9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away, and betray one another, and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because wickedness is multiplied, most men’s love will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come. Matt. 24:9-14
9 “But take heed to yourselves; for they will deliver you up to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you up, 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 up brother 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 he who endures to the end will be saved. Mark 13:9-13
12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. 13 This will be a time for you to bear testimony. 14 Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death; 17 you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your lives. Luke 21:12-19
The prophecy was not given to us for our time. Our Lord was warning His disciples rather directly that, “they will deliver you up.” Matthew describes this delivery, as tribulation and death. Mark says the disciples will be delivered to councils to be beaten in synagogues and condemned to death. Luke says they would have hands laid on them, persecuted, and delivered to synagogues and prisons; some would face death.
The common language among the three passages is persecution and death by those in the synagogues and by governors and kings. The common reason, proclaiming Messiah is Lord of all.
Indeed, there was a lot of persecution during the early church by the Jewish leaders and the Roman Empire. That tribulation is the subplot to the entire book of Acts. The disciples were delivered up; they were brought before various councils, rulers, and kings. All of this happened before the fall of Jerusalem, and it continued to some extent until the Bar-Kokhba Rebellion in 132-135 AD.
After this, the Jews no longer had any power to do anything. However, the Romans continued persecuting Christians on and off for the next 200 years, until 313 AD, when Constantine made Christianity the state religion. In Acts Chapters 4, 6, 18, 24, and 25, we read of just such problems.
From the Jews to the Romans, all the nations hated the Apostles and the early church. Paul stated that he had endured great tribulation [2 Cor. 11:24]. Particularly heavy persecution occurred between 64 and 68 AD. The Roman Emperor Nero was famous for his tortuous exploits against Christians. Who can forget the martyrs being thrown to the lions in the Roman Coliseum?
He Who Endures
Persecution was not only predicted, but also very common for the disciples. Except for John, they all lost their lives as martyrs; so obviously they were not to be saved from persecution. So what were they to be saved from? They were saved from the destruction of the city and the temple. Not one Christian who listened to Messiah’s words was lost in the destruction of Jerusalem. They left the city and crossed the Jordan, in plenty of time, to escape.
Preached to the Whole World
Our understanding of the Whole World is not what the Gospel writers meant by the phrase. We think of the globe. We think of every nation as they now exist. At the time, the phrase referred to the territory of the Roman Empire. What the people of the first century considered the “entire world” is very limited in our view. They did not consider the world to be geographical, but rather the spiritual sphere of influence. The scriptures place the center of the world, if you will, in Jerusalem, and the world being the areas where Jews resided. Jews lived throughout the Roman Empire, and nothing else counted, to the Jews or the Romans.
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. Acts 2:5
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Rom. 1:8
But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: Rom. 16:26
. . . but is now disclosed and through the prophetic writings is made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith — Rom. 16:26
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; Col. 1:23
The Romans had made it possible for the areas surrounding the Mediterranean to be tied by commerce, religion, and politics. The Lord himself considered that He had taught to the “world.”
For from early generations Moses has had in every city those who preach him, for he is read every sabbath in the synagogues.” Acts 15:2
Tribulation
The passage predicts the fall of Jerusalem. This happened in 70 AD. But there is a lesson for the believers. Tribulation is not for the non-believer; it is the believer’s life. It comes and goes over the centuries. It is the ebb and flow of the Christian life. We flee when we can; we suffer when we must. And sometimes we fight back.
I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
. . . strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22
There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, Rom. 2:9
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Rom. 8:35
Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Rom. 12:12
I John, your brother, who share with you in Jesus the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Rev. 1:9
Brother to Deliver Brother
Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, Matt. 10:17
They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. John 16:2
Early believers and apostles were frequently delivered up to the synagogues by their brethren and fellow Jews to stand charges for false doctrines. They were flogged, beaten, and killed. Paul was once left for dead. The persecution of Christians began with the Lord being crucified by the “legal” ruling of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish political and spiritual authority. He was condemned for claiming He was the “I Am.”
The followers of Messiah were first persecuted by the Jews and thrown out of the synagogues and later the Temple. The Apostle Paul had been zealous in this persecution. Before his name change to Paul, he approved of the stoning of Stephen. was stoned for his “transgression of the faith” with Saul looking on. [Acts 7:58 ]
He killed James the brother of John with the sword; Acts 12:2
Annas II, as procurator of Judaea persecuted Christians and eventually had James, the head of the Jerusalem Church, executed. Paul, Peter, and others were imprisoned, beaten, and harassed. The book of Acts is a testament to the difficulties the early Christians.
I, Paul, an ambassador and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus — Philem. 9
Tribulation
The passage predicts the fall of Jerusalem. This happened in 70 AD. But there is a lesson for the believers. Tribulation is not for the non-believer; it is the believer’s life. It comes and goes over the centuries. It is the ebb and flow of the Christian life. We flee when we can; we suffer when we must. And sometimes we fight back.
I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
. . . strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22
There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, Rom. 2:9
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Rom. 8:35
Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Rom. 12:12
I John, your brother, who share with you in Jesus the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Rev. 1:9
Futurist View
There is no grammatical reason to believe this prophecy should occur thousands of years from when our Messiah spoke. There is no mention of “after many years,” or “in the distant future,” or even symbolically “after many days.” He did not say the temple would be rebuilt and then destroyed again. It must be within the lives or “generation” that stood before Him. This prophecy is not our future. It is the past.
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