A Study of the Olivet Discourse
Biblical Research Society
Dr. David L. Cooper
In the last installment we saw that there is, figuratively speaking, a blueprint of the ages as set forth in various passages of scripture. Thus in looking at several of these scriptures, we saw the clear, definite outline of a real program, or plan of the ages, beginning with the first coming of Christ and culminating in His great millennial reign. In this and subsequent studies it is our object to determine when the rapture of the church takes place. As is well-known, many Bible students are convinced that it will occur before the Tribulation. But others believe it will come to pass in the middle of the Tribulation. Still another group is positive that it will take place at the end of the Tribulation. Since there is such a diversity of opinions, it is impossible for all of them to be right. Can we determine from an examination of the Word of God the exact time of the rapture of the church?
As a basis of our investigation this issue we shall study the Olivet Discourse as recorded by Matthew in chapters 24 and 25. In this connection a word will be helpful: It is well known that Matthew wrote his record of the Gospel for the Jews, presenting Christ to them as their looked-for Messiah. The fact that he gathered, by the Spirit of God, material to establish for the Jewish mind the proposition that Jesus of Nazareth was and is the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world, does not require us to avoid this record, thinking that it was and is for the Jews and the Jews alone. Mark was written to present Christ to the Roman people. That fact does not make Mark without profit and value to us. The message of each of the records is applicable to the ones to whom the various portions were spoken and is true today, even though Matthew was written for the Jews, Mark for the Romans, and Luke for the Greeks. Matthew, in writing his Gospel, simply told the Jews the story concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and His teaching. The Sermon on the Mount would have the same force and application if it had been written by Mark that it does have since it was written by Matthew. The Apostle tells us that Jesus opened His mouth and taught His disciples. The message of the Sermon on the Mount is for Christ's disciples throughout the entire dispensation--yes, and for them today. The fact that Matthew told the Jews that this is what Christ said to His disciples does not change the content and import of the teaching one iota. The same thing is true with reference to the Olivet Discourse, or any other portion of Matthew's Gospel. The Olivet Discourse was spoken to the disciples. Matthew simply told the Jews what Christ said on that occasion. It is a prediction and must be studied as a prophecy, which was given by our Lord to His disciples. Had He recorded the same sermon for the Jewish Sanhedrin, or for the Roman Caesar (that He spoke to the disciples), the message would not be changed one particle. There is simply in this discourse an unveiling of the future, viewed from His day and time. With these general and fundamental principles before our minds, let us now approach the analysis of the Olivet Discourse in order to ascertain where our Lord places the rapture.
The Scope of Matthew 24:1-31
According to Matthew 24:1,2, Jesus foretold the destruction of the Temple, which prophecy we know was fulfilled in A.D. 70. On the last day of His public ministry He made this prediction as He was going forth from the Temple. When He reached the summit of the Mount of Olives, which is east of Jerusalem, four of the disciples came to Him and asked Him two questions, the second being a double one: "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world (consummation of the age)?" (Matt, 24:3). This first question is answered in Luke 21:20-24, but Matthew passed it by. The disciples wanted to know what would be the sign, a specific, definite event or some miraculous occurrence, which would indicate the nearness of the time for the Lord to return and the end of the age to be brought about.
The answer which the Lord Jesus gave (vs. 4,5) was that many would come in His name, claiming to be the Christ, and would lead many astray. But the disciples were warned by Jesus not to be led astray by them.
But since they thought of His coming and of the end of the age when He mentioned the destruction of the Temple, it is quite evident that they were thinking of such predictions as Zechariah, chapter 14, which foretells the destruction of Jerusalem in the day of Jehovah, the second coming of Christ, and of His standing in that day upon the Mount of Olives, the end of this age, and the introduction of the Millennium. Knowing, therefore, that they were thinking of such a prophecy as this; Jesus warned them not to attach any prophetic significance to a war that might break out: "And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled: for these things must needs come to pass; but the end is not yet" (Matt. 24:6). In other words, Jesus foretold that there would be wars throughout the dispensation, during His absence. They were not, therefore, to attach some special meaning to any conflict that might break out--because such wars and political upheavals have no prophetic significance. Thus, in this verse, our Lord traverses the entire Christian Dispensation from His own time until World War I, which He foretells in verse 7: "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom and against kingdom; and there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places." Some good brethren have understood a nation's rising against nation, and kingdom against kingdom as being explanatory of "wars and rumors of wars," all of which occur throughout the dispensation. This is an impossible interpretation, for in verse 8 we read: "But all these things are the beginning of travail." All of what things? Obviously, nation rising against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, famines, and great earthquakes in divers places. Luke in his account adds pestilences--a fourth item of the prophecy. It is impossible for the expression "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom," to be explanatory of the wars that characterize the entire Christian Age, for Jesus said that all of those things, including nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom, are the beginning of travail, the first birth pain. Certainly the first birth pain, that comes upon the world to notify it that it is time for it to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glory of the children of God, will not be occurring throughout the entire age. Such an idea is utterly foreign to this passage. The only possible interpretation of the expression, nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, is that it refers to a conflict that breaks out by one nation's rising against another and another nation's coming in until the situation develops into a war that affects the entire world. This idiom is found in the Old Testament. In each instance of its occurrence it signifies a war that breaks out by one nation's rising against another, followed by another nation's entering the fray until the conflict spreads over and affects all the territory that was before the prophet's mind when he used the idiom. Since Jesus in the Olivet Discourse had a world outlook, and since He used this idiom, it is quite certain that He employed it to refer to an international situation that starts in a small way by one nation's rising up against another; then by other nations coming in until it develops into a world war. This international conflict is to be attended by famines, pestilences, and great earthquakes. When we read verses 6-8 with this understanding, we see clearly what the Lord had in mind:
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled: for these things must needs come to pass; but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against Kingdom; and there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places.
