Matthew 23:39 Commentary and Bible Study

To what day is Christ referring? These were the very words that the crowd had cried out as he entered Jerusalem shortly before this, a quotation from Psalm 118:26. But he is not looking back; he is thinking of a day in the far distant future, after Israel will have been judged, and after the call of the Gentiles and their gathering in. He is thinking of his return at the end of the world, at the second coming, when he comes in the name of the Lord and every eye shall see him. He is thinking of that supernatural coming which he spoke of to the high priest at his trial when he said, ‘Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven’ (Matthew 26:64). ‘Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory’ (Matthew 24:30). ‘Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him’ (Revelation 1:7).And yet he is speaking to the house of Israel, and he tells them that they will say, ‘Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.’ This is the same house of Israel that has just had its house left desolate. There is in this a hope for some, in spite of the severe judgment Christ has just prophesied. It is left undecided whether these words are for some a forced acknowledgment of Christ as Lord, or whether they are spoken with joy and gladness at Christ’s return. The context of Psalm 118 is of those who love the Lord and long to see him. They go on to say, ‘Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee’, and Christ’s use of this passage to describe the response of Israelites to his return is grounds for hope. At any rate, that house will continue to exist, and the preservation of the nation as a distinct people down the centuries is a remarkable fulfilment of prophecy. Christ looks far ahead to show that the severe judgment of the nation is not the end of the nation. However, until then then, ‘Ye shall not see me henceforth.’ He will ascend into heaven where he will remain at the right hand of God until the second coming. Only those with the eyes of faith will see him before that time.