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Explanation for:
Matthew
24
:
22
And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved: but for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened.
10
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Ambrose of Milan","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88871ceef8c96e0998cd0_Ambrose%20of%20Milan.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"The initial arrival of the Lord serves to bring about the forgiveness of transgressions, while His subsequent return aims to eliminate sin and diminish the count of those who have succumbed to the mistake of disbelief."},{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Through this, He illustrates that the Jewish people warranted a harsher judgment than what they faced, specifying that \\"days\\" refers to the duration of warfare and siege. Thus, the implication of His statement is clear: had the Roman conflict with the city persisted any longer, all the Jews—both inside and outside the city—would have met their end. They not only fought against those within Judea but also expelled and persecuted those scattered throughout the lands due to their animosity. Who are the chosen ones referred to by Christ in this context? They are the faithful among the Jews. To counter any claims from the Jews that their misfortunes arose from the proclamation of the gospel and the veneration of Christ, He indicates that these believers would not be the source of their sufferings; rather, if they had not been present, complete destruction would have ensued. Had God allowed the conflict to persist, no remnants of the Jewish population would have survived; yet, to ensure that the faithful among them did not perish alongside the unbelievers, He swiftly terminated the strife and the conflict. Hence, Christ declares, \\"but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.\\" This statement was also meant to comfort the believers among the Jews and to grant them assurance, alleviating any fear of their potential demise alongside the others. If God's providence for the faithful is so profound, such that others are spared for their benefit and the remnant of the unbelieving Jews are preserved for the sake of Christians, what glory awaits them at the time of the crowning? With these words, Christ consoled the believers, encouraging them not to despair in their afflictions, for the unbelievers endure similar hardships, often without any benefit, even at the cost of their lives. Moreover, He not only reassured them but also subtly diverted them from adhering to Jewish traditions. Clearly, if improvement ceased and the temple was no longer standing, it was inevitable that the law would also be rendered obsolete. However, He did not state this outright; instead, He alluded to it when discussing the complete ruin of the Jews. He chose not to express this plainly so as not to alarm the disciples prematurely. Therefore, He refrained from revealing it at first; after mourning for the city, He drew their attention to the stones and posed a question, intending to predict the future based on their answer. Notice the wisdom of the Spirit, as John did not write about it, ensuring it did not seem as though he recorded these events based on eyewitness accounts (considering he survived long after Jerusalem's destruction); rather, those who perished before that event, having witnessed none of these occurrences, communicated about them, allowing the power of prophecy to radiate from every corner."},{"author-name":"Ephraem the Syrian","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88b589fc3e99eb7bb1839_Ephraem%20the%20Syrian.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"It is not the quantity of days or hours that is reduced, but rather time itself is shortened for the benefit of the chosen, ensuring that their afflictions are not increased but alleviated; in other words, salvation is brought forth."},{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"We should interpret the shortening of days not as a misguided belief that the actual duration of time will be altered, for it is written: \\"According to Thy establishment the day continues\\" (Psalm 118:21). In the new Synodal Russian translation, it states: \\"Thou hast tamed the proud, the cursed, those who deviate from Thy commandments.\\" Instead, this should be understood in terms of the quality of days, meaning that their overall number will diminish, rather than the length of each individual day. As it is expressed in blessings, \\"I will fill him with length of days, and I will show him My salvation\\" (Psalm 90:16), the concept of shortened days must likewise be comprehended. This understanding is vital to ensure that the abundance of days does not weaken the faith of believers."