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The Carrion of the Souls of Men-- Jesus follows His reference to lightning with a passage which has perplexed commentators for centuries: 'For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together' (v. 28). Innumerable interpretations have been made regarding the meaning of these words. (101:1) The word 'carcass' is from the Greek 'ptoma', meaning dead body, carrion or corpse. The word 'eagles' is from the Greek 'aetos' and is also translated as 'vultures' (NIV). Some Christian scholars believe the vultures gathered around the carcass symbolize the inevitability of God's judgement: (101:2) In Matt. 24:28 and Luke 17:37 the vultures are probably intended. The meaning seems to be that, as these birds of prey gather where the carcass is, so the judgment of God will descend upon the corrupt state of humanity. (Vine's Expository Dictionary 189) (101:3) Hendriksen writes: [The] coming of the Son of man is going to occur when it must occur, because morally and spiritually mankind will have deteriorated to such an extent that it will resemble carrion ready to be devoured by vultures. (New Testament Commentary 848) (101:4) In Baha'u'llah's discourse on Matthew 24:29-30, as mentioned earlier, He speaks of the tribulation as a time when the leaders (of religion, in particular), like 'voracious beasts have gathered and preyed upon the carrion of the souls of men' (Certitude 31). This may be a subtle reference to Matthew 24:28. If the vultures are corrupt leaders exploiting the lost souls of humankind, then this is an inevitable condition which, as Scripture indicates, must precede the Second Advent - a subject which the next verse anticipates.
(101:5)
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