A Brief Examination of Christ’s Olivet Discourse — Part 2

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 arguments 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 am publishing it as two posts, one last week and the other here. The earlier post also included a short biographical sketch of Elder Ivey. 

Neither of us wishes to debate. In a message to me, he 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 advance the cause of God and truth, as John Gill would say.²

Here is Part 2 of Elder Ivey’s essay:

A Brief Examination of Christ’s Olivet Discourse—Part 2

Jesus finished his response as to when the prophecy (of the temple’s fall—MR) would be completely fulfilled by indicating the Father alone knows its specific timing. “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” (Mark 13:32). This statement supports an assertion the Savior was addressing when the prophecy would begin to be fulfilled, not when specifically it would be completed. The specific time of Christ’s second coming is a mystery, apparently even to the Son. However, this was apparently not so concerning when destruction of the Temple would begin. 

If the prophecy began to be fulfilled during the lifetimes of the disciples Jesus was addressing and will be completed when he comes again, at which time he will also destroy the world, the Wailing Wall and indeed every stone used to construct Temple Mount will be utterly destroyed along with everything else in the world. At that time, literal fulfillment of Jesus’ statement will occur and “there shall not be left one stone upon another.” 

Verses 40 and 41 address a final judgment in which the righteous will be taken first, leaving the wicked to condemnation. This order of judgment, of removal of the righteous before the punishment of the wicked occurs, is consistent with the order of judgment in the sheep and goat analogy in chapter 25. Whether this is the literal order of final judgment is not really at issue in this passage. I believe the point here is completion of the prophecy is signified by the second coming of Christ when the righteous will be drawn up to meet Him in the air and the wicked will face God’s wrath. While these verses do not specifically teach a general judgment that includes the eternal punishment of the wicked, they imply distinct judgments of the righteous and wicked. Later in the discourse Jesus reveals the principles of a general judgment of the righteous and the wicked in more specific detail in the analogy of the sheep and goats.

In verse 42 the Lord states the pastoral premise of the discourse. It is: Always expect His imminent second coming and be prepared. He then delivers the analogy of the good and evil servants to present a practical application for those who are watchful and ready, and for them who are not. Those who like the good servant are watchful and ready for an imminent yet unannounced appearing of Christ can expect to be given greater opportunities and responsibilities to serve the Lord in this life. In contrast, He notes that contention and fighting is evidence of not believing Jesus’ return is imminent. 

The Savior’s statement regarding the consequence of the evil servant’s behavior is given in light of having just pronounced the judgment of desolation against the house of Israel because of their rejection of him, which led to Christ’s suffering and death on Calvary. The implication of Jesus’ presentation of the evil servant is obvious. God’s judgment is against all who reject God’s command to love one another and fight among brethren: They can expect similar desolation in their lives and churches as was pronounced against Israel by God as recorded in II Chronicles 36:15-21 and by the Savior in Matthew 23:37-39. Those who like the evil servant reject his word, abuse his prophets, and misuse his messengers face the certainty of God curtailing fellowship and in large measure withdrawing His providential mercies to certain desolation. 

Furthermore, the evil servant analogy establishes a baseline of God’s tolerance. God utterly rejects strife and contention among brethren. When we are contentious and fight with one another God responds as if we are fighting against Him. Furthermore this analogy implies God judges unholy infighting among brethren to be rejection of Jesus as the Messiah because those who do so are acting as if they believe Christ is not coming again. Their actions are evidence of rejecting Jesus. In turn, God rejects those who reject Christ. He sends harsh judgment against them.

The subsequent parables, which are not allegories, and should not be so interpreted, present the idea of the necessity to be watchful and ready for the second coming of Christ. If we are watchful opportunities for fellowship with Christ, and many other blessings await us. If we are not, dire consequences will be faced. The parables contained in Mat 25 support the good and evil servant analogy. Thus, we find that Christ uses the conjunction “then” to begin the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. This denotes that when there are those who are watchful and ready, and those who are contentious and fighting with brethren, then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins. The wise virgins represent the good servant, the foolish, and the evil servant. The message is: If we are not ready when Christ comes in spiritual visitation we miss his fellowship. We cannot rely upon others’ preparations for his second coming as the basis of our own fellowship with Christ until he returns. 

The parable of the talents addresses the more general issue of the requirement of stewardship as caretaking of what belongs to God by Christ’s disciples; which is the ethic of one who is watchful and ready for Christ’s second coming. It shows that if we are faithful in our watchfulness and readiness, even if the responsibilities of our stewardship are less than our brother’s, when the Lord comes in spiritual fellowship we will receive additional blessings. However, if we are covetous of God’s blessings and do not use them to his glory, no spiritual growth will occur and God will be displeased and chasten us.

The conclusion of the discourse begins in Mat 25:31. Jesus ends the sermon by emphasizing the fact of his second coming and the nature of the judgment which will be rendered. Once again Jesus notes the importance of our watching and being always prepared for his coming.

Another point to explore in determining if end time prophecy is contained in the Olivet Discourse is how did Jesus’ audience understand the meaning of his statements. Paul was not present at the time Jesus delivered the Olivet Discourse. Nevertheless, he relates comments made by Jesus in the discourse to his second coming at the end of the world . In Matthew 24:30 Jesus states, “and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” The Apostle Paul uses similar language to describe the second coming of Christ and the resurrection of the saints in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

In verse 31 Jesus indicates a trump will sound at his second coming. “ And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:31. Paul references the trump sounding at the resurrection of the dead in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” Paul also mentions the trumpet sounding in I Corinthians 15:51-52. “ Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

It seems likely Peter also understood the Savior’s use of the unexpected thief to mean the time of Christ’s second coming cannot be accurately predicted. In the Olivet discourse Jesus told Peter and the other Apostles, “But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.” Matthew 24:43. In 2 Peter 3:10 Peter used the same analogy of the thief to describe the Savior’s return and the end of the world. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” Furthermore, Peter used the unpredictability of the time of Jesus Christ’s second coming to make the same point as did the Lord. Because no one can know when He will come again Jesus admonished His followers to always be ready for His appearing. “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” Matthew 24:44. Peter makes the same point, with the same example in his explanation of the second coming of Christ at the end of the world. “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” Peter’s language is more specific, as should be expected since he expounded the meaning of Jesus’ admonition. However, the underlying principle is the same. In both instances, the Savior and his eyewitness apostle make the same point. It is: Because the specific time of Christ’s second coming cannot be predicted we are to always be ready as if he could appear at any moment. 

Inasmuch as Peter and Paul interpret Jesus’ statements about the clouds, the trump and the thief to all relate to Jesus’ second coming and the resurrection of the saints it seems appropriate we do likewise. 

Conclusion (by Mike Rogers)

I will respond to Elder Ivey’s remarks on the Olivet Discourse in next week’s post (D. V.).

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).