PMW 2018-033 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.
Gentry Commentary on Revelation
I have just received notice from the publisher that my commentary on Revelation will be released this Summer. It’s title is: The Divorce of Israel: A Redemptive-Historical Interpretation of Revelation. It will be around 1800 pages in two volumes.
I am excited that the long wait for it may be over. A day waiting for one’s book to be published is like a 1000 years. Only more so. I never thought I would interpret a 1000 years so literally!
But what does a used Revelation commentator do in his spare time, such as it is? He gets started on Revelation’s best friend, the Olivet Discourse. After all, Revelation opens with “the Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:1), and has four key passages from Christ that greatly impact its drama, each one taken from the Olivet Discourse.
So now I would like to introduce the, as yet untitled:
Gentry Commentary on Matthew 21-25
I have now begun in-depth research on a new, semi-technical commentary. This one is on a discrete, inter-connected unit in Matthew. It will begin in Matthew 21, where Jesus first enters Jerusalem and begins a final teaching ministry with direct, concentrated challenges to the Jerusalem authorities. It will continue to where he ends his teaching-challenge at the end of Matthew 25, which is followed by his betrayal, arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection. In this unit he theologically links the coming destruction of the temple and the judgment of Israel in the first century to his final coming and the judgment of all nations at the future Second Advent in the last century.
I will be using the principles of Composition Criticism to show how both AD 70 and the Second Advent are demonstrations of Christ’s authority over Israel and the nations (per Matthew’s point in Matt. 21–25). Composition Criticism approaches a biblical book on the basis of its author’s own theological point. That is, it tends not to randomly pick up on similar verses in other books to determine what the author is saying. Rather it looks at the text we have before us (in this case the Gospel of Matthew) to determine what this author himself (Matthew) was getting at in the way he organizes and edits his material.
Matthew does not simply cite Christ word-for-word. He translates the Lord’s teaching from Hebrew/Aramaic into Greek and arranges the material according to his theological concern.
Navigating the Book of Revelation (by Ken Gentry)
Technical studies on key issues in Revelation, including the seven-sealed scroll, the cast out temple, Jewish persecution of Christianity, the Babylonian Harlot, and more.
See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com
As is well-known, the Gospels differ on many points, and even in the Olivet Discourse itself. For instance, only Matthew fails to mention the story of the widow’s mite, which leads up to the Discourse (Mark 12:41–44; Luke 21:1–6). Only Matthew presents the fuller question from the disciples about the temple’s destruction (Matt. 24:3; cp. Mark 13:4; Luke 21:7). Only Matthew has Jesus using the word parousia (and he uses it only four times in his whole Gospel, all in the Discourse, Matt. 24:3, 27, 37, 39). And in Matt. 21-25, Matthew records the most parables challenging the Jerusalem authorities. Why?
These differences are not due to contradictory traditions or clumsy editing, as per Form Criticism or Redaction Criticism. Rather they are due to the Gospel writers’ particular theological point, which they are making. Those who randomly jump at every parallel phrasing between the Gospels will miss the particular author’s point. This problem has caused many evangelicals to not recognize the theological linking of AD 70 and the Second Advent, while maintaining the historical distinction of these two redemptive-historical events (one is in the first century, the other will be in the last century).
Matthew carefully distinguishes AD 70 (Matt. 24:4–34) from the Second Advent (Matt. 24:36–25:46) as he demonstrates the authority of Christ (a main, driving point in this unit of his Gospel). He shows Christ’s authority, first, over Israel (leading to her judgment), then second, over the nations (leading to their judgment). Matthew does not present Jesus as a Jewish sage with a local ministry. Rather he presents him as the universal Lord whose sovereignty is over all the nations, which is his final point in his Gospel (Matt. 28:18–20).
My commentary on Matthew 21–25 will more fully draw out the transition occurring in Matthew 24:34–36 than in my The Olivet Discourse Made Easy. This new commentary will be The Olivet Discourse Made Difficult. Not really. But it will be with great exegetical, theological, and critical depth. To compare it to the Made Easy book, it will be like the television ad that lets you buy something with three easy payments followed by one really hard payment.
