PRETERISM IN THE SCIENTIFIC ACADEMY?

Preterism March 1, 2024 Comments: 2

LonerPMW 2024-017 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

QUESTION TO ME

Hello, Mr. Gentry, good morning!

It is always a privilege to have the opportunity to interact with you via email.

I am currently studying preterism/postmillennialism through your writings and those of others (such as Douglas Wilson, Frank Brito, Sproul, Gary DeMar…). I would like to ask you a question, if you don’t mind:

Why do you think that those who embrace preterism/postmillennialism are a minority in academy, particularly among the Reformed? I was talking to a friend of mine who studied at Westminster (California), and he mentioned that he did not encounter any professors who advocated for this position…

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DATE AND DURATION OF CHRIST’S INCARNATE STATE

Christ February 27, 2024 Comments: 2

Christ physical resurrectionPMW 2024-016 by Thomas Ridgley (1667–1734)

Gentry note:

This insightful article is taken from Thomas Ridgley, A Body of Divinity (1855). It provides some helpful arguments for the continuing incarnate existence of the resurrected Christ in heaven above. As such it contrasts with the new Gnosticism inherent in hyperpreterism, whereby Christ’s physically resurrected body is said to have dissipated once he ascended into heaven.

Not only so, but Ridgley gives us some insights into first century Judaism, which helps us see what confused the disciples in Matthew 24:3 when they equated the destruction of the temple with the close of the age and the end of history.

Sadly though, Ridgley wrongly assumes that the “end of the age” is the end of the old covenant. But Jesus and Paul provide several reasons why the end of the old covenant era is not the “end of the age.” See articles on this website dealing with this matter. Search for “age.”  (https://postmillennialworldview.com/?s=age&submit=Search)
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FOUR DISCIPLES; TWO QUESTIONS

Matthew 24 February 23, 2024 Comments: 9

two fingersPMW 2024-015 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

An Important Question
A reader of my blog wrote and asked an important question:

“Hello, and thanks for the interesting blog posts!

I have a question concerning the amount of the questions Jesus’ disciples asked him in Matthew’s version of the Olivet Discourse.

Those who reject the preteristic interpretation of the discourse, argue that disciples asked three questions:

1) when will these things be (the destruction of the temple, which they admit that Jesus talks a bit)

2) what will be the sign of your coming (the second advent)

3) what will be the sign of the end of age (the end of the present world order we all are living)

My question: Is there any grammatical or other structural arguments for two and not three questions?
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THE CONFUSED, STUMBLING DISCIPLES

AD 70, Age(s) (Two Ages), hyperpreterism, Olivet Discourse February 20, 2024 Comments: 10

PMW 2024-014 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.Tripping man

I am researching an expansion of my The Olivet Discourse Made Easy book. My expansion is so far-reaching in scope and large in size that I may have to rename it. Perhaps, The Olivet Discourse Made Hard. [1]

In my research I have a large section showing how confused and stumbling were Jesus’ twelve disciples — despite having the best teacher possible! Their confusion plays a large role in their misunderstanding Jesus’ prophecy of the destruction of the temple (Matt. 24:2). They ask two questions of him, the second of which shows their confusion. They ask when shall these things be, then they ask what shall be the sign of your parousia and of the end of the age (Matt. 24:3). As per much first century Jewish and apocalyptic expectations, they believed the temple could not be destroyed without history ending and that the Messiah would wage war against pagans.
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ABRAHAMIC COVENANT & THE LAND

Israel February 16, 2024 Comments: 2

Israel and the worldPMW 2024-013 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

A quick summation of Genesis 12 and 13 regarding the precovenantal promise of God to Abraham.

Gen. 12:1a
Now the LORD said to Abram
At this point the Genesis narrative moves out of primeval history and into patriarchal history toward which it has been heading since Gen. 1:1. Like Adam and Noah before him, Abraham initiates a new beginning in advancing God’s plan in history. Although the Abrahamic Covenant will not be established until a little later (15:17–21), here we have the pre-covenantal promise that leads to it. God speaks to Abraham through direct, objective revelation (cp. Gen. 12:7; 17:1; 18:1; Acts 7:2).
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ISRAEL AND GOD’S PEOPLE (4)

Uncategorized February 13, 2024 Comments: 11

Jew and GentileThis is my final installment on a brief series of the role of Israel in the Bible and theology. I am responding to the Judeo-centric theology of dispensationalism. Please read the three preceding articles to understand the flow of my argument. I now move on to note that:

9. The new covenant church is actually called “Israel”

Dispensationalists strongly resist the application of “Israel” to the church, asserting that “the Scriptures never use the term Israel to refer to any but the natural descendants of Jacob” [1] But if according to the New Scofield Reference Bible Abraham can have Gentiles as his “spiritual seed,” [2] why may we not envision a spiritual Israel?

In fact, Paul applies the name “Israel” to Christians when he writes: “And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God” (Gal 6:16). Here he is referring to Christians as “the Israel of God.” In the Greek the “and “preceding “the Israel of God,” functions epexegetically. That is, we should translate the verse “peace and mercy upon them, that is, upon the Israel of God.” Thus, according to Paul “as many as walk according to this rule [Christian faith]” are the “Israel of God.”

Dispensationalists see Galatians 6:16 as applying to Jewish converts to Christ, “who would not oppose the apostle’s glorious message of salvation.” [3] But such is surely not the case, for the following reasons. The entire epistle of Galatians opposes any claim to a special Jewish status or distinction: “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:26–28).
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ISRAEL AND GOD’S PEOPLE (3)

Israel February 9, 2024 Comments: 2

Isaiah and jesusPMW 2024-012 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

I have offered two articles on Israel in my two previous installments of this study. I am currently rebutting the dispensational view of Scripture and theology, which presents a Judeo-centric focus. I will continue with my critique.

4. The new covenant church is not a mystery wholly unrevealed

Based on Ephesians 3, dispensationalist argue that the new covenant era, international church was a mystery that is “completely unrevealed in the Old Testament.” Certainly the clarity of the revelation of God’s expanding people increases in the New Testament. But that revelation was, in fact, given in the Old Testament.

Let’s look at dispensationalism’s key passage for this concept. Ephesians 3:5–6 reads: “which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” We have already seen that the Old Testament anticipated this. Now we must note that Ryrie and the dispensationalists misread Paul’s statement. Consider the following.

To begin with, we must discern for whom the revelation was a mystery. Ephesians 3:3–6 reads: “By revelation he made known unto me the mystery . . . which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men.” Thus, the “mystery” now revealed was not previously made known to the “sons of men,” that is, the Gentiles. It was made known to the “sons of Israel” through their prophets. The phrase “sons of Israel” appears often in the Old Testament (e.g., Exo 3:3, 14–15; 4:31; 5:14–15; 6:5; etc.), setting them over against the rest of the world, the Gentiles, the “sons of men.” When God speaks to Ananias he distinguishes between “the Gentiles” and “the sons of Israel” (Acts 9:15; cp. Luke 2:32; Acts 4:27).
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