Matthew 24:3 kjv
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Matthew 24:3 nkjv
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"
Matthew 24:3 niv
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"
Matthew 24:3 esv
As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"
Matthew 24:3 nlt
Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, "Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world? "
Matthew 24 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 24:1-2 | And Jesus went out... there shall not be left here one stone upon another... | Immediate context, prompting the disciples' question. |
| Mk 13:1-2 | As he went out of the temple... 'See what stones and what buildings!'... | Synoptic parallel, initial prophecy of Temple destruction. |
| Lk 21:5-6 | As some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones... 'Days will come...' | Synoptic parallel, Jesus' Temple prophecy. |
| Lk 19:41-44 | When he drew near... he wept over it, saying, "Would that you, even you, had known..." | Jesus' lament over Jerusalem's impending destruction. |
| Zech 14:4 | On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem... | Prophecy of Mount of Olives as a site of divine visitation and judgment/return. |
| Acts 1:9-12 | He was lifted up... two men in white robes said, "...this Jesus, who was taken up from you... will come in the same way..." | Ascension from Mount of Olives; promise of Christ's return. |
| Mt 16:27-28 | For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels... | Earlier teaching on Christ's "coming" in glory and kingdom power. |
| Mt 24:27 | For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. | Illustrates the visible and undeniable nature of the "coming" (parousia). |
| Mt 24:30 | Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn... | Description of the visible manifestation of Christ's "coming." |
| 1 Thes 4:15-17 | For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive... will not precede those who have fallen asleep... | Description of believers being gathered at the Lord's "coming" (parousia). |
| 2 Pet 1:16 | For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ... | Apostolic emphasis on the certainty and reality of Christ's "coming" (parousia). |
| Jas 5:7-8 | Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord... for the coming of the Lord is at hand. | Encouragement to endure in light of the Lord's "coming" (parousia). |
| 1 Jn 2:28 | And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence... | Warning to be ready for Christ's appearance (parousia). |
| Mt 13:39-40 | The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels... so it will be at the end of the age. | Parable of wheat and tares identifying "end of the age" with harvest and judgment. |
| Mt 28:20 | And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Amen. | Jesus' promise of presence until "the end of the age." |
| Heb 9:26 | But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. | Refers to the culmination of prior dispensations, specifically fulfilled by Christ's first coming. |
| Rev 21:1-4 | Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away... | Vision of the ultimate "new age" after the old has passed. |
| Isa 65:17-19 | "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth... For behold, I create Jerusalem as a joy and her people a gladness." | Old Testament prophecy of new heavens and new earth, linking to a new age. |
| 2 Pet 3:10-13 | But the day of the Lord will come like a thief... But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth... | Description of the day of the Lord, destruction of old heavens/earth, and the new. |
| Dan 12:4 | But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase. | Reference to prophecies being for a "time of the end" or "end of the age." |
| Dan 9:26 | And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary... | Prophecy of the destruction of the city and sanctuary, often linked to Jerusalem's fall. |
| Jer 26:18 | Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah... "Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins..." | OT prophecy foreshadowing the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. |
| Acts 17:31 | Because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed... | God has a predetermined "day" for ultimate judgment, signifying an "end." |
Matthew 24 verses
Matthew 24 3 Meaning
Matthew 24:3 initiates the pivotal Olivet Discourse, presenting the disciples' direct inquiry to Jesus about two intertwined yet distinct future events: the precise timing of the predicted destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem, and the definitive indicators of His ultimate return and the conclusion of the current age. This question reflects their assumption that these monumental occurrences, one a national catastrophe and the other a global culmination, would be contemporaneous or directly linked. It establishes the foundational query that Jesus subsequently addresses, detailing signs leading up to both historical and eschatological fulfilments.
Matthew 24 3 Context
Matthew 24:3 serves as the interpretive gateway to the "Olivet Discourse," delivered by Jesus on the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem. Immediately preceding this verse (Matt 24:1-2), Jesus had just departed the Temple area and pronounced its utter destruction, stating that not one stone would be left upon another. This prophecy would have been profoundly shocking and unfathomable to His disciples, as the Temple was the revered center of Jewish worship, national identity, and divine presence. Their understanding, deeply rooted in Jewish apocalyptic expectations, naturally connected such an unprecedented calamity to the "Day of the Lord" and the inauguration of the Messianic age or the final consummation. Their query in verse 3, therefore, reflects a direct consequence of Jesus' unsettling prophecy about the Temple and their inherent belief that this would mark a major eschatological shift. Historically and culturally, 1st-century Jews, familiar with prophecies from Daniel and other prophets, anticipated signs and times for the Messiah's kingdom and the transition from the current "age" (Olam Haze) to the "age to come" (Olam Haba). The disciples’ questions reveal a shared apocalyptic framework, anticipating divine judgment and a new epoch.
