What did the Early Church Fathers write about the return of Christ during 70 AD?

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mkgal1

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When did He save the lost?

.
Salvation from the penalty from sin came at the cross ......but there were still prophecies left unfulfilled at that point (the vindication of all the blood of the saints, for instance).

Joh 5:24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

The above spiritual resurrection from the dead has not stopped for those coming into the New Covenant through faith, during our time.

They are saved through His New Covenant sacrifice, at Calvary.

.......................................................
To answer the question as to "when"? His focus had been on "saving the lost sheep" from the beginning of Israelite history up the 3 1/2 years after His death (the remaining years of His time dedicated specifically to Daniel's people that had been prophesied). After that - the Gospel was taken to the Gentiles.

This may be considered "the beginning of the last chance" of that time frame:

Acts 2:29- ~
“Brothers, I can speak confidently to you about our forefather David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 So then, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, 31 David by foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did his body experience decay. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 So then, exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured out what you both see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says,

‘The Lord said to my lord, “Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’

36 Therefore
let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.”

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”

With many other words he testified, and he urged them,
Be saved from this corrupt generation.” Those who embraced his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to the believers that day.f


They were saved from sin by Jesus' work on the cross - but they'd be "saved from this corrupt generation" by following the instruction and teaching of Christ Jesus' disciples in how to live in the Spirit and to eventually follow the instruction to flee from Jerusalem (which would physically "save" them and preserve the Gospel message).





BABerean said:
The passage below is speaking of the bodily resurrection, and judgment of the dead found in John 5:27-30. It is the second resurrection found in John chapter 5
BABerean said:
2Ti 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.
2Ti 2:17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort,
2Ti 2:18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.

.

You're fighting windmills, BABerean.​
 
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Biblewriter

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Which two ancient documents?
Some sites make reference to the Masoretic text; but don't say where.
The Septuagint was penned after the Old Testament canon was complete and the Talmud surfaced about 400 AD.

The Septuagint and the Talmud are not Scripture. So the answer I'm really looking for is where did they get these numbers from out of the Old Testament? (Which would have been the Masoretic text.)

The Masoretic text is a copy of the original Hebrew Old Testament. The Septuagint is a translation of that Hebrew ext into Greek. So it is indeed scripture, in the same sense that our English Bibles are scripture. But, like all other ancient documents, the various copies we have do not always agree with other. The Talmud is another mattter. It is nothing but human reasonings.[/QUOTE]

Also, compare genealogies between New Testament and Old Testament.

We have an extra "Canian" between Salah and Arphaxad in the Luke chronology. That's not there in Genesis. "Ussher's chronology" doesn't account for that.

https://creation.com/images/pdfs/other/timeline_of_the_bible.pdf

Comparison of genealogies between Old and New Testament

Genesis 5:

And Adam begat a son and called his name Seth:
And Seth begat Enos:
And Enos begat Cainan:
And Cainan begat Mahalaleel:
And Mahalaleel begat Jared:
And Jared begat Enoch.
And Enoch begat Methuselah.
And Methuselah Lamech.
And Lamech begat a son: And he called his name Noah,
And Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 11:

10
These are the generations of Shem: Shem begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:
And Arphaxad begat Salah:
And Salah begat Eber:
And Eber begat Peleg:
And Peleg begat Reu:
And Reu begat Serug:
And Serug begat Nahor:
And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah:
And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.

Luke 3:
which was the son of Abraham,
which was the son of Thara,
which was the son of Nachor,
Which was the son of Saruch,
which was the son of Ragau,
which was the son of Phalec,
which was the son of Heber,
which was the son of Sala,
Which was the son of Cainan, (Verse 36)
which was the son of Arphaxad,
which was the son of Sem,
which was the son of Noe,
which was the son of Lamech,
Which was the son of Mathusala,
which was the son of Enoch,
which was the son of Jared,
which was the son of Maleleel,
which was the son of Cainan,
Which was the son of Enos,
which was the son of Seth,
which was the son of Adam,]/QUOTE]

the words 'the son" in the genesis account are always in italics. That is because they were not in the original text of scripture. If in one case, for some reason, a generation was skipped and the next person named was a grandson, he was still "of" his grandfather.

Multiple people on this thread have already refuted this claim.
No one can "refute" it because it is unquestionably true. Some have denied it. But a denial is not a refutation.

Cite sources: Jerome was some 400 years after the crucifixion.
"Ancient Dispensational Truth," by myself, James C. Morris, (available on Amazon.com) contains 139 pages of documentation of this.
 
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LittleLambofJesus

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what happened between Matthew 10:23 and Matthew 18:11 which corresponds to the son of man arriving?
An interesting side note: I just noticed that some Bible translations leave this verse out (it's not in the NIV; the CEB; or the NLT).

Matthew 18:11 (CSB) ~ For the Son of Man has come to save the lost
Thks for bringing that up......another variant to add to my very long list...........

It is also missing in 2 of the Greek Texts...........

Some believe Matthew copied it from Luke and thus added it?............
=========================
Greek New Testament - Parallel Greek New Testament by John Hurt

Matthew 18 :11

Stephens 1550 Textus Receptus
hlqen gar o uios tou anqrwpou swsai to apolwlos
Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus
hlqen gar o uios tou anqrwpou swsai to apolwlos
Byzantine Majority
hlqen gar o uios tou anqrwpou swsai to apolwlos

Alexandrian..........................................

