“Because Lawlessness Will Increase”: What Jesus Meant in Matthew 24:12, Israel, Antisemitism, and Our Cold World

Sitting on the Mount of Olives, looking across at the temple, Jesus told His Jewish disciples what the end of the age would look like. The questions they asked in Matthew 24 were simple. His answers were not.

In the middle of that famous chapter, Jesus said:

“And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.”
(Matthew 24:12)

That is a heavy sentence. It sounds like the air gone out of a room. A world where sin explodes and love freezes.

This article takes that line apart in its original language, sets it back into the end-times context, and shows how it connects to the Tribulation, the Antichrist, and Jewish believers in the last days. Then we will bring it right into our world, where antisemitism is rising again and where blind hatred, even toward people like Donald Trump, often has no real reason behind it.

Under all of this, there is good news. Jesus is love, Jesus is God, and His forgiveness can still reach the most lawless person and the coldest heart.

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Understanding Matthew 24:12: Lawlessness and Love Growing Cold in the Original Greek

Matthew 24 is part of what we call the Olivet Discourse. Jesus is on the Mount of Olives, talking to His Jewish disciples about the temple, Jerusalem, and the “end of the age” (Matthew 24:3).

He tells them about:

• False messiahs
• Wars and rumors of wars
• Famines and earthquakes
• Persecution and betrayal
• And then, this chilling line about growing lawlessness and dying love

Matthew 24:12 in full:

“And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.”

The key words here in Greek are:

• Anomia: usually translated “lawlessness”
• Agape: the word for love
• A verb that pictures love “growing cold,” like a fire that is slowly going out

This is bigger than people breaking rules. Jesus describes a world that throws off God’s ways and then slowly loses the warmth of real love.

For more background on how many teachers understand this verse, you can see a simple overview at BibleRef on Matthew 24:12 or look at several classic notes collected on BibleHub’s commentary for Matthew 24:12.

The Original Greek Meaning of “Lawlessness” in Matthew 24:12

The Greek word in Matthew 24:12 is anomia. It literally means “without law,” but in the Bible it has a deeper sense. It is not just “no rules.” It is active rebellion against God’s rule.

You see this in other New Testament places:

• 1 John 3:4
  “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.”Sin is not just mistakes. It is stepping over God’s line on purpose.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 7–8
  Paul talks about “the man of lawlessness,” a clear reference to the Antichrist, and says that the “mystery of lawlessness is already at work.”

There is a spirit of lawlessness already moving in the world, even before the final “man of lawlessness” appears. It is like a tide that keeps rising until the last storm hits.

So in Matthew 24:12, when Jesus says “because lawlessness will be increased,” He is saying that open disregard for God’s standards will spread and multiply. It will not be hidden. It will be normal, celebrated, and defended.

If you read a simple Q&A like GotQuestions’ article on lawlessness in Matthew 24:12, you will see the same idea. This is moral and spiritual chaos.

What Does It Mean That “The Love of Many Will Grow Cold”?

The word for love in Matthew 24:12 is agape. This is the kind of love that:

• Puts others first
• Obeys God
• Stays committed, even when it costs something

Jesus says that in a climate of heavy lawlessness, this kind of love will “grow cold.”

Notice the picture. He does not say “turn off” or “vanish.” It grows cold. Like a campfire that once burned bright, then turns to soft coals, then to gray ashes.

Right around this verse, Jesus also says:

• “Many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another” (Matthew 24:10).
• “Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray” (Matthew 24:11).

So the process looks like this:

1. Deception and lies spread.
2. People fall away from truth.
3. Betrayal and hatred grow.
4. Under that pressure, love starts to freeze.

When the culture rewards lawlessness, people protect themselves. They pull back. They trust less, care less, and often choose sides instead of choosing love.

How Matthew 24:12 Fits in Jesus’ End-Times Timeline

Matthew 24:4–14 gives a rough sequence, like a series of waves that keep hitting the shore:

1. Deception and false christs (24:4–5)
2. Wars, rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes (24:6–8)
3. Persecution and hatred of Jesus’ followers (24:9)
4. Betrayal and growing hatred between people (24:10)
5. False prophets and spiritual lies (24:11)
6. Lawlessness exploding and love growing cold (24:12)
7. The Gospel preached in the whole world (24:14)

Jesus calls these things “the beginning of birth pains” (24:8). So Matthew 24:12 is not a random side note. It is part of the labor process that leads up to the Great Tribulation He describes later in the chapter, especially around the “abomination of desolation” in verses 15–22.

