Preterism, both full & partial, are false.

[robycop3]

When would that be? And what would Jesus have to say to get you to believe He was coming soon? If you don't believe what He said in the following, then who are you going to believe?
Revelation 1:
1The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

Revelation 2:
24But I say to the rest of you in Thyatira,.....25Nevertheless, hold fast to what you have until I come.

Revelation 3:
10Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11I am coming soon. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

Revelation 22:
7“Behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of prophecy in this book.”
10Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of prophecy in this book, because the time is near. 11Let the unrighteous continue to be unrighteous, and the vile continue to be vile; let the righteous continue to practice righteousness, and the holy continue to be holy.”
12“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.
20He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Except...HE HASN'T YET RETURNED! When He does, everyone will see Him, as He said.
Reality nollies all pret assumptions that He's already returned.

 

[eclipsenow]

I'm really curious about this. How do you interpret these verses?

"Revelation 20:3 "And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season."

Revelation 20:7 "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison.

Revelation 20:8 "And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea

Revelation 20:9 "And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them."

Revelation 20:10 "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

It's apocalyptic hyperbole that even IF (hypothetically) Satan could gather a vast army against God, God's victory would be so overwhelming it's almost an anticlimactic event - it is so sure. That is, Jesus reigns from heaven, the martyrs are secure, as the gospel goes forth the truth is known and Satan is bound by this - and finally it's all inevitable anyway.

 

[robycop3]

It's apocalyptic hyperbole that even IF (hypothetically) Satan could gather a vast army against God, God's victory would be so overwhelming it's almost an anticlimactic event - it is so sure. That is, Jesus reigns from heaven, the martyrs are secure, as the gospel goes forth the truth is known and Satan is bound by this - and finally it's all inevitable anyway.

Typical preterist attempt to get by "inconvenient" Scriptures that prove preterism false. Their main "tool" is, "Let's make that Scripture figurative/symbolic!" That jive won't work.

 

[Ed Parenteau]

Except...HE HASN'T YET RETURNED! When He does, everyone will see Him, as He said.
Reality nollies all pret assumptions that He's already returned.

The second coming was to bring salvation through the destruction of the "old covenant world", not the destruction of the planet, what possible reason could He have for that? And every eye He said would see Him did see Him.

The obvious thing, is your doctrine makes the scripture internally inconsistent. For this prophecy from Balaam concerning the first coming of Christ took ~1400 years.

So, if ~1400 years is not now and not near, then how can now and near mean more than that?

16The declaration of him who hears the words of God,
And knows the knowledge of the Most High,
Who sees the vision of the Almighty,
Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered:
17I see him, but not now;
I look at him, but not near;
A star shall appear from Jacob, (Matthew 2:2)
A scepter shall rise from Israel,
And shall smash the forehead of Moab,
And overcome all the sons of Sheth.

 

[robycop3]

The second coming was to bring salvation through the destruction of the "old covenant world", not the destruction of the planet, what possible reason could He have for that? And every eye He said would see Him did see Him.

NUPE !
He said "EVERY EYE"-PERIOD!

The obvious thing, is your doctrine makes the scripture internally inconsistent. For this prophecy from Balaam concerning the first coming of Christ took ~1400 years.

So, if ~1400 years is not now and not near, then how can now and near mean more than that?

16The declaration of him who hears the words of God,
And knows the knowledge of the Most High,
Who sees the vision of the Almighty,
Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered:
17I see him, but not now;
I look at him, but not near;
A star shall appear from Jacob, (Matthew 2:2)
A scepter shall rise from Israel,
And shall smash the forehead of Moab,
And overcome all the sons of Sheth.

Very simple-IT HASN'T HAPPENED YET !

Seen any headlines in the
"Jerusalem Daily Planet" saying "Jesus has returned"?
Who was the 'beast' He cast alive into hell? Who was the false prophet He also cast into hell? What did the marka the beast look like?
HUH????
Sir, I suggest you get ridda all that jive junk from Preston, Gentry, etc. & stick to the BIBLE and HISTORY/REALITY!

 

[eclipsenow]

Typical preterist attempt to get by "inconvenient" Scriptures that prove preterism false. Their main "tool" is, "Let's make that Scripture figurative/symbolic!" That jive won't work.

