This article discusses a more in depth look at the various features of Matthew 24, including the timing elements of Matthew 24:29, “Immediately”.
In studying this chapter, it has long been assumed that Matthew 24:29 inexorably tied the Great Tribulation to the Second coming events. A further analysis (above) of the word Eutheos in the verse reveals that the time element is not necessarily implied in the text, and that all three gospel accounts of the Olivet Discourse only indicate sequence, not timing of the elements invovled.
Further, this clarifies what has oft been either misunderstood, or misconstrued as a “contradiction” or a failure in Christ’s prophecy, that all the things He was describing happened within His generation.
Simply put, the disciples were asking two questions, when the then visible buildings would be destroyed, and, second, when His second coming would be. Jesus first describes both of these events, first the one using the phrase “these things” describing these buildings being destroyed. He also talks about “that day”, being His second coming.
After describing both events, He then relates their timing. Of the first, He again uses the phrase “these things”, indicating their primary inquiry, the destruction of the buildings. Of “these things”, He says they will happen within that generation. Then, He says of His second coming, “Of that day”, His second coming, no one knows, not even the Son, but only the Father.
Other questions about the Son not knowing the hour aside, we see Jesus describe both the events, and their timing. In Luke, we also see that Jesus interposed the “time of the Gentiles” in between these two events.
Since, we know that they were talking about “these things”, referring to the then visible buildings, we know for sure that the things He was describing must describe the 70AD destruction of Jerusalem, because they were talking about the then standing buildings.
It should come as no surprise then, that “All these things”, refers not to every verse preceding, but only “these things”, in answer to the disciple’s questions, “When will these things happen?”, again, in reference to the temple’s destruction. The “All these things” refers only the “these things” only to the things in current focus, the things Jesus had been talking about all along, and not the little aside He had mentioned concerning His second coming. After describing the both, and relating both their timing, Jesus then continues with His discussion of the Second coming events for the rest of the chapter.
This is not an misuse of the text, because this had been the main topic of conversation for both Jesus and the disciples. They had been observing and talking about primarily the temple buildings then in view, and it should be in the context of the conversation that since the timing of the one is given, and the other is unknown, that the preliminary statements regarding the Second Coming are not therefore automatically indicated under the broad heading “all these things”, especially as clarified by the statement that the timing is unknown.
Contrary to many Preterists, including partial preterists, this in no way equates the second coming of Jesus with 70AD, but, it does put the “Great Tribulation” there.
The first, “All these things” which they had been talking about, were indeed accomplished within a generation, yet “that day” is still, as yet, unknown.