Tuesday of Holy Week
Many Biblical scholars from Albert Schweitzer to Rudolf Bultmann to Bart Ehrman have understood Jesus as a failed prophet. Their claim is that Jesus and his earliest followers believed that they were living in the last generation, that the world as they knew it would soon come to an apocalyptic horrifying end. A second coming of Christ would occur shortly thereafter. All this would occur in just a few months, or at most a few years, after Jesus made his pronouncements. These Biblical scholars, and I could name many more, saw Jesus as simply being wrong about it all. His prophecies were an enormous mistake. The world did not come to an end. Life went on, and on and on, and keeps going on 2,000 years hence.
The Biblical keystone for these scholars' conclusions is Jesus discourse after the Temple disruption, which likely occurred on the Tuesday or Wednesday of that first Holy Week. The discourse in preserved in Mark 13 and its parallels in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. I will focus on Mark 13, because it is the earliest of the gospels and I think in this instance preserves Jesus' words more accurately than the others.
In Mark 13 and scattered other places in the gospels Jesus will use some apocalyptic language common among other Jewish writers of his time period. He foretells the persecution of his followers the coming of false messiahs, and says things such as, "the sun will be darkened. The moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven." (Mark 13:24), and that "the Son of Man will come in great clouds with great power and glory." (Mark 13:27).
What these scholars fail to do is to see Mark 13 in its own very clear context. It's not about the destruction of the world; it's about the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple. As Jesus comes out of the Temple, one of his disciples comments to him on the grand size of the Temple complex and its various buildings including the Temple itself. Jesus replies, "Do you see these great buildings. Not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down." (Mark 13:2). The disciple's questions was about the Temple. Jesus' answer was about the destruction of the Temple. He elaborates on that answer, often in the symbolic apocalyptic language of the time, in the rest of the chapter.
The key verse is Mark 13: 30, "Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place." For Schweitzer, Bultmann, Ehrman, and the others, this is the key verse that proves Jesus wrong. That generation and many others have passed away and the apocalyptic end of the world has not occurred. They have missed the point.
Mark 13 is talking about exactly what it says it is talking about, the destruction of the Temple. That destruction did take place, and took place within a generation. Jesus spoke the words in 30 AD. The Temple was destroyed by the Romans in the Jewish War Against the Romans, in 70 AD., forty years after Jesus prophesied its destruction. Forty years is the standard Biblical number for the length of a generation. Jesus was right.
I might add that Jesus was talking about his own century, not ours. He was not prophesying a World War III, or a conspiracy of whoever against America, or even the Coronavirus.
Many scholars do support my view on this, most notably N.T. Wright, whom many consider the finest NT scholar in the world right now, in his latest book, History and Eschatology (Waco: Baylor University Press, 2019).
Tomorrow we will talk about the Last Supper, Maundy Thursday.
Faithfully,
Christian
2 comments:
It is not difficult to assume that Jesus was talking about the destruction of the temple in that generation. How do you reconcile the fact that "the Son of Man will come in great clouds with great power and glory" did not occur in that generation.
When we found our selves seeking a new church and healing from a difficult situation, you were one of the main reasons we chose First United Methodist Church of North Wilkesboro. Your knowledge, willingness to question and explore, and the thought provoking Sunday School class were just what we needed. God provided and we were fed. Our children were led by your example and Norma's wonderful programs for them. You took your time to lead Charles through the "God and Me" study for Boy Scouts even though it was just him and my mother with you both. As you know, your interpretation of Revelations was extremely enlightening as I had struggled with and, frankly, avoided that book in the Bible. One of the most powerful ideas that I hang on to is that of prevenient grace. Now that you enter this new chapter and seek contemplative service, many will be blessed. I know you would not like this term, but when my adoptive grandmother could no longer be active, she became to me and others a prayer warrior. She was no scholar, but she increased her prayer life to a new level to pray for others, the church, and the world. She focused even more on scripture and contemplation in her own way. She served within her capacity. I personally, am grateful for this new journey of contemplative service in your life. Though, of course, not your disease. I am selfish, but at a time when my faith is being tested, I rejoice at being challenged, enlightened, and nourished by your blog. You will reach many and continue to serve in a mighty way. One question I have wanted to ask you for a long time how you began your journey to Christianity(other than being brought up in the church) and decided that this was the path for you. I know that you have studied many religions in depth. Philosophically, what led you in your belief and service? In love, Jennifer.
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