Joseph Smith - Matthew
An extract from the translation of the Bible as revealed to Joseph Smith the Prophet in 1831: Matthew 23:39 and chapter 24.
Joseph Smith-Matthew (hereafter JS-M) is the prophet Joseph's inspired revision of Matthew 23:39 and Matthew chapter 24. See the supplemental article, Joseph Smith's Inspired Revision of the Bible.
Just three days before his crucifixion, Jesus and his disciples left the temple and climbed the Mount of Olives, where they had a dramatic view of the temple and Jerusalem. Here his disciples asked the Lord about his second coming in glory. They asked, "When shall these things be . . . and what is the sign of thy coming?" (JS-M 1:4). His lengthy and detailed answer provides one of the most important revelations on the signs of the times and of the second coming. Known as the Olivet discourse because it was given on the Mount of Olives, the full discourse is given in Matthew 24 and 25. Section 45 of the Doctrine and Covenants also includes an important version of the Savior's Olivet Discourse. As the Lord concluded the revelation of D&C 45, he told Joseph: "It shall not be given unto you to know any further concerning this chapter [likely referring to the "chapter" of the Lord's second coming], until the New Testament be translated" (D&C 45:60). The day after D&C 45 was received, Joseph began his study and inspired revision of the New Testament. It was March 8, 1831. It did not take him long to reach Matthew 24. For a rather extensive discussion of the signs of the Lord's second coming, see the sequence of chapters 24, 25, and 26 in Ye Shall Know of the Doctrine, volume 3-all concerned with the signs of the Lord's second coming.
The documents from which the JS-M is derived show that Joseph spent more time revising Matthew 24 than any other portion of the New Testament. The record indicates that he edited the material three times before he was satisfied with it. In doing so, the Prophet added nearly four hundred fifty new words to the Matthew version, representing about a 50-percent increase in the text.
The Olivet Prophecy in Matthew 24 has caused considerable confusion in the secular Christian world, as it contains information both on the fall of Jerusalem (which occurred in AD 70) and on the second coming of the Savior. Yet it is so constructed that it is impossible to sort out which verses refer to which event. One major contribution of the JS-M is to clarify this confusion. The Lord has made it clear that he wants his saints in this latter dispensation to understand what is coming. For this reason he has given us the JS-M and D&C 45.
Even though there is considerable additional text, there is only one new verse added (verse 55) which has no correlation in the King James Bible. Thus, the additional material which the JS-M contributes is an expansion of that already in Matthew. There is also a significant reordering of the verses in Matthew 24 which aids in understanding. The Prophet moved three verses (7, 8, and 9) from their position in the King James text and placed them at various points later in the narrative. This change gave the prophecy a new chronological sequence, or more accurately, it gave it a more definite and understandable chronological sequence. There is also a repetition of three verses which shows that there is to be a recurrence of ancient events in the latter days. It is this reordering and repetition of passages which brings understanding to that area in which there has been the greatest confusion among Bible scholars.
Joseph did not use all the material available to him as he translated Matthew 24. For example, he used none of the information the Lord revealed to him in D&C 45. Further, we find that Joseph incorporated material in Luke that we do not find in Matthew and, in fact, added changes that increased Luke's individuality. "All this suggests that Joseph Smith was not trying to restore the exact words the Savior spoke on the Mount of Olives. If that had been his intent, he surely would have used the material revealed to him in section 45 which is, in all probability, the most literal (D&C 45:23). After carefully looking at Joseph's rendition, one LDS scholar concluded that Joseph had a different intent. Speaking of Matthew 24, he said:
This is the most dramatic example of the Prophet's presenting historical material with long explanations that go far beyond any original writing. This suggests that the Prophet used the basic document . . . as a point of departure instead of a translation guide. Thus, his sweeping changes are only loosely tied to the written record that stimulated the new information. The result is content oriented. One may label this a "translation" only in the broadest sense; for his consistent amplifications imply that the Prophet felt that the expansion of the document was the best way to get at the meaning. If unconventional as history, the procedure may be a doctrinal gain if distinguished from normal translation procedure, for paraphrase and restatement are probably the best way to communicate without ambiguity (Richard L. Anderson, "Joseph Smith's Insights into the Olivet Prophecy: Joseph Smith and Matthew 24:1," Pearl of Great Price Symposium [Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University, 1976], 50).
Joseph Smith's inspired corrections of the Olivet discourse are so significant that they have been included as part of the scriptural canon in the Pearl of Great Price. Mark and Luke also recorded portions of the discourse, though not as fully as did Matthew (see Mark 13:1-37; Luke 21:5-36). The JS-M gives us clear understanding of the chronological sequence of events in the last days and clear direction to the saints on how to prepare for the end time.
Why were these instructions and prophecies given? They are given to the true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to prepare us, not to scare us. Panic is not part of the gospel. We have his assurance that if we are prepared, we have no need to fear (D&C 38:30). We are actually commanded to study and learn the signs of his coming: "He that feareth [respects or reverences] me shall be looking forth for the great day of the Lord to come, even for the signs of the coming of the Son of Man . . . and he that watches not for me shall be cut off" (D&C 45:39; D&C 45:44).
The revelation was initially published as a broadside (a single sheet with the revelation printed on one side), likely in Kirtland in 1835, though this is not certain. It was titled "Extract from the New Testament of the Bible, It Being the 24th chapter of Matthew; but in order to show the connection we will commence with the last verse of the 23rd chapter, viz." The broadside does not follow the Joseph Smith Translation perfectly. Whoever prepared it for printing was not especially careful in his copying. In addition to punctuation and word differences, the broadside leaves out parts of three sentences. These differences give it a unique signature, showing that Franklin D. Richards used it as his source for the first edition of the Pearl of Great Price. Further, Elder Richards' title follows closely that of the broadside: "An Extract from a Translation of the Bible-Being the twenty fourth chapter of Matthew, commencing with the last verse of the twenty-third chapter." He did not, however, follow the broadside slavishly. He edited the punctuation, capitalization, and syntax so that it read more smoothly.
Orson Pratt, in 1878, edited this text, making it conform to the Joseph Smith Translation. James E. Talmage, in 1902, changed the title slightly, adding the caption "Writings of Joseph Smith II" before stating that the work was an extraction from the Bible. This remained the title until 1978, when the Church Scripture Committee changed the heading to "Joseph Smith-Matthew."
The Setting
It was just four days before Passover. Jesus was in the temple at Jerusalem, once again being pestered by Pharisees. Piqued by their hardheartedness, he turned on them with a scathing rebuke, denouncing them as hypocrites (see Matthew 23:13-33). He closed his censure with remorse, lamenting, "I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city; that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar" (Matthew 23:34-35). The Lord then sharpened his prophecy, saying, "All these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how oft would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Matthew 23:36-38). With the continuation of this prophecy, Joseph Smith then began his inspired revision.
Joseph Smith-Matthew can be divided as follows:
verses 1-11 AD 27-70 from the conclusion of Jesus's ministry to the destruction of the Jerusalem temple
verses 12-20 AD 70 the destruction of the Jerusalem temple
verses 21-55 from the restoration of the gospel to the Lord's second coming see-all in this final dispensation.
In response to his disciples' questions he spoke of the temple in Jerusalem in their own day and in the latter days, the last days of the world, and of the signs that would precede his second coming. As Jesus spoke to his disciples on the Mount of Olives, it seems as though he had called their attention to the magnificent structure of the temple with its huge and imposing stone walls. He stunned those who stood near him with the awful words: "As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down" (Luke 21:6). This terrible prophecy troubled his disciples. He also said to them:
1 For I say unto you, that ye shall not see me henceforth and know that I am he of whom it is written by the prophets, until ye shall say: Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord, in the clouds of heaven, and all the holy angels with him. Then understood his disciples that he should come again on the earth, after that he was glorified and crowned on the right hand of God.
verse 1 "ye shall not see me henceforth" The phrase seems to have a double meaning-the first being the obvious meaning; and the second a more subtle meaning. First, he implies that following his ascension into heaven no one on earth will see him again until that time in the latter days when he will come a second time in glory. His other, more subtle, meaning is that he warns the faithless among the Jews that they have had their opportunity to recognize him as the Messiah. They will not get another chance to do so, and the Lord is, in effect, abandoning them-abandoning them at least until they are prepared to accept him.
"Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord" This expression refers to the Messiah and refers specifically to his own coming in glory at the end of the world-in clouds of heaven, with all the holy ones (the saints) accompanying him (see also D&C 45:16). The quote comes from Psalm 118:26. The Lord will follow this scriptural quote with another-Jeremiah 22:5 (see verse 2): "Your house is left unto you desolate," a chilling prophecy that the temple would be destroyed. The Lord uses these two scriptures to give insight into why the destruction of the temple would come. Psalm 118:22-28 predicts that the Jews will reject their Lord, and because the Jews will reject him, their temple will fall.
"Then understood his disciples" It was not until this moment that the disciples fully understood that there would be a second coming. It would occur following his death and his ascension to and glorification in heaven. As with the idea of the resurrection, though there was scriptural evidence and comment by the Lord, they seem to have missed the concept until this dramatic moment.
2 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple; and his disciples came to him, for to hear him, saying: Master, show us concerning the buildings of the temple, as thou hast said-They shall be thrown down, and left unto you desolate.
verse 2 "show us concerning the buildings of the temple" When he departed from the temple court, they followed him, and they asked him the urgent question: "Tell us more about our temple being destroyed." The disciples were puzzled and alarmed by the Lord's pronouncement that the temple would be destroyed. They may have wondered if he might have been speaking metaphorically or applying a parable. Two factors argued against the literal fulfillment of the Lord's words. First, there was a widely believed, but false, prophecy that the temple would never fall (see D&C 45:18). Second, the strength of the city, especially the temple mount, toughened by the master fortress builder, Herod the Great, suggested impregnability to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
3 And Jesus said unto them: See ye not all these things, and do ye not understand them? Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here, upon this temple, one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.
verse 3 "there shall not be left here, upon this temple, one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down" The Lord confirms to his disciples that he was speaking neither in parables nor in hyperbole. The temple with its courts and outbuildings, in spite of its strength, would be utterly destroyed. All of his apostles but Judas and James (James died at the hands of Herod Agrippa-see Acts 12:1-2) lived to see the fulfillment of this prophecy. Under the direction of the Roman general Titus, all the buildings on the more than forty-acre plateau were destroyed, and the rubble was pushed into the Tyropoean and Kidron valleys. Titus then ordered the area plowed and salted, thus assuring its uselessness.
Jesus's prophecy was that not one stone would be left standing on another upon this temple. The last phrase ("that shall not be thrown down") was added by the prophet Joseph Smith. The Lord was not referring to the massive retaining walls around the temple mount-eastern, southern, and western portions of which are still standing-but to the temple proper.
verses 2-3 Mark 13:1 notes that the disciples were impressed with the grandeur of the Jerusalem Temple. Of all the many building enterprises of Herod the Great, none was greater than in the capital, Jerusalem. He rebuilt the former Hasmonean fortress and named it the Antonia Fortress in honor of his Roman friend, Mark Antony. He constructed his royal palace and towers, a theater, an amphitheater, a stadium, and monumental gates and staircases to the Temple Mount. His grandest edifice of all was the temple in Jerusalem.
The temple of Herod was constructed beginning in 20 BC with the help of ten thousand workmen. One of Herod's main purposes was to provide greater space for the hundreds of thousands of worshippers who came to the temple during the pilgrimage festivals and high holy days. One thousand priests who had been trained as masons and carpenters helped to build the holiest parts, and a thousand wagons transported materials. The temple proper was under construction for a year and a half, and the courtyards and porticoes for eight years (though embellishment of the outer courts actually continued for more than eighty years). It was said that whoever had not seen the temple of Herod had never seen a beautiful building in his life (Talmud, Succah 51b; Baba Bathra 3b, 4a). No other temple complex in the Graeco-Roman world compared with it in expansiveness and magnificence.
Isaiah had once assured the Lord's people that as birds protectively hovered over their young, so the Lord of hosts would defend and preserve Jerusalem (Isaiah 31:4-5). But without allegiance and devotion to their God, the leaders of the Jews and many of their followers had abandoned the Hope of Israel. Without faith and faithfulness, the Lord's hand would not be stretched out to protect them or the Holy Temple. The Lord's hand, like his word, could be a sharp two-edged sword, providing either protection or destruction. In this case, the temple would be destroyed, as foreseen by Daniel, the prophet: "[Then] shall Messiah be cut off . . . and the people of the prince [Latin, princeps-referring to the Roman general Titus] that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary" (Daniel 9:26).
4 And Jesus left them, and went upon the Mount of Olives. And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying: Tell us when shall these things be which thou hast said concerning the destruction of the temple, and the Jews; and what is the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world, or the destruction of the wicked, which is the end of the world?
verse 4 "as he sat upon the Mount of Olives" The mount is 2,645 feet above sea level and 743 feet higher than the temple mount. The climb from the Kidron valley up its steep slope is more than 800 feet, and many find it necessary to rest once they get to the top. From its height, the group could look down on the temple and its courts.
"the disciples came unto him privately" The apostles went to him privately and asked two questions involving two different dispensations: "[1] Tell us when shall these things be which thou hast said concerning the destruction of the temple, and the Jews; and [2] what is the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
The group of disciples consisted of two sets of brothers, Peter and Andrew, and James and John (see Mark 13:3). Driven by curiosity, but with enough sense to wait for further clarification outside the ears of their enemies, the disciples waited until they were alone with the Lord before asking their questions. The reader should note that the Lord's disciples had two pressing issues about which they wished to question him. He had spoken to them of two quite separate matters (verses 1, 3)-the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem and his second coming.
It is the view of many scholars that the early Christians believed that Christ would come again immediately after the fall of Jerusalem. It is clear, however, even in the Bible that the Savior wished to communicate that there would be a delay between the fall of Jerusalem and his second coming. He outlined a number of events that had to follow the fall of Jerusalem. He further warned others of the Jews, in the form of a parable, that there would be those who would feel that they had plenty of time in which they could do evil and then repent. They would say, "My lord delayeth his coming." To such the Savior warned: "The lord . . . shall come in a day when he [the wicked servant] looketh not for him, in an hour that he is not aware of" (Matthew 24:48-51). Also the Savior gave additional parables for the same purpose, such as the parable of the ten virgins and the parable of the talents which, taken together, emphasize the idea that many would become weary of waiting for him because his coming would be delayed for a long time. In the parable of the ten virgins the Lord stated that the "bridegroom tarried" until midnight, such that the virgins fell asleep. In the parable of the talents he stated that the Lord went off into a far country and did not return for a "long time." Both parables paint the same picture: the coming of the Lord would be after a period of delay which would be so long that many would not keep the faith (Matthew 25:1-30).
Thus, the Savior's Olivet Prophecy points to events that would take place in two definite and distinct time periods: one which would occur during the generation of those then living and another which would occur at the end of the world. To each of those groups who would be living at the time of these two events, specific warnings were given so that the believers could withstand the evil day. The extant Greek manuscripts, as their translation into the various versions of the Bible show, are not clear as to what prophesied events are part of which period. It is for this reason that many are confused and have even given up hope of ever being able to understand. It is at this point where the JS-M is most helpful. Readers of Matthew 24 have repeatedly asked, "Does this event belong to the early era or to the later?" The JS-M makes it clear. In some instances the JS-M's answer is: "Both!" The JS-M presents a scenario in which certain events in the latter days will parallel those which took place in former days. The prophecy to the disciples of what would (and did) happen in their day serves as the prologue of what will happen in our day. The proof that the latter-day portion of the prophecy will become a reality is grounded in the fulfillment of that of the former day.
