Gospel to all the world - not the End yet.?
Matthew 24:14 has been a verse that is frequently quoted out of Context, without regard to Audience Relevance and does not pay attention to its Historical Relevance.
Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all nations. And then the end shall come.
This verse has been used to challenge people to evangelize i.e. if they don't Jesus is not coming back again for them. They use the phrase "end of the world" to put pressure on Christians to share the gospel.
There is nothing wrong with sharing the gospel or what we called evangelism. However to put fear or pressure onto believers to do it out of obligation to see the "end of the world" is wrong and eventually the believers will burn out or abandon their beliefs because of not able to fulfill the preachers' expectation.
Evangelism should come out of a heart of love. That has always been the heart of God. Our desire is to see that others will have a heart of God full of His love and His abundant life influencing their lifestyle. Our desire to share the gospel is that people will be able to live their fullness of life in the New Covenant and the reality of "God in us" and not anything else.
In fact this verse had been taken out of Context.
It is actually an answer to the disciples question in Mat 24:3 "What is the sign of the end of the world (Aion)". See my post on this question:
https://advancingtruth.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-3-troubling-questions-in-eschatology.html
The English word "world" has been misinterpreted. In v3, the disciples were asking a question about the End of the Age (a period of time called the Old Covenant / Mosaic Age). Jesus answered their question is in v14.
V14 is not directed to us in the 21st Century or future but to the disciples living in their lifetime (this is called audience relevance and historical timeline relevance).
Jesus was telling them that they are the generation that is going to spread the gospel, and then the End of the Age will come.
Q: Some may say that the gospel has not gone out to the whole world yet, so this verse cannot be interpreted as talking about the events happening around AD70. Can it be they are talking to us to take OUR whole world with the gospel.?
A: The answer lies in the meaning of the word "world" in the eyes and ears of the hearers.
Let us look at some New Testament verses on how the phrase "whole world", "all the nations", "every creature in the earth" were used, and then you will understand clearer how the spectators were receiving what Jesus was saying about.
Col 1:5 for the hope which is laid up for you in Heaven, of which you heard before in the Word of the truth of the gospel,
Col 1:6 which has come to you as it has also in all the world, and it is bearing fruit, even also among you, since the day you heard and fully knew the grace of God in truth,
In Colossians 1:6, Paul wrote that the gospel has come to "all the world".
Col 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
In Colossians 1:23, Paul wrote that the gospel has been preached to "every creature under heaven".
Rom 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
In Romans 1:8, Paul wrote that their faith has been shared "throughout the whole world".
Rom 10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes indeed, their voice went out into all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.
In Romans 10:18, Paul wrote that their voice and words of the gospel has gone out to "all the earth" and to the "end of the world". He was quoting Ps 19:4.
Rom 16:25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, having been unvoiced during eternal times;
Rom 16:26 but now has been made plain, and by the prophetic Scriptures, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith;
In Romans 16:26, Paul wrote that the gospel has been made known to "all nations".
So the questions some may ask may be:
How did the "whole world" heard the gospel?
Has "every nation" and "every creature under heaven" heard the gospel?
How did the believers share their faith "throughout the whole world".?
Paul was not writing about "going to" take the gospel to the whole world. He was writing that they had "already taken" the gospel to the whole world. Read the verses again. They had already accomplished what Jesus was saying in Mat 24:14
Was Paul speaking our 21st Century English when he wrote "whole world"?
NO.. He was writing about the world that the listeners knew.
Mat 24:14 was not speaking about taking the gospel to America, Asia, Africa, Russian, China etc., and then the End of the Age will come.
The early church really believed that they already had (past tense) taken the gospel to the whole world just as Jesus said it would in Acts 1:8. From Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
About time for us to look at the original text of the word "world".
The English word "world" in the above verses came from the original Greek word "oikoumene". And it means "the inhabited earth" (specifically the Roman empire / earth / world).
This word "world" meaning "inhabited earth" is also used in Luke 2:1; Luke 21:26; Acts 11:28; Acts 17:6; Acts 19:27; Acts 25:5; and many more. (check it out with the Strong's dictionary).
To Paul, "oikoumene" means the inhabitants living in the world that they knew.
To the Romans, "oikoumene" means the inhabitants in the Roman Empire and the territories they conquered.
To the Greeks, "oikoumene" means those who speak Greek and practice their Greek culture.
To the Jews (the people that Jesus was speaking to), "oikoumene" means Israel, Palestine and all the surrounding regions.
The word "oikoumene" or world, will mean differently depending on whose perspective you are looking from.
See a write up on how the word "oikoumene" was used here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecumene
When Jesus was speaking to the disciples, He was bringing understanding in the language and perspective that they know. They know nothing about Africans or Chinese, and so the whole world does not refer to Africa or China or other parts of the planet.
Important Note: It is because of our English translations that caused the confusion.
Let us take one verse Luke 2:1, and see from different translations:
Luk 2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (KJV)
Luk 2:1 Just at this time an edict was issued by Caesar Augustus for the registration of the whole Empire. (Weymouth)
The Caesar was (past tense) taxing people under the Roman Empire. The Caesar was not taxing people in Africa and China and America.
So the word "world" does not refer to our 21st Century English "world".
Let us look at Acts 2:5,
Act 2:5 Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every part of the world.
Q: After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, did people from EVERY part of the world gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost.?
A: No. Not every part of the world. Only the Jews living in Israel, Palestine and neighboring regions were present at the Feast, and they were there yearly for the celebration. To the Jews, the Jewish community from across the region represents their "whole world".
One respectable bible scholar, writer and commentator who has influence many great people of God in the past is Henry Cowles (1803 - 1881).
In Henry's commentary called "Matthew and Mark" which he published, he wrote about the preaching of the gospel to all the inhabited known world of the Jews in page 208:
[ it appears from credible records that the gospel was preached in Idumea, Syria and Mesopotamia by Jude; in Ethiopia by Candace's Eunuch and Matthias; in Pontus, Galatia and neighboring parts of Asia by Peter; in the territories of the 7 Asiatic churches by John; in Parthia by Matthew; in Seythia by Philip and Andrew; in the northern and western parts of Asia by Bartholomew; in Persia by Simeon and Jude; in Media, Carmania and several eastern parts by Thomas; from Jerusalem and round about unto Illyricum by Paul, and probably into Italy, Spain and Gaul; in most of these places, Christian churches were planted in less than 30 years after the death of Christ, that is before the destruction of Jerusalem.. ]
See write up on Henry Cowles:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Cowles_(theologian)
This is a direct fulfillment of what Jesus said would happen before the End of the Age in Matthew 24:14
Q: Does Mat 24:14 mean that there is no more evangelism after AD70 .?
A: No, of course not. But our evangelism or sharing of the good news will not be performance based like in the Mosaic Age or the Old Covenant Age. Our sharing of the good news will be grace based of the New Covenant Age. It will be the good news because of the resurrection of Jesus, and the present kingdom of God within us.
Let us look into the parable of the Wedding Feast, as an example of how to share the good news, even after the End of the Age or the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.
In Mat 22:2-10, we read of a king who invited many for the wedding banquet of his son, and they did not come but instead killed his servants. The king then put these murderers to death, and set their city on fire. (A allegory for the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple). Then, the king sent his servants to invite everyone else that they can find on the streets, and whether good or bad, they were all invited.
It is now our turn to invite everyone (evangelize) into the experience of God and His kingdom living in us.