In that final period, lawlessness and cold love reach full strength. That climate sets the stage for the Antichrist and for a world that will unite against God’s people, especially the Jewish people.

If you want to see a related look at how lawlessness connects to crisis in the last days, there is an interesting article on Biblical lawlessness and end-times diseases that ties moral rebellion to shaking in nature and society.

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How Matthew 24 Connects to Jewish Believers, the Tribulation, and the Antichrist

Matthew 24 is first spoken to Jewish disciples, on Jewish soil, with Jewish images. The whole chapter has Israel all over it.

Why Matthew 24 Is Especially About Israel and Jewish Believers

Look at a few details in the chapter:

• Jesus leaves the temple, and the disciples point out the buildings (Matthew 24:1).
• He predicts that “not one stone” will be left on another (24:2).
• He warns people in “Judea” to flee to the mountains when they see the abomination of desolation (24:16).
• He even mentions praying that their flight will not be on a Sabbath (24:20).
• He refers to the “holy place” (24:15), which fits the temple.

Those are Jewish details. They root this in Israel, not in some vague spiritual picture.

Many Bible teachers see two layers here:

• A near layer, in AD 70, when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple.
• A future, fuller layer in the final Tribulation, when similar patterns repeat in a more intense way.

In both layers, the focus is still Jerusalem, Judea, and the Jewish people. So when Jesus speaks about lawlessness and cold love in this context, He is not talking only about vague “end-times feelings.” He is describing a storm that centers on Israel, Jewish believers in Him, and a world that will reject God’s covenant people.

Linking Matthew 24 to Daniel and Revelation: The Antichrist and Global Lawlessness

In Matthew 24:15, Jesus mentions “the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel.”

That points straight back to:

• Daniel 9:27
• Daniel 11:31
• Daniel 12:11

These texts describe a ruler who will defile the temple and attack the holy covenant. In history, there was a partial preview in Antiochus Epiphanes, but Jesus speaks of another future fulfillment.

Paul picks up on this figure in 2 Thessalonians 2:3–8. He calls him:

• “The man of lawlessness”
• “The son of destruction”

This man “takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.” And Paul says that the “mystery of lawlessness” is already at work, waiting only for the right moment to be fully revealed.

Revelation fills in more detail:

• Revelation 13 speaks of “the beast,” who makes war on the saints and dominates the world system.
• Revelation 12 describes the dragon (Satan) raging against “the woman,” a picture of Israel, not Mary, and “the rest of her offspring” who keep God’s commands and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

Put together:

• Daniel gives the pattern of a blasphemous ruler.
• Jesus points forward to a future “abomination of desolation.”
• Paul calls that person the “man of lawlessness.”
• Revelation shows how he rules the world and attacks Israel and believers.

All of this matches the picture in Matthew 24. As lawlessness fills the earth, a final lawless ruler steps forward and uses deception, fear, and control to pull the nations into open rebellion against God and His people.

How the Whole World Will Turn Against the Jewish People

Jesus says in Matthew 24:9:

“You will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.”

“All nations” is a strong phrase. It fits other prophetic texts that show a global focus on Israel in the last days.

• Zechariah 12:2–3
  God says He will make Jerusalem a “cup of staggering to all the surrounding peoples” and a heavy stone for “all the nations of the earth.”
• Revelation 16:13–16
  Unclean spirits go out to “the kings of the whole world” to gather them for battle at Armageddon, in the land of Israel. This is exactly opposite how the animals were gathered for Noah’s Ark.

Why so much rage against such a small people and such a small piece of land?

Because Satan hates what God loves. God chose Israel to bring the Messiah into the world. God attached His promises to that people and that land. So the enemy stirs lawlessness and spiritual blindness, and the nations follow.

In that final period, much of the world will either support or ignore attacks on the Jewish people. The hatred is not logical at its core. It is spiritual.

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From Lawlessness to Cold Love: Rising Antisemitism and Hatred in Our World Today

Matthew 24 is future focused, but we can already feel the temperature dropping.

All around the world, antisemitism is rising again. The hatred is often loud, public, and proud. Reports like the ADL’s audit of antisemitic incidents in 2024 and the AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2024 show sharp increases.

