Academic literature on the topic 'Eschatology – Biblical teaching'

The richness of St. John Paul II’s social teachings is so great that some compare it to the achievements of Leo XIII. His specific approach to social issues and to everyday human life should be called ‘social personalism”. His social teaching is extensive, and abundant in theories, tackling the most current and difficult problems of the modern times, focusing primarily on defending of human beings from the external threats of totalitarianisms and dictatorships, as well as from the internal pressure of erroneous ideologies. However a lot has been changed since the John Paul II’s era, the imperative in his teaching to establish and proclaim the full truth about the man, his personal dignity, his conscience, as well as his temporal and eschatological vocation still remains relevant, posing a challenge to the successive generations. He built his social teaching with a strong dependence on the Biblical contents and the Magisterium of the Church. He wanted it to serve not just as a theoretical approach of the Magisterium to the everyday social issues, but to sound as the Gospel in the ears of the modern man. He put together social philosophy with theology of worldly matters, economics with eschatology, ethics with kerygma. Thanks to John Paul II, the Church's social teaching has taken on the sound of a prophetic vision that restores to people the joy of life and the hope of regaining of the meaning in building the world together and increasing the value of the quality of human relationships in it. Without the prospect of the eternal life and the Redemption, social issues would have become just an ideology seasoned with the Catholicism. Thanks to the Polish Pope, they began to sound like a social Gospel.

The richness of St. John Paul II’s social teachings is so great that some compare it to the achievements of Leo XIII. His specific approach to social issues and to everyday human life should be called ‘social personalism”. His social teaching is extensive, and abundant in theories, tackling the most current and difficult problems of the modern times, focusing primarily on defending of human beings from the external threats of totalitarianisms and dictatorships, as well as from the internal pressure of erroneous ideologies. However a lot has been changed since the John Paul II’s era, the imperative in his teaching to establish and proclaim the full truth about the man, his personal dignity, his conscience, as well as his temporal and eschatological vocation still remains relevant, posing a challenge to the successive generations. He built his social teaching with a strong dependence on the Biblical contents and the Magisterium of the Church. He wanted it to serve not just as a theoretical approach of the Magisterium to the everyday social issues, but to sound as the Gospel in the ears of the modern man. He put together social philosophy with theology of worldly matters, economics with eschatology, ethics with kerygma. Thanks to John Paul II, the Church's social teaching has taken on the sound of a prophetic vision that restores to people the joy of life and the hope of regaining of the meaning in building the world together and increasing the value of the quality of human relationships in it. Without the prospect of the eternal life and the Redemption, social issues would have become just an ideology seasoned with the Catholicism. Thanks to the Polish Pope, they began to sound like a social Gospel.

A phenomenon that still often occurs among Christians is the existence of debates when discussing the millennial kingdom, which often ends in disputes and even sharp and deep divisions between fellow Christians and the church and even the synod. The aim of this research is to provide Christians with a balanced perspective in looking at the various views that exist regarding the millennial kingdom. The research method used is literature research, where the researcher collects various textbooks and analyzes various views related to the millennial kingdom and examines the relationship and compatibility with the writing theme so that the results of the study of Eschatological views on Amillianism, Postmillianism, and Premillianism are compiled into conceptual views. Eschatology. The result of this research is that every view of the millennial kingdom must be tested by referring back to the full biblical data, where Bible verses are reinterpreted by the Bible as a whole. It can be concluded that teaching regarding Amillianism, Postmillianism, and Premillianism is adapted to the context of church denominational doctrine.

