The theology of the Olivet Discourse
THE THEOLOGY OF THE OLIVET DISCOURSE AND ITS MISSIONARY CONSEQUENCES
It is undoubtedly true that the Olivet Discourse should be classified as the main eschatological teaching in Jesus’ ministry. However, has an eschatological discourse any other teaching that should be important to Peruvian churches of 21st Century? Has this discourse any significance for our generation or is this speech only important for the generation who will live in the years directly leading up to the Parousia? The purpose of this chapter is to present some guidelines in order to prove that the Olivet Discourse is relevant for teaching and mission for our churches today.
Theological guidelines
There are three theological thoughts which summarize the purpose of this speech.
A. Encouragement
It is very important to see that, although the discourse is eschatological, that is not a barrier to finding positive elements in the emphasis on endurance in spite of, as Beasley-Murray says; '[the] view of the frequent habit of stressing the negative objects of the discourse'.[48] There are three main pieces of advice about endurance for the Church. Firstly, to be calm in the middle of confusion. Jesus says in v.7, after giving a warning to the Church about the coming of false teachers, that “when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be afraid (Gk. Mh qroei~sqe)[49]. Such things must happen (Gk. Dei~ gene*sqai)”. The Greek grammar shows that the verb "do not be afraid" is in imperative mood[50], which means that the expression is an order and not a request or mere advice. Jesus commands His church to avoid being frightened by all the events, which will happen such as the wars, famines, earthquakes, the fall of Jerusalem and even the coming of the "Abomination of Desolation", knowing that these could produce surprise or confusion or even despondency. However, as Beasley- Murray says:
'The exhortation in v.7, “Do not be alarmed”, would appear to refer not so much to fear for one’s safety by reason of the wars, as to fear that the wars indicate that the end is upon the world…'[51]
In other words, Jesus is encouraging his disciples to avoid the thought that the world could end at that moment, because this could put an end to their missionary work. The real danger concerning these events is the possibility of misinterpreting what was happening and giving them more attention than necessary. On this point I have to express my disagreement with Gundry, who says that Mark’s purpose was 'to exhibit the predictive power of Jesus in full flower'[52] because this would mean that Jesus himself wanted to prove his own power in front of his disciples, which I think loses the purpose of the argument of the discourse.
To conclude this point, we see that in addition to this, Jesus is calling to his disciples to consider the events above as a confirmation of his words. In one sense, the Christian church must not be confused by these events because the church knew this beforehand and also because all these troubles confirm that the testimony of Jesus was truthful. Hooker summarizes this when she writes: '…because it is part of God’s plan,'[53].
The second piece of advice which supports the idea of endurance is presented in v.11 where Jesus assures the help of the Holy Spirit to all who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel. The grammatical construction mh& promerimna~te is in the form of an imperative again: “do not worry beforehand”.[54] Hooker describes the idea clearly when she says:
'…The saying is a part of the warning about what lies ahead, and an encouragement to endure: even this experience is not one about which they need to be anxious! The verb promerimna*w…refers to anxiety about what is going to happen, and the warning is parallel to the injunction not to be alarmed in v.7.'[55]
It means that now the disciples are being warned to avoid fear when they will be brought to the authorities for the sake of their faith. This anxiety will come as a consequence of their wanting to be prepared with the correct words or because they are not sure about their own knowledge of God’s word. In such a moment the order is given to put aside anxiety and trust in Jesus’ words because, although that moment could not be pleasant, the Holy Spirit would give his assistance. Lane is clearly accurate in this point when says that 'the speaking in view is not missionary proclamation but is clearly for the purpose of defence'.[56] Verse 11 involves the issue of suffering for the sake of the gospel and this is also the meaning of following Jesus according to the way of the Cross. However, Jesus’ words do not give to his followers a means of escape from suffering, but rather enable them to have calm and confidence in the courts of the world and, at the same time, not to be filled with anxiety. Instead of fear and anxiety the Holy Spirit supplies the grounds for showing Christian boldness.[57]
Finally, the third idea that shows the purpose of encouragement of the discourse is presented by the Parousia itself. As Beasley-Murray has clearly demonstrated, 'the point, nevertheless, to which the discourse moves is not the abomination of desolation but the Parousia of the Son of Man'.[58] There is a temptation to emphasize incorrectly the purpose of the discourse by giving more importance to the appearance of the signs which will lead us to the end or even to the actions of the evil "abomination of desolation". However, the real intention of the text is to call to the followers of Jesus to hope for the coming of the Son of Man. That hope will sustain Christians undergoing persecution and strengthen them so that they may “stand firm to the end” (v.13). No true eschatological teaching has the purpose of emphasizing the role of the Evil One or even of stressing too much any kind of persecution or suffering which will come to Christian people. Instead of that, biblical teachings have always as their central point the role of Jesus (see 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-13; Revelations 13; etc.). This means that the church does not expect only that events will get worse, according to the Olivet Discourse, but that they have to fix their eyes in the consummation of all things, which is the coming of Jesus in power and glory (v.24-27), the Parousia.
In conclusion, this first theological guideline can be summarized as follows. The Olivet Discourse presents three aspects in relationship to the personal situation of the people who heard it, in order to encourage them for facing times of distress. The first one is that the believer should look at the future without fear because all those things were predicted beforehand and so also those things are a confirmation of Jesus’ words. The second one is Jesus’ assurance of the help given by the Holy Spirit in the moment of trial. The assistance of the Holy Spirit should take away all our anxiety when we are in front of human courts or when someone demands from us an answer about our faith. The final aspect is the call to keep in mind that Jesus and his Parousia are the signal of consummation of all his words and his coming is the most glorious and most longed for event in human history. Despite the many sufferings which are mentioned, His coming is the triumphant climax of the discourse.
What is the significance of this guideline for Peruvian churches? I think that it must be the same as it was for the Early Church and Jesus' disciples. It means that the church in Peru must be sure about what is involved in its faith. Jesus talked about times of distress around the world, which will increase in intensity. Wars, rumours of wars and false teachers can be a temptation to us to concentrate our attention on trying to identify when the end will come, but Jesus says: “do not be afraid”, because whatever happens will be the confirmation of God’s plan. There are many problems in Peru today such as extreme poverty, corruption, and marginalization. The calling of missionary work must be fulfilled in the middle of sufferings. Bosch holds that mission is both about proclaiming and demonstrating the Gospel.[59] Accordingly Christian mission must help to relieve hunger, help to solve family problems and to care for the sick wherever possible, even in the midst of times of distress’. Our mission cannot overlook the 'innumerable harsh realities confronting Latin America…if we understand the role of the Church as a continuation of Jesus Christ’s mission in the world'.[60]
The Church should face those problems in a relevant way. It means that the message which we will use against poverty must explain to the people that their situation of need is not a proof that the end of time has arrived. On the contrary, our words must encourage the population giving them strength. Poverty does not mean "the end" but is a characteristic of a sinful human structure. The church can respond to the poverty through sending human resources to the community and sustaining them during that time or even promoting job creation using their own members. There are many shantytowns in Peru. All of them are near cities. People who live there are looking for jobs every day but they do not have the qualifications. They need training. This could be a good response from the church. The encouragement for that people should be directed to satisfying not only their spiritual needs, which are important, but also their basic human needs.
