Review of Wayne Jakson's "The Menace of Radical Preterism"
This article is quite lengthy, but the length is necessary. I hope you read with an open heart and mind. Let me know what you think via e-mail or in the comments below.
The Purpose of this Article
While the title says that this is a response to Wayne Jackson, it isn’t necessarily. I doubt that Brother Jackson will ever see this. Instead, this is a response to his article for my good Christian brothers and sisters who see this article as a good defense against the “devilish” AD70 “false doctrine.” The article can be found here: The Menace of Radical Preterism. All parts that I deal with will be directly quoted in this article. In posting this article, I realize that I won’t change everyone’s mind (maybe not anyone’s!), but, at the very least, I would like to encourage my friends in Christ that there is more to this issue than they might realize or allow and that they shouldn’t be so quick to draw lines of fellowship over these matters.
Disclaimer
While I may use forceful language in my response, I assure you that I do not consider this issue as a matter of fellowship or a soul-condemning issue. You can come to an honest conclusion that is different than mine and I will be happy to call you my faithful brother or sister in Christ. All that I ask is that you extend the same understanding and fellowship that I am willing to do for you.
Rumors have floated around that suggest that I am arrogant or that I see this as a Heaven/ Hell issue. Those rumors are false. I can submit a vast amount of proof and several witnesses for that if you’d like. The only individuals that I consider to be in error are those who spread lies, act in an ungodly manner, or cause divisions over this subject. If you are willing to live in harmony, then I see you no less of a Christian than I think that I am (2 Peter 1:10).
Paragraphs 1-8 (Introduction)
Brother Jackson introduces several ideas concerning the fulfillment of the book of Revelation. He speaks of those who see Revelation as dealing with the fall of Jerusalem in AD70 (which is the position I hold). He also mentions those who see Revelation as dealing with the fall of Rome. Speaking of these two positions, he says, “While we do not agree with either of these concepts of the book of Revelation, we consider them to be relatively harmless. They represent ideas upon which good men can honestly disagree with no significant error being involved” (par. 4). What my brother has done here, from my perspective, is given up the entire purpose of his article. Let’s see why!
The book of Revelation contains twenty-two chapters, and, according to brother Jackson, if one attributes those twenty-two chapters to the fall of Jerusalem in AD70 then little harm has been done, but what does Revelation speak about? Let’s name a few.
1. The coming of the Lord on the clouds (Revelation 1:7)
2. The kingdoms of the world become the kingdoms of God and Jesus (Revelation 11:15)
3. Judgement of the dead and the rewarding of the prophets (Revelation 11:18)
4. The coming of Christ (Revelation 19:11-15)
5. The end of the millennium and the resurrection (Revelation 20:5)
6. The judgement of the dead, small and great (Revelation 20:12)
7. The resurrection out of Hades (Revelation 20:13)
8. The arrival of the New Jerusalem/ New Heavens and Earth/ Bride and the passing away of the first heaven and earth (Revelation 21:1-2)
Now, let’s take brother Jackson’s original statement and substitute “book of Revelation” with the items above. “While we do not agree with either of these concepts of the [The coming of the Lord on the clouds, The kingdoms of the world become the kingdoms of God and Jesus, Judgement of the dead and the rewarding of the prophets, The coming of Christ, The end of the millennium and the resurrection, The judgement of the dead, The resurrection out of Hades, or The arrival of the New Jerusalem/ New Heavens and Earth/ Bride and the passing away of the first heaven and earth – DR], we consider them to be relatively harmless. They represent ideas upon which good men can honestly disagree with no significant error being involved.” Friend, do you see the inconsistency here? I pray that you do. Already, I hope something in you is saying to rethink whether or not this is a fellowship issue.
Paragraphs 9-10 (The Basis for the Dogma)
“Preterists strive for consistency in their view of Bible prophecy. The goal is admirable. But when a series of propositions is linked, and they are grounded on the same faulty foundation, when one of them topples—like dominos in a line—they all fall. So it is with the A.D. 70 theory.
