Matthew 24:16 - Flee to the mountains (1st century historical fulfillment?)

Matthew 24:16 (1st century historical fulfillment?)

Matthew 24:15 - Abomination of desolation (1st century understanding & historical fulfillment?):
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Matthew 24:15 & Luke 21:20 - Jerusalem surrounded by armies (1st century historical fulfillment?):
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Matthew 24:16

Matthew 24:17-18 - The one in the field not turn back (1st century historical understanding?):
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Matthew 24:16: "at-that-time let the (ones) in Judea be-fleeing to the mountains."

1st century audience?

It is written in Matthew 24:15-16: "when YOU-see the abomination (of) desolation — the (thing) having-been-spoken through Daniel the prophet — having-stood in (the) holy place (let the (one) reading understand), AT-THAT-TIME let the (ones) in Judea be-fleeing to the mountains". 

Who can be the "YOU" (Matthew 24:15) addressed in this passage? 

12 verses earlier, Jesus spoke to His 1st century disciples, as "the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us" (Matthew 24:3) and "having-responded, Jesus said (to) them" (Matthew 24:4) these things. 

Jesus in Matthew 24:15 said to His 1st century disciples "when YOU-see" (Matthew 24:15) the abomination of desolation, "AT-THAT-TIME let the (ones) in Judea be-fleeing to the mountains" (Matthew 24:16).

Local event?

Jesus said: "let the (ones) in JUDEA be-fleeing to the MOUNTAINS" (Matthew 24:16). 

Jesus here referred to a local event, specifically in "JUDEA" (Matthew 24:16) that would also end up near "MOUNTAINS" (Matthew 24:16). 

1st century events

Jesus said: "let the (ones) in Judea be-fleeing to the mountains" (Matthew 24:16).

The 1st century historian Josephus recorded an event in which many people fled out of Judea. This event happened around the time Gessius Florus would have been the Procurator of Judea (which would have been around AD 64-66). 

In the 1st century, the historian Josephus wrote in "Wars of the Jews":

Wars 2.14.2: "“he spoiled whole cities, and ruined entire bodies of men at once [...] entire toparchies were brought to desolation, and a great many of the people left their own country, and fled into foreign provinces”"

Jesus indicated further context in the parallel account to Matthew 24:15-16 found in Luke 21:20-21, saying: "when you-see JERUSALEM being-surrounded by army-encampments, then recognize that her desolation has-drawn-near. Then let the (ones) in JUDEA be-fleeing to the mountains".

In the 1st century, before Roman armies attacked JERUSALEM in the First Jewish-Roman War, believers would have fled the city to go to a certain town called Pella (which was located outside of JUDEA). Several early Christian historians and authors would have written about this event. 

Around the 4th century, the Christian historian Eusebius wrote in "Ecclesiastical History":

3:5: "But the people of the church in Jerusalem had been commanded by a revelation, vouchsafed to approved men there before the war, to leave the city and to dwell in a certain town of Perea called Pella. And when those that believed in Christ had come thither from Jerusalem, then, as if the royal city of the Jews and the whole land of Judea were entirely destitute of holy men, the judgment of God at length overtook those who had committed such outrages against Christ and his apostles, and totally destroyed that generation of impious men."

In the 4th century, a Christian author named Epiphanius wrote in "Panarion":

30:2: "This heresy of the Nazoraeans exists in Beroea in the neighbourhood of Coele Syria and the Decapolis in the region of Pella and in Basanitis in the so-called Kokaba (Chochabe in Hebrew). From there it took its beginning after the exodus from Jerusalem when all the disciples went to live in Pella because Christ had told them to leave Jerusalem and to go away since it would undergo a siege. Because of this advice they lived in Perea after having moved to that place, as I said." 

In the 4th century, a Christian author named Epiphanius wrote in "On Weights and Measures":

15: "So Aquila, while he was in Jerusalem, also saw the disciples of the disciples of the apostles flourishing in the faith and working great signs, healings, and other miracles. For they were such as had come back from the city of Pella to Jerusalem and were living there and teaching. For when the city was about to be taken and destroyed by the Romans, it was revealed in advance to all the disciples by an angel of God that they should remove from the city, as it was going to be completely destroyed. They sojourned as emigrants in Pella, the city above mentioned in Transjordania. And this city is said to be of the Decapolis."

In the 4th century, a Christian author named Athanasius wrote in "Apologia de Fuga":

11: "and when [Jesus] appeared in the end of the world [age], He also gave this commandment, saying…, ‘When you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation… then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains…’ [Matthew 24:15-16]. Knowing these things, the saints regulated their conduct accordingly." 

When would people have fled out of Judea?

People would have fled Judea around AD 64 to AD 66?

The 1st century historian Josephus recorded that a mass exodus happened out of Judea around the time Gessius Florus would have been the Procurator of Judea (which would have been around AD 64-66). Josephus wrote in "The Wars of the Jews" (Wars 2.14.2): "“he spoiled whole cities, and ruined entire bodies of men at once [...] entire toparchies were brought to desolation, and a great many of the people left their own country, and fled into foreign provinces”"

Believers may have fled to Pella in correlation with the First Jewish-Roman War which started around AD 66?