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"The speaker is referring to the times of conflict and siege. Had those days not been reduced by Divine Providence, no living being, specifically referring to Jewish lives, would have survived. All would have faced extermination, both inside Jerusalem and in the surrounding areas—some would succumb to hunger, others to disease, and many would fall by the sword, along with various other forms of demise. The Romans held deep animosity towards the Jewish people, launching attacks even against those dispersed in different regions. The faithful among the Jews, referred to as the elect, were the reason the warfare was curtailed, so that they would not face destruction alongside the non-believers, and there might be an opportunity for some non-believers to attain salvation through their influence. This was intended to prevent anyone from claiming that the calamity unleashed by God's wrath was directed solely at those who believed. Furthermore, the survivors, recognizing that all of the faithful were preserved, would come to understand the true reason behind the events, realizing that it was not the believers who led to the demise of the dead, but instead their preservation was due to the faithful. The phrase \\"all flesh\\" is used to imply \\"none,\\" as highlighted by David's words: “Let not every iniquity possess me” (Ps. 118:133), which means \\"none.\\" This is a notable aspect of ancient texts. Additionally, notice how the Spirit of God has been distinctly manifest; John, who lived through these events and continued to do so for some time after Jerusalem's fall, refrained from documenting them, so as to avoid any impression that he was writing that which he had prophesied long beforehand. The accounts were clearly penned by those who perished prior to the fulfillment itself, ensuring that the prophecy of Christ would not raise any doubts. After concluding the discussion regarding the destruction of Jerusalem, He turns to another topic—His Second Coming—and foretells the signs that would be relevant for Christians. God has indeed eased the tribulation and warfare overall. Had the conflict persisted any longer, all those within the city would have starved."},{"author-name":"Theophylact of Bulgaria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989296bafed9104677d7_Theophylact%20of%20Bulgaria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":11,"exegesis-text":"An overwhelming sorrow was present. The Roman soldiers received commands to show no mercy. Yet, for the benefit of those who had faith or were in the process of believing, the Lord intervened, preventing the total annihilation of the nation by shortening the conflict and alleviating the suffering. Had the siege persisted, all those within the city would have succumbed to starvation. Some may associate this with the era of the Antichrist, but this context pertains specifically to the siege of Jerusalem. The prophecies regarding the Antichrist emerge later. Here it is:"},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The period of siege, famine, and warfare was not prolonged; otherwise, \\"no flesh would have been saved\\" as all the Jewish people would have met with death. The inhabitants of Judea would have fallen to the sword, starvation, and disease. This was shortened for the sake of the elect, referring specifically to Christians, who are chosen by God to belong to the kingdom of Christ. It is likely that numerous individuals among the Jewish population in Jerusalem and its surroundings had faith in Christ. To protect them, the duration of their suffering was reduced. According to Flavius, Titus initially intended to compel the city's surrender through starvation and had encircled it with a wall to obstruct food supplies and prevent anyone from escaping. However, due to pressing matters within the empire that required his urgent return to Rome, he abandoned his initial strategy, accelerated the siege, and ultimately captured the city by force. Thus, the time of distress for those besieged was diminished."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"If the days of siege, famine, and conflict had not been abbreviated, no one would have survived; none of the Jewish populace would have evaded death, and all those in Jerusalem would have fallen victim to sword, starvation, and disease. However, for the sake of those who have faith in Me, or have had faith, those days will be preserved. St. Chrysostom notes that the Lord spoke this to comfort the Jewish believers and assure them that they would not perish alongside their people. Historian Eusebius records that the Christians of Jerusalem, recognizing the fulfillment of the Lord's words, evacuated to the small town of Pella, nestled in the mountains beyond the Jordan, thereby escaping the city’s destruction. St. Innocent of Kherson reflects in amazement on the realization of these prophecies, exclaiming: “My God, what a dreadful and enlightening sight! What remarkable alignment of occurrences with foretold events! What unexpected randomness and accuracy in their