Jesus Predicts The End: He Fails Miserably.

The gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke, tell us of a time when Jesus, having just cursed the Pharisees, tells his disciples that the Jerusalem temple will be totally destroyed. Of course, this would be a great shock to any believing Jew, since the temple was the centre of their religious lives. As Jesus climbs the Mount of Olives and finds a place to sit, one of his disciples points out the construction of these wonderful buildings, and apparently they were quite a sight to behold, but Jesus tells that that not one stone will be left upon another.

Four of his disciples, whom Mark identifies as Peter, James, John and Andrew, approach Jesus privately and ask him the following questions: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?”

Matthew has them asking the following questions: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Those are different questions, but then again that's nothing new because the gospel authors often took liberties with the original gospel, which the majority of scholars happen to think is Mark, or to be more precise, proto-Mark since the markan gospel we have is apparently a modified version of proto-Mark.

Luke basically sticks to Mark's questions. Now when Jesus answers their questions, he addresses them as “you”. Seems rather simplistic to point this out, doesn't it? But I have to, because Christians have found a way to twist this discourse and make the “you” and “your” in this context, stand for Christians at the end times, which according to them have yet to happen. A simple reading of this context shows how false that is.
 
You see, dear reader, the problem is this: according to the three gospels named above, Jesus made a prophecy that didn't materialize, not even close. Christians, realizing this in the early days of the church, had to find a way to make it appear as though one part of the text was speaking about Jesus' own generation, while another part was talking about a generation far removed in the future; after all, if Jesus is God, then he couldn't have gotten that wrong, right?

They found a way to re-interpret the text to save Jesus' almighty bacon, so to speak. And so it was that Christians began re-interpreting these text, twisting it beyond recognition, because they couldn't stand the knowledge that Jesus had made a big mistake. In short, they realized that, uncorrected, Jesus was just another itinerant apocalyptic preacher who got his ass in trouble with the powers that be; if of course you buy the stories.

I've included Mark's version here for brevity, but you can find the same texts (sorta) in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. Matthew and Luke add more details; it's more fun that way, don't you think? Please read them all carefully and ask yourselves this question: when you see words like “you” or “your” in this context, does this apply to someone 2,000 + years in the future, or do the “you” and “your” pronouns apply to the disciples who were listening to Jesus? I think it's obvious that those pronouns apply to those disciples he was addressing.

Mark 13
1 And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 2 And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
3 And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. 7 And when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.

9 “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. 10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. 11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

14 “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, 16 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 17 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 18 Pray that it may not happen in winter. 19 For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. 20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. 21 And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23 But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.

24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

28 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

32 “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”
 
Conclusion
There you have it folks, Marks' “Little Apocalypse”. It's clear when the text is left to say what it actually says, that Jesus made a prophecy and it never materialized; there was no end of the world and no judgment; there were no stars that fell from the skies (as if that could happen) and Jesus didn't come back, for every eye to see, with his angels in the glory of his father.The whole thing is just another bullshit story about this imaginary Messiah of Israel.

By-the-way, Deuteronomy 18 states the following: “20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.”
 
So there you have it, you have no reason whatsoever to fear Jesus, nor any of the other faerie tales cooked up by Christians, such as eternal hellfire, for example. Those are simply bullshit to try and scare you into submission; most religions will have this kind of BS at the ready to control you and yours if they can. Don't let them. Value your freedom.



grgaud