Has Jesus Returned?, Part 2

"Christianity is a personal relationship between an individual and God, established through faith in Jesus Christ, free from the authority of organized religion, emphasizing individual responsibility and action based on New Testament teachings. Jesus' resurrection marked the initiation of the first resurrection, and believers await the second phase of this event at His return; understanding scripture involves observing, interpreting, and applying it to life."

The New Testament was originally written for the early Christian communities, like those in Rome and Corinth, as letters to address their immediate needs and understanding, meaning any interpretation today should respect that context to avoid misinterpretation. While the scriptures are alive with relevance for modern believers, studying topics like Jesus' return must consider historical context, as illustrated in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, and should include perspectives from different biblical authors such as John, Paul, and the writer of Hebrews for a comprehensive understanding.

Jesus' actions in the temple involved driving out money changers and cursing a fruitless fig tree, symbolizing His criticism of Israel's barren religious practices. He then delivered harsh rebukes to the Jewish leaders, predicting Jerusalem's desolation and warning that no stone of the temple would remain, profoundly unsettling His disciples as they contemplated His grave prophecies.

The disciples asked Jesus three interrelated questions regarding the timing of the destruction of the temple, the sign of His coming, and the end of the age, which they understood as the end of their known world rather than the literal end of the Earth. Understanding this context in Matthew 24, along with the corresponding accounts in Mark and Luke, assists believers in forming a clearer eschatological understanding and helps clarify misconceptions about the "end times" often taught by churches.

Jesus emphasized to his disciples that the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD fulfilled his prophecy, where he predicted that "all of these things will happen within this generation," signifying God's judgment. He clarified that his warning was directed at the first-century audience and not necessarily future events, challenging the notion by some believers that these prophecies apply to modern times.

The teaching explains that biblical texts often employ hyperbole and metaphor to convey messages, specifically noting the exaggerated expressions by Jewish writers to emphasize impending events like the anticipated tribulations and events around the 70 AD destruction. It advises that while some biblical phrases should be understood literally, such as events signaling the return and power of the Son of Man, others should be interpreted contextually, recognizing the intended audience and circumstances, such as the Roman Empire rather than the entire world's inhabitants.

Shawn challenges futurist interpretations by emphasizing a historical context for Jesus's teachings, suggesting that passages often interpreted as predictions of future apocalyptic events were instead referring to events leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. He highlights that terms like "nations" and "world" are more accurately understood within their Greek meanings—"ethnicities" and "the land"—and argues that biblical prophecies were meant for Jesus's contemporaries, offering them a chronological roadmap to navigate the tumultuous period before 70 AD.

Christianity is a personal and subjective relationship between the individual and God that should not be mediated or controlled by organized religious institutions, which have no authority or right to interfere with this sacred connection through doctrines or demands. Modern churches should focus solely on teaching the Word of God contextually, supporting personal faith journeys, and sharing Christ with others without imposing financial or doctrinal burdens.