Here is the problem. In studying the New Testament material relative to the “coming” of Christ, preterists note that:
1. there are passages which seem to speak of the nearness of the Lord’s coming—from a first-century vantage point (cf. James 5:8);
2. they observe that there are texts which indicate a “coming” in connection with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 (cf. Matthew 24:30);
3. combining these, they conclude that the Savior’s “second coming” must have transpired in A.D. 70; and
4. furthermore, since the Scriptures are clear as to the fact that the resurrection of the dead, the judgment day, and the end of the world will all occur on the day the Lord returns, the advocates of realized eschatology are forced to “spiritualize” these several happenings, contending that all will take place at the same time. In this “interpretive” process, a whole host of biblical terms must be redefined in order to make them fit the scheme. And so, while preterists attempt to be consistent, it is nonetheless a sad reality that they are consistently wrong!” – (Jackson, par. 9-10).
First, how does anything that was said prove that preterists are “consistently wrong”? No scriptures were given to prove such conclusion. No exegesis was preformed to show that. It’s just an assertion that was founded upon the author’s prior conclusions! Again, what was said in this section to offer any proof that preterists are “consistently wrong”? Nothing at all!
Secondly, brother Jackson says that “a whole host of biblical terms must be redefined in order to make them fit the scheme.” Actually, a whole host of biblical terms must be redefined in order to make them fit brother Jackson’s scheme. Now, did that statement help prove my case at all? I would be foolish to think that it did. I didn’t offer any proof that brother Jackson redefined anything just as he did not offer any proof for his claim. He simply stated it.
Third, “redefine” terms from who’s perspective? Brother Jackson’s? the Catholic church? Baptists? Webster’s dictionary? When it comes right down to it, we are all guilty of redefining terms based off of someone’s standards. Brother Jackson’s definition of baptism is different than that of a Catholic. A Baptist’s definition of “new Jerusalem” may be different than that from Brother Jackson’s. Does that make either right or wrong just because their definitions vary? Absolutely not. Then, who has the right to define terms to begin with? The Bible. What brother Jackson was saying in this section is, “a whole host of biblical terms [read: biblical terms from my perspective based off of my personal study] must be redefined….” Unless brother Jackson is infallible, then this claim is as deep as the evidence offered, which, at this point in the article, is nonexistent.
Paragraphs 11-13 (Prophetic Imminence)
“A major fallacy of the preterist mentality is a failure to recognize the elasticity of chronological jargon within the context of biblical prophecy. It is a rather common trait in prophetic language that an event, while literally in the remote future, may be described as near. The purpose in this sort of language is to emphasize the certainty of the prophecy’s fulfillment.” – (Jackson, par. 11)
Think about what is said here. I mean, really think about it. Now consider the following quotations.
“John the Baptizer, Jesus himself, and the twelve disciples all preached that the kingdom was “at hand,” literally meaning “is come near” (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; 10:7; cf. Luke 21:30 for the meaning of “at hand”). Thus, they preached the nearness of the kingdom of God, and such can scarcely be harmonized with the notion that it hasn’t come.[1]” – (Jackson, Examining)
“When John proclaimed that the kingdom was “at hand,” what did he mean?
The Greek term is engus. The word basically means “near,” when employed literally.
It can be used figuratively in prophecy to denote the certainty of an event, from the perspective of time as God views things (cf. Dt. 32:35; Zeph. 1:7; see Jackson, 1995, 118-122). The subsequent context of the Gospel records reveals that literal proximity is indicated here.” – (Jackson, Who)
Now, here is a question: Who decides when engus is used literally or figuratively? When speaking against premillennialists in reference to the kingdom, at hand means at hand, but when addressing texts that contradict his paradigm, brother Jackson insists that engus can be elastic. Perhaps brother Jackson, and others, are guilty of what was said of premillennialists in one article: “Unfortunately, it is “puzzling” to many because they have preconceived concepts as to the New Testament use of the term “kingdom.”” (Jackson, Jesus). Also, “Sadly, for many the exegetical format frequently is: “How do we make the Bible fit what we believe already?”” And so, while brother Jackson attempts to be consistent, it is nonetheless a sad reality that he is consistently wrong![2]
“Obadiah, for instance, foretold the final day of earth’s history. Concerning that event, he said: “For the day of Jehovah is near upon all the nations” (v. 15). This cannot refer to some local judgment, for “all nations” are to be involved. And yet, the event is depicted as “near.”” – (Jackson, Menace, par. 12)
Brother Jackson insists that Obadiah could not be referring to some local judgement because of the use of “all nations.” This is his proof that statements of imminence do not always have to be literally near in order for the prophecy to be true. Obviously, I have an issue with brother Jackson’s interpretation of this passage and with his liberty with the word “near.” What was being predicted in Obadiah was judgement on Edom.
