Dominant Emphases of the Olivet Discourse

The point: Do not take what Jesus says in prophetic portions and go off to speculate; rather, understand that there is something to be done in light of what is to come to pass.

Martin quotes 2 Peter 3:15-17 to illustrate the peculiar danger of prophetic portions being twisted to the destruction of souls, underscoring the need for careful interpretation.

has tremendous significance in terms of the concern of Mark, namely to set forth the good news that focuses in the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God. Then we noted, secondly, that it has the reputation of being the most difficult portion in all of the Gospel to interpret with certainty and with dogmatism. And I mention that so that you will understand my own tentativeness in the exposition and interpretation of certain portions to remind you of the peculiar danger of such portions. According to 2 Peter 3, 15 to 17, it is, "...prophetic portions which are difficult to be unde...

9:26 - 10:22 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not take what Jesus says in prophetic portions and go off to speculate; rather, understand that there is something to be done in light of what is to come to pass.

Martin uses the analogy of God prophesying an event, bringing it to pass, and then giving understanding after the fact, to explain God's method in prophecy and guide interpretation.

And then, thirdly, to underscore the principle that ought always to be in front of us when dealing with prophetic portions of the Word of God, that God's method in prophecy is to prophesy an event, then in His providence to bring it to pass, and then to give accurate perception and understanding after the fact of the prophesied event. And then we noted, thirdly, by way of introduction, the intensely practical and pastoral emphasis of this chapter. Nineteen imperatives in the second person plural, in which our Lord is telling His disciples what they are to do. They are not to take what He says,...

10:22 - 11:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Take heed to the Lord's commands, recognizing that His words are practical and imperative, impinging on the conscience.

Martin uses the metaphor of an 'umbilical cord' to describe how the repeated imperative 'Take heed' holds the entire discourse together, emphasizing its central, practical concern.

but take heed to yourselves another blepate another second person plural imperative a blepo to look to pay attention take heed and then we see again in verse 23 but take heed behold I have told you all things beforehand and then verse 33 take heed so in a real sense the entire discourse is held together by the umbilical cord of this imperative take heed take heed take heed take heed take heed I wonder why the Lord kept repeating it I've got a sneaking suspicion as to why he knows what we're made of and how upon the announcement of these two great cosmic events their minds like ours would be te...

33:47 - 35:14 Read in full sermon

The point: Take heed to the Lord's commands, recognizing that His words are practical and imperative, impinging on the conscience.

Martin compares Jesus' repeated 'Take heed' to a wise teacher or preacher who repeats key points because he knows human nature is prone to speculation and distraction from practical concerns.

but take heed to yourselves another blepate another second person plural imperative a blepo to look to pay attention take heed and then we see again in verse 23 but take heed behold I have told you all things beforehand and then verse 33 take heed so in a real sense the entire discourse is held together by the umbilical cord of this imperative take heed take heed take heed take heed take heed I wonder why the Lord kept repeating it I've got a sneaking suspicion as to why he knows what we're made of and how upon the announcement of these two great cosmic events their minds like ours would be te...

33:47 - 35:14 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not be troubled or antsy when world conditions intensify with disruption, wars, and rumors of wars; remain stable, settled, and steadfast.

Martin references secular historians' estimates of a million people slaughtered during the destruction of Jerusalem to underscore the horror of the event and the significance of Christ's words about shortening the days for the elect's sake.

but the end is not yet don't get unstable and antsy when world conditions intensify in terms of disruption and wars and rumors of no, I want you to be stable and settled and steadfast and then he gives a beautiful stroke to underscore his desire for their stability in verse twenty he says except the Lord had shortened the days no flesh would have been saved but for the elect's sake whom he chose he shortened the days if some of you hear my voice he says live through days when you say surely all flesh will be consumed under the horrible conditions they would remember the Lord's words he has not...

38:12 - 39:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Persevere to the end, even in the face of bitter opposition from intimate loved ones and hatred from all men for Christ's name's sake.

Martin alludes to John's teaching about having an 'unction from the Holy One' to explain why the elect cannot be deceived by false Christs, emphasizing divine preservation.

he says he that endures to the end shall be saved the end is coming and at the end all men will be found saved or lost those who despair their skin will deny my name I will deny before my father here is incentive to persevere even in the face of bitter opposition from intimate loved ones notice that emphasis in verses 22 and 23 there shall arise false christs and false prophets and shall show signs and wonders that they may lead astray if possible the elect you see that little stroke if possible but it's not possible he says the father is committed to the perseverance of his own he will give t...