fulfillment!” \\n\\nTerrifying earthquakes, famines, plagues, and violent conflicts—all the calamities foretold by Jesus Christ—seem to signal to the entire world a profound event, leading us to anticipate one of God's great judgments. Yet, the calamities that had previously swept through various regions suddenly intensified over Palestine and concentrated over Jerusalem. This was seemingly due to the rebellion against the rulers, but ultimately stemmed from the Jewish rejection of their Messiah, the God of their forefathers. A period of tribulation unfolds, which, as described by the eyewitness Flavius, is unprecedented and will not be matched. Tens of thousands of Jews are slaughtered before the warfare begins, like wild animals; the cities held by the Jews fall into ruin one after another, and the land, once overflowing with abundance, is reduced to desolation. Only Jerusalem remains, but what a Jerusalem it is! Surrounded by Roman legions, whose fluttering standards depicting their false gods seem to beckon its ruin; within, filled with violent mobs of Zealots, Idumeans, and Sicarians who, falsely claiming to defend the sacred, defile it with unspeakable acts, mercilessly killing the best among them and turning upon one another, mocking the true prophets of the Messiah, the Lord Himself.\\n\\nCan there be a greater offense than the abomination of desolation that Daniel prophesied? Friends, driven mad by hunger, battle over scraps of roots or a mere sip of water; those besieged offer gold in exchange for food that even animals would refuse, items too shameful to name. In a moment of desperate hunger, a noble mother consumes her own infant; the ravenous Zealots stagger through the streets like rabid beasts. All the streets, squares, and homes are littered with corpses, amounting to six hundred thousand, while outside Jerusalem’s gates, there is insufficient space for crosses, and not enough wood to crucify the forsaken Jews, who are mercilessly executed by Roman soldiers out of hatred and vengeance, impaled one upon another. The blood fills the streets and temple courtyards, washing even the flames of the fires.\\n\\nThe Roman commander is aghast at the suffering of the besieged and swears by the gods that he bears no responsibility for their plight, having offered peace numerous times. Titus aimed to compel the city to surrender through starvation, encircling it with trenches to block supplies and prevent escape. However, as the empire's matters required his swift return to Rome, he hastened the siege and assaulted the city. Thus, for the sake of the elect, God shortened these grim days of suffering, lest the Jews claim, as St. Chrysostom observed, that these events were the result of the Gospel’s preaching and Christ’s worship, demonstrating that the believers were not the cause of these calamities, but rather, if they had not been present, all would have perished.\\n\\nAt last, Jerusalem has fallen; everything is consumed by flames. Where once stood the majestic temple, unmatched in grandeur, wealth, and strength, now lie piles of rubble and ashes. Only three towers remain of what was Jerusalem in its former glory. One hundred thousand Jews, having outlasted their homeland, are carried off into captivity; the more robust and attractive among them are destined for the victor's procession in Rome, to perish in the arenas, while others are sold as lowly slaves throughout Asia, Europe, and Africa, where there are few buyers left. Over a million perish in this dire period. St. Chrysostom urges that one should not think this an exaggeration; rather, they should read the accounts of Josephus to discover the truth of Christ’s declarations. Josephus, being a devout Jew, does not embellish the miseries endured, yet he writes that the calamities surpassed any previous affliction, and the war that unfolded was unlike anything ever faced by a nation. According to him, the hunger was so profound that mothers consumed their children, debating the act among themselves; many of the dead were found with their bodies violated.\\n\\nThe astonishing number of deceased Jews can be attributed to the Romans laying siege during the Passover, when up to two million Jews, not counting women and children, gathered in Jerusalem. Thus, the harrowing statement spoken by the crowd was fulfilled: “His blood be upon us and upon our children.” Flavius, while recording his history, certainly had no intention to distort the facts to favor Christianity; indeed, much of his account serves to confirm how faithfully the prophecy of Jesus Christ was realized among the Jewish people, as noted by St. Innocent of Kherson. Moreover, St. Chrysostom highlights the divine wisdom in the Evangelist John’s silence on these events, lest it appear he chronicled them based on current accounts, for he lived long after Jerusalem's destruction. Instead, those Evangelists who perished prior to the devastation, having witnessed none of these occurrences, wrote about them so that the truth of prophecy shines forth. This remains evident even today. What has become of Jerusalem? What of the Holy Land, once vibrant and flowing with abundance? It now resembles a wasteland; gardens have vanished; rivers have run dry; parched fields, choked with sand, decay under the heat; cities have devolved into forlorn villages, or in some cases, unrecognizable cemeteries; the inhabitants continually face peril. As the prophecy regarding Jerusalem concludes, Christ transitions to His Second Coming, imparting to His disciples signs that are not only relevant to them, but also to us, and to those who will come after."