A Study of New Testament Eschatology
With this interpretation we cannot agree. We do not think it is true that our Lord uses one set of words to predict two entirely different events. No, in answering the disciples as we will seek to demonstrate the Lord clearly divides the disciples question and carefully discriminates between the two things they were confusing. In the first section of Matthew 24 (vv. 4-35) our Lord deals with the things about which he warned the Scribes and Pharisees [Mt. 23:36]. In warning of these things he was not talking about his second coming and the end of history. This is quite clear from chapter 24, verse 34, where he says again (as in 23:36) this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened. After making this crystal clear our Lord goes on (in Mt. 24:36-51, and in chapter 25) to deal with the other subject namely, his second coming and the end this age.
As we try to come to a conclusion about the interpretation of this difficult passage, two things should be kept in mind. First, Jesus’ purpose in uttering these words is not to give an exact date for his return (see Mk.13: 32), but rather to indicate the certainty of his return. This point is underscored in the next verse, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Mark 13:31).
Second, it seems arbitrary and unwarranted to impose any kind of limitation on the words “before all these things take place”—
since such a limitation really makes Jesus say, “before some of these things take place.”
Though it is true that the discourse recorded in Mark 13 took its occasion from a prediction of the destruction of the temple (Mk.13:2), the discourse itself includes the prediction of such happenings as wars and rumors of wars (Mk.13:7), earthquakes and famines (Mk.13:8), the preaching of the gospel to all nations (Mk.13:10), persecution for the gospel’s sake (Mk.13:12-13), tribulation “such as has not been from the beginning … and never will be” (Mk.13:19), portents in the heavens (Mk.13:24), and the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds with great power and glory (Mk.13:26).
When later in the discourse (Mk.13:30) Jesus says, “This generation will not pass away before all these things take place,”
any understanding of these words which excludes some of the items just mentioned seems forced.
Hence I conclude that by “all these things” Jesus means all the eschatological events he has just enumerated, including his return upon the clouds of heaven. His point is that all these events are certain to come to pass—though heaven and earth will pass away, these words shall infallibly be fulfilled. Anthony A. Hoekema, The Bible and the Future (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1994), 116.
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end-συντέλεια is not yet. Matthew 24:6. (note συντέλεια-the last part of a process, close, conclusion, esp. of the last things, the final act in the cosmic drama)
And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end-τέλος will come. Matthew 24:14 (note τέλος-a point of time marking completion of a duration, completion, close, end.) (William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, Walter Bauer, et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 974,998)
But history is full of such troubled periods; the disciples must not get things out of perspective, or be panicked into imagining that “the end” is imminent. It is not spelled out here what that “end” (telos) is, [pace Davies & Allison, 3.340, who assert with no supporting evidence that “’The end’ means ‘the end of the age’ (Matt.24:3),” even though the Greek word used in Matt.24:3 is not the same as here] but the same term will occur in Mat.24:14, where it leads into a description of the coming siege of Jerusalem. It seems probable therefore that the word has the same reference here, and that Mat.24:14 is a deliberate pick-up from this pronouncement: “it is not yet the end … but then the end will come.”
The question which Jesus is here answering was about when the temple would be destroyed, and that is the “end” most naturally understood here.
[Note that the word used is τέλος, not συντέλεια which in Matt.24:3b denotes the “end” of the age.] It is coming soon, and Mat.24:34 will spell out how soon, but that does not mean that it is imminent as soon as war is on the horizon.
R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publication Co., 2007), 903.
Thus in terms of Jesus’ apocalyptic interpretation of his death as the Son of Man (Matt. 24; Mark 13), ‘could there be a greater act of sacrilege than the destruction of God’s Son in such a horrendous way?’ What greater abomination could there be than for God’s plan to include the people of promise (the ‘treasured possession’) banding together with the pagans to execute as a mere ‘insurrectionist’ (Acts 4:25–28) the one to whom the royal covenant belongs?
What greater tribulation (Matt. 24:29) could there be for the chosen ‘beloved Son’ than to ‘drink the cup’ of God’s wrath (Matt. 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42)? What deeper mystery could there be in the will of the Father than that the Messiah of God, empowered by his Spirit (cf. Heb. 9:14), should utter such a cry of desolation (Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34)?
All this takes place while the sun is darkened, the moon sheds no light and the earth shakes (Matt. 27:45, 51; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44) and ‘the Lamb of God’ (John 1:29) endures his last Passover. In the Olivet discourse Jesus foreshadows the mystery of God’s will, the Father’s heavenly will for the Messiah’s death, in the only mode appropriate for circumstances that should otherwise obliterate the promises that Jesus seeks to fulfil. For surely at Golgotha, the disciples of Jesus must have been compelled to ask, ‘How could this be God’s heavenly will for the earth?’ (Luke 24:21).