“The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom (We have heard a report from the LORD, And a messenger has been sent among the nations, saying, "Arise, and let us rise up against her for battle"” (Obadiah 1:1).
Concerning Edom, God uses the pronoun “you” throughout the text (cf. 1-5, 7, 9, 10-15). When He doesn’t use that pronoun (cf. 6, 8, 11), He addresses them directly. Why would He talk about the judgement of the sons of Esau all throughout the text and then, without any indication, switch gears only for a brief moment. Truly, that judgement was “near” and it was upon Edom. Unless there remains judgement for the nation of Edom, then this prophecy has already been fulfilled (Obadiah 1:18).
“There are numerous prophecies of this nature, including passages like James 5:8—“the coming of the Lord is at hand.” James could not have been predicting the literally imminent return of the Savior, for such knowledge was not made available to the Lord’s penmen. Not even Jesus himself knew of the time of his return to earth (Matthew 24:36)” – (Jackson, par. 13).
This argument quickly falls when we consider the evidence. Matthew 24:36 says, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36). The first century Christians did not know the day or the hour of the destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus said, in connect to the fall of Jerusalem, “And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath” (Matthew 24:20). They did not know the specific time in which the Lord would return as seen here, but they did have a general idea as to when He would return. See the passage below.
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near – at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place” (Matthew 24:29-34, emp. added).
Let me ask you, reader, what does this passage teach? Does it not say quite plainly that the coming of the Lord on the clouds with power and great glory would be within the generation in which they were living? Now, keep in mind that they were supposed to pray concerning the timing of these events (v. 20), but as the day was approaching they would be able to see the signs as to when these events would be near (Greek: engus). So, James, writing of the coming of the Lord, recognized that it was near just as Jesus said he would! Notice what James says: “You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!” (James 5:8-9, emp. added). Jesus said that they would see signs to know when the time was engus and “at the doors.” James recognized these signs and, through inspiration, made a perfectly valid claim – one that his readers would have understood immediately. Did he know the day or hour? Obviously, If he would have known such valuable information, he would have said so, but he was only able to offer the advice “it is at hand and at the doors.”
Paragraph 14-17 (The Components Explained and Briefly Refuted: Appearing)
Before we being I would like to address the phrase “briefly refuted.” The accusation may arise that I am being unfair for demanding so much from brother Jackson and that his intentions were just to be brief. Well, while it is true that he was brief, he also claimed that what he wrote (and what has been shared with me quite often) is a refutation. Therefore, if I, being one that has been allegedly refuted, do not see his arguments to be adequate or convincing, I have every right to address his arguments or lack thereof. That is precisely what I will do in this section.
Brother Jackson gives some information in the first few paragraphs that I am not altogether opposed to; however, in the sixteenth paragraph of the essay, he says, “The Lord’s “second coming,” however, will be as visibly apparent as his ascension back into heaven was (Acts 1:11). Indeed, he will be “revealed” (2 Thessalonians 1:7), or “appear” to all (2 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 9:28)” (Jackson).
Let me simply quote from the Olivet Discourse again. “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27). Would the Lord be “seen” at the fall of Jerusalem? According to Jesus, they would see Him. Now, for the sake of being thorough, let us deal with the four passages presented (even though all conclusions from these passages made by brother Jackson are assertions with no evidence given!). Remember, this is supposed to be a refutation. Something cannot be refuted by claims alone. Evidence, proper evidence, must be given.
Acts 1:11
I have already written about this on my blog. Feel free to read the article that I will quote from here: “The Nature of the Second Coming.”
“After Jesus ascends, the angles say, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). As a side note, I used the phrase “in like manner” earlier in this essay to demonstrate the similarity of Jesus’s comments in Matthew 16:27-28 and Luke 21:32. Now, did Jesus make the exact same word for word statement, or was the general idea of the thought the same? Most likely, you probably did not think that I was lying when I used the phrase “in like manner” to compare Jesus’s comments. Here are some other times in scripture where the phrase “in like manner” is used in a similar way to how I did. We will be approaching this from the Greek, so feel free to use a concordance or Bible program to check our work!
