pastorbill, I have a question concerning your analysis of the apostles’ questions of our Lord. You say:
“Tell us, when shall these things be?
and what shall be the sign of thy coming,
and of the end of the world?
These are three very distinct questions and the answers
to them cover time, from 70 Ad to our very present day”.
The THESE THINGS apostles asked him about were the same as the THESE THINGS in his statement: “See ye not all THESE THINGS?” speaking of the temple, and you’re right, their first question is in reference to the destruction of the temple. They’re asking for a TIME when that would occur, and of course, he will answer their question: “in this generation,” later in the chapter.
In Luke’s account, the disciples are said to have asked TWO questions:
1. Teacher, WHEN therefore shall THESE THINGS be?
2. …and what shall be the SIGN when THESE THINGS are
about to come to pass?
Aren’t the THESE THINGS in both their questions referring to the same things? The destruction of the temple, the same thing Jesus referred to when he used the same term in his statement? If not, why not? Why weren’t they asking for a TIME and a SIGN when the temple was destroyed and the age in which they were living ended?
This being true, Jesus’ answer wouldn’t refer to anything past their present generation and the destruction of the temple.
In your last sentence of part 6, how do you take the expression “end of the world”? Is it still the end of the age in your view?
Thanks for reading, and considering
The ones asking the questions, assumed that indeed they were all one question. In their mind I imagine they thought it was all the same event. The church was a yet unrevealed mystery, they had no idea that this present passage age would see Israel put in suspense , as well as a two thousand year period of church history. But in fact the answer is proof that the questions were not the same...They didn’t know what Jesus and the Father knew, but we do now. In 70 Ad the Jews didn’t say to Jesus, “Blessed is He that comes in the name of the LORD”, but they will when this age comes to an end. We are talking about two different perspectives, that of the ones asking the questions and the one answering them. I hope this helps, will elaborate if needed as able...
Yes the “end of the world is the end of the age” indeed. The Greek term is aion, for “age,” not kosmos, for “world.” The same phrase is used in Matthew 28:20. Whatever may be said of Jesus’ answers in Matthew 24, it is virtually certainly that the disciples could hardly have been asking about a second coming according to our concept, since they had not yet wrapped their minds around even his death or resurrection, much less a “second coming” at the “end of the world.”