A Brief Examination of Christ’s Olivet Discourse — Part 1

Introduction (by Mike Rogers)

Elder Michael Ivey responded, in a Facebook group, to my recent blog posts on Paul’s “rapture passage” (1 Thess 4:13–5:11). In them, I claimed that “the word of the Lord” (1 Thess 4:15) in that passage is Jesus’ Olivet Discourse (Matt 24–25; Mark 13; Luke 21:5–38). Brother Ivey offered an alternative view of that Discourse that counters my position (i.e., inmillennialism¹). His argument would also negate my opinion of the “rapture passage.”

The limits of social media hampered our discussion, so I proposed he write articles that explain his view for this blog. He graciously sent an essay on the Olivet Discourse he wrote many years ago. I will publish it as two posts, one here and another next week.

Neither of us wishes to debate. In a message to me, Elder Ivey said, “What I write is mostly to organize my thoughts for my own better understanding and secondarily … for the edification of others whether or not they agree with my opinion.” 

I appreciate the spirit of this statement and plan to write a response to his essay with the same goal in mind—the edification of God’s people. A brother is not my enemy because he disagrees with my views. May our interactions further the cause of God and truth, as John Gill would say.²

Elder Ivey received his ordination to the gospel ministry on December 31, 1979, and he has served as pastor of five Primitive Baptist churches in various parts of the country. Currently, he ministers at Unity Primitive Baptist Church in Moss Point, Mississippi. He holds a college degree in communications theory, with a dual focus in logic and rhetorical analysis. He has written many essays on biblical topics and two books: Repentance in the Pulpit and the Pew and Welsh Succession of Primitive Baptist Faith and Practice. He is writing another book with the working title, Endowed by Our Creator: Examination of the Origin and Scope of Human Rights According to Scripture. 

Here is Part 1 of Elder Ivey’s essay:

A Brief Examination of Christ’s Olivet Discourse—Part 1

Beginning in Matthew 21:23 when Jesus enters the Temple, the events leading up to the Olivet Discourse detail how the Messiah was rejected by Israel. In a single day he is confronted and opposed by the elders and priests, the Sadducees, Pharisees and Herodians. Every element of Jewish leadership is represented in the confrontations and rejection that took place in the Temple. Of course, all of this is leading toward the events of Calvary. 

Christ’s response was to pronounce judgment against Israel. His declaration in Mat 23:37 demonstrates God’s judgment would remain consistent in his dealings with the Jewish people throughout the last days. The Savior’s response to Israel’s rejecting him is the same as God’s response when his prophets were misused, His Law perverted, and his messengers mocked prior to the Babylonian captivity, which response included the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 36:15-21).

The content of the Olivet Discourse is framed by Jesus’ statement recorded in Matthew 23:37-38: “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”³ The Savior’s pronouncement of judgment promises woe to those who reject him and bliss to those who acknowledge his return with eager anticipation. 

In chapter 24 the Savior responds to his disciples’ admiration of the architecture and size of the Temple by indicating it will not survive his judgment. “And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down” (Matthew 24:2). The disciples are curious as to when the Temple will be destroyed and evidently link its destruction to the end of the world; which may be inferred from the three questions they ask as recorded in Matthew 24:3: “And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” To paraphrase, the three questions in the order asked are: 1. When shall these things be? (When will the Temple be destroyed); 2. What shall be the sign of thy coming; 3. What shall be the sign of the end of the world? 

Jesus answered the three questions in the order they were asked. However, before doing so he provided a short preface in verses 4-14 to emphasize the need for faith and patience by his disciples to avoid being deceived. This opening admonition sets the tone of the entire sermon as a pastoral colloquy which, while responding to the questions the disciples asked, addresses the implications of the events covered by his answer. In the introduction of his response Jesus presents a specter of danger for those who, because they are deceived by false claims, or else become discouraged because of wars in which they presume the end is at hand, or because of personal tribulations, cease preparing themselves in knowledge and holiness for his second coming.

Verses 15 through 22 contain the prophecy of the destruction of the Temple. Verses 23 through 28 denote the sign and sureness of Christ’s second coming. The Savior issues a warning in verse 24 thru 26 of rumors and misleading reports of His second coming that will be made by false prophets. He warns that false Messiahs will appear. In verse 27 Jesus discloses the true sign of his coming. His appearance will be like a flash of lighting in the sky. It will be unpredictable, immediate, everywhere present and apparent to all.

