The Olivet Discourse As Interpreted By The Apostles

Certain theology teachers, of past and present, interpret the important Olivet Discourse of Mt 24, Mk 13 and Lk 21 as having been completely and finally fulfilled in A.D. 70 at the destruction of Jerusalem and accompanying events.

Consider the points of correlation between the Olivet Discourse and the writings of the Apostles:

1) Jesus said in the Olivet Discourse that His coming would occur with the sound of a trumpet:

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 in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet (or with a trumpet, and a great voice), and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. - Mt 24:31

This is the only time in the Bible where Jesus associated a trumpet with His return. Now observe what the Apostles said about the trumpet:

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. - 1Cor 15:52

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. - 1Thes 4:15-18

And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. - Rev 10:5-7

Now if these three scriptures are indeed referring to Christ’s statement about the trumpet, then there can be no doubt that both Paul and John believed the Olivet Discourse pertained to the end of time. Further, observe that Paul claimed to be conveying the word of the Lord in 1Thes 4:15-18. Since Jesus never associated a trumpet with His return anywhere other than in the Olivet Discourse, it seems very likely that Paul had this discourse in consideration when he penned these words obviously describing the end.

2) In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus compared His coming to that of a thief:

But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. - Mt 24:43

Now consider how Paul and Peter used this same analogy:

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. - 1Thes 5:1,2

These scriptures are a continuation of Paul’s comments in the fourth chapter, where he described the resurrection and the translation of the saints. We therefore believe it plainly refers to the end of time. Next, Peter said:

But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. - 2Pet 3:10-13