What Does Matthew 24:13–14 Mean?
Before leaving the Temple for the final time, Jesus chastised the Jewish leaders, saying, “See! Your house is left to you desolate” (Mt. 23:38). Surprised, Jesus’ disciples asked, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (24:3).
In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus explained God’s prophetic program for the Temple, Jerusalem, Israel, and His Second Coming (chaps. 24—25). In this context, He said, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (24:13–14).
Bible teachers often quote these verses to challenge believers to spread the gospel of Christ worldwide. Some assert that Christ will not return until the gospel is preached to every nation—a worthy challenge but a misuse of Jesus’ words, for several reasons.
1. Here, Jesus referred to God’s eschatological program for Israel, not the church.
2. Before the Tribulation begins, the church will be raptured to heaven (1 Th. 4:13–18) and thus is not referenced in Jesus’ Olivet Discourse.
3. There is a difference between “the gospel of the kingdom” (Mt. 24:14) and “the gospel of Christ” (Rom. 1:16). John the Baptist, Jesus, and His apostles preached the gospel of the Kingdom before Jesus’ death and resurrection (Mt. 3:1–2; 4:17; 10:7). This gospel refers to Jesus’ announcement that the Kingdom of God was near. If the Jewish people as a whole had repented and followed Jesus, He would have established His Millennial Kingdom rule in Israel. But they did not.
On the other hand, the gospel of Christ is the Good News of salvation through faith in Jesus as Savior that His apostles preached after His death and resurrection (Jn. 3:16–18; 1 Cor. 15:1–11).
However, the gospel of the Kingdom mentioned in Matthew 24:14 is preached by 144,000 Jewish evangelists (Rev. 7:1–8). Many Gentiles at that time will become believers and suffer violent deaths for their faith (vv. 9–17).
4. When Jesus said, “He who endures to the end shall be saved” (Mt. 24:13), He spoke of Jews during the Tribulation, not Christians in the church. Jewish people who resist the Antichrist’s deception (Rev. 13) will be physically delivered and spiritually saved at Christ’s Second Coming. During this time, the “gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world . . . then the end will come” (Mt. 24:14).
The final great signs preceding the end of the Tribulation are (1) the universal proclamation of the gospel of the Kingdom and (2) many turning to faith in Christ before the redeemed experience the Millennial Kingdom at His return.
