What is the Orthodox Preterist position on the Parousia?

[KingsGambit]

Hi Robby and welcome to TheologyWeb. I am a moderator in this section and this section is reserved for the discussion of orthodox Christian doctrines only, and thus full preterism/hyperpreterism falls outside those boundaries. They can be discussed in the Unorthodox Theology section. (Please see the guidelines for this section here: http://www.theologyweb.com/campus/announcement.php?f=48 ) Let me or any other staff member know if you have any more questions. Thanks!

[Robby]

Hi Robby and welcome to TheologyWeb. I am a moderator in this section and this section is reserved for the discussion of orthodox Christian doctrines only, and thus full preterism/hyperpreterism falls outside those boundaries. They can be discussed in the Unorthodox Theology section. (Please see the guidelines for this section here: http://www.theologyweb.com/campus/announcement.php?f=48 ) Let me or any other staff member know if you have any more questions. Thanks!

Ok, thanks. I'll delete the post.

[tharkun]

Back to the OP.....

I'm not sure what the orthodox preterist view of 'parousia' is, but I know that most futurists don't understand the difference between 'parousia' and 'erchomai'. Pre-tribs especially abuse the meaning in order to justify their belief. Both words are translated as 'coming' and that causes a lot of the confusion in English since we don't see a difference. But 'erchomai' is a verb and refers to physical movement from point A to point B. 'Parousia', on the other hand, is a noun and refers to an event; it includes the idea of a physical movement, but extends that through an indefinite time that also means continued presence.

That being said, you can have many 'erchomai' comings within a single 'parousia' coming. That is what we see in the NT from a futurist perspective. The Second Coming is NOT just a single event at one moment in time (i.e. the Battle of Armageddon), rather it is an extended event over many years that includes many separate happenings. 'Erchomai' passages can potentially conflict if they are forced to happen at the same moment. 'Parousia' passages with contradicting details do not necessitate different 'parousias' however, because all of the events can happen under the over-arching banner of the Second Parousia.

Christ's First Coming was not a single event at one moment in time; so why would any futurist expect His Second Coming to be so?


tharkun

[LittleLambofJesus]

Christ came in judgment in AD 70. 1 Thes. 4 is a future coming. Does that help?

Partial Preterist and Amills believe that most of the Olivet Discourse was fulfilled in AD 70 and that 1st century Jerusalem is shown in Revelation 17, 18, and 19. Amills believe the 1000yr period is symbolic and their view is that we are in that period now.

Revelation 18:7who is judging he
Parsing: Genitive Feminine Singular

Matthew 24:3;
Philippians 1:26;
2 Thessalonians 2:1,8;
James 5:7
2 Peter 3:4
=============


Parsing: Nominative Feminine Singular

Matthew 24:27, 37, 39;
2 Corinthians 10:10
2 Thessalonians 2:9
James 5:8
===============


Parsing: Dative Feminine Singular

1 Corinthians 15:23
1 Corinthians 16:17
2 Corinthians 7:6, 7
Philippians 2:12
1 Thessalonians 2:19
1 Thessalonians 3:13
1 Thessalonians 5:23
1 John 2:28
======


Parsing: Accusative Feminine Singular

1 Thessalonians 4:15
2 Peter 1:16
2 Peter 3:12
=========================
I highly recommend this site on the Preterist view of the Parousia:

http://www.preteristarchive.com/Part...ism/index.html

70ad:
A coming (parousia) of Christ
A day of the Lord
A judgment
The end of the Jewish Age
(Source: R.C. Sproul, Last Days)

Still future:
The Coming (parousia) of Christ
The Day of the Lord
The Resurrection of the dead
The Rapture of the living
The (final) Judgment
The end of history

[LittleLambofJesus]

I think as long as they acknowledge a future bodily resurrection, it is considered orthodox. However, some of them have what I consider fairly stupid beliefs, such as a first-century rapture. Most preterists just distinguish the 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15 passages from Matthew 24, and there are disagreements on most of the other passages.

Erm? Are there preterists out there that believe in a rapture at all?

I've seen preterists actually argue that God snatched away all the Christians in the first century, leaving the church to start over. To me, that concept runs counter to pretty much the entire concept of even having a church. It contradicts the mustard seed parable, for example. Also, it contradicts the fairly obvious implication from John 21:23 that John eventually died.

Hello.
A lot of Preterists and Amills view 1st century Jerusalem as that great City in Revelation. [would make for a good thread].

Revelation 18:
18 And they cried, observing the smoke of Her burning, saying, "What is like to the great City?"
19 and they cast dust upon their heads, and cried, lamenting, weeping and mourning, saying,
"Woe! woe! the great City! in which are rich all those having ships in the sea, out of Her preciousness,
for to one hour was She was desolated.

https://www.preteristarchive.com/chr...study-archive/
Interpretation of, in the Early Church

Luke 21:20-22 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city departRevelation 18:4 And I hear another Voice out of the heaven saying "come forth out of Her! My peoplehttps://www.preteristarchive.com/Jew..._military.html

CHRONOLOGY IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDING THE WAR

Stage 1: Murder of James the Just, "Opposition High Priest" ; Irrevocable Split: 62
Stage 2: General Revolt in Jerusalem ; Zealot Occupation of Masada: August-September 66
Stage 3: The Campaign of Cestius Gallus and the Defeat of the Twelfth Legion: October-November 66
Stage 4: End of Collaborative Government, Priesthood ; General Flight: November 66 - March 67
Part 6: Vespasian Subdues Northern and Western Palestine: December 66 - December 68
Part 7: Three-way Power Struggle within Jerusalem After Roman Retreat: January 68 - May 70
Part 8: Romans Breach City Walls and Leave Jerusalem Desolate: May 10 - September 10, 70

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y741QbT1YEo

[One Bad Pig]

Partial Preterist and Amills believe that most of the Olivet Discourse was fulfilled in AD 70 and that 1st century Jerusalem is shown in Revelation 17, 18, and 19. Amills believe the 1000yr period is symbolic and their view is that we are in that period now.

<snip>

More or less. I'm not sure why you chose my post to launch a mini-lecture on it, since it's pretty much my position.

I highly recommend this site on the Preterist view of the Parousia:

http://www.preteristarchive.com/Part...ism/index.html

Eh, PreteristArchive is a hyperpreterist site. I'd be cautious in enthusiastically recommending them.