Matthew 24: 14 Commentary

Tied to Post #20

WAS THE GOSPEL PREACHED IN “ALL THE WORLD” BEFORE 70AD

i. This debate hinges on the word for “world”
a. Is it referring to the Roman Empire
b. Or the entire globe
ii. “OIKUMENE” means the INHABITED WORLD
a. And the Roman Empire
b. WAS their world
iii. We see its usage as such in scripture
a. And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed (Luke 2:1)
b. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar (Acts 11:28)
iv. We see such hyperbole for the word “WORLD” used in the following:
a. “The people from all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph.” (Gen 41:57)
b. “All the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon.” (1 Kings 10:24)
c. God “brought the fear of David on all the nations.” (1 Chron 14:17)
v. We read of hyperbole regarding “ALL NATIONS”
a. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven (Acts 2:5)
vi. Paul certainly believed the Gospel was preached in ALL the world
a. Because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it HAS ALSO in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth (Colossians 1:5-6)
b. If indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which WAS PREACHED to every creature under heaven,, of which I, Paul, became a minister (Colossians 1:23)
c. Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:5-6)
d. Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures MADE KNOWN to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith (Romans 16:25-26)
vii. Clement of Rome (1 Clement 5)
a. And Paul, because of jealousy and contention, has become the very time of endurance rewarded. He was in bonds seven times, he was exiled, he was stoned. He preached in the East and West, winning a noble reputation for his faith. He taught righteousness to all the world; and after reaching the furthest limits of the West, and bearing his testimony before kings and rulers. . . ” (True or False Prophet? Perilous Times, the Last Days, and the
Abomination of Desolation, http:// preteristsite.com/docs/ghostperilous.pdf Ghost on the Net)

By Tractorman (wrote 3584 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 4/3/2012 09:58 am

1. For PRETERISTS:
a. The END is defined as
b. “The end of the Jewish Age”
c. (Old Covenant Israel)
d. Which culminated in 70AD
e. Once the ROMAN WORLD
f. Had been evangelized
2. For FUTURISTS:
a. The END is defined as
b. “The Second Coming of Christ”
c. And would occur
d. After the ENTIRE GLOBE
e. Has heard the Gospel
3. God will ultimately use angels to preach the gospel during the “Tribulation period”:
a. And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the
fountains of waters (Rev 14:6-7)
4. It certainly APPEARS that Jesus
a. Has just provided an OVERALL picture
b. Of eschatological events
c. Right up to THE END from verses 4-14
5. Jesus then STARTS verse 15
a. With the word THEREFORE
b. Meaning that when somebody
c. SEES a certain EVENT
d. Which will occur sometime
e. BEFORE the END
f. Then they need to DO something

By Tractorman (wrote 3584 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 4/2/2012 13:22 pm

THIS IS THE GOOD NEWS THAT GOD’S PERFECT GOVERNMENT IS COMING ON EARTH! THIS IS WRITTEN AS A WITNESS! In that day at the sound of the 7th trumpet…our SAvior & Lord will come as King of Kings and solve the death, diseases, pollution & other problems that men had created and experienced due to their rejection of God’s governance. Our first parent rejected the Government of God and the Second Adam had brought as back to see and enter into that perfect KIngdom-so be glad all you believers. Here is a song from Petra:

Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IaRoq7fXt0

Petra
All The King’s Horses lyrics

Words and music by Bob Hartman
Based on Revelation 19:11-21

It’s an age-old score that’s got to be settled
It’s an age-old debt that’s got to be paid
When the King breaks through in all of His glory
To claim His throne and the world that He made
The nations wait with their armies gathered
With Jerusalem firmly under their thumbs
There will be no peace in Armageddon valley
Till the trumpet sounds and the cavalry comes
When He arrives He will conquer them all
Take back the ground given after the fall

(Chorus)
All the King’s horses and all the King’s men
Gonna ride down from heaven from where they’ve been
All the King’s horses and all the King’s men
Gonna put this world back together again
Gonna put this world back together

On a great white horse the King will come riding
He’s the One they call Faithful and True
With His eyes of fire and blood dipped clothing
He had a name nobody else knew

And by His side ride the armies of heaven
Dressed in linen clean and white as the snow
Riding down to earth with a vengeance so holy
For a one-day battle that will trample their foe
And when the dust and the smoke disappears
The King will reign for a thousand years

When the lion lays down with the lamb
There’ll be peace in the land of Abraham
They will beat their swords into plows
When every tongue declares and every knee bows

By TIUCHE (wrote 3265 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 11/28/2011 15:19 pm

Monsieur Tiuche (Post #17): Good commentary on this verse.