The Church can respond to the corruption encouraging the population through setting definite ethical values in the middle of a relative thought system. We make a mistake if we think that the role of the church is only to care for souls in order to "address the people towards heaven". The role of the church and also of theologians should be illuminating relevant biblical and moral norms and challenging individuals, groups and governments to more just behaviour. The church also should build a solid pastoral teaching about the role of the state and the responsibility of being honest in places of authority.
The church can respond to marginalization by giving the respect due to brothers and sisters in Christ and giving them positions of responsibility or the right to speak whatever may be their economic position in society. The geography of Peru naturally leads to segregation. Cities in the coast have better economies than cities in the mountains or in the jungle. Even in the coast middle-class people live in middle-class areas, and worship in middle-class churches and vice versa. The rich and the poor must have reconciliation by the Gospel, which will call the rich to repentance.
However, the presence and assistance of the Holy Spirit in times of persecution and the centrality of the Parousia of Jesus Christ remind us that our work is not founded on human forces but in God. For that reason we must not forget that ultimately, our work is focussed upon spiritual needs. Accordingly our pastoral care must be rooted in theological thought[61], - then it will not lose its spiritual dimension and become merely social action.
If any Christian is brought to the authorities because of his faith, the Holy Spirit will assist him. The encouragement in times of persecution was clearly shown in the time of the war against terrorism (1980-1996 approx.). The Shining Path, which was a terrorist movement better known as Sendero, took control of many communities in the mountains in Peru. After killing the authorities, due to "their corruption", often the Shining Path would ask the people to elect new authorities. Often Protestants were elected because of their honesty.[62] Although any religious and ideological discourse was forbidden, the churches in the mountains continued their work. After Shining Path left a town or an area the army would arrive. Protestant people were arrested under suspicion of being terrorists or collaborators. The army also arrested several members of Evangelical churches[63] due to suspicion 'that they were meeting in their homes or churches to plot terrorist activities'.[64] This situation of war made many of them even more devoted to God. The assistance of the Holy Spirit was a reality to those churches which had to face trials and even death for the sake of their faith, and also it should be the certainty in our lives and in our times. This is a confirmation of Jesus' words in Mark 13.
Finally, the expectation of the Parousia should lead to Peruvian churches keeping on their work with faith. Evangelical churches in Peru are living in the middle of suffering. However what should be the force that leads them in every moment? The promise of His Parousia. Churches in the mountains lived every day with stress and instability but they knew growth as well as churches in other regions. The reason for this was the expectation of the coming of Jesus. Despite the sufferings in society, the church is called to work in this world but with their eyes on the hope of his coming. Rich and poor people try to escape from suffering by gambling or drugs or even participating in gangs, but for the Christian church there is no need to escape. We are expecting His Parousia, which will transform our sufferings to joy and our tears to laughter.
B. Warning
The discourse has not only the purpose of encouragement, but also has the purpose of warning Christians about the end of the times. There are three main warnings in the discourse, which present a symmetrical literary structure[65]:
v.5 blepete (A) Deceivers (v.5-6)
(B) War (v.7-8)
v.9 blepete (C) Persecution (v.9-13)
(B1) War (v.14-20)
v.23 blepete (A1) Deceivers (v.21-23)
However, after a careful look at the diagram it is possible to see that there exists a clear intention of warning Christians against false teachers and false doctrine, because the word blepete (English: watch, look)[66] is used twice in relationship with this issue. Also the word is used again in verse 9, but now in relationship with persecution. What is the significance of these warnings? We can divide the answer in two parts: warning against deceivers (v. 5-6; 21-23) and warning against persecution (v. 9-13).
In the first warning Jesus had an evident intention of warning his disciples against false teaching and, of course, against the deceivers who promote them. Verses 5 and 6 present an alert against the danger of thinking that the end and also the Messiah have arrived. Hooker explains this clearly when she says: 'they [the disciples] must not be led astray by false signs into thinking that the final judgement and disaster are imminent'.[67] To think that the end of the times and also the coming of the Messiah were imminent would be dangerous for people because all that would easily result in deception. It is very important to see that in v.7 Jesus talks about wars and in v.8 about earthquakes and famines, which are signs for all people without regard to their faith, for that reason it is possible to think that v.6 is referring to the same group of people. It means that the deceivers and their false teaching would deceive both Christian and non-Christian people. However, Jesus affirms clearly that those signs are only “the beginning of birth-pains”, that is they are only precursors of what is still to come.
Moreover, verse 23 is referring again to the deceivers, but now those who appear in v.21-22. They are difficult to identify because Jesus only said that they would claim to be “Christs”, whereas in fact they would be "false Christs" (Gk. Yeudocristoi). It means that some of them would come claiming to be the incarnation of the Messiah[68] but they will come accompanied by “signs and wonders”, which is a characteristic of the end times. However, the danger in this case is a bit different. These verses have a relationship with v.14-20, which deal with the coming of the Abomination of Desolation and the tribulation. It means that in this case Jesus is warning against the danger of misunderstanding the appearance of the Abomination of Desolation. Lane says about this that: 'Here the point is rather not to be deterred from flight by the claim that the Messiah was here or there.'[69] In other words, the danger is to think that the arrival of the Messiah will stop the destruction of the Temple and also all the work of the evil one, but it is a mistake because v. 21 starts with the Greek conjunction kai& to*te, which means “And then” (KJV) or “At that time” (NIV). The false teachers will try to convince the people, even the elect, that the period of suffering has finished but it will not be true because it will only bring deception[70] and also deviation.[71]
In conclusion, the warnings against the deceivers have the purpose of helping the disciples to avoid misunderstanding those difficult times when false teachers will come preaching that the end has arrived, whereas in fact these are only “the beginning of birth-pains” as we saw above. Moreover, the discourse expresses the danger inherent in the deception because many people will believe in the false prophets and they will be disappointed when they see both that the end is not coming, and that the period of tribulation is intensifying instead of finishing. A wrong concept of the end time and the activities of the deceivers are the focus of these warnings.
In the second warning (v.9-13) Jesus is addressing the problem of things that must happen to the Christians, but giving a warning to expect that the sufferings will come and not to try to escape from them. Suffering is a distinctive characteristic of the Christian life (see 3:13) and it is even possible to find a reference to that in the middle of passages which are usually considered as passages of joy (Matt. 5:10; Luk. 6:22).
Therefore Jesus expresses the certainty of the suffering of his followers. When his disciples started to preach about Jesus and his work, and perhaps even more so after Jesus’ death, it was impossible to separate suffering from their lives. 'Those who follow Jesus must be prepared to follow [him] in his sufferings.'[72]
However, it is very important to set the context of this suffering. Jesus says that the suffering is “because of him”. It means that he expects that we will suffer in relationship to our life and service to him. It is in this context, when our suffering is related to the kairo" of God, that we see a sign of the end. Only the sufferings which are a consequence of our mission as Christians should be understood as an eschatological sign of his coming.
What is the significance of this guideline for Peruvian churches? The presence of deceivers is a danger for every church. Peruvian churches must be aware of this because social, political, and economical instability produce together a fertile ground for all kinds of people who have a “new message of hope”. Some years ago two "new churches" arrived in Peru with a new message of healing and restoration. Both came from extreme charismatic movements in Brazil. Those churches are "Pentecostal Church God is Love" (Dios es Amor) led by a preacher, who lives in Brazil, called David Miranda, and "Christian Community of the Holy Spirit" (Comunidad Cristiana del Espiritu Santo), led in Peru by several Brazilian preachers.