We KNOW Revelation is mostly symbolic because we know this genre from about 500 years of examples of it 250BC to 250AD.

Again, so this is literal?

 

[sovereigngrace]

The second coming was to bring salvation through the destruction of the "old covenant world", not the destruction of the planet, what possible reason could He have for that?

Says who? You? Where is your Scripture?

And every eye He said would see Him did see Him.

Did every eye see Jesus coming back in AD70? Of course not! That is absurd!

 

[sovereigngrace]

It's apocalyptic hyperbole that even IF (hypothetically) Satan could gather a vast army against God, God's victory would be so overwhelming it's almost an anticlimactic event - it is so sure. That is, Jesus reigns from heaven, the martyrs are secure, as the gospel goes forth the truth is known and Satan is bound by this - and finally it's all inevitable anyway.

So, you do not believe in an end-time intensification of persecution before Jesus comes?

 

[eclipsenow]

Did every eye see Jesus coming back in AD70? Of course not! That is absurd!

The problem is you're not appreciating the Hebrew hyperbole for this event. As I have said above, we've got to come to this event with the OT in mind. Use the clearer events to guide the less clear.

Let's just focus on the sun moon and stars for a moment.

MATTHEW 24: “Immediately after the distress of those days“ ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’”

= This sounds like the end of the world. But in the Old Testament this is the image used to describe a kingdom being burned to the ground.

Isaiah 13: "See, the day of the Lord is coming—a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger— to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.”

= Isaiah writes a prophecy against Babylon where God brings Medes and Persians to strike down Babylon. But, typical of Hebrew hyperbolic symbolism - listen to this language!

Isaiah 34: “All the stars in the sky will be dissolved and the heavens rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree.”

= is a more universal judgment against all God's enemies - the picture of Edom. It has more graphic and physical battle language mixed in with the stars falling.

Joel 2: “Before them the earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine.” = describes a vast army of the Lord bringing justice - and uses similar language.

 

[sovereigngrace]

The problem is you're not appreciating the Hebrew hyperbole for this event. As I have said above, we've got to come to this event with the OT in mind. Use the clearer events to guide the less clear.

Let's just focus on the sun moon and stars for a moment.

MATTHEW 24: “Immediately after the distress of those days“ ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’”

= This sounds like the end of the world. But in the Old Testament this is the image used to describe a kingdom being burned to the ground.

Isaiah 13: "See, the day of the Lord is coming—a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger— to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.”

= Isaiah writes a prophecy against Babylon where God brings Medes and Persians to strike down Babylon. But, typical of Hebrew hyperbolic symbolism - listen to this language!

Isaiah 34: “All the stars in the sky will be dissolved and the heavens rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree.”

= is a more universal judgment against all God's enemies - the picture of Edom. It has more graphic and physical battle language mixed in with the stars falling.

Joel 2: “Before them the earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine.” = describes a vast army of the Lord bringing justice - and uses similar language.

No. It is the end of the world! You are doing what Premils do: explaining away the obvious NT truth with your opinion of the OT. Sorry. You are wrong here.

 

[eclipsenow]

No. It is the end of the world! You are doing what Premils do: explaining away the obvious NT truth with your opinion of the OT. Sorry. You are wrong here.

Except these are the refences Jesus is quoting. It's the Romans coming to destroy that specific temple - or Jesus is lying to the disciples about what was going to happen to that temple - the one they could see.

The end of the world aka Return of the Lord is briefly mentioned to compare with the false messiahs out in the desert stirring up all the rebellion against Rome - which ironically ends Jerusalem anyway. It's briefly mentioned to compare how Jesus return will be universal and inescapable and obvious in the lightning from east to west.

But Jesus returns to the temple and end of the OT system when he says "These things", "Fig tree" (see Isaiah 34!!!) and "this generation." As he predicted, so it happened.

THEN he returns to the end of the world on "THAT DAY" which is unpredictable and inescapable. It jumps around a bit.

Lightning to compare and contrast with false messiahs = THAT DAY.

