23. But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another--"into
the other." This, though applicable to all time, and exemplified
by our Lord Himself once and again, had special reference to the brief
opportunities which Israel was to have of "knowing the time of His
visitations."
for verily I say unto you--what will startle you, but at the same time
show you the solemnity of your mission, and the need of economizing the
time for it.
Ye shall not have gone over--Ye shall in nowise have completed.
the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come--To understand
this--as LANGE and others do--in the first instance, of Christ's own
peregrinations, as if He had said, "Waste not your time upon hostile
places, for I Myself will be after you ere your work be over"--seems
almost trifling. "The coming of the Son of man" has a fixed doctrinal
sense, here referring immediately to the crisis of Israel's history as
the visible kingdom of God, when Christ was to come and judge it; when
"the wrath would come upon it to the uttermost"; and when, on the ruins
of Jerusalem and the old economy, He would establish His own kingdom.
This, in the uniform language of Scripture, is more immediately "the
coming of the Son of man," "the day of vengeance of our God"
(Mt 16:28; 24:27, 34;
compare with
Heb 10:25;
Jas 5:7-9)
--but only as being such a lively anticipation of His second coming
for vengeance and deliverance. So understood, it is parallel with
Mt 24:14
(on which see).
JFB.
Picture Study Bible