The Son of Man Revealed (The Olivet Discourse)

THIS DISCOURSE CAN BE FOUND in Matthew 24; Mark 13; and Luke 21. This paralleled text in the synoptic gospels is called the Olivet Discourse because of its location, that being on the Mount of Olives; a hill away from Jerusalem called Bethany where olive trees were grown and harvested. In Matthew and Mark, the Olivet Discourse is quite similar, with some details either being emphasized and others not, such as when the Disciples ask Jesus what are the signs of all these things, in Mark that line gives the name of the Disciples that asked him. Matthew and Mark are also writing with certain audiences in mind, just as Luke is. Matthew to Jews, Mark to believers in Rome, and Luke to Gentiles.

One of the most important aspects of the interpretation of Revelation is its concordance with the rest of the Bible, similar language and imagery is used throughout. The context of the text is also important if we want to read the text properly. The context of the Olivet Discourse in the synoptic gospels, that being that Jesus was speaking to His disciples about the current generation; the generation that crucified Christ, God incarnate and chose Caesar as their king and not Yahweh (the God of the Bible). They are the covenant breakers that are to be judged in the Messianic verses in the Old Testament.

At this point there may be some questions starting to form on the tip of our tongues, such as: What about the birth pains? What about wars and rumors of wars and persecution? What about the Coming of the Son of Man? I hope to answer these and others in the following pages, but let us stay on topic.

In the context of scripture this discourse is given to the Disciples and is directed towards the generation He was speaking to. There is a bit of contention that must be mentioned here, this discourse is used by atheists and other unbelievers as evidence that Jesus was wrong in His Prophesy, they will say, “By the Bible’s standards, so God’s, Jesus would be a false prophet.” The interpretation that the Olivet Discourse is all about the future is held by many Pre-mil Dispensationalists, this causes problems since it is interpreted as Jesus is speaking about his Second Coming. So, with this line of thought, they would point out that then the Apostles thought that Jesus’ second coming would be in one generation, about forty years if we are going by Jewish standards. But this didn’t happen, when Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed in A.D. 70, Jesus did not come down physically at that moment and establish a kingdom that would reign for a thousand years, so they say that the Apostles had to adjust their teachings.

This is important so we are going to park the car here for a moment, as a Christian if you think that the Olivet Discourse is all about the future Second Coming, you’re wrong. For some this will not be a problem, but for others I am sending them red flags and they are getting ready to launch all sorts of rebuttals. Before we start the dance of trying to stump this point of view that the Olivet Discourse is not all about the Second Coming, I implore you to read all this information and study it for yourself before trying to win an argument.

With that stop-and-go out of the way, I assume those reading beyond this point have tempered their emotions, at least for a little while. Let us continue our study of the Olivet Discourse. The coming of the Messiah had been prophesied throughout the Old Testament texts and we are told that the Messiah was bringing two things. Those two things were salvation and judgement; salvation for God’s people and judgement for the covenant breakers. In regard to this the Olivet Discourse is about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple; and it happened in one generation. By the text Jesus was not talking about his second coming, but his coming of judgement to the covenant breakers, the generation that rejected the Messiah and crucified him. He was speaking of the ‘end of the age’, in the Greek it is not the word for cosmos or world, it was the end of the Old Covenant age.

The Bible tells us about two ages; two covenants; or testaments. The new age is commonly called the Age of the Kingdom; which we are still in. A.D. 70 was the culmination of Christ’s first advent; the Messiah was bringing salvation and judgement. Salvation was on the cross and judgement was the fall of Jerusalem. Jesus is reigning right now, as when He ascended He said that, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20).

Paul gives us a line of progression of what will come and how things will end in his first letter to the Corinthians. That being in regard to Christ’s resurrection and then the order of last things. “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first-fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put into subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:22-28).

Those that belong to Christ are mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4 where those who were asleep rise first then those who are awake meet them in the air. These are the verses that people use to describe the Rapture, yet that is also wrong as it is describing the Second Coming. There is no context of it being prior to a seven-year tribulation, many pre-mil dispensationalists would argue differently, but they have no scriptural evidence, often Scripture speaks to the opposite of what they impose on the text. So, what about the Great Tribulation? That, is another mis-conception as it has already happened as it is only mentioned in two places in the whole Bible, where? The Olivet Discourse and Revelation!

