What is the meaning of Matthew 24:11? And — the link to Jesus’ ongoing warning • “And” ties verse 11 to the flow of Christ’s end-times discourse (Matthew 24:4-10), showing that deception follows betrayal and hatred. • The progression mirrors the pattern in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, where falling away and the rise of lawlessness unfold together. • The conjunction reminds us that none of these signs stand alone; they intensify together as the age draws to a close. Many — the breadth of the danger • Jesus does not say “a few”—He says “many,” underscoring how widespread spiritual deception will be (cf. 1 Timothy 4:1: “many will abandon the faith”). • Numbers alone never guarantee truth; popularity can mask error (Exodus 23:2; Luke 6:26). • Believers must resist the pull of majority opinion and remain anchored to Scripture’s unchanging standard. False prophets — dangerous pretenders • A prophet speaks for God; a false prophet claims that mantle without divine commission (Deuteronomy 18:20-22; Jeremiah 23:16). • Jesus previously warned of “ravenous wolves” in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15); here He signals a future surge of such figures. • 2 Peter 2:1 echoes the same reality: “false teachers will secretly introduce destructive heresies.” • Their messages often mix biblical vocabulary with subtle distortions, making discernment essential (1 John 4:1). Will arise — certainty and timing • “Will arise” indicates inevitability; Christ’s words are not hypothetical. • The active verb shows these deceivers stepping onto the scene with apparent authority, just as the “beast” and “false prophet” do in Revelation 13:11-14. • Their emergence spans history but climaxes just before His return, paralleling the pattern in Daniel 8:23, where a fierce king “will arise.” And deceive many — the tragic impact • Deception, not mere error, is their aim; it blinds hearts to truth (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). • Effects include: – Turning people from sound doctrine (2 Timothy 4:3-4) – Stirring false hopes of peace and safety (Jeremiah 6:14) – Promoting signs and wonders that appear genuine (Mark 13:22) • Protection comes through: – Knowing Scripture thoroughly (Acts 17:11) – Yielding to the Holy Spirit’s guidance (John 16:13) – Staying in fellowship with grounded believers (Hebrews 10:24-25) summary Matthew 24:11 warns that in the last days “many false prophets will arise and deceive many.” The conjunction “and” links this surge of deception to the mounting troubles Jesus has just described. The word “many” highlights its sweeping scope. “False prophets” identifies charismatic pretenders who claim divine authority yet oppose God’s truth. “Will arise” assures us this is certain and climactic, while “and deceive many” reveals the sobering result: widespread spiritual delusion. Anchored in the literal promise of Scripture, believers guard against this threat by testing every message, clinging to the whole counsel of God, and watching expectantly for Christ’s victorious return. |
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