If the Olivet Discourse is about His final return, they say, Jesus is a false prophet since the generation in which He lived died off and the world continues on Matt. According to this interpretation, Jesus is referring to events that will come in the far distant future.
This view is unsatisfying, as we will see in the days ahead. Our studies to come will advocate this approach. The main advantage of this view is that it takes seriously the time-frame references found in the Olivet Discourse.
Those who advocate this view just argue that most of Matthew 24 is not directly applicable to this event. But many other passages affirm the second coming of Christ to usher in the new heavens and earth, and Christians must affirm that there is a day of judgment for the world I Thess. However, it is wrong in saying that the passage is not about the far-off future at all, that Jesus' failure to return to consummate His kingdom in the first century disproves His claims.
As we see throughout Scripture, prophecies that pertain to near-term events usually have a typological significance that points beyond the immediate context. Because God works in similar ways across history, later events may fulfill in a greater way what came before, repeating or alluding to earlier events in a manner that has greater significance. It seems best, therefore, to read Mark 13 as a prophecy of nearterm first-century events that typify the final judgment at the end of history.
The stage is set with Jesus' reference to the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in AD 70 vv. Difficult passages such as Mark 13 show us that we need to be careful when we read and interpret the Bible. Particularly with difficult passages, we must not jump to conclusions hastily, but we must think about the text thoroughly so as to avoid coming to the wrong idea about a passage.
Let us study diligently, pray for God's help in interpreting the Bible, and examine how other texts interpret the harder ones. Josephus, an ancient Jewish historian, notes that the temple was covered on all sides with gold, and on sunny days of which there were many in Jerusalem , it would shine like the sun itself.
How could this temple be destroyed? As mentioned earlier, the chief interpretive difficulty of the Olivet Discourse centers on timing: When does Jesus refer to events fulfilled in AD 70 and when does he refer to his future coming?
But what about the abomination of desolation Mark and parallels? We get clarity here when we let Scripture interpret Scripture. Other examples of such hyperbolic language can be found in Exodus ; , and Joel We have seen that Mark —23 and parallels refer to events surrounding the destruction of the temple in AD This point will be developed by answering four key objections to this interpretation.
The disciples made their national statement to Jesus as He left the Temple precincts. Perhaps the disciples also thought, as did Aristeas in his letter to Philocrates Letter of Aristeas , — B. In any case, Jesus addressed both of these ideas in His unexpected reply that all of the stones they had shown Him would be violently torn down at the time of judgment.
No doubt, as the disciples thought on these words, they concluded that Jesus meant the final attack on Jerusalem that Zechariah predicted will come at the end of the age when the Lord will destroy the Gentile nations and establish Messianic rule Zech. And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age? The first question is addressed in Luke —24 and the second, in Matthew —31 and Mark — There has been considerable discussion as to whether the Olivet Discourse was fulfilled in the past or is yet to be fulfilled, as futurists believe.
Preterists contend all events including the advent were specifically fulfilled in A. Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse to correct this misunderstanding and protect the disciples from becoming deceived as a result of the events that would take place in their generation, since Jesus would not bodily return to restore Israel and establish the Messianic Kingdom after Rome razed the Temple. Failing to understand this warning, preterists have been led astray in their interpretation, being forced to spiritualize prophecy in an attempt to force a first-century fulfillment.
However, what the disciples saw as connected events, Jesus explained were chronological and sequential but would not all occur within the same time frame. Acts — This was the same message initially preached by John the baptizer and by Jesus during His earthly ministry.
For this reason this global evangel cannot be limited to the first-century Roman Empire.
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