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LEFT BEHIND: A Study in Matthew Chapter 24

In Matthew 24, Jesus met with His disciples privately. And they asked them of The sign of His coming and the end of the age. He met with them and gave them signs that would be there up to His coming.

The pre-trib view, or those who are deep into dispensationialism, believe that His disciples were supposed to represent "unsaved" Jews who get saved at the tribulation. I Discuss the Jews in "The Elect." However, in this supplement, we will examine the meaning of disciple and How the disciples developed in the New Testament.

First of all the word disciple comes from the Greek word mathetes meaning "taught or trained one." Specifically, Jesus' disciples were instructed by Him. Disciple is also known in reference to Jesus as followers of Christ. It is true during Jesus' ministry, His disciples were Jews. However, after Christ's death and resurrection and ascension, Gentiles became disciples as well.

In Luke, Peter was one of the four disciples who met with Jesus privately and asked Him what was the sign of His coming. In Matthew chapter 16, Peter confessed that Jesus was the Son of the Living God. And Jesus' reply was:

"And I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."

Matthew 16:18 NASB

Peter's confession of Christ as the Son of the Living God is the basis for Christ's church. Every believer who confesses it is also part of His church regardless of when the confession is made, either before or during the tribulation.

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus said regarding His disciples:

"Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple."

Luke 14:27 NASB

As we see in the above verse, You must be able to carry your own cross and come after Jesus, or you cannot be His disciple. This is hardly a description of someone who is still unsaved and will be a "saved Jew" during the tribulation. You must be a follower now or you can't be a disciple until you do follow Him..

As we continue further in the book of Acts after Christ's death, resurrection and ascension, the church was in it's infancy. Many of the Jews had received the Gospel message that Peter and His other disciples preached. Their number was growing.

"And the word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great number of priests were becoming obedient to the faith"

Acts 6:40 NASB

In the above verse, the number of disciples were increasing daily. And also a great number of priests were becoming obedient to the faith. It is very clear the early believers were Jews. Later, Peter was sent by God to preach to the one of the first known Gentile converts whose name was Cornelius. While Peter preached to him:

"...The Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter Answered, 'Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who received the Holy Spirit just as we did can he?'"

Acts 10 44:48 NASB

The Gentiles have received the Holy Spirit just as these saved Jews. Then the Number of Gentiles were also added among the others who believed. In the next chapter at Antioch, the disciples were given another name:

"...And it came about that for an entire year they met with the church, and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch."

Acts 11:26b NASB

In the above verse, the disciples were first called Christians. This is a description that is contrary of what Pre-tribbers would like to give to those in Matthew 24. The word Christian came from "disciple" because they were followers and imitators of Christ. They were not in any way waiting to get saved during the tribulation. Up to this point Jew and Gentile believers were disciples and they were called Christians.

We conclude this supplement by examining Matthew 28:

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age."

Verses 19 and 20

Before His ascension, Jesus instructed His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations. Jesus didn't tell them just to make disciples to just the Jews only. They were to baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He told them also to teach those disciples to observe all things He commanded them. And in the 24th chapter of Matthew He told His disciples they will be delivered into tribulation. And they are to observe these signs that lead up to his coming which will happen after the tribulation, and to be on the alert because they do not know the day or hour when He comes.

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      Articles in this study

Left Behind-A Study in Matthew 24

Daniel
The Elect

Imminence

Take to One's Self 

My Father's House

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