Category Archives: Preterism

TONGUES AND ESCHATOLOGY (6)

AD 70, Israel, Preterism, Theology June 6, 2014 Comments: 10

PMT 2014-068 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.Tongues 6

Tongues have a peculiar relevance to Jewish unbelief in this regard.

Jewish judgment

In Acts 2 God attracts the attention of the Jews by tongues-speaking, after which Peter charges them with slaying the Lord of glory (vv. 22-24). The two-edged sword of curse falls upon these men, with the result that many are cut to the heart (Acts 2:37) and repent, thereby leaving apostate Judaism to become Christians (Acts 2:38-41). Peter cites and applies Joel’s prophecy as indicating the coming judgment:

But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.” (Acts 2:16-20)

Then he warns the Jews: “Be saved from this perverse generation” (Acts 2:40b). Continue reading →

AD 70 AND THE SECOND ADVENT IN MATT 24 (Part 3)

AD 70, Preterism, Second Coming May 5, 2014 Comments: 2

AD 70 flightPMT 2014-054 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This article concludes a three-part discussion of the question of whether the Olivet Discourse focuses solely on AD 70, or if it also looks ahead to the Second Advent. I believe that it speaks of both events. This should not surprise us, since AD 70 is a preview of the Second Advent, like all the several “Day of the Lord” events in the OT anticipating the final “Day of the Lord.” Please consult the previous articles (PMT 2014-051 and 052). See my book The Olivet Discourse Made Easy for more detailed information.

10. Argument from flight opportunity

In the first section Christ urges desperate flight from the area, clearly implying there will be time and opportunity to flee: “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” (Matt 24:16). In fact, one particular sign — the abomination of desolation — will be the cue to leave the area. Because of this opportunity of flight, many lives of God’s elect will be saved: “unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short” (24:22). Continue reading →

AD 70 AND THE SECOND ADVENT IN MATT 24 (Part 2)

AD 70, Preterism, Second Coming May 1, 2014 Leave a comment

Second comingPMT 2014-053 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In this article I am offering a second installment on the question of whether the Olivet Discourse focuses solely on AD 70, or whether it also looks ahead to the Second Advent. I believe that it speaks of both events. Which should not surprise us, since AD 70 is a preview of the Second Advent. Please consult the previous article (PMT 2014-051). See my book The Olivet Discourse Made Easy for more detailed information.

5. Argument from demonstrative distinction

In Matthew 24:34–36 provides further evidence of a subject transition. Jesus contrasts near and far events:

“Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place” (Matt 24:34).

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” (24:36)

Continue reading →

AD 70 AND THE SECOND ADVENT IN MATT 24 (Part 1)

Preterism, Second Coming April 30, 2014 1 Comment

AD 70 (1)PMT 2014-052 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

The Olivet Discourse (Matt 24–25) is one of Jesus five major discourses structuring Matthew’s Gospel. It is prompted by Jesus’ dramatic denouncement of Jerusalem and the temple (Matt 23:37–38), his ceremonial final departure from the temple (Matt 24:1a), his disciples’ confused question regarding the temple as a beautiful place to worship (Matt 24:1b), and his declaration of its coming destruction (Matt 24:2).

In this discourse Jesus prophecies the coming AD 70 destruction of the temple. But he does more. Let us consider the question of whether or not he also refers to the Second Advent of Christ. Continue reading →

HYPERPRETERISM’S EMPTY PROOF-TEXT

AD 70, Interpretation, Preterism February 26, 2014 Comments: 9

PMT 2014-025 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.Empty bucket

I am preterist in the approach to certain key prophecies of the New Testament. I learned this view long ago from my seminary professor and theological mentor, Dr. Greg L. Bahnsen. The term “preterist” is derived from the Latin preteritus, which means “past by.” Preterists believe that several key New Testament prophecies were future when they were originally given, but that they have already come to fulfillment in our distant past.

We accept this conclusion on those particular texts because Scripture provides specific, clear, temporal qualifiers for them. For example, we read in Matthew 24 regarding the Great Tribulation: “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place” (Matt. 24:34). Regarding Revelation, John informs us: “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Rev. 1:3). The New Testament is filled with prophecies qualified by such language. Continue reading →

ARGUMENTS AGAINST PRETERISM

Interpretation, Preterism, Revelation February 24, 2014 Comments: 11

PMT 2014-024 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.Arguing

In this blog article I am offering a brief response to Dr. Charles Hill’s critique of preterism. His objections are generally quite commonly alleged against the preterist approach to Revelation. Hopefully, these will help preterists in their own defenses of their approach to Revelation.

Fallacious Arguments

1. Genetic fallacy. Hill opens by poisoning-the-well for several paragraphs. He claims that the Jesuit Alcazar gave “birth” to Revelational preterism in 1619 as a defense of Romanism. Response: (1) This is the genetic fallacy, and totally irrelevant to preterism’s legitimacy. (2) It is erroneous: a thousand years before, the Greek fathers Arethas and Andreas either applied or noted that others applied several Revelation prophecies to Jerusalem’s fall. Just prior to Alcazar, in fact, commentators Hentenius (1547) and Salmeron (1570) provided preterist expositions, though not as fully and systematically. (3) Protestant scholars quickly picked up on preterism: Westminster divine Lightfoot (1658) and Westminster nominee Henry Hammond (1653), as well as Hugo Grotius (1630) and Jean LeClerc (1712). Continue reading →

PRETERIST PRINCIPLES & ORIGINAL INTENT

Interpretation, Preterism, Revelation February 21, 2014 Leave a comment

Revelation preterismPMT 2014-023 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Three factors generate preterism: (1) the importance of chronological indicators in biblical prophecy, (2) the impact of OT apocalyptic language on eschatological discourse, and (3) the significance of A.D. 70 for redemptive history. Let us see how these impact Revelation.

First, preterism relies heavily upon Revelation’s assertions of the nearness of certain prophetic events (1:1,3; 22:6,10), while non-preterists disingenuously re-interpret these. When the preterist comes upon didactically-seated temporal delimiters, he allows them their literal significance and seeks an historical fulfillment in antiquity. Where absent, then other issues must suggest the proper interpretation, which may or may not demand a past fulfillment. Continue reading →