In Matthew’s record of the Olivet prophecy, four of his disciples asked:
“when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” Mat 24:3
The greek word for 'world' in this prophecy is the word 'oikoumene'. Few bible students have heard of it and it seems to be totally underestimated in importance.
We have found that ‘oikoumene’ links the birth and temptation of Jesus; where the gospel must be preached; the battle of Armageddon; and the promises to Abraham!
The End of the World
Jesus’ disciples wanted to know when “the end of the world” ‘sunteleias tou aiwnos’ would be. “End” is the English translation for seven (7) different Greek words. So we followed the one used in this verse, ‘syntelia’. It means completeion or conclusion. “Aiwn”, or ‘aion’ is the Greek word used for “world”, meaning an ‘age’.
The exact phrase, “the end of the world,” is in four passages, so we studied the context of each as it must be significant
In Matthew 13 it occurs three times, in verses 39, 40 and 49, the parable of the wheat and tares. An adversary has sown wicked children among the children of the kingdom, but the angels will separate them at the end of the world, and the children of the kingdom will shine as the sun in the kingdom of their father. This event is still future to our time.
Jesus promised to be with his disciples “always, even unto the end of the world” Mat.28:20. Jesus gave the message of the Book of Revelation to John, after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, so Jesus was still with the disciples then, and is today.
Thus Jesus’ references in the Olivet prophecy to the “end of the world.” refer to a yet future time.
Some commentators have believed this to have been fulfilled in AD 70, but we disagree. In Hebrews 9:26 Jesus is described as having been manifested at the ‘sunteleia twn aiwnwn’, literally ‘the completion of the ages’, but those ‘ages’ , or ‘worlds’ are different from the ‘age’ or ‘world’ of the previous passages.
Further on in Matthew 24, at verse 14 Jesus said:“this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come”
The word “end” used here is from part of the Greek word used in verse 1, “telos,” which means a “goal” or “fulfilment” or “result”. Jesus also used it in Mat.10:22 , to indicate how long disciples must endure, and in Rev.2:26, for how long they must keep his works. This is the word “end” in “the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end” Rev.21:6;22:13.
However, the Greek word for “world” in Matt 24:14 is not ‘aiwn’, but ‘tee oikoumene’. “The oikoumene” is always mentioned with the definite article. It is a specific geographical region, and many modern English translations actually have “Roman empire”, or “Roman habitable” or “the habitable” in one or more of the 15 references for this word.
The “oik” part, comes from the Greek word “oikeo”, to occupy a house. The “mene” part is related to the word “ghay”, soil, or region. Thus it signifies the region of the earth that was “occupied” territory.
In Luke 2:1 we read that a decree was sent out by Augustus Caesar for “the oikoumene” to be enrolled, for taxation. Now Caesar could not have taxed any area that was not under his dominion. We are further told that Cyrenius was governor of “Syria” at that time. “Syria” was the name of the Roman province that included the land of Palestine. It covered the regions now known as Israel, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. Josephus indicates that this census and taxation only took place in “Syria”, and was not throughout the empire.
This idea that “the oikoumene” is a limited territory, and not world-wide, is also shown by Heb 1:6. The writer says that “when he bringeth the first begotten into the world, he saith “And let all the angels of God worship him.” The angels sang at Jesus’ birth in the province of Syria. History does not record such an event elsewhere in the world.
Also, in Acts 19:27 the goddess Diana is mentioned as being worshipped throughout “all Asia and the world.” The world here obviously means the Roman Empire including the Middle East, and not places further afield, like Europe, America, or China.
In five places (Mat 24:14; Acts 11:28; Rev 3:10; Rev 12:9; Rev 16:14) the Greek word “holee” for “all” or “whole” is added, which seems to signify the entire occupied (Roman) territory. However, Josephus indicates that the famine in Acts 11 was localised to the Syrian region. At its largest extent the Oikoumene seems to be the whole Roman area, at its least, just the Roman province called Syria, of Jesus’ time.
In Luke 4:5 we read how the adversary took Jesus up into a high mountain where he showed him all the kingdoms of “the oikoumene” at a ‘point’ (lit.) in time. The Syrian province had a few small kingdoms within it, unlike the rest of the empire, and these were ruled by the infamous Herods. These Herodian kingdoms were probably all visible, in the clearer unpolluted skies of that time, from a high mountain, in the desert area east of Jerusalem. The Matt 4:8 account means the same region, as these Herodian kingdoms were the only ones in the “kosmos” (which means “ordered”) of the Roman empire.
The Adversary was probably a significant politically active person, who was well aquainted with the Scriptures, but opposed to the will of God, such as a Pharisee.
In the Olivet prophecy account in Mat 24:14, Jesus said: “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all the nations; and then shall the end come.” We know that the gospel was preached throughout the empire by the apostles, from history, and from ACTS 24:5 and ROMANS 10:18.
An “end” of the Jewish system, or “world”, of Temple worship and sacrifices came, with the destruction of the Temple in AD. 70. But there is no record that Daniel’s “abomination of desolation” stood in the holy place. This would appear to be still future to our day, so the gospel of the kingdom still needs to be preached in that world (the Roman empire territory), before the “end” comes. The reason for the preaching is so that the nations who are involved in Armageddon will not be able to say they have been unjustly treated. The gospel will have been preached there as a witness unto them, and they will have refused to hear it, unlike in the apostles’ day, when it was accepted by many. Their punishment will be well deserved.
The implication for us today is that the former Roman empire’s territory needs to be evangelised. This is difficult for us, as English is not the ‘first’ language in that area, and the religions most hostile to the Truth reign there: Roman Catholicism, the Orthodox churches, Islam and Judaism. But it is not impossible.
Another account of the Olivet prophecy, Luke 21:26, provides further perspective. “Mens hearts will be failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” The “earth” in this passage is “the oikoumene.” Events in the area that was the Syrian province (Israel, Lebanon and Syria today), will be spectacular. This is immediately prior to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ in v.27. This is probably because of the judgement of that area, as recorded in ACT. 17:31. This is the day of vengeance, upon those who have persecuted the righteous, and opposed Yahweh.
The oikoumene is mentioned three times in Jesus’ last message. In REV.3:10 He promised those in Philadelphia who had “kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” Perhaps this happened in the first century, or it may even still be to come, in a future ecclesia in Philadelphia, which may result from the preaching advocated in MAT. 24:14!!!
In REV.12:9 we meet the Adversary and the oikoumene together again: “The great dragon, was cast out, that old serpent called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: He was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. But this time it is the whole world, so we understand it to be the whole Roman area. The dragon, “the accuser of our brethren” is going to be active in the Roman world. A political/ religious system, well acquainted with Scripture, would once more head the opposition to the will of God, over a larger territory. The dragon gives his authority and throne to the Sea Beast (Revelation13:3) which is a composite of the four beasts of Daniel 7, and speaks blasphemies against God, and makes war with the saints.
Another Beast arises out of the earth, which is also called the false prophet
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The last mention of the oikoumene is in REV.16:14. The frog-like spirits, “are spirits of devils (demons), working miracles (signs), which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” The Roman world must have kings again. Even today we can see the monarchies of the former Roman territories, which extended into Russia and Europe, under the Byzantine and Holy Roman empires, being gradually re-established. This then fits in wonderfully with the toes of Nebuchadnezzar’s image, which are “kings”, and are smashed at the return of Jesus. (DAN.2)
There is one more reference to the oikoumene to consider. It is in HEB. 2:5 where we read of “the world to come.” This territory will be subject to Jesus’ feet (v.8). Could it be a co-incidence that the old Roman Syrian province covered almost the exact area that was promised to Abraham? “From the river of Egypt, unto the great river, the river Euphrates? (GEN. 15:18)
The Lord Jesus Christ did not have to accept the Adversary’s offer of dominion over the oikoumene, because he knew it would be His eventually, anyway. The area that will have been cleansed by the battle of Armageddon, will be the seat of the kingdom of God on earth, when the kingdoms of men will have been destroyed. Men will definitely be looking in awe at what has happened!
Wikipedia link for Ecumene
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecumene
Herodotus’ map of the ancient world, the oikoiumene:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Herodotus_world_map-en.svg