"God is Love" practices divine healings in every service twice or three times and also they usually practice exorcisms. However, there is an unusual aspect in their practice. They deliver all their miracles, healings and deliverances "according to the generosity of the believer". It means that the "miracle" has a close relationship with the amount of money that the believer wants to give for it. According to them, the requirements of money are testing the faith of their hearers because the amount of money is the proof of the faith. On the other hand, "the Community of the Holy Spirit" has a different way of approaching. They sell "holy things" which were sanctified by the prayers of their leaders in order to deliver healings and even peace in lives and homes of their believers. They sell flowers (especially roses), oil, handkerchiefs and even seeds of trees from the Holy Land. Both churches started as small communities but now they have several small congregations. "God is Love" is focussed in poor sectors and the "Community of the Holy Spirit" works among middle-class people.
Christian believers are in danger of being deceived if they listen to all kinds of doctrines which express that the end has arrived or about new messages from God. The times of distress, which Jesus prophesied are present now and must be understood as a time of opportunity to do our mission instead of concentrating upon its end. In addition to this, there is a warning to all Christians and the Church about the suffering that will have to be endured. Jesus called his disciples to follow him and he called the church to do His mission and serve him in a similar way. This service involves unavoidable suffering. The church is called to serve her Master in the midst of suffering. The danger of being deceived will arise if the church forgets the way of the Cross and decides to listen to messages which promise a wealthy life and material things as a consequence of blessing from God. Some theologies, such as Theology of Prosperity, find fertile grounds to spread their teaching and deceive many by making false promises. Finding this kind of theology in Peru is not only dangerous to the Christian faith but is also insensitive because of the poor economic situation in which many people find themselves. Churches such as Christian Community "Living Water" (Comunidad Cristiana Agua Viva), which started as a charismatic cell in a home and reached almost four hundred cell-groups[73], is a living example of this theological trend. Evangelical Churches have also to face the pressure of the media. There is only one Christian Channel of television in Peru, which is called "Pacifico Television Canal 42". Unfortunately, this channel depends economically upon Enlace Television, which is an American broadcasting company. For that reason the majority of its programs come from American associations which are promoting American preachers well known for their links with Theology of Prosperity, such as Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and Kenneth Hagin and the Latin American Ronnie Chaves. Evangelical people in Peru are not always able to discern between right and wrong doctrine because some of their leaders do not have adequate theological training and also because this kind of doctrine is very attractive to poor sectors of population. The temptation for Peruvian churches in this case is that of trying to escape from suffering and aspire to a better economic situation. Jesus is calling his church in Peru to carry out her mission in the midst of the suffering of the people who it wants to reach but also bearing her own suffering because of Him. In this case the church must feel privileged for being part of His plan and subjects of His love.
C. Judgement[74]
There is also emphasis on the eschatological aspect of judgement in the discourse. The Olivet Discourse does not only have a purpose of encouraging and warning Christians, but also has the intention of showing us that the whole world is under divine judgement.
The idea of judgement is close to the event of Jesus’ Parousia, but in order to be more accurate it is possible to find a division in the idea of judgement in the discourse. First, there is a prelude of the Parousia (v.3-23) that is characterized by the presence of “signs” which are in the world such as wars, rumours of wars, earthquakes and famines. The discourse shows that all these signs are under the control of God. It means that this judgement has the intention of displaying the sovereignty of God. Words like “such things must happen” (v.7) clearly express that God has a purpose in doing this and that it cannot be avoided.
Second, the discourse also presents another stage of judgement which goes with the Parousia. The last act of the Parousia is called “the meeting of the chosen people” (v.27). This idea started in the Jewish traditional hope which believes that all the tribes of Israel will be reunited and also that the Jews will return to the land which was promised by God (Dt.30: 4; Is.27: 12-13; 43:5; Ez.34: 12; Zec.8: 7,8), but Jesus takes the idea and uses it with a new sense. The phrase “from the four winds” comes from Zechariah 2:6 where the centre of the message is the call that God gives to Jewish captive people in other countries to come to a special place (Zion) where He himself will be. For this reason Jesus uses the same passage in this discourse because he wants to express his divine desire of meeting together with his people in his Second Coming. The idea of a “chosen people” involves consequently an idea of a “rejected people” which is, at last, the essence of the judgement.
What is the theological significance of the judgement in the Olivet Discourse? I think that four observations may be made about this. Firstly, the history of the world had a beginning and also has an end. There exists the idea that history is an endless succession of meaningless cycles, but the Olivet Discourse presents history as a movement toward a goal –it is teleological. Secondly, the idea of judgement in the discourse reveals that all depends upon the relationship which a person has to Jesus (see v.13). The relationship with his person and his message is seen various times in the discourse (e.g. v. 6, 9, 13 and 23). Thirdly, there is no escape from his judgement as well as from his Parousia (v.24-27). Jesus will come to this world for a second time, consequently the language which describes his coming is metaphorical and expresses the shock that the world will feel because of his arrival. He will send “his angels and gather his elect from the four winds” and also it should be noted that none of those who are not of the elect will escape his rejection. Therefore, there will be a great meeting where elect people from everywhere will come. People from different races, cultures, colours, backgrounds, and economical situations will be at one worshipping Jesus. Finally, the judgement involves his triumph, which is the final act of his redemptive work in history.
What is the significance of this guideline for Peruvian churches? The idea of judgement must be a guideline in missionary work because it permits us to understand that the events, which are happening now, not only are under God’s control but also are a sign of his justice to the world. God is completely just and completely powerful and his justice cannot be ignored by a sinful world or humanist society. It gives us a sense of urgency for doing our mission because nobody will escape from him whether they are due to be rewarded or punished. In addition to this, there is present an idea of diversity, not only in the world, but also in the Church. The judgement involves a meeting of chosen people who come “from the four winds”. It means that there will be no difference because of colour or race but the diversity of humans, which is the cause of many kinds of segregation and discrimination, will be transformed by Christ into being a sign of His kingdom.
The idea of unity in diversity is very significant for Peruvian churches. It means the recognition of the value of human beings as creatures made according to the image of God, but it also means the restoration of all who were marginalized by social structures or individuals. Women will no more be oppressed by husbands who abused of them and took away their dignity. Children will receive the respect which they deserve and also the love which they need. Indian people will be considered as equals and they will not be treated as foreigners in their own land with decisions being made for them from distant places. The poor will recover their dignity as persons and will not be relegated to the bottom position. The diversity in the Church, which is the new community, is a blessing instead of a cause of separation because God unites us in our diversity and this unity enriches us in order to do our mission better.[75]
However, the judgement of God depends upon our relation to Jesus as individuals as well as churches. Jesus commanded his disciples to trust in his words and not to be afraid of the events that will come because "such things must happen" (v.7). The dependence on Jesus and his words will bring a reward in the judgement: "…but he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (v.13). It reminds us, as contemporary churches, that our work does not depend on plans, strategies or money, but to what extent we are dependent upon God and his word, which is the Bible. The church is called to maintain a close relationship with its Creator and follow his teachings. It does not mean that all our work must be spiritual and we have to forget material needs, but it means that if the people do not know Jesus our work will be unsuccessful, even if we satisfied their human requirements.
Missiological consequences
Four missiological consequences come to us as a consequence of the analysis of the theology of the Olivet Discourse.
