What Does Matthew 24:30 Mean in the King James?
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The sign turns the Son of Man’s appearing into a worldwide unveiling: every tribe sees, and seeing itself becomes mourning.
THE MEANING
The Son of Man’s sign appears in heaven; his coming in the clouds carries power and weight, and all the earth’s tribes see him and mourn. The sight reaches every people, so this unveiling is not private: the world’s response becomes visible grief.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It dissolves the assumption that universal recognition is automatically comforting: the same appearing that makes him visible also brings the earth’s grief into view.
THE ROOT
κόψονται
kópsontai
GROWS FROM
κοπ
kop
to strike, cut, or beat
The Greek verb rendered “mourn” comes from a verb meaning “strike” or “cut,” and its use for lament carries the image of beating the breast. Grief here is embodied and visible: seeing the Son of Man strikes the earth into open lament.
ALSO GROWS
kóptō: strike, cut, or beat
κόπτω
This is the verb behind the verse’s word for mourning, keeping the force of a physical blow inside the lament.
kopetós: beating of the breast; lamentation
κοπετός
This related word names grief through its beating, showing how mourning becomes an outward, bodily response.
σημεῖον
sēmeion
GROWS FROM
σημ
sēm
a mark or sign that indicates
The word belongs to a family of marking and indicating. The sign points toward what is being made known, while the Son of Man’s visible arrival brings that disclosure into view.
ALSO GROWS
sēma: sign, mark, or token
σῆμα
This related noun retains the sense of an identifying mark within the verse’s “sign.”
sēmainō: indicate or signify
σημαίνω
The same word family includes the act of making something known, fitting the sign’s role as a pointer to the appearing.
THE PATTERN
When the Son of Man or the pierced one is revealed, seeing brings a response that becomes visible in the world.
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.THE THREAD
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.Matthew and Revelation use the same Greek verb from κόπτω (kóptō, “strike or cut”) for the earth’s response, rendered “mourn” and “wail.” Revelation repeats the clouds and the seeing as well, tying the public lament directly to the appearing.
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