by Ptr. Art Calaguas<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shalom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a 3-year pandemic pause in 2020-2022, the UPCAT was held last June 3&4 at the UP Diliman campus and other places. And Oplan UPCAT (United to Proclaim Christ As Truth), was also back! As a recognized partner of the Office of Admissions, CRL led the UP Christian Community and served in 4 strategically located Information Center cum First Aid stations, helping some of the 30,000 examinees find their testing locations. And as before, together with other external churches, ministries and fellowships, we shared the Gospel, distributed tracts and Bibles to the examinees and their parents, guardians, relatives and friends and prayed for them; showing all that there is a strong Christian presence in the University; and solidifying the Body of Christ in the campus through this united undertaking of about 150 volunteers, workers and staff. It was a wonderful, successful team endeavor enabled by God\u2019s all-sufficient grace, sustained by the Holy Spirit\u2019s enabling power together with the intercession of so many people. Thank you for your prayers and support!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We now continue with our study. We have already seen the parallels of the heavenly signs found in the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew 24:29-31, Mark 13:24-27, Luke 21:25-28 and Revelation 6:12-17 (6th<\/sup> Seal) flowing from and buttressed by various Old Testament (OT) prophecies. The occurrence of the heavenly signs is the 7th in the sequence of observed events according to our Lord Jesus in his Olivet Discourse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now we will continue with the other words of our Lord while he sat teaching his disciples at the Mount of Olives. The next lesson he gave was about the fig tree, found in Matthew 24:32-35 with parallels in Mark 13:28-31 and Luke 21:29-33. Below are the SBL GNT verses of Matthew 24:32-35 with my formal translation in interlinear format:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 32<\/sup>\u1f08\u03c0\u1f78 \u03b4\u1f72 \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03c3\u03c5\u03ba\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03bc\u03ac\u03b8\u03b5\u03c4\u03b5 \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u03b1\u03b2\u03bf\u03bb\u03ae\u03bd\u00b7 \u1f45\u03c4\u03b1\u03bd \u1f24\u03b4\u03b7 \u1f41 \u03ba\u03bb\u03ac\u03b4\u03bf\u03c2 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03b3\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9 \u1f01\u03c0\u03b1\u03bb\u1f78\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c4\u1f70 \u03c6\u03cd\u03bb\u03bb\u03b1 \u1f10\u03ba\u03c6\u03cd\u1fc3, \u03b3\u03b9\u03bd\u03ce\u03c3\u03ba\u03b5\u03c4\u03b5 \u1f45\u03c4\u03b9 \u1f10\u03b3\u03b3\u1f7a\u03c2 \u03c4\u1f78 \u03b8\u03ad\u03c1\u03bf\u03c2\u00b7<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n But from the fig tree learn its parable; when the branch already may have become tender and sprouts leaves, you(pl) know that summer (is) near; <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 33<\/sup>\u03bf\u1f55\u03c4\u03c9\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f51\u03bc\u03b5\u1fd6\u03c2, \u1f45\u03c4\u03b1\u03bd \u1f34\u03b4\u03b7\u03c4\u03b5 \u03c0\u03ac\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1 \u03c4\u03b1\u1fe6\u03c4\u03b1, \u03b3\u03b9\u03bd\u03ce\u03c3\u03ba\u03b5\u03c4\u03b5 \u1f45\u03c4\u03b9 \u1f10\u03b3\u03b3\u03cd\u03c2 \u1f10\u03c3\u03c4\u03b9\u03bd \u1f10\u03c0\u1f76 \u03b8\u03cd\u03c1\u03b1\u03b9\u03c2.<\/mark><\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thus when you(pl) may see(!) these things, you(pl) know that he is near; at (the) doors.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 34<\/sup>\u1f00\u03bc\u1f74\u03bd \u03bb\u03ad\u03b3\u03c9 \u1f51\u03bc\u1fd6\u03bd \u1f45\u03c4\u03b9 \u03bf\u1f50 \u03bc\u1f74 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u03ad\u03bb\u03b8\u1fc3 \u1f21 \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03b5\u1f70 \u03b1\u1f55\u03c4\u03b7 \u1f15\u03c9\u03c2 \u1f02\u03bd \u03c0\u03ac\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1 \u03c4\u03b1\u1fe6\u03c4\u03b1 \u03b3\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Amen I say to you(pl) that this generation shall not have passed away until all these things begin to come to pass.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 35<\/sup>\u1f41 \u03bf\u1f50\u03c1\u03b1\u03bd\u1f78\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f21 \u03b3\u1fc6 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u03b5\u03bb\u03b5\u03cd\u03c3\u03b5\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9, \u03bf\u1f31 \u03b4\u1f72 \u03bb\u03cc\u03b3\u03bf\u03b9 \u03bc\u03bf\u03c5 \u03bf\u1f50 \u03bc\u1f74 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u03ad\u03bb\u03b8\u03c9\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Heaven and earth will pass away but my words shall not pass away.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/sup>Our Lord simply states the time of his (second) coming could be likened to the time when the fig trees in Jerusalem and the land of Israel will begin to put forth its leaves that summer is near. The fig tree is one of the last trees to bud prior to summertime; it is a sure indicator. Hence, the allegory is used. So the preceding heavenly signs (Matthew 24:29-31) will be sure indicators that his coming is \u201cjust around the corner.\u201d So when his disciples begin to see the heavenly signs immediately after the tribulation, they would know that his return is imminent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Matthew 24:33, the verb \u1f10\u03c3\u03c4\u03b9\u03bd<\/mark><\/em> (\u201cestin\u201d meaning to be) is without an explicit nominative subject (noun\/pronoun) so it could be translated as \u201cit\u201d instead of \u201che.