First, the encouragement given to us by Jesus' words throughout his discourse is also a joyful assurance. It means that Jesus words permit us to know something about future events, but not for the investigation and elaboration of esoteric teachings. His words were aimed to give us confidence about the future so that his Church may know which kind of events they will have to face in all ages. Jesus also gives us the assurance of the assistance of the Holy Spirit who will help us when we need him. Therefore even though the wars, the earthquakes and the famines are humanly speaking very sad, all that is a confirmation that Jesus’ words are the truth. We believe in a truthful God.
Second, the judgement of God, which is expressed by “the meeting of the chosen people”, gives us an eschatological orientation that inspires our evangelistic task with a sense of urgency. Since we anticipate the final victory of Jesus an a final meeting with his elect, which in one sense is the establishment of his kingdom, no other duty has more importance than the one of reaching those who have not heard the gospel, but who must hear it before Jesus returns. This judgement has consequences not only for the future to all who accept or reject Jesus, but at the present the judgement is testing our love for the unbelieving world in order to see if we want to reach that people whatever be the cost.
Third, our evangelistic efforts must bring to the people the real “Good News” (Gk.Euaggelion). The discourse presents some warnings against false teachers and false teachings. The Church must check its message, according to the Scriptures, in every moment of its mission. A weak form of evangelisation makes weak Christians who will be deceived easily by any strange doctrine. Paraphrasing Padilla’s words[76], I can state that a wrong kind of evangelisation produces unevangelized evangelicals. We have to beware so as not to be creating future "deceivers".
Fourth, the Church is in the Scripture, and must be in reality an eschatological community open for all who want to follow Jesus. To be an eschatological community means that the Church has as its own characteristic diversity. “People from four winds” without distinction of race, colour or socio-economic situation will be welcome to be part of this community. The view we hold of the Church must be the view which God holds: an inclusive[77] view of all kinds of people around the whole world. Therefore, the Church has not only the duty of reaching people but also has the duty of reaching people that are “different” in all senses.
What should be the specific results of these Missiological consequences and what will they mean in practical terms for Peruvian Evangelical Churches today? I think that three practical issues are addressed by this discourse to our mission today.
Theological Education should be directed toward a different way of mission, which will prepare the future leaders in order to face the challenges of the society. Those new leaders should be prepared for facing doctrines of deceivers but also for encouraging the church in times of distress and warning them against misunderstandings, which could only stop their missionary work. However, the new leaders must receive a correct view of "missionary work", which not only involves a spiritual side (soul, holiness, etc.), but also involves work toward satisfaction of human needs such as health, job, family counselling, etc.[78]
It is also necessary to check our Ecclesiological structures in order to adapt them to our objectives. To check the structures does not mean to forget that we need to respect the authorities but it means to create the appropriate ways in order to make decisions more easily. In other words, the structure should respond to our needs but not the other way round. The ways in which the church can respond to the needs of its community, which has to be encouraged in their sufferings, must be promoted by a flexible structure.[79]
And the last consequence has relationship to our way of speaking about Eschatology. Eschatology should not involve the idea of "end" alone, but this concept should contain also the idea of a new beginning when all things will change as consequence of Jesus coming, for which the Church is the visible sign of a new community where all will be one despite our diversity.[80]
[48] Beasley-Murray, George R. Jesus and the Last Days: The Interpretation of the Olivet Discourse, Hendrickson Publishers, Massachusetts, 1993, p.367.
[49] From verb qroe*o. This verb appears in Mark’s Gospel only once, however in the N.T. it appears only in passive meaning: be disturbed, be frightened. See Bratcher, Robert G. & Nida, Eugene A. A Translator’s Handbook on the Gospel of Mark, United Bible Societies, London, 1961.
[50] There are also several imperatives in the discourse, which express a didactic purpose. See v. 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21, 23, 28, 29, 33, 35, and 37.
[51] Beasley-Murray, George R. Op. cit. p.396.
[52] Gundry, Robert H. Mark: A Commentary on His apology for the Cross, Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1993, p.738.
[53] Hooker, Morna. The Gospel According to St. Mark, A&C Black, London, 1993, p.306.
[54] Due to this word being unknown before Mark’ Gospel, there is a big discussion about its origin. Further information in Taylor, Vincent. The Gospel According to St. Mark, Mac Millan & Co. Ltd., London, 1952, p.508-509. Also see Mann, C.S. Mark: A new translation with introduction and commentary, The Anchor Bible, Doubleday, New York, 1986, p.518.
[55] Hooker, Morna. Op. cit. p.312.
[56] Lane, William L. Op. cit. p.463.
[57] Ibid.
[58] Beasley-Murray, George R. Op. cit. p.368.
[59] Bosch, David J. Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission, Orbis Books, New York, 1991, p. 418.
[60] Consuelo Ruiz, Brenda. “Missiological Priorities for the Church in Latin America Today: A layperson’s reflections on Canberra” In International Review of Mission, Vol. LXXX, No. 319/320. July-October 1991, p.398.
[61] Peterson, D. “Christian Relief and Development Agencies in the Twenty-first century” In Transformation, Vol. 13, No.4, Oct.-Dec., 1996, p.6.
[62] See Paredes, Tito. "Peruvian Protestant Missionaries and the struggle for human rights 1980-1993" In Transformation, Vol.13, No.1, January/March 1996, p.4.
[63] Ibid, p.6.
[64] Ibid, p.4
[65] Marshall, Christopher D. Faith as a theme in Mark’s narrative, Cambridge University Press, Great Britain, 1994, p.146.
[66] blepw is sometimes used by way of warning "to take heed against" an object. See Vine, W.E. Expository Dictionary of Bible Words, Vol. I (A-D), Oliphants Ltd., London, 1948, p. 124.
[67] Hooker, Morna D. Op. cit. p.396.
[68] Ibid. p.315.
[69] Lane, William L. Op.cit. p.472.
[70] Gundry, Robert H. Op. cit. p.743-744
[71] Beasley-Murray, George R. Op. cit. p.393.
[72] Williams, Joel F. “Mission in Mark” In Mission in the New Testament – Chapter 8, William J. Larkin Jr. and Joel F. Williams (Editors), Orbis Books, New York, 1998, p.145.
[73] The name "cell-groups" is used here for describing the strategy of evangelisation used by many churches in Peru, which means to have meetings of fellowship in different homes and also having biblical studies. However, the Church keeps the power of decision and is also the main group of believers.
[74] This theological issue has not been dealt with by modern commentators such as Beasley-Murray, “Jesus and the Last Days” (1993); Lane, “The Gospel of Mark” (1974), Gundry, “Mark: A Commentary on his apology for the Cross” (1993), Cranfield, “The Gospel According to St. Mark” (1974) and Morrison, “A Practical Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Mark (1892). However, the author considers that this issue is relevant for the purposes of this investigation, which is to approach this passage from a missiological perspective and also to offer a contribution to the Church in contemporary Peru
[75] Further comments and practical suggestions are dealt with in Chapter 5.
[76] Padilla, C. Rene. “The Future of Christianity in Latin America: Missiological Perspectives and Challenges” In International Bulletin of Missionary Research, Vol.23, No.3, July 1999, p.110.
[77] See Senior, Donald CP. and Stuhlmueller, Carroll CP. The Biblical Foundations for Mission, Orbis Books, New York, 1995, p.152.
[78]Further comments and practical suggestions are dealt with in Chapter 5.