"Tell us when shall these things be which thou hast said concerning the destruction of the temple, and the Jews" The Lord is intentionally loath to give a specific time for obvious reasons. Instead of asking when the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple will occur, the disciples should have asked, "How do we prepare for that happening?" The Lord answered the question the disciples should have asked. They understood that Jerusalem would be destroyed and, therefore, they should have been concerned about how they could escape the destruction. The Lord will now proceed to give them pointed instruction on how to avoid being destroyed. The key will be to avoid deception and steadfastly hold onto the truth. Knowledge that destruction and deception were coming will not safeguard the saints. Steadfastness, however, will.
"the destruction of the temple, and the Jews" The disciples' questions show the breadth of the understanding they gleaned from the Lord's revelation. They knew that the temple would fall, and from that they correctly surmised that such a catastrophe would occur only if the back of the Jewish nation was broken.
"what is the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world, or the destruction of the wicked, which is the end of the world?" The way this question was asked, seems to betray a false assumption by the Lord's disciples. They seemed to expect the second coming to follow closely on the heels of the destruction of the Jewish nation. This phrase also reveals an important insight on the part of his disciples. They knew that his second coming marked the destruction of wickedness which is known as "the end of the world," but not the end of the earth. The end of the world should not be confused with the end of the earth. The former occurs when Christ comes in his glory, the latter follows the Lord's millennial reign (JS-M 1:4, 55; D&C 29:22-23). The latter will occur as the earth is changed to a celestial sphere by the glory of God.
verses 5-11 These verses describe conditions between the conclusion of the Savior's ministry (AD 27, or so) and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, just over forty years later. The order of the verses in Matthew 24 was appropriately changed by the prophet Joseph Smith in his inspired revision.
5 And Jesus answered, and said unto them: Take heed that no man deceive you;
verse 5 The Lord's apostles had just asked him two questions: When will the temple at Jerusalem be destroyed? And what will be the signs of thy second coming? Instead of answering their questions immediately, the Lord began by giving them a word of warning. The future will difficult for both the Christians and the Jews in ways that will be mentioned in the following few verses.
6 For many shall come in my name, saying-I am Christ-and shall deceive many;
verse 6 "many shall come in my name, saying-I am Christ" The Savior's statement notwithstanding, Christ is not a name but rather a title. It is from the Greek word christos, from chrio, "to anoint," and it denotes the Anointed One corresponding to the Hebrew word messiah. The Savior was the Anointed One, and those whom he placed at the head of his church were also anointed, having authority from him to preside (Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965], 2:120).
The Savior is predicting here that men will arise purporting to have Jesus's authority or to be the promised messiah. This prophecy was quickly fulfilled. The book of Acts mentions three separate men: Judas the Galilean, Thadeus (Acts 5:36-37), and an Egyptian Jew (Acts 21:38), all pretending to be Jewish saviors. Within the Church, men also arose claiming authority. Not sixty years later, John lamented to the saints, "As ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists" who deceived many (1 John 2:18).
7 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you, and ye shall be hated of all nations, for my name's sake;
verse 7 "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you" The Lord's warning demonstrates that his church leaders needed to fear not only Jewish or Roman persecution, but also persecution from the ranks of so-called Christians as well. As an example, a regional leader named Diotrephes opposed John, refusing to receive him or any other church authorities, and excommunicating any who did (see 3 John). Paul came to death's door, it seems, because "Alexander the coppersmith [a Christian member] did [Paul] much evil" by turning away any who might help Paul at his trial before Nero Caesar (see 2 Timothy 4:14).
"ye shall be hated of all nations" In addition to facing persecution and rejection from members of the Church, opposition would arise from governments in every nation into which the saints took the gospel. The Jewish leadership used their henchman Saul of Tarsus to systematically go after Christian branches. So severe did the persecution become that many Christians chose to leave Judea rather than suffer more. Peter and John were both arrested numerous times and even beaten by the authorities. Stephen and James were martyred. By AD 64, the Romans turned on the Christians as well and, from time to time over the next two hundred years, made life miserable for them.
8 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another;
verse 8 "many . . . shall hate one another" The attacks by the antichrists failed to displace the Lord's true leaders, but there continued to be further Christian infighting. The divisive nature of the Church, so evident in the Corinthian letters, spurred animosity and even hatred. The early historian Hegesippus, according to Eusebius, gives a classic example. He reports that certain Christians, trying to rid themselves of a powerful church foe, secretly accused him before a Roman court of being a Christian and, as a descendant of King David, having messianic aspirations. They successfully hid their own church affiliation while getting him executed (quoted in Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Translated by H. St. J. Thackeray, Loeb Classical Library, [Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1980], 1:275).
9 And many false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many;
10 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold;
verse 10 "iniquity shall abound" The words used here are very strong. The particular kind of iniquity that will abound is lawlessness (Greek, anomian), describing the condition in which men and women will refuse to be governed by law, not necessarily the laws of the state but the laws of God. The Lord's words show us that iniquity shall "be brought to the full" (Greek, plethynthenai), the Greek word emphasizing sin's wide proliferation. Society will, by and large, not only be touched by sin but also condone it.
"the love of many shall wax cold" The world's embracing lawlessness will cause love to change into something that is unfeeling, uncaring, and unforgiving. Acute selfishness will result, along with backbiting, hatred, and even persecution. It was the lack of love that greatly contributed to the divisiveness found in the branches of the early Church. The loss of love greatly contributed to the success of the apostasy that eventually overtook the Church.
11 But he that remaineth steadfast and is not overcome, the same shall be saved.
verse 11 "he that remaineth steadfast" These words give to the disciples the key to avoiding destruction. The text of Matthew 24:13 reads, "He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (italics added). The Greek word translated here as "endure" (hypomone) denotes both steadfastness and endurance, but in the context of affliction or persecution. Therefore, Matthew 24 implies that the saints will come under persecution, but if they hold fast to their beliefs, they will overcome. Joseph Smith changed the word endure to steadfast. Endurance denotes holding firm, but it says nothing about the inward attitude of the person. Steadfastness adds this dimension, suggesting a firm, willful, and especially unwavering devotion to one's beliefs. The point seems to be that endurance under pressure is not enough but that one's attitude must be right as well.
"the same shall be saved" Note that in this verse and in the preceding few verses, the Lord promises only individual salvation, not the salvation of the Church as an institution. In fact, nowhere in the New Testament does the Lord indicate that the Church will survive. The one statement that the gates of hell will not prevail against the kingdom (Matthew 16:18) refers to the inability of any forces in the spirit world, including wicked forces-"the gates of hell"-to negate the keys of sealing which the Savior was about to give to Peter in Matthew 16:19. The word translated "prevail" (Greek katischio) means "to be superior to, master, or overcome." The gates of the spirit world would be inferior to and thus unable to resist the power of Peter's keys.
verses 12-20 These verses describe conditions and events in the fateful year of AD 70. "These things I have spoken unto you concerning the Jews" (verse 21) and their city of Jerusalem in AD 70 (verse 18).
12 When you, therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, then you shall stand in the holy place; whoso readeth let him understand.
verse 12 "When you, therefore, shall see" The disciples asked the Lord for a time; instead, he gave them an event. This is the Lord's usual pattern. He gives them signs or characteristics they were to watch for as a means of knowing when to act. By taking this approach, the Lord forces the saints to exercise continued faith and diligence. They were to watch and be prepared, for when they saw the sign, it would be time to move (D&C 45:35; see also the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13).
As it turns out, this sign, the destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the temple at Jerusalem, will occur in AD 70.
"the abomination of desolation" The terms abominable and abomination are used in the Old Testament to describe what God hates, what cannot fail to arouse his wrath. The term desolation refers either to God's withdrawing his Spirit from a temple or a people-leaving them desolate-or it may even refer to the physical destruction-the desolation-of a temple or a people.
The expression "abomination of desolation" may be interpreted as referring specifically to a temple of God or it may imply a more general meaning. On this latter level, whenever people commit abominations, they bring upon themselves desolation. The Spirit of God withdraws, their priesthood is no more, and they are left to themselves and to the consequences they have freely chosen. Hence, we may point to examples of the "abomination of desolation" such as the desecration of the physical temple of God, or the desecration of the spiritual temple, the Church of Jesus Christ, and to the perversion of its doctrines and ordinances in a Great Apostasy ( see D&C 1:15-16).
In this particular verse, the Lord refers to the spiritual and physical desolation or destruction of the temple at Jerusalem and the city itself which is one of the destructions of which the prophet Daniel prophesied. In the book of Daniel (9:27; 11:31; 12:11; see also Luke 21:20), the "abomination of desolation" is that thing so hateful to God that its presence in the temple causes the divine presence to depart, leaving the sanctuary desolate. The term is usually associated with idolatrous worship or gross sexual immorality being practiced in the temple of God. The physical destruction of the temple at Jerusalem occurred shortly following the Savior's mortal ministry.
In AD 68, the Roman general Vespasian and his son Titus took a large Roman army into Israel to subdue rebellious Judah. In AD 70 Titus surrounded Jerusalem and placed it under siege. Soon the starvation of the Jews inside the walls of Jerusalem began. Citizens of Jerusalem who ventured outside the walls to search for roots to eat, if seized, were crucified by the Roman soldiers. Sometimes hundreds of Jews hanging on crosses could be seen from the city walls. A trench was dug around the city in order to make its isolation complete. Prisoners of war were cut open, while still alive, to enable soldiers to search their bodies for gold which they might have swallowed. Six hundred thousand persons died within the walls, and the dead bodies, too numerous to be buried, were left in the houses. The Zealots, a fanatical sect whose members maintained that God would save them at the last moment, went about murdering and urging the people to resistance. Within the walls of the Holy City, rival political factions stole the possessions of citizens and the food from the mouths of women and children. Pressed by the famine, mothers ate their babies. In their madness, the political gangs fought and killed each other for control of the city and even burned each other's food supplies, all while the common enemy, the Romans, waited outside the walls for the inevitable (see The Jewish War, translated by H. St. J. Thackeray, Loeb Classical Library [Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1976-79], 387-401, 416-17). Even Titus was sick at heart at the daily horrors he witnessed or heard about.
At length the temple became a fort. Titus attacked it as such. A Roman soldier, contrary to order, set fire to it. After a while the scene was one of carnage and plunder. Six thousand Jews perished in the flames. In this awful war more than a million and a half of the Jews perished, and many were sold into slavery.
It should be noted that the Romans were not guilty of abominating the temple; they only destroyed it. According to Josephus, abomination came from the faithless among the ranking members of the Jews who used the temple for their own gain (Ibid., 2.394-96). Had these Jews honored the temple and God's covenant, the Lord would have protected it and them. Instead, the Jews abominated his house and brought upon themselves destruction. The Romans acted only as the agents.
"then you shall stand in the holy place" The Lord indicated only one place. The irony is that it was not his temple. Because his holy house was no longer holy, he had to designate another place of holiness. According to the early Christian historian Eusebius, when the first wave Roman troops moved to and then away from Jerusalem in AD 66, the Christian leaders still remaining in Jerusalem, under inspiration, led all believing Christians across the Jordan River and went north to a city name Pella, where they remained safe from the forces of war (Ecclesiastical History, translated by Kirsopp Lake, 2 volumes, Loeb Classical Library [Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1980], 1:201). Generally speaking "the holy place" is among the pure in heart, or Zion (D&C 45:32; D&C 87:8; D&C 87:101:22).
"whoso readeth let him understand" The Lord fully intended for the prophecy to be written down and preserved for the sake of his people. The phrase suggests that the early disciples kept notes of this and other sermons at the Savior's behest, and that he expected the Church to preserve and use them.
13 Then let them who are in Judea flee into the mountains;
verse 13 Once they saw the sign, the Christians were to act immediately. They did not have to wait for an actual attack. Rather, when they saw that an attack was inevitable, they were to flee, for there would be little time. Further, it was not just those in Jerusalem, but in all the province of Judea who were in danger. The entire area had to be vacated, and it was. According to Eusebius, the members of the Church of Jesus Christ fled Jerusalem before its destruction in AD 70 and settled in Pella, about twenty miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee (Ecclesiastical History, 3.5).
"flee into the mountains" At first glance, the reference to the inhabitants of Judea fleeing to the mountains may be puzzling, since those in Jerusalem already live in the tops of the mountains. But the other side of the parallelism in Luke 21:21 may help: "Let them which are in the midst of it depart out."
14 Let him who is on the housetop flee, and not return to take anything out of his house;
15 Neither let him who is in the field return back to take his clothes;
16 And wo unto them that are with child, and unto them that give suck in those days;
17 Therefore, pray ye the Lord that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day;
verses 18-20 In these following verses, the Lord warns the Jews about the impending devastation which will occur among them. He makes it clear that his warnings in the previous several verses have not just been intended for the Christians, but also for the Jews. As it turns out, only the Christians responded to the warnings. Nephi, speaking of the Jews in and before his time, stated that "never hath any of them been destroyed save it were foretold them by the prophets of the Lord" (2 Nephi 25:9). The same held true in Peter's day-the days following the Lord's mortal ministry. Those living in Jerusalem were destroyed because they would not listen; the Christians survived because they did listen (Draper, Richard D., The Prophecies of Jesus: From the Fall of Jerusalem to the Second Coming [American Fork, Utah: Covenant Communications, 2001], 110).
18 For then, in those days, shall be great tribulation on the Jews, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, such as was not before sent upon Israel, of God, since the beginning of their kingdom until this time; no, nor ever shall be sent again upon Israel.
verse 18 "in those days, shall be great tribulation on the Jews, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem" History bears out the grim details of the fulfillment of the prophecy. As has been described above, in AD 68 the Roman Titus began a two-year siege of Jerusalem which eventually devastated the temple, destroyed the city, and left as many as a million and a half Jews dead.
Following the burning and destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, the hewers went to work pulverizing the stones, casting the debris into the valleys surrounding the mount. Finally, Titus ordered the soil to be plowed and salted. When he was finished, the hilltop was bare and the Jewish nation destroyed. The destruction of the Jewish nation was so complete that it would not exist again until AD 1948.
Eusebius, a fourth-century Christian historian, recorded the response of the Church to these events. He wrote that the "people of the church in Jerusalem were commanded . . .. to depart and dwell in one of the cities of Terea which they called Pella. To it those who believed on Christ migrated from Jerusalem" (Ecclesiastical History 3.5.3, 136). Thus, the Christians were spared the suffering of their countrymen.
"nor ever shall be sent again upon Israel" This promise of the Lord is especially interesting in light of what Jews would subsequently experience at the hands of certain Muslims, Eastern Bloc nations, and especially the Nazis. How could Jesus say this would be the worst of all times? The answer probably lies less in the intensity of the brutalization than it does in its source. Though Rome would complete the destruction, its worst part came from Jews turning against Jews both before and during the siege. Josephus records how three leaders fought for control of the Jews and Jerusalem and in the process killed hundreds of their countrymen. They went not only after those who were in the other camps but also those who tried to remain neutral. Further, one of these leaders allowed his followers, during the siege, to pillage the houses of his fellow countrymen for food and valuables, leaving the residents to starve to death.
Another explanation of this phrase perhaps lies in the expression "of God" earlier in the verse. The Holocaust which would come in the twentieth-century would not be sent "of God."
19 All things which have befallen them are only the beginning of the sorrows which shall come upon them.
verse 19 "only the beginning of the sorrows which shall come upon them" For all the suffering the Jews would endure, more would come. Much of that suffering would come at the hands of evil men who shall feel God's wrath. Even so, the forebears of the Jews helped bring persecution upon their descendants. The Book of Mormon explains how "those who are at Jerusalem . . . shall be scourged by all people, because they crucify the God of Israel, and turn their hearts aside, rejecting signs and wonders, and the power and glory of the God of Israel. And because they turn their hearts aside, saith the prophet, and have despised the Holy One of Israel, they shall wander in the flesh, and perish, and become a hiss and a byword, and be hated among all nations (1 Nephi 19:13-14).