By Roland G (wrote 1651 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 7/24/2011 17:57 pm

A PERFECT GOVERNMENT IS COMING TO INTERVENE ON THE EARTH

God is nowhere for the majority of people. But for the called out ones, God is NOW HERE! They have seen the Kingdom of God because they have been born again, and they have seek it & its righteousness…and are anticipating the future when the King would come with His Kingdom on the seventh Trump!

They are much more aware than carnal folks, they know that men are incapable of governance so they pray to God their Father to let His Kingdom come…they have seen how man destroys the earth the only home he have…and they know that for the first time in history, man is now capable of erasing all life on earth…the greatest time of trouble is coming & the only way to stop the annihilation is the intervention of the Strong & Mighty Arm….they see these things…and are glad that their redemption is near…the Gospel of the Kingdom is indeed Good News for those who can see.

The precious stone whizzing in the air…they see it coming upon the iron clay mixed of the Ten Toes of Europe…so WE AWAIT THAT DAY; WE THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD!

By TIUCHE (wrote 3265 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 7/24/2011 17:02 pm

Thank you,Ronald. The Gospel is said to be eternal as well. In that case, it may not be appropriate to talk about “the age of the gospel”! Yes, even during the thousand year reign, there would be nations turning to
God. there would be resumption of sacrifices commemorating the great eternal sacrifice of Jesus Christ.(Zech. 14) Even in the eternity to come God and the lamb would be forever praised for the sacrifice made by the Son of God.(Rev. 5)

By Jayant Christian (wrote 287 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 3/18/2011 11:51 am

Jayant,

No problem, but “the gospel is preached to all the nations for a witness that the age of the Gospel of the kingdom would come” occurs during the Tribulation. You asked, “When this witness is completed, the age of the gospel ends. Am I right? Please correct me.” Hence, my post.

God Bless.

By Roland G. (wrote 1651 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 3/17/2011 00:14 am

Post # 12;

I have not said that the Gospel ends with the tribulation!

By Jayant Christian (wrote 287 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 3/16/2011 16:19 pm

Roland,

Yes, your statement is accurate; the gospel does not end. In the sense that it is the gospel of salvation; the gospel of abundant life; the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of eternal life, it will never end. It’s probably more appropriate to say the Church Age comes to an end for it is replaced by the perfect government of the King and the Kingdom on the earth.

But one thing that will be completely different in the millennium compared to the age we are now in is: the wrath of God will have been spent. In other words, Daniel’s 70th week will be over and all prophecies of the second coming will have been fulfilled.

I think it’s worth considering that the Day of the Lord, and the Day of Wrath and the Day of Christ have somewhat overlapping themes. The Day of the Lord and the Day of Wrath are often considered one and the same. The Day of Wrath typically speaks of the 7 last years before Christ returns. The Day of the Lord also speaks of this but it has broader implications regarding a period of judgment such as the thousand years of the millennium. Likewise, the Day of Christ speaks of his return in great power and glory but it also speaks of the thousand year Day of his just rule on the earth.

The Jewish Age is the age of Law.

The Church Age is the age of Grace.

The Kingdom Age is the age of Judgement.

In each Age, the Lord has had a remnant of co-laborers. This will be especially true in the age of Judgement (1 Cor. 6:2).

By Scott Dale (wrote 581 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 3/15/2011 06:09 am

Jayant and Scott,

The Gospel does not end with the Tribulation. Everyone born during the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ will continue to be born with the “old man,” that is, with Adam’s old sin nature.

