Olivet Discourse

"Little Apocalypse" redirects here. For the films titled "The Little Apocalypse", see The Little Apocalypse (1993 film) and The Little Apocalypse (2006 film).
Christian eschatology
Contrasting beliefs
The Millennium
Biblical texts
Pseudepigrapha
Key terms
Christianity portal

The Olivet Discourse or Olivet prophecy is a biblical passage found in the Synoptic Gospels in Matthew 24 and 25, Mark 13, and Luke 21. It is also known as the Little Apocalypse because it includes the use of apocalyptic language, and it includes Jesus's warning to his followers that they will suffer tribulation and persecution before the ultimate triumph of the Kingdom of God.[1] The Olivet discourse is the last of the Five Discourses of Matthew and occurs just before the narrative of Jesus's passion beginning with the anointing of Jesus.

In all three synoptic Gospels this episode includes the Parable of the Budding Fig Tree.[2]

It is unclear whether the tribulation Jesus describes is a now past, present, or future event.[3]: p.5  Preterists believe the passage largely refers to events surrounding the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem[4][5] and as such is used to date the Gospel of Mark around the year 70.[4][6] Futurists believe the prophecy is broken into different parts, and partly “refers to events that are still yet to come”.[5]

  1. ^ "Frontline" TV series. PBS. Accessed: 14 May 2018.
  2. ^ Mary Ann Getty-Sullivan (2007). Parables of the Kingdom: Jesus and the Use of Parables in the Synoptic Tradition. Liturgical Press. p. 46. ISBN 978-0-8146-2993-2.
  3. ^ Gentry, Kenneth L.; Thomas Ice. The Great Tribulation—Past Or Future?: Two Evangelicals Debate the Question. Kregel Academic & Professional, 1999. ISBN 978-0-8254-2901-9
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference BenW was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Ice, Thomas (2009-05-07). "An Interpretation of Matthew 24-25". Article Archives.
  6. ^ Morna Hooker, The Gospel According to St. Mark (Continuum, 1991) page 8.