to MrMacSon,
Aspects of the so-called 'Oliveti Discourse' (aka the 'Synoptic Apocalypse'; the 'Little Apocalypse'; or the 'Mount Olivet Prophecy') of Mark 13, Matthew 24, and Luke 21 show alignment with the Bar Kochba Revolt of the early 130s AD/CE.
This is what I wrote in
http://historical-jesus.info/appd.html:
D) Could Mk13:5-23 refer to the 70-135 period, ending by the second Jewish war and the defeat of Bar Kokhba?
That's rather out-of-question because:
a) the later events (at least one hundred after Jesus' crucifixion) can hardly fit into the time frame of the verse quoted in A) and also the one in Mk13:30 (which also appears in GMatthew (24:34) and GLuke (21:32)
"Assuredly, I say to you, this generation [the one of Jesus]
will by no means pass away till all things [among them, Jerusalem's destruction (21:20-24) and the second coming (21:25:28)]
take place."
b) Mk13:3-4
specifies Jesus' alleged answer (Mk13:5-23) is
an explanation related to the prophesied
destruction, stone by stone, of great buildings in Jerusalem (Mk13:1-2) (and not to events which will happen in the following 65 years (up to 135)!):
Mk13:1-5a
"Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!" And Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down ." Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign [Mk13:14; before: endure and do not be alarmed]
when all these things will be fulfilled?" And Jesus, answering them, began to say: ... [the mini-apocalypse monologue 13:5-37 starts here]
"
Also, the destruction related in Mk13:1-2 happened in 70:
From Josephus' Wars (Josephus was an eyewitness to Jerusalem demise!):
VII, I, 1
"Caesar gave orders that they should now demolish the entire city and temple"
VII, I, 1
"there was left nothing to make those that came thither believe it had ever been inhabited. This was the end which Jerusalem came to"
VII, VII, 7
"It is now demolished to the very foundations, and hath nothing but that monument of it preserved, I mean the camp of those that hath destroyed it, which still dwells upon its ruins; some unfortunate old men also lie upon the ashes of the temple, and a few women are there preserved alive by the enemy, for our bitter shame and reproach"
Epiphanius, On weights and measures 14-15
"Hadrian [in 129-130]
found the temple of God throdden down and the whole city devastated, save for a few houses"
but not in 135: there is no evidence of reconstruction (after 70) of large buildings (and therefore subsequent destructions) on the site of Jerusalem before the defeat of Bar Kokhba.
c) "Luke" included, in his/her version of the mini-apocalypse of GMark, evidenced historical details pertaining to the events of 70, such as Lk21:21b,24 and:
Lk21:20
"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.", also in Marcion's gospel (written 140 +-10 years), and corresponding to Mk13:14
"abomination of desolation".
Furthermore, there is no evidence that Jerusalem was besieged by Roman armies in 135. Also, the rebel Jews were unlikely to make a stand at Jerusalem, then an unwalled fully destroyed city with no natural defense on the northern side. Besides, the
"desolation is near", that is not inflicted yet (in 135, it would be 65 years old!).
Cordially, Bernard
), but I do not grasp your point here.
