Preterism

One of the main reasons, I suppose, why the obvious way of reading the chapter has been ignored for so long must be the fact that in a good deal of Christian theology the fall of Jerusalem has had no theological significance. This has meant not only that Mark 13 is found puzzling, but also that all the references to the same event elsewhere in the gospels — even where it stares one in the face, as in Luke 13:1-5 — have been read as general warnings of hellfire in an afterlife, rather than the literal and physical divine-judgment-through-Roman-judgment that we have seen to be characteristic of Jesus’ story.
N.T. Wright Jesus and the Victory of God pg. 343-4

3 thoughts on “Preterism”

  1. I agree with this post ! I just did a study on Daniel by R. C. Sproul and don’t know how anyone could miss the fulfillment of Jesus’ own words as well as what is shown in Daniel. However, my problem with Sproul’s eschatology is that he says that that was a prelude to what will happen again- that there is a double fulfillment in many of Daniel’s passages. I have not heard that prophetic scriptures of historic events could have a double fulfillment. But I can only go so far with preterism. I have heard that preterists believe all the prophecies are fulfilled for the nation of Israel since 70 AD. My understanding of Is. 66:8 is that Israel is the nation born in one day on May 15, 1948.

    Like

  2. hi sherry;
    It is nearly impossible to be succinct with this topic, but suffice it to say there is a dual fulfillment to nearly all OT prophesy and Matthew 24 as well. read chapter 16 of ezekiel and chapter 3 of jeremiah for a metaphorical depiction of the Mosaic covenant with Israel in the form of a marriage covenant. Israel breaks the covenant and are sent into captivity in Assyria and Babylon as punishement, but all of her “lovers” (surrounding gentile nations) are also punished with various judgments. Why? The answer lies in Romans chapter 3:19-22…which reveals the whole purpose of the Mosaic Covebant..to “make the “whole world” accoutable to God.” At various places after these judgments are announced, the prophets will write or God will say “this is my plan for the whole world” (Isaiah 14:26-27; Amos 9:7-8.) Butressing this observation is the fact the the king of babylon and the king of tyre, in 2 of these prophesies, suddenly become Satan himself (Isaiah 14:12-21; Ezekiel 28:12-19) illustrating that God is using the small scale events of the middle east in the 7th and 6th century BC (ie the Mosaic Covenant) to bring the whole world into accountability and eventually destruction. Catpivity into slavery in babylon is a “picture” of the whole human race’s slavery to the king of this world (John 16:11) ie a slavery to sin. The “restoration of Israel” promised over and over in the OT prophets is nothing other than the institution of the New Covenant (see Jeremiah 31 and hebrews 8.) This is verified by NT apostles such as James in Acts 15:16-17 quoting Amos 9:11-12 as a CURRNENT fulfillment…Paul in Acts 13:41 quoting a Habakkuk (1:5) verse as a current fulfillment/warning of a prophesy written about impending Babylonian destruction/captivity. Read Jeremiah 25. You will notice a chronology: Isreal-Jerusalem is destroyed or judged first the all the surrouding countries are judged after. This order is importat. They are judged for violations of the Mosaic covenant. The prophet makes clear that this is God’s plan for the destruction of the world…read the chapter. Now, Jerusalem was destroyed again in 70 AD for rejecting the Messiah (Luke 19:41-44.) The whole world will eventually be judged for this this. Jerusalem is the 1st “city” to be judged 2x. The 2nd destruction is a preview of the 2nd coming of Christ and the ensuing judgment on the world.

    Like

  3. sherry, i forgot to mention that it is in this same way that the passages in Matthew 24:14-51 are describig events at the 2nd coming, but Jesus says they will be fulfilled in “this generation.” How could they both be true? They were fulfilled in 70 AD as a “picture” of the end of the age. The whole bible is written in a “duality” that is amazing once you begin to look for it. Think of the dual fulfillment of the feast days: Passover, unleavened bread and Passover etc and the fulfillmet in the death and resurrection Of Jesus. Or Jesus being the fulfillment of the temple which was just a “picture” of Him. Or in the passages about the daividic kingdom -Jesus fulfilling in Acts 2. The law being fulfilled by Jesus Hebrews 9:9 and 10:1; Colossians 2:16-17. The New Covenant fulfills the picture of the Mosaic Covenant and is the real fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant. “The older shall serve the younger” could very well be a motif of the whole bible in this “picture-fulfillment” layout. Think how in so many instances there is a disbelieving older brother, twin or “picture” etc followed by the chosen child of promise or fulfillment: Adam-Jesus; Cain -Abel; Ishamael-Isaac; Esau-Jacob; Saul-David; David-Jesus; Mosaic Covenant -New Coveant; Ethnic Israel-New Covenant Israel of God (Galatians 6:16.) Hope this helps. God Bless!

    Like

Comments are closed.