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Matthew 24 and Luke 17

George L. Faull

Dear Brother Faull,

 

I know what you teach on Matthew chapter 24. You divide the text into two parts because the context changes from  “those days” to “that day.” You say the first division refers to the destruction of Jerusalem and the latter to the Second Coming. However, Luke 17 has a different order. Matthew gives five events 1-2-3-4-5, but Luke scrambles the events to 2-4-1-5-3. It obviously then refers to one time period and not two. Only the destruction of Jerusalem is referred to in Matthew 24. If Luke is misleading us, his inspiration goes right out the window. What say you?

First, we need to look at some facts. These texts are:

1.         Not the same occasion.

A.        Matthew was after the triumphal Entry.

B.        Luke was before it.

2.         Not answering the same questions.

A.        Matthew was answering three questions:

1)         When shall these things be?

2)         What is the sign of Your coming?

3)         When will be the end of the age?

            B.        Luke was not answering any of those three questions, but the question as to when is the Kingdom coming?

3.         Not the same querist.

A.        In Matthew it was with His disciples.

B.        In Luke it was with his enemies, the Pharisees.

4.         Not the same purpose.

A.        In Matthew He is answering the disciples’ questions.

B.        In Luke He is warning the disciples. They had just seen Him rebuke the Pharisees who doubted the Kingdom’s coming, so He cautions them to not be deceived.

 5.        Not the same number of events.

A.        You see 5 events in Luke 17 that are not recorded  in the same order in Matthew 24. There are not five events, but five analogies or illustrations. The same illustrations are used in many contexts. I use an illustration that goes like this:

“On the Niagara River there is a sign that says Redemption Point. Do not go beyond this point because you cannot turn back. In other words, if you wait too long, you will go over the falls.”

Now I have used that illustration to demonstrate several things:

1.)        Do not stay in sin too long or you will come to the place that you cannot repent.

2.)        Do not get involved in sexual impropriety because there is a point to which you cannot stop.

3.)        Do not refuse God’s grace too long, or it will be too late.

What kind of an interpreter would insist that I spoke of the same event in each illustration? That would be ludicrous.

Luke 17 refers to confronting the disciples of what would happen to those who did not have the Kingdom of God within them.

1.         They will wish for His day to return for another opportunity.

2.         They will accept false Christs, having not recognized the True Christ.

3.         The Kingdom will not be secret after He once suffers.

4.         People will miss the Kingdom of God because they are like those of Noah’s day or the Sodomites. Jesus warns, “Do not be like Lot’s wife.”

5.         Destruction will come on those not ready for the destruction of Jerusalem.

 

Jesus merely did what every preacher does. He used the same analogies in answer to different questions. Luke 17 deals only with the destruction of those who reject His Kingdom before the destruction of Jerusalem. He makes no reference to Christ’s Second Coming at all.

 

How am I sure that I am right about this? Because Luke 21 deals with the same questions, and on the same occasion with the same purpose. It is in the same order as Matthew 24. Did Luke write the same thing twice (chapter 17 and 21)? Not hardly! He did, however, show that Jesus did use the same analogies just as I did in the above scenarios. Your question is a good one, but remember to study the context. “A text out of context becomes a pretext.”

 

You have violated the old Hermeneutical principles.     

Determine:

1.         Who is speaking?

2.         To whom is he speaking?

3.         For what purpose is he speaking?

4.         And to what dispensation does he refer [the time element]?

 

I hope this helps.                                                      

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