Then temple:
Stars falling for nations conquered.
Son of Man on the clouds returning TO the Ancient of Days, not TO earth, showing the temple can be destroyed because Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial requirements of the Old Covenant and a New Covenant is here. Jerusalem's fall is predictable, local, escapable and that generation.

BUT THAT DAY? Universal, inescapable, calamitous, world ending, judgment day.

 

[Jeffwhosoever]

While I'm a Futurist, Partial Preterism is a valid eschatological position. I wouldn't call it false because if it were that clear we wouldn't have 4 competing views: Idealism, Preterism, Futurism, and Historicism. RC Sproul and Dr. Kenneth Gentry are two very well known and respected Theologians who hold to a partial-Preterist point of view. I don't think it is fair to imply they are completely wrong, and again I'm a Futurist and pretty convinced of my own point of view. Besides, I don't think it will be much longer the way things are going until we find out who is right, and I don't want to spend all eternity apologizing for having been wrong and accusing other positions as false who later turned out to be right and I was totally wrong.

 

[sovereigngrace]

Except these are the refences Jesus is quoting. It's the Romans coming to destroy that specific temple - or Jesus is lying to the disciples about what was going to happen to that temple - the one they could see.

The end of the world aka Return of the Lord is briefly mentioned to compare with the false messiahs out in the desert stirring up all the rebellion against Rome - which ironically ends Jerusalem anyway. It's briefly mentioned to compare how Jesus return will be universal and inescapable and obvious in the lightning from east to west.

But Jesus returns to the temple and end of the OT system when he says "These things", "Fig tree" (see Isaiah 34!!!) and "this generation." As he predicted, so it happened.

THEN he returns to the end of the world on "THAT DAY" which is unpredictable and inescapable. It jumps around a bit.

Lightning to compare and contrast with false messiahs = THAT DAY.

Then temple:
Stars falling for nations conquered.
Son of Man on the clouds returning TO the Ancient of Days, not TO earth, showing the temple can be destroyed because Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial requirements of the Old Covenant and a New Covenant is here. Jerusalem's fall is predictable, local, escapable and that generation.

BUT THAT DAY? Universal, inescapable, calamitous, world ending, judgment day.

This is spiritualization gone crazy. You could literally make the Bible say anything you wish with this type of hermeneutics. That is why all Bible students should reject Preterism.

1. Christ spoke about 2 events.
2. The disciples asked Him to explain those 2 events, and when they would happen.
3. Christ answered those 2 questions about 2 events.

Sadly, Preterists and Premillennialists each ignore the other's events relating to the past and the future. Both are therefore missing the context and meaning. The context proves that Israel will be forced to cry "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" at Christ's future "parousia," at "the end of the age.”

 

[Jeffwhosoever]

This is spiritualization gone crazy. You could literally make the Bible say anything you wish with this type of hermeneutics. That is why all Bible students should reject Preterism.

1. Christ spoke about 2 events.
2. The disciples asked Him to explain those 2 events, and when they would happen.
3. Christ answered those 2 questions about 2 events.

Sadly, Preterists and Premillennialists each ignore the other's events relating to the past and the future. Both are therefore missing the context and meaning. The context proves that Israel will be forced to cry "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" at Christ's future "parousia," at "the end of the age.”

I'm curious about your last statement. What do you mean about Preterisma and Premillenialists ignoring the other's events? What do you mean by both are missing the context and meaning?

 

[Ed Parenteau]

Says who? You? Where is your Scripture?

Hebrews 9:8By this arrangement the Holy Spirit was showing that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. 9It is an illustration for the present time, because the gifts and sacrifices being offered were unable to cleanse the conscience of the worshiper. 10They consist only in food and drink and special washings—external regulations imposed until the time of reform....
25Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.27Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him. (Which fulfills the role of the high priest.)

Did every eye see Jesus coming back in AD70? Of course not! That is absurd!

Certainly includes the Sanhedrin who were going to have Him murdered, and the Romans who carried it out and pierced Him. Matthew 26:64“You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

 

[sovereigngrace]

I'm curious about your last statement. What do you mean about Preterisma and Premillenialists ignoring the other's events? What do you mean by both are missing the context and meaning?

I posted this earlier in the thread.