[79] See Chapter 5, "Teaching".
[80] See Chapter 5, "Teaching".
It is undoubtedly true that the Olivet Discourse should be classified as the main eschatological teaching in Jesus’ ministry. However, has an eschatological discourse any other teaching that should be important to Peruvian churches of 21st Century? Has this discourse any significance for our generation or is this speech only important for the generation who will live in the years directly leading up to the Parousia? The purpose of this chapter is to present some guidelines in order to prove that the Olivet Discourse is relevant for teaching and mission for our churches today.
Theological guidelines
There are three theological thoughts which summarize the purpose of this speech.
A. Encouragement
It is very important to see that, although the discourse is eschatological, that is not a barrier to finding positive elements in the emphasis on endurance in spite of, as Beasley-Murray says; '[the] view of the frequent habit of stressing the negative objects of the discourse'.[48] There are three main pieces of advice about endurance for the Church. Firstly, to be calm in the middle of confusion. Jesus says in v.7, after giving a warning to the Church about the coming of false teachers, that “when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be afraid (Gk. Mh qroei~sqe)[49]. Such things must happen (Gk. Dei~ gene*sqai)”. The Greek grammar shows that the verb "do not be afraid" is in imperative mood[50], which means that the expression is an order and not a request or mere advice. Jesus commands His church to avoid being frightened by all the events, which will happen such as the wars, famines, earthquakes, the fall of Jerusalem and even the coming of the "Abomination of Desolation", knowing that these could produce surprise or confusion or even despondency. However, as Beasley- Murray says:
'The exhortation in v.7, “Do not be alarmed”, would appear to refer not so much to fear for one’s safety by reason of the wars, as to fear that the wars indicate that the end is upon the world…'[51]
In other words, Jesus is encouraging his disciples to avoid the thought that the world could end at that moment, because this could put an end to their missionary work. The real danger concerning these events is the possibility of misinterpreting what was happening and giving them more attention than necessary. On this point I have to express my disagreement with Gundry, who says that Mark’s purpose was 'to exhibit the predictive power of Jesus in full flower'[52] because this would mean that Jesus himself wanted to prove his own power in front of his disciples, which I think loses the purpose of the argument of the discourse.
To conclude this point, we see that in addition to this, Jesus is calling to his disciples to consider the events above as a confirmation of his words. In one sense, the Christian church must not be confused by these events because the church knew this beforehand and also because all these troubles confirm that the testimony of Jesus was truthful. Hooker summarizes this when she writes: '…because it is part of God’s plan,'[53].
The second piece of advice which supports the idea of endurance is presented in v.11 where Jesus assures the help of the Holy Spirit to all who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel. The grammatical construction mh& promerimna~te is in the form of an imperative again: “do not worry beforehand”.[54] Hooker describes the idea clearly when she says:
'…The saying is a part of the warning about what lies ahead, and an encouragement to endure: even this experience is not one about which they need to be anxious! The verb promerimna*w…refers to anxiety about what is going to happen, and the warning is parallel to the injunction not to be alarmed in v.7.'[55]
It means that now the disciples are being warned to avoid fear when they will be brought to the authorities for the sake of their faith. This anxiety will come as a consequence of their wanting to be prepared with the correct words or because they are not sure about their own knowledge of God’s word. In such a moment the order is given to put aside anxiety and trust in Jesus’ words because, although that moment could not be pleasant, the Holy Spirit would give his assistance. Lane is clearly accurate in this point when says that 'the speaking in view is not missionary proclamation but is clearly for the purpose of defence'.[56] Verse 11 involves the issue of suffering for the sake of the gospel and this is also the meaning of following Jesus according to the way of the Cross. However, Jesus’ words do not give to his followers a means of escape from suffering, but rather enable them to have calm and confidence in the courts of the world and, at the same time, not to be filled with anxiety. Instead of fear and anxiety the Holy Spirit supplies the grounds for showing Christian boldness.[57]
Finally, the third idea that shows the purpose of encouragement of the discourse is presented by the Parousia itself. As Beasley-Murray has clearly demonstrated, 'the point, nevertheless, to which the discourse moves is not the abomination of desolation but the Parousia of the Son of Man'.[58] There is a temptation to emphasize incorrectly the purpose of the discourse by giving more importance to the appearance of the signs which will lead us to the end or even to the actions of the evil "abomination of desolation". However, the real intention of the text is to call to the followers of Jesus to hope for the coming of the Son of Man. That hope will sustain Christians undergoing persecution and strengthen them so that they may “stand firm to the end” (v.13). No true eschatological teaching has the purpose of emphasizing the role of the Evil One or even of stressing too much any kind of persecution or suffering which will come to Christian people. Instead of that, biblical teachings have always as their central point the role of Jesus (see 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-13; Revelations 13; etc.). This means that the church does not expect only that events will get worse, according to the Olivet Discourse, but that they have to fix their eyes in the consummation of all things, which is the coming of Jesus in power and glory (v.24-27), the Parousia.
In conclusion, this first theological guideline can be summarized as follows. The Olivet Discourse presents three aspects in relationship to the personal situation of the people who heard it, in order to encourage them for facing times of distress. The first one is that the believer should look at the future without fear because all those things were predicted beforehand and so also those things are a confirmation of Jesus’ words. The second one is Jesus’ assurance of the help given by the Holy Spirit in the moment of trial. The assistance of the Holy Spirit should take away all our anxiety when we are in front of human courts or when someone demands from us an answer about our faith. The final aspect is the call to keep in mind that Jesus and his Parousia are the signal of consummation of all his words and his coming is the most glorious and most longed for event in human history. Despite the many sufferings which are mentioned, His coming is the triumphant climax of the discourse.
What is the significance of this guideline for Peruvian churches? I think that it must be the same as it was for the Early Church and Jesus' disciples. It means that the church in Peru must be sure about what is involved in its faith. Jesus talked about times of distress around the world, which will increase in intensity. Wars, rumours of wars and false teachers can be a temptation to us to concentrate our attention on trying to identify when the end will come, but Jesus says: “do not be afraid”, because whatever happens will be the confirmation of God’s plan. There are many problems in Peru today such as extreme poverty, corruption, and marginalization. The calling of missionary work must be fulfilled in the middle of sufferings. Bosch holds that mission is both about proclaiming and demonstrating the Gospel.[59] Accordingly Christian mission must help to relieve hunger, help to solve family problems and to care for the sick wherever possible, even in the midst of times of distress’. Our mission cannot overlook the 'innumerable harsh realities confronting Latin America…if we understand the role of the Church as a continuation of Jesus Christ’s mission in the world'.[60]
The Church should face those problems in a relevant way. It means that the message which we will use against poverty must explain to the people that their situation of need is not a proof that the end of time has arrived. On the contrary, our words must encourage the population giving them strength. Poverty does not mean "the end" but is a characteristic of a sinful human structure. The church can respond to the poverty through sending human resources to the community and sustaining them during that time or even promoting job creation using their own members. There are many shantytowns in Peru. All of them are near cities. People who live there are looking for jobs every day but they do not have the qualifications. They need training. This could be a good response from the church. The encouragement for that people should be directed to satisfying not only their spiritual needs, which are important, but also their basic human needs.
