A Little Look at a Big Question

Grow camp 2020 a little look at a big question from Jim Kerr

Seminar Handout:

The Synoptic Gospels

·         Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the “Synoptic Gospels.”

·         The word “synoptic means a “common-view.”

·         The Synoptic Gospel passages with similar events are called “parallel passages.”

The Olivet Discourse (OD)

·         Matt 24:1–25:18; Mark 13:1–14:6; Luke 21:6–21:50.

·         In each Synoptic Gospel, the OD comes after the disciples’ question, which comes after Jesus’ prophecy.

Jesus’ Prophecy (ESV)

·         “… there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

·         Matthew 24:1–2; Mark 13:1–2; Luke 21:5–6

·         Occurring in AD 70, it was documented by a non-Christian eyewitness, Flavius Josephus.

·         The single greatest verified prophecy in the Bible.

The Jerusalem Temple

·         Also called the “Second Temple” or “Herod’s Temple,” it was built over 10 years.

·         Details & adornments were still being added in Jesus’ day (cf. John 20:20).

·         The Temple was the centrepiece of Jewish social and cultic identity.

The Disciples’ Question.

·         “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:3;

·         “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” Mark 13:4;

·         “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” Luke 21:7.

Summary

·         The subject of the disciples’ two-part question was Jesus’ prophecy of the divine destruction of the Temple.

·         The first part of the question was asking when the Temple would be destroyed.

·         The second part of their question was asking what signs from God would precede the destruction of the Temple.

·         The Olivet Discourse was the answer to the second part of the disciples’ question.