Jesus Taught These from the Mount of Olives.
The Mount of Olives is considered the most sacred place outside Jerusalem. It is associated with several sacred events. Here are a few:
- Near the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry as a lowly servant and the Son of Man, Jesus made His long-prophesied triumphal entry into Jerusalem from that mountain, riding on a borrowed donkey. As He entered the city, he was welcomed by common folk who worshiped Him as they waved palm branches and cried aloud, saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest” (Matt. 21:1-11; can be read here)!
- It was from the Mount of Olives that Jesus ascended to heaven after His earthly ministry was fulfilled. As His disciples watched Him ascend into the clouds, two men in white apparel (angels) said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:9-11; can be read here).
- The book of Revelation tells us that when Jesus comes again it will be to the Mount of Olives. He’ll be riding a white horse and wearing many crowns as conquering “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:11-16; can be read here)!
It was His last meeting with His disciples, the night before He was crucified.
The message He gave is called The Olivet Discourse, and it can be found beginning in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21.
In that message, Jesus answered His disciples’ questions about His prophecy concerning the destruction of the Temple and when He would usher in His righteous kingdom.
His coming kingdom had been prophesied about many times throughout the Old Testament too.
Jesus followed up by giving them five parables, one right after the other, each parable cautioning all those who claim Him on how to prepare for His return.
1. THE PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE…
teaches us to watch for the signs that He gave while we wait for His return. Matthew 24:32-35 nkjv (Verses 32-33 are below for brevity, but we recommend that you read here.)
32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!”
There are two primary opinions on exactly what Jesus was saying:
- The fig tree was used elsewhere in a handful of scriptures referring to Israel; thus, if Jesus is likening the fig tree to Israel, He is saying that when Israel has been reborn (Ezekiel 36-37) and then becomes “a burdensome stone” for all nations (Zechariah 12:1-3), then it has matured like a fig tree, almost ready to give its fruit. If that is the correct interpretation, the time is now!
- Shortly after the fig tree yields new leaves, the fruit appears; thus, if Jesus was using the literal fig tree to make His point, He was saying that when all those things He had spoken about in The Olivet Discourse concerning the end of the age begin to take place, expect the end to come. If that is the correct interpretation, the time is now !
Either way, the time is now!
2. THE PARABLE OF THE UNKNOWN HOUR…
teaches us to discern the times, and not grow complacent due to some normalcy still around us, while we wait for His return. Matthew 24:36-44 nkjv (Verses 36-39 are below for brevity, but we recommend that you read here.)
- 36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
- 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
- 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
- 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”
Jesus was telling us to be vigilant, and that the world would be caught off guard. If we are not careful, we can be caught off guard too.
The Apostle Peter said many (who are not true believers) will “scoff” at the signs and neglect the warnings of His coming (I Peter 3:3-7).
- Peter even warned God’s own people to stay alert and not be tricked by the devil (I Peter 5:8-10).
- The Apostle Paul wrote that we should not be as the world who would be caught off guard, but rather be as children of God, so that His coming will not take us by surprise (I Thessalonians 5:1-11).
3. THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD AND THE EVIL SERVANTS…
teaches us to continue doing good while we wait for His return.
Matthew 24:45-51 nkjv
- 45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?
- 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.
- 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.
- 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’
- 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards,
- 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of,
- 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Here, the Lord clearly ties our faith together with our character, which is revealed by our actions.
- He cautions us not to allow our faith to grow so weak that our character reverts back to “the old man,” becoming unholy or worldly Christians (Ephesians 4:22-32).
- Any one of us can begin to make bad choices which we are warned about. Let us do all with a right attitude in heart and mind all the way to the end, so that we are not “ashamed at His coming” (I John 2:28).
4. THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS…
teaches us to be filled with the Spirit for the long haul, while we wait for His return. Matthew 25:1-13 nkjv (Verses 1-2 are below for brevity, but we recommend that you read the whole passage here.)
- 1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
- 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.” The Groom is Jesus Christ, the oil the lambs burned represents the Holy Spirit, and the virgins represent the body and the Bride of Christ.”
The Jewish betrothal and wedding ceremony began by the groom asking the bride (virgin) to marry him; then if she consented, he would go back to his father’s house and prepare a room for her to be brought to later.
The father would determine when the groom was to go get his bride. No one else knew when that would be, not even the groom.
When the time came, a “caller” for the groom would go a good distance in front of the groom when he went to get his bride (virgin) from her house.
The bride (virgin) must be prepared to go out and meet the groom a distance from the house, after she heard the caller. If he came at night (as was almost always the case), the virgin bride would need enough oil to burn bright enough and long enough for her to find her way in the night to meet the groom.
When Jesus was still here, He said He was going back to His Father’s house (heaven) to prepare a place for us, and to come receive us unto Himself (John 14:1-6). He also said that no one knows the day or the hour of His return, only His Father (Matthew 24:36).
- There is only one groom (Jesus) for His bride, but the bride is made up of all those who believe on Him and wait for His coming. We are supposed to keep ourselves clean from the spirit of this world, like virgins, reserved for Him.
- Jesus knew that it would be important to have a great reservoir of the Holy Spirit to endure the long haul till the end.
- Only half the virgins had enough oil to last until the end. Are you and I ready?
In another passage, Jesus said, “He who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13).
- The times will be difficult, more than we imagine now. To remain filled with the Spirit is important to enduring the times.
The Apostle Peter cautions us but encourages us too.
- Peter reminds us that it is God’s power that helps us maintain our faith (I Peter 1:3-9).
- We do not need to worry about keeping the faith tomorrow when we cleave to Him today. He is our strength and our Keeper everyday, today, and forever.
5. THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS…
teaches us to be fruitful (productive) and not lazy while we wait for His return. Matthew 25:14-30 (Verses 14-15, 29-30 are below for brevity, but we recommend that you read the whole passage here.)
- 14 For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.
- 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.”
- 29 “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
- 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Jesus teaches what His Heavenly Father expects of His people through an allegory in John chapter 15.
There He identifies His people as branches on the Vine (Jesus), and that His Father is the Keeper of the Vine, seeing to it that it is fruitful.
Jesus says His Father requires us to be fruitful. John 15:1-2 are below for brevity, but we recommend that you read the whole passage here.)
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine-dresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
SUMMARY:
- Watch for the signs He’s given in His Word.
- Discern the times amid some normalcy.
- Continue doing good while we wait.
- Prepare spiritually for going the long haul.
- Be fruitful, not lazy, with what He’s given.
- Do not be afraid.
- He is our Keeper.
- Trust wholly on Him.
- Continue in those things He’s told us to do.
- By these, we can be confident, and not worry about being ashamed at His coming!
“You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).