The Church can respond to the corruption encouraging the population through setting definite ethical values in the middle of a relative thought system. We make a mistake if we think that the role of the church is only to care for souls in order to "address the people towards heaven". The role of the church and also of theologians should be illuminating relevant biblical and moral norms and challenging individuals, groups and governments to more just behaviour. The church also should build a solid pastoral teaching about the role of the state and the responsibility of being honest in places of authority.
The church can respond to marginalization by giving the respect due to brothers and sisters in Christ and giving them positions of responsibility or the right to speak whatever may be their economic position in society. The geography of Peru naturally leads to segregation. Cities in the coast have better economies than cities in the mountains or in the jungle. Even in the coast middle-class people live in middle-class areas, and worship in middle-class churches and vice versa. The rich and the poor must have reconciliation by the Gospel, which will call the rich to repentance.
However, the presence and assistance of the Holy Spirit in times of persecution and the centrality of the Parousia of Jesus Christ remind us that our work is not founded on human forces but in God. For that reason we must not forget that ultimately, our work is focussed upon spiritual needs. Accordingly our pastoral care must be rooted in theological thought[61], - then it will not lose its spiritual dimension and become merely social action.
If any Christian is brought to the authorities because of his faith, the Holy Spirit will assist him. The encouragement in times of persecution was clearly shown in the time of the war against terrorism (1980-1996 approx.). The Shining Path, which was a terrorist movement better known as Sendero, took control of many communities in the mountains in Peru. After killing the authorities, due to "their corruption", often the Shining Path would ask the people to elect new authorities. Often Protestants were elected because of their honesty.[62] Although any religious and ideological discourse was forbidden, the churches in the mountains continued their work. After Shining Path left a town or an area the army would arrive. Protestant people were arrested under suspicion of being terrorists or collaborators. The army also arrested several members of Evangelical churches[63] due to suspicion 'that they were meeting in their homes or churches to plot terrorist activities'.[64] This situation of war made many of them even more devoted to God. The assistance of the Holy Spirit was a reality to those churches which had to face trials and even death for the sake of their faith, and also it should be the certainty in our lives and in our times. This is a confirmation of Jesus' words in Mark 13.
Finally, the expectation of the Parousia should lead to Peruvian churches keeping on their work with faith. Evangelical churches in Peru are living in the middle of suffering. However what should be the force that leads them in every moment? The promise of His Parousia. Churches in the mountains lived every day with stress and instability but they knew growth as well as churches in other regions. The reason for this was the expectation of the coming of Jesus. Despite the sufferings in society, the church is called to work in this world but with their eyes on the hope of his coming. Rich and poor people try to escape from suffering by gambling or drugs or even participating in gangs, but for the Christian church there is no need to escape. We are expecting His Parousia, which will transform our sufferings to joy and our tears to laughter.
B. Warning
The discourse has not only the purpose of encouragement, but also has the purpose of warning Christians about the end of the times. There are three main warnings in the discourse, which present a symmetrical literary structure[65]:
v.5 blepete (A) Deceivers (v.5-6)
(B) War (v.7-8)
v.9 blepete (C) Persecution (v.9-13)
(B1) War (v.14-20)
v.23 blepete (A1) Deceivers (v.21-23)
However, after a careful look at the diagram it is possible to see that there exists a clear intention of warning Christians against false teachers and false doctrine, because the word blepete (English: watch, look)[66] is used twice in relationship with this issue. Also the word is used again in verse 9, but now in relationship with persecution. What is the significance of these warnings? We can divide the answer in two parts: warning against deceivers (v. 5-6; 21-23) and warning against persecution (v. 9-13).
In the first warning Jesus had an evident intention of warning his disciples against false teaching and, of course, against the deceivers who promote them. Verses 5 and 6 present an alert against the danger of thinking that the end and also the Messiah have arrived. Hooker explains this clearly when she says: 'they [the disciples] must not be led astray by false signs into thinking that the final judgement and disaster are imminent'.[67] To think that the end of the times and also the coming of the Messiah were imminent would be dangerous for people because all that would easily result in deception. It is very important to see that in v.7 Jesus talks about wars and in v.8 about earthquakes and famines, which are signs for all people without regard to their faith, for that reason it is possible to think that v.6 is referring to the same group of people. It means that the deceivers and their false teaching would deceive both Christian and non-Christian people. However, Jesus affirms clearly that those signs are only “the beginning of birth-pains”, that is they are only precursors of what is still to come.
Moreover, verse 23 is referring again to the deceivers, but now those who appear in v.21-22. They are difficult to identify because Jesus only said that they would claim to be “Christs”, whereas in fact they would be "false Christs" (Gk. Yeudocristoi). It means that some of them would come claiming to be the incarnation of the Messiah[68] but they will come accompanied by “signs and wonders”, which is a characteristic of the end times. However, the danger in this case is a bit different. These verses have a relationship with v.14-20, which deal with the coming of the Abomination of Desolation and the tribulation. It means that in this case Jesus is warning against the danger of misunderstanding the appearance of the Abomination of Desolation. Lane says about this that: 'Here the point is rather not to be deterred from flight by the claim that the Messiah was here or there.'[69] In other words, the danger is to think that the arrival of the Messiah will stop the destruction of the Temple and also all the work of the evil one, but it is a mistake because v. 21 starts with the Greek conjunction kai& to*te, which means “And then” (KJV) or “At that time” (NIV). The false teachers will try to convince the people, even the elect, that the period of suffering has finished but it will not be true because it will only bring deception[70] and also deviation.[71]
In conclusion, the warnings against the deceivers have the purpose of helping the disciples to avoid misunderstanding those difficult times when false teachers will come preaching that the end has arrived, whereas in fact these are only “the beginning of birth-pains” as we saw above. Moreover, the discourse expresses the danger inherent in the deception because many people will believe in the false prophets and they will be disappointed when they see both that the end is not coming, and that the period of tribulation is intensifying instead of finishing. A wrong concept of the end time and the activities of the deceivers are the focus of these warnings.
In the second warning (v.9-13) Jesus is addressing the problem of things that must happen to the Christians, but giving a warning to expect that the sufferings will come and not to try to escape from them. Suffering is a distinctive characteristic of the Christian life (see 3:13) and it is even possible to find a reference to that in the middle of passages which are usually considered as passages of joy (Matt. 5:10; Luk. 6:22).
Therefore Jesus expresses the certainty of the suffering of his followers. When his disciples started to preach about Jesus and his work, and perhaps even more so after Jesus’ death, it was impossible to separate suffering from their lives. 'Those who follow Jesus must be prepared to follow [him] in his sufferings.'[72]
However, it is very important to set the context of this suffering. Jesus says that the suffering is “because of him”. It means that he expects that we will suffer in relationship to our life and service to him. It is in this context, when our suffering is related to the kairo" of God, that we see a sign of the end. Only the sufferings which are a consequence of our mission as Christians should be understood as an eschatological sign of his coming.
What is the significance of this guideline for Peruvian churches? The presence of deceivers is a danger for every church. Peruvian churches must be aware of this because social, political, and economical instability produce together a fertile ground for all kinds of people who have a “new message of hope”. Some years ago two "new churches" arrived in Peru with a new message of healing and restoration. Both came from extreme charismatic movements in Brazil. Those churches are "Pentecostal Church God is Love" (Dios es Amor) led by a preacher, who lives in Brazil, called David Miranda, and "Christian Community of the Holy Spirit" (Comunidad Cristiana del Espiritu Santo), led in Peru by several Brazilian preachers.
