Matthew 24:32-41; Mark 13:28-32;
Luke 21:28-33
Both Matthew and Mark have what
scholars call a “transition passage” at this point in the Olivet Discourse
where He purposefully moves from one subject to another in an attempt to answer
the two questions posed by the disciples at the beginning of this section. Luke
does not have this transition passage in his retelling of the event, but stays
on the topic of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.
Before we look at this transition
passage we need to remember that the disciples’ question had two reference
points. The first had to do with the destruction of the Temple predicted by
Jesus that sparked off this discussion. The second had to do with the end of
time or the Second Advent of Christ. It is also helpful to remember that the
disciples use the Greek word parousia when asking about His return…in the first
section of His reply Jesus consistently used a different word, erchomenai, except in verse 27. This difference is not clear in translation.
However, from the transition passage on, Jesus began to use the word parousia. Also two words are used for ‘end’, sunteleia and
telos.
Why is this important? This is
important as it indicates that there are two distinct forms of reference in this
passage, one looking forward to the end of time and the Second Advent and the
other towards the end of a very specific historical event that served to
vindicate our Lord’s claims of Messiahship. As we have discussed this in the
prior sections, we will not rehearse these important grammatical indicators
here. Let it suffice to say that we must be aware of Jesus’ choice of words in
His reply as it helps us see the different time references, one within the
lifetime of that generation (plus minus 40 years) and the other at an unknown
point in the future.
It is also instructive to note
that Jesus used two very different illustrations as transitional aids. The
first has a clear sign that something is about to happen. The fig tree heralds
the coming of summer. So everything Jesus had said up to this point served as a
sign of the first ‘end’ – His coming on the clouds of judgement as the
triumphant King and the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70. This
addressed the ‘when’ part of the disciple’s question. But in stark contrast
with this the illustration following indicates that there are no signs of the
return of the travelling man. The verses in between these two illustrations
make the difference clear.
Both Matthew 24:34-35 and Mark
13:30-31 function as concluding statements that seem to point to an end to the
previous discussion. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things
take place.” Then both Matthew24:36 and Mark 13:32 begin with a subject matter
transition grammatical structure device used to mark off new material, peri de, translated ‘but of, concerning, or regarding’ (see the use of
this device in Matthew 22:31; Acts 21:25; 1 Corinthians 7:1, 8:1, 12:1; 1
Thessalonians 4:9, 5:1). By using this device Jesus was clearly shifting gears,
as it were, by reaching back to the disciple’s second question. Having dealt
with the first, He now moved on to deal with the second. As such these verses
introduced new material. Jesus left the AD 70 prophecy with its many signs
behind and began to address His unexpected…no signs…Second Advent (Matthew
24:36-25:46; Mark 13:32-36).
“But of that day and hour…”
“However, no one knows the day or the hour…”
What is interesting to note here is
that Jesus, in His limited knowledge as the Son Who chose to live His earthly
life never more than Man, knew the temporal markers (note the plural use of “days” as opposed to the singular
specific “that day”) for the
destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, but He did not know the timing of His
own Second Advent! The signs that would mark the timing of the imminent events
to come upon this generation are
lacking when it comes to that day and
hour. Here it seems that the word ‘this’ stands in contrast with the word
‘that’. In the second section there is no imminent temporal indication such as
in the first (this generation) –
rather Jesus seems to anticipate an unknown and distant future event.
Also, in the preceding sections,
Jesus was at pains to inform His disciples concerning historical events they
would ‘see’ so that they might be able to know when to leave the city and flee
into the Judean hill country. But here no one, including angels and Jesus
Himself, know when that very particular day of His Second Advent would occur.
Thus the first section urges the disciples to be ready to flee…in the second
there is no such opportunity for escape…rather there is just a call for obedience,
faithfulness, diligence, and continuance in the faith.
Again, in the previous section,
there was a distinct possibility that people seeing the signs could be misled
to believe that they were safe by false prophets and false messiahs…but in this
section under review, the Second Advent is shown to be something unmistakably
visible to everyone and, as such, any attempt at deception would be impossible.
Also, the social circumstances are contrasted as the first section reveals a
time of great upheaval, chaos, and uncertainty, whereas the second section
indicates a time of tranquillity – life as usual continues right up to the
unexpected arrival of Jesus…people are marrying and eating and drinking and
working – just like at the time of Noah.
Throughout the Church era there
have been people who were convinced they were living in the “last days”…but
they were mistaken. Even there are many, one example will be sufficient. In
1918, the Rev Arthur Walkington Pink, a British Bible Teacher who served as a
Pastor in the United States, wrote:
“Brethren,
the end of the Age is upon us. All over the world, reflecting minds are
discerning the fact that we are on the eve of another of those far-reaching
crises which make the history of our race…Those who look out on present
conditions are forced to conclude that the consummation of this dispensation is
at hand…The sands in the hour glass of this Day of Salvation have almost run
out. The signs of the Times demonstrate it. ‘But,’ it may be asked, ‘Have not
other ages, as well as the present been crowded with signs of distress?’
Undoubtedly…They unduly magnified the evil, and erred in their calculations…But
today, the Signs are so plain they cannot be mis-read, though the foolish may
close their eyes and refuse to examine them. What these Signs are we have shown
at length in chapter six and if the evidence there furnished has not convinced
the reader that the Lord is at hand, then there is little hope that any further
arguments drawn from Scripture will do so.”[1]
Pink was wrong. Others have been
wrong…sincerely wrong…but wrong nonetheless.
We would do well to learn from
these historical errors. Final dates and times are known only to our Father and
we are not called to speculate about when Jesus will return…we are called to be
witnesses to the reality of Jesus present reign as the one who has gained
victory over sin and death, who has overcome the world and its ruler, who has
triumphed over principalities and powers of darkness, and who has led captivity
captive.
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