Were the Jews scattered and scourged because they crucified Jesus? The answer is "certainly not." It is pernicious and inaccurate doctrine to believe that an entire progeny would be punished because those few ruling Jews in the Jerusalem Sanhedrin sought to and succeeded in crucifying Jesus. The answer as to why all Israel, including the Jews, was scourged and scattered is that they "turn[ed] their hearts aside . . . and despised the Holy One of Israel." Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained: "Our Israelite forebears were scattered because they rejected the gospel, defiled the priesthood, forsook the church, and departed from the kingdom. They were scattered because they turned from the Lord, worshiped false gods, and walked in all the ways of the heathen nations. They were scattered because they . . . rejected the Lord Jehovah, who is the Lord Jesus, of whom all their prophets testified. Israel was scattered for apostasy" (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, 515).
This verse contains a fundamental and important truth. A people is scattered when they reject Jesus Christ and his gospel. Apostasy leads to scattering. The converse principle is just as important. A people is gathered when they accept the Messiah and his message and become disciples (see 2 Nephi 9:2, 2 Nephi 25:14).
20 And except those days should be shortened, there should none of their flesh be saved; but for the elect's sake, according to the covenant, those days shall be shortened.
verse 20 "except those days should be shortened" The siege and attendant slaughter of the Jews after the Romans set the temple grounds ablaze could have been so great that a general extermination might have resulted. However, the Lord intervened. Though the heart of the Jewish nations was destroyed, many of the Jews outside of Judea were spared from all but slight repercussions.
It seems likely that the Lord also has intervened in all of the subsequent sufferings of the Jews. Though the devastations of the Jews have been great in the European pogroms, including the Nazi debacle, the Lord likely had a hand in preserving the Jewish nation.
"but for the elect's sake . . . those days should be shortened" The Greek phrase dia tous eklektous, here translated "for the elect's sake" actually means "as a result of" or "on account of," or "because of." Because of the elect, the days have been or will be shortened. Judah can thank the elect for the fact it is saved. But who are the elect? They are the Jews themselves! See the following paragraph.
"according to the covenant" The covenant reaches all the way back to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to whom God promised a great and protected posterity (see Genesis 17:2-8; Genesis 22:16-18; Genesis 26:4-5; Genesis 26:24; Genesis 28:4; Genesis 28:14-15; Genesis 35:10-13; Abraham 2:8-11). Israel blessed Judah particularly (see Genesis 49:8-12), not only giving him the scepter of royalty but also the promise that Israel's posterity would gather to him. Thus, Judah's descendants would prepare the way for latter-day Israel to gather to Judea. God remembered his covenant, and, because of the Jews' elect status, he would not allow Judah as a people to be destroyed.
Though the Jews have, since AD 70, had many chances to say, "The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me," he certainly has not. For "can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee [O house of Israel]" (Isaiah 49:14-15). Thus, even in her unworthiness, though Judah might suffer, God has seen that a remnant survived.
verses 21-55 In the middle of verse 21 ("after the tribulation of those days"), the scene shifts to the latter days. Warnings are repeated (verses 22; cf. Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:21-22; Luke 17:23; Luke 21:8). For example, we can anticipate and expect to see false Christs and false prophets, who will show great signs and wonders. The "miraculous" powers of Satan are quite visible in our modern world; spiritualistic phenomena are plentiful. "And he that seeketh signs shall see signs, but not unto salvation" (D&C 63:7). Not all supernatural manifestations are from God. "Ask of God . . . that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrine of devils, or the comandments of men; for some are of men, and other of devils" (D&C 46:7). Even the elect have to be careful, so as not to be deceived (cf. D&C 29:7). Each must have his own light and knowledge, his own faith and testimony. Elder Harold B. Lee warned, "Unless every member of this Church gains for himself an unshakable testimony of the divinity of this Church, he will be among those who will be deceived" (Teachings of Harold B. Lee, 132). The remarkable promise is that "whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived" (verse 37).
21 Behold, these things I have spoken unto you concerning the Jews; and again, after the tribulation of those days which shall come upon Jerusalem, if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe him not;
22 For in those days there shall also arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenant.
verses 21-22 "false Christs, and false prophets" As it was in the days of the apostles, so shall it be in the last days. There will always be those who would wish to take over the Church and usurp the power of its rightful leaders.
What is a false Christ, and what is a false prophet? Is there any distinction to draw between these two? A false prophet is a man who would try to lead people from the truth with false authority and false and specious doctrines. Elder Harold B. Lee noted that these included those who claimed authority the Lord did not give them, yet they "would deceive many, even members of the Church, by the signs and wonders they performed by occult powers" (Decisions for Successful Living [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1973], 66). Elder Bruce R. McConkie noted that a false Christ need not be a human individual, but could instead be a form of worship, a false philosophy or ethical system, or a false church" (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 volumes [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965], 48).
"insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect" The word "elect" (from the Greek eklektos) describes those whom God has invited into his work and who, through obedience, have accepted the call. As a result, they receive the Holy Ghost. This power acts as the sign of their election (see 2 Corinthians 1:22; 2 Corinthians 5:5; Ephesians 1:14). The term "very elect" does not mean the most elect but the truly elect. In other words, the Lord is not taking just about church leaders but about all members who live so that they are close to his Spirit. The false prophets will even find it possible to seduce some of these.
The false messiahs and false prophets will be able to successfully influence others through great signs and wonders. Thereby they will give people a false sense of security. Some of the elect will not be immune to their pull. The phrase "if possible" suggests that some of the elect are able to be seduced and some are not.
23 Behold, I speak these things unto you for the elect's sake; and you also shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled, for all I have told you must come to pass; but the end is not yet.
verse 23 "I speak these things unto you for the elect's sake" The Lord speaks these warnings unto the Lord's elect-the members of his Church in good standing. This verse applies to the last days.
"wars, and rumors of wars" The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith:
Verily, thus saith the Lord concerning the wars that will shortly come to pass, beginning at the rebellion of South Carolina, which will eventually terminate in the death and misery of many souls; And the time will come that war will be poured out upon all nations, beginning at this place. For behold, the Southern States shall be divided against the Northern States, and the Southern States will call on other nations, even the nation of Great Britain, as it is called, and they shall also call upon other nations, in order to defend themselves against other nations; and then war shall be poured out upon all nations. And it shall come to pass, after many days, slaves shall rise up against their masters, who shall be marshaled and disciplined for war. And it shall come to pass also that the remnants who are left of the land will marshal themselves, and shall become exceedingly angry, and shall vex the Gentiles with a sore vexation. And thus, with the sword and by bloodshed the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn; and with famine, and plague, and earthquake, and the thunder of heaven, and the fierce and vivid lightning also, shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath, and indignation, and chastening hand of an Almighty God, until the consumption decreed hath made a full end of all nations; That the cry of the saints, and of the blood of the saints, shall cease to come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, from the earth, to be avenged of their enemies. Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord. Amen (D&C 87:1-8).
President Joseph Fielding Smith explained that the Civil War was the Lord's sign that the beginning of the end had come.
Based upon what the Lord says in this Section 87 of the Doctrine and Covenants-the section on war which I read-I place the time of the beginning of the end at the rebellion of South Carolina. I say I place it there. I beg your pardon. The Lord places it there because it says beginning at this place these things would take place (Signs of the Times [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1952], 127).
The history of the world has been full of wars and rumors of wars. The fact is, however, that the last days will see an escalation of wars of unusual proportions in both breadth and destructive power (see Ezekiel 38-39; Revelation 8-9, 16). Wars in our dispensation are and will continued to be fueled by greed, racial and religious prejudice, resentment of others because of their wealth, fear, mistrust, and hatred. While much of it may be due to pride and the natural man, there can be no question that Satan glories in the world's debacle.
These wars will continue until a great and final war, the most destructive the world has known, the great battle at Jerusalem.
24 Behold, I have told you before;
25 Wherefore, if they shall say unto you: Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: Behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not;
verse 25 "if they shall say unto you . . . he is in the desert; go not forth . . . he is in the secret chambers" If false prophets or false christs, these false religious systems with their false teachers, invite you into the desert to find Christ in a life of asceticism, go not forth, he is not there. If they call you to the secret chambers of monastic seclusion to find him, believe them not, he is not there.