8 But all these things are the beginning of travail.
Jesus, then, in substance said that there would be wars and rumors of wars (local conflicts) all during the time of His absence (the Christian Dispensation). Hence, when one of these breaks out, the disciples are not to attach any prophetic significance to any of them; for there must be an international conflict, a world war, attended by famines, pestilences, and great earthquakes, which things constitute the first birth pain, the warning pain that comes upon the world, letting it know that its time to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glory of the liberty of the children of God is at hand.
The last word in verse 8 is travail: "But all these things are the beginning of travail." This term is used in its technical sense appearing in the Old Testament. The Tribulation Period is by various prophets called the "period of travail."
Since the Lord Jesus pointed to a world war--attended by famines, great earthquakes, and pestilences--as the sign of His coming and the end of the age, the question arising here is this: Have we had such a world cataclysm? Some Bible teachers are convinced that World War I (1914-1918) was the fulfillment of our Lord's prediction. There certainly never was a world war until 1914. At the same time there were famines, pestilences, and great earthquakes accompanying it--as Jesus foretold. If language, grammar, and logic are to be relied upon, the world experienced just such a catastrophe in 1914-18.
The Lord Jesus said to the disciples that, when they should see such a world upheaval, it would be the sign of His coming and of the end of the age--the first birth pain. We therefore have reason to believe that this sign of the end occurred in 1914-18.
In Matthew 24:9 the sentence begins, "Then shall they ..." To what does the "then" refer? Obviously, to the period of travail mentioned in the preceding sentence. A perusal of verses 9-28 shows that our Lord in this passage was speaking of the great Tribulation, which culminates with the glorious coming of the Lord Jesus Christ--as is set forth in verses 29-31:
29 But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give its light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the power of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send forth his angles 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.
From these hasty remarks one can see that in the first thirty-one verses of Matthew, chapter 24, our Lord has given us a rough sketch of the entire Christian Dispensation, which culminates with the glorious physical, bodily return of our Lord to this earth.
The Scope of Matthew 24:32-25:30
All students of the prophetic word are familiar with what is known as the law of recurrence. Unless a person has a knowledge of this principle, he cannot understand the prophetic word. I frequently illustrate it this way: An artist, when he is painting a portrait, does at the first sitting what he calls "blocking out" the portrait. He makes the general outline of the person with a suitable background. The person is recognizable, even after this first sitting. At the second and subsequent sittings the artist adds details and brings out in bold relief certain features that were not inserted at first. This illustration presents almost perfectly the scriptural literary principle, which is called the law of recurrence. The outline of the Christian Dispensation from the time when Jesus spoke this message to His second coming at the end of the Tribulation is sketched. Then, in 24:32-25:30 our Lord added new features that are compared to the work done by the artist at the second sitting, adding details that He left out of His portrait at first. That these statements are true, we can see by noticing carefully the language of verses 32-34, which brings the reader back from the second coming to the time of World War I:
32 Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh;
33 Even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors.
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished.
What is meant by the fig tree? Some tell us that it here refers to the Jewish nation. While it is true that the fig tree does sometimes--when used symbolically as indicated by the facts of the context--refer to the Jewish nation, we are never to say that it, or any word or idea, is used symbolically unless the facts of the immediate context indicate clearly a departure from the literal sense. One will seek in vain for any evidence in this context which indicates a departure from the plain literal sense. In view of this fact I am convinced that Jesus meant by "fig tree" a literal tree.