Hort and Westcott................................
========================
What is Worst? Removing from or Adding to Scripture? (Matt 18:11) | billmounce.com

I was asked why all modern translations “omit” Matt 18:11. “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost” (KJV). The form of the question betrays the basic problem, that people think modern translations omit verses rather than other translations add verses.

There are probably two reasons for this assumption. One is that the verse is in the KJV. The second is that in modern translations the verse number is skipped.

The first Bible to have verse numbers was the Geneva Bible (1557). Verse numbers allowed readers to cross-reference passages (see Wikipedia). This was 54 years before the KJV; but like the KJV, the Geneva Bible was based on the Greek Received Text (TR) that has the verse.

By every canon of textual criticism, we know this verse was added centuries after Matthew wrote.

1. We know the general tendency of scribes was to add, not subtract.

2. The TR represents the textual family known for additions.

3. The better Greek manuscripts, that are centuries older than the TR do not have the verse (ℵ, B, L*, Q*, ƒ1, ƒ13).

4. We know that one of the scribal tendencies was to harmonize the gospel stories, so it is not surprising that some scribe would bring Luke 19:10 into Matt 18. This is why the NIV footnote reads, “Some manuscripts include here the words of Luke 19:10).

5. It is easy to see why the verse would have been added. It is difficult to see any reason why it would have been omitted. (This is the text critical rule of the “more difficult” reading.)

I know there is a lot of emotion in some places today about “omitting verses.” But think about this:

1. Luke 19:10 is in all modern Bibles, and it is therefore true that “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (NIV). If you want to make this point in your theology, preaching, and teaching, then cite the verse that is in all Bibles.

2. The curse of Revelation about removing anything from the scroll (Rev 22:19) includes the prior curse on adding to it (Rev 22:18)
=====================================
Matthew 18:11 Commentaries: "For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 18:11 Greek NT: Nestle 1904

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 18:11 Greek NT: Westcott and Hort 1881

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 18:11 Greek NT: Westcott and Hort / [NA27 and UBS4 variants]

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 18:11 Greek NT: RP Byzantine Majority Text 2005
Ἦλθεν γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός.

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 18:11 Greek NT: Greek Orthodox Church
ἦλθε γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός.

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 18:11 Greek NT: Tischendorf 8th Edition

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 18:11 Greek NT: Scrivener's Textus Receptus 1894
ἦλθε γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός.

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 18:11 Greek NT: Stephanus Textus Receptus 1550
ἦλθεν γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός
============================================

Meyer's NT Commentary

Matthew 18:11 f. Omitting Matthew 18:11, which is not genuine (see critical notes), we come to the parable Matthew 18:12-14, which is intended to show that it would be in direct opposition to God’s desire for human salvation to lead astray one of those μικροί, and to cause him to be lost, like a strayed sheep. Luke 15:4 ff. records the same beautiful parable, though in a different connection, and with much tenderer, truer, and more original features. But the time-hallowed parable of the shepherd came so naturally to Jesus, that there is no reason why He should not have employed it more than once, in a shorter or more detailed form, according as it happened to be appropriate to the occasion.............................
==========================
Expositor's Greek Testament

Matthew 18:11 an interpolation from Luke 19:10.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
11. This verse is omitted in the Sinaitic and the Vatican MSS., and is consequently rejected by Lachmann, Tischendorf, and Tregelles. However, it falls in precisely with the train of thought, and is almost required to connect Matthew 18:10; Matthew 18:12.

The expression and the imagery of the parable recall Ezekiel 34; comp. also ch. Matthew 15:24. In Luke the parable is spoken with direct reference to publicans and sinners, whom the Pharisees despised, and who are the “little ones” of these verses. Such differences of context in the Gospels are very instructive; they are, indeed, comments by the Evangelists themselves on the drift and bearing of particular sayings of Christ.
=========================
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 11. - This verse is omitted by the Sinaitic and Vatican Manuscripts, and many modern editors, e.g., Lachmann, Tischendort, Tregelles, Westcott and Hort, and the Revised Version; but is retained in many good uncials, nearly all the cursives, the Vulgate, Syriac, etc. It is supposed to be an interpolation from Luke 19:10; but one does not see why, if this is the case, the inter-polater should have left out the striking verb "to seek," which would naturally have coincided with "seeketh" in ver. 12. For expository use, at any rate, we may consider the verse as genuine, and take it as the commencement of the second argument for the dignity of the little ones - the simple and humble, whether children or others. This proof is derived from the action of God towards them. The Son of man is come to save that which was lost (τὸ ἀπολωλός). How can ye despise those whom Christ hath so loved and deemed so precious that he emptied himself of his glory and became man in order to save them? The general term, " that which was lost," is expressed by the neuter participle, to show that there is no exception to the wide scope of Christ's mercy. The race of man is lost; infants are born in sin; all need redemption. Everybody, poor, helpless, ignorant, tempted, comes under this category, and to save such Christ came down from heaven. Therefore their souls are very precious in his sight.
============================
 
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mkgal1

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..... who was that other faithful man, known worldwide, for fighting windmills ? (an example worldwide for the faithful)
Don Quixote, is where the quote is from.
 