Around the 4th century the Christian historian Eusebius wrote in "Ecclesiastical History" (3:5) that the people of the church in Jerusalem had been commanded before the war to leave the city. He wrote: "the people of the church in Jerusalem had been commanded by a revelation, vouchsafed to approved men there before the war, to leave the city and to dwell in a certain town of Perea called Pella". 

If they were commanded "before the war" to leave the city, then this command would have some correlation with "the war" that was to come at the time: the First Jewish-Roman War which started around AD 66.

Around the 5th century, a Christian author named Remigius wrote that, based on the account from Eusebius, the believers would have fled to Pella on the approach of the Roman army: "[F]or on the approach of the Roman army, all the Christians in the province, warned, as ecclesiastical history tells us [referring to Eusebius], miraculously from heaven, withdrew, and passing the Jordan, took refuge in the city of Pella; and under the protection of that King Agrippa, of whom we read in the Acts of the Apostles, they continued some time." 

The ones who fled to Pella were reported to be "under the protection of King Agrippa". King Agrippa was actually reported to have fled in AD 66 from being a ruler in Jerusalem before the First Roman-Jewish War started. 

Is there a link between Judea and the city called Pella?

Jesus said: "let the (ones) in JUDEA be-fleeing" (Matthew 24:16). 

The city called Pella was located outside of the Roman province of JUDEA. It was located in another nearby Roman Province. 

Commanded to flee to the mountains and ending up in a city like Lot?

Jesus said: "let the (ones) in Judea BE-FLEEING to the MOUNTAINS" (Matthew 24:16). 

Jesus then added in Matthew 24:17-18: "let the (one) upon the housetop not go-down to-take the (things) out-of his house. And let the (one) in the field not turn behind to-take his cloak". 

A similar account to Matthew 24:17-18 can be found in in Luke 17:31, in which Jesus said: "let (he) who will-be on the housetop and his goods in the house not go-down to-take them. And let the (one) in (a) field likewise not turn-back to the (things) behind".

Surrounding this passage in Luke 17:31, Jesus mentioned how Lot departed from Sodom, saying in Luke 17:29-32: "But (on) that day Lot departed from Sodom, it-rained fire and sulphur from heaven and destroyed everyone. It-will-be the same (way on) that day the Son (of) Man is-revealed. On that day, let (he) who will-be on the housetop and his goods in the house not go-down to-take them. And let the (one) in (a) field likewise not turn-back to the (things) behind. Remember Lot’s wife."

In the story of Lot found in Genesis 19 it was written a similar comment to not turn to the things behind... but also to flee TO THE MOUNTAIN, as Genesis 19:17 reads: "it happened when they brought them outside, that they said, “Be saving your own life! You shall not look around to the (things) behind, nor shall you stand in all the surrounding regions. Be saving yourself TO THE MOUNTAIN". This would be similar to the command from Jesus to "be-fleeing to the MOUNTAINS" (Matthew 24:16).

Yet Lot did not end up fleeing TO THE MOUNTAIN, but instead ended up fleeing to a city.

The next verses in Genesis 19 read: "Lot said to them, “I implore (you), Lord, since your servant found mercy before you, and you have magnified your righteousness, in what you do towards me (that) my soul lives, but I will not be able to be brought safely TO THE MOUNTAIN, lest perhaps the calamity overtake me, and I die. Behold this CITY (is) near FOR ME TO FLEE THERE, which is a small (one); there will I be saved. It is little, is it not? And my soul will live.” And he said to him, “Behold, I marvel (at) your face, but about this word, I (will) not overthrow the city about which you spoke. Hurry therefore to escape there, I will not be able to do (this) deed until you have come there. Therefore he called the name of that city, Zoar. The sun was risen upon the earth, when Lot entered into Zoar" (Genesis 19:18-23).

In a similar way, the 1st century Christians were commanded by Jesus to "BE-FLEEING to the MOUNTAINS" (Matthew 24:16) and ended up fleeing to a city called Pella. 

What would have happened afterward to the ones who had fled to Pella?

The ones who fled to Pella were reported to have taken refuge there and to have continued some time there under the protection of the King Agrippa. 

Around the 5th century, a Christian author named Remigius wrote: "[F]or on the approach of the Roman army, all the Christians in the province, warned, as ecclesiastical history tells us [referring to Eusebius], miraculously from heaven, withdrew, and passing the Jordan, took refuge in the city of Pella; and under the protection of that King Agrippa, of whom we read in the Acts of the Apostles, they continued some time."

The ones who fled to Pella were reported to have sojourned there and then to have come back later from Pella to Jerusalem to live there again. 

In the 4th century the Christian author named Epiphanius wrote in "On Weights and Measures": "Aquila, while he was in Jerusalem, also saw the disciples of the disciples of the apostles flourishing in the faith and working great signs, healings, and other miracles. For they were such as had come back from the city of Pella to Jerusalem and were living there and teaching. For when the city was about to be taken and destroyed by the Romans, it was revealed in advance to all the disciples by an angel of God that they should remove from the city, as it was going to be completely destroyed. They sojourned as emigrants in Pella, the city above mentioned in Transjordania"

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