Yes, I'm aware of the differentiation, by some, of Luke's version and the version of Matthew and Mark. Although I think they were all the same Discourse, I respect any of the versions sincerely held by Christians.Personally, I think this answers better to Jesus' discourse in Luke,
Luke 21:20-24 LITV
20) And when you see Jerusalem being encircled by armies, then recognize that its destruction has come near.
21) Then let those in Judea flee into the mountains; and those in its midst, let them go out. And those in the open spaces, let them not go into her.
22) For these are days of vengeance when all things that have been written are to be fulfilled.
23) But woe to the pregnant women, and the ones suckling in those days; for great distress will be on the earth and wrath on this people.
24) And they will fall by the mouth of the sword and will be led captive to all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by nations, until the times of the nations are fulfilled.
Jesus' prophecy here is of Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, ending with the the captivity until the fulfilling of the times of the gentiles.
On the other hand,
Matthew 24:15-21 LITV
15) Then when you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (the one reading, let him understand),
16) then let those in Judea flee into the mountains;
17) the one on the housetop, let him not go down to take anything out of his house;
18) and the one in the field, let him not turn back to take his garment.
19) But woe to the ones having a child in womb, and to those suckling in those days!
20) And pray that your flight will not occur in winter nor in a sabbath.
21) For there will be great affliction, such as has not happened from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be.
In Matthew's discourse, Jesus is prophesying the abomination of desolation ala Daniel, and subsequent flight from Judea, followed by affliction that would end all life if not cut short, ending in Jesus' return and rescue of His chosen.
Much love!
I've gone meticulously through all 3 versions, and see no real difference in any of them except that they use different words for the same statements. In other words, the authors felt free to use synonyms to depict what Jesus' said, without any sense that they were corrupting the literal words he used.
When Matthew mentioned the Abomination of Desolation, Luke was saying the same thing in reference to the desolation of Jerusalem by an Army. With all due respect, that is how I, personally, view it.
The constant attempt to make this historical interpretation of the Olivet Discourse into "Preterism" irritates me, because historical prophecies are something we all hold to as Christians. The prophecy of Jesus' birth and death are examples of historical prophecies that have been fulfilled already.
In the same way, the Abomination of Desolation has, I believe, been fulfilled in 70 AD or thereabouts. None of this requires belief that the Antichrist was Nero, nor that the book of Revelation was fulfilled in the 1st few centuries.
But I would agree with Preterists on this one single fact--an important fact, that the AoD was fulfilled in 70 AD or thereabouts, and that the main focus of the Olivet Discourse was not on the 2nd Coming, but on the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The Church Fathers largely believed this, as well.
This is not to say that the 2nd Coming was unimportant in this Discourse. It was very important, because it will be at the 2nd Coming that final judgment will come to this world in the present age, sealing the fate of all men in the present age. The fact of the 2nd Coming makes what we do now incredibly important, because it determines how we will be judged not just in the end, but also in historical judgments, such as the one that took place in 70 AD.
Regardless, I thank you for your thoughts. I believe good Christians will have good ideas simply because they come out of a good heart. I wish you well.