In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 24, known as the Olivet Discourse, the disciples have asked Jesus when the temple would be destroyed. Jesus said the destruction of the temple, and Jerusalem, would come when the gospel of the kingdom had been preached to all the world.
“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Matthew 24:14
Has this prophesy been fulfilled? Was the gospel of the kingdom preached “in all the world” before the destruction of Jerusalem?
I’ve checked the Olivet Discourse in all three gospels, and the disciples never ask about when Jesus is going to establish His kingdom. They ask about when the temple will be destroyed, and in Matthew’s gospel, additionally, about the end of the age, which was in the process of passing away (Heb. 1:1-2; 9:26-27; 1 Cor. 10:11).
Hebrews 1:1-2 “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;”
Hebrews 9:26-27 “For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” This is the end of the world as the Jews knew. The end of the age – the end of the old covenant and the beginning of the new covenant.
1 Corinthians 10:11 “Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” The ends of the “world,” or the age, was coming on those who were the recipients of Paul’s letter. “The ends of the world are come,” not “will come.” It was a present and looming event. (Emphasis mine.)
The word translated “world” in Matthew 24:14 is oikoumenē not kosmos. The same word is used in Luke 2:1, where it says, “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.” Comparing the scriptures, it is clear that the understanding of the word “world” does not mean the world as we know it, but rather, the known world of Jesus’ time.
“The ecumene (US) or oecumene (UK; Greek: οἰκουμένη, oikouménē, lit. “inhabited”) was an ancient Greek term for the known world, the inhabited world, or the habitable world. Under the Roman Empire, it came to refer to civilization and the secular and religious imperial administration.” Ecumene – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecumene
So we must ask, was the gospel of the kingdom preached in all the world?
We know from the epistles that this prediction had been fulfilled before the destruction of Jerusalem that took place in AD 70 (Rom. 1:8; Rom. 16:25–26; Col. 1:6, 23; 1 Tim. 3:16).
Romans 1:8 “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.” When Paul wrote to the Romans, he commended them that their faith was known and spoken of “throughout the whole world.” Does this mean that the Chinese and the natives of the Americas had heard of the faith of the Romans? No. It spoke of the known world, the same one Jesus spoke of. This is the only way the first century disciples could have understood these words.
Romans 16:25-26 “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:” Again, Paul says that the gospel was made known to all nations. Not “will be,” but “now is made manifest.” It was finished then, not in the future.
Colossians 1:6 “Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:” Again, as it is in all the world. It was a present and known thing, not a future event.
1 Timothy 3:16 “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” Christ had been preached unto the Gentiles and believed on “in the world,” not in part of the world. Certainly, not the world as we know it today, but the world as known to those who received Paul’s letter. The world as known to Jesus’ audience.
Luke’s version does mention the kingdom. But notice the audience reference: “So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” (Luke 21:31). The kingdom of God was near to them: “when YOU see these things.” Jesus said that those very disciples hearing his words would see these things that were leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. He did NOT say, “when THEY see these things.”
John the Baptist had proclaimed, as the forerunner to Jesus’ ministry, “And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 3:2). We know that the word “near” means “near,” not some distant time in the future. In fact, the context of Luke 21 confirms this.
Luke 21:30 “When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.” Jesus wasn’t saying that when the leaves appeared on the fig tree that summer is at some undisclosed, far future time. He said it was coming then.
Jesus follows this promise with the following: “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.” Luke 21:32. “This generation” is always a reference to the generation to whom Jesus was speaking.
It is certainly a sad tragedy that hysterical speculators on Bible prophecy would take those signs of Matthew 24, that have to do solely with the destruction of ancient Jerusalem, and attempt to give them a modern application in the context of a world war!
Jesus was addressing the people of his time. The end of the age was when the temple was destroyed by the Romans in A.D 70. This was a pivotal time in age of the Sadducees , the Pharisees and fledgling Christianity. The Sadducees eventually faded out, the Pharisees morphed in Rabbinical Judaism and dispersed. Christianity ceased to be seen as a sect of Judaism, but as a distinct religious system.
Jesus’ words were true and came to pass as he prophesied.
All scriptures from the KJV
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