milman’s History of the Jews, II. 371. Cp. 1Jn 4:1-3.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(L) 11. And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray.]

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.