19. the Apocalyptic Vision

8/12/2019 19. the Apocalyptic Vision

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Lesson #19The Apocalyptic Vision

(Matthew 24: 1 25: 46)


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In Lesson #18, with each passing day of Holy Week, Jesus escalates

his encounters with the religious authorities, building to a

crescendo of seven scathing denouncements, calling them

hypocrites, blind guides, snakes, a brood of vipers . . . and

murderers!

After Peters confession of faith at Caesarea Philippi, identifyingJesus as Messiah and Son of God, and after God validates Peters

confession of faith in the presence of Moses and Elijah at the

Transfiguration, Jesus and his disciples head directly for Jerusalem

and the cross.

Three times along the way Jesus tells his disciples that upon arrivalhe will be arrested, tried, crucified buried and raised from the

dead.

In Lesson #18, Jesus seals his fate.


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In Lesson #19, after savaging the religious leaders inMatthew 23, Jesus abruptly turns his back on them and

steams up the Mt. of Olives, leaving the crowds aghast.

Jesus disciplesastonished and frightenedtrail along

behind him, speechless. Finally, one of themto break thetensionpoints out how beautiful the Temple looks! Jesus

spins around, jabs a finger at the Temple complex and

explodes: You see all these things . . . there will not be left

here a stone upon another stone that will not be throwndown (24: 2).


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Jesus disciples are dumbfounded, and they ask,stammering: Tell us, when will this happen . . .? (24: 3).

Jesus answers with Great Discourse #5, the Olivet

Discourse, a profoundly disturbing insight into a time of

great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginningof the world until now, nor will ever be (24: 21).

Indeed, within the lifetime of many who lived in Jesus day,

the Jewish revolt of A.D. 66-73 fulfilled Jesus vision in the

Olivet Discourse, resulting in the siege of Jerusalem, thetotal destruction of the Temple and the end of Judaism, as

it had been practiced for the past 1,500 years.


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The historian Tacitus writes that during the Revolt no fewerthan 600,000 Jews fought the Romans in Jerusalem; those

captured were crucified, up to 500 per day; and historians

estimate that 1.2 million Jews died during the span of the

Revolt. It was the greatest catastrophe in Jewish history

until the Nazi holocaust of 1939-1944, nearly 2,000 yearslater.

Jesus Olivet Discourse fits squarely into the genre of

apocalyptic literature, and it foreshadows the

masterpiece of that genre, the book of Revelation.


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All agricultural societies of pre-biblical times viewed theworld from a cyclical perspective:

The turn of the seasons: spring, summer, fall and

winter;

The cycle of crops: planting, growth, harvest andfallow;

The cycle of life: birth, childhood, adolescence,

maturity, old age and death.

Round and round it went.


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Egyptian Tree of Life (ink on papyrus). The trunk of the tamarisk tree represents

the axis mundi, around which the heavens and all life revolve.

Birth

Childhood

Adolescence

Maturity

Old Age

(facing west)


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In a cyclical world view reality is a great circle,closed and predictable, with no imperative to

define meaning. Life always was and it always

will be, as the wheel goes round and round.

As Thomas Cahill points out in The Gifts of the Jews

(1998) the literature that emerges from such a world

view lacks a sense of development, like a shaggy-dog

story without a beginning, middle or end, a sprawlingnarrative that leads nowhere, stories without a punch

line.


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In contrast, a linear world view has a distinctbeginning, middle and end, a purpose toward

which life moves.

Literature that emerges from a linear world

view has a sense of development: a beginning,

the introduction of conflict, and a resolution of

that conflict, at which time the story ends.


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End Goal (Greek, telos)


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The structure of the Christian Bible reflects this

linear world view:

Our story begins in Genesis, with creation:In the beginning . . . God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1: 1)

Conflict enters our story when Satan (Gods adversary) brings sin

and death into the world, aiming to destroy Gods creation:Now the snake was the most cunning of all the wild animals . . .(Genesis 3: 1)

God introduces the plan of redemption, the plan to save humanity:The Lord said to Abram . . . all the families of the earth will find blessing in you

(Genesis 12: 1-3).

Christ, our redeemer and hero, enters the story:The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God(Mark 1: 1)

Christ battles and defeats Gods adversary, Satan:The Devil who had led them astray was thrown into the pool of fire and sulfur . .

. tormented day and night forever and ever (Revelation 20: 10)

Christ triumphs, redeeming humanity and ushering in the Kingdom

of Heaven.Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth(Revelation 21: 1)


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In any culture with a linear world view, we

would expect to find a body of art and literaturethat focuses on the end goal of the journey.

And we do.

TheApocalyptic GenreDeriving from the Greek word apokalypsis (unveiling), the

apocalyptic genre unveils a subject previously hidden, things that

could not be known apart from the unveiling. Typically, theunveiling reveals a vision of the end times, most often provided

by an angel or a messenger sent from God.


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Phase 1 ( 7thto 4thcenturies B.C.)Isaiah (Isaiah 24-27; 56-66) [Canonical]

Ezekiel (chapters 37-48) [Canonical]Joel [Canonical]

Zechariah [Canonical]


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Phase 2 (late 3rdcentury B.C. to A.D. 70)

1 Enoch (c. 200 B.C.)

Daniel (c. 165 B.C.) [Canonical]

Jubilees (c. 150-100 B.C.)

Sibylline Oracles, Book 3 (c. 150 B.C.)

