Category Archives: Interpretation

THE END-TIME RESURRECTION (1)

Interpretation, Resurrection May 3, 2024 Leave a comment

PMW 2024-034 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.resurrection

As Christians we recognize the resurrection of Christ as of enormous significance in the Christian worldview. Paul dogmatically states: “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor 15:17). Clearly for him, Christ’s resurrection is foundational to our hope of salvation.

In this article I will deal with just one of the redemptive-historical effects of Christ’s resurrection: the eschatological resurrection of believers. Christ’s resurrection not only secures our present redemption for glory (Rom. 4:25; 10:9-10) but our future resurrection to glory (Rom.8:23). Continue reading →

INTERPRETING MESSIANIC PSALMS

Interpretation, Israel, Last Days December 26, 2023 Leave a comment

PMW 2023-099 R. T. France

I am reading R. T. France’s excellent work, Jesus and the Old Testament. He has much that is helpful for the postmillennialist and the (orthodox) preterist. Below I will quote three paragraphs that ought to be an encouragement to my readers. These present to us a helpful hermeneutic approach to many Old Testament passages.

I am sure France did not intend them as postmillennial observations, but they do help us in understanding the postmillennial hope nonetheless. Continue reading →

BIBLICAL TYPOLOGY

Interpretation November 3, 2023 Comments: 9

typologyPMW 2023-086 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

A biblical “type” is an Old Testament person, event, or institution that serves as an anticipation of a greater New Testament person, event, or thing, which is known as an “anti-type.” The Old Testament type is a God-ordained matter that is intentionally designed as a pointer to its future, greater “fulfillment.” Thus, Scripture often engages in a recurring pattern of divinely-ordained relationships between the Testaments.

True “types” are not just accidental similarities which we may develop by our own interpretive ingenuity. They are God-ordained similarities that are purposely embedded in Scripture and serve a significant theological purpose. The type may not be understood initially by the saints in the Old Testament, but they are finally demonstrated as such in the New Testament, usually through specific confirmation.

Continue reading →

THE SONS OF GOD IN GENESIS 6

Interpretation, Non-eschatology Studies October 31, 2023 Comments: 2

PMW 2023-085 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.Seth v Cain

The episode occurring in Genesis 6:1–4 is quite difficult to interpret and has been the subject of much debate. Though there are several interpretations of this passage, historically two views have dominated the debate: (1) the angelic offspring view and (2) the human seed-line view.

Though the seed-line view is the traditional Christian understanding, perhaps the oldest view in extra-biblical antiquity is the angel-human interpretation. It is found as far back as 200 B.C. in the non-biblical book of 1 Enoch (6:11–7:6) as well as in the first-century book by Josephus called Antiquities (1:3:1). This view holds that fallen angels came down to earth and engaged in sexual relations with women who then bore giants as their offspring.

The seed-line view holds that the godly line of Seth (4:25) that has been the focus of Genesis since Genesis 5:3 is beginning to intermarry with unbelieving women (“whomever they chose” without reference to their faith. These women would be largely represented by the Cainite line (4:17ff). This appears to be the proper interpretation due to its fitting the context and avoiding bizarre results.
Continue reading →

NEW CREATION & NO MORE SEA? (2)

Interpretation, Revelation June 16, 2023 Comments: 3

PMW 2023-048  by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.No more sea 2

In my last article (PMW 2023-047) I opened the question regarding the meaning of John’s statement in Rev 21:1: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.” Why is there “no longer any sea?” In the previous article I discounted the literal interpretation as well as the chaos approach. But now, what does it mean?

I believe the idea of the sea here pictures a barrier separating man from God. Let me explain. You have read this far, why not? Continue reading →

THE NEW CREATION & MORE SEA? (1)

Interpretation, Revelation June 13, 2023 Leave a comment

PMW 2023-047 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.No more sea 1

In Rev 21:1 an unusual statement appears at the coming of the new heavens and earth: “and there is no longer any sea.” Commentators have long debated the meaning of the absence of the sea (thalassa) in this text. Is this literal? And if it is literal, why would the sea not be part of the consummate order? Or is it metaphorical? And if so, of what is it a metaphor? Continue reading →

WHY THE NUMBER 144,000?

Interpretation, Revelation March 24, 2023 1 Comment

PMW 2023-024 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

144 000Some readers of Revelation are perplexed as to why 12 squared times 1000 is significant to the original readers in the 144,000? What is at about that number that would lead the original readers to think, ‘Oh that’s a number signifying a perfect amount of Jewish converts?’”

1. The Nature of Revelation

In the first place, no one would suggest Revelation is an easy book whose images leap out at you. John himself is left wondering about things within it from time to time (Rev 7:13, 14; 17:6-7). Continue reading →