Thursday Devo
Scripture:
Matthew 24
32 “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. 34 I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.
32 “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. 34 I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.
Commentary:
24:34 this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Several interpretations have been offered for this difficult passage: (1) Some think “this generation” refers to the disciples who were alive when Jesus was speaking, and “all these things” refers to the beginning but not the completion of the sufferings described in vv. 4–25. (2) Others see in “all these things” a prediction with multiple fulfillments, so that Jesus’ disciples will be both “this generation” that sees the destruction of the temple in a.d. 70 and also those at the end of the age who see the events surrounding the “abomination of desolation” (v. 15). (3) Since “the generation of …” in the OT can mean people who have a certain quality (cf. Ps. 14:5; 24:6; cf. Gk. genea in Luke 16:8), others understand “this generation” to refer either (a) to “this generation of believers” throughout the entire present age, or (b) to “this evil generation” that will remain until Christ returns to establish his kingdom (cf. Matt. 12:45; Luke 11:29). (4) Others, particularly some dispensational interpreters, understand “generation” to mean “race” (this is another sense of Gk. genea) and think it refers to the Jewish people, who will not pass away until Christ returns. (5) Others understand “this generation” to mean the generation that sees “all these things” (Matt. 24:33), namely, the generation alive when the final period of great tribulation begins. According to this view, the illustration of the fig tree (v. 32) shows that when the final events begin, Christ will come soon. Just as “all these things” in v. 33 refers to events leading up to but not including Christ’s return, so in v. 34 “all these things” refers to the same events (that is, the events described in vv. 4–25).
24:35 my words will not pass away. Jesus attributes divine authority and permanence to his own teaching—it is greater even than heaven and earth.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1875.
24:35 my words will not pass away. Jesus attributes divine authority and permanence to his own teaching—it is greater even than heaven and earth.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1875.
Questions:
- Not only did God determine the CANON of Scripture, but He also protected the COPYING of Scripture. The Bible we have today ISN'T a copy of a copy of a copy, as some claim out of ignorance. It's NOT a game of telephone. We have translations that have been translated directly from the earliest Greek and Hebrew manuscripts. They are 99.5% accurate to the originals. And the .5% variance are things like spelling differences or word order. There is absolutely zero affect on any doctrine. Does this affect your level of trust in the Bible's accuracy? Why do you think some are so quick to believe the lies?
- The bottom line is, God WANTS us to have His Word, and so He made it happen. If Jesus has RISEN from the dead, then He is ABLE to PRESERVE His Word! Jesus said His words wouldn't pass away, that He would guide the Apostles into all truth, that they were to testify of all they had seen and heard, and that WE would believe because of THEIR message. So our trust is ultimately in JESUS! To NOT trust in Scripture is to call Jesus a liar. Where is your trust level for the infallibility and inherency of Scripture? Do you treat it as such?
Pray:
- That you confidence in Scripture would grow as you read.
- That you would trust its reliability and accuracy.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
7. How can I trust that the Bible is still God’s Word today? I trust the Bible is still God’s Word today because Jesus rose from the dead, proving He was God and said His words would never pass away. Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired the writing of the Scripture, determined the canon of Scripture and protected the copying of Scripture so that we might know Him and worship Him to this day.
(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
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