At the same time, public rage against people, especially political figures, explodes quickly and often without clear facts behind it. You see this around someone like Donald Trump. You do not have to agree with him to notice that some hatred toward him is intense and almost automatic.

This is the kind of culture Jesus warned about. A world where lawlessness grows, love shrinks, and anger feels normal. We talked about this years ago in our article Beware What Does The Bible Say About Forgiveness? Matthew 6:14 where Jesus was talking about making someone a symbol of hatred, so much so, that the person is not even viewed as human anymore.

How Lawlessness Feeds Blind Hatred of the Jewish People

Modern antisemitism takes many forms:

• Blaming Jews for wars, money problems, or cultural decline
• Denying Israel’s right to exist as a nation
• Cheering when Jews are attacked, online or in the streets
• Spreading old lies about Jewish control of banks, media, or governments

A recent Time article on antisemitism and political violence in the U.S. shows how this hatred is tied to deeper anger and unrest. We also talked about the root cause of this hatred from the Garden of Eden in our article 1 Truth About Antisemitism, Corrupt Media Myths, and God’s Word.

All of this fits the pattern Jesus described.

When lawlessness grows:

• Truth matters less.
• People choose simple villains instead of honest thinking.
• Hate becomes a kind of glue that holds angry groups together.

For many, the Jewish people have become that villain once again. The reasons shift. The hostility stays.

This is not just bad history repeating itself. It is spiritual. It lines up with the same lawlessness that rejects God’s covenant with Israel and His choice to bring the Messiah through them.

If we take Jesus seriously, we cannot sit on the fence here. Followers of Jesus are called to:

• Stand against antisemitism in speech and action
• Pray for the Jewish people
• Support the right of Israel to exist, even while still caring about justice for all peoples in the region

Cold love stays silent when Jews are attacked. Warm love speaks, even when it is not popular.

Is It the Same Spirit? Comparing Hatred of Jews and Hatred of Donald Trump

Let’s be clear. Israel and Donald Trump are not equal in God’s plan. Israel is a covenant nation with a unique place in prophecy. Trump is one political leader among many.

But the pattern of hatred is worth talking about.

In a world soaked in lawlessness:

• People can hate someone they have never met.
• They repeat stories they have never checked.
• They feel joy when that person suffers.

This is true for hatred of Jews. It can also be true for hatred of public figures like Trump, or any other leader.

If you look at some writing about Donald Trump and religion, you will see that his faith story is complex, and often used by both supporters and critics. Some deeply dislike his policies. Others deeply dislike his personality. Honest disagreement is not the problem.

The problem is blind hatred.

• When people say “I just hate him,” but cannot explain why.
• When they celebrate harm toward him or his family.
• When they are unwilling to hear anything good about him, ever.

That kind of reaction shows the same demonic spirit that fuels antisemitism and other forms of rage. It is what happens when lawlessness rules the heart and love grows cold.

The Bible never tells us to treat any political leader as a messiah. Only Jesus is the true King. But it does tell us to pray for those in authority, not curse them.

So we should not worship Trump, or any leader. We also should not hate them with a dark, boiling hatred. That evil spirit is part of the same problem Jesus warned about.

How Media, Lies, and Fear Help Lawlessness Spread

You can almost watch Matthew 24 happen in your news feed.

Lawlessness spreads in simple ways:

• Constant angry headlines and hot takes
• False stories that travel faster than corrections
• One-sided narratives that leave out key facts
• Social media feeds that show you only what you already agree with
• Outrage that gets more clicks than kindness

When this becomes normal, people start to feel:

• Always angry
• Always afraid
• Always sure their side is right

In that climate, lawlessness grows and love freezes.

Jesus warned in Matthew 24:11 that “many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.” Today, false voices do not always wear religious robes. They may wear suits, street clothes, or influencer smiles. The effect is the same. They draw people away from truth, away from humility, and away from love.

It is healthy to ask:

• What media is shaping my heart?
• Do I talk about Jews, or about Trump, or about my “enemies,” in a way that looks like Jesus?
• Is my love growing warmer or colder?

The spread of lawlessness is not just “out there.” It starts inside us.

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Jesus Is Love, God, and the Only Remedy for Lawlessness and Cold Hearts

The darker Matthew 24 sounds, the more we need to look back at the One who is speaking.