"God is Love" practices divine healings in every service twice or three times and also they usually practice exorcisms. However, there is an unusual aspect in their practice. They deliver all their miracles, healings and deliverances "according to the generosity of the believer". It means that the "miracle" has a close relationship with the amount of money that the believer wants to give for it. According to them, the requirements of money are testing the faith of their hearers because the amount of money is the proof of the faith. On the other hand, "the Community of the Holy Spirit" has a different way of approaching. They sell "holy things" which were sanctified by the prayers of their leaders in order to deliver healings and even peace in lives and homes of their believers. They sell flowers (especially roses), oil, handkerchiefs and even seeds of trees from the Holy Land. Both churches started as small communities but now they have several small congregations. "God is Love" is focussed in poor sectors and the "Community of the Holy Spirit" works among middle-class people.
Christian believers are in danger of being deceived if they listen to all kinds of doctrines which express that the end has arrived or about new messages from God. The times of distress, which Jesus prophesied are present now and must be understood as a time of opportunity to do our mission instead of concentrating upon its end. In addition to this, there is a warning to all Christians and the Church about the suffering that will have to be endured. Jesus called his disciples to follow him and he called the church to do His mission and serve him in a similar way. This service involves unavoidable suffering. The church is called to serve her Master in the midst of suffering. The danger of being deceived will arise if the church forgets the way of the Cross and decides to listen to messages which promise a wealthy life and material things as a consequence of blessing from God. Some theologies, such as Theology of Prosperity, find fertile grounds to spread their teaching and deceive many by making false promises. Finding this kind of theology in Peru is not only dangerous to the Christian faith but is also insensitive because of the poor economic situation in which many people find themselves. Churches such as Christian Community "Living Water" (Comunidad Cristiana Agua Viva), which started as a charismatic cell in a home and reached almost four hundred cell-groups[73], is a living example of this theological trend. Evangelical Churches have also to face the pressure of the media. There is only one Christian Channel of television in Peru, which is called "Pacifico Television Canal 42". Unfortunately, this channel depends economically upon Enlace Television, which is an American broadcasting company. For that reason the majority of its programs come from American associations which are promoting American preachers well known for their links with Theology of Prosperity, such as Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and Kenneth Hagin and the Latin American Ronnie Chaves. Evangelical people in Peru are not always able to discern between right and wrong doctrine because some of their leaders do not have adequate theological training and also because this kind of doctrine is very attractive to poor sectors of population. The temptation for Peruvian churches in this case is that of trying to escape from suffering and aspire to a better economic situation. Jesus is calling his church in Peru to carry out her mission in the midst of the suffering of the people who it wants to reach but also bearing her own suffering because of Him. In this case the church must feel privileged for being part of His plan and subjects of His love.
C. Judgement[74]
There is also emphasis on the eschatological aspect of judgement in the discourse. The Olivet Discourse does not only have a purpose of encouraging and warning Christians, but also has the intention of showing us that the whole world is under divine judgement.
The idea of judgement is close to the event of Jesus’ Parousia, but in order to be more accurate it is possible to find a division in the idea of judgement in the discourse. First, there is a prelude of the Parousia (v.3-23) that is characterized by the presence of “signs” which are in the world such as wars, rumours of wars, earthquakes and famines. The discourse shows that all these signs are under the control of God. It means that this judgement has the intention of displaying the sovereignty of God. Words like “such things must happen” (v.7) clearly express that God has a purpose in doing this and that it cannot be avoided.
Second, the discourse also presents another stage of judgement which goes with the Parousia. The last act of the Parousia is called “the meeting of the chosen people” (v.27). This idea started in the Jewish traditional hope which believes that all the tribes of Israel will be reunited and also that the Jews will return to the land which was promised by God (Dt.30: 4; Is.27: 12-13; 43:5; Ez.34: 12; Zec.8: 7,8), but Jesus takes the idea and uses it with a new sense. The phrase “from the four winds” comes from Zechariah 2:6 where the centre of the message is the call that God gives to Jewish captive people in other countries to come to a special place (Zion) where He himself will be. For this reason Jesus uses the same passage in this discourse because he wants to express his divine desire of meeting together with his people in his Second Coming. The idea of a “chosen people” involves consequently an idea of a “rejected people” which is, at last, the essence of the judgement.
What is the theological significance of the judgement in the Olivet Discourse? I think that four observations may be made about this. Firstly, the history of the world had a beginning and also has an end. There exists the idea that history is an endless succession of meaningless cycles, but the Olivet Discourse presents history as a movement toward a goal –it is teleological. Secondly, the idea of judgement in the discourse reveals that all depends upon the relationship which a person has to Jesus (see v.13). The relationship with his person and his message is seen various times in the discourse (e.g. v. 6, 9, 13 and 23). Thirdly, there is no escape from his judgement as well as from his Parousia (v.24-27). Jesus will come to this world for a second time, consequently the language which describes his coming is metaphorical and expresses the shock that the world will feel because of his arrival. He will send “his angels and gather his elect from the four winds” and also it should be noted that none of those who are not of the elect will escape his rejection. Therefore, there will be a great meeting where elect people from everywhere will come. People from different races, cultures, colours, backgrounds, and economical situations will be at one worshipping Jesus. Finally, the judgement involves his triumph, which is the final act of his redemptive work in history.
What is the significance of this guideline for Peruvian churches? The idea of judgement must be a guideline in missionary work because it permits us to understand that the events, which are happening now, not only are under God’s control but also are a sign of his justice to the world. God is completely just and completely powerful and his justice cannot be ignored by a sinful world or humanist society. It gives us a sense of urgency for doing our mission because nobody will escape from him whether they are due to be rewarded or punished. In addition to this, there is present an idea of diversity, not only in the world, but also in the Church. The judgement involves a meeting of chosen people who come “from the four winds”. It means that there will be no difference because of colour or race but the diversity of humans, which is the cause of many kinds of segregation and discrimination, will be transformed by Christ into being a sign of His kingdom.
The idea of unity in diversity is very significant for Peruvian churches. It means the recognition of the value of human beings as creatures made according to the image of God, but it also means the restoration of all who were marginalized by social structures or individuals. Women will no more be oppressed by husbands who abused of them and took away their dignity. Children will receive the respect which they deserve and also the love which they need. Indian people will be considered as equals and they will not be treated as foreigners in their own land with decisions being made for them from distant places. The poor will recover their dignity as persons and will not be relegated to the bottom position. The diversity in the Church, which is the new community, is a blessing instead of a cause of separation because God unites us in our diversity and this unity enriches us in order to do our mission better.[75]
However, the judgement of God depends upon our relation to Jesus as individuals as well as churches. Jesus commanded his disciples to trust in his words and not to be afraid of the events that will come because "such things must happen" (v.7). The dependence on Jesus and his words will bring a reward in the judgement: "…but he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (v.13). It reminds us, as contemporary churches, that our work does not depend on plans, strategies or money, but to what extent we are dependent upon God and his word, which is the Bible. The church is called to maintain a close relationship with its Creator and follow his teachings. It does not mean that all our work must be spiritual and we have to forget material needs, but it means that if the people do not know Jesus our work will be unsuccessful, even if we satisfied their human requirements.
Missiological consequences
Four missiological consequences come to us as a consequence of the analysis of the theology of the Olivet Discourse.
