And you shall hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that ye be not troubled. For these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

“(Ep. 199. 25.) To this enquiry of the disciples the Lord makes answer, declaring all things which were to come to pass from that time forwards, whether relating to the destruction of Jerusalem, which had given occasion to their enquiry; or to His coming through the Church, in which He ceases not to come to the end of time; for He is acknowledged as coming among His own, while new members are daily born to Him; or relating to the end itself when He shall appear to judge the quick and the dead. When then He describes the signs which shall attend these three events, we must carefully consider which signs belong to which events, lest perchance we refer to one that which belongs to another.”

“b Or, this is a warning to the Apostles not to flee from Jerusalem and Judæa in terror of these things, when they should begin to come upon them; because the end was not immediately, but the desolation of the province, and the destruction of the city and temple should not come till the fortieth year. And we know that most grievous woes, which spread over the whole province, fell out to the very letter.”

“Above was set forth the manifold provocation of the Jews; now is set forth the preparation through the instruction of Christ's disciples. Now they are instructed concerning dangers. And first the disciples' question is set forth; second, Christ's response, at "And Jesus answering said to them." Concerning the first, two things. First the occasion of the question is set forth; second, the question itself, at "And as he sat on the Mount of Olives," etc. The occasion was twofold. The foretelling of the destruction of the temple, which foretelling indeed he made by deed and by word, because he went out from the temple. Above, in the preceding chapter: "Behold, your house shall be left to you desolate"; and this he showed, because he went out; hence because he went out bodily, he thereby showed that he went out spiritually; John 8:59: "But Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple." When the sinner does not wish to be corrected, the Lord departs from him; Lamentations 1:6: "And from the daughter of Sion all her beauty is departed." Then the question is set forth, at "And his disciples came to him privately, saying"; second, the response, at "But he answering," etc. Thus he went on his way. But then the disciples came to him, in order to show him the buildings of the temple, so that he might see how beautiful the house was, how splendid; hence in another place, namely Mark 13:1, it is recorded: "Behold what manner of stones and what buildings." But Origen asks: had he not been there before, and did he not know it well? He resolves this by saying that they were not asking in order to teach him, or as though he did not know, but so that he might find a remedy for its destruction. Thus the Christian is the temple of God, as is found in Philippians 2, and the disciples are intercessors, lest this temple be destroyed. Then the Lord responds: "Do these things seem great to you?" Isaiah 23:9: "The Lord of hosts hath purposed it, to pull down the pride of all glory," etc. Hence he adds: "Amen I say to you, there shall not be left here a stone upon a stone." Is this true? In the time of Chrysostom it had not yet entirely come to pass, but it was hoped that it would come. Or it can be said that he means to say only that it would be destroyed. Or it must be said that just as by God's provision the temple was once restored, so by God's provision, at the beginning of the confirmation of the new law, the temple was destroyed, lest sacrifices be offered in the temple. Hence if it had not been destroyed, many, having become Christians, would perform the ceremonies and return to the temple: hence it was brought about by divine dispensation that it should be destroyed. And this is found in Luke 21:6, where it is said of the temple: "The days will come, in which there shall not be left a stone upon a stone, that shall not be thrown down." So too it happens that someone built up through good virtues, if he falls through some mortal sin, if he is negligent and not solicitous, falls and is destroyed entirely; Psalm 136:7: "Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof." Hence he means to say that not only the temple, but also the things pertaining to it, which were a shadow, as is found in Hebrews 10:1: "The law having a shadow of the good things to come." The occasion having been set forth, the question is set forth. And we ought to note that he went out and went to the Mount of Olives, and this signifies the Church, in which fruitful olives are planted; Psalm 51:10: "But I, as a fruitful olive tree." And from there he instructs the disciples. He had said that the temple was to be destroyed, therefore they ask three things. The first concerning the temple; the second concerning his coming; the third concerning the end of the age. Hence they say: "Tell us when these things shall be," namely the fulfillment of your threat; and concerning your coming: "and what shall be the sign of your coming"; likewise concerning the end of the age: "and of the consummation of the world." In Luke only one question is touched upon, namely concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, because they did not believe it ought to be destroyed except after the second coming; hence they said, Acts 1:6: "Will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" In Mark 13:3 it is said that only Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew put the question; because these were called first, and had greater confidence in approaching him. In which we have examples, that those who cling to God longer in contemplation are more familiar with God; Deuteronomy 