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LittleLambofJesus

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continued...............
  • 260: Victorinus - Apocalypse Commentary

  • 273: Alexander of Alexandia - Epistle on Arianism "The Father, raising Him to His right hand, hath seated Him upon a throne on high, and hath made Him to be judge of the peoples, the leader of the angelic host, the charioteer of the cherubim, the Son of the true Jerusalem, the Virgin's spouse, and King for ever and ever. Amen."

  • 306: Peter of Alexandria - Letter to the Church at Alexandria "By the later who lived after the destruction of Jerusalem, it was shown to possess a most clear and evidently definite period, especially because in some places the reaping is early, and sometimes it is late, so as to be sometimes before the time and sometimes after it, as it happened in the very beginning of the giving of the law, before the Passover, according as it is written, "But the wheat and the rye were not smitten, for they were not grown up."

  • 310: Fragments From the Writings of Peter of Alexandria "Since the mercy of God is everywhere great, let us bless Him, and also because He has sent unto us the Spirit of truth to guide us into all truth. For for this cause the month Abib was appointed by the law to be the beginning of months, and was made known unto us as the first among the months of the year; both by the ancient writers who lived before, and by the later who lived after the destruction of Jerusalem, it was shown to possess a most clear and evidently definite period"

  • 310: Eusebius - Theophania
  • "Eusebius never allows the doctrine of Christ's second coming any importance in his historical scheme. There is no sense of a new kingdom which will at some future date break in upon the existing historical structure, righting what is wrong and establishing justice." Frank S. Thielman
  • 312: Eusebius - Demonstratio Evangelica "..how can we deny that the prophecies of long ago have at last been fulfilled?"
  • The Holy Scriptures foretell that there will be unmistakable signs of the Coming of Christ.
    Now there were among the Hebrews three outstanding offices of dignity, which made the nation famous, firstly the kingship, secondly that of prophet, and lastly the high priesthood. The prophecies said that the abolition and complete destruction of all these three together would be the sign of the (b) presence of the Christ. And that the proofs that the times had come, would lie in the ceasing of the Mosaic worship, the desolation of Jerusalem and its Temple, and the subjection of the whole Jewish race to its enemies. The holy oracles foretold that all these changes, which had (c) not been made in the days of the prophets of old, would take place at the coming of the Christ, which I will presently shew to have been fulfilled as never before in accordance with the predictions."
  • 312: Eusebius - Proof of the Gospel - Lightfoot "probably the most important apologetic work of the Early Church." (D.C.B. ii.331.)
    PERHAPS THE BOOK THAT MOST INFLUENCED THE CONVERSION OF CONSTANTINE AND THE ROMAN EMPIRE TO CHRISTIANITY
  • 319: Athanasius - On the Incarnation | Refutation of the Jews
    (On the Significance of A.D. 70)
    "He was like those sent by the householder to receive the fruits of the vineyard from the husbandmen; for he exhorted all men to render a return. But Israel despised and would not render, for their will was not right, nay moreover they killed those that were sent, and not even before the Lord of the vineyard were they ashamed, but even He was slain by them. Verily, when He came and found no fruit in them, He cursed them through the fig-tree, saying, "Let there be henceforth no fruit from thee" [Matt. 21:191; and the fig-tree was dead and fruitless, so that even the disciples wondered when it withered away.

    "Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by the prophet: "I will take away from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the scent of myrrh, and the light of a lamp, and the whole land shall be destroyed" [Jer. 25:10]. For the whole service of the law has been abolished from them, and henceforth and forever they remain without a feast." (St. Athanasius, Letters [vi])

    "So the Jews are indulging in fiction, and transferring present time to future. When did prophet and vision cease from Israel? Was it not when Christ came, the Holy One of holies?
  • 320: Eusebius - History of the Martyrs
    Being now arrived at this place in our narrative, we will inform you how God in a short time took vengeance upon those wicked rulers, and they speedily experienced the punishment of their crimes. For he that was excited against these martyrs of God in a barbarous manner, like some fierce wild beast, suffered a wretched punishment; and by the command of him who possessed the power of the time, perished after the manner of a cruel wild beast. And all the rest perished by various kinds of deaths, and received that punishment which they deserved for their crimes. So, then, we have described and made known the things which were done during the whole time of the persecution among the people in Palestine. And all these were blessed martyrs [p. 52] of God, who triumphed in our time; who made light of this temporary life, and prized the worship of God far above every other thing, and have received the hidden hope of those good things which are invisible to the bodily eyes.
  • 325: Eusebius - Ecclesiastical History
    The writings of Eusebius are classics which rank in significance with the works of Flavius Josephus. What Josephus did for the Old Testament and Intertestamentary period, Eusebius did for the New Testament era and for the early years of the post-Biblical church history. His earlier book, Proof of the Gospel, makes the case for Christianity's total fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. This particular work embraces the events of the first three centuries of the Christian church, to the time Constantine became master of the Roman world. These excerpts taken from Eusebius' history are of particular significance, for a number of reasons. Consider first the belief of this eminent Christian historian, that the destruction of Jerusalem was clearly the fulfillment of Christ's 'Olivet Discourse', and you will understand why these were presented:
 
