The Stone Cometh Olivet Discourse

THE OLIVET DISCOURSE

The great tribulation was to come upon Israel, upon Jerusalem, and upon the temple. It would come upon it during the days of the generation that crucified Jesus. The very ones who pierced Christ would see his coming (Rev 1:7). Jesus told the leaders of Judaism and warned his disciples of this coming. Christ told his disciples when. He gave his disciples a sign to look for that would warn them that the coming would be soon. He told them he could not tell them the exact day or hour, but it would be upon that generation.

Without this knowledge the student will await the awful events of the Revelation. The believer will be frightened into believing those horrors may come upon him or her. Our desire here is to show that Jesus was specifically speaking to the system of Judaism. The Olivet Discourse is a necessary key to the book of Revelation.

Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

In Matthew 24, the believer comes face to face with a major decision. Is the great tribulation spoken of in Matthew 24 a past event or a future event? Nearly everything a person believes about Christianity is affected by the answer to this question. This becomes the dividing line.

To most believers today, the concept or thought of the great tribulation is a future seven-year event. The thought of it possibly being a past event is foreign. Confidently, we say here that if one will go through this teaching, he or she will see the “great tribulation” is a past event.

Most today have only heard the popular dispensational doctrine, which literally hinges on a future great tribulation. It does not matter if a person believes in a pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, or post-tribulation rapture, they must have a future tribulation. We intend to show that the great tribulation was a historically recorded event which happened in A.D. 70 and was prophesied by Jesus.

As we will see, a seven year tribulation was never taught by the apostles or first-century church. That alone should cause some suspicion of the doctrine. Another interesting fact is that there is absolutely no scripture that teaches a great tribulation with an attached rapture – not one. That teaching was not taught in the church until the mid-1800’s by a group called The Plymouth Brethren. The seven-year great tribulation in connection with an “any moment” rapture of the church is first legitimately recorded in a writing named “The Restoration of Apostles and Prophets” written in 1861 by Robert Norton. In his writing Norton documents a fifteen-year-old girl named Margaret Macdonald who gave a prophecy which began this tribulation/rapture teaching. (For more on this read Whose Right it Is by Kelly Varner, page 148.) The teaching arrived in America in the very early 1900’s around 1904. The popular Scofied Bible and Larkin dispensational charts propagated it. The Dake Bible and the Ryrie Bible followed Scofield’s lead. The doctrine became a part of theology.

How was this great tribulation of Matthew 24 viewed and taught prior to the mid-1800’s? Matthew Henry wrote his world renowned and extremely popular commentary in the late 1600’s and early 1700’s. He died in 1714 before the teachings of the dispensationalists. His father was a pastor, a Bible scholar, and a gifted teacher. We would then not only have recorded what Matthew Henry taught, but also what his father taught before him, i.e. a look at theology in that time. In the Matthew Henry Commentary, we find that the position of the church prior to the teachings of the Plymouth Brethren was that the great tribulation was the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in A.D. 70.

Matthew Henry wrote,

“There shall be great tribulation. Great indeed, when within the city, plague and famine raged, and (worse than either) faction and division, so that every man’s sword was against his fellow; then and there it was that the hands of the pitiful women flayed their own children. Without the city was the Roman army ready to swallow them up, with a particular rage against them, not only as Jews, but as rebellious Jews. War was the only one of the three sore judgments that David excepted against; but that was it by which the Jews were ruined; and there were famine and pestilence in extremity besides. Josephus’s History of the Wars of the Jews, has in it more tragical passages than perhaps any history whatsoever.”[1]

Prior to the entrance of what is called the dispensational teachings (more on this later), a coming of the Lord was seen in Matthew 24 as the destruction of Jerusalem, i.e. great tribulation. A clear division was noticed and taught between the coming of the Lord upon Jerusalem and the coming of the Lord at Advent which includes the resurrection of the Saints. We will discuss all of this more in detail later. For now, we wish to hold our thoughts to the Olivet Discourse.

We will break our study here into parts. A study of The Context, The Questions, The Answer, and The Fulfillment of this Olivet Discourse will help us to develop sound, unshakable doctrine.

