Marginal Christianity

Jesus has just announced that Israel’s “house,” that is, its temple – the centerpiece of its life and the world’s hope – is left to it “desolate.” He has already pronounced judgment on it and here he prophesies its destruction. [1] Which, I remind us, will happen to “this generation” (23:36). With have seen this note sounded repeatedly by Jesus. His time frame is within the lifetime of the current generation. Not centuries or millennia future at the supposed end of the world. This generation! This is the moment of God’s New Exodus, which as we have often noted means salvation for those Jews who followed Jesus but judgment on the rest, incorrigible ethnic Israel which had made a career of resisting God and dirtying his name and reputation before the world. Here Jesus deals with the judgment of recalcitrant Israel. Israel’s role on God’s plan is the issue here. As Israel bears the hope and destiny of the world in its faithfulness, so to in its faithlessness it bears the sin ...

                                                  36  “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37  For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38  For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39  and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40  Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41  Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. 42  Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on...