Matthew 24:21
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus uses "such as has not been... no, and never will be" to emphasize that this isn't just a bad time, but the peak of suffering humanity has ever seen or will ever see. The intensity of this tribulation, particularly surrounding Jerusalem's destruction, is so profound it sets a unique benchmark for divine judgment and human agony.
Jesus has just described the "abomination of desolation" standing in the holy place, which signals the impending destruction of Jerusalem. He then instructs his disciples to flee immediately, emphasizing the extreme urgency and danger of the situation. This verse describes the unparalleled intensity of suffering and devastation that will accompany this catastrophic event.
Jesus calls the coming destruction of Jerusalem a "great tribulation." What makes it so uniquely terrible?
Jesus is describing an event of unimaginable suffering. The word "tribulation" itself speaks of crushing pressure and distress.
When Jesus mentions this "great tribulation," he's not just talking about general hardship. He’s pointing to a specific period of intense suffering that would fall upon Jerusalem and the Jewish people.
Historical accounts, like those from Josephus, paint a horrific picture of the siege of Jerusalem: widespread death from warfare, famine, and disease, along with immense loss of life and enslavement. This event was so catastrophic that it exceeded all previous calamities known to humanity.
Why would God allow such devastating suffering? What's the bigger picture behind this intense judgment?
This period of "great tribulation" was not random; it was a direct consequence of the people's rejection of God's offered salvation through Jesus. Jesus himself links it to "days of vengeance" (Luke 21:22), fulfilling prophecies and responding to the nation's persistent unfaithfulness.
While the suffering was immense, Jesus also introduces a crucial element of hope: the "elect." He states that "unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened" (Matthew 24:22).
This shows that even in severe judgment, God’s sovereign hand is at work, preserving a remnant for His purposes. His ultimate plan for salvation would not be thwarted, even through such a devastating historical event. The suffering was terrible, but it was contained and purposeful within God's larger redemptive plan.
Understand the original words
thlipsis · Greek Noun
A period of intense and unprecedented distress, suffering, or testing, often associated with divine judgment or eschatological events preceding the return of Christ.
Jesus' prophecy of unparalleled tribulation finds its most direct fulfillment in the Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. This event was so devastating that historians like Josephus described it as exceeding all calamities known before.
c. 63 BC
Roman General Pompey Captures Jerusalem
Rome's increasing influence in the region culminates in Pompey's intervention in Judean civil strife, marking the beginning of direct Roman control and setting the stage for future Roman-Jewish conflict.
AD 66
First Jewish Revolt Begins
Sporadic revolts and growing resistance against Roman rule escalate into a full-scale rebellion, fueled by religious fervor and political oppression.
AD 70— this verse
Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem
The Roman legions, led by Titus, lay siege to Jerusalem. The city endures horrific famine, internal strife, and brutal Roman assault, culminating in the destruction of the Temple and immense loss of life.
c. AD 73
Fall of Masada
The last vestiges of Jewish resistance fall with the capture of the fortress of Masada by the Romans, bringing a brutal end to the First Jewish Revolt.
This passage in Daniel is directly alluded to by Jesus, describing a time of unprecedented distress, setting the stage for the 'great tribulation' He speaks of in Matthew.
Luke 21:20-24Luke's account provides further details on the nature of this tribulation, specifically mentioning the siege and destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of its people, directly aligning with the context of Matthew 24:21.
Deuteronomy 28:53-57This Old Testament passage foreshadows the dire consequences of disobedience, including famine so severe that parents would eat their own children, which tragically came to pass during the tribulation described in Matthew.
Jeremiah 30:7This prophetic verse describes a time of 'Jacob's trouble' unlike any other, paralleling Jesus' description of a tribulation without precedent in human history.
barnesMatthew 24:21: "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be."
There shall be great tribulation - The word "tribulation" means calamity or "suffering." Luke Luk 21:24 has specified in what this tribulation would consist: "They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled." That…
calvinMatthew 24:15-28: "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)"
- When therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation, which is described by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, (let him that readeth understand,) 16. Then let them who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17. Let not him who is on the housetop go down to carry anything out of his house; 18. And let not…
Jesus uses "such as has not been... no, and never will be" to emphasize that this isn't just a bad time, but the peak of suffering humanity has ever seen or will ever see. The intensity of this tribulation, particularly surrounding Jerusalem's destruction, is so profound it sets a unique benchmark for divine judgment and human agony.
Jesus has just described the "abomination of desolation" standing in the holy place, which signals the impending destruction of Jerusalem. He then instructs his disciples to flee immediately, emphasizing the extreme urgency and danger of the situation. This verse describes the unparalleled intensity of suffering and devastation that will accompany this catastrophic event.
Jesus has just described the "abomination of desolation" standing in the holy place, which signals the impending destruction of Jerusalem. He then instructs his disciples to flee immediately, emphasizing the extreme urgency and danger of the situation. This verse describes the unparalleled intensity of suffering and devastation that will accompany this catastrophic event.
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"For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be." — Jesus uses "such as has not been... no, and never will be" to emphasize that this isn't just a bad time, but the peak of suffering humanity has ever seen or will ever see. The intensity of this t…
