But in those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’ with great power and glory, 27 and then he will send out the angels and gather [his] elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky. 28 Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the gates. 30 Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 32 But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. 35 Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. 36 May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!
Jesus drew from OT metaphorical language and striking imagery to speak about the coming of the Son of Man (cf. Is. 13:9-10). The disturbance of the heavenly bodies indicates that it would be the power of God at work. Jesus’ words should not be taken literally as a description of the specific signs in the heavens that will precede the end of the world (vv. 24-25). After the signs Christ, the Son of Man, will come in glory to gather the elect from the whole world (1 Thess. 4:15-17). All of creation will signal the coming of the ‘Son of Man’ (Dan. 7:13-14).
When leaves sprout from the fig tree's branches, it means that summer is near. Similarly, when the disciples see the signs (Mk. 13:4) they will know that the Kingdom of God is at hand (Lk. 21:31). The destruction of the Temple by the Romans in AD 70 marked the end of the old order and the inauguration of the new age of the Messianic kingdom on earth. The destruction of the Temple is believed by Christians to be the punishment for the evil generation that rejected Christ (Mt. 23:35) and it occurred approximately 40 years after Christ told the disciples about the signs that would occur before the coming of the Son of Man. The precise meaning of verse 30 is not clear but it could be a reference to the Jewish nation under the old order that rejected Christ. Jesus assured the disciples of the certainty, truth, and permanency of his words.
Having told his disciples about the signs that will precede the fall of Jerusalem which would occur within the current generation's lifetime, Jesus tells them that no one, not even the angels or the Son, knows the day or hour the events will take place. They are to remain vigilant and watch for the signs so they will know when the Son of Man will come, and they will be ready. Jesus’ admonition is intended for everyone.
Almighty God, grant us the grace to trust in the word and promises of Christ and to live in the hope of our resurrection to everlasting life. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
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