Signs and the Seasons Part 2 by Rev Anthony Loke on 6 Sept 2015

1. Rev Dr Anthony Loke | 6 Sept 2015
AND THE SEASONS (PART II)
SSMC
SUNGAI WAY-SUBANG
METHODIST
C H U R C H
SIGNS

2. anthony loke
THE BEGINNING OF BIRTH PANGS &
JUDGEMENT ON JERUSALEM
(MATT 24:1-31)
THE END OF THE AGE & JESUS’S
SECOND COMING (MATT 24:32-51)

3. MATTHEW 24-25
• Sometimes called ‘Olivet Discourse’
• 5th & final long discourse in Matthew
• Jesus’s teaching about 2 things:
Destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70
The end of the age & His second
coming

4. THREE MAIN INTERPRETATIVE ISSUES
A] Disciples’ question (v. 3) – How many parts?
• 2 or 3?
B] Ways to interpret Matt 24-25?
• Futurist? Preterist? Preterist/Futurist?

5. THREE MAIN INTERPRETATIVE ISSUES
C] Structure of Matt 24-25
24:1-3 Disciples’
concern for Temple &
question to Jesus
24:4-35 Jesus’s teachings
• 24:4-14 Beginning of birth pangs
(general terms)
• 24:15-28 Abomination of
Desolation (specific terms)
• 24:29-31 Coming of the Son of
Man (apocalyptic terms)
Red – AD 70 destruction
Yellow – Jesus’s second coming

6. THREE MAIN INTERPRETATIVE ISSUES
24:32-25:46 Jesus’s exhortation
• 24:32-35 Parable of the fig tree (parabolic terms)
• 24:36-42 Example of Noah (specific/parabolic terms)
• 24:43-44 Parable of the householder & thief (parabolic
terms)
• 24:45-51 Parable of master & servants (parabolic terms)
• 25:1-13 Parable of the 10 virgins (parabolic terms)
• 25:14-30 Parable of the talents (parabolic terms)
• 25:31-46 Parable of the sheep & the goats (parabolic
terms)

7. 4] MATT 24:32-35 – PARABLE OF FIG TREE
Description in parabolic terms
Call to learn lesson from fig tree:
• Spring green buds forming & sprouting leaves -> sure
indicator that summer is near (v. 32)
• ‘these things’ -> indicators that Son of Man is ‘near, at
the very gates’ (v. 33)

8. 4] MATT 24:32-35 – PARABLE OF FIG TREE
Question: What is ‘fig tree’? Israel?
• Hence, some see 1947 as fulfilment of this
prophecy
Vine plant is symbol for Israel, not fig tree!
• ‘Fig tree’ used here in general terms
• Not prophecy about Israel becoming a
nation again
2 interpretative issues here: ‘this generation’
& ‘these things’

9. 4] MATT 24:32-35 – PARABLE OF FIG TREE
V. 34 ‘this generation will not pass away till all these
things take place’
Question: What is ‘this generation’?
• 40 years period - If Israel formed in 1947, one
generation means Jesus’s second coming is 1987!
• Phrase always used in negative or judgmental contexts
by Jesus or in OT (‘disbelieving generation’)
• Nation of Israel - Jesus understood ‘this generation’ as
referring to nation of Israel of his day (cf. Matt 11:16;
12:41, 42; 23:36)

10. 4] MATT 24:32-35 – PARABLE OF FIG TREE
‘When you see all these things…’ (v. 33); ‘…till all these
things pass away’ (v. 34)
• ‘These things’ (vv. 33, 34) refer to various predictions
mentioned in vv. 4-33
• ‘Signs or events’ are not the second coming itself but
anticipate Jesus’s second coming
• Nation of Israel (‘this generation’) witnessed the AD 70
events (‘these things’) leading up to second coming but
continued to remain blind!