26 For as the light of the morning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, and covereth the whole earth, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.
verse 26 "as the light of the morning cometh out of the east . . . and covereth the whole earth" The Lord's second coming will be neither exclusive nor restrictive. Rather it will be a universally public event that can no more be hidden than the sunrise. Joseph Smith explained that as "the dawning of the morning makes its appearance in the east and moves along gradually, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. It will be small at its first appearance and gradually become larger and larger until every eye shall see it" ( Kent P. Jackson, Joseph Smith's Commentary on the Bible, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1994], 110). All will know when he arrives; therefore, none should believe he has come to a desert or mountain place. "If we could remember that and put to flight all the foolish ideas about how the Savior will appear," recounts President Harold B. Lee, "we would be ready when he comes" (Stand Ye In Holy Places, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1973], 86).
27 And now I show unto you a parable. Behold, wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together; so likewise shall mine elect be gathered from the four quarters of the earth.
verse 27 "I show unto you a parable" Here the Savior refers to the latter day gathering to his earthly kingdom by way of a metaphor. Just as eagles are drawn to the life-giving meat (the carcass), and just as their hunger is not satisfied until they come to that meat, so will the Lord's elect in all parts of the world find Christ, come unto his Church, and be satisfied. The reader should recall that one purpose of the gathering is for the protection of his saints from the destructions of the latter days.
28 And they shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars.
verse 28 See the commentary for verse 23.
29 Behold I speak for mine elect's sake; for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
verse 29 "I speak for mine elect's sake" Again, the Lord's warnings are issued primarily for the benefit of the members of his earthly kingdom.
"famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places" Natural disasters will also occur: famines, pestilences (epidemics), and earthquakes (and we might add floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, typhoons, volcanic eruptions, tornadoes, and fires). These catastrophes seem to be increasing as we approach the time of the end. "And they that believe not in him shall be destroyed, both by fires, and by tempest, and by earthquakes, and by bloodsheds, and by pestilence, and by famine. And they shall know that the Lord is God, the Holy One of Israel" (2 Nephi 6:15; see also D&C 45:33).
30 And again, because iniquity shall abound, the love of men shall wax cold; but he that shall not be overcome, the same shall be saved.
verse 30 "And again" Three events will repeat themselves. First, as it was in the days of the apostles, so the last days will be marked by iniquity that will snuff our care, tenderness, sympathy, affection, and other attributes of love. Second, in spite of the lack of love, the Lord will try to reclaim the world through the preaching of the gospel. Finally, Jerusalem will again see the abomination of desolation (see the commentary for verse 12), but this time, because the temple will not be defiled, it shall not fall.
31 And again, this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come, or the destruction of the wicked;
verse 31 "this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world" Yet, in spite of persecutions implied in verse 30, the "Gospel . . . shall be preached in all the world." This suggests that in spite of persecution, the Church will continue to be strong and dynamic enough to pursue missionary work.
Of approximately 200 nations in the world, the Church is currently represented in more than 160, but a very large portion of the earth's population is without any direct contact with the Lord's representatives.
"then shall the end come" Only after the world has been warned will the Lord move against it. Thus, the gospel must be preached in all the world (D&C 58:64-65). However, the requirement does not mean that every person or even the majority of people must hear the gospel. Indeed, according to Doctrine and Covenants 45:50-54, the heathen nations will not be redeemed until the millennial era. The leaders of nations, however, must be forewarned. If they do not respond, they must take the responsibility for their people and suffer the consequences.
32 And again shall the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, be fulfilled.
verse 32 "And again shall the abomination of desolation . . . be fulfilled" This verse refers to a second destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. The reader will recall that the first destruction occurred in AD 70 by the hand of a Roman army led by Titus (see the commentary for verse 12). This second destruction will occur apparently in association with the latter-day battle at Jerusalem (the battle of Armageddon). In that day, Jerusalem will be attacked, during the battle of Armageddon, but the abomination of desolation will not be completed. Jerusalem and its temple will not be completely destroyed. Instead, the Savior will intervene to save the city and the temple. Three different phenomena will occur and serve to save Jerusalem. These are described in verses 33, 36, and 37. For a more complete discussion of this great final battle, see "The Great Final Battle at Jerusalem," "The Battle at Jerusalem," and "Armageddon" in Ye Shall Know of the Doctrine, volume 3, chapter 26, Signs of the Lord's Second Coming-Those that Punish and Cleanse.
33 And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
verse 33 "the sun shall be darkened" This sign will apparently come twice in the last days-once a few years before the Lord's advent, and again associated with his coming (see Richard D. Draper, The Prophecies of Jesus: From the Fall of Jerusalem to the Second Coming [American Fork, Utah: Covenant Communications, 2001], 139-44).
Its first occurrence is described in D&C 29:14: "The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall be turned into blood, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and there shall be greater signs in heaven above and in the earth beneath." This latter sign occurs during the sixth seal, well before the battle of Armageddon (see also D&C 34:9; D&C 45:42; D&C 88:87; Joel 2:31; Revelation 6:21).
The second occurrence will apparently occur during the seventh seal, when the Lord comes in glory during the battle of Armageddon to save Jerusalem and end the battle. "And so great shall be the glory of his presence that the sun shall hide his face in shame, and the moon shall withhold its light, and the stars shall be hurled from their places" (D&C 133:49; see also Joel 2:10; Joel 3:15).
It is not clear to which of these two occurrences of the sign this verse refers, though the initial occurrence seems most likely.
What is the cause of this strange behavior of all the heavenly luminaries? The answer is found in D&C 133:49: "So great shall be the glory of his [the Lord's] presence that the sun shall hide his face in shame, and the moon shall withhold its light, and the stars shall be hurled from their places."
Doctrine and Covenants 133 details several effects of the Savior's coming in glory:
1. The sun, moon, and stars will hide or withhold their light, being insignificant compared to the brilliance of him who is literally the light of the world (D&C 88:7-13); recall that Joseph Smith described Jesus Christ and his Father as "above the brightness of the sun . . . and [their] brightness and glory defy all description" (JS-H 1:16-17; cf. verses 30-31);
2. Mountains will flow down at his presence (verses 40, 44);
3. Waters on the earth will boil (verse 4);
4. All nations will tremble at his presence (verse 42);
5. Wicked people and things will be burned and destroyed by the brightness of his glory (D&C 5:19; Malachi 4:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; JS-H 1:37; D&C 29:9; D&C 29:12; D&C 64:24; D&C 64:101:23-25; see further on JS-M 1:36).
A frequently mentioned consequence of the catastrophes and commotions engulfing the earth will be men's hearts failing them for fear (Luke 21:26; D&C 45:26; D&C 88:91).
34 Verily, I say unto you, this generation, in which these things shall be shown forth, shall not pass away until all I have told you shall be fulfilled.
verse 34 This verse suggests that the signs which will occur at the time of the Savior's coming in glory will all occur in one generation or one lifetime.
35 Although, the days will come, that heaven and earth shall pass away; yet my words shall not pass away, but all shall be fulfilled.
verse 35 "heaven and earth shall pass away" The earth, as we know it, shall pass away. The telestial earth will become a terrestrial earth.
"all shall be fulfilled" The Lord makes an emphatic declaration that these prophecies are not to be taken lightly. All that he here reveals will happen.
36 And, as I said before, after the tribulation of those days, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken, then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn; and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory;
verse 36 "the sign of the Son of Man" Next, we see the occurrence of the "sign of the Son of Man in heaven." This sign also occurs at the time of the Lord's coming in glory. It indicates that his second coming is imminent. It is difficult to say exactly what this sign is. In commenting upon this passage, the prophet Joseph Smith said: "There will be wars and rumors of wars, signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. . . . Then will appear one grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world do? They will say it is a planet, a comet, etc. But the Son of Man will come as the sign of the coming of the Son of Man, which will be as the light of the morning coming out of the east" (TPJS, 286-87). Joseph went on to describe what he meant in some detail: "How are we to see it? As the lighting up of the morning or the dawning of the morning. . . . It will be small at its first appearance and gradually become larger until every eye shall see it" (Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook, Words of Joseph Smith [Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1980], 180-81). One wonders: Could such a dramatic occasion be the re-appearance of the City of Enoch? According to Wandle Mace, this was what Joseph Smith taught (see Sayings of Joseph Smith in "Joseph Smith Papers," Church Historian's Library, Salt Lake City, Utah).
