Matthew chapter 24 commonly referred to as the Olivet Discourse, has perplexed many interpreters and caused a multitude of speculations, predictions and differing opinions about its meaning. It has in fact spawned entire religious denominations who have constructed fear inspiring end-times predictions around its content.
Jesus speaks the words. What might be the real lesson that He wanted to get across in his dialogue of Matthew 24? It seems reasonable that there are at least two specific intentions: as prophecy, and as a Christian living lesson. Jesus' words are a warning that his disciples, then and now, need to be spiritually ready for His return, because they cannot know exactly when He will return. The parables in Matthew 25 continue to admonish that same theme.
In Matthew 24:36, Jesus said, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." This is Jesus' plain statement that he himself does not know when the “end of the age” would come. That may seem shocking, since he is the Son of God, the one who is returning, but nonethelessHis words are plainly spoken and clear.
Accepting this point clears up a lot of confusion about His intent of chapter 24. It tells us that Jesus was not meaning to prophesy about the specific time of "the end" or of his return, since he himself did not know when it would be. Matthew 24 was to serve as a lesson in spiritual awareness, alertness, the condition of our hearts and relationship with God. That intent would seem to dampen Matthew 24 as a basis for world events watching, calculating time and arriving at dates for His second coming. He did not mean it to be a "when" prophecy calculator. Jesus could not have been prophesying about when "the end" would happen, because he himself did not know... the day or the hour.
What we see in subsequent history is that Jerusalem has been the focal point of many turbulent events and times. For example, in A.D. 1099, the Christian Crusaders surrounded Jerusalem and massacred all the inhabitants. And during World War I, in 1917, British General Allenby took the city from the Turkish empire. And we are all quite aware of the central role Jerusalem and Judea continue to play in the strife between Jews and Arabs. While this part of the world has certainly been a hot spot of conflict over the centuries, these events in and of themselves have nothing whatsoever to do with “signs” of the end of the age.
To summarize, Jesus told his disciples that the answer to their question about when the end would come was this: "You can't know it, and not even I know it." That seems to be a difficult lesson to learn. After his resurrection, the disciples still pressed Jesus on the matter. They asked: "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6). Again, Jesus told them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority" (verse 7).
Despite Jesus' clear teaching, many Christians throughout the centuries have repeated the mistake of the apostles. Many have tried to prognosticate when "the end" would come, and have almost always said it would be "very soon." But history has proven Jesus right and every prognosticator wrong. Quite simply, we cannot know when "the end" will come. Why such leaders as Harold Camping of Family Radio and organizations like the Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t see this, is indeed baffling.
So what are we to do in the meantime, while we await Jesus' return? Jesus gave the answer to his disciples, and it is our answer as well. He said: "Keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.... So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him" (24:42, 44). Keeping watch, being on-guard... these are very different things than predicting a day, a month, or even a year of when Christ will return.
Jesus' message in-a-nut-shell is really simple and easy to understand. The disciples are concerned by Jesus' teaching that the temple buildings will be destroyed. They ask when this will happen, and when "the end" and his "coming" will occur. They were thinking [and hoping] that Jesus would take the mantle of messiahship and inaugurate the kingdom of God in all its power, tossing out the Romans by force of arms and re-establishing the throne of David in Israel.
Jesus warns them against such thinking. There will be a delay before "the end." Jerusalem and the temple will be destroyed, but the life of the fledgling church will continue.
Future times will be characterized by violent persecution of his followers and terrible tribulation in Judea. The disciples are shocked at this information. They think the Messiah's disciples will be immediately and eminently victorious, the Promised Land easily conquered and the worship of God restored. What is this talk about the destruction of the temple and the persecution of his followers?
But there is more shocking teaching. The only "sign" that contemporary disciples will have of Jesus coming will be his actual coming... arrival. This "sign" will have no predictive value because it comes too late to matter for those "not prepared" for his second coming.
Jesus' point leads to his discussion that no one can prophesy when "the end" will occur or when he will come. Say it again... not even Jesus knows the time. Only the Father knows. Jesus took advantage of his closest disciples' wrong-headed thinking and turned it into a spiritual lesson.
Some will argue that the wide array of interpretations of Matthew 24 don’t really matter, however that is akin to a false sense of security. Understanding these important teachings of Jesus is critical to our personal salvation. We must watch our doctrine and teach only what the Bible teaches. We must not go beyond reason and logic in our attempts to understand any passage of Scripture. If we do, we will most assuredly end up on the wrong track, with an erroneous understanding of critical aspects of God’s word. We could even find ourselves lured into association with a body of believers who are essentially a false religion.
Like the disciples' who were with Jesus during those intense periods of learning, we today must learn the same lesson he has been offering to all believers throughout the past 2,000 years.
Look forward to the Lord's return... eagerly anticipate it... pray for it... live like He’s coming tomorrow or next week. Live responsibly, faithfully, compassionately, courageously as we await the Master’s return. (24:45-25:46) That was the concern of Jesus at the time of His return... that we be found worthy of salvation, ones who are living holy lives.
"Amen, Come, Lord Jesus" (Rev.22:20).
