Actually, that is completely wrong. The very oldest Christian commentary on Bible prophecy of any significant length that has survived to the present day was the last twelve chapters of the very famous work called "against Heresies," by Irenaeus, which is thought to have been written between 186and 188 A.D.
In this work, Irenaeus described the wickedness of the world in generak terms, and then said, "And therefore, when in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this, it is said, There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be. For this is the last contest of the righteous, in which, when they overcome they are crowned with incorruption. (Against Heresies, by Irenaeus, book V, chapter XXIX, section 1)
And later on, at an unknown time, another ancient person whose name in not known, but is called Pseude-Ephraem, wrote "See to it that this sentence be not fulfilled among you of the prophet who declares: Woe to those who desire to see the day of the Lord! For all the saints and elect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins. (On the Last Times, the Antichrist, and the End of the World, author unknown but called Pseudo-Ephraem, section 2.- From The Byzantine Apocalyptic Tradition, by Paul J. Alexander, Berkeley: University of California Press, 1985, 2.10. Cited there from Abhandlungen und Predigten aus den zwei letzten Jahrhunderten des kirchlichen Altertums und dem Anfang des Mittelaters, C. P. Caspari, ed. Briefe, Christiania, 1890, 208-20. As found online at On the Last Times, the Anti-Christ, andthe End of the World .)
Although the exact time of this writing is not known, from events mentioned as pending in the sermon, scholars have estimated its date at times ranging from 373 to 627. But regardless of when it was written, it is known to have been in church libraries before the year 800. That is a thousand years before the birth of John Nelson Darby, the main leader of the Plymouth brethren.
Numerous other writers also made mention of the concept long before Darby first began to write about it.
your painting yourself into a corner, ie, just a head's up. The whole of the church age was of the "Amillennialism" camp viewing commentaries, say, from Victorinus of Pettau (about 270 B.C.) through the middle ages, ie, Julian of Toledo (7th century or so) through the Reformation till today three forths of the church is Amillennial (at least 65% for sure).
Old Amil. Jack
btw this doesn't mean the majority is correct regarding their view, ie, just means the majority's view was "Amillennial". :o
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