Irony in Matthew 23–25
5 July 2007
Haus Edelweiss
Heiligenkreuz, Austria
The class on New Testament Eschatology has ended. All of the students did amazingly well on their final exam. It was an oral exam, and I was able to ask each student twenty-five questions. They interacted with each other well. Not one made below an A in giving any answer. Quite remarkable! I am blessed to be able to participate in such a remarkable ministry. However . . .
One student lingered after all the others had left. He wanted to talk with me about one of my postings, the one on Matthew 24 and the principle of interpreting the obscure by the clear. As we were discussing Matthew’s account, something struck me more clearly than ever before. There is irony in the discourse. The disciples ask Jesus to provide signs when the destruction of the temple/the end of the age=the final coming would occur. They had mistakenly blended these two events together, and Jesus corrects their misunderstanding. But here is the irony: Jesus provides signs when Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed, and the signs would lead up to the destruction in their lifetime, that first century generation. In 70 A.D. Matthew 24:1-35 was fulfilled. But Jesus does not provide any signs concerning his final coming. In fact, he goes so far as to say there will be none and that we must always be prepared. Isn’t it fascinating, I asked the student, that many today turn the signs associated with events leading up to and including 70 A.D. have mistakenly been applied to the end of the world? Many have missed the point. The student from Bulgaria did not. But then he has not been confused by the prognosticators that bring much confusion to Christians in the United States.
I pray that the time is quickly approaching when people will grow weary of those who use the Scriptures to predict the future. Such individuals need to end their subscriptions to news magazines, newspapers along with ending their listening to or watching modern day prophets and spend more time in the Word.
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Amen Bob! This is so true. Great insight on the irony! Let us keep urging people not to listen to the modern day prophets and the modern crystal ball polishers!