Одной из центральных тем эсхатологии св. ап. Павла является учение о «теле душевном» и «теле духовном», изучению которого посвящены труды многих русских библеистов. Обновление и преображение человеческого духа по образу Христа неизбежно изменяет и тело человеческое, которое по воскресении становится нетленным, духовным, подобным Телу Христа при Его преображении. Истина воскресения Христова безусловно непреложна и обязательна для всего обновлённого человечества, и потому вполне правомерен вопрос о модификации посмертного состояния человека. Богословие ап. Павла даёт возможность предположить, что душа человека, оставляя земное тело, уносит с собой орган, который образовала себе в течение земной жизни. Именно поэтому становится возможным индивидуальное существование умерших, через их физическое преображение и восстание человеческой природы. Материальное воскресение человека гарантирует связь его настоящего бытия с будущим по всем свойствам и становится возможным только благодаря вторичному творческому акту божественного вмешательства извне. One of the central issues of St. Paul's eschatology is the teaching about «natural body» and «spiritual body» which many Russian biblical scholars' writings are devoted to. Renewal and transfiguration of human spirit in the image of Christ inevitably changes human body that after the Resurrection becomes imperishable, spiritual, similar to Christ's body in his transfiguration. The truth of Christ's Resurrection is absolutely immutable and mandatory to the whole renewed humanity and therefore the question of the modification of postmortem human's state is quite fair. The St Paul's theology lets us suppose that human's soul leaving the terrestrial body carries with it an organ that it has formed during the earthly life. That's exactly why the individual existence of the dead becomes possible through their corporal transfiguration and uprising of the human nature. The material human's Resurrection guarantees the connection between their present and future being with all the characteristics and becomes possible only thanks to the secondary creative act of divine intervention from the outside.

Abstraks. The second coming of Christ is an event inalienable to mankind. In addition to declaring punishment for unbelievers, His second coming also fulfils the presence of a new heaven and earth in which the righteous will reign with Christ forever. Of this, the Bible records that "the heavens shall vanish with a great rumbling, and the elements of the world shall burn in the flames, and the earth and all that is therein shall pass away." But on the other hand, the view of restoration clearly teaches that the old heavens and the earth will not be totally destroyed, but renewed. Thus the problem arises: how could both of these things - the biblical concept of the new earth and the doctrine of restoration - be a harmonious truth? This paper seeks to explain and discuss the problematic teaching of the restoration in relation to the concept of the new earth. Through this paper the author hopes to elaborate the problematic of this topic clearly, especially regarding the alleged contradictions that exist. In addition, critical analysis is conducted to produce responsible solutions that contribute significantly to the study of eschatology, in which the authors believe that the teaching of restoration and the concept of the new earth is a harmonious and biblical truth.Abstrak. Kedatangan Kristus kedua kali merupakan peristiwa yang tidak dapat dielakkan oleh umat manusia. Selain untuk menyatakan penghukuman bagi orang yang tidak percaya, kedatangan-Nya yang kedua juga menggenapi hadirnya langit dan bumi yang baru di mana orang benar akan memerintah bersama dengan Kristus selama-lamanya. Mengenai hal ini, Alkitab mencatat bahwa “langit akan lenyap dengan gemuruh yang dahsyat dan unsur-unsur dunia akan hangus dalam nyala api, dan bumi dan segala yang ada di atasnya akan hilang lenyap.” Namun di sisi yang lain, pandangan restorasi dengan jelas mengajarkan bahwa langit dan bumi yang lama tidak akan dihancurkan secara total, melainkan diperbaharui. Dengan demikian timbul masalah: bagaimana mungkin kedua hal ini – konsep Alkitab tentang bumi yang baru dan ajaran restorasi – merupakan kebenaran yang harmonis? Tulisan ini berusaha memaparkan dan mendiskusikan problematika ajaran restorasi berkaitan dengan konsep bumi yang baru. Melalui tulisan ini penulis berharap dapat menguraikan problematika topik ini dengan jelas, khususnya mengenai dugaan kontradiksi yang ada. Selain itu, analisis kritis yang dilakukan diharapkan menghasilkan solusi yang bertanggungjawab sehingga memberikan kontribusi yang signifikan bagi studi eskatologi, dimana penulis meyakini bahwa ajaran restorasi dan konsep bumi baru merupakan kebenaran yang harmonis dan alkitabiah.

