r/Koine

Hello I don't know Koine Greek to well but I have some knowledge of the NT. I was curious about the normal translation of Matthew 24:29 which is typically translated: "“Immediately after the distress of those days" but I was curious if the immediately could be attached to the sun darkening and the rest of the cosmic events.

I got this idea cause I found that at least to me the normal translation seems to have some problems that my idea might solve :

1. It places the son of man return right after the destruction of the temple (Immediately after the distress) I take the distress/tribulation to be destruction of the temple. Now that by itself wouldn't be a problem but Matthew in the same chapter and in the next seems to indicate some sort of delay:

 

But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ Matthew 24:48

The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. Matthew 25:5

“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. Matthew 25:19

This seems hard to reconcile with the normal translation.

2. It would seem to contradict Jesus saying about the unknown timing and the sign of his coming. Cause if Jesus coming happens immediately after the temple destruction then that basically is a sign of his coming and gets rid of the unknowingness of when the son of man will come see v36,42,44,50. This would get even worse if the sign is the son of man returning see v 30.

3. If immediately were attached to the sun being darkened and all the sings that accompany the son of man return it would make sense with the suddenness elsewhere of the son of mans coming see v39,43,50.