So, What if the Full Preterists Are Right?

[MineralMan]

What if the Second Coming already happened and the predictions in the New Testament have already been realized?

I mean, just as a thought experiment. What if all of modern Christianity is all wrong, and it's already all over with?

There's a fun thing for the apologists to ponder over. It's supported in Scripture, of course:

“When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” Matthew 10:23, NRSV

“But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:27, NRSV

“ for these are days of vengeance, as a fulfillment of all that is written.” Luke 21:22, NRSV

“Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” Matthew 16:28, NRSV (quoted mostly by full preterists)

“Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.” Matthew 24:34, NRSV


So what if everybody's waiting for something that happened two millennia ago?

Want more?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preterism and the links that follow that article.

[safeinOhio]

1. He had to have came back to speak to Paul.

Or you’d have those out all of his writings.

[comradebillyboy]

2. If one takes the Bible to be literally true and inerrant

then on has to believe the second coming happened in the first century AD as Jesus said it would. The end times were the decline of the Roman Empire and the coming of Attila and subsequent waves of Germanic migrants out of the east.

The decline in the west occurred as Christianity was becoming accepted and thus reflected in the Christian biblical canons of both the Old and New Testament which were generally established by the 5th century. So the New Testament may well have been influenced by the barbarian migrations and chaos in the west.

Note that I am not suggesting the rise of Christianity was a factor in the fall of the Empire.

[Voltaire2]

3. Atilla was the 5th century.

Rome was still expanding in the 1st Century. So you have like a 3-400 year gap there.

[comradebillyboy]

4. Yes, I'm about a century off in connecting the Biblical canon to the

chaos of the late empire. Attila came about a century after Christianity became the established religion of the Roman state. He was known as the scourge of God and many thought he would bring the end of the world. So he fulfills the prophecy of Revelation as the anti-Christ. Of course Europeans thought the Black Death was the end of the world as well.

Yes Voltaire2 my historical argument about the canon is flawed. I should have limited my post to the interpretation of that particular gospel. My historical argument rested on the idea that the Christian Canon wasn't settled until the early 5th century but that's still before the Huns arrive.

[uriel1972]

6. Just a sec

The Roman empire ended in the 15th century with the fall of Constantinople. The Roman Empire barely noticed the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

[comradebillyboy]

7. Western Europe certainly noticed.

But the Eastern Empire did carry on for a thousand more years.

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

5. TRIBULATION would be something to consider in this day & time! n/t

[Major Nikon]

8. Jesus as the messiah or Jesus as god?

The idea that he could be both certainly runs afoul of Judaism. Jews do not worship King David and do not consider him a god. Jesus claimed to be the messiah(as did many other religious hucksters), but pretty much all the requirements for that were never met, including prophecies which weren’t fulfilled. Early Christians realized these problems which is why they deified Christ.

[Bretton Garcia]

9. Here's a cross-reference: "The Second Coming ... Delayed"

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1218315697

[MineralMan]

10. Thanks. I read that thread.