This study aims to determine the views of officials at the Indonesian Bethel Church (GBI) on Covid-19 in the perspective of the end of time. One of the important teaching points in Pentecostal theology is eschatology, which is characterized by wars between nations, natural disasters, famine, economic hardship, cruel leaders, disease, and false prophets, until the second coming of Christ. The phenomenon of the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic is a global epidemic that has infected millions of people in more than two hundred countries, and claimed many lives regardless of race, social status, age, education, nation, and other backgrounds. During the pandemic, economic difficulties are experienced globally, restrictions on social interaction, and changes in human life and cultural patterns. Another fact is that there are various views on the vaccination effort, some accept it and some reject it. The community of citizens who refuse vaccinations because of the fear that vaccines are a sign of the anti-Christ as in the book of Revelation. Starting from this background, a descriptive-analytical method will be used to obtain the results. In addition to conducting a biblical study, information was also obtained from 527 respondents who were GBI officials. The results are mixed, there are GBI officials who believe that Covid-19 is a sign of the end times, do not believe that Covid-19 is God's punishment for mankind, do not believe that it is the fulfillment of Revelation 9:7, believe that Covid-19 is a means of purification for mankind. God's church believes that vaccines are the way out to overcome Covid-19. AbstrakKajian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pandangan pejabat di Gereja Bethel Indonesia (GBI) terhadap Covid-19 dalam perspektif akhir zaman. Salah satu pokok ajaran penting dalam teologi Pentakostal adalah eskatologi, yang dikarakterisasi dengan adanya peperangan antar-bangsa, bencana alam, kelaparan, kesulitan ekonomi, pemimpin yang kejam, penyakit, nabi-nabi palsu, hingga kedatangan Kristus yang kedua. Fenomena merebaknya pandemi Covid-19 merupakan wabah global yang telah menginfeksi jutaan manusia di lebih dari dua ratus negara, merenggut banyak nyawa tanpa memandang ras, status sosial, usia, pendidikan, bangsa dan latar belakang lainnya. Selama pandemi kesulitan ekonomi dialami secara global, pembatasan interaksi sosial, dan perubahan pola kehidupan dan budaya manusia. Kenyataan lain ditemui pandangan yang beragam terhadap upaya vaksinasi, ada yang menerima dan ada juga yang menolak. Komunitas warga yang menolak vaksinasi karena adanya ketakutan bahwa vaksin merupakan tanda anti-Kristus seperti dalam kitab Wahyu. Bertitik tolak dari latar belakang itu maka untuk memperoleh hasil akan digunakan metode deskritif analitis. Selain mengadakan kajian biblis juga diperoleh informasi dari 527 orang responden yang merupakan Pejabat GBI. Hasilnya beragam, ada pejabat GBI yang yakin bahwa Covid-19 merupakan tanda akhir zaman, tidak yakin bahwa Covid-19 adalah hukuman Allah bagi umat manusia, tidak yakin bahwa itu merupakan penggenapan dari Wahyu 9:7, meyakini Covid-19 sebagai sarana pemurnian bagi gereja Tuhan, dan menyakini vaksin adalah jalan keluar untuk mengatasi Covid-19.

The paper examines the conceptualization of salvation and eternal life within the Raëlian movement. After a brief overview of this alternative religious movement, we will give an analysis of certain aspects of the movement’s religious teachings relevant for our paper. Based on a specific biblical exegesis and latter developments of the basic teachings, the founder of the movement and his disciples bring a wholly new interpretation of these, perhaps most important religious themes. By positioning intelligence and science into the focus of their eschatology, Raelians introduce the idea of cloning as a path to eternal life. However, even with the attempts made by the founder to represent the Raelian belief system as a total break from the “primitive” understanding and practices of religion, the holy texts of this movement do contain old religious ideas as well as other familiar mechanisms of engaging the religious commitment of its members.

The four cardinal (so-called Platonic) virtues are mentioned twice in the Old Testament according to the Septuagint version – in the Book of Wisdom of Solomon and in the Fourth Book of the Maccabees, of which the latter was rarely included in the biblical canon. We will focus on the Book of Wisdom as a work that presents a generalized biblical view of the universe and the historical, as well as eschatological fate of the Jewish people. There is still a strong opinion in the scientific literature that the philosophical intuitions of this book, although subordinated to the logic of the Jews’ being chosen by God, are themselves entirely borrowed from ancient thought, and therefore serve either as a rhetorical refinement or a metaphysical improvement (and, accordingly, transformation) of ideas drawn from the Old Testament tradition. This should, of course, especially be suitable for the cardinal virtues, which are torn out of their philosophical (platonic or stoic, but most likely just eclectic) context and transferred to Jewish soil, as it seems at first glance, without special work on their reinterpretation. With this presumption about the nature of the book as a whole, scientists find in it teachings about metempsychosis and individual spiritualistic immortality. At the same time, not enough attention is paid, in our opinion, to the “general” (as opposed to the “private”) eschatology of Wisdom, which requires not only the usually undertaken structural and compositional, but cross-cutting thematical analysis. The eschatology of the book is built around the image of the righteous, destined to reign over the world and judge it. Immortality is justified by the author in such a way that its form turns out to be resurrection. Cardinal virtues, borrowed originally from political ethics, make it possible to build a mediation between the moral appearance of the righteous and his royal dignity.

