The Bible OverBrew - Bible in a YearSample

Week 40. Day 4. Matthew 24-25.

Ch 24-25 - known as the ‘Olivet discourse’ (5th teaching block in Matthew)

These are tricky and debated verses. I’ll set out my reading of it below (mainly following Dick France). The disciples’ question can be broken into two parts:

1.Tell us, when will these things be? (i.e. the destruction of the temple he has just spoken of)

2.What will be the sign of your coming (parousia) and of the end of the age?

I think that (after first warning against thinking the end is imminent) Jesus takes these questions separately, and in turn.

●24v3-14 Events that are not signs of the end

warning the disciples not to be misled by premature expectation of the end. Persecution and church decline are not the signs that the end is imminent.

●24v15-28 Siege of Jerusalem (answering ‘when will these things be?)

Tribulation when the Roman armies attack and besiege Jerusalem AD68-70.The abomination of desolation is some Roman idolatry in the temple during the Jewish war (c.f. the pagan statue Antiochus Epiphanes set up in 167BC)

●24v29-35 Destruction of the temple in AD 70 (answering ‘when will these things be?)

This happens ‘immediately after the tribulation of those days’ (29:1). The language sounds like final judgment (which is what some people think it refers to). But I’m persuaded it is language of cosmic upheaval drawn from the prophets to refer to judgment - the temple destruction (Is 13:10, 34:4; Ezek 32:7)

●24:36-51 J’s return to judge. (answering ‘what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?)

Change of focus. Jesus now moves to the second half of the disciples’ question. He now starts speaking of ‘that day’ and his ‘coming (parousia) - i.e. his return to judge at the end of time.

Even if some of the details are hard to understand, we can still hear Jesus’ main application:

• Don’t be led astray. i.e. frightening and ‘earth shattering’ events are not a reason to turn to a different gospel.
• Be ready for his return. It will be a long time coming, but that shouldn’t lead to complacency.

Ch 25 What do these three parables teach about final judgment?

NOTE: Days 1-5 of each week contain the scripture reading for that week. Day 6 has just the 'key chapters'. If you want a briefer version of this plan that still takes you through the whole Bible, you could just read the key chapters featured on day 6. Day 7 has the podcast video where we discuss the week's reading.