33:3: "and they that approach to his feet, shall receive of his doctrine." These disciples asked about the coming, and this is twofold. The last, which is for judging; and this shall be at the consummation of the age. Concerning this you have Acts 1:11: "as you have seen him going into heaven, so shall he come." The other is a coming that strengthens the minds of men, to whom he comes spiritually. Below: "they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds," that is, in preachers, because through preachers God comes into the minds of men. Hence it is doubtful to which coming this ought to be referred. Yet Augustine says that the whole ought to be referred to the spiritual coming. But some say that it refers to the second coming. But some expound it of the destruction of Jerusalem, and of the last coming. First, therefore, he responds as to the destruction; second, as to the second coming, at "For as lightning cometh out of the east." Concerning the first, two things. First he foretells the things that are antecedent to the destruction; second, the destruction itself, at "When therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation," etc. These preambles concerned both those outside, and those who are contained within the Church. First, therefore, on the part of those outside; second, on the part of those who are in the Church, at "and many false prophets shall rise, and shall seduce many." Concerning the first, two things. First he sets forth beforehand spiritual dangers; second, bodily ones, at "For you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars." He says therefore: thus you ask about the consummation, yet first you ought to be solicitous concerning yourselves, that you not be deceived; therefore he says, "Take heed that no man seduce you." Ephesians 5:15: "See therefore, brethren, how you walk cautiously." "Many will come in my name saying: I am Christ." Someone comes as sent by Christ, thus the disciples came. But others are said to come in the name of Christ, who say that they are the Christ, usurping to themselves a name that is not given to another; Philippians 2:9: "a name is given him, which is above every name." Hence many seducers will come, who will come from themselves; but Christ came not from himself, but from God; hence John 7:28: "I am not come of myself." Although this is said especially of the Antichrist, yet it can be said of many others. Hence because they did not cling to the truth, they were given over to errors. And this happened in the case of Simon Magus, who wrote books, and called himself the book of God, the great God, the all of God, and seduced many. For it belongs to those to be seduced who are divided into errors, because "the number of fools is infinite," Ecclesiastes 1:15. Hence truth gathers together, but error divides, and this is the danger. It can also be referred to the second coming, for these things will happen around the day of judgment. "For you shall hear of wars," etc. Here first he sets forth the dangers; second he consoles. He says therefore: thus it has been said, "take heed that no man seduce you," because "you shall hear of wars," etc. And this immediately after the Passion. For immediately most wicked tyrants were sent into Judea by the emperor, who burdened them wonderfully, so that they could scarcely bear it. Hence "you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars," because in wars rumors carry much weight; hence it frequently happens that few overcome many; Jeremiah 8:16: "From Dan is heard the snorting of his horses, at the voice of the neighing of his fighters the whole land trembled." And take heed. Some might believe that the end of the world was immediately at hand; hence it is said that the tribulation was so great that they believed the end of the world had come, therefore he says, "see that you be not troubled." "For these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet," as though it were the destruction of Jerusalem, because its destruction did not occur until the fiftieth year after the Passion. But someone might say: you say that we shall hear of wars, but there have always been wars. He responds: you have never seen such wars as these. "For nation shall rise against nation," namely the nation of the Romans against the nation of the Jews, "and kingdom against kingdom," namely of the Romans against the kingdom of the Jews. "And there shall be pestilences," etc. One might say: these wars happen by chance, and not from God's vengeance. But that they happen from God's vengeance is clear from this, that not only will these evils be inflicted by the people, but by God, because "there shall be pestilences," which arise from the corruption of the air, "and famines, and earthquakes in places." And all these things happened before the destruction of Jerusalem. Someone would say: all these things happened by chance, and were not indicative of sorrow: nay rather they were. Hence he says, "but all these are the beginnings of sorrows." Isaiah 13:8: "they shall be in pain as a woman in labor." Thus Chrysostom expounds it. But according as it is referred to the consummation of the age, thus Origen expounds it. Thus we ought to consider the world as we do a single man, because when he tends toward death, the vital powers begin to weaken. So in the showing forth of the universal change the Lord will send in some particular alteration, so that things will not have their proper power, and then there will be pestilences, because the air, which serves us in two ways, will be corrupted. Likewise the earth will be corrupted, which serves us for food, because it sprouts herbs and grains, whence food is born, and this will be weakened so that there will be famine in the land. Likewise the earth sustains us, and against this the earth will be disturbed, whence there will be an earthquake. The first two are