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as [same word in the Greek – DR] a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Matthew 23:37).
“But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they” (Acts 15:11).
“Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith” (2 Timothy 3:8)
Think about this: was Jesus literally spreading forth a set of wings to gather together the children of Israel? Were the circumstances of Cornelius’s conversion exactly the same as that of Peter’s or one of the other Christians? Were the false teachers of Paul’s day resisting the preachers of the word in the exact same manner that Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses? Or were the general ideas of all these things the same? What did the angels mean? Jesus went to Heaven on the clouds and He was coming back on the clouds. We have already seen how the Olivet Discourse contains the same subject matter that was being discussed in Acts 1 (Holy Spirit – Luke 21:15; Preaching to all nations – Matthew 24:14; Kingdom – Luke 21:31). Did Jesus in the Olivet Discourse also predict the time when He would return in the clouds? “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). When would these things take place? “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place” (Matthew 24:34). Therefore, Jesus’ coming in the clouds in like manner of Acts 1:7 was the same coming that He discussed in Matthew 24 and would take place in that first century generation.” (Rogers, nature)
2 Thessalonians 1:7
I have written briefly on this subject as well. The article can be found here: “The Persistent Widow.” Because I did not go into great detail there, I will develop some of those ideas here.
“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed” (2 Thessalonians 1:3-10, emp. added).
The church at Thessalonica were suffering because of Jewish persecution as seen in Acts 17 and 1 Thessalonians 2:14ff. Though they were suffering tribulation, God promised to repay tribulation with tribulation. If the Lord did not return within their lifetime to repay tribulation with tribulation, then Paul’s promise of relief from the present distress was false.
Another point is that the phrase “glory of His power” does not appear anywhere else in the New Testament, but in the LXX, it is used in Isaiah 2:10, 19, and 21 (Vincent). The verses are below.
“Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty” (Isaiah 2:10).
“They shall go into the holes of the rocks, And into the caves of the earth, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily. In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver And his idols of gold, Which they made, each for himself to worship, To the moles and bats, To go into the clefts of the rocks, And into the crags of the rugged rocks, From the terror of the LORD And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily” (Isaiah 2:19-21).[3]
Each of these passages is tied to the time of the establishment of the kingdom in the last days of Judah and Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:1-2). Jesus, speaking of the last days of the Old Covenant world, His coming in power and glory, and the kingdom said, “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." Then He spoke to them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place” (Luke 21:25-32).
The same themes can be found in Isaiah 2, Luke 21, and 2 Thessalonians 1. The church at Thessalonica was wanting to be worthy of the kingdom of God, would be relieved at the coming of the Lord with power and glory in judgement on their persecutors, and they would have expected it to take place within their generation.
2 Timothy 4:1
“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:1).
If you have followed my arguments on the kingdom and the coming of Christ, you will be able to see how we would argue this passage. I see no need to repeat what has already ben said; however, I will offer an additional point. Paul wrote to Timothy and said, “that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing” (1 Timothy 6:14). Does it not follow that Paul expected Timothy to be alive at the appearing of Christ? How could he keep the commands until the appearing if he would not be around at that time? Paul, as seen in 2 Timothy 4, knew that his life was about to come to the end, but he expected Timothy to be alive at the coming of the Lord (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:15).
Another thing that we haven’t spoken of much is the judgement of the living and the dead. Paul expected that to happen at the appearing of Jesus and His kingdom. Did the first century church expect the judgement of the living and dead to take place within their lifetimes? Well, James did say in James 5:9 that the judge was at the door, correct? But what other evidence do we have? Listen to Peter: “They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers” (1 Peter 4:5-7) “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God[4]?” (1 Peter 4:17).
Like James, Peter recognized that the end of all things was at hand at that the judgement was about to begin.