First, the encouragement given to us by Jesus' words throughout his discourse is also a joyful assurance. It means that Jesus words permit us to know something about future events, but not for the investigation and elaboration of esoteric teachings. His words were aimed to give us confidence about the future so that his Church may know which kind of events they will have to face in all ages. Jesus also gives us the assurance of the assistance of the Holy Spirit who will help us when we need him. Therefore even though the wars, the earthquakes and the famines are humanly speaking very sad, all that is a confirmation that Jesus’ words are the truth. We believe in a truthful God.
Second, the judgement of God, which is expressed by “the meeting of the chosen people”, gives us an eschatological orientation that inspires our evangelistic task with a sense of urgency. Since we anticipate the final victory of Jesus an a final meeting with his elect, which in one sense is the establishment of his kingdom, no other duty has more importance than the one of reaching those who have not heard the gospel, but who must hear it before Jesus returns. This judgement has consequences not only for the future to all who accept or reject Jesus, but at the present the judgement is testing our love for the unbelieving world in order to see if we want to reach that people whatever be the cost.
Third, our evangelistic efforts must bring to the people the real “Good News” (Gk.Euaggelion). The discourse presents some warnings against false teachers and false teachings. The Church must check its message, according to the Scriptures, in every moment of its mission. A weak form of evangelisation makes weak Christians who will be deceived easily by any strange doctrine. Paraphrasing Padilla’s words[76], I can state that a wrong kind of evangelisation produces unevangelized evangelicals. We have to beware so as not to be creating future "deceivers".
Fourth, the Church is in the Scripture, and must be in reality an eschatological community open for all who want to follow Jesus. To be an eschatological community means that the Church has as its own characteristic diversity. “People from four winds” without distinction of race, colour or socio-economic situation will be welcome to be part of this community. The view we hold of the Church must be the view which God holds: an inclusive[77] view of all kinds of people around the whole world. Therefore, the Church has not only the duty of reaching people but also has the duty of reaching people that are “different” in all senses.
What should be the specific results of these Missiological consequences and what will they mean in practical terms for Peruvian Evangelical Churches today? I think that three practical issues are addressed by this discourse to our mission today.
Theological Education should be directed toward a different way of mission, which will prepare the future leaders in order to face the challenges of the society. Those new leaders should be prepared for facing doctrines of deceivers but also for encouraging the church in times of distress and warning them against misunderstandings, which could only stop their missionary work. However, the new leaders must receive a correct view of "missionary work", which not only involves a spiritual side (soul, holiness, etc.), but also involves work toward satisfaction of human needs such as health, job, family counselling, etc.[78]
It is also necessary to check our Ecclesiological structures in order to adapt them to our objectives. To check the structures does not mean to forget that we need to respect the authorities but it means to create the appropriate ways in order to make decisions more easily. In other words, the structure should respond to our needs but not the other way round. The ways in which the church can respond to the needs of its community, which has to be encouraged in their sufferings, must be promoted by a flexible structure.[79]
And the last consequence has relationship to our way of speaking about Eschatology. Eschatology should not involve the idea of "end" alone, but this concept should contain also the idea of a new beginning when all things will change as consequence of Jesus coming, for which the Church is the visible sign of a new community where all will be one despite our diversity.[80]
[48] Beasley-Murray, George R. Jesus and the Last Days: The Interpretation of the Olivet Discourse, Hendrickson Publishers, Massachusetts, 1993, p.367.
[49] From verb qroe*o. This verb appears in Mark’s Gospel only once, however in the N.T. it appears only in passive meaning: be disturbed, be frightened. See Bratcher, Robert G. & Nida, Eugene A. A Translator’s Handbook on the Gospel of Mark, United Bible Societies, London, 1961.
[50] There are also several imperatives in the discourse, which express a didactic purpose. See v. 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21, 23, 28, 29, 33, 35, and 37.
[51] Beasley-Murray, George R. Op. cit. p.396.
[52] Gundry, Robert H. Mark: A Commentary on His apology for the Cross, Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1993, p.738.
[53] Hooker, Morna. The Gospel According to St. Mark, A&C Black, London, 1993, p.306.
[54] Due to this word being unknown before Mark’ Gospel, there is a big discussion about its origin. Further information in Taylor, Vincent. The Gospel According to St. Mark, Mac Millan & Co. Ltd., London, 1952, p.508-509. Also see Mann, C.S. Mark: A new translation with introduction and commentary, The Anchor Bible, Doubleday, New York, 1986, p.518.
[55] Hooker, Morna. Op. cit. p.312.
[56] Lane, William L. Op. cit. p.463.
[57] Ibid.
[58] Beasley-Murray, George R. Op. cit. p.368.
[59] Bosch, David J. Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission, Orbis Books, New York, 1991, p. 418.
[60] Consuelo Ruiz, Brenda. “Missiological Priorities for the Church in Latin America Today: A layperson’s reflections on Canberra” In International Review of Mission, Vol. LXXX, No. 319/320. July-October 1991, p.398.
[61] Peterson, D. “Christian Relief and Development Agencies in the Twenty-first century” In Transformation, Vol. 13, No.4, Oct.-Dec., 1996, p.6.
[62] See Paredes, Tito. "Peruvian Protestant Missionaries and the struggle for human rights 1980-1993" In Transformation, Vol.13, No.1, January/March 1996, p.4.
[63] Ibid, p.6.
[64] Ibid, p.4
[65] Marshall, Christopher D. Faith as a theme in Mark’s narrative, Cambridge University Press, Great Britain, 1994, p.146.
[66] blepw is sometimes used by way of warning "to take heed against" an object. See Vine, W.E. Expository Dictionary of Bible Words, Vol. I (A-D), Oliphants Ltd., London, 1948, p. 124.
[67] Hooker, Morna D. Op. cit. p.396.
[68] Ibid. p.315.
[69] Lane, William L. Op.cit. p.472.
[70] Gundry, Robert H. Op. cit. p.743-744
[71] Beasley-Murray, George R. Op. cit. p.393.
[72] Williams, Joel F. “Mission in Mark” In Mission in the New Testament – Chapter 8, William J. Larkin Jr. and Joel F. Williams (Editors), Orbis Books, New York, 1998, p.145.
[73] The name "cell-groups" is used here for describing the strategy of evangelisation used by many churches in Peru, which means to have meetings of fellowship in different homes and also having biblical studies. However, the Church keeps the power of decision and is also the main group of believers.
[74] This theological issue has not been dealt with by modern commentators such as Beasley-Murray, “Jesus and the Last Days” (1993); Lane, “The Gospel of Mark” (1974), Gundry, “Mark: A Commentary on his apology for the Cross” (1993), Cranfield, “The Gospel According to St. Mark” (1974) and Morrison, “A Practical Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Mark (1892). However, the author considers that this issue is relevant for the purposes of this investigation, which is to approach this passage from a missiological perspective and also to offer a contribution to the Church in contemporary Peru
[75] Further comments and practical suggestions are dealt with in Chapter 5.
[76] Padilla, C. Rene. “The Future of Christianity in Latin America: Missiological Perspectives and Challenges” In International Bulletin of Missionary Research, Vol.23, No.3, July 1999, p.110.
[77] See Senior, Donald CP. and Stuhlmueller, Carroll CP. The Biblical Foundations for Mission, Orbis Books, New York, 1995, p.152.
[78]Further comments and practical suggestions are dealt with in Chapter 5.
[79] See Chapter 5, "Teaching".
[80] See Chapter 5, "Teaching".
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