universal, but this last will be particular, because it will occur in various places. And why will it not occur universally throughout the whole world? So that men, seeing it, may return to their heart and be converted. Likewise it happens that famine occurs from the scarcity of things, and then on account of the famine, nation will rise up against nation; and this could be around the end of the world. Yet it can also happen otherwise, that at times a nation will rise against a nation, not on account of scarcity, but on account of vainglory. Sometimes it happens on account of the injustices of men. Sometimes God is propitiated, and restrains the evil angels through the good angels, as Ezekiel 13:5: "You have not gone up to face the enemy, nor have you set up a wall for the house of Israel, to stand in battle in the day of the Lord." Hence the world stands through the prayer of the good. And then, namely at the end of the world, "charity will grow cold," and then there will be many evils, because then the good angels will release the demons, who have power to harm the earth and the sea; therefore, because they have power over the land and the sea, they will stir up the whole earth. And that they are able to do this is found in Job 1:7 and following. Jerome says that it can be said of the Lord's coming, by which he comes daily into the Church. For according as heretics impede the very goods of the Church herself, then spiritual pestilences occur, and famine, namely the want of good teaching, Amos 5, otherwise 7, and earthquake, that is, men who are firm will be moved. "Then shall they deliver you up to tribulation." Then he sets forth certain preambles, which were to come in the Church. In the Church there were to be things prosperous and things adverse. And first he sets forth the adverse; second, the prosperous, at "and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world." Now he announces the adverse things in two ways, from external things and from internal things. Deuteronomy 32:25: "Without, the sword shall lay them waste, and within, dread." And he touches on three dangers: tribulation, slaying, and hatred. They might say: it is true that the world will suffer this, but what is that to us? Nay, he says. And therefore he says "you"; as if to say, you will not be exempt, but you will be afflicted with tribulation, literally; 2 Corinthians 6:4: "in tribulations, in necessities," etc. Likewise "they will kill you," as was evident in that they killed Stephen and James: hence he says, Psalm 43:22: "we are esteemed as sheep for the slaughter." Likewise "you shall be hated by all nations," that is, by the Jews. Or by all, who are spread throughout the whole world; above 5:10: "blessed are they that suffer tribulation for justice's sake." And he sets forth a consolation, because though all suffer, you will suffer this "for my name's sake." Jeremiah 45:4: "Behold them whom I have built, I destroy," and afterward: "and do you seek joys?" Origen says that this must be referred to the second coming, because there will be such a universal persecution that all the wicked will persecute the good; and on this account he says "then." For it was the custom that when evils occurred, they said this was on account of the sin of the Christians. Hence they rose up against them; hence "then shall they deliver you up to tribulation." "And then shall many be scandalized." Here he sets forth the dangers from within. For there is a threefold scandal that you will suffer, namely of the weak, likewise mutual injury, likewise weakening. Hence he says "then shall many be scandalized"; because even the very perfect will be scandalized; hence above, 18:7: "it must needs be that scandals come." Hence even the elect are troubled, when they see scandals, hence Paul said, 2 Corinthians 11:29: "who is scandalized, and I am not on fire?" "And they shall betray one another." From this the tribulation is evident. Above, 10:21: "And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death," etc. And not only bodily, but also spiritually, because some are the source of error, and from this it will follow that they will hate one another. "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall seduce many." Such are they who seduce many within the Church; 2 Peter 2:1: "there were also false prophets among the people." Likewise 1 John 2:18: "many Antichrists have come to be. They went out from us, but they were not of us." Hence these evils will happen: that they will corrupt the brethren, that they will seduce many. Likewise a third, because they will not only do this but will also corrupt, hence they will fail: "because iniquity shall abound, the charity of many shall grow cold." Revelation 2:4: "but I have somewhat against you, because you have left your first charity." It can be said to grow cold, because when they see others abandoning charity, they themselves also grow cold, although it does not perish entirely; and in many, but not in all, because it was always fervent in the apostles; Romans 8:35: "Who shall separate us from the charity of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or persecution, or the sword?" Hence it will be so in many, but not in all, because "he that shall persevere unto the end," namely of the present life, "he shall be saved." The same is found above, 10:22. "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world." Above the Lord foretold the adverse things to come in the Church; but now he foretells the prosperous things, because the apostles who had been born of the Jews were zealous for their own flesh; Romans 9:2: "I have great sadness, and continual sorrow in my heart"; therefore for their consolation, because far more were to be called to the faith, he says: "this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world." For he himself, beginning his preaching, said: "do penance: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." But this will be preached in the whole world: for the new law is not restricted to one people, as the old law was. Mark, last chapter, 15: "preach the gospel to every creature." And Chrysostom says that this was fulfilled before the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, and he proves this through the apostle, Romans 10:18, where the apostle says: "their sound has gone forth into all the earth." Therefore the evangelical doctrine seemed to have been spread throughout the whole world. Likewise through another authority which is found in Colossians 1:6: "the preaching of the gospel is bearing fruit." And it is no wonder, because one apostle, namely Paul, extended it so much, that he reached Rome and Spain; hence what is found in Isaiah 57:9 was fulfilled: "you have sent your messengers far off." And therefore Chrysostom says that in this the power of Christ is to be admired, that within the space of forty years his doctrine grew so much that it filled the whole world; hence he rightly says, "and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world." But will all believe? No; but some will, some will not. And that some will believe, this will be for a testimony against those who do not believe, as Jerome says. "For a testimony to all nations"; Romans 1:5: "we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith, in all nations," so that they might be inexcusable. "And then," namely when all the nations shall believe, "shall the end come," that is, the destruction of Jerusalem: and concerning this can be understood what is said in Ezekiel 7:3: "now is the end come upon you, and I will send my wrath upon you." For he worked signs, he spread abroad the gospel, and they were not willing to believe; therefore there happened to them what is said in Malachi 1:10: "I will not receive a gift from your hand." Augustine holds that it ought not to be referred to the consummation of Jerusalem, but of the world; hence he says "it shall be preached," namely before the end of the world, "for a testimony to all nations," because not all will believe; "and then shall the end come," that is, the end of the world. And this is one sign, that until the preaching of the gospel has been spread abroad throughout the whole world, the end will not come. But it had not yet come, as Augustine says, to certain barbarian peoples in Africa. And he responds to that text: "their sound has gone forth into all the earth," Psalm 18:5, that it put the past tense for the future. And to that which is written in Colossians 1:6 he says that it was not yet bearing fruit fully, but was already beginning. And it can be distinguished thus, that the diffusion through the gospel can be understood in two ways. Either as to fame only, and thus it was completed before the destruction of the city; for although some had not received it, nevertheless there was no nation to which the report had not reached. But if the diffusion is understood as with effect, then what Augustine says is true, that it had not yet come to all nations.”

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars,.... This is the second sign of the destruction of Jerusalem: it is observable that this, and some of the following signs, are given by the Jews, as signs of the Messiah's coming; whereas they were forerunners of their ruin, for the rejection of him who was already come. They suppose the Messiah will come in the seventh year, or the year of rest and release: "On the seventh year (they say (h)) will be "wars": and in the going out, or at the close of the seventh year, the son of David will come.'' Which wars, the gloss says, will be between the nations of the world, and Israel. Here wars may mean the commotions, insurrections, and seditions, against the Romans, and their governors; and the intestine slaughters committed among them, some time before the siege of Jerusalem, and the destruction of it. Under Cureanus the Roman governor, a sedition was raised on the day of the passover, in which twenty thousand perished; after that, in another tumult, ten thousand were destroyed by cut-throats: in Ascalon two thousand more, in Ptolemais two thousand, at Alexandria fifty thousand, at Damascus ten thousand, and elsewhere in great numbers (i). The Jews were also put into great consternation, upon hearing the design of the Roman emperor, to put up his image in their temple: see that ye be not troubled; so as to leave the land of Judea as yet, and quit the preaching of the Gospel there, as if the final destruction was just at hand; for all these things must come to pass; these wars and the reports of them and the panic on account of them; these commotions and slaughters, and terrible devastations by the sword must be; being determined by God, predicted by Christ, and brought upon the Jews by their own wickedness; and suffered in righteous judgment, for their sin: but the end is not yet; meaning not the end of the world, but the end of Jerusalem, and the temple, the end of the Jewish state; which were to continue, and did continue after these disturbances in it. (h) T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 97. 1. & Megilia, fol. 17. 2. Zohar in Exod. fol. 3. 3, 4. (i) Vid. Joseph. Antiq. l. 20. c. 6. & de Bello Jud. l. 2, &c.”

“Shall hear of wars. Most authors understand this second sign of the Jewish wars which preceded the ruin of Jerusalem; others of the wars of Antichrist, previous to the end of the world. Both are very probable. The first is proved from history, and from the events; the latter, from what we learn from the Apocalypse, will certainly happen. (Menochius) — These things must happen, as is said of scandals and heresies, not absolutely, but considering the malice of man, and the decree of God, by which he had determined to punish the Jews. (Maldonatus)”