There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26 People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.”
29 He taught them a lesson. “Consider the fig tree and all the other trees. 30 When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near; 31 in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
34 “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise 35 like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. 36 Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”
37 During the day, Jesus was teaching in the temple area, but at night he would leave and stay at the place called the Mount of Olives. 38 And all the people would get up early each morning to listen to him in the temple area.
Jesus warns of the suddenness and universality of the day of judgment. There will be apocalyptic signs affecting both the heavens and the earth, that will signal the coming of the Son of Man in glory. The celestial disturbances recall prophetic imagery from the Old Testament, such as Joel 2:30–31, which speaks of the "sun turning to darkness and the moon to blood" before the day of the Lord. The "roaring of the sea" might symbolize chaos, as the sea in Jewish tradition often represents forces opposed to God (cf. Psalm 93:3–4). The "powers of the heavens" being shaken suggests a cosmic upheaval that reveals God's sovereignty over creation. Then Christ, the Son of Man, (Dan. 7:13–14) will return universally and majestically as a divine figure in a cloud, which signifies God’s presence. Jesus encourages his followers to remain vigilant and recognize the signs of God's kingdom because their redemption is near.
The fig tree is a common symbol in biblical literature (cf. Hosea 9:10, Mt. 21:19). Jesus uses the budding of trees as an analogy for recognizing the signs of the kingdom's nearness and being attentive and discerning to the signs. They know how to read the signs of nature to identify the change of seasons, so when they see the apocalyptic signs, they should be assured that Jesus’ predictions will come to pass, and the Kingdom of God is near. Eschatological events will unfold with certainty, just as seasons follow natural signs. He emphasizes the eternal nature of his word (cf. Is. 40:8).
Jesus warns against complacency and worldly distractions because his return will be sudden and there will be a universal judgment. They are to pray so that they can remain steadfast against spiritual challenges. After he said these things, Jesus continued to teach daily in the temple area.
Almighty God, fill our hearts with vigilance and hope and give us the strength to endure the hardships of this world. Help us to recognize the signs of Your kingdom and remain steadfast in faith. May we always trust in the eternal power of Your Word and live in readiness for our redemption. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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