Matthew 24 3 Word analysis
- And as he sat (Καθημένου δὲ αὐτοῦ - Kathēmenou de autou): The term "sat" suggests a posture of teaching, characteristic of rabbinic instruction. The particle "de" (but, and) links this scene directly to the previous events of Jesus leaving the Temple. It denotes a deliberate, perhaps more formal or intimate, session compared to his public pronouncements.
- upon the mount of Olives (ἐπὶ τοῦ Ὄρους τῶν Ἐλαιῶν - epi tou Orous tōn Elaiōn): This location is strategically significant. The Mount of Olives provided a clear, direct view of the Temple complex. It is rich with biblical prophecy, notably Zechariah 14:4, which speaks of the Lord's feet standing there at the coming of a significant divine event. It was also the site of Jesus' arrest (Gethsemane, Matt 26) and His ascension (Acts 1:9-12), solidifying its prophetic importance for both suffering and ultimate glory/return.
- the disciples came unto him (προσῆλθον αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταί - prosēlthon autō hoi mathētai): "Disciples" (mathētai) refers to His closest followers, distinguishing them from the general crowd. "Came unto him" suggests intentional seeking and direct approach.
- privately (κατ’ ἰδίαν - kat’ idian): This adverb emphasizes the private and confidential nature of the discussion. The disciples sought answers apart from the multitudes, indicating the profound and perhaps sensitive nature of their questions, which Jesus was about to unveil only to His inner circle.
- saying (λέγοντες - legontes): A straightforward participle indicating they then spoke directly to Jesus.
- Tell us (Εἰπὲ ἡμῖν - Eipe hēmin): An imperative verb, a direct command or plea, expressing their earnest desire for understanding and revelation regarding the future.
- when shall these things be? (Πότε ταῦτα ἔσται - Pote tauta estai?): "When?" (Pote) demands a temporal answer, a timeline. "These things" (tauta) directly refers to Jesus' immediately preceding prophecy about the complete destruction of the Temple (Matt 24:2). The disciples clearly wanted to know the timing of this impending catastrophe.
- and what shall be the sign (καὶ τί τὸ σημεῖον - kai ti to sēmeion?): "What?" (Ti) requests a characteristic identifier, an indication. "Sign" (sēmeion) denotes a visible, observable mark or omen, pointing to a greater, underlying reality or event. They are asking for discernable clues for the "coming."
- of thy coming (τῆς σῆς παρουσίας - tēs sēs parousias): "Thy" refers specifically to Jesus. "Coming" is the crucial term parousia. While parousia can simply mean "presence" or "arrival" in general Greek, in eschatological contexts of the New Testament, especially when coupled with "sign," it overwhelmingly refers to the visible, physical return of Jesus Christ in power and glory. It was used in secular Greek for the visit of an emperor or dignitary. This highlights the definitive, kingly advent of Christ, not merely a spiritual presence.
- and of the end of the world? (καὶ συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος - kai syntelias tou aiōnos?): "End" (syntelias) means a full completion, consummation, or final winding-up. It is not just a cessation but a definitive conclusion that ushers in a new state. "World" (aiōnos) here is better translated "age" or "epoch." This refers to the end of the current, fallen world system or human history as it currently operates, prior to the inauguration of the Messianic Kingdom or new heavens and new earth. The disciples link the Temple's destruction and Jesus' parousia directly to the conclusion of the present age, believing these events herald a new spiritual and temporal order.
Matthew 24 3 Bonus section
The structure of the disciples' question, combining "when shall these things be?" (referring to the Temple's destruction) with "what shall be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?" reveals their natural conflation of events that many contemporary interpreters distinguish as having both a proximate (A.D. 70) and a distant (Second Coming) fulfillment. Jesus' discourse that follows can be understood as addressing both these timelines, leading to the rich layers of interpretation found in prophetic study. The private setting on the Mount of Olives also distinguishes this teaching as crucial and deep revelation, not for the general populace, but for those specifically chosen to understand the unfolding of God's redemptive plan through history and to its glorious consummation. The emphasis on "sign" indicates a hunger for evidence and confirmation of divine timing.
Matthew 24 3 Commentary
Matthew 24:3 marks a pivotal turning point, as the disciples consolidate two momentous prophecies into a singular inquiry, laying the groundwork for one of Jesus' most significant eschatological discourses. Their questions arise directly from Jesus' astounding declaration about the Temple's total destruction, demonstrating their assumption that such a catastrophe must logically precede or coincide with the definitive end of the age and the Messiah's return. They were seeking both the timeline for Jerusalem's destruction and the manifest "signs" (Greek: semeion) of Christ's eschatological "coming" (parousia) and the final "consummation of the age" (syntelia tou aiōnos). Jesus' subsequent response to these merged questions requires careful interpretation, as He fluidly addresses both the near-term events of AD 70 and the ultimate future events of His Second Coming. The verse highlights humanity's perennial desire to understand divine timing and God's future plans, urging us to remain vigilant and ready rather than consumed by specific dates.