What does it mean? (Jesus, ritual, Earth, Messiah, crucified)

[fromthe heart]

What does Matthew 24:28 mean? It says 'For wheresoever the carcase is there will the eagles be gathered together'...I just can't make sense of it and would like some input. Any views?

[Scuba Pete]

I think in today's vernacular we would say "Like flies on crap". Peolpe tend to gravitate and BELIEVE false prophets (like Jim Jones and other cult leaders).

[Jayhawker Soule]

Apparently, the same term term for eagle can infer vulture. Strong's also notes that the eagle was the standard of he Roman Military.

[fromthe heart]

But what does it mean in conjunction with the Son of Mans return?

[Scuba Pete]

He was just talking about how MANY people would be DECIEVED by false prophets... like flies on crap.

[martha]

If you are quoting that passage I'll assume that you have read the whole passage. You are referring to "The Sermon on the Mount of Olives." The disciples were asking Jesus about the signs that will signal His (the Messiah's) return.

I think 24:28 refers to the crucified Christ. The carcass is the crucified body, the vultures are those who will gather to tear it apart.
Well guess what, as I was posting this I went to a plain english version of the Bible that I purchased a long time ago called "The Book". The quote was, "And wherever the carcass is, there the vultures will gather." Then just to check myself I went to the "Ignatious Bible", revised standard Catholic version, who quotes it this way, (and mind you it was highlited when I opened the page, curious eh?) " Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."(Perhaps the eagles are the powers that be in the world at that time.)At first I was thrown by the two different (at first glance) birds. Now to my mind at first, there is a difference between a vulture and an eagle, but upon reflection they are the same. They are both birds of prey, no? Then I thought that an eagle seeks out his prey and swoops down upon it. I have always thought of vultures as birds that wait around for someone else to do the hard work of capturing and then they wait like scavengers to devour the leftovers.
For those of you who are more bird minded, (not bird brained) if I have maligned any bird, please enlighten me.
If we go with the vulture version, then it means that when Messiah comes the vultures will be waiting to tear Him down. If we go with the eagles version then they represent that powerful bird that bides it's time and waits for the most opportune moment to kill it's prey. Eagles or vultures,either way it doesn't look good for the coming or second coming of the Messiah, or for those who will be here when He comes. Quite frankly it wasn't so good the first time for Messiah, that is if you are a believer.

So in conclusion, (yeah, yeah I know, it's about time) when the Messiah comes we will know it in no uncertain terms. It's gonna be big! Don't follow others who seem to have abilities that astound you. When He comes, there will be no doubt about it. We must be strong enough to fend off the eagles and vultures who will try to drag Him down, and us down.

Phew, I'm tired,
Martha

For the believers I would say that when Messiah comes there will be no mistaking it. To quote Matthew again, 25:27 " For as the lightening comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man." 29:31 " Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give it's light and the stars will fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens will be shaken; then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory; and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

[may]

Originally Posted by fromthe heart

What does Matthew 24:28 mean? It says 'For wheresoever the carcase is there will the eagles be gathered together'...I just can't make sense of it and would like some input. Any views?

The "chosen ones," Jesus said, would not be deceived and disappointed by false Christs. They are symbolically like "eagles" in having sharp spiritual insight. As an eagle knows where the carcass on which he is to feed is to be found, so the farsighted "chosen ones" would gather together to the looked-for Messiah, Jesus, to feed on the spiritual food at the right Messianic place, because they would discern the true Christ.—Luke 17:37

Included in the sign was an illustration showing what kind of people would benefit from it. "Wherever the carcass is," said Jesus, "there the eagles will be gathered together." (Matthew 24:28) All who want to survive the end of the present system into God’s new world must ‘gather together’ and enjoy spiritual food along with Christ’s eaglelike "chosen ones."—Matthew 24:31, 45-47

[fromthe heart]

Thank you both for your responses! The verse prior says when Christ returns you won't have to go looking and it will be VERY apparent . The verse after speaks that the whole of the world will go dark and Christ will come in the clouds. I just found Matt.24:28 odd between the two that were very clear in meaning. The question was just on the carcas and the eagles. I wasn't sure what it represented because the verse prior and after were very clear.