Revelation and the Olivet Discourse
The Olivet Discourse, given on the Mount of Olives two days before Jesus died, appears in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21.
(We will return to these passages again when we reach Revelation 4 and the chapters that follow.)
Some of Jesus’ answers seem to indicate that the disciples would see part of His prophecy fulfilled in their own lifetime — and they did. To understand why, we must pay close attention to the questions they asked.
The Questions the Disciples Asked
Matthew’s Three Questions
The disciples assumed these were all connected, but they refer to different events:
“When will these things be?”
“What will be the sign of Your coming?”
“What will be the sign of the end of the age?”
Mark’s Two Questions
Peter, James, John, and Andrew ask privately:
“When will these things be?”
“What will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?”
Luke’s Two Questions
Luke’s wording matches Mark:
“When will these things be?”
“What sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”
What Are “These Things”?
All three Gospels refer to Jesus’ prophecy about the destruction of the Temple:
Matthew 24:2 “Not one stone shall be left here upon another…”
Mark 13:2 “Not one stone shall be left upon another…”
Luke 21:6 “Not one stone shall be left upon another…”
I took this picture in 2004. The stones thrown down in 70 A.D. are still visible at the base of the Temple Mount. |
History and archaeology confirm Jesus’ prophecy was fulfilled exactly.
This means:
Matthew’s first question
Mark’s two questions
Luke’s two questions
Thus, the disciples asked four distinct questions, and Jesus gave four distinct answers.
Why the Answers Seem Blended
All three Gospels were written before 70 A.D., before any of these events occurred. The disciples understandably assumed all four questions referred to the same moment.
So when Jesus’ answers appear to blend the questions, it is not an error. The Bible is 100% accurate, even if the answers are not separated as neatly as we might prefer.
Jesus, in His incarnation, accepted the limitations of being the Son of Man (Philippians 2:6–8). This is why He could say in Mark 13:32:
“Of that day and hour no one knows… not even the Son, but only the Father.”
And in Acts 1:7–8, He redirects their curiosity:
“It is not for you to know times or seasons… But you shall receive power… and you shall be witnesses…”
Their calling was not to know the timing — but to be faithful.
What Was Fulfilled in Their Lifetimes?
Since Mark and Luke’s questions focus on the destruction of the Temple, many of the signs Jesus listed were fulfilled before many of the apostles died, including and especially the apostle John, the last apostle to die.
Luke 21:8–24 lists signs such as:
False messiahs
Wars and commotions
Nation rising against nation
Earthquakes, famines, pestilences
Persecution of believers
Betrayal by family
Some disciples put to death
Jerusalem surrounded by armies
Jerusalem trampled by Gentiles
All of these occurred in the first century. The “times of the Gentiles,” however, have not yet been fulfilled.
Will these things happen again? Absolutely — and with greater intensity during the Tribulation.
The trampling of Jerusalem began in 70 A.D. and continues until its fulfillment in Revelation 11:2, during the final three-and-a-half years of the Great Tribulation.
Some disciples — such as James and Peter — were put to death, fulfilling Jesus’ words. But not John, who lived to receive the Revelation.
Neither John, nor Paul, nor Peter, nor even Jesus (in His earthly ministry) knew the exact timing of the end of the age. But they all knew the command: “Be watchful.” (Revelation 3:2)