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mkgal1

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St. Gregory Thaumaturgus (AD 213-270) "He has blessed every age, both men and women, both young men and youths, and old men. He has made strength with His arm, on our behalf, against death and against the devil, having torn the handwriting of our sins. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts; yea, He has scattered the devil himself, and all the demons that serve under him. For he was overweeningly haughty in his heart, seeing that he dared to say, I will set my throne above the clouds, and I will be like the Most High. And now, how He scattered him the prophet has indicated in what follows, where he says, Yet now you shall be brought down to hell, and all your hosts with you. For He has overthrown everywhere his altars and the worship of vain gods, and He has prepared for Himself a peculiar people out of the heathen nations. He has put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. In these terms is intimated in brief the extrusion of the Jews and the admission of the Gentiles. For the elders of the Jews and the scribes in the law, and those who were richly privileged with other prerogatives, because they used their riches ill and their power lawlessly, were cast down by Him from every seat, whether of prophecy or of priesthood, whether of legislature or of doctrine, and were stripped of all their ancestral wealth, and of their sacrifices and multitudinous festivals, and of all the honourable privileges of the kingdom. Spoiled of all these boons, as naked fugitives they were cast out into captivity. And in their stead the humble were exalted, namely, the Gentile peoples who hungered after righteousness. For, discovering their own lowliness, and the hunger that pressed upon them for the knowledge of God, they pleaded for the divine word, though it were but for crumbs of the same, like the woman of Canaan; and for this reason they were filled with the riches of the divine mysteries. For the Christ who was born of the Virgin, and who is our God, has given over the whole inheritance of divine blessings to the Gentiles. He has helped His servant Israel. Not any Israel in general, indeed, but His servant, who in very deed maintains the true nobility of Israel. And on this account also did the mother of God call Him servant (Son) and heir. For when He had found the same labouring painfully in the letter and the law, He called him by grace. It is such an Israel, therefore, that He called and has helped in remembrance of His mercy. As He spoke to our fathers, I to Abraham and to his seed for ever. In these few words is comprehended the whole mystery of the economy. For, with the purpose of saving the race of men, and fulfilling the covenant that was made with our fathers, Christ has once bowed the heavens and come down. And thus He shows Himself to us as we are capable of receiving Him, in order that we might have power to see Him, and handle Him, and hear Him when the speaks. And on this account did God the Word deem it meet to take to Himself the flesh and the perfect humanity by a woman, the holy Virgin; and He was born a man, in order that He might discharge our debt, and fulfil even in Himself the ordinances of the covenant made with Abraham, in its rite of circumcision, and all the other legal appointments connected with it. (St. Gregory Thaumaturgus; The Second Homily: On the Annunciation to the Holy Virgin Mary)
To me, this says it all very well - what the early church fathers believed about what Christ Jesus had done all the way up to the destruction of Jerusalem.
 
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mkgal1

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QFE: He has helped His servant Israel. Not any Israel in general, indeed, but His servant, who in very deed maintains the true nobility of Israel. And on this account also did the mother of God call Him servant (Son) and heir. For when He had found the same labouring painfully in the letter and the law, He called him by grace. It is such an Israel, therefore, that He called and has helped in remembrance of His mercy. As He spoke to our fathers, I to Abraham and to his seed for ever. In these few words is comprehended the whole mystery of the economy. For, with the purpose of saving the race of men, and fulfilling the covenant that was made with our fathers, Christ has once bowed the heavens and come down. And thus He shows Himself to us as we are capable of receiving Him, in order that we might have power to see Him, and handle Him, and hear Him when the speaks. And on this account did God the Word deem it meet to take to Himself the flesh and the perfect humanity by a woman, the holy Virgin; and He was born a man, in order that He might discharge our debt, and fulfil even in Himself the ordinances of the covenant made with Abraham, in its rite of circumcision, and all the other legal appointments connected with it. (St. Gregory Thaumaturgus; The Second Homily: On the Annunciation to the Holy Virgin Mary)
 
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jgr

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We know the Masoretic text existed because the Dead Sea Scrolls date at least to the 1st century and they do contain the entire Masoretic text. (They did find the book of Ester in like the past couple of years.)

So Hippolytus and Irenaeus most certainly could have used it. Now whether or not they had sufficient access to it is another question. But the Hebrew Old Testament certainly existed in their day.

The Masoretic Text[note 1] (MT or ) is the authoritative Hebrew and Aramaic text of the 24 books of Tanakh for Rabbinic Judaism.

It was primarily copied, edited and distributed by a group of Jews known as the Masoretes between the 7th and 10th centuries of the Common Era (CE).

The oldest extant manuscripts date from around the 9th century.

A 7th century fragment containing the Song of the Sea (Exodus 13:19–16:1) is one of the few surviving texts from the "silent era" of Hebrew biblical texts between the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Aleppo Codex.[1]
 
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LittleLambofJesus

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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY | Eusebius Pamphilius | Church History

Reference: Flavius Josephus' Wars of the Jews
Full Text : Schaff's Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series II, Volume I.