Thus Jesus used the fig tree--and Luke in his passage adds, "all the trees"--as an object lesson. Whenever it begins to bud and to put forth its leaves, those observing this phenomenon can know that summer is close at hand in the region where the tree is. In a similar manner, declared Jesus, can his disciples know that His coming is right at hand: "... even so ye also, when ye see all these things (a world war, attended by famines, pestilences, and great earthquakes in divers places), know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors." His disciples had asked for the sign, the infallible, the unmistakable sign of the end of the age. Jesus had told them in verses 7 and 8 what that sign would be--"all these things are the beginning of travail." When, therefore, you see "all these things"--the sign of the end of the age--you can know that He is nigh, even at the door. As we have already seen in verses 1-31 Jesus gave us the blueprint of the Christian Dispensation up to the time of His glorious coming at the end of the Tribulation. In verses 32-34 He came back in His thinking from the time of His glorious coming at the end of the Tribulation to the time when the unmistakable sign of the end of the age occurs and spoke to that generation which witnesses this sign and foretold that said generation shall in no wise pass away until the whole prophetic program as outlined by Him (Matt 24:1-31) in this discourse will come to pass. It will come to pass within the lifetime of that generation. The length of a generation, according to Psalm 90:10, is eighty years. Of course, He was talking about the generation that was rising at the time of the sign (World War I and attending calamities)--those who were old enough to understand the passage and to identify current events as being the fulfillment of the prediction.
Following this definite forecast our Lord, in verses 34-39, spoke of the days of the Tribulation and compared them with the days of Noah which were before the Flood. Just as in the days of Noah men were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, buying and selling, until the Flood came and took them away, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of man. But of what coming is He talking? His coming before the Tribulation, or at the end of the Tribulation? Certainly it is impossible to interpret this passage as referring to His glorious advent at the end of the Tribulation. The reason for my making this observation is clear. Everyone who knows the predictions concerning the terrific devastation that will be wrought by the judgments of the Tribulation knows that it will be impossible for men, in the obvious sense of this passage, to be eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, at the end of the Tribulation, when Christ returns in glory (Matt. 24:29-31). But when He comes in fulfillment of this passage, men and women will be engaged in worldly pursuits, having little thought of and giving less attention to the times in which they live. This will be the time when men will be saying. "Peace and safety ..." (I Thess. 5:23). In view of these and other facts, it is impossible for us to see in the statement, "... so shall be the coming of the Son of man," any advent other than the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven in the air to raise the dead in Christ and to catch up the living saints. (See I Thess. 4:13-5:10.) Without a doubt this coming is one that occurs before the Tribulation. This fact is obvious since the coming under consideration cannot be after the Tribulation. This coming is therefore before the Tribulation.
40 Then shall two men be in the field; one is taken, and one is left;
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken, and one is left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh" (24:40-42).
From the flow of thought of this context it is quite evident that, when Jesus comes in fulfillment of this prediction before the Tribulation, two men will be working in a field; One will be taken and the other left; two women will be grinding at a mill, One will be taken; the other left. To what can this language refer? There is but one possible answer: That this is a prediction concerning the rapture of the saints of God. The one who is taken is the one who knows Christ and has been born again, regenerated, and is ready to go and be with the Lord. The other one, the unregenerated person, is left to pass into the Tribulation.
In Matthew 24:45-51 our Lord showed the true and a false attitude to be taken toward His return for the saints at the time of the rapture before the Tribulation. The correct attitude is shown by the faithful servant; the false one, by the unfaithful servant, who says that his Lord delays. In Matthew 25:1-13 we again see two possible attitudes towards the Lord's return at the time of the rapture, which are set forth by the parable of the ten virgins. The wise virgins show the right attitude. They are prepared for a good, long, hard pull in the event that the bridegroom does not return early. The foolish virgins show their lack of wisdom by setting a date, practically speaking, in that they take no extra oil with them. By their so doing they are virtually saying that the bridegroom will return soon--a false attitude.
When He comes for His saints before the Tribulation at the time of the rapture, He will take His people to Himself and will reward them according to the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30). From other passages we see clearly that the people of God, taken up at the rapture, together with those who are raised from the dead, appear before the judgment seat of Christ and receive their rewards at the close of the Tribulation Period. But this point will be brought out in subsequent articles.
The Scope of Matthew 25:31-46 31 But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all the nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats ..." (Matt. 25:31,32).
The coming of the Son of man mentioned in 24:39, as we have already seen, is His coming from heaven in the air for His saints--the rapture of the church. But the coming mentioned in 25:31ff is His coming at the end of the Tribulation, when all the living nations, those surviving the Tribulation, are brought before Him and He separates them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Then He establishes His millennial reign and rules in righteousness over this earth for one thousand years. Earth's golden Era!
When we analyze this passage as has just been done, we are forced to see that the catching away of the saints, the believers in Christ, occurs at the coming of the Lord before the Tribulation. It is impossible for anyone to give a different interpretation of this passage, if he is willing to let it deliver its message. Of course, if we put forced constructions upon our Lord's language, we can read into the text something that is not there; but if we follow the grammatico-historical method of interpretation--which is the only one recognized by real scholarship--we are forced to the inevitable conclusion that the rapture of the Church of God occurs before the Tribulation, at the coming of the Son of man, as is set forth by our Lord in the Olivet Discourse.