By Roland G (wrote 1651 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 3/15/2011 01:24 am

Jayant,

I LOVE your question:

“When the gospel is preached to all the nations for a witness that the age of the Gospel of the kingdom would come. When this witness is completed, the age of the gospel ends. Am I right? Please correct me.”

Yes, I believe you are correct. However, I have some very definite thoughts regarding your question. First of all, please see my post #5 below where I address this issue. I am of the belief that the Church on earth will never fulfill the Great Commission. Though she is mighty, she will not complete the task before she is Raptured into heaven. Nor will the Tribulation saints who remain be able to effectively preach because of the horrific persecution against them. However, the Raptured Saints from heaven WILL be able to preach the gospel of the kingdom without any opposition; but they will do so FROM THE SKY in their glorified bodies and the preaching will be world wide and incredibly powerful!

Revelation 14:6 is all about this preaching. In fact, in point of time, Revelation 14:6 coincides with Revelation 6:2, the first horseman of the Apocalypse. For some unjustifiable reason, most futurists interpret 6:2 as Anti-christ. This is a pathetic interpretation. No, this rider (glorified saints) on the white horse goes out “conquering and to conquer” by preaching the everlasting gospel of the kingdom! This preaching (grace) goes on all throughout the opening of the first 6 seals of judgment. It ends before the 7th seal is opened because that’s when the undiluted wrath of God (see Zeph. 1:14-18)) begins (see also Rev.6:12-17: Joel 2:28-32).

The preaching of the Gospel (from the sky) ends with the end of the 6th seal. It is just then that all the tribulation saints are raised from the dead and brought into heaven (7:9-17). This COMPLETES the Church Age (the Age of Grace). It is just then that the sealing of the 144,000 Jews takes place signaling the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week (the beginning of the wrath of God). The 7 trumpets of the 7th seal take 7 years to complete.

Therefore, yes; “When this witness is completed, the age of the gospel ends”. I invite discussion on this interpretation because there is a great deal more involved with it.

By Scott Dale (wrote 581 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 3/14/2011 20:42 pm

In Hebrews we are told that God has spoken in the last days. (Hebrews 1:2)

It means that the last age is inaugurated with the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom by the Son of God.(Mark 1:15) Yes, Jesus did that saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

Jesus entrusted the preaching of the gospel to His disciples. “go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world ( age)” (Matthew 28: 19-20 and mark 16:15;Hebrews 2:4-4)

The ends of the world (AGES)are upon us (1 Corinthians 10:11)( There are previous ages, and the end of the last age is the ends of all of the previous ages.

When the gospel is preached to all the nations for a witness that the age of the Gospel of the kingdom would come. When this witness is completed, the age of the gospel ends. Am I right? Please correct me.

By Jayant Christian (wrote 287 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 3/14/2011 17:45 pm

Jesus adds that all nations will also hear the gospel before the end comes. “The end” in this verse means the same as in the previous verse. The end will come at the end the Tribulation, but before Jesus Christ starts His earthly reign for a span of one-thousand years.

By Roland G (wrote 1651 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 3/13/2011 23:27 pm

Michael,

You state that you had to leave the Roman church; where did you start going after that? Did you become a Jehovah’s Witness?

By Scott (wrote 581 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 2/28/2010 04:49 am

the Commentart by JUN.7/31.2008.Is typical of those who Know a Little About The Jehovah’ WItnesses…Jesus is GOD.Please JESUS’ words @ John 20:17…I Ascened to MY Father abd Your Father,to MY GOD and Your GOD”.I think JEsus Knew waht he was Talking ABout.”Thirst, they don’t preach that the dead will be resurrected”.what utter rubbish Jehovah’s Witnesses Cling to the ressrection PROMISE At John 5:28-29 .”they believe that everything ceases to exist at death, even the soul and spirit” a typical statement ,again by those that KNOW VERY LITTLE of what a Jehovah’s Witnesses believes…..Ezk 18$.the SOUL that Sinneth , IT SHALL DIE..Eccl 12:7,,,,,”The SPirit rerturns to the GOD that GAve It”….”.Fourth, they teach that God can only resurrect able bodied people”. What ????.LOL.Abled Bodied People….sorry only The DEAD(no qualification as to the state of the ??HEALTH).once Agan John 5:28-29.States That “ALL IN THE GRAVES will be resurrected”.Please Please If U dont know what a Particular FAITH believes In PLEASE DONT GUESS.Just ask a Jehovah’s Witnesses(FROM THE BIBLE what They Believe)..OR anyone elses Religiuos belief.ASk THEM.
Thank you
Michael….(44 years a catholic then I read the BIBLE.JUst had to LEave THE ROMAN CHurch)

