Category Archives: Interpretation

THE MILLENNIUM EXAGGERATED (2)

Interpretation, Millennium, Revelation of John, Theology October 28, 2025 Leave a comment

MisdirectionPMW 2025-085 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This is the second and concluding study on the exaggerated role of the millennium in eschatological studies. It is important for you to read the preceding article before jumping into this one. I am arguing that John’s half-chapter is given too much place in prophetic discussions. This has led many Christians to misunderstand the function of the millennium in Revelation, as well as its length.

Properly understood, the thousand-year time frame in Revelation 20 represents a long and glorious era and is not limited to a literal 365,000 days. Continue reading →

THE MILLENNIUM ABUSED (1)

Interpretation, Millennium, Theology October 24, 2025 Leave a comment

Millennium exaggeratedPMW 2025-084 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

I am beginning a two-part series on the millennium. I will be highlighting how its significance in eschatological discussions is exaggerated. I am calling for balance on this issue.

Revelation 20:1–6 present us with a time frame that plays a far greater role in the eschatological debate than it warrants. Oddly, Stanley J. Grenz asserts of “evangelical postmillennialists” that “as a millenarian viewpoint, of course, it builds its primary case from a futurist interpretation of John’s vision.” This is simply not so. Continue reading →

SYMBOLISM AND THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Interpretation, Revelation of John October 17, 2025 Leave a comment

PMW 2025-082 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

When opening the book of Revelation, the would-be interpreter must understand that it is a highly figurative book that cannot be approached with a simple, straightforward literalism. It constantly amazes me that when I discuss Revelation with many evangelical laymen they are immediately alarmed that I am not taking Revelation “literally”! Perhaps one of our first tasks in convincing laymen of the preterist view of Revelation is to disabuse them of literalism.

The first thing we need to do is to point out that though Revelation is highly symbolic, the preterist view does understand Revelation’s prophecies as strongly reflecting actual historical events in John’s near future. And this is despite their being set in an apocalyptic drama and clothed with poetic hyperbole. As even premillennialist commentator Robert Mounce notes: “That the language of prophecy is highly figurative has nothing to do with the reality of the events predicted. Symbolism is not a denial of historicity but a matter of literary genre.” Continue reading →

JESUS AGAINST DISPENSATIONALISM

Dispensationalism, Interpretation August 22, 2025 Comments: 4

PMW 2025-070 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

I have quickly glanced at several of the kingdom parables in my previous posts. In this posting I will continue doing so. This time we come to two parables that are strongly postmillennial: The parables of the mustard seed and of the leaven. Let’s quickly review this powerful parables.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed (Mt 13:31–32) and the Parable of the Leaven (Mt 13:33). These two parables instruct us regarding the kingdom’s gradual development and ultimate outcome. I will consider these parables a little more closely since they greatly impact the postmillennial argument.

Continue reading →

HELPFUL ESCHATOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS

Interpretation August 5, 2025 Leave a comment

PMW 2025-064 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

I am currently working on a book on the Two Ages of Redemptive History, which is a book that will supplement another project I have almost completed researching: “The Olivet Discourse in Context.” In this blog posting I will simply list some well-stated, random observations of various theologians regarding eschatological phenomena. I hope you find these helpful, for I will have them in my book!

Just for fun, I will begin with one of my own:

Ken Gentry
In Romans 8:23 Paul speaks of the redemption OF the body, not a redemption FROM the body. This fits nicely with his statement in the much abused fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians, where Paul speaks of “THIS” body being resurrected, NOT removed or replaced. See verses 53–54.
Continue reading →

“THE FINAL TRIUMPH OF GOD” REVIEW

Interpretation, Resurrection July 29, 2025 Leave a comment

PMW 2025-062 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

James P. Ware’s The Final Triumph of God: Jesus, the Eyewitnesses, and the Resurrection of the Body in 1 Corinthians 15 (Eerdmans, 2006) is one of the most compelling and insightful books I have read in many years. It is absolutely spell-binding in its careful exegetical observations regarding the physical resurrection of the body in 1 Corinthians 15. And in our day of the arising of a new neo-Gnosticism (!) it is a “must have” book. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Christ’s physical, bodily resurrection or our own. And to any who might want to witness to hyper-preterists (or liberals who hold the views). This might be a good tract to  give them.

Instead of my own personal review, I will simply cite most of the Foreword by A. Andrew Das. He focuses on the essence of the book and the importance of Ware’s own triumph! Continue reading →

HYPERPRETERISM VS. THE GOSPEL (3)

hyperpreterism, Interpretation, Resurrection July 22, 2025 Leave a comment

PMW 2025-060 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Introduction
This is my third and final article in a short series on 1 Corinthians. I am showing that Paul is warning the Corinthians that denying the physical resurrection ends up denying the gospel. Thus, 1 Corinthians should serve as a warning to any Christians being tempted by hyper-preterism and its neo-Gnostic spiritual resurrection of the body. Sadly, hyper-preterists who teach a “spiritual” resurrection instead of a “bodily” resurrection are adopting humanism over biblicism.

The wisdom of the world
Once again, I am beginning with Paul’s first major section opening the main body of his epistle: 1 Cor. 1–4. In this section, which is the foundation for the whole epistle, Paul is warning against the wisdom of the world (i.e., that of fallen man) as he sets it over against the wisdom of God, which is found in Paul’s preaching. In 1 Cor. 3:18 he expresses concern about some “among” the Corinthians who are teaching the wisdom of the world in the church there [1]:

“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you [en humin] thinks that he is wise in this age [sophos … en to aioni touto], he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world [sophia tou kosmou toutou] is foolishness before God. For it is written, ‘He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness’; and again, ‘The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.’ So then let no one boast in men.” Continue reading →