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Eschatology
The study of, or teachings about…
The “end”; “end times”; “last days”; “end of the world”; etc.
And what, if anything, is after/beyond the end?
Types of Eschatology:
Personal: death / afterlife of individuals
National/Ethnic: end of a nation/empire or group of people
Cosmic: ultimate end of the world / universe
Christian Eschatology: variety of biblical teachings:
Second Coming of Jesus, End of the World
Kingdom of God, Messianic Age
Resurrection of the Dead, Final Judgment
Heaven (Eternal Life) vs. Hell (punishment? or void/nothing?)
Apocalypse
Popular Def: Catastrophic Event
Major disaster, atom bomb, plague,…
Note:
Belief in “Rapture” based on literalist reading of 4:17
Later Pauline Eschatology
Paul realizes that he himself
may die before Jesus returns
Philippians, Romans, etc.
2 Thessalonians 3
Corrects misinterpretations of 1 Thess 4
Don’t be alarmed by those who say,
“The End is here!”
The “lawless one” will come first,
trying to deceive many
Don’t quit your jobs; continue to work!
Whoever is unwilling to work, should not eat!
Mark 13: Eschatological Discourse
Apocalyptic Discourse / Little Apocalypse
Matthew 24-25 and Luke 21 expand on Mark 13
Content: Jesus’ teachings on…
The Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple
The Great Tribulation
The Coming of the Son of Man
WHEN?
"But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the
angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the
time will come.” (Mark 13:32-33)
The Last
Judgment
The Book of Revelation
a.k.a. The Apocalypse
The Revelation to John
Entire book is apocalyptic genre
[Other Christian “apocalypses” not in NT]
Purpose:
Encourage Christians to preserve in
faith in time of crisis (13:10; 14:12)
Content:
Initial vision – The Son of Man
Letters to 7 Churches of Asia
Main visions – Many Tribulations
Final visions – The End
Destruction of Satan, Evil, Death
New Heavens, New Earth, New Jerusalem, Reign of God
John’s Visions
Revelation 17-22
John’s Visions of the End
17-18: Fall of Babylon (Rome)
19: Coming of the King of kings, Word of God (Jesus)
Final Battle (Armageddon = Valley of Megiddo; 16:16)
20: Satan is tied up for 1000 years (Millennium);
1000-year reign of God;
Satan freed & destroyed;
Resurrection of the Dead;
Final Judgment
21-22:
New Heaven
New Earth
New Jerusalem
Wide Variety of Interpretations
Highly Symbolic Language
Symbols open to vastly different understandings
Presuppositions about Biblical Eschatology:
Literal: Predicts the future, the coming End of the World
Historical: Reflects persecutions faced by Early Christians
Theological: Describes timeless conflict: Good vs. Evil