By MIchael (wrote 1 Bible Commentary - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 2/27/2010 21:57 pm

Jesus Christ is Lord.The Father has given Him the Kingdom. There is No salvation outside Chriat Jesus. We preach Christ.

By Benjamin Acquaye (wrote 1 Bible Commentary - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 9/26/2009 12:19 pm

The JW’s make headway with this verse only because most Christians don’t understand what the “gospel of the kingdom” is all about. What the average Christian seems to know usally boils down to “Jesus died for me” and perhaps “the kingdom of God is within you”. To me, this is very sad and it’s a direct result of churches not preaching the kingdom and seminaries not teaching the kingdom.

If Jesus is the coming King, it would be good for us to learn what his kingdom is all about. Jesus dreaded the cross but the kingdom is the one thing that excited Him more than anything else. It was the “joy set before Him”. Sadly, the bulk of the church isn’t excited about it at all.

Regarding the necessity of the gospel being preached in all the world in order for the end to come; there is much misunderstanding about this verse.

First, the “end” is not the end of the world (there is no such thing); it is the end of the AGE. Specifically, the end of the Church age or the Age of Grace.

Second, the Age of Grace does NOT end with the Rapture of the church. It ends with the Resurrection of the Tribulation saints which is 3 1/2 years AFTER the Rapture. But it will be impossible for the Tribulation saints to effectively preach the gospel at this time because Antichrist will be viciously persecuting and killing them. So, how is the gospel going to be preached?

Third, the saints who have been raptured into heaven and possess their immortal bodies preach the everlasting gospel during the time of the Tribulation AS THEY FLY THROUGH THE AIR! See Revelation 14:6 (and no, these are not angelic beings with feathered wings. These are the saints in their glorified bodies but that’s another discussion).

Fourth, this all means that the church on earth will never complete the Great Commission. Jesus never intended that it would. It’s all rather silly to think that the sovereign God of all creation is “waiting” for us to finish preaching so he can get on with the next phase of the redemption.

By Scott (wrote 581 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 3/1/2009 06:41 am

The Great Commission of preaching the Gospel to every creature was given by Jesus Christ to all the believers in Christ.Matthew 28:18-20;Mark 16:15;Luke 24:47:Acts 1:8.Those who are saved by the grace of God have the responsibility to share the Gospel of salvation to others.
Elie,whom do you mention as “someone”?

By Alex (wrote 499 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 2/27/2009 03:31 am

I believe what this text is try say,someone will spread the gospel all around the world,then the end of the world shall come.

By elie emile (wrote 1 Bible Commentary - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 2/26/2009 23:15 pm

The JW’s don’t preach the gospel. First, they don’t preach the cross, but a stake. Second, they preach that Jesus is not God, even though a comparison of Revelation 1:8, 1:17-18, and 22:12-20 will show in their translation that Jesus is Jehovah. Thirst, they don’t preach that the dead will be resurrected (i.e. the spirits of the departed returned to their newly raised and glofied bodies) but rather that teach a form of cloning that they falsely call resurrection (i.e. they believe that everything ceases to exist at death, even the soul and spirit, and that God clones you and puts your memories in the clone and this they call resurrection). Fourth, they teach that God can only resurrect able bodied people. If God could only resurrect able bodied people, he wouldn’t be able to resurrect anyone, because if you’re dead, you’re not able bodied.

By jun (wrote 36 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 7/31/2008 03:30 am

I always find it difficult if Jehovah’s Witnesses show me this verse to ‘proof’ they are the one and only true Christians because they preach the gospel in all the world. Can someone help me with this?

By Edward N. (wrote 3 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 6/25/2008 11:24 am