The Olivet Discourse is given to the Disciples and is directed towards the generation Jesus was speaking to. A Jewish generation is about 40 years. In Matthew and Mark, the term, Desolation Abomination as quoted by the prophet Daniel is divinely interpreted in Luke more straight forwardly as being: “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.” (Luke 21:20). In these regards it would not be odd to say that the Olivet Discourse is about the judgment that was coming to Jerusalem, to the generation that rejected the Messiah. What Jesus says about the temple is exactly what happened as the Roman General Vespasian and his son Titus laid siege to the city of Jerusalem in the late 60’s. It all happened in one generation, just as Jesus said it would.

What can we say to this? Nothing but that Jesus was right and He was not only speaking of His second coming, He was speaking of the “end of the age”, the end of the Old Covenant age, the Covenant of Works, the Covenant that Jesus lived under and followed to the letter that no jot or iota was left un-followed. Jesus has established the New Covenant[1]; the Covenant of Grace. This is the Covenant that we as believers in Christ live under, and it is only possible by the perfect work of Christ and His death. If we want to fully understand the Olivet Discourse and what Jesus is prophesying, then we need to go back in time, back to the ancient empire of Babylon where a Jew serves in the high ranks of government, to the prophet Daniel.

Daniel 2, 7, and 9

We will begin as the book of Daniel begins and we will go in its chronological order, we look to the second chapter of Daniel, a King has had a dream and it has burrowed into his mind and will not let him go from its sway. He seeks the revelation of its meaning from his wise men, but none can tell him of his dream, for he has not told them what his dream contained; yet demanded them to tell him its meaning. Furious with their inability he is ready to have every Wiseman executed by the sword. But, in comes Daniel who has already been blessed with acknowledgment by those in Babylon upon his first arrival to the city.

Daniel arrives into the king’s presence, the king called Nebuchadnezzar who sees him and speaks. “The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise man, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. (This is also not talking about the end of the cosmos or world, but the “end of the age”). Continuing… “Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: To you, O King, as you lay in bed come thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be.”

“But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the King, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind. You saw, O King, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle (sternum) and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the Summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

… As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever.” (Daniel 2: 26-35, 43-44).

Christians have all heard this story at least once, the different metals are the different kingdoms that came after Babylon and during the time of the kingdom of iron and clay the kingdom of God would come and establish itself. Then it would shatter all the kingdoms into dust and then become a great mountain. A kingdom that will never be destroyed, but will go out and grow, and the gates of Hell cannot withstand it. The fourth kingdom is Rome if you must know and Jesus came during their time and established His kingdom. Moving onto Daniel 7 we will now see the dream that Daniel has and has interpreted to him. That of the four beasts, particularly the fourth beast and the Son of Man who is given dominion.

Daniel is sleeping in his rooms; the night has been passing and he has a dream of terrible beasts. They are terrible in image and dangerous in power, then the fourth beast which is exceedingly terrifying then slays the Son of Man. “As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgement was given to the saints of the Most-High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom. Thus, he said: As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces. As for the ten horns, out of the kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones and shall put down three kings. He shall speak words against the Most-High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most-High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time (3 ½ years). “But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end. And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most-High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.” (Daniel 7:21-27).

In the verses just before the ones above depict when one like a son of man would come before the Ancient of Days and would be given dominion. We can easily see that this figure that is not only a son of man, but is the Son of Man, is Christ. He is given what He describes just before His ascension to His disciples, all authority and dominion. A horn of the fourth beast will persecute the saints; Paul called all believers saints. They will be persecuted for three and a half years by this king, but his dominion will be taken away from him by the Most-High and the court in judgement and the beast will be consumed and destroyed.