A. THE CONTEXT

All rules for proper Biblical interpretation are important. The rule of “First Mention,” the rule of “Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic Word Definitions” (for example Daniel 2:4-7 are in Aramaic), the rule of “Customs,” and many other rules of interpretation are extremely important. One of the most important is the rule of “Context.”

What is the context of Matthew 24? What events are taking place in this passage? What is the focus of the passages surrounding the passage being investigated? Who is involved in this passage and why? What seems to be the disposition of those involved (anger, joy, teaching, death, war, etc.)? Where is this passage taking place (mountain, temple, house, desert)? All this is referred to as the law of “Context.” We need to know the context of Matthew 24 and specifically the context of Matthew 24:21 – the great tribulation.

Jesus Christ made the statement of Matthew 24:21 only days before his crucifixion. It was a heavy and extremely serious time for the Lord. We really can’t imagine all he was experiencing. He knew that in a few short days He would be arrested, beaten, scourged, and crucified.

The Triumphal Entry

Mat 21:9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

The context of Matthew 24 begins on Sunday as the Lord prepares to enter Jerusalem upon a donkey. The disciples are instructed to obtain the donkey, which they did. This was to fulfill the prophecy (Zec 9:9) showing that Jesus is the king (Mat 21:4-5).

Jesus rode into Jerusalem with the people proclaiming Him “the son of David” and shouting “Hosanna!” This was to the displeasure of the religious leaders. Though Jesus had proven exactly who He was, the religious system rejected Him.

We often fail to recognize that the religious leaders of Christ’s day knew the exact year that the Messiah would come. Remember, the “wise men” had looked for His star, for they had calculated the time of birth using the time the Messiah was to be anointed. Also remember that the Jews sent priests and Levities to ask John the Baptist if he were the one. They wanted to know if John was the Messiah. John’s answer shows they considered John the Baptist a candidate for the Messiah (Joh 1:19-28). John said he was not the Messiah, but did say this to them, “there standeth one among you” that was the Messiah (Joh 1:26). Later John would send his disciples to ask Jesus, “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” (Mat 11:3).

Everyone knew the time of the Messiah’s coming was upon them. In our study we will read a parable Jesus spoke to the religious sect. In that parable, the Son was recognized as the heir and killed. Later, in this discourse Jesus Himself said, “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Mat 24:5). It wasn’t that they were that gullible. In the days of the Triumphal Entry, the people knew it was time. It was the day for the son of David to arrive.

How did they know that the Messiah was due? According to Daniel 9:25, the Messiah was to come forth at the end of the 69th week of Daniel's prophecy (see Seventy Weeks of Daniel). This would be 483 years from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity. Exactly 483 years from the decree of Artaxerses of Persia to rebuild the city, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. The Spirit of God came upon him to anoint him. This is what is meant when Jesus told John the Baptist that John must baptize Jesus “to fulfil all righteousness” (Mat 3:15). It was to this reference of the anointing of the Messiah that the gospel writers assume their readers recognize. This is the meaning of Matthew 3:16, 17; Mark 1:10, 11; Luke 3:22; and John 1:32.

The Jews knew it was time for the Messiah. It was now the “midst” of the seventieth week (Dan 9:26, 27). Jesus now fulfills this expectation as he rides into Jerusalem “sitting upon an ass.” The people knew the meaning of His entrance. The people knew this entrance upon the donkey meant that Jesus was the king, the Son of David – the Messiah.

The day was Sunday. The day of the month was the 10th. He was crucified Friday, the 14th. This fulfilled Moses’ instructions for the days the Pascal lamb was taken and kept by each house (Exo 12:3-6).

2. Jesus Cleansing the Temple

Mat 21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves

Christ rode into town in a way that proclaimed Him as King. He then dismounted and entered the temple. The first issue of business for the King was to go to the temple. Once within the facility, He began throwing people out. Those that sold and bought were “cast out.”

He then said, “It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves” (Mat 21:13). He said loudly, “My house.” He then began a healing line and healed the blind and the lame. Those healings gives us great insight as to what should happen in His house.