It is likely that the saints will recognize the signs of the coming of the Son of Man for what they are, but the wicked will not. Rather, they will attribute them to natural causes (Kent P. Jackson, Joseph Smith's Commentary on the Bible [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1994], 110).
"with power and great glory" Jesus Christ will come with power and great glory, and with tens of thousands of his holy ones (saints) accompanying him. Who are they who accompany the Savior at his coming? They are the inheritors of his celestial kingdom: "These are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the clouds of heaven" (D&C 76:63).
The power and the glory of the Lord at his coming, when all the world will see and know that he has come, is variously described in superlative terms in the scriptures. His aura or dwelling cloud or Shekhinah is depicted as "glory," "fire," "like lightning," "light," "exquisite whiteness," "brightness," "brilliance," and "radiance." The fire, or glory, of the Lord will burn, destroy, and remove all telestial people and things from this sphere. "What power, what source of energy, will igniite the world on the last day and burn away anything that cannot abide at least a terrestrial glory? It will be the glory of the Son of Man himself as he descends openly and in full view upon the world" (Robinson and Garrett, Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants, 2:224). Will a literal fire or burning sweep over the earth? Elder Spencer W. Kimball answered, "As it [the flood] was a real drowning, there will be a real burning at this next great event when the end of the world comes, and the wicked will be burned" (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 441).
Though his second coming will be highly public for all to see, one specific place he will appear is to "his temple" (Malachi 3:1; 3 Nephi 24:1). But what temple? To the house of the Lord in the New Jerusalem and in the Old Jerusalem. Elder McConkie wrote: "This great prophecy [Isaiah 2:2-4], as is often the case, is subject to the law of multiple fulfillment: (1) In Salt Lake City and other mountain locations temples, in the full and true sense of the word, have been erected, and representatives of all nations are flowing unto them to learn of God and his ways. . . . (2) But the day is yet future when the Lord's house is to be built on that 'Mount Zion' which is 'the city of New Jerusalem' in Jackson County, Missouri (D&C 84:2-4). Mount Zion, itself, will be the mountain of the Lord's house in the day when that glorious temple is erected. (3) When the Jews flee unto Jerusalem, it will be 'unto the mountains of the Lord's house' (D&C 133:13), for a holy temple is to be built there also as part of the work of the great era of restoration (Ezekiel 37:24-28)" (Mormon Doctrine, 518).
verses 37-43 The Lord continues his warnings, but these are specifically to his elect-to the members of his earthly Church and kingdom in good standing.
37 And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived, for the Son of Man shall come, and he shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the remainder of his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
verse 37 "whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived" Again, the Lord's warnings in this section (verses 37-43) are particularly intended for the Lord's elect.
This verse describes the final sign just before the Lord's coming. About the time of the second coming there shall be a general gathering of the Lord's elect both in heaven and on earth. This gathering will be announced with a trumpet blast. The instrument mentioned here (Greek salpinx) is not so much for music as for communication. The salpinx had three primary roles: to sound command during battle, to announce the arrival of dignitaries, and to signal the beginning and ending of periods of celebration. All three applications, taken symbolically, seem apropos here. First, the Lord has called his saints to battle and given them their marching orders through his prophet. Second, the events of the last days announce that the coming of the Lord as King of kings. And, finally, the fall of Babylon and the triumph of God's kingdom, are causes for celebration. In this verse the trumpets seem to symbolize, first, missionary work-the Lord's telling his people, "Declare my gospel as with the voice of a trump" (D&C 24:12)-and, second, those events that finish his latter-day work and make preparation for the second coming (D&C 77:12).
The apostle Paul wrote of the time when "the Lord himself shall descend with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: And the dead in Christ shall rise first." He went on to say that those who "remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). Thus are the righteous received by their Lord, to return with him to live upon the earth as it enters its millennial Sabbath.
38 Now learn a parable of the fig-tree-When its branches are yet tender, and it begins to put forth leaves, you know that summer is nigh at hand;
verse 38 We can and should become acquainted with the signs of the Lord's second coming and be prepared for all these events and phenomena. We can and should know the general timing of his coming. Jesus gave three simple illustrations to enable us to judge the proximity of his arrival: (1) the fig tree, (2) a thief in the night, and (3) a woman in travail.
"a parable of the fig-tree" The Holy Land where Jesus lived has only two seasons: the hot, dry season (summer) and the cold, wet season (winter). The New Testament mentions these two seasons only. During the late winter (usually in March) the fig tree issues its first tiny leaves, signaling the beginning of the warm season. One characteristic of a fig tree is that it does not put forth its leaves until relatively late in the season, long after most trees are in full leaf. The Savior used this feature in a parable concerning his second coming. "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer [the Savior's second coming] [is] nigh" (Matthew 24:32). Using the parable of the fig-tree, President Spencer W. Kimball made a prophetic pronouncement: "The leaves are commencing to show on the fig tree" (Ensign, May 1976, 74).
"you know that summer is nigh at hand" The Lord seldom gives time references. On the other hand, the Lord has promised to keep his saints informed. He promised them, "Unto you it shall be given to know the signs of the times, and the signs of the coming of the Son of Man" (D&C 68:11), noting that, though the coming of the Lord will overtake the world as a thief in the night, "that day shall not over take you as a thief" (D&C 106:4-5). The caveat, however, is that the saints must pay attention.
39 So likewise, mine elect, when they shall see all these things, they shall know that he is near, even at the doors;
40 But of that day, and hour, no one knoweth; no, not the angels of God in heaven, but my Father only.
verse 40 "of that day, and hour, no one knoweth" This statement seems to contradict the writing of the prophet Amos: "God will do nothing but what he will reveal unto his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7). After quoting this scripture, the prophet Joseph said, "Consequently, if it is not made known to the prophet it will not come to pass" (Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook, Words of Joseph Smith, [Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1980], 180-81). The message here for the saints is to listen to the modern prophet.
Some have noticed the words "neither the Son" in Mark 13:32, but that phrase was deleted in the JS-M. Of course the Son knows when he is returning to the earth. "He knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it" (2 Nephi 9:20; see also Mormon 8:17; Moroni 7:22; D&C 38:2; D&C 38:130:7; Abraham 2:8).
41 But as it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be also at the coming of the Son of Man;
verse 41 "as it was in the days of Noah" Usually this statement is taken to mean that the world will be as wicked as it was when the Lord sent forth the great Flood. Perhaps this is true, but the major point is that the people of Noah's day were spiritually blind-they did not heed the warnings which were given. Thus they were caught unprepared. Thus, the Lord's warning in verse 46.
Most of those living in the last days, though they could have known if they had listened, will feel the same surprised shock. Spiritual blindness is not a matter of the eye or of the mind, but rather a matter of the heart. The Lord told his ancient disciples, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:21). To put it in other words, the Lord's concern seems to be less with what a man understands than with what he loves. Loving the wrong thing lends itself to deception. Though people may understand what is right, loving what is wrong makes them weak and vulnerable to alternative voices.
42 For it shall be with them, as it was in the days which were before the flood; for until the day that Noah entered into the ark they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage;
verse 42 "until the day that Noah entered into the ark they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage" The point is, they were not listening to the Lord's warnings given through his prophet.
The text of Luke adds another comparison to the time of the Lord's second coming: "Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all" (Luke 17:28-29; cf. Genesis 19:16). The comparisons to the people in Noah's day and the people of Sodom in Lot's day foreshadow a latter-day destruction that is sudden and cataclysmic.
