Olivet Discourse: Is your interpretation of this important passage wrong?
A person’s interpretation of the Olivet Discourse is almost always dependent upon the teacher or organization from which he or she learned it. Honest Bible students must be willing to set aside pre-determined outcomes when they try to interpret a Bible passage.
There are so-called “systems of interpretation” by which people, teachers, and organizations will form their view of a passage. When they approach the passage, they don’t look at the text first. Instead, they come to the text with a preconceived notion about what they will find. Most of the time they find exactly what they expected to find. They see their teacher’s or their systematic view of the passage and are not really open to God’s Word or what the text actually says.
Is it possible to approach the Bible without confining our beliefs to a set system? It is but it is extremely rare. If you are like most people, you believe what you are taught. If you rebel against that notion then I applaud you. Read on, and by all means, think for yourself. The Holy Spirit will teach any of us who are willing to learn.
The Bible is God’s creation and a great gift to humanity. He inspired the writers and ensured it is His Word not that of the writers. The systems of interpretation are created by people — fallible ones at that.
My teacher is always right–really?
Most people believe what their teachers taught them. People don’t think for themselves, though they believe they do. This is true no matter what the subject we are discussing. Some people still believe the earth is flat because their teachers say it’s so.
Many young students believe lightning, stray chemicals, some building blocks, and lots of time created “life” because their teachers say that’s what happened.
Some might argue that I’ve just made a critical mistake. I’ve given the readers links to opposing points of view.
So what.
We can’t stop stupid from happening. People will believe what they want to believe. It is true whether we are considering religious matters or secular.
This site and its author, yours truly, are committed to putting forth sound interpretations of the Bible. And specifically, I focus on Bible prophecy. The field of Bible prophecy has several prominent views of interpretation. Those standing outside this field and looking in see only confused people arguing with one another. Everyone is pushing their own views and never considers that they could be wrong.
You can’t stop stupid
The Olivet Discourse, like so many other passages, is viewed with special pre-set interpretations. The man-made systematic interpretation reigns supreme over the biblical text. That’s stupid and as I said earlier, you can’t stop stupid.
As I’ve said in other articles, I respect the teachers I learned from, but I now realize they were wrong in some of their doctrinal positions. And in turn, I was wrong when I taught their points of view without applying sound principles of interpretation. I just regurgitated the views I heard rather than study to see if those things were true.
Acts 17:11
Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.
Let’s determine to be more “noble-minded” like the Thessalonians when they heard what the Apostle Paul taught.
What’s your interpretation of the Olivet Discourse?
Matthew 24:8
“But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”
In a previous article, I emphasized what Jesus made very clear. These are warning signs and just the beginning of a series of bad events that will take place at the end of the world. (The end means God will return to fix the mess caused by humanity’s rule. It doesn’t mean the world will cease to exist.)
In the previous century, we experienced war on a global scale. Humanity had never seen such a thing. Those provided a warning of what is to come. In my opening paragraphs, I referred to systems of theology that people use to interpret God’s Word and especially prophecy. Many support the notion (preterist) that most prophecies were fulfilled around the time of Christ. These birth pangs mentioned by Jesus were in reference to the destruction of the temple and the dispersion of the Jewish people.
Bad Interpretation
I couldn’t disagree more strongly with that limited view of God’s Word. Some of the passages, especially in the Book of Luke, do apply to that period of time. But God’s prophetic Word always looks forward. It addresses issues of the day but when any prophet spoke of future events in most cases they had a view to the ultimate end in addition to some short-term prophetic perspectives.
These birth pangs also present challenges for those who see themselves as futurists. I am of that persuasion but will refuse to be locked into certain views if the text of the scripture says something different. My Christian upbringing promoted this systematic view of Bible prophecy. For example, “The Late Great Planet Earth,” by Hal Lindsey was a ground-breaking book that basically brought Bible prophecy into the mainstream. I believed everything the author and my pastors taught about that. They were wrong on many points and so was I.
This view chases after every earthquake, war, world leader, and eclipse as if it’s the end of the world. That attracts a lot of “crazies,” and creates the appearance that believing in Bible prophecy is only for such “crazies.”
Matthew 24:9
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of my name.”
This verse did have a short-term fulfillment but will also have an eventual final outcome. When the Romans ransacked Israel and their capital, the Jews were killed, captured, or dispersed. But the Old and New Testaments are full of prophetic scriptures that point to a final, end-of-days, scenario in which the Jews and Christians will be hated by most people around the world. We see that coming closer to fulfillment today. But it will get worse when the appointed time is near.
The prophet Daniel, among other prophets, clearly defines a terrible period in which God’s Holy People are hunted down and killed before the return of the Messiah.
Matthew 24:10
“And at that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.”
The situation will become so bad that friends and family will turn on one another. In order to spare their own lives, they will reveal that family members are Christians or Jews. We saw this unfold during Hitler’s Germany. Many citizens helped to hunt Jews to spare suspicions that they were hiding Jews. Few were willing to protect Jews during World War Two. They wanted to live. The same real-life events will take place again.
Here’s a key area in which I differ from what I learned from my teachers. I learned that the Church has nothing to fear in regards to this coming persecution. I wish that were true, but the scriptures don’t support that view. The Bible does support the view that a “rapture event,” will take God’s People away to safety, but not before the persecution begins. Frankly, it has already begun in many parts of the world and will grow much worse.
The Church will see the Antichrist revealed according to 2 Thessalonians chapter two. The Church is removed sometime after that, before God’s wrath is poured out.
Matthew 24:11
“And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many.”
The Lord began this teaching with a warning. He said don’t be deceived, many false Christs will come. Now he says there will be false prophets. We have many false prophets today. The misuse, misunderstanding, and blatant lies about God’s Word have given rise to an avalanche of false prophets these days.
I do not believe we are moments away from the end of the world. Years and probably decades will pass before the end but the prophecies were intended as warnings. As we draw closer to that end, people must be warned. But it won’t be tomorrow or next year. The time the Lord gives us is a gift we should not waste.
Matthew 24:12
“And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.”
Lawlessness will be the rule of the day when the end is near. Love for one another is a ‘natural law.’ We love our family, friends, and neighbors. It feels right. It’s the human thing to do. But there has come a time, we are there now when people hate just for the sake of hating. If you are not like them they will hate you. Hatred is a strong passion and we can easily see how that is taking on a greater place in society. On Twitter and other social sites, hatred is extreme in growing numbers.
It must be President Trump’s fault. There’s always someone else to blame for one’s personal sins.
Matthew 24:13
“But the one who endures to the end, it is he who shall be saved.”
This verse is important in the debate about eternal security. It must be considered among the many verses that are used to support the various points of view. I believe that when salvation is genuine, then it is eternally secure. I won’t get into that argument now, but I do believe the Bible supports that reality.
This verse and the context of the passage deal with events on the ground, not salvation in general. Times and events will force people to make decisions regarding what they believe. Many who believe in Jesus will be forced to choose between Jesus or staying alive. Those who make that short-sighted decision to stay alive will make an eternal mistake.
Jesus chose to die on the cross so that many could live. During those final days, those who say they don’t believe in Jesus because they want to live a few years longer will likely reveal that they never truly trusted in Christ.
That will be obvious in those moments when people weigh the eternal consequences.
Choose eternal life, not a momentary life.
Let me know what you think.