Thanks for the response Naomi
You will closely note in scripture below, two different questions were asked, the question is asked "When Shall These Thing Be" relating to the temple, and not one response is given to the temple destruction in the entire chapter of Matthew 24, as it consist totally in answering the second question (What shall be the sign of thy coming) exclusively
I’m not sure I can agree with that, sorry.
Matthew 24:15-22
[15] “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), [16] then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. [17] Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, [18] and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. [19] And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! [20] Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. [21] For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. [22] And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
If we look at the corresponding passage in Luke’s gospel:
Luke 21:20-24
[20] “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. [21] Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, [22] for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. [23] Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. [24] They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
We know it is the same discourse, because it starts the same way: the Disciples point out the magnificence of the Temple buildings, and Jesus replies to them that not one stone will be left upon another, and the Disciples ask when it will happen, and the signs of his return. The discourse that follows is his answer, but the differences in Matthew and Luke allow us to glean more information.
Now, like many others, I believe that there is a good possibility Jesus is speaking of events here that will be seen in both 70AD, and then see an ultimate fulfilment at the end of the age. But what cannot be ignored is the fact that they DID see a fulfilment in 70AD. We have the records from Josephus, among others, who report that the Christians, witnessing the encroachment of the Roman army, remembered their Lord’s words, and fled to the mountainous towns. Remarkably, not a single Christian perished in the siege and destruction of Jerusalem.
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You will closely note below, the mystery was answered after the resurrection, as his disciples reflected on the Lords words at the temple, as they were with the Lord, and the event below is a parallel teaching to Matthew 24 & Luke 21 answering the mystery, my take
Matthew 24:3KJV
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
John 2:18-22KJV
18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
You know the old real estate adage “location, location, location”? Well…when it comes to exegesis, it’s all about “context, context, context”
In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus was NOT speaking of his resurrection, or how being born of the Spirit made one a temple of the Holy Spirit…any of that.
We look back to the Chapter before it. The Jews, the Pharisees in particular had just rejected Jesus. Jesus…God incarnate…withdrew from the temple. Think about that for a minute. God’s shekinah glory had not been seen in the temple for some time, but the Priests persisted anyway, as if they had his blessing and presence. The Temple was the linchpin of their worship, of their relationship with God. Now…God himself had come, in the flesh, had come TO THEM in their own temple, and they received him not. And so, like the Shekinah, Jesus withdrew, and told them “your house will be left to you desolate”. Heavy and ominous words. Immediately after this, he is asked about that very ‘house’, and he tells his Disciples that it will be torn down.
And torn down it was…just as he said, with not a stone standing. The Jews had the main thing that facilitated their worship to YHWY violated and destroyed…crushed. The Judaism we see today is very different to what it was in the OT.
So…I very much believe you are focusing on the wrong thing in this passage. The quote and idea from John is amazing…but that is simply not what is going on here.