And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.
And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? Where shall this occur? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Though what is here said of the eagles is true rather of the vultures, yet as both are birds of prey, the former are named here (and in Matthew 24:28), with an evident allusion to the Roman eagles-the standard of the Roman army-to signify the vengeance more immediately referred to. 'As birds of prey scent out the carrion, so wherever is found a mass of incurable moral and spiritual corruption, there will be seen alighting the ministers of divine judgment;' a proverbial saying terrifically verified at the destruction of Jerusalem, and many times since, though its most tremendous illustration will be at the world's final day. For Remarks on this section, see those at the close of Mark 13:1-37.