Testament of the Twelve (c. 150-100 B.C.)

Psalms of Solomon (c. 48 B.C.)

Testament of Moses (c. A.D. 6-36)

1 & 2 Thessalonians (c. A.D. 50-52) [Canonical]Matthew 24, and parallels in Mark and Luke (c. A.D. 65-75) [Canonical]

2 Peter (c. A.D. 68) [Canonical]

Jude (c. A.D. 65-80) [Canonical]

Martyrdom of Isaiah (1stcentury A.D.)

Dead Sea Scrolls (c. 100 B.C.A.D. 70)Apocalypse of Moses (c. A.D. 70)

Testament of Abraham (1stcentury A.D.)

2 Enoch (1stcentury A.D.)


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Phase 3 (A.D. 702ndcentury A.D.)

Sibylline Oracles, Book 4 (c. 80 A.D.)

4 Ezra (c. A.D. 80-90)

2 Baruch (c. A.D. 90110)

Apocalypse of Abraham (c. A.D. 70100)

Revelation (c. A.D. 90 95) [Canonical]3 Baruch (2ndcentury A.D.)

Sibylline Oracles, Book 5 (2ndcentury A.D.)

Apocalypse of Peter (2ndcentury A.D.)

The Shepherd of Hermes (2ndcentury A.D.)


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The Masterpiece of the Genre is the 3rdphase,

Book of Revelation (A.D. 90-95)


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Recall from Lesson #1 the tumultuous events of the 1stcentury,

the time from which the New Testament emerges.

A.D. 32 Jesus trial, crucifixion, burial and resurrection

A.D. 32 Birth of the Church on the Jewish feast of Pentecost

A.D. 54 Nero becomes emperor, after his mother poisons the Emperor Claudius

A.D. 59 Nero murders his mother, Agrippia

A.D. 64 The Great Fire of Rome destroys a large portion of the city

A.D. 64-68 Nero blames the fire on Christians, launching the 1ststate-sponsored

persecution against the Church

A.D. 66-73 Jewish Revolt against the Roman Empire: 1.2 million Jews die; Temple

and Jerusalem destroyed; Jews scattered

A.D. 68 Nero commits suicide.

A.D. 68-70 Four Emperors reign, three dispatched by murder or suicide

A.D. 79 In Pompeii Mt. Vesuvius erupts with 100,000 times the thermalenergy of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, blanketing the entire

Roman Empire in volcanic ash.

A.D. 89-95 Fierce persecution under the Emperor Domitian

A.D. 90-95 Book of Revelation


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Recall from Lesson #2

our definition of a Gospel

A gospel is an account of the good news of the

coming Kingdom of God and of the redemption of

humanity through the life, death, burial andresurrection of Jesus Christ, as seen through the eyes

of a living faith tradition, guided by the Holy Spirit,

30-60 years after the events it portrays.


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This is our context for Great Discourse #5,

the Olivet Discourse


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The Olivet Discourse

When Jesus left the stunned crowds at the Temple steps, he steamed up

the Mt. of Olives. His shocked disciples trailed after him, and in order

to cut the tension, one of them said cheerfully: My, doesnt the

Temple look nice today!

Jesus turned on them, jabbed a finger at the Temple complex, and said:

You see all these things, do you not? Amen, I say to you, there will notbe left here a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down

(Matthew 24: 2).

The Temple had stood on that spot for 939 years (959-586 B.C.; 516 B.C.

A.D. 32), one of the largest and most beautiful buildings on earth!

Jesus stunned disciples replied with a 3-part question: (1) Tell us,

when will this happen, and (2) what sign will there be of your coming,

and (3) of the end of the age? (Matthew 24: 3).


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The Olivet Discourse, cont.

Jesus reply addresses all three questions:

1. Signs of his coming (Greek =parousia) (24: 4-35)

2. When he will come (24: 36-44)

3. What his disciples should do in the meantime (24: 4525: 46).


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The Temple in Jesus day.(1.50 scale model of 1st-century Jerusalem, Israel Museum.)

Photography by Ana Maria Vargas

Antonia Fortress

TempleSouthern Steps

Golden GateEastern Wall

Royal Portico


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The Roman military under command of Titus recaptured the Temple complex from the

Zealots on 29/30 July A.D. 70. Having caught fire during the battle, the Temple burned and

collapsed. The stones lying parallel to the Western Wall today are from the Temple fire.


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The Arch of Titus on the Via Sacra in Rome commemorates Titus victory in suppressing

the Jewish Revolt, A.D. 66-73. The Arch was built in A.D. 89 by Domitian, Titus brother.


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This detail of the Arch shows plunder from Jerusalem being brought back to Rome,

including the Menorah from the Temple.


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3. What his disciples should do in the meantime (24: 45

25: 46).


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25: 46).


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So to, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not

expect, the Son of Man will come (Matthew 24: 44).


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25: 46).


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William Blake. The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins (Watercolor, brush and

gray wash, pen and black ink over graphite), c. 1803-1805.

New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art.


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1. When did Jesus expect the end to come?

2. What is the desolating abomination Jesus refers

to in Matthew 24: 15?

3. What set of events willprecede Jesus coming?

4. When Jesus returns what signs will accompanyhim?

5. What should his disciples (you and I) do in the

meantime?

Bonus Question: When do you think Jesus will return?


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Copyright 2014 by William C. Creasy

All rights reserved. No part of this courseaudio, video,

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19. the Apocalyptic Vision