Can catholics tell me the meaning of this?

[Gratias_Grace]

In my Bible NRSV-CE Matthew 10:23 tells: “…, flee to the next, for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the son of man comes.”

I understand “Israel” in this context to mean "those who belongs to God (ordinary people in the world). “The towns of Israel” must then be all the people that can be converted.

This interpretation, if it is correct, implicates that Jesus will return before all people in the world have heard the gospel. I have always thought that Jesus will not return before all the people in the world have heard about him, but so it can’t be according to Mt 10:23.

I look forward to “hear” your comments!

 

[Fidelis]

The most logical answer and one that fits well with the context of the passage and the historical record is the preterist one. That is, that this passage refers primarily, not to the “Rapture” or even the Second Coming, but to the events surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, where the cataclysmic events surrounding the fall of that city are seen as a vindication of Christ and a result of that generation not recognizing him as Messiah. Thus Jesus was describing events that would occur in the lifetime of his original listeners.

This is not to say that this passage could not be fulfilled in a prophetic manner at Jesus’ definitive Second Coming at the end of time, but the literal meaning in this case is the primary one. Anything else is speculation as are all attempts to draw direct and definitive one-on-one correspondence to modern events.

For more information, I’d recommend “Rapture: The End Times Error That Leaves The Truth Behind” by David Curie. It is probably the definitive book about the proper aproach to apocalyptic prophecy available at this time. If you prefer tapes or CDs, you might enjoy Steve Woods “Introduction To Prophecy” a comprehensive 6 disk set with study aides that’s available at his website on csasso.hypermart.net/st.josephcovkeepers.htm

Hope that helps.

 

[Gratias_Grace]

Thank you for your explanation, Fidelis!

I don’t believe in the rapture. The rapture-theory is not in line with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

When I argue against protestants that claim that the end time is near (the 6000-years theory), one of my arguments often is that still there are places on Earth that are not evangelized. I say that we are not to know when the second coming is, but that it can’t be before **all ** the people in the world have heard about Jesus our Saviour.

When I read Mt 10:23 today, I started to think that may be that the condition ( **all ** the people in the world have heard about Jesus) didn’t have to be fulfilled. A strange thougth, perhaps, but it made me think that perhaps the end and the second coming is closer than I ever have imagined. (It is the day after the London bombing, to day, and my thougts are a bit hung up in the threat that are given for the rest of Europe (the countries of the Crusades). Well, perhaps it’s not so strange that I have begun to think that the end must be near).

Your answer, Fidelis, helped me to think a bit further. There can be many explanations.

Perhaps the words (about the towns in Israel) was for the 12 apostles only. They would all meet the son of man again before they had traveled through all the towns of Israel (because they died and had not the time available to visit every city)?

(Some fun at the end of this speculation: Wasn’t that exactly what happend to Luther; that he found a verse he had seen many times in the Bible and suddely attributed a new meaning to it? Oh, I am glad I am catholic :yup: )

 

[BibleReader]

Gratias Grace:

In my Bible NRSV-CE Matthew 10:23 tells: “…, flee to the next, for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the son of man comes.”

I understand “Israel” in this context to mean "those who belongs to God (ordinary people in the world). “The towns of Israel” must then be all the people that can be converted.

This interpretation, if it is correct, implicates that Jesus will return before all people in the world have heard the gospel. I have always thought that Jesus will not return before all the people in the world have heard about him, but so it can’t be according to Mt 10:23.

I look forward to “hear” your comments!

I agree with your interp. The Twelve Type normally refers to “all of the tribes of God’s people.” “[A]ll the towns in Israel” seems to be an analog of the Twelve Type.

Sheesh, your little warning from Christ, here, seems to be one more indication that we are close.

I agree with the Fundamentalist’s interp of Christ’s prediction that “when the fig tree is in leaf” – the re-establishment of Israel – He would be “at the door.”

There’s another warning in the gospels that “it will be like Sodom and Gomorrah in those days” – in the End Times. The Spaniards just added another nail to that coffin.

 

[Gratias_Grace]

BibleReader:

I agree with the Fundamentalist’s interp of Christ’s prediction that “when the fig tree is in leaf” – the re-establishment of Israel – He would be “at the door.”.

OK, does that mean that you agree with the fundamentalists that believe the state of Israel has to get back it’s borders from OT when the United kingdom existed (Israel and Judea).? That’s what some fundamentalists claim.

I am only curious!

There’s another warning in the gospels that “it will be like Sodom and Gomorrah in those days” – in the End Times. The Spaniards just added another nail to that coffin

Do you know the Bible referance to “it will be like Sodom and Gomorrah in those days” for describing End-times? (In Sweden there was a lutheran presbyter that almost had to go to jail because he told people in his homily in church that homosexual relations are sins)

 

[TOME]

From what I have read and studied, I don’t think this passage really has an end of the world prediction. This is just me but I think here we find a very human Jesus protrayed. Bible scholars especially those who have been seeking to find the Historical Jesus in scriptures seem to agree on part of the nature of Jesus’ ministry. It seems Jesus saw himself first and foremost and almost exclusively being sent to the Jewish people - His minisrty was to the House of Israel. Later this lead in part to the crisis in the Church as to what to do with the growing numbers of Gentiles coming into the Church, Jesus wasn’t clear about the gentiles because He was so focus on the Jews. So, in my opinion, I think we find a very human Jesus acknowledging the probrably of his disciples not being accepted in their evangelization of Israel.