Jesus’ Olivet Discourse Part One: Trying to Understand the words of Jesus
“Jesus’ Olivet Discourse.” This article is the opening ‘salvo’ in what will be a series of articles addressing the interpretation of this crucial passage of prophetic scripture. The Lord said these things, and his closest disciples wrote them down. This passage has the daunting weight of Jesus’ own words and interpretation of the end times events.
I used the word ‘salvo’ because as is often the case, there are unceasing battles waged over this passage. Some crucial battles over the proper interpretation will be front and center in these posts.
Going boldly into conflict over Jesus’ Olivet Discourse
I expect to boldly go where few are willing to go. Sorry for the Star Trek cliche. But, I will get into some of the contentious issues. I don’t jump into an argument just to argue, but to emphasize the importance of this passage.
Okay, let’s get into this thing. Are we ready to rumble over the proper interpretation of the Prophetic scriptures? If so, let’s rumble.
Jesus’ Olivet Discourse is one of six.
There are six long discourses from Jesus in the Bible. The Olivet Discourse is the longest of the six. Matthew devotes more attention to this discourse than either Mark or Luke. Those three authors compiled the three ‘Synoptic Gospels.’ They are distinct from the Gospel of John in that they have a lot of similar stories and passages. Luke and Mark, in their versions of this passage, do contain some words of Christ not found in Matthew 24.
Jesus’ Olivet Discourse by any other name.
The sermon has many names in Bible prophecy studies. The passage is titled in ways such as the following; “The Olivet Discourse,” “Christ’s Eschatological Discourse” or “Discourse on the Last Things.” Call it what you like, but I have a strong opinion about this passage.
This is the most important prophecy passage in the Bible. The words are from Jesus. He knows what he’s talking about.
In it, we learn why the Church should be ‘watchful’ concerning these things. We also read the daunting reality that Jesus will return as judge of the ungodly and rewarder of those who remain faithful.
Jesus’ Olivet Discourse: too much at Stake
These two chapters in Matthew contain instructions and warnings about future events. Those events have been the subject of intense debate for nearly two thousand years. We will not come to any affirmative conclusions at the end of the series, but we won’t shy away from the controversy. There is too much at stake to leave it as simply different factions arguing over things that have little importance. These things have enormous importance for every man, woman, and child.
The words were important when Jesus first spoke them. They are more important now. We are still waiting for the fulfillment of most of the events to which Jesus referred.
There I went and stepped in it already. As we will discuss further, many scholars teach that a lot of what the Lord spoke about has already been fulfilled.
That is not possible and we will get into that in detail as we continue. As a foreshadowing of that, there are a few passages of note which clearly look to the future.
Matthew 24:14 Jesus’ Olivet Discourse
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
Matthew 24:29-31 Jesus’ Olivet Discourse
“Immediately after the distress of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light. The stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”
Luke 21:24
“They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
The mountain peaks of prophecy
It’s easy to see why there is a lot of confusion in many prophecy passages. The original author wrote a message meant for his audience. But, those words always had long-term importance to readers over the course of centuries. When one wrote such words as, “love thy neighbor,” those words applied to those in his day but also to us thousands of years later. When an author wrote, “Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven,” his words had meaning to both audiences. But the second passage I just quoted could not have any full application to someone living in 70 A.D.
When we read Bible prophecy we need to understand we are looking forward through history from the point in time in which the author lived. He always pointed ahead and the events he writes about in his prophecy were not always closely connected chronologically. The prophets often referred to Jesus’ first coming and his second coming in the same passage. The Olivet Discourse picks up many of those prophecies and projects forward to the end of days.
Olivet Discourse is full of Mt. Peaks
It’s like one standing on a mountaintop, observing a series of peaks off in the distance. The enormous valleys between each mountain peak aren’t visible from where one is standing. It’s the same with Bible prophecy. When the prophet apparently connects a first-coming passage with a second-coming prophecy, it takes careful study to separate the two into distinct events.
In the “Olivet Discourse,” two significant historical events are often mistakenly connected. Jesus referred to both in the same passage. It’s a huge mistake to do that in many instances of scripture. Jesus prophesied about the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and the arrival of His Kingdom. Both are mentioned in the Olivet Discourse. Many well-meaning, (I guess.), Bible scholars consider both fulfilled around A.D. 70.
Grave prophecy mistakes
To do so has done a great disservice to the words ‘ Bible prophecy scholar.’ And in turn, it has led millions of Christians to believe Bible prophecy isn’t important. If it has been fulfilled then why study or teach it? That is how many people view the subject.
That is a popular view and is taught in many churches around the world.
Here are a couple of reasons why that’s an unacceptable interpretation.
Olivet Discourse objections
The disciples started this ‘discourse’ with some questions they asked of Jesus.
The most important question was, “What shall be the sign of thy coming and the end of the age?” It is simply too hard to believe the Lord answered this question by only speaking about things that would occur around 40 years later.
In Matthew 24:29, we read about a ‘tribulation’ that comes before the significant “sign of the Son of man in heaven.” Jesus told the disciples in verse 36, that no one in heaven or earth knew the exact timing of these events. Only the Father in heaven knew. In verse 37, he compared the events to the great flood of Noah. It strains credulity to say that Jesus was comparing the fall of Jerusalem to Noah’s flood. Even those who erringly support a local flood point of view. 🙁
Below are some additional passages and articles to consider as we close this first installment in our study of the ‘Olivet Discourse.’
2 Peter 3:5-7 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of the water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
Luke 17:20-37 For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. But first, he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man.
Let me know what you think.