For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.
MATTHEW 24:37–41
Next to the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7), the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24–25 is the second longest uninterrupted message of Jesus in the New Testament. The Discourse, as found in Matthew, is also the second longest prophetic passage in the New Testament next to the book of Revelation. If one adds the fact that the Discourse has extended parallels in Mark 13, Luke 17, and Luke 21, its importance for interpreting prophecy becomes self-evident.
All perspectives of the rapture—pretribulation, midtribulation, prewrath, or posttribulation rapture—have paid close attention to the Discourse in Matthew, especially the nonparabolic material in Matthew 24:1–45.
The reason for this is that the special Greek term for the future “coming” of Christ, parousia, is found in the Gospels four times—all in Matthew 24.
Parousia means “coming, arrival” but also carries the meaning of the “presence” of a person after his or her arrival. The word is used broadly by Bible interpreters as a synonym of Jesus’ second coming.
Some opponents of premillennialism understand Matthew 24 as prophesying exclusively the AD 70 destruction of Jerusalem.
On the other hand, premillennialism often considers the prophecies of the AD 70 event to prefigure or foreshadow the future coming of Jesus.
Luke 21, a parallel passage to Matthew 24, prophesies the second coming of Christ but also predicts the destruction of Jerusalem.2 But Mathew’s presentation of the Discourse is focused more on the future coming of Jesus than on the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
Distinguishing between these two prophetic events is sometimes challenging. One can see why Moo concludes, “Most scholars have claimed that the Olivet Discourse is the most difficult portion of the Gospels to interpret.”
wayoflife.org
MATTHEW 24:37–41
Next to the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7), the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24–25 is the second longest uninterrupted message of Jesus in the New Testament. The Discourse, as found in Matthew, is also the second longest prophetic passage in the New Testament next to the book of Revelation. If one adds the fact that the Discourse has extended parallels in Mark 13, Luke 17, and Luke 21, its importance for interpreting prophecy becomes self-evident.
All perspectives of the rapture—pretribulation, midtribulation, prewrath, or posttribulation rapture—have paid close attention to the Discourse in Matthew, especially the nonparabolic material in Matthew 24:1–45.
The reason for this is that the special Greek term for the future “coming” of Christ, parousia, is found in the Gospels four times—all in Matthew 24.
Parousia means “coming, arrival” but also carries the meaning of the “presence” of a person after his or her arrival. The word is used broadly by Bible interpreters as a synonym of Jesus’ second coming.
Some opponents of premillennialism understand Matthew 24 as prophesying exclusively the AD 70 destruction of Jerusalem.
On the other hand, premillennialism often considers the prophecies of the AD 70 event to prefigure or foreshadow the future coming of Jesus.
Luke 21, a parallel passage to Matthew 24, prophesies the second coming of Christ but also predicts the destruction of Jerusalem.2 But Mathew’s presentation of the Discourse is focused more on the future coming of Jesus than on the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
Distinguishing between these two prophetic events is sometimes challenging. One can see why Moo concludes, “Most scholars have claimed that the Olivet Discourse is the most difficult portion of the Gospels to interpret.”
wayoflife.org