Question on Textual Criticism for Conservatives

The problem with preterism of any form is that it takes some of the prophetic statements and ends them in the 1st century. While it is true that some prophecies of the OT were indeed finally fulfilled before the Parousia (return of Christ on the Last Day), a vast majority of prophecies have multiple fulfillments, all pointing to the Parousia. The fall of Jerusalem is one such "partial" fulfillment. The preterists see it as a final fulfillment of certain prophecies, but the fall of Jerusalem itslef points ahead to the final destruction of the sinful world and the coming of the new heavens and the new earth.

DaRev said:

The problem with preterism of any form is that it takes some of the prophetic statements and ends them in the 1st century. While it is true that some prophecies of the OT were indeed finally fulfilled before the Parousia (return of Christ on the Last Day), a vast majority of prophecies have multiple fulfillments, all pointing to the Parousia. The fall of Jerusalem is one such "partial" fulfillment. The preterists see it as a final fulfillment of certain prophecies, but the fall of Jerusalem itslef points ahead to the final destruction of the sinful world and the coming of the new heavens and the new earth.

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Aha. I suppose this is what Kim Riddlebarger means in A Case for Amillennialism when he refers to singular prophecies lookings forward to multiple fulfillments as 'prophetic perspectives.'

As it stands, I'm quite comfortable with that. Many brand of partial preterism is in no way postmillennial and foresees a literal, a literal antichrist, and a literal banishment of sin, death, and the devil.

to seajoy ...

seajoy said:

What is preterism? I don't have Rev. or Future Rev. in front of my name, so forgive my ignorance . But if this is heresy, I want to make sure I'm not thinking it without knowing what it is.
I've found this thread to be interesting, but difficult for me to understand parts of.

Thanks guys.
seajoy

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Full Preterists believe that all this below already happened, even the 2nd Coming of Christ (vv.30-31).
They believe that because of v.34 - this generationwill certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

They say that since "generation" is always 30-40 years, then everything below already happened even the 2nd Coming, at 70AD (destruction of the Jewish Temple).

Yet "generation" has different meanings in the NT besides the 30-40 years.
It also has a meaning of a generation of the Pharisees together with their forefathers.
Also of a type, or a kind of people, such as people of the world or the people of light.

Partial Preterists believe everything below happened at 70AD, besides the 2nd Coming.
And they still believe that "generation" always means 30-40 years.

Full Preterism is a full blown heresy, since it denies a bodily 2nd Coming of Christ.

Partial Preterism however, is something that cannot be taken seriously from Scriptural sense, because it picks and chooses what to believe or disbelief as happening at the 70AD destruction of the Temple, in the text below.

However, PP gains popularity especially in the Calvinist circles and in within circles of denoms that follows Amillenianism.

MT 24:3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"
MT 24:4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, `I am the Christ, n ' and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
MT 24:9 "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
MT 24:15 "So when you see standing in the holy place `the abomination that causes desolation,' n spoken of through the prophet Daniel--let the reader understand-- 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again. 22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, `Look, here is the Christ!' or, `There he is!' do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.
MT 24:26 "So if anyone tells you, `There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, `Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
MT 24:29 "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.' n
MT 24:30 "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
MT 24:32 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it n is near, right at the door. 34 I tell you the truth, this generation n will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Thanks Ed...Whew, I'm not a hairytick!

Edial said:

Partial Preterists believe everything below happened at 70AD, besides the 2nd Coming.
And they still believe that "generation" always means 30-40 years.

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Well, not everything. The second coming isn't the only thing partial preterists foresee in the future- including the resurrection of the dead, final judgment, banishment of sin, death, and the devil, the marriage feast of lamb, and possibly (like myself) a period of increasing tribulation and a final antichrist figure.

greg1290 said:

So how many think the abomination of desolation , has already happened 50/50?

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Just more dispensationalist hooey.

Don't ever pay attention to people who try to predict dates of things. Jesus Himself said that He was not privy to such information in His humanity. What makes us think that we can figure it out.

Such things come in God's time. We need to be prepared as though it's coming right now.