Hebrews 9:28
“…so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation” (Hebrews 9:28)
This passage is very important when talking about the second coming of Christ because the phrase “second Coming” never appears in the Bible, and the only place where the appearing of Christ is called the second is here. I just want to point out again that brother Jackson didn’t offer any real explanation of these passages. All he did was accuse preterists of confusing symbolic “comings” with the “second” coming. Hebrews 9:28 was the passage that he referenced (with no exegesis) to “prove” that there is a future second coming. We will deal with it now.
“so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect” (Hebrews 9:28-10:1).
I quoted this passage again in order to dissolve the chapter divide that is found in our English texts. With the passage before us we see that the purpose of the second appearing was for salvation and to fulfill the shadows of the law – specifically the role of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement. As described in Hebrews 9, the High Priest killed the sacrifice, went into the Most Holy Place, and then “appeared” again. Until he came out of the Holy Place, no one else was allowed inside (Leviticus 16:17). It was at the time when the High Priest would come out of the Holy Place that the atonement was complete. Jesus as the New Covenant High Priest, in order to fulfill the types and shadows of the Old Covenant, offered Himself, ascended to Heaven to appear before God (which He was doing as the letter to the Hebrews was being penned: Hebrews 9:24), and He would have to appear again a second time. Without the second appearing, the Day of Atonement shadow had yet to be fulfilled; however, Jesus said, “Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled” (Luke 21:21-22, emp. added). In order for Jesus to be a true prophet, every shadow of the Law (things that were written) would have to be fulfilled. This includes the High Priest exiting the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement!
Another very quick point I’d like to make comes from Hebrews 10. The Bible says (quoting from Young’s Literal Translation), “for yet a very very little, He who is coming will come, and will not tarry” (Hebrews 10:37). The saints saw the day of the second appearing quickly approaching.
Paragraphs 18- 20 (The Components Explained and Briefly Refuted: Resurrection)
“Secondly, it is utterly incredible that the preterists should deny the eventual resurrection of the human body—just as the Sadducees did twenty centuries ago (Acts 23:8). The entire fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians was written to counter this error: “How say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead [ones – plural]?” (15:12). – (Jackson, par. 18)
That is a pretty serious charge. Let’s take a look at Acts 23:8 and see what it says.
“For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection – and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both” (Acts 23:8).
While I do deny a future resurrection of physical bodies, I do not deny resurrection of any kind. In fact, I believe very strongly in the resurrection. It is just that my views on the nature of the resurrection differ from brother Jackson’s. I do not claim that he is a Sadducee just because he sees 1 Corinthians 15 in a different light than I do. Also, as you may have noticed, I believe in angels and in the soul. I am far from a Sadducee.
Brother Jackson claims that 1 Corinthians 15 was written to combat the Sadduceean error, but this is patently not true. The Corinthian denial was not regarding the resurrection for everyone. It was only concerned with a certain group: the dead ones. If the Corinthians denial was concerning everyone (including themselves), then Paul’s argumentation would have made no sense. Let’s notice Paul’s arguments and try to determine who the dead ones were from there.
Argument 1: Denial of the resurrection of the dead ones is a denial of Christ’s resurrection.
Argument 2: Denial of the resurrection of the dead ones means that our preaching is in vain.
Argument 3: Denial of the resurrection of the dead ones means that your faith is in vain.
Argument 4: Denial of the resurrection of the dead ones means that Paul was a false witness.
Argument 5: Denial of the resurrection of the dead ones means that you are in sin.
Argument 6: Denial of the resurrection of the dead ones means that those Christians that have died are lost.
Argument 7: Denial of the resurrection of the dead ones means that they only had hope in this life.
If the Corinthians were denying all resurrection (including Jesus’) like the Sadducees, then these arguments would be pointless. They would say, “Exactly Paul! Jesus hasn’t been raised!” “That’s right Paul, we only have hope in this life!” But this is not what they believed. Paul used their faith in Jesus, the preaching of the apostles, their personal faith, their trust in Paul as a witness, their trust in their own redemption, their hope for their fellow Christians, and they trust in the “much better” to prove that the dead ones would raise. So, who are the dead ones? It couldn’t have been Jesus, themselves, or fellow Christians. We also know it must be a group that died before Christ because He rose out from among that group. Therefore, we believe they were denying those that died under the Old Covenant prior to the death of Christ[5]. The Corinthians, therefore, were not Sadducees.
