Jesus stayed on the Mount
of Olives with His disciples, during the last week of His earthly ministry. On one occasion, as they were returning to
the Mount of Olives from the temple area, He prophesied about the future in
what has become known as the Olivet Discourse:
Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple
And while
some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and
offerings, he said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come
when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown
down.” And
they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign
when these things are about to take place?” And he said, “See that you are not led
astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at
hand!’ Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be
terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at
once.”
Jesus
Foretells Wars and Persecution
Then he
said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and
in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great
signs from heaven. But before all this they will
lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues
and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s
sake. This will be your opportunity
to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your
minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and
wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by
parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will
put to death. You will be hated by all for
my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head
will perish. By your endurance you will
gain your lives.
Jesus
Foretells Destruction of Jerusalem
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by
armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in
Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and
let not those who are out in the country enter it, for these are days of
vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are
nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth
and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led
captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the
Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
The
Coming of the Son of Man
“And
there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of
nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with
foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will
be shaken. And then they will see the Son
of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take
place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing
near.”
The
Lesson of the Fig Tree
And he
told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf,
you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things
taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation* will not pass
away until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not
pass away.
Watch
Yourselves
“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be
weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that
day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the
whole earth. But stay awake at all times,
praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to
take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
And every
day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the
mount called Olivet. And early in the morning all the people came to him
in the temple to hear him. (Luke 21:5-38
ESV)
* The
available commentaries vary regarding the meaning our Lord intended when He
used the term "generation." We may discuss, but we should
not divide over the various interpretations.
To name a
few examples, scholars throughout the church age have thought:
1. That
Jesus was referring to the people who were alive when He spoke it, some of whom lived to
see the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Romans.
2.
That
he was referring to the Jewish people.
3.
That
he was speaking of the church.
4.
That
He meant mankind in general.
5. Or,
that He was speaking of the generation of people that are alive when the
end-time events begin to unfold.
Regardless,
the prophesy is true in all cases, and Jesus will make all things clear to us
when we meet Him face to face. (1Corinthians 13:12)
