Preterism
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Preterism is a
The term preterism comes from the Latin praeter, which is a prefix denoting that something is 'past' or 'beyond'.[1] Adherents of preterism are known as preterists. Preterism teaches that either all (full preterism) or a majority (partial preterism) of the Olivet Discourse had come to pass by AD 70.
Historically, preterists and non-preterists have generally agreed that the
History
At the time of the
Due to resistance from Protestant historicists, the preterist view was slow to gain acceptance outside the Roman Catholic Church.
Preterism continued to struggle to gain credibility within other Protestant communities, especially in England.[12] The English commentator Thomas Hayne claimed in 1645 that the prophecies of the Book of Daniel had all been fulfilled by the 1st century,[13] and Joseph Hall expressed the same conclusion concerning Daniel's prophecies in 1650,[14] but neither of them applied a preterist approach to Revelation. However, the exposition of Grotius convinced the Englishman Henry Hammond (1605-1660). Hammond sympathized with Grotius' desire for unity among Christians, and found his preterist exposition useful to this end.[15][page needed] Hammond wrote his own preterist exposition in 1653, borrowing extensively from Grotius. In his introduction to Revelation he claimed that others had independently arrived at similar conclusions as himself, though giving pride of place to Grotius.[16][page needed] Hammond was Grotius' only notable Protestant convert, and despite his reputation and influence, Protestants overwhelmingly rejected Grotius' interpretation of Revelation, which gained no ground for at least 100 years.[17][18][19]
By the end of the 18th century preterist exposition had gradually become more widespread. In 1730 the Protestant and
The earliest American full-preterist work, The Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ: A Past Event, was written in 1845 by Robert Townley. Townley later recanted this view.[23]
Schools of preterist thought
The two principal schools of preterist thought are commonly called partial preterism and full preterism. Preterists disagree significantly about the exact meaning of the terms used to denote these divisions of preterist thought.
Some partial preterists prefer to call their position orthodox preterism, thus contrasting their agreement with the creeds of the
On the other hand, some full preterists prefer to call their position "consistent preterism", reflecting their extension of preterism to all biblical prophecy and thus claiming an inconsistency in the partial preterist
Sub-variants of preterism include a form of partial preterism which places fulfillment of some eschatological passages in the first three centuries of the current era, culminating in the
Partial preterism
Partial preterism (often referred to as orthodox preterism or classical preterism) may hold that most eschatological prophecies, such as the destruction of Jerusalem, the
Some partial preterists may believe that the Antichrist, the Great Tribulation, and the advent of the Day of the Lord as a "judgment-coming" of Christ, were not historically fulfilled.
Some partial preterists identify "
Full preterism
Full preterism differs from partial preterism in that full preterists believe that the destruction of Jerusalem fulfilled all eschatological or "end times" events, including the
Other names of full preterism include:
- preterism (because the term itself means "past")
- consistent preterism
- true preterism
- hyper-preterism (a pejorative term used by opponents of preterists)
- pantelism. (The term "pantelism" comes from two Greek roots: παν (pan), "everything", and τελ- (tel-), referring to completion).
- Covenant Eschatology
- Fulfilled Eschatology[45]
Full preterists argue that a literal reading of Matthew 16:28 (where Jesus tells the disciples that some of them will not taste death until they see him coming in his kingdom)
Related positions
- Pauline Eschatology
- Israel Onlyism
Influences within Christian thought
The examples and perspective in this section deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (September 2023) |
Partial preterism is generally considered to be a historic orthodox interpretation as it affirms all eschatological points of the ecumenical Creeds of the Church.
Full preterism is sometimes viewed as heretical,
Interpretation of the Book of Revelation
Preterism holds that the contents of Revelation constitute a prophecy of events that were fulfilled in the first century. who identified the Pope with the Antichrist.
Interpretation of the Great Tribulation
In the preterist view, the Tribulation took place in the past when
Christian preterists believe that the Tribulation was a divine judgment visited upon the Jews for their sins, including rejection of Jesus as the promised Messiah. It occurred entirely in the past, around 70 AD when the armed forces of the Roman Empire destroyed Jerusalem and its temple.
A preterist discussion of the Tribulation has its focus on the Gospels, in particular the prophetic passages in Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, and the Olivet discourse, rather than on the Book of Revelation. Most preterists apply much of the symbolism in Revelation to Rome, the Caesars, and their persecution of Christians, rather than to the Tribulation upon the Jews.