Selected Chapters

BOOK 1, CH. 3 - The name Jesus, was known and honoured by the prophets.
BOOK 1, CH. 6 - The Fulfillment of Moses' Prophecy Concerning The Scepter.
BOOK 2, CH. 3 - The Doctrine of Christ soon spread throughout All the World.
BOOK 2, CH. 6 - Misfortunes overwhelmed the Jews after Presumption against Christ.
BOOK 2, CH. 8 - The Famine which took Place in the Reign of Claudius.
BOOK 2, CH. 10- Agrippa immediately experienced the Divine Vengeance.
BOOK 2, CH. 13- Simon Magus, The False Prophet
BOOK 2, CH. 19- The Calamitiy which befel the Jews at Jerusalem, on Passover.
BOOK 2, CH. 20- The Events which took Place in Jerusalem during Reign of Nero.
BOOK 2, CH. 21- The Egyptian, mentioned also in the Acts of the Apostles
BOOK 2, CH. 23- The Martyrdom of James the Just. - Incredible Declaration
BOOK 2, CH. 26- The Jews commenced the Last War against the Romans
BOOK 3, CH. 1 - Parts of the World in which the Apostles preached Christ
BOOK 3, CH. 5 - The War Of The Jews with the Romans.
BOOK 3, CH. 6 - The Famine Which Oppressed Them.
BOOK 3, CH. 7 - The Predictions of Christ.
BOOK 3, CH. 8 - The Signs that Preceded the War.
BOOK 3, CH. 9 - Josephus and the Works which he has left
BOOK 3, CH. 13- A Narrative Concerning John the Apostle.
BOOK 3, CH. 16- The Account of Justin Martyr.
BOOK 3, CH. 39- The Writings of Papias. - Founder of Chiliasm

325: Eusebius - Ecclesiastical History
The writings of Eusebius are classics which rank in significance with the works of Flavius Josephus. What Josephus did for the Old Testament and Intertestamentary period, Eusebius did for the New Testament era and for the early years of the post-Biblical church history. His earlier book, Proof of the Gospel, makes the case for Christianity's total fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.
This particular work embraces the events of the first three centuries of the Christian church, to the time Constantine became master of the Roman world. These excerpts taken from Eusebius' history are of particular significance, for a number of reasons. Consider first the belief of this eminent Christian historian, that the destruction of Jerusalem was clearly the fulfillment of Christ's 'Olivet Discourse', and you will understand why these were presented:
=====================
The Destruction of Jerusalem - George Peter Holford, 1805AD
Proof that Matthew 24 was fully fulfilled in 70 AD!
Also see:
Rapture refuted
==============================
Please see my Olivet Discourse and Revelation thread.....

JOSEPHUS, OLIVET DISCOURSE AND BOOK OF REVELATION


Was Flavius Josephus familiar with the Apocalypse of John?
John's Revelation - “And there were noises and thundering and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth.” (16:18)

Josephus - “for there broke out a prodigious storm in the night, with the utmost violence, and very strong winds, with the largest showers of rain, with continued lightnings, terrible thunderings, and amazing concussions and bellowings of the earth, that was in an earthquake. These things were a manifest indication that some destruction was coming upon men, when the system of the world was put into this disorder; and any one would guess that these wonders foreshowed some grand calamities that were coming” (“Wars of the Jews” 4:4:5) John's
==========================
Josephus Parallels? Revelation 16:19 and Wars of the Jews 5:1:1


Revelation - "Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.” (16:19)

Josephus - “it so happened that the sedition at Jerusalem was revived, and parted into three factions, and that one faction fought against the other; which partition in such evil cases may be said to be a good thing, and the effect of divine justice.” (5:1:1)
==============================
Josephus Parallels? Revelation 16:21 and Wars of the Jews 5:6:3

John's Revelation - “And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent.” (16:21)

Josephus - “Now the stones that were cast were of the weight of a talent, and were carried two furlongs and further. The blow they gave was no way to be sustained, not only by those that stood first in the way, but by those that were beyond them for a great space. As for the Jews, they at first watched the coming of the stone, for it was of a white color, and could therefore not only be perceived by the great noise it made, but could be seen also before it came by its brightness;” (5:6:3)....................
===============================
http://www.bible.ca/pre-destruction...pre-destruction70AD-george-holford-1805AD.htm
Proof that Matthew 24 was fully fulfilled in 70 AD!
Also see:
Rapture refuted

History records few events more generally interesting than the destruction of Jerusalem, and the subversion of the Jewish state, by the arms of the Romans. -- Their intimate connexion with the dissolution of the Levitical economy, and the establishment of Christianity in the world ; the striking verification which they afford of so many of the prophecies, both of the Old and New Testament, and the powerful arguments of the divine authority of the Scriptures which are thence derived ; the solemn warnings and admonitions which they hold out to all nations, but especially such as are favoured with the light and blessings of REVELATION ; together with the impressive and terrific grandeur of the events themselves -- are circumstances which must always insure to the subject of the following pages more than ordinary degrees of interest and importance.

