Matthew J. Tandy

I cannot speak for the General Authorities, but I know that all of the New Testament professors I know of at BYU give a brief summary and extrapolation of the Pella prophecy. Although we don't know the exact source or time of the prophecy, we have verified through various sources thata large number, if not all of the Christians in Jerusalem fled to mainly Pella. Some sources go so far as to say not even one died in the attack on the Holy City because they had already packed up and left, heeding the prophecy. This is usually taught to emphasize the importance of prophecy and heeding it, even when we might not understand fully. In regards to the apostacy, it certainly effects it even greater. However, the Apostasy, from the texts of the New Testament itself, was already well underway in some communities. This dispersal would only have spread the infection further as refugees took residence with other communities and spread their ideas. Additionally, losing the temple, a central part for many Jewish-Christians, would have further alienated them and led to changes within. Perhaps you could look at the sacking of Jerusalem and the Pella exodus as a coup de grace for at least the Jerusalem Jewish-Christians themselves. I would be interested in further research to the effects on those communities during this tumultous period myself.