The Jewishness of the Olivet Discourse

[Retrobyter]

The account of the Olivet Discourse or Yeshua`s (Jesus') Speech on future events, which primarily occurred on the Mount of Olives (Har haZeitiym), is found in Matthew 24:1-25:46, Mark 13:1-37, and Luke 21:5-36. (Some say that we should add into this list Luke 17:22-37, but although some of His teachings in chapter 17 were repeated in the Olivet Discourse, this chapter does NOT occur on that mountain. Instead, it happened on the way to Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) from the north before they arrived at Jericho (Yericho) (Luke 17:11; Luke 18:31, 35).

I hope to show any reader who's interested the Jewishness of the Olivet Discourse and why that means that SOME (not all) of the prophecies Yeshua` pronounced were fulfilled in the first century, probably close to 66 A.D., which was still in the future from when He pronounced these prophecies.

First, every one of the Twelve were children of Israel as Yeshua` Himself was of the tribe of Yhudah (Judah). Thus, Yeshua` was a Yhudiy (meaning "of or belonging to Yhudah"), a true "Jew." Ya`aqov (Jacob), later renamed "Israel," had twelve sons and a daughter. Each of these sons had a huge family, a tribe or a clan, and the tribe from whom the kings of Israel would come is this tribe of Yhudah. (This gives more meaning to Yeshua`s statement to the Samaritan woman at the well when He said, "Salvation is of the Jews" in John 4:22.)

Second, Yeshua` warns His talmidiym (disciples; students) that there would come false "christs" and false "prophets." To this point, there were ONLY prophets from the children of Israel, and when Yeshua` mentioned "the prophets," He was referring to the prophets of the Tanakh (the OT). The term "Christ," coming from the Greek word "christos," was a translation word for the Hebrew word "mashiyach," transliterated to "Messias" and "Messiah" in English. Both words mean "the one ANOINTED," which also means "the one PAINTED, RUBBED or MASSAGED," referring to one who was PAINTED or RUBBED with the Holy Anointing Oil, described in Exodus 30:22-33, being MASSAGED for service; one SELECTED or CHOSEN by God for service and so demonstrated. Yeshua` recognized as the "Son of David," and the "Messiah of God," was foretold to be the ONE who was to become the King of Israel, through David's line. "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" the Magi asked.

So, these "false christs" who were coming were liars who called themselves (or had others call them) "the Messiah." To whom would that make a difference if not to the children of Israel, particularly the Jews - members of His own tribe?

That's a start; more to come.