“But those who subscribe to the notion of realized eschatology spiritualize the concept of the resurrection, alleging that such references are merely to the emergence of the church from an era of anti-Christian persecution. In other words, it is the “resurrection” of a cause, not a resurrection of people.: - (Jackson, par. 19).
I would like to see a source for this comment. I do not know of a single full-preterist that teaches that the resurrection is only a resurrection of a cause. Within every eschatology (or any religious subject) there are different opinions. For example, if you were to ask ten preachers of the church of Christ who aren’t preterists what their view of ten different eschatological passages were, you would get a variety of answers. This doesn’t prove or disprove that position. There are differences of opinions among different preterists, and I am friends with several of the more popular proponents of each opinion. None of them that I have spoken to believe that 1 Corinthians 15 is talking about the resurrection of a cause. Because of this, I do not feel obligated to answer this part of the essay. If you want my views on Daniel 12, John 5:28-29, or Acts 24:15, contact me and I will send you a power point I made on the subject.
Paragraphs 21-22 (The Components Explained and Briefly Refuted: Judgement)
“Third, the Bible speaks of a coming “day of judgment” (Matthew 11:22). Preterists limit this to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. But the theory simply does not fit the facts. The devastation of A.D. 70 involved only the Jews. The final day of judgment will embrace the entire human family—past, present, and future (Acts 17:31). The citizens of ancient Nineveh will be present on the day of judgment (see Matthew 12:41), as will other pagan peoples. But these folks were not in Jerusalem in A.D. 70. How can clear passages of this nature be ignored?” – (Jackson, par. 21)
While I obviously do not agree with brother Jackson’s conclusions here, I will say that this is his best argument in the entire essay; however, I will show why I believe the conclusions to be misguided. Let’s look at the passages that he cited one by one.
“Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day” (Matthew 11:20-23).
Notice that those Jesus was addressing were those who did not repent. Jesus gave a similar warning in Luke 13:1-5. “There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:1-5).
Jesus said that even though those individuals didn’t suffer physically because of sins, those in His audience would if they did not repent. They would be killed by civil authorities and some would even be crushed under falling buildings because they did not know God and did not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ. Just as Sodom and the other cities mentioned were destroyed, they would be destroyed as well. Even though it is out of order from what brother Jackson mentioned, let’s notice Matthew 12:41.
“The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here” (Matthew 12:41).
What would have happened if Nineveh did not repent? Was a national judgement not threatened (cf. Jonah 3:4)? Also, what generation would they rise up in judgement with? Was in not that first century generation of Jews that was guilty of all of the blood of all of the martyrs?
“…because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).
Paul said that God would judge the world in righteousness. The argument from brother Jackson’s position is “the final day of judgment will embrace the entire human family—past, present, and future.” I’m not sure where that is found in Acts 17:31, but let’s examine the text.
First of all, notice how the Young’s Literal Translation translates this verse: “because He did set a day in which He is about to judge the world in righteousness, by a man whom He did ordain, having given assurance to all, having raised him out of the dead” (Acts 17:31, emp. added). Concerning the Greek word mello (which is translated “about to be” here), Strong’s says, “A strengthened form of G3199 (through the idea of expectation); to intend that is be about to be do or suffer something…” (Strong’s, G3195).
Secondly, let’s notice the word “world.” How is it used in the Bible? How is it used in passages that brother Jackson and I agree are talking about the fall of Jerusalem?
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).
“…men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Luke 21:26).
The gospel would need to be preached to all of the world before Jerusalem would fall. If the fall of Jerusalem involved only the Jews, why would the entire world need to be preached to first? Secondly, Jesus said Himself that men’s hearts would fail them simply from fear and the expectation of the things which would come upon the earth (Greek: Oikoumene [world in Acts 17:30]). No wonder Felix trembled after hearing of the judgement that was “about to be” (Acts 24:25, YLT).