43 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.
verse 43 President Lorenzo Snow reported that on one occasion the prophet Joseph Smith was asked who he was. The Prophet smiled kindly and replied, "Noah came before the flood; I have come before the fire" (Cannon, Journal, 30).
verses 42-43 Luke adds another warning for the time of the second coming (parallel to JS-M 1:14-15, in the first century after Christ): "In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away; and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Remember Lot's wife" (Luke 17:31-32; see also D&C 133:14-15) Luke's words plainly suggest that the fate of Lot's wife was not merely the result of looking back, as Genesis 19:26 indicates, but returning her heart back and consequently being caught up in the total destruction of Sodom. Interestingly, the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, also mentions this same detail. It speaks of delivering Lot "and his household, all save his wife, who is of those who stay behind" (Sura XXIX: 32; see also XXVII:171, from Meaning of the Glorious Koran, 286).
verses 44-55 These final verses in the chapter contain the Lord's warning to all men, and not just to his elect.
44 Then shall be fulfilled that which is written, that in the last days, two shall be in the field, the one shall be taken, and the other left;
45 Two shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken, and the other left;
verses 44-45 At the Lord's second coming, the honorable and righteous will be caught up to meet him. These are called "Christ's at his coming" (see D&C 88:99). This term is usually used to refer to terrestrial souls, but here, of course, it refers to both the celestial and terrestrial individuals. For those telestial souls who are left behind, the moment will be catastrophic. As Moroni told Joseph Smith, "The day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as stubble" (JS-H 1:37).
Among orthodox Christian groups this being caught up to meet the Savior at his second coming is called "the Rapture." The Rapture describes the moment when those who are Christ's at his coming will be caught up to meet him.
46 And what I say unto one, I say unto all men; watch, therefore, for you know not at what hour your Lord doth come.
verse 46 "I say unto all men" Up to this point, all the Lord's comments about the last days have been directed to the elect. He now broadens his sweep and gives a sound warning to all those living in the last days.
"watch, therefore, for you know not at what hour your Lord doth come" The solution is to be constantly prepared. The foolish virgins learned too late the cost of not being prepared (see the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13).
47 But know this, if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to have been broken up, but would have been ready.
verse 47 "if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come" Jesus also made the curious parallel between his return to earth and the coming of thief in the night. If a homeowner knows exactly when a thief is going to attempt to break into his home, he will be up and ready. Likewise if Jesus told everyone exactly when he is coming, we would be up and ready. He does not want us to be prepared for a certain date and for a certain period of time. He wants us to be prepared always. Every generation needs to prepare for the Savior's coming as if it will happen in their lifetime.
The Lord's disciples knew the metaphor that at the Lord's second coming, the Lord will come "as a thief in the night" (1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10). Does that mean he is going to come to rob people, that he is going to come over the wall, that he is going to be sneaky, that he is going to be dishonest? Of course not. It means he will come in the manner that a thief comes and takes you by surprise when you are not expecting it. In that sense he will come, and in that sense only. The Lord postulates, in this verse, an impossibly improbable situation-that the good man of the house would know when a thief might come. Since this is not practically possible, he must remain ready constantly as is urged in the following verse.
This metaphor is especially poignant since it was the "good man," not the wicked, slothful, or uncaring man, whose house was broken up. He did not deserve what came to him, but it came nonetheless because he was neither watchful nor prepared.
Jesus also drew a parallel between his return to earth and a woman in travail (1 Thessalonians 5:3; D&C 136:35). Even though doctors can give a fairly accurate forecast of when a baby is due, even marking a certain date on the calendar, there is no way to know exactly what day or hour the baby will come. When a woman is about to deliver, the physical signs of the imminent arrival are evident. So a true disciple of Jesus will know and recognize the signs of his imminent coming.
48 Therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh.
verse 48 The text of Luke 21:34-36 encourages us not to get carried away with the lusts, pleasures, and cares of this life, lest we be caught unawares. We are to watch and pray always and keep the commandments that we may be worthy to escape the calamities that will come and then to stand before the Son of Man "when he shall come clothed in the glory of his Father" (JST, Luke 21:36).
49 Who, then, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
verse 49 "a faithful and wise servant . . . to give them meat in due season" The Lord here explains how to be prepared. The wise servant works in God's house, giving spiritual and temporal sustenance to those in the household at a time when they are in need. In other words, he stresses the need for his people to be engaged in good works. Though his second coming may be far off, the saints must not hold back in their exercise of charity toward others.
50 Blessed is that servant whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing; and verily I say unto you, he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
verse 50 "he shall make him ruler over all his goods" The Lord's promise is most interesting. He does not say the righteous steward will be ruler over some goods but over all goods. The Lord has promised, "All thrones and dominions, principalities, and powers, shall be revealed and set forth upon all who have endured valiantly for the gospel of Jesus Christ" (D&C 121:29). There are no second-class citizens among the Gods, but all become heirs of God and joint-heirs of Christ over all things (see Romans 8:16-17).
51 But if that evil servant shall say in his heart: My lord delayeth his coming,
verse 51 "My lord delayeth his coming" Only an evil saint or servant of the Lord can make this statement. It could not be made by an atheist or an agnostic, who either denies or doubts the existence of God. Only a believer could make it. Therefore, the attitude is most damning. It reveals a mind that thinks it can get away with sin, injustice, and wantonness. Thus, the Lord can rightly say here that only an "evil servant" would think such a thing.
Another idea here is that when the Lord doesn't come at the beginning of the seventh thousand years of the earth's existence (the beginning of the seventh seal), the evil or unwise servant will say, "I guess he's not coming after all." Matthew 25:5 notes that "the bridegroom tarried," and D&C 45:26 says "Christ delayeth his coming" (cf. 3 Nephi 29:2). These combined passages teach that the Savior will intentionally delay his glorious coming until some time into the seventh thousand-year period, "in an hour that [we are] not aware of" (verse 53). Thus, the beginning of the seven thousand-year period and the actual coming of the Lord are not the same occasion.
When the Savior does come, we might wonder whether his reign on the earth will endure for a full thousand years after that moment or just finish out the thousand-year period (millennium) already begun? Scripture gives us no specific answer.
52 And shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken,
53 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
verses 52-53 The Lord makes it clear that the hypocritical member of the Church will be caught unawares and unprepared at the Lord's coming.
54 And shall cut him asunder, and shall appoint him his portion with the hypocrites; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
verse 54 "shall appoint him his portion with the hypocrites" The Greek word from which "hypocrite" comes (hypocrites) denotes the Greek play actor or the mask he wore, and thus came to denote dissembling, that is, putting on a false appearance. The idea behind the word, however, goes beyond these meanings. At its root is godlessness and apostasy. The evil servant thinks he can get away with evil because at his heart he has become apostate, no longer believing that God is the Almighty.
"weeping and gnashing of teeth" Suffering in the form of remorse will be experienced by the hypocritical member of the Church.
55 And thus cometh the end of the wicked, according to the prophecy of Moses, saying: They shall be cut off from among the people; but the end of the earth is not yet, but by and by.
verse 55 This new verse added by the prophet Joseph Smith includes a prophecy of Moses.
"the prophecy of Moses" The Lord paraphrases Deuteronomy 18:16-19 where God states that the one who does not listen to the words of the prophet like unto Moses (that is, the Lord), "which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." Peter said that those who would not listen to "that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people" (Acts 3:22-23). Moroni referred to the same prophecy when he appeared to Joseph Smith, saying that soon all who would not listen to Jesus "should be cut off from among the people" (JS-H 1:40).
"but the end of the earth is not yet, but by and by" The Lord's second coming is often referred to as the "end of the world," but not the "end of the earth." At the Lord's second coming what does end is wickedness. The telestial order will come to an end, suddenly and violently. A new order, a terrestrial, will begin suddenly and in peace. Paradise will sweep the earth to the point that the new era "shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9). The "end of the earth" will occur at the end of the Millennium when the terrestrial elements will be removed from the earth and only the celestial will remain.
Following Jesus's extraordinary instruction to his disciples about the near and distant future, Luke notes that "in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives [perhaps at Bethany, with his friends Martha, Mary, and Lazarus?]. And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him" (Luke 21:37-38).