www.pre-trib.org 7
come to destroy Jerusalem and scatter the nation.”
24
Does the plain reading of this
passage teach us what preterists say? I don’t believe it does.
First, the time of fulfillment for this passage depends upon establishing the context
for which our Lord envisioned its realization. Even J. Stuart Russell believes that there
is “abundant warrant for assigning the important prediction contained in Matt. x. 23 to
the discourse delivered on the Mount of Olives.”
25
He explains that, “It is an admitted
fact that even the Synoptical Gospels do not relate all events in precisely the same
order; . . . Dr. Blaikie observes: ‘It is generally understood that Matthew arranged his
narrative more by subjects and places than by chronology.’”
26
I am in agreement at this
point that the context is that of the Olivet Discourse, even though we disagree as to
when that period takes place. Thus, to a large extent, a discussion of the time when
Matthew 10:23 is to be fulfilled must be postponed until interpretative decisions are
made concerning other passages such as Matthew 24.
Second, when consulting a harmony of the Gospels,
27
it becomes evident that the
other uses of the vocabulary from the context of Matthew 10:16-23 parallels in the
Synoptic Gospels the various versions of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24—25; Mark
13; Luke 17 and 21). In fact, the
New Geneva Study Bible
, of which Dr. Sproul is the
General Editor says of this passage, “The ’coming’ is the Second Coming of Christ to
judge the earth. This view fits most of the other occurrences of the phrase (24:30;
25:31; 26:64; but see 16:28).”
28
This information supports the conclusion from the
previous point that the timing of the fulfillment of this passage is tied to the Olivet
Discourse.
Third, all agree that there is no indication in Scripture that the disciples experienced
the kind of persecution mentioned in this passage before the crucifixion of Christ. J.
Stuart Russell admits, “There is no evidence that the disciples met with such treatment
on their evangelistic tour.”
29
Thus, this sustains the conclusion to which we are building:
that our Lord has a future time in mind when He speaks the words of this passage.
Fourth, I believe that Matthew 10:21-23 refers to events that will take place in the
tribulation, climaxing in the glorious second coming of Christ because of the nature of
the vocabulary. This point could not be made any clearer than has been stated by the
Reformed commentator, William Hendriksen:
These explanations ignore the fact that in the other Matthew passages in
which the coming of the Son of man is mentioned and described the
reference is linked with the second coming. It is a coming “in the glory of his
Father,” “with his angels,” “to render to every man according to his deed”
(16:27, 28); a coming when Christ shall “sit on the throne of his glory” (19:28);
a coming that will be “visible” (24:27); “sudden and unexpected”
24
J. Stuart Russell, The Parousia: A Critical Inquiry into the New Testament Doctrine of Our Lord’s Second Coming, new ed.
(1887; reprint, Grand Rapids: Baker, 1984), pp. 28-29.
25
Ibid., p. 27.
26
Ibid.
27
I used Kurt Aland, Synopsis of The Four Gospels, 7
th
edition, (Stuttgart, Germany: German Bible Society, 1984), pp. 92-94.
28
New Geneva Study Bible, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), p. 1521.
29
Russell, Parousia, p. 27.