MATTHEW 24; MARK 13 AND LUKE 21

WHAT DID JESUS SAY AND WHAT WAS THE DISCIPLES’ QUESTION?

Matt: not one stone [of the temple] here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down.” As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us, “They said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”  [Matt is the only one that adds this]

Mk: “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down.” As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴ “Tell us, when will these things happen?  

Lk: “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down. ”Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen?

WHEN WILL “ALL THESE THINGS” HAPPEN?

Mt: this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

Mk: this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

Lk: this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

There are clearly two parts to the disciples’ question.  Jesus had just prophesied the destruction of the temple, and the disciples asked when that would happen AND what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age. Jesus understood those two events were not concurrent.  The temple was destroyed in AD 70, yet Jesus still hasn’t returned as of today – but the disciples didn’t and couldn’t have known that.  Jesus is talking about a near future and a far future.  In Matt verses 6 and 8 Jesus is talking about the near future: “but the end is not yet” (v. 6) and “All these are but the beginning of the birth pains” (v. 8).  Jesus said the destruction of the temple some 40 years in the future would not be the end but the beginning of the end.

ALL WHAT THINGS?

Mt:  False messiahs and prophets; wars, earthquakes; but the end is still to come; persecution; gospel preached to all the nations; the abomination that causes desolation (which to me refers to the sacking of the Temple ala Antiochus IV); run to the hills; Lord will cut short those days.

Mk: False messiahs and prophets; wars but the end is still to come; persecution; gospel preached to all the nations; the abomination that causes desolation; run to the hills; Lord will cut short those days.

Lk: False messiahs and prophets; wars but the end is still to come; persecution; gospel preached to all the nations; the abomination that causes desolation; run to the hills; Unfaithful Jerusalem will be punished Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

JESUS RETURNS AND WHEN

Mt: Immediately after the distress of those days…all the peoples of the earth will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and 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. 

Mk: in those days, following that distress; people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷ And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. 

Lk: [At that time [of distress] they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. ³⁵ For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶ Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

 SUMMARY

Clearly all three start off with Jesus prophesying about the fall of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD.  Clearly all three have the disciples asking Jesus when will these things happen.

 Clearly all three have Jesus saying that these things will happen during the then current generation.

 Clearly all three have false messiahs and false prophets, wars, distress, persecution, earthquakes and the abomination that causes desolation.

That Jesus will return is addressed by all three with “all will see the Son of Man coming.”

All three refer to “all the peoples of the earth” will see Jesus coming.

As to when he will return: 

Matt: “Immediately after the distress of those days” YET also says “until the gospel is preached to all the nations.”  

Mk: says “following that distress.”

Lk: says “at the time of the distress.” And “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

Only Matthew has “until the gospel is preached to all the nations.”  But all three are clearly referring to a time in the future and not to the fall of Jerusalem.  Jesus Himself said that He is coming soon: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon’” (Revelation 22:20  Also see 2:16; 3:11; 11:14; 22:7, 12, and 20   ). The Greek word tachu, which is translated “soon” or “quickly,” means “without unnecessary delay.” It does not mean “immediately.” The meaning seems to be that events have been set in motion that will usher in His arrival without any unnecessary delay. Everything is moving along according to God’s timetable.  His return is imminent but not immediate.

CONCLUSION

Jesus was addressing two questions: 1) When will the destruction of the temple occur? And 2) When will Jesus return?  He answered the first by saying within the current generation.  He answered the second by saying the destruction of the temple would be the beginning of the end.