Mat 24:33 So likewise you, when you shall see all these things, know that it is near, [even] at the doors.

Alternative: So also, when seeing all these things, know what is nearly at your door.

Again, this verse connects directly to the main theme of this chapter, especially the last several verses, that the purpose of Christ's coming and especially as it relates to the "problem of evil." Chris puts his lesson in terms of lightness and darkness, knowledge and ignorance.

Why are there wars and disasters? Why does God allow calamities? Why does he put pressure people, in the form of death and upheaval? Because during these times, those who have a sense of purpose are brought to see the light of Christ and how his light differs from the darkenss In these verses, Christ is the light that allows us to see and thereby know our future. The false prophets who people seek to in times of trouble are hidden and empty and bring only the darkness of ignorance. Christ's message gives us hope for survival, not because it is hard to understand but because it is so obvious.

This particula verse echoes a common pattern for Christ's teaching. He says over and over that correctly perceiving the physical world is the path of knowledge, especially future knowledge. The word for knowing used here (gignôskô) is also used only in Mat 10:26, Mat 12:33, Mat 13:11, Mat 16:3, and in the verse just prior to this, Mat 24:32. Read all these verses and you discover that Christ repeats the idea that knowledge proceed direction from what is seen and should be obvious to everyone. All of these verses verses about knowledge, express the same idea: that the truth of is in plain sight, but that people cannot see it and therefore do not understand. It is knowledge that we learn, part of the mental realm because it is our mental abilities that allow us to see or predict the future.

In times of trouble, we can see what is truly important more clearly in terms of black and white. All of our other concerns, our country, our possessions, even what we are wearing suddenly become unimportant. The survival of our families and children become more important. Though people turn to false prophets and kings, these false prophets only make life darker and more meaningless. Only those who understand their purpose and Christ purpose can see the light.

The word used for seeing (eido) is very common in the NT. Christ often uses it to describe the obivious things that people see and the hidden things that only God can see. It is sometimes translated as "to know" but more in the sense of seeing what is apparent rather than learning. It takes no intelligence to see what is obvious.

It is interesting that this chapter include several words that are used minimally in the other places in the Gospels, especially the synoptic Gospels.. There term used for "near" is only used here and in the previous verse in the synoptic Gospels but more extensively in John. The same is true of the term for "door," which is used by Christ only here in the synoptic Gospels, but which is used in John more frequently by Christ referring to himself as "the door" to salvation.

"See" is from eido, which means "to see," "to examine," and "to know."

Knew" is gignôskô (ginosko) which means "to learn to know," "to know by reflection or observation," and "to perceive."

"Near" is from engus (eggus), which means "near", "nigh," "at hand," "nearly" (when referring to numbers," "very near" when referring to death, " and "akin to" when referring to relationships.

"Door" is from thura, which means "door," "barrier," "gates," and "entrance."