As we approach Daniel 9, there is a bit of confusion that I have run into with this chapter. There are some who see what happens in Daniel 9 as describing what the ‘Anti-Christ’ will do in the future. The rebuilding of the temple and the putting an end to the sacrifices is seen as the Anti-Christ asserting himself as God and demanding to be worshiped as such. This interpretation is out of bounds, as it is not what the text is telling us. Remember the prophets were the spokesperson for God, they spoke to the people on the behalf of God. Each book of the prophet’s points to the coming Messiah. Daniel is praying to God and repenting of his sins and the sins of the people of Israel. The Jews are in exile and they were cast into exile for covenant unfaithfulness, which was rightly deserved as God had told them that if they followed His Law He would bless them and if they did not He would curse them (Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26).

Daniel speaks of an anointed one, this is Jesus, the Messiah. We are also told that another temple will be built. Now, it is important to remember the context of when this was written, there was no temple, it has been destroyed by the Babylonians. The temple that is mentioned is to be built in a troubled time and that it will return to a great grandeur, this is the temple that was built first by Ezra and Nehemiah then finished by Herod that ruled over Galilee and his Herodian stone. The very temple that Jesus visited many times throughout His life, the same temple that He says will be destroyed. Daniel is praying for forgiveness of the sins of Israel, yet we are told that the exile will be extended. Why? Because they had continued in being unfaithful to God, they worshipped Babylonian gods. This is when Daniel is told of the seventy weeks times seven or 490 years.

These 490 years is very important, especially as to why when Jesus started His earthly ministry, there was a fervent for the Messiah. There is historical record during the first century of many people calling themselves the Messiah, Israel was expecting Him to come; why? They did the math. The fantastic thing is, the Messiah did come and He did exactly what the Old Testament Scriptures said He would do. In verse 25 of Daniel 9 there is a promise of the rebuilding of Jerusalem. There is a decree in history of Cyrus, which was predicted by Isaiah, he names him before Cyrus was even around. Isaiah called him by name and what he would do. Cyrus did give a decree in 538 B.C. for the restoration of Jerusalem. In Daniel there is not just details of returning to the land, but restoring it to a grandeur. Some have argued that the countdown lands on Jesus’ baptism, there are seven years (a week) that follows, halfway through the week, so 3 ½ years, Jesus put an end to the sacrifices and offerings by dying on the cross then there was another 3 ½ years of ministry to the Jewish people before Acts 10 where Peter brought the Gospel to not just Israel, but to the Gentiles.

There are six things that make up the skeletal structure of this prophecy. The first one would be the promise to finish the transgression. For some context, Daniel is praying and confessing Israel’s transgression of their covenant unfaithfulness. Gabriel says that 70 weeks are decreed to finish the transgression; it will be brought to completion which some have argued was at Jesus’ trial with Pilate. Who says, “shall I crucify “your” King, I find no fault in him” and on record this Governor washes his hands to say he is blameless. The Jewish leadership of that day say in response, “crucify him!” They say, “We have no king but Caesar.” This is the zenith of Israel’s sin, they not only want to kill God, they also say that they have no king but Caesar, denying their heritage of God being their King. This is nothing more than utter rebellion and betrayal and unfaithfulness to God.

Secondly, Gabriel’s promise to Daniel is that at the end of the 70 weeks there will be and end of sin; to seal up sin. There is a sealing up of that sin that is reserved for punishment. God gives Israel a generation to repent of their sin before He pours out His wrath and justice upon them at the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and its temple and its people forty years later. Which the Jewish leadership also sealed upon themselves with a final phrase once wanting the Romans to crucify their Messiah, their King, their God. “His blood be on us and on our children!” (Matthew 27:25).

Thirdly, reconciliation for iniquity. God says He is going to bring atonement for inequity in the 70 weeks, He is going to accomplish atonement. Atonement was accomplished by the life and ministry of Jesus. When in history did this take place? Before the destruction of the Jewish temple.

Fourthly, everlasting righteousness is brought in through the 70 weeks prophecy, an anointed one comes, a prince. “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14). “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life.” (John 4:24). This is Jesus’ promise to His people. He gives us a righteousness that is not our own, it is His, we are bound in Him and counted righteous. It is everlasting righteousness and salvation that is the glory of the Gospel.

Fifthly, to seal up vision and prophecy. To do this is to fulfill and confirm vision and prophecy. To confirm all the prophecies in this time period and Jesus did just that.

