I. The Setting (Review)

A. The Disciples’ Expectations

1. The O.T. scriptures spoke of a coming Messiah, as Savior for God’s people
2. They expected the Messiah to be a ruling political king.
3. Matthew 20:17-23 Disciples hoped for places of power in the coming kingdom.
4. Acts 1:6 “…Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

B. Their Questions To Jesus V. 3

The disciples asked three questions, though they thought it was only one question.

1. When will the Temple be destroyed? (This was difficult for them to believe.)
2. What is the sign of your coming (parousia…pä-rü-sē’-ä)?

a. Parousia– more than just an arrival, but an arrival and a continuing presence that brings change.
b. They expected Jesus to “arrive” as King.

3. When is the end of the age?

a. Aion-an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity, period of time.
b. Not world as in the KJV. Ko’-smos– the physical earth.

C. Jesus’ Sequence Of Answers

The chronology of Jesus’ answers to them seem to be as follows:

1. He answers first about the temple. This was their first question.
He explains specific events that would precede the destruction of the temple.
The most detailed answer for their first question is found in Luke 21:8-24
2. Next, He answers their third question.
When is the end of the age?
3. Jesus’ last answer is in regards to the sign of His coming.
He answers the 2nd question last.
4. NOTE- They blended three questions into one, thinking this was one event.

a. It is like looking at mountain ranges from a distance.
b. The peaks seem side by side from a distance but are seen to be very separate when you get closer.
c. From their distant perspective, these events looked like one event.
d. We have the advantage of looking back to see that they weren’t one event.
e. We are closer to the fulfillment of all these things than they were, so we can see the time separation between these events.
f. Their erroneous thinking prevented Jesus from answering these questions in the order in which they were asked.
g. They asked the questions out of order. Jesus answered them in order.
h. Destruction of the temple, end of the age, and the sign of His coming

II. Jesus Answers Their 1st Question

A. A Consideration Re. Hermeneutics & Prophecy

1. Hermeneutics- the science of interpretation, especially of the Scriptures.
2. I believe that prophecy & scripture can, at times, have a double fulfillment.
3. A prophecy regarding end times can & does have partial fulfillment in the N.T.

a. A prophet predicts an event that has some degree of fulfillment in his day
b. The rest of that prophecy is later fulfilled in a similar way, or in full.
c. The near fulfillment establishes the prophet to be true.
d. Yet the prophecy speaks of something to yet happen in the end times

4. Joel 2:28-32 is fulfilled partially in Acts 2:16-21. More is yet to be fulfilled.
5. Jesus taught and explained about “double fulfillment”.

Malachi 4:5 and Matthew 17:10-13. Many believe that more is to be fulfilled.

B. The Destruction Of Jerusalem In 70 A.D. Luke 21:8-24

NOTE- I believe that what Jesus said here applied to:
* The near future events leading up to the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.
* Trends or events that characterize the world leading up to the end of the age.
* Some of these things describe both near and far events.

1. Luke 21:8 Josephus writes of many false Messiahs & false prophets

a. An Egyptian false prophet led 30,000 men into the desert. See Acts 21:8
b. Simon Magus from Acts 8.
c. Dositheus, a Samaritan, pretended to be the Messiah predicted by Moses.

2. Luke 21:9, 10 The Jews fought against Syria, Damascus, Egypt, and finally Rome.
Even though wars were going on, they were not to immediately expect the end.
3. Luke 21:11 Natural catastrophes.

a. Earthquakes- There were many in the time frame in Israel
b. Famines & Pestilences- Foretold by Agabus, Acts 11:28
c. Fearful sights & signs in heavens- Both Tacitus & Josephus agree on this

4. Luke 21:12-19 Speaks of the persecution the disciples would endure.
The aforementioned events would happen after the persecutions of the disciples.
We believe John lived until about 101 A.D., Philip until 80 A.D., Thomas 72 A.D.
5. Luke 21:20-24 The siege & destruction of Jerusalem

a. Most Jews expected the Messiah to return in glory when hostile Gentile armies surrounded Jerusalem. When the Romans circled the city in 70 a.d., there was a sense of rejoicing among many of the Jews.
b. Christians in Jerusalem knew what Jesus had said and they obeyed Him, fleeing across the Jordan River to a city named Pella. No Christians perished in the fall of Jerusalem.
c. But 1.1 million Jews were killed; and another 97,000 were taken captive in one of the worst calamities ever to strike the Jewish people. Jesus warned them to avoid it.
d. Luke 21:24 Though Jerusalem was recaptured by Israel in 1968, Arabs still rule the Temple Mount area. It is still trampled by the Gentiles, until that time is “fulfilled”
e. Then starts the fullest sense of the last days, the time of “Jacob’s Trouble”.
f. The main point for them and us is found in verse 8. “Don’t be deceived”.