11. 5] MATT 24:36-42 – EXAMPLE OF NOAH
Description in parabolic terms
‘But of that day & hour no one knows, not even the
angels of heaven nor the Son but the Father only’ (v.
36)
• ‘that day & hour’ – refers to Jesus’ second coming
• Gives idea that Jesus didn’t know time of his
second coming!
• Luke omits this verse!
• How can the time of second coming be so
near & yet unknowable?

12. 5] MATT 24:36-42 – EXAMPLE OF NOAH
One argument – incarnate Jesus didn’t know
but pre-incarnate Christ knows!
Another argument - only God the Father knows
& He has not revealed to anyone including
angels nor the Son
Idea of unknowability to emphasize that God
alone decides & control time & He can cut
short the days ahead & send Jesus back to
earth according to His wisdom & timing

13. 5] MATT 24:36-42 – EXAMPLE OF NOAH
‘As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the
Son of Man’ (v. 37)
• Context of Noah (protological days) -> analogy of
second coming & end of the age (eschatological
days)
• Second coming will bring worldwide judgement like
the Flood days
• People will be oblivious of impending
doom in both contexts

14. 5] MATT 24:36-42 – EXAMPLE OF NOAH
‘…one is taken and one is left…’ (vv. 40-41)
• Not reference to pre-tribulational rapture!
• Emphasis is on suddenness & unexpectedness of
the event
• Jesus’s second coming brings swift unexpected
separation (some saved, others not saved)
‘Watch, therefore, for you do not know what day your
Lord is coming’ (v. 42)
• Emphasis on alert expectation of
second coming

15. 6] MATT 24:43-44 – PARABLE OF HOUSEHOLDER & THIEF
Description in parabolic terms
Short negative illustration on necessity of being alert
If householder knows what time the thief will
come into his house,
• he would have watched (be alert)
• he would have not let his house be broken into
(prevented the crime)
Jesus’s second coming envisaged at night
• Night time for sleep & being less alert

16. 6] MATT 24:43-44 – PARABLE OF HOUSEHOLDER & THIEF
Lessons:
• Urgent call to be ready (v. 44a)(cf. v. 42)
• ‘The Son of Man will come at an hour you do not
expect’ (v. 44b). When you least expect it, candid
camera!
• We do not know when Jesus will come but we do
know that he will come again

17. 7] MATT 24:45-51 – PARABLE OF THE MASTER & SERVANTS
Description in parabolic terms
Answers rhetorical question ‘Who is the faithful & wise
servant?’ (v. 45a)
Parable describes 2 types of servants:
• The ‘good’ servant (vv. 45-46) – found faithful when
master returns unexpectedly
• Consequences (v. 47) – rewarded to overseeing his
master’s possessions

18. 7] MATT 24:45-51 – PARABLE OF THE MASTER & SERVANTS
• The ‘wicked’ servant (vv. 48-49) – assumes delay of
master’s return & lives selfishly (beats other
servants, overindulges with food & gets drunk)
• Consequences (vv. 50-51) – punishment is
banishment together with hypocrites & wailing &
gnashing of teeth
Parable indicates close relation between eschatology
& ethics

19. CONCLUSION
• Matt 24 provides bit of ‘what’ & ‘when’ about Jesus’s
second coming but often imprecise terms
• ‘Eschatological correctness is ultimately a matter of
ethics, no speculation’ (M.E. Boring)

20. CONCLUSION
• Olivet Discourse found only in Synoptic Gospels
Matt Mark Luke John
24:1-44 13:1-37 21:5-36 -
24:45-51 - - -
25:1-46 - - -
• What is not found in Mark & Luke are additional
parables in Matthew (Master & Servants, 10 virgins,
Talents, Sheep & Goats) -> Matthew’s emphasis?

21. CONCLUSION
• Jesus is more concerned with ‘so what’ question - A
call for our response!
• If you know Jesus is coming back again, how then
will you live your life? Like wise & faithful servant?
• What is needed from disciples in such times?
[a] alertness/watchfulness (24:42-25:13)
[b] trustworthiness/faithfulness (25:14-30)
[c] compassion/love (25:31-46)