In conjunction with
these Temple-related things that Jesus says will occur, He also says “this
Gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole inhabited earth as
a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come” (24:14). The
end, naturally, is the fall of the Temple. Lest one think that the Temple
is somehow not in view, Jesus then goes on to say “So when you see the
abomination of desolation---spoken about by Daniel the prophet---standing in
the holy place” (24:15a), thus making a distinct reference to the Temple.
To this Matthew (and Mark) appends the editorial insertion of “let the reader
understand,” thus indicating that this is an event of which those that are
hearing or reading this discourse should be well aware (which could also serve
as information that these written works come from a time period after that of
which Jesus speaks has already occurred).
The conclusion to
Jesus’ thoughts about the abomination of desolation and the holy place is “then
those in Judea must flee to the mountains. The one on the roof must not
come down to take anything out of his house, and the one in the field must not
turn back to get his cloak. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those
who are nursing their babies in those days!” (24:16-19) Which days are
those? That would be the days in which the Temple is going to be thrown
down, with not one stone left on top of another. Jesus, speaking to a
Jewish audience that would be concerned with such things, adds “Pray that your
flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath” (24:20). Mark does not make
mention of the Sabbath.
Jesus continues
ominously, saying “For then there will be great suffering unlike anything that
has happened from the beginning of the world until now, or ever will
happen. And if those days (i.e. the days in which the Temple will fall)
had not been cut short, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the
elect those days will be cut short” (24:21-22). For a people and a
discourse heavily influenced by the seventh chapter of Daniel, this would sound
a great deal like “While I was watching, that horn began to wage war against
the holy ones and was defeating them, until the Ancient of Days arrived and
judgment was rendered in favor of the holy ones of the Most High” (7:21b-22a),
which was prefaced by the promise that “The Holy ones of the Most High will
receive the kingdom and will take possession of the kingdom forever and ever”
(7:18).
Jesus then says “Then
if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe
him. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great
signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (24:23-24).
When will this occur? It will occur at the time that the Temple is going
to fall. Jesus helpfully adds “Remember, I have told you ahead of time”
(24:25). He then goes on to say “So then, if someone says to you, ‘Look,
he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’
do not believe him. For just like the lightning comes from the east and flashes
to the west, so the coming of the Son of Man will be” (24:26-27). With
this, Jesus links the coming of the Son of Man, which is not a heaven to earth
coming, but a coming of the Son of Man before the Ancient of Days (presumably
an earth to heaven movement), with all of these things that will portend and be
associated with the fall of the Temple. If one is being true to the text,
this fact is inescapable.
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