Many Bible students (including Preterists and Premillennialists) dive into Matthew 24 without recognizing the intro to Christ's comments in Matthew 23. There He talks about 2 events - AD70 and His climactic return at the end of time.

Jesus said in Matthew 23:37–39: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

Jesus, first of all, speaks about the destruction of the temple in AD70, as a result of Israel's unbelief. He then talks about a future climactic day in the future when every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Here were two key events that would happen in the then future. The disciples were obviously inquisitive as to when these would happen. They then asked two questions in Matthew 24 in response to our Lord’s words. Matthew 24:3 records:

1. “Tell us, when shall these things be?”
2. “and what shall be the sign of thy coming (parousia), and of the end (sunteleías, meaning completion, or consummation) of the world (age)?”

This proves that the disciples were enquiring about the realization of these two aforementioned days. They wanted to know about their fulfillment. Sadly, Preterists and Premillennialists each ignore the other's events relating to the past and the future. Both are therefore missing the context and meaning. The context proves that Israel will be forced to cry "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" at Christ's future "parousia," at "the end of the age.”

Christ addressed both questions and both eras in chapter 24. However, because of the intermingling of His response, many Bible students suffer great confusion in identifying what aspect of the teaching relates to AD 70 and what relates to the second coming. Jesus addresses the greatest event first. He talks about the trying events that will precede His glorious return, and then reassures: “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” This introductory part pertaining to the intra-Advent period relates to Matthew 24:4-14. Mark 13:5-13 and Luke 21:8-19 parallels.

Jesus then changes track and refers to the events that surround the destruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem in Matthew 24:15-22, Mark 13:14-20 and Luke 21:20-24.

Christ's shift to answering the second question (re the future second coming) comes in Matthew 24:23, Mark 13:21 and Luke 21:25. These are all parallel accounts. Our Lord describes events that will precede His return, and then speaks about that climactic event also. The detail re generation speaks that genea alive when He returns in power and glory. The subject in view continues until the end of each respective chapter.

 

[sovereigngrace]

Hebrews 9:8By this arrangement the Holy Spirit was showing that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. 9It is an illustration for the present time, because the gifts and sacrifices being offered were unable to cleanse the conscience of the worshiper. 10They consist only in food and drink and special washings—external regulations imposed until the time of reform....
25Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.27Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him. (Which fulfills the role of the high priest.)

Certainly includes the Sanhedrin who were going to have Him murdered, and the Romans who carried it out and pierced Him. Matthew 26:64“You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Acts 1:10 says, “while they (the disciples) beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

The 11 disciples were direct material witnesses to the ascension of Jesus Christ up from the earth toward heaven. This passage tells us it is the actual “manner” or tropos (meaning style or mode) of His glorious ascent into heaven that will be the way He will return. How did He go?

Literally, physically, visibly.

•Physically: “This same Jesus.”
•Visibly: “while they beheld,” “they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up” and “as ye have seen Him go.”
•Literally: “In like manner.”

Contrary to Pretrib and Preterist beliefs, the second coming of Christ is not a secret event. Such a mistaken view emanates from a wrong understanding of Scripture. Revelation 1:7 declares: “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him” (Revelation 1:7).

Did every eye see Jesus coming back in AD70? Of course not! That is absurd!

Upon His appearing, did the Jews wail over Him? Of course not! That is absurd! Equally, did the Gentiles also wail because of him? Of course not! That is absurd!

Here we see the most public event of all time - the literal, visible, physical return of the Lord Jesus Christ. This passage unmistakably shows that the glorious Second Advent will be the most amazing public event ever. To such an extent that “every eye shall see him.”

This passage unmistakably shows that the glorious Second Advent will be the most amazing public event ever. To such an extent that “every eye shall see him.” The swiftness of Christ’s coming and the speed of the rescue of the saints precludes any possibility of the wicked repenting.

Jesus warned in Matthew 24:23-27: "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

Christ's coming shall be sudden as lightning. What is more sudden and spectacular than lightning? Lightning is not hid! It can be seen by all across the sky. This is no secret snatch in this text.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 26:64: “Hereafter shall ye the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

This is repeated in Mark 14:62: “ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

Jesus said in Luke 21:26–27: “for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”

This is the end of the age. It is the end of the world. He is coming visibly and powerfully to glorify the elect and this corrupt earth when He comes.

