Simeon Western
The Olivet Discourse Part 1
An introduction to the study of the Olivet Discourse
Can you imagine attending a conference on Bible prophecy where Christ was the guest speaker? How exciting and thrilling that would be! Well, the disciples had that privilege over 2,000 years ago on the Mount of Olives where they heard teaching concerning last things (Eschatology) straight from the lips of Christ. Praise God the conference was recorded for our benefit! The three synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) all contain records of Christ’s discourse on the Mount of Olives. Interestingly, it is the longest recorded answer of Christ to a question in the Gospels which says something of its importance. Some have called it “the Little Apocalypse” as it essentially gives in 1-2 chapters a summary and overview of what’s covered in the Book of Revelation.
A proper exposition and interpretation of the Olivet Discourse is absolutely vital in our day when there is an ever-increasing amount of unsound teaching being peddled by false teachers. Sadly, the Olivet Discourse has become a go to passage for many who advocate the post, mid and pre-wrath views on the rapture. They try and fit the church into the Olivet Discourse and then build a case that believers will go through the tribulation. A sound understanding of these passages will demonstrate just how false this argument is.
In this introductory article, we are going to lay down five keys to an effective study of the Olivet Discourse. In subsequent articles, we will seek to delve more into the Scripture text itself. Please note that these articles will be primarily based on Mark 13 with reference to the other passages in Matthew 24 and Luke 21 as needed.
Firstly, we need to understand that Matthew and Mark emphasize the tribulation period whereas Luke emphasizes the events of A.D. 70. Bible commentator Thomas L. Constable summarizes it well, “Matthew and Mark both stressed Jesus’ teaching that focused on His second coming. Matthew and Mark also recorded more about Jesus’ answer to the disciples’ second question, “What shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?” (13:4b). Luke concentrated more on His answer to their first question, “When will these things be?” (13:4a). Matthew wrote to answer the questions of Jewish unbelievers. Mark wrote primarily to respond to those of Gentile Christians living under Roman persecution and in a hostile world. Mark stressed Jesus’ exhortations to watchfulness and His preparation of the disciples for future hardships.”
Next, we need to apply what is called the law of double reference to our study of this passage. By this we mean that “the Bible sometimes refers to a near and far subject in the same passage” (Sargent). To illustrate, Ezekiel 29:1-19 is apparently addressed to the king of Tyre who was Ethbaal II. However, it clearly goes beyond the immediate earthly reference to give great detail of the original estate and fall of the evil one behind Ethbaal – Satan. Another example is Hosea 11:1 which primarily refers to the nation of Israel, but the Holy Spirit also uses it of God’s “greater Son,” the Lord Jesus Christ (See Matt. 2:14-15).
In the Olivet discourse, the near event is the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70 and the far event (future) is the seven-year tribulation period. The destruction of the temple in A.D. 70 would function as a type and foreshadowing of the future tribulation period. John Phillips notes, “Some overlap occurs between the two prophecies…Like much Bible prophecy, this end-times prophecy had both a near, impending and partial fulfillment (the burden of Luke) and a final, end times, complete fulfillment (the burden of Matthew and Mark).” Cranfield adds, “The key to…understanding (the Olivet Discourse) is the recognition that there is here a double reference. The impending judgement [sic] on Jerusalem and the events connected with it are for Jesus as it were a transparent object in the foreground through which he sees the last events before the End, which they indeed foreshadow.” This is a vital counterargument to those who try and argue that this prophecy was all fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Clearly the prophecy looks beyond that to the end times as it climaxes in the return of Christ to earth which certainly didn’t take place in A.D. 70!
Thirdly, it is absolutely essential to recognize that Israel is in view, NOT the church. This would arguably be the most important key to unlocking the interpretation of the Olivet Discourse. If you miss the other points, don’t miss this one! Consider some powerful evidence to support this truth:
1. Internal Evidence (from within the chapter itself).
The context demands a Jewish interpretation. Christ has just predicted the future destruction of the temple (Mk. 13:1-2) as He and His disciples departed the temple for the Mount of Olives. The discourse was given on the Mount of Olives within sight of the temple. “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled.” (Mk. 13:3-4) Edmond Hiebert observes, “From where they sat, they had a panoramic view of the temple and the city of Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives is almost 150 feet higher than the Temple Mount.” The last thing in the disciples’ minds at that moment was the church as we know it with the advantage of holding in our hands the completed Word of God. They were still anticipating the kingdom and were struggling to come to terms with understanding Christ’s prediction that He would soon go to the cross. Even after Christ’s resurrection, the disciples were STILL thinking more about the kingdom than the church. In Acts 1:6 we read, “When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” The whole tone of the Olivet Discourse is Jewish with allusions to and quotations from O.T. prophecies concerning Israel (Compare Mk. 13:14 and Dan. 9:27 for example). We also have reference to ‘synagogues’ (Vs. 9), ‘Judea’ (Vs. 14) and the “Sabbath day” (Matt. 24:20). Israel is in view, not the church!
2. External Evidence (from other key Bible passages).
After a careful study of the context of a passage, we need to apply another key principle of Bible interpretation which is to compare Scripture with Scripture. There are other key verses that confirm the tribulation period is distinctly Jewish and not for the church. For example, it is called “the time of Jacob’s trouble” in Jeremiah 30:7 and Daniel 9:24 states that the seventy weeks are “determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city” (Jews and Jerusalem). Further, at the time the Olivet Discourse was given, the church was still a ‘mystery’ which was not fully unveiled in a systematic way until Paul’s Epistles (See Eph. 3:4-6). Finally, you will remember from our previous series of articles that the church is promised total deliverance from this future period of God’s wrath in verses such as 1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9 & Rev. 3:10 through the pre-tribulation rapture. This is why the church is not mentioned in Revelation 6-18 which detail the judgments of the tribulation period.
The fourth principle we need to keep in mind is that the Revelation (Second Coming) of Christ is in view in the Olivet Discourse, not the Rapture. The rapture was another mystery doctrine that was again primarily revealed through the N.T. Epistles (1 Cor. 15:51-52). Christ’s return to earth is in view, not His coming in the sky to rapture the church.
Finally, to aid our study of the chapter (Mark 13), it can be divided into the following sections (Matthew 24 follows a similar structure):
- Vs. 1-4 – The Disciples Questions
- Vs. 5-7 – The Present Age
- Vs. 8-13 – The Beginning of Sorrows (first half of tribulation)
- Vs. 14-18 – The Abomination of desolation (midpoint of the tribulation)
- Vs. 19-23 – The Great Tribulation (second half of the tribulation)
- Vs. 24-27 – The Second Coming of Christ
- Vs. 28-37 – Concluding Parables and exhortations
God willing, we will explore the detail of Christ’s teaching in future articles but the above points help lay the foundation for a fruitful study of the “Little Apocalypse” (the Olivet Discourse).
To watch or listen to a four-part sermon series on the Olivet Discourse as well as other expository preaching, visit www.baptistexpositor.com Click on the Mark series to access the Olivet Discourse sermons.