42:40 - 44:07 Read in full sermon

The point: Be ready for the Lord's return by watching and praying, understanding that He is not speaking to satisfy curiosity but to prepare you for severely testing events.

Martin uses the analogy of a fig tree's branches becoming tender and sap flowing as a sign that summer is near, to illustrate how certain events will signal the nearness of Jerusalem's destruction, without giving a precise date.

and then he's speaking for their readiness verses 28 and 29 now from the fig tree learn her parable when her branches become tender and puts its leaves you know that the sap is beginning to flow summer's near you can't say summer's coming in three days seven days but you know one thing when you can walk by a fig tree instead of snapping off a twig when you try to snap it it just bends and snaps back you know there's sap flowing summer's around the corner he says even so when you see these things coming to pass know that he is near even at the doors verily I say to you this generation shall not...

45:35 - 47:01 Read in full sermon

Driving home: any prophetic teaching which does not make this principle clear and keep it constantly there as a guiding and hedging pressure is either imbalanced erroneous or downright heretical

Martin compares the Olivet Discourse to the 'same basic climate' of Jesus' farewell discourse in the Upper Room (John 13-16), highlighting Christ's consistent pastoral commitment to His disciples' well-being.

Jesus has told them he's going to leave them and what does he say in those well known words of John 14 1 don't let your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me I go and if I go I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there you may be also because I told you these things sorrow has filled your heart and he said I understand that but when the comforter is come you will understand it was expedient for me to go away you see there is that passionate pastoral commitment of the Lord Jesus in the face of these coming events to speak words calculated to produce in ...

47:01 - 48:28 Read in full sermon

Driving home: any prophetic teaching which does not make this principle clear and keep it constantly there as a guiding and hedging pressure is either imbalanced erroneous or downright heretical

Martin describes a false teaching that alive saints would have an advantage over dead saints at Christ's coming, using the 'first-class citizen' and 'caboose' analogy to illustrate the error and highlight Paul's pastoral correction in 1 Thessalonians 4.

the Bible had clearly established a general resurrection a general judgment a general judgment from the previous words of our Lord we know that at his coming all of his elect will be gathered from the four winds but a teaching had apparently begun to be propagated that if you're alive at the parousia alive at the second coming you're a first class citizen as you enter the eternal kingdom if you're dead you come along in the caboose so what does Paul say 1 Thessalonians 4.13 he starts out in a very practical pastoral vein not a speculative vein we would not have you ignorant brethren concerning...

48:28 - 49:57 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not seek to satisfy carnal interests in speculative prophecy, but rather see the thrust of the passage in setting forth the certainty of events in a specific order but within no precise time reference.

Martin uses the metaphor of seeing 'great mountain peaks' of what God will do, but not being able to 'measure the exact distance between peak one peak two and peak three,' to illustrate the fixed order but indefinite timeframe of prophecy.

as it were the great mountain peaks of what God will do but they cannot get around the side and measure the exact distance between peak one peak two and peak three they see them this way one against the other and they know this must come before that but how much time between this and that they do not know even the prophets didn't know Peter says they searched what manner of time the spirit of Christ was in them did signify they saw a sequence it spoke of the sufferings of Christ and the glory to follow but they said how do we get the time we can't figure that out and if the prophets who spoke ...

58:40 - 60:06 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not seek to satisfy carnal interests in speculative prophecy, but rather see the thrust of the passage in setting forth the certainty of events in a specific order but within no precise time reference.

Martin uses the vivid image of listeners with 'spiritual fangs dripping' to describe those with a carnal interest in speculative prophecy, contrasting it with his concern for the passage's true thrust.

as it were the great mountain peaks of what God will do but they cannot get around the side and measure the exact distance between peak one peak two and peak three they see them this way one against the other and they know this must come before that but how much time between this and that they do not know even the prophets didn't know Peter says they searched what manner of time the spirit of Christ was in them did signify they saw a sequence it spoke of the sufferings of Christ and the glory to follow but they said how do we get the time we can't figure that out and if the prophets who spoke ...

58:40 - 60:06 Read in full sermon