Matthew 24:35

Mat_24:35

But My words shall not pass away.

The words of Christ

The characteristics of our Lords words.

1. The authority which speaks in them.

2. Their elevation.

3. Their awful depth. (Canon Liddon.)

The permanency of Christs teaching

1. The words of Christ are abiding because of their special inspiration. His words cannot die by reason of the living power that is in them.

2. The teachings of Jesus have a great and an enduring task to perform. The gospel has the power of an endless life which the work before it demands. Great things and great ends require great and large preparation. The Niagara Falls is one, if not the greatest, of the wonders of the world; but the river St. Lawrence was twenty-seven thousand years making the deep cutting in the rock which forms the cataract. The great task before the gospel, of bringing the light of truth to every heart, must be accomplished. The efforts of the Church must not be relaxed until this end has been attained. Whatever changes are woven into the nature of things the continuation of gospel teaching is inevitable. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

3. As the gospel has survived the revolutions of more than eighteen centuries, so it will survive those yet to come.

4. The impression which the words of Jesus make on the souls of the redeemed is another proof that they shall not pass away. When the world has passed away, these words will abide in the hearts of men who have believed in Christ. Every portion of the gospel we learn and feel and practice will remain with us for ever. (The Weekly Pulpit.)

The transient and the permanent

Heaven and earth shall pass away.

I. It needs some thoughtfulness to apprehend the transient character of these great objects of our interest.

1. The forms of life and activity with which we are familiar pass away. The morning light, buds, seasons, living creatures, soon die.

2. If we extend our vision and take within its sweep not only the life of the individual, but the course of the ages, and the history of the world. These pass away.

II. And yet in all this there is permanence. The form passes, but the material remains. Perhaps even the material may be our name for the unknown nothing, and there remains only the law, only the type, only the order, which unceasingly lives. Thus the form of the living thing disappears, but life remains; and that vegetable life which we saw so busy and so plentiful in forms of flower and leaf and tree, shall next year bring forth new flowers and put out fresh leaves; and when the trees that to-day stand erect, monarchs of the forest, shall, fallen prone, be slowly turning into the fuel of future ages, that same life shall yet be lifting up new pillars of the forest, tall and stately, beautiful and strong, over which new generations of branches and leaves shall wave beneath the sunshine and be swayed by the breezes of the future years. And so is it with the life of the animal and man. This animal, this man, may perish, but man remain. And the human race has not vanished. Babylon, Egypt, and ancient Greece and Rome have disappeared, but man remains, in his essential nature unchanged. The moods of the sensitive nature pass away and follow each other like the shadows on the mountain-side when the fleecy clouds are floating oer the sky on a summer noon. And yet there is something that remains. There is the subject of these sensations; there is that element which is always present in these conscious states which knows itself and them, and the differences between each state, and the resemblances and the differences between itself and them, and the combination of all into one homogeneous whole. There is something permanent, something that lasts. You cannot destroy, you cannot waste it, you cannot, indeed, change it. It is itself-itself always-eternal, I believe, as the eternal God. Or we might illustrate it again in relation to thoughts, to ideas, to concepts; to those class cognitions of the mind which result from the comparison and the abstract classification of states of sensation, of memory, of judgment. We thus gain ideas-the good, the beautiful, the true, the evil, the human, the Divine. The individual states, the individual acts, the individual persons who, by these acts, produce these states-all these may vanish. They may be only a memory; or even grow in memory dim, and at last fade away from the last reminiscence of the soul; but the ideas we have formed-that abstract beauty, goodness, humanity, or divineness-these remain. Their light will play about other forms; their relations dwell within the caverns of our nature and fill them with music, or make them hideous with discord.

III. Thus the words of Christ seem only to be the following, accompaniment of what we saw on all sides of our quest-that there is a permanent, and that there is a transient. He goes down to the very base of the nature, and declares that a man must be born from above if he is to see the kingdom of God. The spiritual only can behold the things of that kingdom, which are wholly spiritual. The worship of God is to be in spirit and in truth. His own very words are to be interpreted in the sphere of the spiritual and the true, and the work He came to do for men was not to make their lot here easy or hard, not to spread lifes path with flowers or with thorns; it had no respect to these mere circumstances and conditions of outer life. But it went to the very centre of being, to the inner personality of the man. And, as Christ Himself gave up all that He had that was external, material, physical, letting it all go in death, and living only in His living union with the eternal God, so must man live only in that living personality, letting all else die with Christ, and even when living, not living except as Christ lived in him. (L. D. Bevan, D. D.)

The immutability of the words of Christ

I. The permanence and immutability of the gospel are proofs of the perfection of its plan.

II. The immortality of the words of Christ is proof of their perfect adaptability to the constitution and course of nature.

