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Matthew 23–25: A Literary, Historical, and Theological Commentary
The Olivet Discourse is not a tacked-on sermon by Jesus. It serves as a necessary conclusion to His ministry and warning to Israel and the prelude to the Passion Narratives that follow.
While many commentators argue in terms of historical fulfillment by appealing to sources like The Jewish War by Flavius Josephus (c. 37–100) (not in itself wrong), an eyewitness to the destruction of the temple and judgment on Jerusalem in AD 70, Jordan concentrates on the biblical literary connections. He does this by putting Matthew 23–25 in the full context of Matthew’s gospel and the rest of the Bible. This way, the forest can be seen within the context of the trees.
Those who first read Matthew’s gospel only would have had as an interpretive reference what we describe as the Old Testament. They were living the history that Jesus said would take place before their generation passed away. They would have immediately noted the Old Testament parallels with the abomination of desolation (Matt. 24:15; Dan. 9:27), the judgment on Sodom and fleeing to the mountains to escape the coming conflagration (Matt. 24:16; Gen. 19:17), false prophets (Matt. 24:24; Jer. 14:14), signs in the sun, moon, and stars (Matt. 24:29; Isa. 3:10; 24:33; Ezek. 32:7; Amos 5:2; 8:9; etc.), the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven (Matt. 24:30; Dan. 7:13), and so much more.
Jim Jordan’s Matthew 23–25: A Literary, Historical, and Theological Commentary is truly a biblical-theological approach to interpretation, using the Bible to interpret the Bible. He shows that the Bible is the best interpreter of itself.
"In this book, James Jordan brilliantly unlocks the chiastic structure, not just of the title passage but of the whole book of Matthew. He shows how the central hinge on which the book is structured is the decision by the Pharisees in Matthew 12:14 to kill Jesus—the center through which all the themes cross is the decision to send Jesus to the cross. The cross is the crux of the book.... With the publication of this book, the ball is now in the court of the futurists. Jordan’s meticulous, detailed treatment of these passages requires either an equally detailed rebuttal or else acceptance." -from the Foreword by Jerry Bowyer
James B. Jordan is an American Protestant theologian and author. He was the director of Biblical Horizons where he published books, essays, and other media dealing with Bible commentary and biblical theology. Jordan attended the University of Georgia where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in comparative literature. He earned a Th.M. from Westminster Theological Seminary and a D. Litt. degree from the Central School of Religion for his dissertation on the dietary laws of Moses. He also served as head of the Department of Biblical Studies at the Biblical Theological Seminary, St. Petersburg, Russia.
While many commentators argue in terms of historical fulfillment by appealing to sources like The Jewish War by Flavius Josephus (c. 37–100) (not in itself wrong), an eyewitness to the destruction of the temple and judgment on Jerusalem in AD 70, Jordan concentrates on the biblical literary connections. He does this by putting Matthew 23–25 in the full context of Matthew’s gospel and the rest of the Bible. This way, the forest can be seen within the context of the trees.
Those who first read Matthew’s gospel only would have had as an interpretive reference what we describe as the Old Testament. They were living the history that Jesus said would take place before their generation passed away. They would have immediately noted the Old Testament parallels with the abomination of desolation (Matt. 24:15; Dan. 9:27), the judgment on Sodom and fleeing to the mountains to escape the coming conflagration (Matt. 24:16; Gen. 19:17), false prophets (Matt. 24:24; Jer. 14:14), signs in the sun, moon, and stars (Matt. 24:29; Isa. 3:10; 24:33; Ezek. 32:7; Amos 5:2; 8:9; etc.), the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven (Matt. 24:30; Dan. 7:13), and so much more.
Jim Jordan’s Matthew 23–25: A Literary, Historical, and Theological Commentary is truly a biblical-theological approach to interpretation, using the Bible to interpret the Bible. He shows that the Bible is the best interpreter of itself.
"In this book, James Jordan brilliantly unlocks the chiastic structure, not just of the title passage but of the whole book of Matthew. He shows how the central hinge on which the book is structured is the decision by the Pharisees in Matthew 12:14 to kill Jesus—the center through which all the themes cross is the decision to send Jesus to the cross. The cross is the crux of the book.... With the publication of this book, the ball is now in the court of the futurists. Jordan’s meticulous, detailed treatment of these passages requires either an equally detailed rebuttal or else acceptance." -from the Foreword by Jerry Bowyer
James B. Jordan is an American Protestant theologian and author. He was the director of Biblical Horizons where he published books, essays, and other media dealing with Bible commentary and biblical theology. Jordan attended the University of Georgia where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in comparative literature. He earned a Th.M. from Westminster Theological Seminary and a D. Litt. degree from the Central School of Religion for his dissertation on the dietary laws of Moses. He also served as head of the Department of Biblical Studies at the Biblical Theological Seminary, St. Petersburg, Russia.
258 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2022
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About the author
James B. Jordan
56 books141 followersJames B. Jordan is a Calvinist theologian and author. He is director of Biblical Horizons ministries, a think tank in Niceville, Florida that publishes books, essays and other media dealing with Bible commentary, Biblical Theology, and liturgy.
Jordan was born in Athens, Georgia, and he attended the University of Georgia, where he received a B.A. in comparative literature and participated in Campus Crusade for Christ. He served as a military historian in the United States Air Force and attended Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi but ultimately earned an M.A. and Th.M. from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a master's thesis on slavery in the Bible. In 1993, he received a D.Litt. from the Central School of Religion for his dissertation on the dietary laws of Moses. From 1980 to 1990 Jordan was an associate pastor of a Presbyterian church in Tyler, Texas.
Jordan was born in Athens, Georgia, and he attended the University of Georgia, where he received a B.A. in comparative literature and participated in Campus Crusade for Christ. He served as a military historian in the United States Air Force and attended Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi but ultimately earned an M.A. and Th.M. from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a master's thesis on slavery in the Bible. In 1993, he received a D.Litt. from the Central School of Religion for his dissertation on the dietary laws of Moses. From 1980 to 1990 Jordan was an associate pastor of a Presbyterian church in Tyler, Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 6, 2024
James Jordan will always bring a different perspective that hadn’t been considered and this book is no different. While not in agreement with many points he was able to shift my thinking away from a historical preterist perspective to a theological one.
May 21, 2025
Excellent! Really helpful in understanding the Olivet Discourse and how it maps into Daniel and Revelation.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews