WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED AT THE END OF THE WORLD?

(Luke 2:1 KJV) And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus,
that all the world should be taxed.

WOW! Did Caesar REALLY tax the ENTIRE WORLD in the first century? Of course not. Notice how the NIV
translates the original Greek Language used here…

(Luke 2:1 NIV) In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire
Roman world.

The Greek word for WORLD here is oikoumene and it refers to the KNOWN world of the time – the
Roman Empire. Do you see how easily a WRONG interpretation can be made when we do not actually
study the Bible?

Let’s look at another verse from the King James Version…

(Heb 9:26 KJV) For then must He (Jesus) have often suffered many times since the foundation of the
world: but now once in the end of the world has He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

WHAT? Jesus appeared and was crucified at THE END OF THE WORLD?! Was the first century the END
OF THE WORLD? What we have here is another faulty translation of the original Greek word ‘aion’ which
simply means ‘age’ or ‘period of time’. Here is the same verse translated correctly in the NIV…

(Heb 9:26 NIV) Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But
now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.

What ages? The list of ancient ages from Adam to Jesus’ crucifixion. He came to institute a NEW (and
never ending) CONTRACT between God and man – salvation APART from National Israel, the adulterous
wife that He divorced and destroyed in AD70. This is what Matthew 24 and the Book of Revelation is all
about.
If you read Deuteronomy 32 you will discover that is simply predicting what would happen to Israel
(God’s representative people) if they were to CHEAT on Him! The Book of Revelation IS the fulfillment of
THAT promise! God STONED His adulterous bride in the first century.

Notice HOW Jesus describes God’s Judgment upon National Israel at His first century judgement visit…

(Mat 22:1-7 NIV) Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: The kingdom of heaven is like a king who
prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the
banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. Then he sent some more servants and said,
‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have
been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.But they paid no attention and
went off–one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and
killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their
city. See Luke 21:20!

Now notice again how a poor translation can lead to faulty interpretations…

(Mat 24:3 KJV) 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?

There it is again! They have translated the Greek word ‘aion’ as “WORLD” when it simply means ‘age’ or
‘period of time’. The disciples are not asking Jesus when the END OF THE WORLD will be but the end of
the OLD COVENANT dispensation.

Now, here’s where it gets really interesting…

If Jesus was crucified “AT THE END OF THE AGES” (Heb 9:26) and Mt 24 is dealing with “THE END OF THE
AGES” (Mt 24:3) this means that the end of the age took place during THE FIRST CENTURY! This was the
time that the old age (Judaism) ended and the new age (Christianity) began.
I hope this demonstrates that we must be VERY careful to do our homework when it comes to the
interpretation of God’s Holy Word to mankind…

(2 Tim 2:15 NASB) Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to
be ashamed, dissecting accurately the word of truth.