OBJECTIONS TO JOHN’S “NEAR” STATEMENTS (2)

Preterism, Revelation December 20, 2022 1 Comment

PMW 2022-096 By Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.Wrong answer

This is the fourth in a series focusing on the question of the temporal expectation in Revelation.

I am first presenting the attempts of non-preterist interpreters to get around John’s near-term declarations in Rev 1:1, 3; 22:6, 10. Once I have presented these efforts, I will provide extensive exegetical arguments showing that John does focus on the first-century. And then I will eventually answer the question as to whether John ever looks to the distant future.

In my last blog I noted the first two responses to John’s near-term expectations: (1) John was mistaken. (2) John was ambiguous. As you might surmise, I am offering the worst answers first — just to show you how desperate some commentators get over John’s statements. Now I pick up with a third explanation. Continue reading →

OBJECTIONS TO JOHN’S “NEAR” STATEMENTS (1)

Preterism, Revelation December 16, 2022 Comments: 2

PMW 2022-095 By Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.Close no cigar

This is the third of five articles in which I am dealing with the near-term statements opening Revelation in 1:1 and 1:3. In this and the next three I will be responding to objections to the nearness expectations based on these verses and the closing verses in Revelation 22:6 and 22:10. I encourage those interested in Revelation to take account of his opening and concluding statements which are so crucial to understanding John’s message as it was originally received by the seven churches (Rev. 2–3).

Remember that John opens Revelation with two seemingly clear statements:

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John.” (Rev 1:1)

“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) Continue reading →

NEARNESS IN REVELATION 1:3

Preterism, Revelation December 13, 2022 1 Comment

PMW 2022-091 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In the preceding article I began simply listing the Bible translations of Revelation 1:1 and 1:3 to show that all versions of these verses clearly speak of the nearness of its fulfillment. Then following these two articles, I will present three articles answering the leading objections to the nearness of the Revelation events. When I speak at conferences on Revelation, I always challenge the attendees to look up these verses in any reputable version and note the clear near-term implications.

So, in this article we are now ready to list the versions and how they translate Revelation 1:3

Rev 1:3 in the Versions
(see below for identity of these abbreviated translation names):

KJ21
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein; for the time is at hand.

ASV
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand.

AMP
Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and who keep the things which are written in it [heeding them and taking them to heart]; for the time [of fulfillment] is near.

AMPC
Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who reads aloud [in the assemblies] the word of this prophecy; and blessed (happy, to be envied) are those who hear [it read] and who keep themselves true to the things which are written in it [heeding them and laying them to heart], for the time [for them to be fulfilled] is near.

Continue reading →

NEARNESS IN REVELATION 1:1

Uncategorized December 9, 2022 Comments: 2

PMW 2022-091 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.Stack of Bibles

Despite the historic difficulty of Revelation, the key to understanding it is in its front door. That is, they key interpretive clue that we need to even begin to properly understand it is its opening verse: Revelation 1:1. When the original recipients of Revelation first heard it read to them (Rev. 1:3), they heard it without having any knowledge of Hal Lindsey’s Late Great Planet Earth, or Tim LaHaye’s Left Behind, or David Jeremiah’s, The World of the End. They heard John’s words first. And that is the way it should be.

In this and the next article I will simply be listing the Bible translations of Revelation 1:1, then 1:3 to show that all versions of these verses clearly speak of the nearness of its fulfillment. Then following these two articles, I will present three articles answering the leading objections to the nearness of the Revelation events. When I speak at conferences on Revelation, I always challenge the attendees to look up these verses in any reputable version and note the clear near-term implications. Continue reading →

OVER-REALIZED ESCHATOLOGY AT CORINTH (2)

hyperpreterism, Resurrection December 6, 2022 Comments: 9

PMW 2022-092 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.Resurrection empty tomb

In my last blog post, I began a two-part study of the over-realized eschatology problem at Corinth. Throughout 1 Corinthians Paul has to continually rebuke and correct the Christians there. I am pointing out the source of their confusion and abuse of privilege: they have adopted an “over-realized eschatology.” I recommend that you read the previous post before reading this one.

But now, let us re-start our study

What is “realized eschatology”?

Now simply put, the problem Paul faces at Corinth is what we may call an “over-realized eschatology.” Let me explain what I mean by first presenting what a legitimate “realized eschatology” is.

After the resurrection of Christ in the first-century, redemptive history entered into a “realized eschatological” experience. That is, Christ completed his work of redemption by means of his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. And because of this, redemptive history, which began with the protoevangelium in Genesis 3:15, finally entered what the New Testament calls “the last days” (Heb. 1:2), “the ends of the ages” (1 Cor. 10:11), “the consummation of the ages” (Heb. 9:26), “these last times” (1 Pet. 1:20), and so forth. That is, the eschatological-redemptive hope of the Old Testament finally began coming to fruition in Christ. Continue reading →

OVER-REALIZED ESCHATOLOGY AT CORINTH (1)

hyperpreterism, Resurrection December 2, 2022 Comments: 6

PMW 2022-091 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.Resurrection glory

Christ’s resurrection and ours

First Corinthians 15 is an important chapter regarding the resurrection. Here Paul clearly ties the believer’s resurrection to Christ’s, requiring that we understand both in the same way (Phil. 3:20–21). For he states that Christ’s resurrection was the “first fruits” of the believer’s resurrection (1 Cor. 15:20). This first fruits image establishes two important truths:

(1) Christ’s resurrection is actually the beginning of the general resurrection of the dead. This is because the first fruits of a harvest are a part of the full, final harvest, though occurring before the full harvest (cf. 1 Cor. 15:12–13). Continue reading →

GALATIANS 1:4 & THE PRESENT AGE

Uncategorized November 29, 2022 Comments: 10

PMW 2022-090 by Thomas R. SchreinerGod casts Satan down

As I am researching the Two-Age structure of redemptive history in the New Testament, I am finding a lot of helpful insights in various technical commentaries. A key passage in the Two-Age model is Galatians 1:4, which states regarding Christ:

“He gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age [hopos exeletai hemas ek tou aionos tou enestotos ponerou], according to the will of our God and Father,”

I will be dealing much with this passage in the book I am currently researching: Olivet and the Two Ages. In my research I have found quite helpful Thomas R. Schreiner’s commentary on Galatians in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (pp. 77–78). On Galatians 1:4 Schreiner well captures the significance of the passage and Paul’s instruction. There Schreiner comments: Continue reading →