One of the most misunderstood passages iis Jersus Big Prophecy in Matthew 24, sometimes known as the Olivet discourse (there are parallel accounts in Mark 13 and Luke 21).  This passage is often misunderstood, so it needs careful consideration.  Most people assume that this passage gives a number of signs of the second coming of Jesus. This is not true. Verses 1-35 are actually a warning of the destruction of Jerusalem.  Jesus was giving a strong warning to the Jews of what would happen to them, if they rejected him.  Only at the end of the passage is the second coming described, and here no signs are given.

Before looking at Matthew 24 in detail, we must get an understanding of the context in which Jesus was speaking. Matthew records a long confrontation between Jesus and the leaders of the Jewish nation. It began in the time of John the Baptist. When the Pharisees and Sadducees came out to him, he told them to flee from the coming wrath and produce fruit worthy of repentance. He warned them that the axe was already at the root of the trees, and every tree that did not produce good fruit would be cut down and thrown on the fire (Matt 3:7-12). This was the first ominous warning to the Jewish nation. History shows that they did not repent, and Matthew 24 describes how the axe would fall.

Early in his ministry, Jesus gave a similar warning. After seeing the faith of the Gentile Centurion he said that many of the Gentiles would take a place in the kingdom of heaven, but many of the Jews, to whom the kingdom really belonged, would be thrown our into the place of darkness, and weeping, and gnashing of teeth (Matt 8:11,12).

Matthew 12 records how the Jews accused Jesus of using the power of Satan to cast out demons. From that time on Jesus spoke in parables, so that they would not be able to understand what he was saying (Matt 13:13). The Jewish nation seemed to be set on a collision course with the purposes of God. This confrontation came to a head after the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem (Matt 21). The Jewish leaders again questioned Jesus’ authority. Jesus responded with the parables of the Wicked Tenants and the Wedding Banquet, which warn that those who refuse to acknowledge him will find themselves shut out of the Kingdom.

This debate reached a climax in Matthew 22. The Jewish leaders had already begun to plot ways in which to kill Jesus (Matt 12:14). Now they tried to trap him with trick questions about paying taxes to Caesar, the resurrection, and the commandments. Jesus’ answers were so confounding, that no one dared to ask any more questions.

Jesus responded by denouncing the Pharisees and Teachers of the law publicly. Matthew 23 records this terrible accusation: of pride, false teaching, lack of mercy and faith, false judgment, dishonesty, greed and self indulgence. They are denounced in a series of seven woes. Jesus then announces:

Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers. Matt 23:32

This sentence gives a picture of a cup which is nearly full, and is being filled up to overflowing by the present generation of Jews. The nation has been rebelling against God, and grieving him for many centuries. Now with the rejection of the Son of God, they would fill up the cup of God’s wrath, bringing judgment on their nation. The law had warned that a nation that refused to be corrected would be punished for its sins, seven times over (Lev 26:23,24). This is exactly what would happen.

Jesus pronounced a terrible sentence against the Jewish nation.

Upon you will come all the righteous blood, that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berakiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. I tell you the truth, all these things will come upon this generation. Matt 23:35

Upon this generation will come judgment, for all the prophets that have been killed. They will pay the price with their blood. Jesus then wept for Jerusalem and said.

Look, your house is left to you desolate. Matt 23:38

Jesus had longed to draw the people of Jerusalem to himself. Now he knew that they would reject him. He declared that God’s immediate purposes for the Jews were finished. Their house would be left desolate. The temple, which had been the dwelling place of God, had become a place of desolation. It was now deserted by God, so its destruction was inevitable. After pronouncing this terrible sentence, Jesus left the temple, never to return.

The disciples expected the Messiah to rule from the temple, and that it would be a centre of worship for all people on the earth (Acts 1:6). They were shocked by Jesus’ words. They could not accept the idea that God would desert the temple, so they pointed out the wonder of its buildings. But Jesus made his meaning clear when he said,

Do you see all these things…I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down. Matt 24:2

The temple would be totally destroyed. This is the context in which Jesus made his prophetic statement on the Mount of Olives. The leaders of the nation had repeatedly questioned and rejected his authority. Jesus declared that the consequence of this rebellion, would be the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. All these things would come upon the present generation.

The message of Matthew 24 was prompted by the disciple’s questions as they sat with Jesus on the Mount of Olives. They came to him with two questions:

1. When will these things be (the destruction of Jerusalem)?

2. What will be the sign of your coming (parousia), and the end of the age?

The disciples thought this was just one question, because they had assumed that these events would come at the same time.  They believed that the destruction of Jerusalem would come at the second coming of Jesus. He had already taught them about the day of judgment which would follow his coming at the end of the age. When they heard him speak of judgment against Jerusalem, they assumed that it would come at the end of the age. They could not imagine a world without the Temple of Jerusalem, and assumed that the destruction of the Temple, must mean the end of the world. They wanted to know both the sign and the time of these events.

