The doctrine of the Second Coming is deeply uncongenial to the whole evolutionary or developmental character of modern thought. We have been taught to think of the world as something that grows slowly towards perfection, something that “progresses” or “evolves.” Christian Apocalyptic offers us no such hope. It does not even foretell (which would be more tolerable to our habits of thought) a gradual decay.
To this deep-seated objection I can only reply that, in my opinion, the modern conception of Progress or Evolution (as popularly imagined) is simply a myth, supported by no evidence whatever.
C.S. Lewis, "The World's Last Night" (1960)
I believe Jesus was answering the question his disciplies put before him about when these things concerning the Temple were going to happen. However, we have to remember that he also referred to OT figurative language in Daniel and elsewhere when answering this question. He was referring to the generation at the time; the destruction of the temple occurred withing decades after this discourse. Much of the language he used can also be found in the OT, which was after all, the Scripture of the day. Although it is tempting to see these scriptures as futuristic of the second coming, when studied in conjunction with OT prophecy, it is easier to see them in light of the destruction of the temple, which also ushered in another age.
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