Jesus said that the Gospel must be preached to all the world and then he shall return.
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Matthew 24:14.
Has this statement been fulfilled?
Most folks will say, “Nope.” That’s why we have Wycliff Bible Translators and similar groups. Only when the Bible has been translated into the native tongue of every people group on the planet will Jesus return.
Is this what Jesus meant? Let’s take a look.
First, what is the word translated “world’ in this text. Based on the English, you would expect it to be cosmos (κόσμος) meaning the whole of planet earth. However, it is our old friend oikumene (ŏikŏumĕnē) which means inhabited earth, usually Roman Empire in the New Testament. Remember the Christmas story about Ceasar Augustus wanting to tax the whole world? Same Greek word. While I’m sure Ceasar would like to have generated tax revenue from the whole planet, he could only tax the political divisions of Rome.
When you couple Matthew 24:14 with verse 34 then the time window begins to take shape.
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Matthew24:34.
Remember that the chapter and verse divisions were added a thousand years after Matthew was written. Look back at the previous chapter.
35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
Mattthew 23:35–36.
The judgment would come upon this generation. Those that heard the voice of Jesus. The statement about the Gospel being preached is bracketed before and after by Jesus’ claim that the generation living in his day would see this fulfilled. So, did Jesus lie or was the Gospel preached to all the oikumene in the First Century?
Some of you may laugh at this but this is a serious and important question. Remember your C.S. Lewis. Jesus was either a liar, lunatic, or Lord of all. If Jesus was “mistaken” then he was wrong and therefore is not really God and thus we are all dead in our trespasses and sin.
Many that grew up in the Church have gone to college and been confronted with this very claim of Jesus and left the faith as a result of believing that Jesus was deluded. Most Christians don’t believe that this claim is true. They kick it way into the future, but clearly Jesus did not. So, is the modern church wrong or was Jesus?
Is the prophetic clock paused until the Gospel is preached to every nation or was this event fulfilled as Jesus prophesied.
As always, the best interpreter of the Bible is the Bible so let’s look and what the Apostles had to say.
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Romans 1:8.
World here is cosmos.
18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Romans 10:18.
Earth is Greek word gē.
World here is oikumene.
For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; 6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
Colossians 1:5–6.
World here is cosmos.
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;
Colossians 1:23.
But it gets better. Paul says he preached the Gospel to every creature which is under heaven.
25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
Romans 16:25–26.
The Gospel is made know to all nations.
Folks, it’s clear that the New Testament claims the Gospel was “preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations” Just as Jesus said.
This agrees with Acts 2:5
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.
Then look at the last part of Matthew 24:14 where it says “then shall the end come.”
The Gospel was preached to all nations and then—in First Century Palestine—the end came.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Matthew 24:3.
My Greek Interlinear version has completion or consummation of the age (suntĕlĕia hŏ aiōn).
So, in Greek Matthew 24:3 is not end of the world. This is a mistranslation and a sloppy one; think Elizabethan paraphrase.
Bottom line:
The Gospel was preached to all nations and then, just as Jesus promised, the Temple and Jerusalem were destroyed in 70 A.D. This was the conclusion of the Old Testament age. From that point foreward, biblically speaking, God is done with the nation of Israel. Salvation was secured, God’s Bride—the Church—was revealed, and the Kingdom of God was established and begun on earth. The mustard seed of the Gospel is growing to fill the earth. Heavenly Jerusalem is here now and slowly bringing healing to the nations as they are discipled.