David A. Höhne, The Last Things, ed. Gerald Bray, Contours of Christian Theology (London: Inter-Varsity Press, 2019), 170–171. also cf. Where is this 'coming' he promised?
From Blog site - http://newjerusalemministriesboards.com/showthread.php?t=322
ReplyDeleteIt seems we hear (or do ourselves) of people yearning to find the True Church, as if we could be better Christians if we were able to be members of such a group. We hear calls from preachers that “We must return to the teachings of the New Testament Church”. We are told factiously that if we ever do find the perfect Church, don’t attend because we’d mess it up.
But what if THE Church was a one-time entity? I mean to say what if the Church was only for a specific time and purpose? The purpose of the Church of the first century was to:
1. preach the gospel to all the world (The Great Commission)
2. endure and overcome the coming Tribulation
3. finally wed the Bridegroom (Christ)
We must ask, has the mission of the True Church been fulfilled?
Point #1 – The current mission of so many Christian organizations (like Trinity Broadcasting Network TBN) is to fulfill the Great Commission and then Christ will come. But what does the bible say about the Gospel being preached to the whole world?
Mt 24:14 (KJV) And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Was the Gospel preached in all the world? Let’s look at some more bible verses.
Col 1:5-6 (KJV) For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
Col 1:23 (KJV) If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Rom 1:8 (KJV) First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Rom 16:25-26 (KJV) Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
It seems rather clear that Paul considered that the gospel had indeed been preached to all the world, even so much so that he could say “which was preached to every creature which is under heaven”. I’m not certain we could get anymore concise about the issue.
But just in case there are a few more doubters, let us look at Jesus’ words about how efficiently the gospel would go out to all the world.
Mt 10:23 (KJV) But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
Jesus said the disciples would not have gone over the cities of Israel with the gospel message before He comes. Now let us go on to the second point.
Point #2 – Many preachers teach that the world is becoming increasingly more evil and that Christians must endure and overcome as the Tribulation and then the end approaches. Indeed some preachers throw in an escape hatch of sorts saying there will be a Pre-Tribulational “Rapture” or a whisking away of Christians so that they make out the whole “endure”
and “overcome” emphasis in the bible to be shear nonsense. But are these preachers merely reading themselves back into the text? Weren’t these warnings and encouragements given to the disciples and the other Christians of the first century? Let’s look closer at the bible.
Mt 10:22 (KJV) And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Mt 10:17 (KJV) But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues. [Are modern Christians going to be scourged in synagogues? -- This message was given to the disciples, not us.]
Mt 24:13-14 (KJV) But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. [Here we see these two important pointed linked]
1 Jn 5:4-5 (KJV) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Acts 14:22 (KJV) Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God
Rev 2:7 (KJV) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Rev 2:10-11 (KJV) Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Rev 2:17 (KJV) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Rev 2:26 (KJV) And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 3:5-6 (KJV) He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Rev 3:12-13 (KJV) Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. 13He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Rev 3:21-22 (KJV) To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Rev 21:7 (KJV) He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
It is obvious that these first century Christians were being exhorted to stay the course, to continue to endure so that they could overcome. Did they accomplish the task? This first century group was about to transition into the Kingdom that was coming. If we keep assigning ourselves in the place of these first century Christians then the words of encouragement would have meant nothing. The preachers that assign these bible texts to us or to some future generation simply rob the first century Christians of their hope and try to transfer that hope to us. They blatantly ignore that the words were directed to a specific audience, namely those first century Christians.
Point #3 – The Church as a collective, corporate body is described in the bible as the “bride” of Christ. Christ is described as the Bridegroom. We must ask, has the wedding yet occurred or is the “bride” still strolling down the aisle? And once the bride is wed, does her status and function change?
John 3:29 (KJV) He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: thus my joy therefore is fulfilled. [John the Baptist clarifying that he is not the Christ, the Bridegroom]
Eph 5:25-27 (KJV) Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Rev 21:2 (KJV) And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
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"It is better to be divided by the words of Jesus than united in error; It is better to speak the Truth and hurt then heals speaking a lie; It is better to be hated for telling what the Bible truly says than loved for telling a lie; It is better to stand alone with Jesus than to be wrong with the multitude.
Tyrone
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Luke 12:51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
Jim Landers
But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
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