Watchtower: Beware Deceivers - Jesus Prepares His Disciples by Doug Mason - 2007

7/26/2019 Watchtower: Beware Deceivers - Jesus Prepares His Disciples by Doug Mason - 2007

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Beware Deceivers

Jesus prepares his disciples

2007 Doug Mason Version 2. 29 August 2007 [email protected]


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literal

pesher

midrashic allegorical

Broadly, in first-century CE Judaism, there were fourschools of exegesis:

As they sat on the Mount of Olives, Jesus disciplesasked him about the fate of their beautiful temple.

The following study is a literalexegesis thatpresents Jesus answer in the way that the discipleswould have understood it at the time.

Literal Exegesis


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What Magnificent Buildings

As (Jesus) was leavingthe temple, one of hisdisciples said to him,Look, Teacher! Whatmassive stones! Whatmagnificent

buildings! (Luke21:5)

Some of his discipleswere remarking abouthow the temple wasadorned with beautiful

stones and with giftsdedicated to God.(Mark 13:1;also seeMatthew 24:1)


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No stone on another

But Jesus said, As for what you see here, the time will come when not

one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown

down. (Luke 21:5-6. Also Matthew 24:2 and Mark 13:2)

Destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD (David Roberts, 1796-1849)


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As Jesus was sitting on theMount of Olivesopposite thetemple, Peter, James, Johnand Andrew asked himprivately, Tell us, when will

these things happen? And

what will be the sign thatthey are all about to befulfilled? (Mark 13:3-4)

Teacher, they asked,

when will these

things happen? Andwhat will be the sign

that they are about to

take place? (Luke21:7)

When will the Temple be destroyed?


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When will you arrive as king?

The disciples associated thedestruction of the Temple with theend of the Jewish Age, at whichtime Jesus would be recognized by

everyone as the promised Messiah.The disciples had no idea that Jesuswas going to leave, so Parousiaisspeaking about Jesus revealing

himself as being the King that theJews had long been looking for.

As Jesus was sitting on

the Mount of Olives, the

disciples came to him

privately. Tell us, they

said, when will this

happen, and what will

be the sign of your

coming (parousia,

) and of the

end of the age?

(Matthew 24:3)


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A dignitarys ceremonial arrival

The word parousia described the grand arrival ofa dignitary, such as a Governor or a King, to a town.

His parousia was associated with great pomp andceremony, and it required much preparation by the

people, such as building new roads and minting aspecial coin.

The disciples believed that when the great templewas destroyed, which would bring the end of theAge, Jesus would make his own grand arrival with

great pomp and ceremony as the promised King -his parousia.


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Jesus answered: Watchout that no one deceivesyou.

For many will come in my

name, claiming, I am the

Christ, and will deceivemany. (Matthew 24:4-5)

Jesus said to them: Watchout that no one deceivesyou. Many will come in my

name, claiming, I am he,and will deceive many.

(Mark 13:5-6)

Watch out for deceivers

Jesus replied: Watch out that youare not deceived.

For many will come in my name,claiming, I am he, and, The time isnear.

Do not follow them. (Luke 21:8)


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You will hearof wars and

rumors of wars, but see toit that you are notalarmed.

Such things must happen,but the end is still tocome.

Nation will rise againstnation, and kingdomagainst kingdom

There will be famines andearthquakes in variousplaces.

All these are the beginningof birth pains.

(Matthew 24:6-8)(also see Mark 13:7-8

and Luke 21:9-11)

What deceivers will say

These deceivers will point to Wars,Famines, and Earthquakes. But thedisciples were not to worrythemselves about these messages.

Jesus did not mention the number ofevents, their size, extent, or thenumber of casualties. Only thatdeceivers will make use of theseevents, and that the disciples were toignore them.

These pains begin a birth, not thedestruction.


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Because of JESUS Name

You will be hated by allnations because of ME. Many will turn away from thefaith and will betray and hateeach other, and many falseprophets will appear anddeceive many people.

(Matthew 24:9-11)

You will be handed over tothe local councils andflogged in the synagogues.On account of ME you willstand before governors andkings as witnesses to them.

