Category Archives: Second Coming

MATT. 16:27-28: AD 70 AND FINAL JUDGMENT (2)

AD 70, Daniel, Great Commission, Preterism, Second Coming August 3, 2018 Comments: 26

PMW 2018-061 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In my preceding article I began a brief study of Matthew 16:27 and 28. I am providing evidence that Jesus speaks of the “coming of the Son of Man” as applying to his Second Coming at the Final Judgment to end history. Upon declaring this, he adds a note about his near-term coming, which demonstrates his authority at the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70. This article will conclude the argument by providing my fourth point, following upon the preceding three.

So now we must note not only the wording of the passage, but its flow, setting, and purpose.

In v. 28 Jesus inserts the “truly I say to you” formula (v. 28), which he often uses. He always uses this formula as a bold underscoring of something he has said. So? How does it function here? This will explain his rationale in the setting of his current instruction. Continue reading →

MATT. 16:27-28: AD 70 AND FINAL JUDGMENT (1)

AD 70, Preterism, Second Coming July 31, 2018 Comments: 5

PMW 2018-061 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

One of the more remarkable brief aside statements by Jesus, which impacts eschatology, is found in Matthew 16:27–28. Jesus’ declaration reads:

[v. 27] For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds. [v. 28] Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.

As an orthodox preterist, I hold that this passage brings together the AD 70 judgment and the Final Judgment. [1] As orthodox preterists argue (following most conservative, evangelical theologians in general), the AD 70 destruction of the temple is a dramatic judgment of God in itself. But it is also a typological foretaste of the universal Final Judgment, which it pictures through the local judgment on Israel. [2] (This is much like the Israel’s Old Testament exodus event being an important act in itself, while serving as a type of coming redemption through Christ.) Continue reading →

OLIVET’S TRANSITION VERSE RE-VISITED

AD 70, Olivet Discourse, Second Coming July 24, 2018 Comments: 2

PMW 2018-059 by R. T. France

Gentry introductory note:
As I am researching my commentary on Matthew 21–25 (the contextual unit in which the Olivet Discourse appears in Matthew), I have stumbled across a helpful older work by R. T. France: Jesus and the Old Testament. (By the way, I literally stumbled over this work: I already owned, it was in my library, and it fell out when I reached for another book.)

In the Appendix to his study, he gives a brief exegesis of Mark 13, which argues for a transition from AD 70 to the Final Judgment (just as I argue in my work on Matt. 24

He puts the matter well, so I will share it with my readers.

So now, let us hear R. T. France on Mark 13 and the transition from Jesus’ prophecy regarding AD 70 to his prophecy of the Final Judgment. The following is taken from Jesus and the Old Testament  (p. 232): Continue reading →

AD 70, ANTICIPATION, AND ADVENT

AD 70, Interpretation, Second Coming October 30, 2015 Leave a comment

AD 70 anticipates Second AdventPMT 2014:026 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

AD 70 prefigures the Second Advent; it is theologically linked to it. But this does not imply any concept of double-fulfillment. There is a fundamental difference between prolepsis and double-fulfillment. Let me explain.

In the OT we have several “Day of the Lord” events: against Babylon (Isa 13:9), Jerusalem (Joel 2:1), and others. Each of these is a pointer to the final Day of the Lord (2 Pet 3:10), though each OT version is spoken of as THE (singular) Day of the Lord. This is much like our spiritual resurrection in salvation (John 5:24-25; 1 John 3:14) pointing to our final resurrection at the end of history. Or like the Christian’s being a “new creation” (2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15), which is a picture of the consummate new creation (2 Pet 3:10). Continue reading →

WHERE DO WE GO AT DEATH?

Last Days, New Creation, Resurrection, Second Coming August 5, 2015 Comments: 6

New earth

PMT 2015-094 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Partick W. writes:

“One thing I’m a little confused about is the ultimate end of history. Does man remain on earth when Christ returns? After Christ has put all enemies under his feet and handed over the kingdom to the Father, does heaven and hell “merge” and man remains on earth for a lack of better words while Christ is present physically (assuming also still in some sense everywhere present because he’s God). I’m so confused as I feel like I always hear by and large from Christians is to just go to heaven and it seems many believe the present earth to be destroyed. Or is there something else beyond earth/heaven?”

Ken Gentry responds:

Basically, I believe that when we die now (in history) we go to heaven — as did the disciples, the thief on the cross, and Paul the apostle: Continue reading →

OUR BLESSED HOPE (1)

Interpretation, Second Coming March 2, 2015 Leave a comment

Blessed hope 1PMT 2015-027 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Pessimistic eschatologies often use Titus 2:13 as evidence that postmillennialism wrongly directs the Christian’s hope regarding the future as it promotes true revival and cultural renewal. Here Paul states that he is “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.” Non-postmillennialists see postmillennialists as taking their focus off of the second advent.

Yet postmillennialists recognizes that Paul urges believers to see the second advent as their “blessed hope.” In Romans 8:22–25 he mentions that we groan in this fallen world “waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved.” This eager expectation looks to our resurrection at the end of history. Continue reading →

COMING AS LIGHTNING

Israel, Matthew 24, Olivet Discourse, Second Coming November 14, 2014 Comments: 6

False prophetsPMT 2014-138 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

As I argued in the two preceding postings, Matt 24:1-34 presents Christ’s great prophecy against the temple. In that prophecy, known as the Olivet Discourse, he denounces the temple and warns of its soon-coming destruction. I noted that the Discourse deals with AD 70 as well as the end of history, with the line of demarcation drawn at Matt 24:34–36.

Nevertheless, a Second Advent intrusion appears in the near-term prophecy. Though I previously held that Matt 24:27 spoke of his judgment-coming in AD 70, I have come to realize I was mistaken. Read carefully in its context, it refers to the Second Advent. That statement reads: “For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

How can this be? Continue reading →