Jesus's warning in Matthew 24:34 that "this generation shall not pass until all these things be fulfilled"[61] is tied back to his similar warning to the scribes and the Pharisees that their judgment would "come upon this generation",[62] that is, during the first century rather than at a future time long after the scribes and Pharisees had died. The destruction in AD 70 occurred within a 40-year biblical generation from the time when Jesus gave that discourse. Preterism maintains that The judgment on the Jewish nation was executed by the Roman legions, "the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet."[63] This can also be found in Luke 21:20.[64]
Since Matthew 24 begins with Jesus visiting the Jerusalem Temple and pronouncing that "there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down" (vs. 3), preterists see nothing in scripture to indicate that another Jewish temple will ever be built. The prophecies were all fulfilled against the temple of that time, which was subsequently destroyed within that generation.
Key verses
When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
— Matthew 10:23,NRSV[65]
But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.
— Luke 9:27, NRSV[66]
for these are days of vengeance, as a fulfillment of all that is written.
— Luke 21:22, NRSV[67]
Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.
— Matthew 16:28, NRSV[68]
Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.
— Matthew 24:34, NRSV[69]
This predicted event has been variously interpreted as referring to:[citation needed]
- Jesus' transfiguration
- the resurrection
- the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost
- the spread of the kingdom through the preaching of the early church
- the destruction of the Temple and of Jerusalem in AD 70
- the second coming and final establishment of the kingdom
- the coming of Jesus Christ in vision to the apostle John in revelation.
Many preterists find view 6 unacceptable because it implies a mistake on the part of Jesus about the timing of his return. Many[quantify] preterists believe the immediate context seems to indicate the first view, the transfiguration, which immediately follows.[70] This view seems to satisfy that "some" disciples would see the glory of the Son of Man, but it does not satisfy the statement that "he will repay every man for what he has done". The same situation occurs with views 2 through 4. Only view 5 (the judgement on Jerusalem in AD 70) appears to satisfy both conditions, reinforced with Revelation 2:23, 20:12 and 22:12,[71] as a preterist would argue.[citation needed]
See also
- Amillennialism
- The Beast in preterist theology
- Christian eschatology#Comparison of Futurist, Preterist and Historicist beliefs
- Covenant theology
- Pantelism
- Postmillennialism
- Supersessionism
Notes
- ^ Whose name, written in Aramaic, can be valued at 666, using the Hebrew numerology of gematria), a manner of speaking against the emperor without the Roman authorities knowing. Also "Nero Caesar" in the Hebrew alphabet is נרון קסר NRWN QSR, which when used as numbers represent 50 200 6 50 100 60 200, which add to 666. The Greek term χάραγμα (charagma, "mark" in Revelation 13:16) was most commonly used for imprints on documents or coins.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Webster's 1913 Dictionary
- ^ Vestigatio arcani sensus in Apocalypsi
- ^ a b Farrar 1882, It has been usual to say that the Spanish Jesuit Alcasar, in his Vestigatio arcani sensus in Apocalpysi (1614), was the founder of the Præterist School'.
- ^ Froom 1954, p. 509, Alcazar was the first to apply preterism to the Apocalypse with anything like completeness, though it had previously been applied somewhat to Daniel'
- ^ a b Stuart 1845, p. 464 "It might be expected, that a commentary which thus freed the Romish church from the assaults of Protestants, would be popular among the advocates of the papacy. Alcassar met, of course, with general approbation and reception among the Romish community"
- ^ a b Newport 2000, p. 74 "It is hardly surprising, given this general context, that the relatively few English Catholic commentators who turned their hands to the interpretation of these same passages should be concerned to counter this widely held, if somewhat variously presented, Protestant view. The response came in three basic forms: preterism, futurism, and 'counter historicism' – a term that has been created for the purposes of this discussion"
- ^ Cressener, Drue (1689), "Preface", The Judgments of God Upon The Roman Catholic Church, &c
- ^ Froom 1954, p. 510, "The Preterist view was soon adopted and taught, with various modifications, by the Protestant Hugo Grotius of Holland in his Annotationes (1644)"
- ^ Newport 2000, p. 74.
- ^ Hammond 1655, "all that this very learned man was guilty of in this matter, was but this, his passionate desire of the unity of the Church in the bands of peace and truth, and a full dislike of all uncharitable distempers, and impious doctrines"
- ^ Froom 1954, p. 510, "When Grotius' authorship of the book was detected, it turned all orthodox theologians against him"
- ^ Brady 1983, p. 158. "But those who argued for the preterist interpretation of the Book of Revelation, and for that matter the futurist interpretation also, were playing to empty galleries, until at least the fourth decade of the nineteenth century. Their views were anything but popular and those who followed them could soon find themselves branded with the infamous mark of the papal beast".