“Here is an interesting thought. When Paul defended his case before the Roman governor, Felix, he spoke of “the judgment to come,” and the ruler was “terrified” (Acts 24:25). Why would a Roman be “terrified” with reference to the impending destruction of Judaism—when he would be on the winning side, not the losing one?” – (Jackson, par. 22, emp. in original)
I believe we have already answered this, but let me make one more point. Who was Felix’s wife? “And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ” (Acts 24:24). If Paul was talking about the judgement on the Jewish nation (which I believe was part of what he was discussing), wouldn’t it make sense for Felix to fear for his wife’s life and, possibly, her family’s? While this is an interesting thought, I hold that my arguments made above sufficiently answer the question.
Paragraphs 23-25 (The Components Explained and Briefly Refuted: The End of the World)
The first thing we need to do here is to define our terms. There are several words in scripture used for the word world. Two of those are kosmos and aion. The phrase “end of the aion” is only used in 6 verses: Matthew 13:39, 40, 49; Matthew 24:3; Matthew 28:20; and Hebrews 9:26. The two points that were offered have to do with the great commission and the parable of the tares.
1. “The responsibilities of the Great Commission—to teach and immerse lost souls—was commensurate with that era preceding the “end of the world” (Matthew 28:18-20). If the “end of the world” occurred in A.D. 70, then the Lord’s Commission is valid no longer. This conclusion, of course, is absurd.
2. In the parable of the tares, Jesus taught that at “the end of the world” the “tares” (i.e., evil ones) would be removed from his kingdom and burned (Matthew 13:39-40). Did that transpire with the destruction of Judaism? It did not. The notion that the “end of the world” is past already is false.” – (Jackson, par. 24-25)
So, let’s deal with each of these. First, in the great commission in Matthew 28, there is absolutely nothing to indicate that the teaching of the gospel would come to an end. In fact, in Isaiah 9, Isaiah says, “Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:7, emp. addded).
Secondly, the parable of the tares can easily be shown to be fulfilled at the fall of Jerusalem. Here is a copy of an outline I made on the subject.
I. Introduction
a. The parable of the wheat and the tares is one that has caused much confusion among Bible students, but when we compare it to other passages, the meaning becomes clear.
b. It has been said in times past that the Bible is its best commentary, so we must use other scripture to properly exegete this wonderful parable.
c. Remove the veil of preconceived ideas and put on your first century glasses as we study this passage.
II. Read Matthew 13:24-30
a. This is a parable about the kingdom of Heaven.
i. We know the kingdom to be the church (Matthew 16:18-19)
ii. The kingdom came on Pentecost in Acts 2, was built up through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and was established with judgment at the Destruction of Jerusalem after all truth had been delivered and the gospel had been fully preached.
b. We mustn’t try to interpret what the field, seed, etc. are without the guidance of Jesus. The identity of the seed is different than the seed in the parable of the sower.
c. This idea of harvest, separation, and the casting away/ gathering into the barn is not first found in the New Testament with the teachings of Jesus, but with John (Matthew 3:1-12).
i. The gathering of the saints is a theme that can be seen throughout the Bible.
1. Noah: Genesis 7:1ff
2. Last Days: Genesis 49:10
3. First Exodus: Exodus 12:31-32
4. Second Exodus: Isaiah 11:11
5. Jews in the 1st Century: Matthew 23:37-39
6. Christians in the 1st Century: Matthew 24:29-31; cf. II Thessalonians 2:1
ii. Having this knowledge will help greatly in interpreting the text.
III. Read Matthew 13:36-43
a. The good seed are Christians – the true sons of the kingdom.
b. The tares are those who were not worthy to be in the kingdom (Matthew 8:10-12)
c. Two words (in the KJV) are translated world: kosmos and aion.
i. Kosmos (world - NKJV) is only used in verse 38
ii. Aion (age - NKJV) is used in verses 39 and 40 (See Matthew 24:3 and 14; I Corinthians 10:11; Hebrews 9:26)
iii. Therefore, this passage isn’t referring to the end of kosmos, but the end of the age Jesus was living in which was the Jewish age (Galatians 4:4).
d. The angels would be sent to gather out of the kingdom all that offend (i.e. the tares – the Jews that rejected Jesus cf. Matthew 8:10-12).
i. This is no different from what Jesus said in Matthew 24:31 (I’ll say why in a moment).
ii. They would be gathering those who practice “lawlessness” – NKJV.
