Posted by Friend [Friend] on November 11, 1999 at 06:26:53 {mJnjjpluA6rRIg7iiOekOgnjR4Br/g}:
In Reply to: For Friend From Fleeing posted by Shelby on November 10, 1999 at 20:49:34:
Shelby
I doubt that that thought was ever involved in the first 34 verses of Matt. 24. Reasons being that the other two men who reported on this conversation never included anything about 'the end of the world/age.'
Yes, I agree that questions presented between Matthew, Mark and Luke are somewhat different. Do you consider each account faithful? If so then you can account reliability to each. In that case I would tighten my question to you and ask, What did Jesus’ followers have in mind by asking, “what will be the sign of your coming”?
Remember that questions are stirred by curiosity. What were Jesus’ followers curious about? What made them curious about those issues? What if any precursors enlighten our understanding about what was asked? What does the response indicate regarding that asked?
Maybe the following will assist you in following up with possible answers to those questions:
Jesus was asked, "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?" (Matthew 24:3, RSV)
That refers directly to what preceded it, Jesus’ depiction of Jerusalem’s demise. Thus that asked reflects natural curiosity of such an astounding prediction. They want to know when Jerusalem will experience demise.
Here we must ask, “What coming?” What did Jesus’ followers have in mind with that inquiry? Where was Jesus going that he needed to return?
After considering those questions we then must ask ourselves if there was any reason Jesus’ followers would have associated that coming with Jerusalem’s demise? The answer to that question is critical to our discussion.
Jerusalem had been destroyed on a previous occasion. In that case what does this question indicate? Was the demise of Jerusalem necessarily attached to any close of an age? If so, what closing, what age? And what does that have to do with Jesus’ coming from somewhere? With those followers had Jesus ever discussed issues about any close of an age? Is so is there any correlation between what was said then versus what Jesus was asked in our subject question? Was that subject related to anything Jesus’ followers had demonstrated curiosity about?
I will await your consideration of those issues above. Afterward we can continue.
Regarding the question recorded at Acts 1:6:
That question asked for a bit of specific information for which Jesus had already indicated they would not have answered with specificity. On both occasion he indicated the same thing, that that specific information was strictly within the Father’s jurisdiction. In short, they were instructed on the previous occasion to watch for it. A sign was something they could watch for.
Regarding two fulfillments:
There is no need for two fulfillments of one sign because more than one thing was asked about and indicators were provided for more than one eventuality. It is simply a matter of correlating an inclusive answer to a multifaceted question.
Please do not misunderstand my intent here. I am not trying to convince you that I am right. You are completely correct that what I am sharing is my own view of how Jesus’ answer can be understood. While I hold that it explains many things I do not contend that understanding what Jesus said on that occasion is critical for salvation. Realizing any end is near does not equate with good condition of heart, which is the ultimate thing judged. Christians can be content that they cultivate a good condition of heart while following their master, Jesus. In so doing they are assured that they will not be forsaken, thus future life is assured.
Friend