CHRISTIAN “RESURRECTION” IN ISLAMIC IRAN?

Islam, persecution May 8, 2026 Leave a comment

PMW 2026-033 by Abbas Milani (Hoover Institute)

Gentry note: This interesting historical article was originally published by the Hoover Institution on December 9, 2025.

Christian “Resurrection” in Islamic Iran?

Christians of many hues have lived in Iran long before 633 CE, when Islam arrived on the heels of the Arab invading army. The Cyrus Cylinder, often considered one of the first declarations of human rights and religious tolerance, is rightly seen as emblematic of the culture of the Persian Empire before the invasion. When the Zoroastrian faith became dominant in that empire, there are sadly many instances when Christians were subjected to brutal suppression and murder. Nevertheless, for centuries, churches and monasteries dotted ancient Iran’s landscapes. Often called “Nestorian” by Westerners, these Iranian Christians not only had a prominent presence in ancient Iran’s capital — the famous city of Ctesiphon whose architecture, and even pillaged bricks, helped shape Baghdad as the capital of the Islamic caliphate in its “Golden age,” but Nestorian bishops presided over schools that would, even in later centuries, send monks as far as India and China. It has even been reported that the “True Cross” believed to be the one Jesus was crucified on was seized by Sasanian armies in 614 and taken to Ctesiphon, to be later retrieved by Christians. Christianity was, in short, a visible, albeit occasionally brutalized, part of the Persian empire’s intellectual and spiritual fabric. In literature, too, some of the greatest love stories of Iran’s rich poetic tradition include lauded Christian heroes and heroines.

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CHRISTIANITY’S DECLINE IN AMERICA HAS HALTED

History, Revival May 5, 2026 Leave a comment

PMW 2026-032 by Rod D. Martin

Gentry note: An excellent and encouraging article by Baptist theologian Rod Martin. (Please note the photo of a man’s muscular bicep. I would have used a photo of my own bicep, but I feared it would have been an illustration for amillennialism and the decline of Christianity.)

Rod Martin article:

One year ago, Pew showed the decline had ceased. Now, new data suggest the secular surge may be going into reverse — and young men are helping lead the turn.

Published by Rod Martin on April 26, 2026

The rumors of Christianity’s demise were not merely exaggerated. They may have been exactly backward.

A year ago, Pew Research Center released one of the largest surveys of American religion ever conducted, finding that after decades of decline, the Christian share of the country had stabilized. Christianity was no longer in freefall. The “Nones” — atheists, agnostics, and those who describe their religion as “nothing in particular” — had stopped their long march upward.

The secularization story every elite institution treated as inevitable had hit a wall.

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ANOTHER FINE MATTHEW COMMENTARY

Olivet Discourse May 1, 2026 Leave a comment

PMW 2026-031 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

I often receive inquiries seeking recommendation on books on eschatology. And since the Olivet Discourse is a major eschatological passage in Scripture, I am most often asked about commentaries on this passage. The Discourse, Jesus’ only fully eschatological discourse, is found in the three Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. And since Matthew’s version is much longer, I generally focus on it for all the additional insights it offers. The Apostle devotes two whole chapters of ninety-seven verses to the Olivet Discourse. Mark’s is the second longest version but is much shorter, containing only one chapter of thirty-seven verses.

Recently I published an article introducing some of the best preterist commentaries on Matthew (“The Best Matthew Commentaries,” April 10, 2026). Those commentaries have been my go-to works on the Olivet Discourse for a good while. They are immensely insightful and compelling. And fully orthodox.

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JOHN THE BAPTIST STUMBLES

Christ April 28, 2026 Leave a comment

PMW 2026-030 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

John the Baptist was a remarkable saint, though he was not the Messiah as some believed. But he very knows very clearly who is. For he declares of Jesus “This was He of whom I said, He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me” (John 1:15). Thus when he sees Jesus coming to him, he declares “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

He also baptizes Jesus — though with great reluctance because he knows of Jesus’ superiority (Matt. 3:13–15). God confirms Jesus’ identity to John by the heavens being opened, the Spirit descending on Jesus like a dove, and by God’s voice declaring to Jesus, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased” (Mark 1:9–11; cp. John 1:32–34).

Yet despite of all of this positive confirmation, something surprisingly unexpected happens:

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“AGE” OR “WORLD”?

Age(s) (Two Ages) April 24, 2026 Comments: 2

PMW 2026-029 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

A Question Presented

A long-time reader has recently sent me a question on this site. Mr. Cardona asks:

“In Hebrews 1:2, how do you understand αιωνας, “worlds,” “ages,” “universe”? I tried looking for how you understand that word in this context, but I can’t seem to find it. And how would you translate it?”

This is an important question for helping to understand Scripture properly. It is especially helpful for understanding scriptural eschatology, which is so easily abused (and I do not just mean by the “Latter-day Saints”). The word aion, which is generally translated either by “age” or by “eternal,” is an important Greek term that is found frequently in the New Testament. I am currently writing a book on “The Two Ages of Redemptive History” in which I will be discussing this word and its Old Testament counterpart olam. This two age phenomenon provides an important Reformed theological insight into the meta-narrative of Scripture, greatly impacting eschatology.

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TWO AGES IMPACT ON THE NEW TESTAMENT

Age(s) (Two Ages), New Testament April 21, 2026 Comments: 4

PMW 2026-028 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

I am currently working on a book on the two ages of redemptive history. In this posting I will simply present the key passages demonstrating the two age presence in the New Testament. These verses will be presented in biblical order. I will highlight in bold font the English words translated from the Greek aion.

In my book I will provide full exegetical analysis of these (and other) texts which are misconstrued by hyper-preterists as they have created a new unorthodox — and still evolving and mutating — theological paradigm. I am hoping this book will change the minds of some who are being tempted by hyper-preterism. It would be hard to change the mind of an actual hyper-preterist, because they developed a new (and heretical) holistic worldview. But it can be done and we should pray to that end. Demons can be cast out!

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DID JOHN THE BAPTIST DOUBT?

Jesus April 17, 2026 Leave a comment

PMW 2026-027 BY KENNETH L. GENTRY, JR.

In this posting I will focus on the question as to whether John experienced doubt regarding Jesus’ identity as the Messiah. As I approach this question, I would note that we need to be aware that “there was messianic ferment in the land of Israel in the first century” (Scott 1995: 320). Because of this anticipation, many who meet Jesus or hear him speak and see him perform miracles are convinced he is the expected Christ/Messiah (John 1:41; 4:29; 7:31, 41; 10:24).

Even though Jesus had indeed come as such, he initially warns his own disciples to “tell no one that He was the Christ” (Matt. 16:20). This was due to the problem of widespread apocalyptically-charged anticipation. This could lead to a wrong-headed and dangerous response from the populace. We see this danger operating, for instance, on one occasion when the people tried to “take Him by force to make Him king” (e.g., John 6:15). Indeed, because of the messianic excitability in these times, Jesus warns that “many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many” (Matt. 24:14; cp. vv. 23–24).

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