Visual Timeline of the Roman-Jewish War ARTchive


CAST OF CHARACTERS: Roman: Emperor Nero | General Vespasian | General Titus | The Roman Army || Jewish: General / Historian Josephus | Factional Leaders in Jerusalem || Administrators of Roman Judea Targets: Jerusalem | Herod's Temple // Maps of the Roman Invasion // Theological Timeline

CHRONOLOGY IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDING THE WAR

Stage 1: Murder of James the Just, "Opposition High Priest" ; Irrevocable Split: 62
Stage 2: General Revolt in Jerusalem ; Zealot Occupation of Masada: August-September 66
Stage 3: The Campaign of Cestius Gallus and the Defeat of the Twelfth Legion: October-November 66
Stage 4: End of Collaborative Government, Priesthood ; General Flight: November 66 - March 67
Part 6: Vespasian Subdues Northern and Western Palestine: December 66 - December 68
Part 7: Three-way Power Struggle within Jerusalem After Roman Retreat: January 68 - May 70
Part 8: Romans Breach City Walls and Leave Jerusalem Desolate: May 10 - September 10, 70
======================
This is perhaps the best video I have seen concerning Josephus' Jewish Wars coinciding with Matt

Matthew 24:6
“Yet ye shall be being about to be hearing battles and tidings of battles, be seeing! be not be being troubled<2360>, for is binding to becoming,
but not as yet the End<5056>
==================

 
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The Righterzpen

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The Masoretic Text[note 1] (MT or ) is the authoritative Hebrew and Aramaic text of the 24 books of Tanakh for Rabbinic Judaism.

It was primarily copied, edited and distributed by a group of Jews known as the Masoretes between the 7th and 10th centuries of the Common Era (CE).

The oldest extant manuscripts date from around the 9th century.

A 7th century fragment containing the Song of the Sea (Exodus 13:19–16:1) is one of the few surviving texts from the "silent era" of Hebrew biblical texts between the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Aleppo Codex.[1]

What are the Dead Sea Scrolls if they aren't the Masoretic text? Seeing how they are nearly verbatim the same Old Testament as we have today.
 
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Thks for bringing that up......another variant to add to my very long list...........

It is also missing in 2 of the Greek Texts...........

Some believe Matthew copied it from Luke and thus added it?............
=========================
Greek New Testament - Parallel Greek New Testament by John Hurt

Matthew 18 :11

Stephens 1550 Textus Receptus
hlqen gar o uios tou anqrwpou swsai to apolwlos
Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus
hlqen gar o uios tou anqrwpou swsai to apolwlos
Byzantine Majority
hlqen gar o uios tou anqrwpou swsai to apolwlos

Alexandrian..........................................

Hort and Westcott................................
========================
What is Worst? Removing from or Adding to Scripture? (Matt 18:11) | billmounce.com

I was asked why all modern translations “omit” Matt 18:11. “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost” (KJV). The form of the question betrays the basic problem, that people think modern translations omit verses rather than other translations add verses.

There are probably two reasons for this assumption. One is that the verse is in the KJV. The second is that in modern translations the verse number is skipped.

The first Bible to have verse numbers was the Geneva Bible (1557). Verse numbers allowed readers to cross-reference passages (see Wikipedia). This was 54 years before the KJV; but like the KJV, the Geneva Bible was based on the Greek Received Text (TR) that has the verse.

By every canon of textual criticism, we know this verse was added centuries after Matthew wrote.

1. We know the general tendency of scribes was to add, not subtract.

2. The TR represents the textual family known for additions.

3. The better Greek manuscripts, that are centuries older than the TR do not have the verse (ℵ, B, L*, Q*, ƒ1, ƒ13).

4. We know that one of the scribal tendencies was to harmonize the gospel stories, so it is not surprising that some scribe would bring Luke 19:10 into Matt 18. This is why the NIV footnote reads, “Some manuscripts include here the words of Luke 19:10).

5. It is easy to see why the verse would have been added. It is difficult to see any reason why it would have been omitted. (This is the text critical rule of the “more difficult” reading.)

I know there is a lot of emotion in some places today about “omitting verses.” But think about this:

1. Luke 19:10 is in all modern Bibles, and it is therefore true that “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (NIV). If you want to make this point in your theology, preaching, and teaching, then cite the verse that is in all Bibles.

2. The curse of Revelation about removing anything from the scroll (Rev 22:19) includes the prior curse on adding to it (Rev 22:18)
=====================================
Matthew 18:11 Commentaries: "For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 18:11 Greek NT: Nestle 1904

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 18:11 Greek NT: Westcott and Hort 1881

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 18:11 Greek NT: Westcott and Hort / [NA27 and UBS4 variants]

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 18:11 Greek NT: RP Byzantine Majority Text 2005
Ἦλθεν γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός.

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 18:11 Greek NT: Greek Orthodox Church
ἦλθε γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός.

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 18:11 Greek NT: Tischendorf 8th Edition

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 18:11 Greek NT: Scrivener's Textus Receptus 1894
ἦλθε γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός.