III. Is proof of their perfect consonance with absolute truth.

IV. Is proof of their identity with the ultimate basis of life.

V. Two lessons.

1. He that formulated this immutable scheme and must be Divine.

2. Upon these words of Christ we have an assured and stable basis upon which to build for eternity. (E. S. P.)

The enduring word

I. What word is this?

1. My Word. Who spoke this word? Jesus Christ the Saviour. Must not He be God who could fling upon the winds such a prophecy as this, and be sure of its everlasting success? It is not the word of Jeremiah, John, etc. They were the instruments, but Christs word is nevertheless audible in all.

2. What are some of the marks and characteristics of Christs word?

Given in the Bible.

1. Authoritative. We hear men saying, We want an authority: here it is.

2. True.

3. Spirit and life.

4. Never man spake like this man.

II. What does Christ say? of His word? It shall not pass away. Empires, etc., have passed away, but the word of Christ still survives; it speaks with undiluted emphasis; it spreads with uninterrupted speed. All things that threatened to extinguish it have only aided it. Those things that once seemed to rise like mountain obstructions to its march are day by day dissolving like wreaths of snow in the sunshine, in contrast to the advancing and triumphant word of the Lord. And when the new heaven and the new earth shall come, Christs word shall not cease. The only change will be, all its promises will be enjoyments, etc. Comfort for the believer. Of the least promise that you choose to select you may say, Heaven and earth, etc. Encouragement to the seeker, worker, minister, etc. (J. Cumming, D. D.)

The immutability of the Divine Word

1. The certainty of Divine truth.

2. The words of Christ considered in their necessary imperishableness.

3. The words of Christ shall never pass away, because they form the last of that series of communications given by God to a lost world.

4. Because they are founded on eternal truth, and on the fixed counsels of the immutable God.

5. Because of their connection with His own final glory as Mediator.

6. These are the words preached unto you. (D. Moore, M. A.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24:35 Jesus’ words are as sure as God’s own (see 5:18; Isa 40:8; 55:11; 59:21).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mat 24:35. Ὁ οὐρανὸς, heaven) The motion of which is otherwise regulated by the most unerring laws.—ἡ γῆ, the earth) which is otherwise most firmly founded.—λόγοι Μου, My words) The plural number is employed; cf. πάντα, all, Mat 24:34, which is likewise plural.—οὐ μὴ παρέλθωσι, shall not pass away) q.d. My words shall correspond exactly with the event; although it does not appear so to men immediately. Heaven and earth will give place to the new heaven and new earth, which are described by My words. The firmness of the law is illustrated in a similar manner in ch. Mat 5:18.

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

Mat_24:35. With the preceding πάντα ταῦτα γένηται will commence the passing away of the fabric of the world as it now exists (2Pe_3:7-8); but what I say (generally, though with special reference to the prophetic utterances before us) will certainly not pass away, will abide as imperishable truth (v. 18). The utterance which fails of its accomplishment is conceived of as something that perishes (Addit. Est_7:2), that ceases to exist. Comp. ἐκπίπτειν, Rom_9:6.

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 24:35 . eclaration similar to that in chap. Mat 5:18 concerning the validity of the law.

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

The Lord doth now begin the judgment, which he will make an end of in the latter day.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(35) Heaven and earth.—The tone is that of One who speaks with supreme authority, foreseeing, on the one hand, death and seeming failure, but on the other, the ultimate victory, not of truth only in the abstract, but of His own word as the truth. The parallelism of the words with those of Psa_102:26, Isa_40:8, gives them their full significance. The Son of Man claims for His own words the eternity which belongs to the words of Jehovah. (Comp. 1Pe_1:24-25.) The whole history of Christendom witnesses to the fulfilment of the prophetic claim. Amid all its changes and confusions, its errors and its sins, the words of Christ have not passed away, but retain their pre-eminence as the last and fullest revelation of the Father.

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

35. This verse was originally omitted in the Sinaitic MS., but is inserted by a later hand.

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.

But of that day and hour knoweth no man,.... Which is to be understood, not of the second coming of Christ, the end of the world, and the last judgment; but of the coming of the son of man, to take vengeance on the Jews, and of their destruction; for the words manifestly regard the date of the several things going before, which only can be applied to that catastrophe, and dreadful desolation: now, though the destruction itself was spoken of by Moses and the prophets, was foretold by Christ, and the believing Jews had some discerning of its near approach; see Heb 10:25 yet the exact and precise time was not known: it might have been: calculated to a year by Daniel's weeks, but not to the day and hour; and therefore our Lord does not say of the year, but of the day and hour no man knows; though the one week, or seven years, being separated from the rest, throws that account into some perplexity; and which perhaps is on purpose done, to conceal the precise time of Jerusalem's destruction: nor need it be wondered at, notwithstanding all the hints given, that the fatal day should not be exactly known beforehand; when those who have lived since, and were eyewitnesses of it, are not agreed on what day of the month it was; for, as Dr. Lightfoot (i) observes, Josephus (k) says,

"that the temple perished the "tenth" day of "Lous", a day fatal to the temple, as having been on that day consumed in flames, by the king of Babylon.