- ^ Hayne, Thomas (1645). Christs Kingdome on Earth, opened according to the Scriptures. Herein is examined what Mr. Th. Brightman, Dr. J. Alstede, Mr. I. Mede, Mr. H. Archer, The Glympse of Sions Glory, and such as concurre in opinion with them, hold concerning the thousand years of the Saints Reign with Christ, and of Satans binding. London.
- ^ Hall, Joseph (1650). The Revelation Unrevealed. Concerning The Thousand-Yeares Reigne of the Saints with Christ Upon Earth. Laying Forth the Weak Grounds, and Strange Consequences of that Plausible, and Too- Much Received Opinion. R.L.
- ^ Hammond 1655.
- ^ Hammond, Henry (1653), "Introduction to Revelation", Paraphrase and Annotations,
…appeared to me to be the meaning of this prophecie, hath, for this main of it, in the same manner represented it self to several persons of great piety and learning (as since I have discerned) none taking it from the other, but all from the same light shining in the Prophecie it self. Among which number I now also find the most learned Hugo Grotius, in those posthumous notes of his on the Apocalypse, lately publish'd
. - ^ Brady 1983, p. 158: This volume contained a brave but lonely attempt to introduce the preterist interpretation of the Book of Revelation to English soil
- ^ Van Der Wall, Ernestine (1994), "Between Grotius And Cocceius: The 'Theologica Prophetica' of Campegius Vitringa (1659–1722)", Hugo Grotius, Theologian: Essays in Honour of GHM Posthumous Meyjer, Studies in the History of Christian Thought, vol. 55, p. 202,
For most divines in the (early) Enlightenment the choice between the preterist approach of Grotius and the historicist approach of Cocceius was not a difficult one: there was a strong predilection for the latter
. - ^ Froom 1954, p. 510"…in 1791 JG Eichhorn (1752–1827), the noted German rationalist, revived and republished Alcazar's Preterist interpretation"
- ^ Stuart 1845, p. 470: "The great mass of the religious public became, at last, wearied out with the extravagances and the errors of apocalyptic interpreters. This prepared the way for ABAUZIT, in his Essay on the Apocalypse (see p. 443 above), to broach the idea, that the whole book relates to the destruction of Judea and Jerusalem. His starting point was, that the book itself declares that all which it predicts would take place speedily. Hence Rome, in chap. xiii–xix. points figuratively to Jerusalem. Chap. xxi. xxii. relate to the extension of the church, after the destruction of the Jews"
- ^ Stuart 1845, pp. 470, 417, 471–72.
- ^ Aiken (1799), General Biography, p. 4,
"Essay upon the Apocalypse", (was) written to show that the canonical authority of the book of Revelation was doubtful, and to apply the predictions to the destruction of Jerusalem. This work was sent by the author to Dr. Twells, in London, who translated it from French into English, and added a refutation, – with which Abauzit was so well satisfied, that he desired his friend in Holland to stop an intended impression.
. - ^ Townley (1852), The Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ: A Past Event,
We, on the contrary, fulfil every thing by that magic phrase, 'the destruction of Jerusalem.' But can we really and seriously refer these passages which I have quoted from Paul, to the destruction Jerusalem? Can we truly say that the rejection of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles, let that mean what it may, exhausted all their meaning — the meaning which was the thought in Paul's mind when he wrote them? I must confess I cannot
. - ISBN 9781607994039.
- ^ Sproul 1998, p. 155.
- JSTOR 3266712.
- ^ ISBN 9780736936354.
- ^ Cory 2006, p. 61.
- ^ Garrow 1997, p. 86.
- ^ Wright, N. T. (1994), Jerusalem in the New Testament (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-04-27, retrieved 2017-04-26,
Finally something must be said, despite its difficulties, concerning the book of Revelation. The above presentation adds some weight to the quite controversial thesis that the city which is to be destroyed (the great whore that has become drunk with the blood of the saints) is to be identified, not with Rome, but with Jerusalem. As with any interpretation of Revelation there are problems with this, but there are also some strong arguments in favour.
. - ^ Cory 2006, p. 61
- ^ Garrow 1997, p. 86.
- ISBN 978-0-88489-798-9.
- ^ Just, Felix (2002-02-02). "666: The Number of the Beast". Catholic resources. Retrieved 2006-06-06.