Lastly, to anoint the most Holy. This is argued to have happened at Jesus’ baptism. John the Baptist was the son of a priest he had the right of that station. The anointed one shall be cut off (die violently). In the middle of the week (7 years) the Messiah is going to put an end to sacrifice and offering. “For then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:25-26).

Jesus appeared at the end of the age, Matthew 24 is about the end of the age. He did not appear at the beginning of the age, but at the end. Jesus next puts away sin by the sacrifice of Himself and it’s a once and for all sacrifice. Did the Father accept one more animal sacrifice after the death of the Messiah? No, all of that was over (although the Jews at the time continued in their practices). Daniel 9 promises Jesus and His coming sacrifice, in the middle of the 7 years He shall put an end to sacrifices and offerings. The day Christ was crucified there was a great earthquake the temple veil was ripped in half; the passage was now made for us to go into the holy place before a holy God because Jesus accomplished our redemption once and for all.

It is was on Jesus’ baptism there is 7 years, 3 ½ years in Jesus gets cut off (dies violently, such as a criminal’s death) and puts an end to the sacrifices. The next 3 ½ years the Apostles focused their ministry heavily on the Jewish people. After this Peter is told to go and preach the Gospel to the Gentiles and then Acts’ narratively describes the ministry of Paul as he was the Apostle to the Gentiles.

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In the Olivet Discourse Jesus tells His disciples what to look for to when they should escape the city. There is an early church father, Eusebius, a pastor, bishop, and apologist and he writes in his book 3 chapter 5: “After Nero had held the power 13 years in Galba and also had ruled a year and six months, Vespasian, who had become distinguished in the campaigns against the Jews was proclaimed Emperor from the armies they’re setting out immediately therefore for Rome he entrusted the conduct of the war against the Jews to his son, Titus.”

This is the war between the Romans and the Jews that led to the destruction of Jerusalem, setting the temple ablaze and the slaughter of so many Jews it was said that there were so many crucifixes surrounding Jerusalem it looked like a forest. There was blood literally flowing through the street, people were eating their own children, eating dung, eating each other to survive. It was a horrible time in history. Eusebius goes on… “but the people of the church of Jerusalem had been commanded by the revelation vouchsafed to approve men there before the war to leave the city and to dwell in a certain town of Perea called Pella and when those that believed in Christ had come there from Jerusalem then as if the Royal city of the Jews and the whole land of Judea were entirely destitute of holy men the judgement of God at length overtook those who had committed such outrages against Christ and His apostles and totally destroyed that generation of impious men…” He goes on…

“But the number of calamities which everywhere fell upon the nation at that time the extreme misfortunes to which the inhabitant of Judea were especially subjected the thousands of men as well as women and children that perished by sword, by famine, and by other forms of death innumerable all these things as well as great sieges which were carried on against the cities of Judea and the excessive sufferings endured by those who fled to Jerusalem itself as to a city of perfect safety and finally the general course of the whole war as well as its particular occurrences detail and how at last the Abomination of Desolation proclaimed by the prophet Daniel 9:27 stood in the very temple of God so celebrated of all the temple which was now awaiting its total and final destruction by fire all those things, anyone that wishes may find accurately described in the history written by, Josephus.” (Eusebius iii.5).

That was an early church father of the 4th century, describing the events of Matthew 24 as past tense. So, when we say futurism versus preterism, preterism means past fulfillment a futurist view of Matthew 24 says this is all future to us. A preterist view says, “no, it is past in fulfillment.” Here we have Eusebius an early church father arguing that Matthew 24 is past in fulfillment. This is because I would argue that this is what Scripture is saying in this text, it is the proper exegesis of the text; even when it comes down to it Scripture straight up says these things. There is no way around it, you may try and many do, but then you must answer the skeptic or atheist as they point it out to you the historical records of the temple being destroyed and how Jesus was wrong and did not come like He said, thus making Him a false prophet.

