Thoughts on the End Times [9]: A Note on the Tribulation
I settled upon two important principles for interpreting end times passages:
(1) Clear passages must interpret unclear passages
(2) Interpretations of prophecy by Jesus or the apostles are final
Both points come into play with Jesus’ teaching about the tribulation.
In Matthew 24.1-2, the disciples are marveling at the Temple and Jesus predicts the destruction of that Temple, accomplished by Rome in AD 70. When the disciples ask when the Temple will fall, Jesus tells them ‘when’ in Matthew 24.15-16:
So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains…
The “abomination of desolation” is a horror mentioned in the book of Daniel. An “abomination” is something disgusting or ceremonially unclean, and “desolation” is the ruination of a place. An abomination that desolates is something unclean that ruins or desecrates a holy place.
Matthew knows the term is vague and shadowy. That’s why he adds “let the reader understand”. The term is “code” so that outsiders won’t understand it. Followers of Jesus are supposed to understand – presumably because Jesus taught them in private what it meant.
Luke, writing for Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, interprets the cloudy term “abomination of desolation” so readers will understand:
But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains… (Luke 21.20-21a)
I was taught that “the abomination of desolation” was to be a Gentile Antichrist entering a rebuilt future Temple demanding that the Jews worship Him. But the apostolic teaching is that the abomination of desolation was armies surrounding Jerusalem – presumably the Romans in AD 70, since Jesus is answering the disciples’ question about when the Temple would fall.
The teaching on the gospels is that “the tribulation” (or at least a part of it) refers to the Roman destruction of the Temple in AD 70 – the Temple that the disciples were pointing to on that particular occasion and not a rebuilt Temple of the distant future.
Most of the other passages thought to refer to the tribulation come from difficult passages in Daniel and Revelation, from visions full of symbol and imagery and not easy to interpret. Whatever those foggy passages mean, they must be interpreted in light of this clear teaching of Jesus and the apostles in the gospels.
(1) Clear passages must interpret unclear passages
(2) Interpretations of prophecy by Jesus or the apostles are final
Both points come into play with Jesus’ teaching about the tribulation.
In Matthew 24.1-2, the disciples are marveling at the Temple and Jesus predicts the destruction of that Temple, accomplished by Rome in AD 70. When the disciples ask when the Temple will fall, Jesus tells them ‘when’ in Matthew 24.15-16:
So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains…
The “abomination of desolation” is a horror mentioned in the book of Daniel. An “abomination” is something disgusting or ceremonially unclean, and “desolation” is the ruination of a place. An abomination that desolates is something unclean that ruins or desecrates a holy place.
Matthew knows the term is vague and shadowy. That’s why he adds “let the reader understand”. The term is “code” so that outsiders won’t understand it. Followers of Jesus are supposed to understand – presumably because Jesus taught them in private what it meant.
Luke, writing for Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, interprets the cloudy term “abomination of desolation” so readers will understand:
But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains… (Luke 21.20-21a)
I was taught that “the abomination of desolation” was to be a Gentile Antichrist entering a rebuilt future Temple demanding that the Jews worship Him. But the apostolic teaching is that the abomination of desolation was armies surrounding Jerusalem – presumably the Romans in AD 70, since Jesus is answering the disciples’ question about when the Temple would fall.
The teaching on the gospels is that “the tribulation” (or at least a part of it) refers to the Roman destruction of the Temple in AD 70 – the Temple that the disciples were pointing to on that particular occasion and not a rebuilt Temple of the distant future.
Most of the other passages thought to refer to the tribulation come from difficult passages in Daniel and Revelation, from visions full of symbol and imagery and not easy to interpret. Whatever those foggy passages mean, they must be interpreted in light of this clear teaching of Jesus and the apostles in the gospels.