1. II Thessalonians 2:1-12 (verse 7, 8, and 9 esp.)
2. They wouldn’t be granted a place in the kingdom with the ones gone before - as seen in Matthew 8:10-12 (also Matthew 7:21-23; an entire sermon dedicated to correcting misinterpretations of the law as seen in Matthew 5:17-20 in order to prepare them for the kingdom.)
e. This is all done at the time of the harvest.
i. This is the same harvest talked about by John in Matthew 3:1-12 where he stated that Jesus already had His winnowing fork in His hand and the axe was already laid to the root of the tree,
ii. This seems to be the same harvest in Revelation 14:14-20.
f. Those that would be gathered into the barn (again, refer to Matthew 3) would shine forth as the sun.
IV. Connecting the dots: Jesus’ commentary on Daniel 12. Remember that if Jesus is giving His interpretation of a passage, the time statements that apply to that passage must also apply to the interpretation of it.
a. A brief outline of Daniel 12
i. Concerning the last days of Israel (Daniel 10:14).
ii. Verse 1: Dealing with the tribulation before the fall of Jerusalem (Matthew 24:21).
iii. Verses 2-3: Salvation to the people of God – damnation to those who reject Him (Matthew 13:24-30).
iv. Verse 4: The book would be sealed unto the time of the end – not the end of time (Matthew 13:39-40; 24:14).
v. Verses 5-7: A timeline for the fulfillment of these events. This is the time when Jerusalem would be destroyed as defined later in the chapter and interpreted by Jesus.
vi. Verses 8-9: Again, these things wouldn’t be opened until the time of the end.
vii. Verse 10: Tribulation would exist, but it would produce salvation (Revelation 2:10-11). The wicked wouldn’t understand (Isaiah 6:-11ff; Matthew 13:10-17, etc.)
viii. Verse 11-12: This is the most definite time statement in the chapter because it is interpreted by Jesus in Matthew 24:14-15.
ix. Verse 13: As seen in Matthew 8:10-12, Daniel, Abraham, and all the righteousness would be able to receive the blessings of the kingdom (Ephesians 3:15).
b. Therefore, the parable of the wheat and tares has to do with the destruction of Jerusalem.
V. Conclusion: Again, premillennialism falls and we can enjoy the kingdom today! Why not become a part of it by obeying the gospel and don’t let the things promised to “whosoever will” escape your grasp.
Sources
Jackson, Wayne. "The Menace of Radical Preterism." ChristianCourier.com. Access date: December 28, 2016. https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/91-menace-of-radical-preterism-the
Jackson, Wayne. "Examining Premillennialism." ChristianCourier.com. Access date: December 28, 2016. https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/322-examining-premillennialism
Jackson, Wayne. "Who Was John the Baptist?" ChristianCourier.com. Access date: December 28, 2016. https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/266-who-was-john-the-baptist
Jackson, Wayne. "Jesus Foretells the Coming Kingdom." ChristianCourier.com. Access date: December 28, 2016. https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1392-jesus-foretells-the-coming-kingdom
Rogers, Daniel. “The Nature of the Second Coming.” LaborNotInVain.com. Access date: December 28, 2016. http://www.labornotinvain.com/2016/11/the-nature-of-second-coming.html
Rogers, Daniel. “The Nature of the Second Coming.” LaborNotInVain.com. Access date: December 28, 2016. http://www.labornotinvain.com/2016/03/the-persistent-widow.html
Vincent, M.R. Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament. As found in the e-Sword Bible study software program. *This resource is in the public domain.*
Strong, J. (1890). Strong's exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Abingdon Press.
[1] I realize what the next paragraph says in this article, but the next quoted text has the same ideas contained therein.
[2] Please keep in mind that I view brother Jackson as a good brother in Christ. He has many things right.
[3] These passages are so exciting and it is sad that I do not have the space to go into further detail. If you would like more information on Isaiah 2, please let me know and it may encourage me to write an article on the subject.
[4] “Who do not obey the gospel of God…” Do you see 2 Thessalonians 1 here? Peter’s audience was facing a fiery trial (1 Peter 4:12-16), but the trial that was coming on the ungodly would be far worse.
[5] For more information see “Who Were the Dead Ones?” by Holger Neubauer: http://donkpreston.com/the-resurrection-who-are-the-dead-ones-in-1-corinthians-15-guest-article/