X.T.X., £Ae?'g shall not be left, etc.) Jesus makes the curious thoughts of His disciples give place to more serious considera tions. — X/0oj, x.r.X., a stone, etc.) A proverbial expression imply ing the utmost devastation. Even the very soil on which it stood was ploughed up.
3. 'ET/ roit opov;, on the mountain') Whence the temple could be seen, and where the siege operations were destined to commence. — TO fftiptibv, the sign} Signs have frequently been added to pre dictions of important events ; hence arose the question of the disciples regarding the sign of that time. — r»jr- or^ Kapovatag, of thy coming) The disciples appear to refer to ch. xxiii. 39.
4. Ka/ a-TToxpidsig o 'lr,ffo\j$ sJtfiv avroTg, x.r.X , and Jesus answered and said unto them, etc.) The disciples had asked without distin guishing their questions — (1) Concerning the time of the destruc tion of the temple ; (2) Concerning the sign of the coming of the Lord and the end of the world, as if both events would occur simul taneously, and consequently have a common time and a com mon sign. Our Lord answers them distinctly [and separately] — (1) Concerning the destruction of the temple and the city, and the signs of this event, in ver. 4, 5, 15, 16 ; (2) Concerning His coming and the end of the world, and the signs of that event, in ver. 29—31; (3) Concerning the time when the temple was to be destroyed, in ver. 32, 33 ; (4) Concerning the time of the end of the world, in ver. 36. Thus is it also in St Mark, and St Luke, who in ch. xxi. 11, 25, distinguishes the signs of each event. — ftXiKsre, see} i.e. take heed. We ought to inquire concerning future events, especially those of the last days, not for the sake of gratifying our curiosity, but from a desire to fortify ourselves. All things in this discourse must be referred to firmness in acknowledging and confessing Jesus Christ ; for the drift and object of the prophecy is to enforce this duty : other matters, which we might make use of for mere knowledge, are mentioned abruptly and obscurely. A thesis on the perspicuity and per fection of Scripture might be suitably illustrated from this dis course of our Lord — wag, you} This is said not so much to the apostles, who were shortly to receive the Holy Ghost, as to the whole flock of believers whom they then represented, lest they should be seduced by the greater perils to which they would be exposed. The beginning is Prudence ; the end, Patience.