},{"author-name":"Gladkow B.I.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88bf0ceef8c96e09a6521_Gladkow%20B.I..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"There will come a time of great tribulation, unlike anything seen since the world's creation, nor will it ever be repeated. These days of anguish will be reduced for the sake of the chosen ones, those who have placed their trust in Me, as they will have little time to escape; otherwise, none would survive. By the conclusion of these events, as the Apostle Peter was crucified in Rome and the Apostle Paul faced execution there, the second part of Christ's prophecy began to unfold: the Jewish people stood against the Roman Empire, the kingdom of Judah rose up against the kingdom of Rome, and whispers of war turned into conflict. Vespasian marched his forces from Antioch, and Galilee faced the initial assault. There, under the command of Josephus Flavius, a hundred thousand young Jews rallied. However, this hastily assembled and untrained Jewish force could not withstand the seasoned Roman legions; consequently, all the cities of Galilee, followed by Samaria and many regions of Judea, were captured and suffered immense destruction, with Josephus Flavius himself taken prisoner. Gadara fell first, leading to the mass slaughter of men, women, and children in the city and surrounding areas. At the siege of Jotapata, 40,000 Jews were lost, with 1,200 taken captive. Ascalon saw 10,000 killed, Japhia lost 27,000, and all women and children were sold into bondage. On Mount Gerizim in Samaria, 11,000 were slain. In Joppa, 8,400 died and 4,200 drowned. In Taricheae, 2,200 were killed, and 6,000 captured. At Gamla, 4,000 were lost, and 5,000 chose to leap from the cliffs and perish. Of those taken captive, 30,400 were sold into slavery. After conquering Galilee, Samaria, and nearly all of Judea, Vespasian planned to move towards Jerusalem, but upon learning of Emperor Nero's death, he temporarily halted military actions; upon being declared emperor by his troops, he returned to Rome, entrusting the campaign to his son Titus. Titus arrived near Jerusalem shortly before the Jewish Passover in 70 A.D. The Christians, recalling Christ's promise, fled from Jerusalem ahead of the siege and sought refuge beyond the Jordan in safe wilderness areas. Josephus Flavius reports that even prior to Jerusalem's siege, there were signs that foreshadowed the impending calamity: A star resembling a sword hovered over the city for an entire year; before the war’s onset, during the feast of unleavened bread, nighttime became as bright as day around the altar and sanctuary; moreover, the brass gates of the temple, which required twenty men to secure, opened of their own accord at night. During the feast of Pentecost, the priests entering the temple for service heard strange sounds, as if voices were saying: Let us depart from here! \\n\\nThroughout the war, Jerusalem was rife with conflict among factions vying for power, leading to an influx of brigands known as the Zealots, who dominated the citizens and ruled ruthlessly over their lives and property. Fugitives from cities besieged by Roman forces flocked to Jerusalem; among them was John of Gischala, who quickly amassed followers, waging a civil war against both the Zealots and the peaceful inhabitants led initially by the high priest Ananus. This resulted in bloody skirmishes within the city and the temple courtyards, staining the sacred place with blood and littering it with the bodies of the slain, fulfilling the prophecy of an abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15). The warring factions sought allies among the Idumeans, escalating the violence. Daylight turned into chaos, with rampant robberies, violence, and murders primarily targeting the wealthy. Jerusalem was plunged into utter lawlessness as Titus's army approached. Surrounding the city with trenches to block food supplies, he intended to force the besieged into surrender via starvation. A horrific famine ensued; many sought to escape starvation only to be captured by Roman soldiers, subsequently crucified in droves, to the point that captors lacked sufficient trees to crucify all. In the city, conflict, robbery, violence, and murder persisted; hunger claimed lives to such a degree that some resorted to cannibalism, with one mother driven mad by hunger roasting and consuming her child. Initially, the deceased were interred in caves and abandoned homes, but when that was no longer feasible, bodies were taken outside the city gates or heaped upon the walls. One account claimed that through a single gate, 150,880 corpses were disposed of, with estimates suggesting that around 600,000 bodies were ultimately removed.