Whatever the confusion of the disciples, Jesus makes it clear that the destruction of Jerusalem is different from the second coming and the end of the age. He treats their question in two parts. Firstly, he gives the sign and the time of the destruction of Jerusalem (question 1). Then he speaks of the sign and the time of the second coming (question 2). Matthew 24 has two parts. Verses 4-35 deal with the destruction of Jerusalem. Verses 36-51 deal with the second coming and the end of the age.

The correctness of this approach can be seen from verses 34,35.

I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Jesus says that "all these things" will take place before the present generation passes away. We should be very clear about what Jesus means by "all these things". He is referring to the things about which he has just spoken (vv. 4-33) Yet in verse 3 he had used the same expression to describe the destruction of Jerusalem. 

Matthew 23:35,36 is a parallel verse to Matt 24:34,35.

Upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. I tell you the truth, all these things will come upon this generation (Matt 23:36).

The phrase "all things" is used in this verse to refers to the judgment which will make the house of the Jews desolate.  This judgement will come upon the generation in which Jesus was living.  Matthew 24:34,35 should be interpreted in the same way.

This means that the events described in the first section of Matthew 24, refer to the destruction of Jerusalem. And when in verse 34, he says that "all these things" shall happen before the present generation has passed away, he is also referring to the destruction of Jerusalem 

To avoid the clear meaning of Jesus’ statement, some people place another meaning on the word "generation". They translate the word as "race" or "nation", making Jesus say that the nation of Israel will not pass away before the fulfilment of these things. Not only does this make Jesus’ statement rather vague, but it also has no basis in scripture. There is no other place in the gospel where the word has this meaning. Matthew always uses it to refer to people living in the present. Jesus is referring to the people who were present (see also Matt 16:28).

Jesus was warning that a terrible calamity will come upon the generation which is standing before him. The only catastrophe that took place within the appropriate time span was the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. This is clearly the event to which Jesus was referring. Matthew 24:4-35 is a description, and a warning of the destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus gives emphasis to his prophecy by saying that heaven and earth will pass away, but his words will never pass away. 

In Matthew 24:36-51, Jesus goes on to answer the second of the disciple’s two questions. He gives a description of the second coming and the end of the age. He makes this clear by dropping the expression "these things" and taking up the phrase "that day". This phrase would have been familiar to the disciples. Jesus had used it many times to describe the last judgment (Matt 7:22; 11:22). They would understand that he is now talking about the day of judgment at the end of the age.

Jesus states clearly that there will be no signs before the second coming. In fact he does not even know the day or the hour. He warns his followers to be prepared, so that whenever it comes they will be ready. 

This is not the usual interpretation of Matthew 24. Most people see it as a description of the events leading up to the second coming. In view of this, some further arguments in favour of dividing it into two parts will be given.

1. The destruction of Jerusalem is an important event. We would expect Jesus to make some comments on it. The only lengthy description and warning is found in Matthew 24:4-35. If as some people say, this refers to the second coming, then Jesus has let a vital event in the history of Israel pass without comment. This would be impossible. It would also mean that Jesus had avoided the disciple’s question.

2. In the equivalent account in Luke’s Gospel, only the first part of the disciple’s question is recorded; the part dealing with the destruction of Jerusalem.

When will these things happen? And what will be the sign they are about to take place. Luke 21:7

And Luke only records the first part of Jesus answer (the equivalent of Matt 24:4-36). He only records the part about the destruction of the temple. Luke recognises that Jesus’ comments about the second coming are part of a separate topic, and records them separately in Luke 17:20-37. Here we see the Holy Spirit inspiring a writer to divide the prophetic discourse in half, a confirmation that it covers different topics.

3. The events in the first part of Matthew 24 are limited to the locality of Palestine. This is indicated by the reference to Sabbath travel (v.20). This would only be a hardship in Palestine. Likewise, the command not to go down off their houses was only relevant in Palestine, where houses were all joined together, so people could flee along the rooftops. In contrast, the second part of the passage is universal in application.

4. The first section gives an impression of very tumultuous times. There are wars, famines, earthquakes and persecutions. The second section describes a more normal situation; people are eating and drinking, getting married, and working in normal employment. The two sections obviously refer to different times.

5. Jesus gives a specific sign for the events described in the first part of the chapter; the abomination of desolation (v.15). In the second part Jesus absolutely refuses to give any signs. He tells three parables which all teach that there will be no warning signs prior to his coming. This would be inconsistent if he were speaking about the same events.

6. In the first section Jesus tells his followers to flee from Jerusalem into the mountains. This would be pointless behaviour at the second coming, as his followers will simply be taken (vv.40,41).   It would be good advice if Jerusalem was about to be besieged by a foreign army, which is what Jesus was really describing.

7. There is a sense of urgency in the first part of the chapter. Yet the parables in the second part suggest that there will be considerable delay before Jesus returns.

8. In the first few verses of Matthew 24 Jesus speaks about the Jerusalem Temple. It can have no relevance to the second coming as it was destroyed in A.D. 70, so these verses cannot apply to the second coming. Some commentators get round this by saying that the temple will be rebuilt. This is no help as Jesus is specifically talking about the temple which the disciples were looking at. If Jesus was speaking about a future temple he would have informed his disciples of this. Actually, there is no place in the Bible which says that the temple will be rebuilt. In this age the church is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

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