Jesus is not a distant commentator. He is God in the flesh, full of love, who came right into a lawless world to save lawless people.

Jesus, the Lawgiver Who Took Our Lawlessness on the Cross

Scripture is clear that Jesus is more than a prophet or wise teacher.

• John 1:1–3 says the Word was with God and was God, and that all things were made through Him.
• John 1:14 says “the Word became flesh” and lived among us.
• Colossians 2:9 says, “In him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.”

Jesus is the Word of God who has always conveyed the thoughts of the Father to God’s people, the Lawgiver who gave the Law at Sinai, then came and fulfilled it perfectly. He said in Matthew 5:17 that He did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it.

On the cross, He took our lawlessness on Himself:

• 2 Corinthians 5:21: “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
• 1 Peter 2:24: “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree.”

No one is too far gone. Antisemitism, political hatred, racism, sexual sin, pride, lies, bitterness, all of it can be forgiven in Him.

God even promised long ago that He would give His people new hearts:

• Ezekiel 36:26–27 speaks of God taking out the heart of stone and giving a heart of flesh, and putting His Spirit within us.
• Jesus tells Nicodemus in John 3:3 that we must be “born again” to see the Kingdom of God.

That new heart is the only real answer to rising lawlessness and cold love.

How Any Person Can Be Forgiven and Changed, Even in a Lawless World

The Gospel is simple enough that a child can grasp it, and deep enough to study for a lifetime.

1. Admit your sin and lawlessness.
   Romans 3:23 says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
2. Understand the cost.
   Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
3. Believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection for you.
   He paid for your lawlessness at the cross and rose from the dead.
4. Call on Him as Lord.
   Romans 10:9–13 says if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

God can forgive hatred toward Jews, hatred toward Trump, hatred toward anyone. He can forgive a long life of lawlessness in a moment. Then He begins to change you from the inside out.

The Holy Spirit pours God’s love into our hearts:

• Romans 5:5 says “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
• Galatians 5:22–23 lists the fruit of the Spirit, starting with love.

In a world where lawlessness grows, the Spirit can keep your love from growing cold.

Donald Trump’s Public Christian Journey and What It Shows About Grace

Donald Trump’s spiritual story is very public, and like everything about him, often debated.

From reports and interviews, including summaries like Donald Trump and religion, we know a few things:

• He was raised in a Presbyterian setting and has spoken about believing in God and Jesus.
• Over the years, many pastors and Christian leaders have prayed with him and over him, sometimes in public settings.
• He has supported religious liberty and often spoken in favor of Christians having freedom to live out their faith.
• He has shown strong support for Israel, moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and backing key policies that many evangelicals appreciated.

At the same time, his life includes:

• Rough speech
• Moral failures
• Harsh attacks on opponents
• Many things that do not sound like Jesus

In other words, his story looks a lot like many other messy Christian journeys, just on a stage in front of the entire world.

Some articles, like one from The Gospel Coalition reflecting on Trump’s relationship to the gospel over the years, point out that his understanding of grace has not always been clear. That should not make us smug. It should make us pray.

Here is the key point. If God can work with a man that public, that flawed, that controversial, then He can work with you. Since God wants Jews, Gentiles, presidents, and unknown people all brought to Himself, then no one is beyond reach.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9.

Instead of feeding hatred, we can:

• Pray for leaders, including Trump and leaders of Israel.
• Pray for their salvation, growth, and wisdom.
• Refuse to join in lawless, cruel speech against anyone.

No human leader is our hope. Jesus is the true King. He is the model of love that never grows cold.

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Conclusion: Staying Warm in a Cold Age

Matthew 24:12 pulls no punches. Jesus said that as lawlessness increases, the love of many will grow cold. That warning fits into a bigger picture of end-time birth pains, a future Tribulation, the rise of the Antichrist, and a world that will turn against Israel and the Jewish people.

We can already feel some of that in the rising antisemitism and the irrational hatred that often surrounds public figures. But the story does not end with cold hearts. Jesus, who is fully God and full of love, took our lawlessness on the cross and offers a new heart, a new Spirit, and a new way to live.

So here is the call: trust Jesus, repent of any hidden hatred, choose to bless the Jewish people, pray for your leaders, and ask the Holy Spirit to keep your love burning hot in a freezing world. The King will return. Those who endure in faith and love will not be ashamed when He does.