And yet Rabbi Jochanan ben Zaccai, who was also at the destruction of it, as well as Josephus, with all the Jewish writers, say it was on the "ninth of Ab"; for of this day they (l) say, five things happened upon it:

"On the "ninth of Ab" it was decreed concerning our fathers, that they should not enter into the land (of Canaan), the first and second temple were destroyed, Bither was taken, and the city ploughed up.

Though the words of R. Jochanan, cited by the doctor, refer to the first, and not to the second temple, and should have been rendered thus:

"If I had been in the generation (which fixed the fast for the destruction of the first temple), I would not have fixed it but on the tenth (of Ab); for, adds he, the greatest part of the temple was burnt on that day; but the Rabbins rather regarded the beginning of the punishment (m).

And so the fasting of Rabbi, and R. Joshua ben Levi, on the "ninth" and "tenth" days, were on account of the first temple; for they were under the same difficulty about the one, as the other:

no, not the angels of heaven; who dwell there, always behold the face of God, stand in his presence ready to do his will, and are made acquainted with many of his designs, and are employed in the executing of them, and yet know not the time of God's vengeance on the Jews; to this agrees the sense that is given of the day of vengeance in Isa 63:4 it is asked (n),

"what is the meaning of these words, "the day of vengeance is in my heart?" Says R. Jochanan, to my heart I have revealed it, to the members I have not revealed it: says R. Simeon ben Lakish, to my heart I have revealed it, , "to the ministering angels I have not revealed it".

The Ethiopic version adds here, "nor the son", and so the Cambridge copy of Beza's; which seems to be transcribed from Mar 13:32 where that phrase stands; and must be understood of Christ as the son of man, and not as the Son of God; for as such, he lay in the bosom of the Father, and knew all his purposes and designs; for these were purposed in him: he knew from the beginning who would betray him, and who would believe in him; he knew what would befall the rejecters of him, and when that would come to pass; as he must know also the day of the last judgment, since it is appointed by God, and he is ordained to execute it: but the sense is, that as he, as man and mediator, came not to destroy, but to save; so it was not any part of his work, as such, to know, nor had he it in commission to make known the time of Jerusalem's ruin:

but my Father only; to the exclusion of all creatures, angels and men; but not to the exclusion of Christ as God, who, as such, is omniscient; nor of the Holy Spirit, who is acquainted with the deep things of God, the secrets of his heart, and this among others,

(i) In Mark xiii. 32. (k) De Bello Jud. l. 6. c. 26. (l) Misu. Taanith, c. 4. sect. 7. T. Hieros. Taanioth, fol. 68. 3. & Maimon. Hilch. Taanioth, c. 5. sect. 2. (m) T. Bab, Taanith, fol. 29. 1. (n) T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 99. 1.

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

35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Ver. 35. Heaven and earth shall pass, &c.] What God hath written he hath written. His word is established in heaven, saith David, Psa 119:89; it endureth for ever, saith Peter, 1Pe 1:25; it remaineth firm as Mount Sion, and shall stand inviolable when heaven shall pass away with a great noise, and the earth with its works shall be burnt up, 2Pe 3:10, to the terror and confusion of those profane scoffers who deridingly demand, "Where is the promise of his coming?" &c. Mat 24:4; that say, "Let him make speed and hasten his work, that we may see it," Isa 5:19; "Woe to you that thus desire the day of the Lord. To what end is it for you? The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light," Amo 5:18. The great day of the Lord is near, it is near and hasteth greatly. It is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, to them "that are settled on their lees, and that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil," Zep 1:12-15.

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.

Heaven and earth shall pass away ... - You may sooner expect to see the heaven and earth pass away and return to nothing, than my words to fail.

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

Shall pass away: because they shall be charged at the end of the world into a new heaven and new earth. (Challoner)

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).

35. My words shall not pass — That is, his predictions of the catastrophe so early as in that generation. Not only would the temple, Jerusalem, the Jewish state pass away, but even heaven and earth would pass rather than his prediction fail.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Christ adds a solemn assurance that his words have in them a vitality and endurance which the mightiest works of nature do not possess. The facts and truths embodied in his words are sure and steadfast, and what he has promised or predicted shall inevitably be fulfilled. This verse is omitted by a but it is most probably genuine, as it undoubtedly has its place in the other two synoptists. (comp. 1Pe_1:24, 1Pe_1:25)

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

(M) 35. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.]—οὐ μὴ παρέλθωσιν] for Mk.’s οὐ παρελεύσονται. Cf. on v. 18, and Moulton, 190-192.

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