Tag Archives: destruction of Jerusalem

LUKE 17 VS. MATTHEW 24?

AD 70, Christ, Matthew 24, Second Coming February 4, 2020 Comments: 17

PMW 2020-017 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In this blog I have previously investigated the apparent problem involved when comparing Matthew 24 and Luke 17. See: “Orthodox Preterism and Luke 17.”

There I note that Matthew separates the local judgment-coming prophecies regarding AD 70 from the global ultimate-coming prophecies of the Second Coming and the Final Judgment. Many prominent evangelical preterist scholars recognize Matthew’s clear structure. Scholars such as:

• J. M. Kik, An Eschatology of Victory (originally published as an article in 1948)

• R. V. G. Tasker, Matthew (Tyndale Bible Commentary) (1961)

• David E. Garland, Reading Matthew: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the First Gospel (1993)

• Alistair I. Wilson, When Will These Things Happen: A Study of Jesus as Judge in Matthew 21–25 (2004)

• R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew (New International Commentary on the New Testament) (2007)

• R. C. Sproul, Matthew: An Expositional Commentary (2013)

• Jeannine K. Brown, Matthew (Teach the Text Commentary Series) (2015)

• Jeffrey A. Gibbs, Matthew 21:1–28:20 (vol. 3 of the Concordia Commentary on Matthew) (2018)

See my blog article: Best Matthew Commentaries. Thus, this view is not “Ken Gentry’s view,” as I frequently hear from Hyper-preterists. I got it from others. It is a well-known, highly-regarded view published by a number of reputable scholars.

As I have pointed out elsewhere, this clean separation is quite evident in Matthew 24:34–36. There Matthew’s peri de (“but concerning”) narrative transition-formula shifts his attention away from the known time of his local (metaphorical) judgment-coming against the Temple (Matt. 24:2) in Judea (Matt. 24:16), which was to be in “this generation” (Matt. 24:34). He shifts his attention to “that day and hour,” which timing neither he nor the angels know (Matt. 24:36, 50; 25:13). [1] Continue reading →

WHY IS AD 70 IMPORTANT?

AD 70, apologetics May 9, 2019 Comments: 6

PMW 2019-038 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Since “Moses and all the Prophets” point to the first century coming of Christ (Luke 24:27), we know the very “fulness of the time had come” (Gal. 4:4). This ample revelation in the Old Testament word prepares us for the abundant redemption in the New Testament world. All Christians are well aware of the unparalleled redemptive-historical significance of the incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. We are equally well apprised of His victorious pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon the Church in A.D. 30. But too few realize the significance of the pouring out of His holy wrath upon Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Continue reading →

DOES OLIVET POINT TO AD 70? (Part 1)

AD 70, Olivet Discourse, Preterism, Temple November 10, 2014 Comments: 5

Olivet and DisciplesPMT 2014-136 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

The Olivet Discourse is an important key to New Testament prophecy. It is found in the three Synoptic Gospels at Matt 24–25; Mark 13; and Luke 21. I believe also that John’s Gospel does not have it because John re-casts it in dramatic, symbolic imagery in his Book of Revelation. After all, John titles his great prophetic work: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev 1:1). And it certainly reflects the Olivet Discourse in a number of places (e.g., cp. Luke 21:24 with Rev 11:2; Matt 23:35 with Rev 18:24).

This Discourse is the Lord’s climactic prophecy which he gives not long before his public rejection by Israel (Matt 23:37), condemnation by her high-priestly aristocracy (Matt 26:65–66), and crucifixion at the insistence of that legal body (Matt 27:1–2, 12, 20–22). In Jesus’ ministry, several distinct prophecies lead up to this grand finale; but this is clearly his most focused and sustained prophecy from his teaching ministry. Continue reading →