The Abomination Desolation, the destruction of the temple and God’s people being rescued from the destruction of Jerusalem. The Christians escaped this and fled to a town called Pella, why? Because Jesus says when you see it, don’t go back, you run, you get out of the city as fast as you can. We know as a fact of history that the city was surrounded by the armies of Rome and for some reason, varying interpretations as to why, but the armies of Rome backed away from the city and started to go back again and the Christians fled the city while the political party of the Zealots pursued and killed that army of Romans. Then as the consequence of that, Vespasian came down from the north and burned everything in his path until he reached Jerusalem, laying siege to it. The Christians were the ones to escape the city’s destruction. Jesus told them when to leave and how to avoid it in the Olivet Discourse.

The so what is that no matter how much we fail at the Christian life, we can’t get it right we know that God is faithful even in our times of unfaithfulness. And God keeps His promises, it happens in history, it happens on time. God is faithful, it is something we must remind ourselves. His promised judgements happen on time, but He has also promised grace, mercy, His unfailing love to us, it never ceases, never fails and Daniel 9 is an example of that.

Now, what about the Coming of the Son of Man? Well, Jesus gives us the details for that as well and it is in regards to the Great Tribulation as it is after that when the sign of the Son of Man will be seen. This is where Jesus ends His discourse on the coming of judgement that He has clearly linked to the generation that He is speaking to as, “Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Matthew 24:34-35). Jesus shifts gears in verse 36 and on as He talks about the Coming of Son of Man but that no one knows that day or the hour. Jesus’s most preferred title to call Himself is the Son of Man, so this can get confusing if we are not careful.

The verses 1-35 is in regards to the coming of the Son of Man on the clouds with power and great glory, in judgement. The next coming (Second Coming) of the Son of Man that Jesus speaks of in verses 36-51 is unknown to everyone except the Father. Jesus changes His topic, because as with the coming judgement that includes the Great Tribulation/Abomination Desolation/Wars and Rumors of Wars/Famines He specifically gives instructions on how to avoid and escape such an event. The coming that He speaks of in these latter verses of Matthew 24 He specifically says that no one knows the time, not even Himself and then He goes on to describe what it will be like when the coming of the Son of Man happens; like the days of Noah. This is not in regards to the wickedness, but to what? He tells us, “For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:37-39). This also gives insight to who is left behind. Our culture has popularized this idea of a rapture so much that there was a lot of money to be made with this idea of eschatology, and it is attributed to the Dispensational Theological teaching of Eschatology. They get this wrong, when it comes to the Second Coming and when our Lord comes, like in the days of Noah, who were left behind? Noah and his family were left behind, while the wicked were swept away; after the Flood the only people alive were Noah and his family, they were the ones left. The idea of two being in a field and two working at the mill and then one being left in both scenarios that Jesus gives is in regards to the wicked being swept away to be judged, and thrown into the Lake of Fire.

So, like in the days of Noah life will be going on, people will be eating and drinking and marrying; what humans always do. Yet, He does call us to be watchful as the Son of Man is coming at a time we do not expect. Like the parable of the ten virgins waiting for the Bridegroom, we are to be prepared and have the provisions for our lamps. We are to be faithful and expectantly waiting. “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.” (Matthew 24:45-46). Yet, he also warns about the wicked servant who is not prepared and not doing what the master has commanded him to do then when the Son of Man comes that servant will be punished as the master will, “cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 24:51). This is in regards to the final judgement and the casting of those who are not the elect into the Lake of Fire, the Second Death, such as described in Revelation 20.

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Footnote:

[1] The ‘New’ Covenant is not so much a new draft of the Old Covenant, that meaning it is not a repeal of the Old Covenant, but a changing of its administration. We are still in the same Covenant, but we have a different way of how it is kept in the ‘New’ administration of the covenant. That being God’s Law still applies, but instead on tablets of stone it is written on our hearts. The sacrificial system was not taken away but has been fulfilled with Christ’s perfect once for all sacrifice so the perquisite of the shedding of blood for atonement is met. Then the ceremonial rituals are also fulfilled in Christ as that was due to the uncleanliness of sin that marred us with our fall in Adam but now we’re cleansed in Christ as we are given His righteousness as it is not our own filthy rags of righteousness but now white robes that have been washed with the blood of the Lamb and made as white as snow. Same covenant, but different administration.