The religious sect watched as Jesus healed the blind and the lame. They watched as the children rejoiced and sang (we have more insight into what should happen in His house). They listened as the people said “Hosanna to the son of David” (still more insight). The Bible says the religious sect was sore displeased. “Sore” is aganakteo (Greek) meaning “to be greatly afflicted; indignant.”

The religious sect was tremendously upset with the actions of Jesus and the people: riding into town the way He did, throwing people out of the temple, overturning tables, healing people, children singing about him, and all the people saying he was the son of David.

They asked Jesus in their indignant way, “Hearest thou what these say?” And Jesus saith unto them, “Yea; have ye never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?’” In no way is praise made more perfect than when offered to the king who was here being proclaimed. Those singing recognized Him. Religion rejected Him.

That said, Jesus “left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.”

3. Cursing of the Fig Tree

Mat 21:19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

After staying the night in Bethany (a few miles from Jerusalem), the Lord and His disciples began walking back to Jerusalem. The Lord was hungry and noticed a fig tree. When no fruit was found on the tree, but leaves only, the Lord spoke to the tree. Quickly, the fig tree withered away.

The Lord used this experience as a teaching for prayer. Interestingly, He changes the object from a fig tree to a mountain.

Mat 21:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

As we will see with numerous Scripture references in the Revelation study, mountains speak of religious worship. Usually people think that mountains refer to kingdoms. Religious “high places” are mountains. Mountains were used for worship of the Lord God and worship of idols. The Lord God began His covenant with Israel on Mount Sinai. The first use of the word mountain in Scripture is with Abram in worship as he calls upon the name of the Lord (Gen 12:8).

First use is an important rule of interpretation. It is the seed for the word through the remainder of all Scripture. Just as the very first corn seed determined what all corn seeds would produce, so it is with first use. The first use of the word “mountain” has to do with worship. Mountains are important in Israel’s worship. Among those mentioned concerning worship are Mount Sinai, Mount Ebal, Mount Gerizim, Mount Ephraim, Mount Bethel, Mount Carmel, Mount Horeb, Mount Zion, Mount Moriah, etc.

Also the mountain would be the place of idolatrous worship (Deu 12:2; 1Ki 14:23). When the nation of Israel went after idols, she was declared “the harlot” as she went to do her whoredoms on the mountains (Jer 3:6; Hos 4:12-13).

In Matthew 21:21, the Lord was not interested that His disciples learn how to talk to or curse fig trees. There was, however, a religious mountain that Jesus desired they speak. In a few hours, the Lord would speak to that mountain himself saying it would be left desolate.

Contextually, this is the direction these chapters and verses travel. There would be one confrontation after another between the Lord Jesus and that religious group. It would climax with these words: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate” (Mat 23:37, 38).

4. The Authority of Jesus Questioned

Mat 21:23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

The Lord went into Jerusalem. This would be the events of Monday before the crucifixion on Friday. Once in Jerusalem the Lord went to the temple and began teaching. It appears the chief priests and elders had preplanned to discredit Jesus. Very rudely, as Jesus is teaching, the chief priests and elders interrupted. They asked by what and by whose authority did Jesus minister. They were determined to show Jesus as a rebel, untrained and unlearned in the things of God.

Not afraid of and not cowering to the priests and elders, Jesus returned a question. He said if they would answer His question then He would answer their question. Jesus asked, “The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men?” (Mat 21:25).

It must be noted that it was by John that Jesus was recognized and set into ministry. John had baptized Jesus and pointed him out by saying, “Behold the Lamb of God!” (Joh 1:36). If they did not recognize John then Jesus could not tell them who recognized him.

They reasoned that if they said, “From heaven” that Jesus would say, “Why did ye not then believe him?” If they answered, “Of men” then the people would anger because John the Baptist was held as a prophet. So they answered, “We cannot tell.” Jesus answered, “Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.”

This was the direction of the next hours. The Pharisees continuously attempted to trap Jesus. He would continually turn it back upon them. Over and over this happened.

The Lord then gave a series of parables all pointing to the rebellion of Israel and to their rejection of Jesus. In the parables, the Lord explained what would become of Israel.