>>>>It appears that happened in 66 AD, shortly before the Jews rebelled and the war began. Two historians, a Rabbi and a pagan, recorded eyewitness accounts of an army flying in the clouds over the cities of Israel at that time (I posted the references in a previous post.) Neither would have been influence by the prophecies of Christ.<<<<
>>Sounds wholly inadequate that less than a handful of people witnessed the Second Coming - one of the most important events in history.<<
I will agree that it was the most important event in history to the faithful of Israel, and the worst to the unfaithful Israelites.
>>“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.”<<
Another way to interpret the Greek is:
“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the [land of Israel] mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” — Mat 24:30
Mr. Kalamata
—> Another way to interpret the Greek is:
Here is a literal Greek translation, which contradicts what you added…
Matthew 24:29–31
“And then shall be seen the attesting miracle of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the people of the earth shall beat their breasts in anguish, and they shall see the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
“And He shall send on a mission His angels with a great trumpet, and they shall gather together in one place His chosen-out ones from the four winds, from the uttermost parts of heaven to the other.
• This is an event seen worldwide by “all the peoples of the world.”
• Jews are gathered from across the world.
Neither happened during the destruction of Jerusalem.