Eschatological Timetables Revisited : Matthew 24 ?

[headheart]

I spy with my little eye, something beginning with "t", in England that could mean one of two things, either Tea Time, or if you are on TWC, it stands for TECHNOMAGE!

+)Eschatological Timetables Revisted - Matthew 24(+

Why did I bring this to Apologetic 301?

As I was scouring through the deep, dark and demonic archives of TWC, I came upon this gem: 'Question for DeeDee (and othe Preterists) -- no visible return?' by 'technomage'

The opening post read:

(Note to Mods: this may be more appropriate in Apologetics--if necessary, please move it there.)

Now I ain't afraid of no ghost, and I ain't no Moderator, but when I was still an unbeliever, I used to chat to Christians, much like you do. ( my unbelieving t-webbers ) I did so, in order to find out about the Eschatological Timetable ( End Times ) So by the time I was sixteen, I could recite the whole story, from beginning to end. I used it block their efforts, so that they could not press that final question, "So Eric, are you ready?" It was always so awkward to smile and say, "I am not ready yet" Truth was, I never really believed any of the stories. That would come later, and is not the subject of this thread. (we are not talking about Soteriology, hey! Wake up!) < done to make sure you have not yet fallen into a Pooh bear lapse, or a state of amnesia.

So 'technomage's opening post' continues...

Originally posted by Darth Xena
Nowhere does the passage require visibly seeing Christ.

technomage:

Matt 24:30-31 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."

Dee Dee, it seems to me that if one accepts that the events in Matt 24 are related to 70 CE, then a visible return is indeed required. Furthermore, it also seems that there would be no Church--if Jesus gathered His elect, there would be no Christians left on earth.

It is a really short discussion (30 comments), but twice David A. Reed, presents a set of questions (1) Post 12 and then finally the last (((unanswered))) post of the thread, (2) Post 31: ( So give it read, and see if you can answer his questions ? )

Originally posted by Darth Xena
That expression is not the only near time indicator. Further, Jesus did not separate out or except the coming language prior to verse 34. He said "all these things."

Jesus set forth a time parameter and did not separate them out. He went out of His way to include the coming lanuage prior to the time indicator. Further, the disciples didn't even know Jesus was to "leave" - nevermind have any concept whatsoever at that point of a return. The text does not bear you out.

David A. Reed's questions:

Would you say that all of what Jesus said after the disciples' question applied, then, at the time of the desolation of Jerusalem? Since the division between ch. 24 and ch. 25 was added later, did the parable of the ten virgins find fulfillment then? The parable of the talents? The separation of the sheep and goats? Or do some of these apply to what you would call the Return as opposed to the Coming?

Also, how would you respond to Martin Luther's observation that Matthew mixed different things Jesus said, whereas Luke followed the order Jesus used more closely and addressed Jerusalem's desolation in his ch. 21 and the Return of Christ in his ch. 19?

Attachment 81304

Sincerely,
Eric J. Sawyer
'Ghostbusker'

[headheart]

Narp?