PJ Hanley…Now I realize that many of you will not know what a Preterist or a Pre-Millennialist is. By the way, if you are a pastor or a leader this is nothing to be proud of. In any event, Pre-Millenialists believe that Jesus is coming bodily to Earth before the Millennium begins and that the events outlined in the book of Revelation as well as the Olivet Discourse (MT. 24) are yet future. Partial Preterists on the other hand, believe that all of these events have already been fulfilled in 70 AD or thereabouts, and that since then we have been in “The Kingdom Age” with a small portion at the end of the book of Revelation yet future. The focus then of Preterists has to be “Kingdom Now” since they are going to hand the “Kingdom” over to Jesus, presumably when the work is complete.
Partial Preterism
There are at least two kinds of Preterists, Partial Preterists and Full Preterists. It seems Partial Preterists have modified Preterism slightly, perhaps to be covered by the Nicene Creed. For Preterists, the Olivet Discourse (Mt 24, Luke 21, Mk 13), and most of the book of Revelation (except the last couple of chapters), were all fulfilled in the first couple of centuries. All of the prophecies concerning Israel’s regathering were fulfilled with the return from the first Babylonian exile. So there is now no Day of the Lord Tribulation, no Armageddon, no Antichrist, no Seventieth Week or Last Shemitah Cycle, no Revived Roman Empire, no Last Days, no bodily First Resurrection, and, of course, no State of Israel as a work of God’s regathering. Besides the devil was bound in 70AD and Jesus came in the clouds to pour out vengeance on those “wicked Jews” and destroy the “wicked city” of Jerusalem. Partial Preterists though, say there is still another coming at the end of the Millennium which they claim we are either in or bringing in. In this way they pretend to be like Pre-Millenniumists but their second coming could be a thousand years from now. This appears to be the only difference between Partial and Full Preterism.
According to Preterists, Jesus cannot come until the church has taken over the world and reigned for an undetermined amount of time. Then the “end” will come when He appears and takes the Kingdom, handing it over to the Father. Some of them consider this “end” to be near since Mt 24:14 has almost been fulfilled. But since the end being referred to by Jesus in Mt 24:14 is the Abomination of Desolation in verse 15, and they believe that Mt 24 has already been fulfilled in 70AD, it’s hard to fathom how their minds work. But this is how it is with almost everything that Preterism teaches. I honestly don’t know how anyone could call the last 2000 years the “Reign of Christ.” But this teaching is gaining momentum among us!
This paper is not a full treatment of the doctrine of Preterism (such material has been written), but there are two foundation Pillars of Preterism as I see it, 1) Replacement Theology, and 2) Private or non-literal interpretation of Scripture.
Replacement Theology
There are many references in the writings of the Hebrew prophets regarding the destruction and scattering of Israel and her regathering from the ends of the earth at the end of the age. The Preterists consider these verses to have been fulfilled in the return from Babylon when only a small number of Jews returned. They also consider the Last Days to have ended in 70 AD, which was the period of the destruction of Israel and not a regathering from all the nations. The prophets were very specific when they prophesied the final return, making it clear that Israel would be surrounded by all nations, but this last time God would fight for them and they would be victorious (Mi 4:11-13, Is 41:8-16). But even if we accept the view that this was fulfilled by the return from Babylon as the Preterists say, what are we to do with Zechariah who prophesied after the return from Babylon? He said that all the nations would come against Israel and Jerusalem to destroy it but the Jews would be victorious as God fights for them. When was this prophecy fulfilled? When did all the nations come against Jerusalem and when were they destroyed?
“On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,” declares the LORD. “I will keep a watchful eye over the house of Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations. Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the LORD Almighty is their God.’ On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume right and left all the surrounding peoples, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place. The LORD will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem’s inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah. On that day the LORD will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the Angel of the LORD going before them. On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem. Zech 12:3-9 NIV
This doctrine of Preterism was invented by a Jesuit priest to counter Reformation Eschatology. It relies, of course, on the rejection of Israel (Replacement Theology) which has been the theology of those who persecuted the Jews throughout the centuries. Replacement Theology celebrates all the words of the prophets concerning the literal destruction of Israel and Jerusalem, but robs and steals all of the prophecies of her restoration making them non-literal and applying them only to the church. It is very clear in the New Testament that the first century church did not share this view, and it is equally clear from history that the second century church did not share it either. But the Preterists have a way out of that. It is by seeing the early church as “Primitive” and they being more mature and enlightened.
“But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.” Rom 11:17-18
Private or Non-Literal Interpretation of Scripture
“But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.”2 Peter 1:20-2:1
Now we will examine this scripture from 2 Peter again, this time focusing on the context which is clearly End-Time teaching. The whole book is about false teachers who lack character, who have gone astray from the faith and are saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?” Peter tells us that the parousia (presence, coming) and revealing of Jesus to the world in glory and majesty, which was prophesied by the prophets (1:19), is coming even though some think it is taking too long. He also calls this parousia the Day of the Lord.
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.”2 Peter 3:10
The Day of the Lord judgment which is coming upon the world is a primary theme of the prophets of Israel (Joel 2:31, Is 2, 13:9-13, many more). Incidentally, it is not the time of destruction upon Israel which took place in the first century. It is a time of judgment on the earth when all of the wicked will be destroyed.
“The sun will be dark when it rises and the moon will not shed its light. Thus I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity…” Isa 13:10-11
Peter of course being a good student of the prophets knew this and affirms it in Chapter 2, verse 9. “….then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment…” 2 Peter 2:9
Now regarding the words of the prophets, and all Scripture for that matter, Peter says that it is not a matter of one’s own private interpretation. This means that the words of the prophets have a literal meaning which cannot be taken away or reinterpreted by us. The literal and plain meaning of the authors of the Bible is not to be overwritten by anyone. This was the practice of these false teachers in the first century and it is the practice of many in our day as well. Though it is clear that there is often a prophetic truth to be gleaned from a passage or a moral application to be made, there is never a license or justification to make a change in the plain literal meaning of the author. The only time we can interpret a passage non-literally is when the text makes it clear that it is not to be taken literally. This really is not difficult to understand. Text has to have a literal meaning and the rules of language insist that words have a literal meaning and application. They cannot be altered or translated as something other than what was written and intended by the author. But those who use their own private interpretation can make the Scripture say whatever they want. This was the practice of the Gnostic false teachers in Peter’s day and it is the predominant way in which the Bible is interpreted today. It is also the primary reason we have so much confusion in the church.
Excerpt from “The 7 Lost Keys of End-Time Prophecy: Unlocking the Mysteries and Dispelling the Myths Surrounding the Coming of Christ” by PJ Hanley.
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