 

[eclipsenow]

This is spiritualization gone crazy. You could literally make the Bible say anything you wish with this type of hermeneutics. That is why all Bible students should reject Preterism.

1. Christ spoke about 2 events.
2. The disciples asked Him to explain those 2 events, and when they would happen.
3. Christ answered those 2 questions about 2 events.

Sadly, Preterists and Premillennialists each ignore the other's events relating to the past and the future. Both are therefore missing the context and meaning. The context proves that Israel will be forced to cry "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" at Christ's future "parousia," at "the end of the age.”

I am partial preterist.
Jesus DOES answer that futurist question when he gets to "That day". Everything prior to that (apart form the lightning from east to west) is the Romans conquering Jerusalem and destroying the temple.

 

[Jeffwhosoever]

I posted this earlier in the thread.

Many Bible students (including Preterists and Premillennialists) dive into Matthew 24 without recognizing the intro to Christ's comments in Matthew 23. There He talks about 2 events - AD70 and His climactic return at the end of time.

Jesus said in Matthew 23:37–39: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

Jesus, first of all, speaks about the destruction of the temple in AD70, as a result of Israel's unbelief. He then talks about a future climactic day in the future when every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Here were two key events that would happen in the then future. The disciples were obviously inquisitive as to when these would happen. They then asked two questions in Matthew 24 in response to our Lord’s words. Matthew 24:3 records:

1. “Tell us, when shall these things be?”
2. “and what shall be the sign of thy coming (parousia), and of the end (sunteleías, meaning completion, or consummation) of the world (age)?”

This proves that the disciples were enquiring about the realization of these two aforementioned days. They wanted to know about their fulfillment. Sadly, Preterists and Premillennialists each ignore the other's events relating to the past and the future. Both are therefore missing the context and meaning. The context proves that Israel will be forced to cry "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" at Christ's future "parousia," at "the end of the age.”

Christ addressed both questions and both eras in chapter 24. However, because of the intermingling of His response, many Bible students suffer great confusion in identifying what aspect of the teaching relates to AD 70 and what relates to the second coming. Jesus addresses the greatest event first. He talks about the trying events that will precede His glorious return, and then reassures: “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” This introductory part pertaining to the intra-Advent period relates to Matthew 24:4-14. Mark 13:5-13 and Luke 21:8-19 parallels.

Jesus then changes track and refers to the events that surround the destruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem in Matthew 24:15-22, Mark 13:14-20 and Luke 21:20-24.

Christ's shift to answering the second question (re the future second coming) comes in Matthew 24:23, Mark 13:21 and Luke 21:25. These are all parallel accounts. Our Lord describes events that will precede His return, and then speaks about that climactic event also. The detail re generation speaks that genea alive when He returns in power and glory. The subject in view continues until the end of each respective chapter.

I think I understand but I would like to be sure. Your point is that Jesus is referring to two different events in the Olivet Discourse, intermingled so it takes close attention to discern the two. Preterists only see 70 AD in these verses, and futurists/premillenialists only see the second coming, whereas you suggest both are in view in these 3 Gospel parallel messages, known as the Olivet Discourse. Is this the correct interpretation of your description above, that each school of eschatology only sees one aspect of our Lord's reply, either (1) 70 AD destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem (Preterists) or (2) the coming tribulation and second coming of our Lord, when in reality, both (1) and (2) are being described by Jesus in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, depending on the verse you are reading?

 

[eclipsenow]

While I'm a Futurist, Partial Preterism is a valid eschatological position. I wouldn't call it false because if it were that clear we wouldn't have 4 competing views: Idealism, Preterism, Futurism, and Historicism. RC Sproul and Dr. Kenneth Gentry are two very well known and respected Theologians who hold to a partial-Preterist point of view. I don't think it is fair to imply they are completely wrong, and again I'm a Futurist and pretty convinced of my own point of view. Besides, I don't think it will be much longer the way things are going until we find out who is right, and I don't want to spend all eternity apologizing for having been wrong and accusing other positions as false who later turned out to be right and I was totally wrong.

I like your appeal to compassion and calm.
Onya Jeff!