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 18:11 Greek NT: Stephanus Textus Receptus 1550
ἦλθεν γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός
============================================

Meyer's NT Commentary

Matthew 18:11 f. Omitting Matthew 18:11, which is not genuine (see critical notes), we come to the parable Matthew 18:12-14, which is intended to show that it would be in direct opposition to God’s desire for human salvation to lead astray one of those μικροί, and to cause him to be lost, like a strayed sheep. Luke 15:4 ff. records the same beautiful parable, though in a different connection, and with much tenderer, truer, and more original features. But the time-hallowed parable of the shepherd came so naturally to Jesus, that there is no reason why He should not have employed it more than once, in a shorter or more detailed form, according as it happened to be appropriate to the occasion.............................
==========================
Expositor's Greek Testament

Matthew 18:11 an interpolation from Luke 19:10.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
11. This verse is omitted in the Sinaitic and the Vatican MSS., and is consequently rejected by Lachmann, Tischendorf, and Tregelles. However, it falls in precisely with the train of thought, and is almost required to connect Matthew 18:10; Matthew 18:12.

The expression and the imagery of the parable recall Ezekiel 34; comp. also ch. Matthew 15:24. In Luke the parable is spoken with direct reference to publicans and sinners, whom the Pharisees despised, and who are the “little ones” of these verses. Such differences of context in the Gospels are very instructive; they are, indeed, comments by the Evangelists themselves on the drift and bearing of particular sayings of Christ.
=========================
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 11. - This verse is omitted by the Sinaitic and Vatican Manuscripts, and many modern editors, e.g., Lachmann, Tischendort, Tregelles, Westcott and Hort, and the Revised Version; but is retained in many good uncials, nearly all the cursives, the Vulgate, Syriac, etc. It is supposed to be an interpolation from Luke 19:10; but one does not see why, if this is the case, the inter-polater should have left out the striking verb "to seek," which would naturally have coincided with "seeketh" in ver. 12. For expository use, at any rate, we may consider the verse as genuine, and take it as the commencement of the second argument for the dignity of the little ones - the simple and humble, whether children or others. This proof is derived from the action of God towards them. The Son of man is come to save that which was lost (τὸ ἀπολωλός). How can ye despise those whom Christ hath so loved and deemed so precious that he emptied himself of his glory and became man in order to save them? The general term, " that which was lost," is expressed by the neuter participle, to show that there is no exception to the wide scope of Christ's mercy. The race of man is lost; infants are born in sin; all need redemption. Everybody, poor, helpless, ignorant, tempted, comes under this category, and to save such Christ came down from heaven. Therefore their souls are very precious in his sight.
============================

Well the real question becomes majority verses critical texts.

The argument behind the received text is "Do you believe God preserves His word?" And if you answer "yes" to that question; then basically you are left with the majority texts that have been passed down through the centuries.

The irony of all this is; that if you even look at the critical texts; there's still very little variance. Maybe there's a word here that's not over there or a verse over there that was borrowed from over here. Despite this though; all the texts across the board are extremely consistent.

We're not talking the Koran that has whole stories and theological ideas that are switched around from the earliest ones now found. I think it was about 10 years ago now; someone found a Koran in the attic of a Mosque and now it's under lock and key of the Turkish antiquities governmental branch because it's vastly different from the modern Koran.

With the Bible though; the more texts they find, the more it's noted how consistent they have been over time.
 
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LittleLambofJesus

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LittleLambofJesus said:
St. Gregory Thaumaturgus (AD 213-270) "He has blessed every age, both men and women, both young men and youths, and old men. He has made strength with His arm, on our behalf, against death and against the devil, having torn the handwriting of our sins. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts; yea, He has scattered the devil himself, and all the demons that serve under him. For he was overweeningly haughty in his heart, seeing that he dared to say, I will set my throne above the clouds, and I will be like the Most High. And now, how He scattered him the prophet has indicated in what follows, where he says, Yet now you shall be brought down to hell, and all your hosts with you. For He has overthrown everywhere his altars and the worship of vain gods, and He has prepared for Himself a peculiar people out of the heathen nations.
To me, this says it all very well - what the early church fathers believed about what Christ Jesus had done all the way up to the destruction of Jerusalem.
Good post.........
continuing........

Christian History and its Preterist Presuppositions
  • 330: Lactantius "But he also opened to them all things which were about to happen, which Peter and Paul preached at Rome ; and this preaching being written for the sake of remembrance became permanent, in which they both declared other wonderful things, and also said that it was about to come to pass, that after a short time God would send against them a king who would subdue the Jews, and level their cities to the ground, and besiege the people themselves, worn out with hunger and thirst. Then it should come to pass that they should feed on the bodies of their own children, and consume one another. Lastly that they should be taken captive, and come into the hands of their enemies, and should see their wives most cruelly harassed before their eyes, their virgins ravished and polluted, their sons torn in pieces, their little ones dashed to the ground; and lastly, everything laid waster with fire and sword, the captives banished forever from their own lands, because they had exalted over the well-beloved and most approved Son of God."

  • 345: Aphrahat the Persian Sage - Excerpts from Select Demonstrations “The theology and writings of Aphrahat draw extensively on the Old Testament reflecting a religious milieu of 4th century Mesopotamia in which Christianity was seeking to define itself as separate from Judaism. (Aphrahat) praises Jesus Christ as the divine conqueror of death and fulfillment of all types and prophecies of the Old Law.”

