Let's just say, for the sake of the discussion, that Jesus never made any prophetic statements at all. Okay?
His disciples and apostles had the highest possible opinion of him because of the way he lived, spoke, treated people, etc.
His followers were indoctrinated from birth (as Jews) to expect that, someday, a righteous political and religious leader (MESSIAH) would appear.
They were eager for this Messiah to arrive. They were eager for Jesus to be that leader.
His followers made the "leap of faith" and BELIEVED: Jesus was that MESSIAH. (Jesus, reportedly, played games with this identification. "Who do YOU say I am?")
Are you following this?
Okay, next step...
The apostles and disciples created expectations about Jesus' status within their own community.
They began stirring up hope and supporting that expectation. Word got out.
Established religious leaders saw a disaster in this: the Romans would not tolerate a movement which threatened PAX ROMANA.
At the same time the Jesus Movement was picking up momentum, the radical Sicarii (rebel jews) were fomenting rebellion against Rome.
When the pot boiled over Jesus was arrested, judged and executed. Bim, Bam, Boom! Later, the center of worship was destroyed. Bang!
It was a WTF moment!
Okay?
Here is where the rubber meets the road. The disciples and apostles were like a jilted bride on her wedding day when the groom vanishes.
WHY is this happening to me? What went wrong? How can I understand? THERE MUST BE AN EXPLANATION (that fits my belief.)
The need to make sense of their shattered expectations was overwhelming to them.
Brainstorming. Hypothesis. Guesswork.
At some point, after Jerusalem itself was obliterated by the Roman armies, somebody started a rumor or stated a speculation AS FACT.
It answered THE question on everybody's mind: IF JESUS was the MESSIAH, why didn't he warn us?
The rumor helped people MAKE SENSE of the events that had devasted the existing belief system and JOINED the two events
into a REASONABLE explanation. "Jesus MUST HAVE warned us and we didn't get it!"
What possible explanation could account for it?
This: JESUS HAD PREDICTED EVERYTHING IN ADVANCE--but--we just didn't UNDERSTAND at the time what he was telling us!
The people who had listened to Jesus teach and who probably did NOT "get it" in the first place began retro-fitting certain statements inside
their mind. "You know, when our Lord said "thus and so" he was probably trying to warn us..."
No doubt, Jesus did say something. Something. But, not prophecy. More like a puzzling saying you had to think about.
One of those "..the sound of one hand clapping..." things.
Jesus loved injecting parables and illustrations into his teaching. Mysterious and elusive.
You could go away and think about it. Puzzle over it. Try to solve it on your own. It gave his teaching some real buzz.
After the chaos of the death of Jesus and the destruction of the Temple......an explanation rose to the surface.
JESUS WAS A PROPHET who FORETOLD all this would happen IN OUR GENERATION.
Before any Gospel biographies were written down....along comes a Persecutor of Christians, Saul/Paul.
He sets about making a lesson of this idea: JESUS KNEW and the whole thing was PLANNED from the very BEGINNING!
wOW. wow WOW!
The story got out. It was exciting. It explained everything....
PLUS......
It was probably a shadow of things yet to come! yeah...that's the ticket....there is a GREATER fulfillment to come!
PRESTO! Jesus is actually going to RETURN and finish the job as Messiah.
So....maybe he was more than a human.
Maybe....just maybe.....he was....superhuman....or (gasp) DIVINE!!
Anyway.....you get the point.
Necessity is the mother of invention.