All men will hate youbecause of ME, but he whostands firm to the end will besaved. (Mark 13:9, 11-13)

But before all this, they will lay hands on you andpersecute you. They will deliver you to synagoguesand prisons, and you will be brought before kings andgovernors, and all on account of MY NAME.

This will result in your being witnesses to them.

But make up your mind not to worry beforehand howyou will defend yourselves. For I will give youwords and wisdom that none of your adversarieswill be able to resist or contradict.

You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers,relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to

death.All men will hate you BECAUSE OF ME. But not ahair of your head will perish. By standing firm you willgain life. (Luke 21:12-19)


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The Gospel must be Preached

Because of the increaseof wickedness, the loveof most will grow cold,but he who stands firmto the end will be saved.

And this gospel of thekingdom will bepreached in the wholeworld as a testimony toall nations, and then theend will come. (Matthew24:12-14. See also Mark13:10)

During his ministry, Jesus spoke mostof all about the Kingdom.

Jesus said that John the Baptist wasat the end of the rule by the Law,and this had been replaced by thegood news of the Kingdom.

Before the end, all had to have theopportunity to hear Gods good

news, the Gospel.

For my thoughts on the Kingdom go to:http://www.jwstudies.com/Kingdom_Manifesto.pdf


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[God] has reconciled you by Christs physical bodythrough death to present you holy in his sight,without blemish and free from accusation if youcontinue in your faith, established and firm, not moved

from the hope held out in the gospel.

THIS IS THE GOSPEL that you heard and that HASBEEN PROCLAIMED TO EVERY CREATUREUNDER HEAVEN. (Colossians 1:22-23)

The Gospel proclaimed to the whole world


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We have heard ofYOUR FAITH IN CHRIST JESUSand of the love you have for all the saints the faithand love that spring from THE HOPE THAT ISSTORED UP FOR YOU IN HEAVEN and that you

have already heard about in the word of truth, thegospel that has come to you.

ALL OVER THE WORLD THIS GOSPEL is bearingfruit and growing, just as it has been doing among yousince the day you heard it and understood Gods gracein all its truth. (Colossians 1:4-6)

The Gospel bearing fruit in the whole world


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So when you seestanding in the holyplace the abominationthat causes desolation,spoken of through theprophet Daniel let thereader understand then let those who are in

Judea flee to themountains.

Let no one on the roof ofhis house go down totake anything out of thehouse.

Let no one in the field goback to get his cloak.

(Matthew 24:15-18)(also Mark 13:14-16)

When you see the Abomination

When you see Jerusalem being surrounded byarmies, you will know that its desolation is near. Thenlet those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, letthose in the city get out, and let those in the country notenter the city. For this is the time of punishment infulfillment of all that has been written. (Luke 21:20-22)

The Destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem (Nicolas Poussin).

Courtesy www.abcgallery.com


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How dreadful it will be inthose days for pregnantwomen and nursingmothers! Pray that yourflight will not take placein winter or on theSabbath.

For then there will be

great distress, unequaledfrom the beginning of theworld until now andnever to be equaledagain.

If those days had not

been cut short, no onewould survive, but for thesake of the elect thosedays will be shortened.

(Matthew 24:19-22)(also see Mark 13:17-20)

There will be great distress in the land and wrath againstthis people. They will fall by the sword and will be takenas prisoners to all the nations.

Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until thetimes of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Luke 21:23-24)

How Dreadful it will be

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Francesco Hayez


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Summary: Jesus prepared his disciples

Jesus warned his disciples about the deceivers whowould claim to be Christ (the Anointed), who wouldsay the time is now, and would report events suchas wars, earthquakes, famines and pestilences.

Jesus told his disciples they would be persecutedover his name.

Jesus taught his disciples about the Kingdom andto preach the Gospel to every person.

Jesus gave his disciples the sign that would tellthem when to leave Jerusalem.

Watchtower: Beware Deceivers - Jesus Prepares His Disciples by Doug Mason - 2007

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Transcript of Watchtower: Beware Deceivers - Jesus Prepares His Disciples by Doug Mason - 2007