  • 359: Gregory of Nyssa - On Virginity
    But He indicates to those who wondered at its present state the future desolation of the place and the disappearance of that beauty, saying that after a little while nothing of what they saw should be left. And, again, at the time of His Passion, the women followed, bewailing the unjust sentence against Him,--for they could not yet see into the dispensation of what was being done:--but He bids them be silent as to what is befalling Him, for it does not demand their tears, but to reserve their wailing and lamentation for the true time for tears, when the city should be compassed by besiegers, and their sufferings reach so great a strait that they should deem him happy who had not been born: and herein He foretold also the horrid deed of her who devoured her child, when He said that in those days the womb should be accounted blest that never bare. Where then are those palaces? where is the Temple? where are the walls? where are the defences of the towers? where is the power of the Israelites? were not they scattered in different quarters over almost the whole world? and in their overthrow the palaces also were brought to ruin

The Significance of A.D. 70 in Biblical Prophecy
The Significance of A.D. 70 in Biblical Prophecy
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"The coming of Christ in A.D.70 was a coming in judgment on the Jewish nation, indicating the end of the Jewish age and the fulfillment of a day of the Lord. Jesus really did come in judgment at this time, fulfilling his prophecy in the Olivet Discourse." (R.C. Sproul, The Last Days According to Jesus, p. 158)

"It is no exaggeration to say that the Fall of Jerusalem is the most significant national event in the history of the world." (B.F. Dunelm, The Arch of Titus and the spoils of the temple (1896))

"It has been a standard feature of Christian preaching through the ages that the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 was really God's decisive punishment of the Jewish people for their rejection of Jesus, who died around the year 30." (Steve Mason, Josephus and the New Testament)

Athanasius (A.D.345)
  • What more is there for their Expected One to do when he comes? To call the heathen? But they are called already. To put an end to prophet and king and vision? But this too has already happened. To expose the Goddenyingness of idols? It is already exposed and condemned. Or to destroy death? It is already destroyed. What then has not come to pass that the Christ must do? What is there left out or unfulfilled that the Jews should disbelieve so light-heartedly? The plain fact is, as I say, that there is no longer any king or prophet nor Jerusalem nor sacrifice nor vision among them; yet the whole earth is filled with the knowledge of God, and the Gentiles, forsaking atheism, are now taking refuge with the God of Abraham through the Word, our Lord Jesus Christ. (Incarnation, Ch. VI )
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BABerean2

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But the windmills aren't even here.


It is the same battle Paul fought in the passage below.

2Ti 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.
2Ti 2:17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort,
2Ti 2:18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.



Commentary from Adam Clarke

2 Timothy 2:18

Who concerning the truth have erred - They had the truth, but erred or wandered from it, saying the resurrection was already past, and thus denying the resurrection of the body, and, by consequence, future rewards and punishments; and this necessarily sapped the foundation of all religion: and thus the gangrene had, in reference to their unhappy votaries, a rapid and unchecked operation.

.
 
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LittleLambofJesus

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Luke, John and Josephus were 70AD advocates for the Olivet Discourse and most of Revelation.........

Luke 21:22 That days of vengeance<1557> these are, of the to be fulfilled<4130> all the having been written 23 “But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
For there will be great Distress in the land and Wrath upon this people.

Luke 23:
27 Followed yet to Him a vast multitude of the people and of women were. And grieve<ekoptonto <2875> and wailed<eqrhnoun <2354> over Him.
28 Being-turned yet toward them, the Jesus said: "Daughters of-Jerusalem no be-lamenting/klaiete <2799> upon Me, moreover for yourselves be-lamenting, and upon the children of ye.
29 That behold! Are coming Days in which they shall be declaring 'happy are the barren-ones. and the wombs which not generate, and breasts which not suckle.
30 Then they shall be beginning to be saying to the Mountains: 'Be falling on us'!, and to the Hills 'Cover us'!
31 That if in this, the moist wood/ they are doing, in the dry what may-be-becoming?
[Isaiah 4:4/Reve 18:19]

Revelation 6:16
They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambkin! 17For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
================================
Visual Timeline of the Roman-Jewish War ARTchive

The Destruction of Jerusalem - George Peter Holford, 1805AD
Proof that Matthew 24 was fully fulfilled in 70 AD!
Also see: Rapture refuted



Apocalypse: Early Date Advocates

Henry Cowles : The Book of Revelation | F.W. Farrar : Dating The Book of Revelation | Thomas B. Slater - Dating the Apocalypse to John | Gonzalo Rojas-Flores The Book of Revelation and the First Years of Nero’s Reign
 
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mkgal1

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It is the same battle Paul fought in the passage below.

2Ti 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.
2Ti 2:17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort,
2Ti 2:18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.



Commentary from Adam Clarke

2 Timothy 2:18

Who concerning the truth have erred - They had the truth, but erred or wandered from it, saying the resurrection was already past, and thus denying the resurrection of the body, and, by consequence, future rewards and punishments; and this necessarily sapped the foundation of all religion: and thus the gangrene had, in reference to their unhappy votaries, a rapid and unchecked operation.

.
I'm not sure what posts you're considering "profane and idle babbling" but I believe you're misunderstanding what's being said.
 
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