Perilous Times: A Study in Eschatological Evil (by Ken Gentry)
Technical studies on Daniel’s Seventy Weeks, the great tribulation, Paul’s Man of Sin, and John’s Revelation.
See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com
From the exegetical research that I have already engaged, I can tell this is going to be an exciting, insightful, and instructive challenge. And I am entering into this challenge with enthusiasm!
You Can Help!
So I hope those interested in these things might be willing to support me, so that I can get this project done in a timely manner. The Matthew commentary will not take as long as the Revelation commentary, mainly due to the scope of the material: twenty-two chapters in Revelation, five chapters in Matthew. I am hoping to complete it by the end of 2019.
So then: I need your support! Please remember that you can give to my research as a tax-deductible donation, if you give through the GoodBirth Ministries website: www.goodbirthministries.com.
Click on the following images for more information on these studies:
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Postmillennial Worldview 
I can’t wait to get my copy.
This is great news! Looking forward to reading it. God bless Dr. Gentry.
Will it be available for kindle ?!
Eventually!
Fantastic!!!
Its summerish! Will it be here pre, mid, or the end of summer? I’m so excited!
I have seen the fig tree putting forth it leaves. This informs me that the Summer of My Content is near. The Publisher has hired another proof-reader to speed things up. And he has sent out bid request to printers in order to determine the sale price and to secure its printing. All I can say is that it should be soon (perhaps August?).
Can’t wait!
Me either!
Dr. Kenneth, I’m eagerly awaiting your new books on Revelation. I first heard about them from your interview with Pastor Jeff Durbin of Apologia Radio. Thanks for all of your hard work.
I am looking forward to reading your commentary on revelation and am glad to hear you will be writing one on the Olivet discourse. Your “the Olivet discouse made easy” was superb. I am wondering when you will write one on daniel’s prophecy? It seems no matter where a conversation begins with a dispensationalist they ultimately defend their position with an obscure passage from Daniel.
I am wondering if you have any recommendations on commentaries on Ezekiel, that is until you write.
I have used Patrick Fairbairn with profit. But I really haven’t researched Ezekiel recently.
Is there a way for us to pre-order a copy of “The Divorce of Israel” , or do we just need to wait until it is officially in print. Looking forward to this work!
Unfortunately, there is no pre-order possibility. The commentary has been delayed several times, and this would create a problem if anything else delays it. Plus, the cost cannot be determined until the final layout is completed. Thanks for your interest.
Now mid-November and still not seeing any promotion via Amazon or the publisher. I hope this was a good choice of publisher that will be able to market the book and get it the attention it deserves.
Tolle Lege has good marketing skills and capacity. The slowness is in its proofing due to several factors. I believe it will be well-marketed. They have certainly put enough money into its preparation, for which I am thankful.
Due to the complications in its proofing and the changing completion date rpojections, they don’t want to declare a release date at this time. Once they have its layout completed, they will begin marketing. I hope you will join me in praying for a January completion!
Ken, Is Divorce of Israel available at this time?
I wish! The whole world will know when it is released because I will shout it from the roof-tops. I fear it won’t be printed before the end of the year. But I will let everyone know when it is. Thanks for your interest.
I just wanted to ask if there is a new expected date on this commentary? I saw on another website that it should start printing shortly after the fall of this year. Is that right?
Also, in response to the above article, I saw a skeptic recently allege there was a sayings tradition behind the Olivet discourse (Matt 24, Mark 13) and 1 Thess 4:13-5:11. Do you think this is right, and if so, would it show that there is only one coming of Christ and not two, since Paul seems to be referrring to the final coming in 1 Thess?
Lastly, just curious if you have considered annihilationism (conditionalism) as the punishment in mind when writing your commentary on Revelation, and if you think that would significantly affect any of your conclusions? I only ask because I am a Conditionalist who is looking into the biblical grounds for Preterism.
The NT writers obviously used sources, as Luke clearly shows (Luke 1:1-4). But they used them under the operation of the Holy Spirit, thereby insuring their trustworthiness. I don’t see how this impacts one’s view of the AD 70 metaphorical coming of Christ or the future physical Second Coming of Christ.
I hope to know a little more of its progress in about two or three weeks.