\u201d However, the context of being at the doors suggest the subject is the pronoun \u201che,\u201d pointing to the logical antecedent, the Son of Man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In verse 34, the Lord Jesus declared something that has many Bible scholars and popular prophecy and eschatology teachers and authors pay particular attention to. The Greek text of Matthew 24:34 begins with the Lord\u2019s solemn statement \u201cAmen, I say to you<\/em>\u201d (\u1f00\u03bc\u1f74\u03bd \u03bb\u03ad\u03b3\u03c9 \u1f51\u03bc\u1fd6\u03bd<\/mark><\/em>) which is like saying \u201cI swear to you that what I will be saying is true and of the utmost importance (the \u201cyou\u201d is 2nd<\/sup> person plural in vv. 32-34).\u201d And then the Lord says that \u201cthis generation<\/em>\u201d (\u1f21 \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03b5\u1f70 \u03b1\u1f55\u03c4\u03b7<\/mark><\/em>; definitely the nominative subject), \u201cshall not have passed away\u201d<\/em> (\u03bf\u1f50 \u03bc\u1f74 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u03ad\u03bb\u03b8\u1fc3<\/mark><\/em>; the verb form \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u03ad\u03bb\u03b8\u1fc3<\/mark><\/em> is grammatically an Aorist Subjunctive) until \u201call these things begin to come to pass<\/em>\u201d (\u03c0\u03ac\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1 \u03c4\u03b1\u1fe6\u03c4\u03b1 \u03b3\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9<\/mark><\/em>; the verb form \u03b3\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9<\/mark><\/em> is also grammatically an Aorist Subjunctive). From my Greek Textbook (Mounce, William D. Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar: Third Edition. <\/em>[Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009], 194), the inceptive or ingressive use of the Aorist is employed. Hence the translation \u201cbegin to come to pass\u201d is used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The plain meaning of this verse indicates that the people alive with the Lord Jesus at that time; his disciples and others (\u201cthis generation\u201d), will not die off until all those things he is referring to have begun to come to pass. The Lord then affirms it further in the next verse (35), saying that his words will be proven true and will remain sure and shall not pass away; even as heaven and earth pass away. The verb form used for the passing away of heaven and earth is Future Indicative; even if it\u2019s in the future, its Indicative mood point to it as a reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But what things did the Lord refer to? There are 2 possibilities: all those things the Lord spoke about from Matthew 24:4-31 or just a subset of all the things he said. Recall that the Olivet Discourse was in answer to his disciples\u2019 question of when the Temple would be destroyed and what would be the sign(s) of his (second) coming\/the last days. It most assuredly could not include the heavenly signs we had just taken up (Matthew 24:29-31) as that generation has already passed away nearly 2,000 years ago and all those signs have not yet occurred, as of this writing. Now, if we take a subset, then the next step is to identify which part of the Discourse was he referring to? <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c(A)ll these things\u201d might include all those warnings of tribulation and persecution up to the onset of \u03b8\u03bb\u1fd6\u03c8\u03b9\u03c2 \u03bc\u03b5\u03b3\u03ac\u03bb\u03b7<\/mark><\/em> (\u201cthlipsis megale\u201d a great tribulation). During the time of the Roman destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem in 70 A.D., it was just about 40 years since the time the Lord spoke his words at the Mount of Olives, including his crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension. If the Temple\u2019s destruction is what the Lord meant, then the generation he was referring to was still there to witness it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There may be other possibilities, as some translate \u1f21 \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03b5\u1f70 \u03b1\u1f55\u03c4\u03b7<\/mark><\/em> as \u201cthis race,\u201d meaning of course, the Jewish people. And they are still surviving at this time even after all the persecutions, pogroms, and even the Holocaust of WWII. This translation opens up other interpretative arcs. However, the unanimous choice of English translations based on the semantics and context is \u201cthis generation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n One thing is sure. We can take God\u2019s word as completely reliable and accurate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We will continue next week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n God bless us all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. After a 3-year pandemic pause in 2020-2022, the UPCAT was held last June 3&4 at the UP Diliman campus and other places. And Oplan UPCAT (United to Proclaim Christ As Truth), was also back! As a recognized partner of the Office of Admissions, CRL led the UP Christian Community and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[6,7,9,8,5],"class_list":["post-313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ptr-art-calaguas","tag-church-of-the-risen-lord","tag-crl","tag-spiritual-refreshment-of-the-day","tag-upcemi","tag-upcrl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/313","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=313"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/313\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":314,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/313\/revisions\/314"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=313"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=313"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=313"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}