- S2CID 163790686.
- ^ Brown, Raymond E; Fitzmyer, Joseph A; Murphy, Roland E, eds. (1990), The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, p. 1009
- S2CID 69099150.
- ^ Spilsbury, Paul (2002), The throne, the lamb & the dragon: A Reader's Guide to the Book of Revelation, InterVarsity Press, p. 99.
- ^ "Scholars have noted that the Greek form of Neron Caesar transliterated into Hebrew characters is equivalent to 666 and the Latin form of Nero Caesar transliterated into Hebrew script is equivalent to the variant 616. Similarly the Shema of Bar Kochba is 666 and his patronymic that was modified in order to reflect his true nature (that of a deceiver/liar/false messiah)". P. Wyns, The Shema and Bar Kochba: the false messiah and 666, (Biblaridion media, March 2018), p.9
- ].
- ISBN 9780736934022.
- ISBN 9780887069550,
notes in consensus that Revelation was written around 95 AD
. - ISBN 9780736937504.
- ^ Frost, Samuel; Green, David; Hassertt, Ed; Sullivan, Michael, House Divided: Bridging the Gap in Reformed Eschatology. A Preterist Response to When Shall These Things Be?
- ISBN 978-1512063110.
- ISBN 9780736937580.
- ISBN 9780768429602.
- ^ Clarke (2000), AD 70 (PDF) (lecture manuscript), KC COFC.
- ^ The End Times Controversy edited by Tim F. LaHaye, Thomas Ice 2003 p.24 "..an orthodox view of the resurrection which is associated with Christ's return.33 Dr. Sproul says of full preterist Max King, "For this schema to work, the traditional idea of resurrection must be replaced with a metaphorical idea of resurrection,"
- ISBN 9780736936354.
- ^ a b c Garland 2007, p. 114.
- ^ a b Anderberg, Roy (2008). The Return of Christ: A Biblical Study. p. 174.
- ^ a b c Sproul 1998, p. 156.
- ^ Riemer, Michael (2000). It Was At Hand. p. 12.
- ^ Garland 2007, p. 117.
- ^ 2 Tim 2:17–18,
- ^ "The Whore of Babylon". Catholic Answers. Archived from the original on 2008-01-12. Retrieved 2007-05-11.
- ^ Preston 2006, Foreword.
- ^ Froom 1954, p. 509: Alcazar was the first to apply Preterism to the Apocalypse with anything like completeness, though it had previously been applied somewhat to Daniel
- ^ Farrar 1882, p. 228.
- ^ Matthew 24:34
- ^ Matthew 23:36
- ^ Matthew 24:15
- ^ Luke 21:20
- ^ Matthew 10:23
- ^ Luke 9:27
- ^ Luke 21:22
- ^ Matthew 16:28, quoted mostly by full preterists
- ^ Matthew 24:34
- ^ Matthew 17:1–9; Mark 9:2–10; Luke 9:28–36
- ^ reinforced with Revelation 2:23; 20:12; 22:12
Bibliography
- Brady, David (1983), The Contribution of British Writers Between 1560 and 1830 to the Interpretation of Revelation 13.16–18.
- Chilton, David (1987), Days of Vengeance.
- Cory, Catherine A (2006), The Book of Revelation, ISBN 9780814628850.
- Edwards, Roderick (2019), Answering Preterism, ISBN 9781079955798.
- Farrar, Frederic (1882), The Early Days of Christianity, vol. 2, NY: E.P Dutton + Co..
- Froom, Leroy Edwin (1954), The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2.
- Garland, Anthony (2007), A Testimony of Jesus Christ, vol. 1.
- Garrow, Alan John Philip (1997), Revelation, ISBN 9780203133088.
- Gumerlock, Francis X. (2012), Revelation and the First Century: Preterist Interpretations of the Apocalypse in Early Christianity.
- Hammond, Henry (1655), Treatise on The Epistle of Ignatius
- King, Max (1971), The Spirit of Prophecy.
- Newport, Kenneth GC (2000), Apocalypse and Millennium: Studies in Biblical Eisegesis.
- Preston, Don (2006), Who Is This Babylon, Ja Management Ibc, ISBN 978-1-937501-02-0
- Russell, James (1887), The Parousia: A Critical Inquiry Into the New Testament Doctrine of Our Lord's Second Coming.
- ISBN 9780801063404.
- Stuart, Moses (1845), A Commentary on The Apocalypse.