Verse 28, “For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together,” is sometimes interpreted as foretelling the Roman siege of Jerusalem and destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. This interpretation places the statement out of sequence in response to the disciples’ questions. Roman destruction of the Temple will have already occurred before Jesus’ second coming, unless of course Jesus secretly appeared in 70A.D.. But such an appearance is inconsistent with his coming like lighting traveling across the sky. It is more likely this verse is a Jewish colloquialism that conveys a sense of assurance regarding the occurrence of some event. The idea it conveys is that as certain as eagles (vultures) gather to a carcass so also will the thing under consideration occur. A more fully developed expression of the same idea conveyed here is found in Job 39:30: “Where the slain are, there she is.” In the Luke 17:37 record of this statement Jesus responds to a question as to where his second coming will occur. His answer indicates where everyone is gathered to him is where his second coming will occur. The implication of Jesus’ response is the disciples will know he is the true Messiah because He will draw them to him. 

Verses 29 through 41 address the last question: What is the sign of the end of the world? Verses 29 thru 35 foretell destruction of the earth. Jesus indicates his sudden appearance in judgment is the sign of the end of the world. 

Preterists typically use verse 34 to support the idea Jesus’ prophecy is limited to a time frame of a few decades that ended with the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.. There are several problems with this assertion. One is that Jesus indicated the Temple would be utterly destroyed when he comes again, “verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” However, a portion of that Temple remains today. The so-called “Wailing Wall” is the remains of the western wall of Temple Mount which was severely damaged by the Romans in 70 A.D. If this prophecy was completely fulfilled in 70A.D. or even later in circa 120A.D. when Rome crushed a second Jewish revolt and further razed Jerusalem, then Jesus misspoke. The Wailing, or Western Wall, which yet remains, is a preserved portion of the same Temple to which Jesus referred and its stones remain to this day stacked “one stone upon another.” 

Examination of language contained in this text and also Mark 13 indicate the Savior’s statement in Matthew 24:34 addresses the beginning of fulfillment of the prophecy, not its completion. In Mark 13:4 the disciples ask, “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?” The Greek word used for “fulfilled” in this text is συντελέω, sunteleo. According to Strong’s dictionary this word means: 1) to end together or at the same time 2) to end completely 2a) bring to an end, finish, complete 3) to accomplish, bring to fulfillment 3a) to come to pass 4) to effect, make, (conclude) 5) to finish 5a) to make an end of 5b) to bring to an end. It is obvious the disciples were asking when the end of the prophecy would occur. However, in the statement recorded in Matthew 24:34, and also in Luke 21:32: “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled” the Savior used a different word in response. The Greek word for “fulfilled” in these passages is ginomai and can mean, “to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being. (Strong’s).

Jesus did not tell his followers when the prophecy would be completed. He told them when it would begin to be completed. He said beginning of the fulfillment would be during the lifetimes of their present generation. (Indeed, as previously mentioned while destruction of the Temple Mount began in 70 A.D., its utter destruction to the point that “There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down” is not yet complete. As long as any portion of the Temple remains intact (the Wailing Wall) the prophecy is not completely fulfilled according to the meaning of fulfilled implied by the Apostles in Mark 13:4.

Conclusion (by Mike Rogers)

Next week’s post will contain (D. V.) the rest of Elder Ivey’s remarks on the Olivet Discourse.

1. I document this perspective in Michael A. Rogers, Inmillennialism: Redefining the Last Days (Tullahoma, TN: McGahan Publishing House, 2020). This book is available here in hardcopy and here as a PDF. A free summary PDF document of inmillennialism is here.
2. See John Gill, The Cause of God and Truth (Paris, AR: The Baptist Standard Bearer, 1992). See also, George M. Ella, John Gill and the Cause of God and Truth (Eggleston, Co. Durham, England: Go Publications, 1995).
3. I have removed Elder Ivey’s bold type from biblical quotations and added a few punctuation marks, such as the colon before this quote. He is quoting from the King James Version of the Bible.