\\n\\nAs Titus surveyed the city walls, witnessing the ditches overflowing with decaying corpses, he raised his hands to heaven, horrified, calling upon God as his witness that he was not to blame for such devastation. In part, he was correct; he had offered the besieged the chance to surrender, but they refused. He even sent Josephus Flavius to the city walls to persuade the people, delivering a lengthy speech that recounted the entirety of Jewish history, asserting that the Jews enjoyed divine victory only when God intervened and had always faltered when relying on their own efforts. He posed a vital question: could they expect God's support now when they treated the holy temple as a den of iniquity? By arming themselves, were they not waging war against God Himself? Despite these earnest pleas, his efforts were futile. The destruction of Jerusalem could have been far more catastrophic had the days not been shortened, as prophesied by Christ, for the sake of the elect (Mark 13:20) who could not escape in time. \\n\\nDesperation peaked among the besieged when Roman troops breached the city wall, entered, and seized the Tower of Antonia. All who remained gathered in the temple courts to lock the gates, vowing to defend it until their last breath. Yet the besieging forces invaded the temple, flooding it with blood. Titus wished to preserve the temple, but was unable to restrain his frenzied soldiers; they ignited the temple and slaughtered all the Jews within. The sacred grounds became a scene of horrendous carnage, with corpses littering the altar steps, and blood flowing onto the ground. The Romans pursued the fleeing Jews mercilessly, trampling them underfoot. Survivors attempted to reinforce their position in the temple, yet could not withstand the might of the Roman army. As the soldiers entered the city, they slaughtered all they encountered, obstructing the streets with bodies and inundating the city with blood. The temple was set ablaze, and the entirety of Jerusalem was incinerated. The soldiers, fatigued from the slaughter, were instructed not to kill everyone, but only those who resisted, while the rest were taken captive. Ultimately, up to 97,000 were imprisoned, while 1,100,000 lost their lives during the siege. The treasures of the temple and the city were plundered, and both the city and temple were reduced to rubble. Thus, the words of Jesus regarding the fate of the cruel people, who ruthlessly slew their prophets and ultimately crucified their Messiah, came to pass. The innocent blood of the righteous they had shed was reclaimed by God, as they themselves proclaimed, 'His blood be upon us and upon our children!' \\n\\nThe subsequent attempts to rebuild the temple by Julian the Apostate illustrate the futility of defying God’s will. Jesus foretold the temple's complete destruction, leaving no stone upon stone, and that Jerusalem would be trampled by the Gentiles until their time ended. Indeed, the temple's destruction was absolute; efforts to reconstruct it met with failure. Julian swore to erect the temple again to undermine Jesus’ prophecy, recruiting Jews from around the world to diligently clear the site. Yet at each attempt, balls of fire erupted from the ground, driving the workers away. Despite multiple efforts and restarts, the supernatural occurrences persisted, ultimately leading the builders to abandon the project, recognizing that it was futile to attempt to recreate what had been dismantled by divine decree."},{"author-name":"Alexander Gorsky","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8884037c1e1c51e1332e2_Alexander%20Gorsky.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"After portraying a series of alarming events, the Lord focused particularly on the imminent arrival of God’s severe judgment regarding Jerusalem. He declared that the destruction of the city is imminent, referencing the prophecy of Daniel concerning the abomination that causes desolation to be found in the holy place. In light of this, He advised, \\"let those who desire to escape destruction flee promptly from Judea.\\" Those who choose to remain will face a tribulation unparalleled since the foundation of the world. Additionally, there will be false messiahs arising, but do not be deceived by them. The Son of Man will come as a flash of lightning, not confined to any specific location or form, but as the ultimate manifestation of God's judgment. He will reveal the fullness of His glory at the conclusion of the age."}]}
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