REACHING FOR IMMORTALITY: Can Science Cheat Death? A Christian Response to Transhumanism by Sandra J. Godde. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2022. 98 pages. Paperback; $18.00. ISBN: 9781666736748. *This short book considers what it means to live in a world in which transhumanism has taken root. Written from a Christian perspective primarily for a general Christian audience, it is nonetheless also for others who, the author hopes, will be "inspired by the invitation of Christ to find true and everlasting life in him" (p. xiv). *Exploring the importance of embodiment (especially from a biblical perspective), the nature of personhood in the technological future, as well as the convergences and divergences between transhumanist and Christian visions, Sandra J. Godde--an artist and lecturer in Christian Studies at Christian Heritage College in Brisbane--takes up the following guiding questions: "Will cybernetic immortality ever trump the Christian hope of resurrection from the dead and the life of the world to come?," and "Is [transhumanism] desirable for human flourishing, or consistent with faith in biblical redemption?" The overall objective, here, is "to resource Christians to think deeply and respond to the transhumanist agenda regarding death and immortality" (p. 6) as advances in technology continue to form us as human beings (pp. 18-19). *The author begins with a quick and very general overview of transhumanism, summarized as "man improving himself by merging with technology" (p. 2). Godde pays particular attention to technological immortality and to the larger question of what, exactly, we ultimately desire for ourselves as individual human beings and, collectively, as a species. *In the first chapter, Godde speaks to how transhumanist ideas have infiltrated popular culture, "endowing technology with a religious-like significance bordering on worship" (p. 8). As cases in point, the author goes on to highlight a number of movies and literary pieces, hardly any of which are favorable depictions of technological use by human beings. In the chapters that follow, she goes on to compare and contrast Christian and transhumanist worldviews, looking primarily at the nature of humanhood and creatureliness, the value (or not) of being limited, eschatology, deification, the concept of the imago Dei, and the necessity (or disposability) of the body. *This last point frames much of the discussion. The Christian tradition's affirmation that "we are our bodies" (with emphasis here on the centrality of the body in Christian teaching on the Incarnation and the Resurrection) is completely at odds with the transhumanist quest to technologically transform the biological body (or, very simply, to do away with it altogether). Working toward a more perfect, as it were, expression of the imago Dei is quite different, the author notes, from striving to become Homo cyberneticus (p. 19). *Although the penultimate chapter ("Towards a Christian Ethical Framework") does not really take up the constructive, balanced, or critical ethics discussion that I was hoping for (the title itself suggests that the chapter was meant to be preliminary), it offers a helpful list of those aspects of human nature that we ought to preserve and defend. This is great fodder for Christian readers, who will want to continue mulling over the question of what is valuable and indispensable about being human. *The overall brevity of the book (there are only about 73 pages of text), which is punctuated by some degree of repetition, means that the author does not dive into a rigorous analysis of the pressing and important questions that she asks throughout. For example, I would have liked to read a more nuanced representation of the diversity that exists in transhumanist thought regarding a number of issues raised here; I would have liked a deeper engagement with how transhumanists handle the concept of the "transcendent and intangible soul," especially if it is, as the author says, "the essence of who we are" (p. 10); and I would have liked to learn more about Godde's understanding of how, in the Incarnation, Christ validates "the good design" of the unenhanced human body (p. 26). *The author's aim, here, is to introduce Christian readers to the conversation, which she does in an insightful and accessible way. In the end, she wants to help equip the Christian reader to think about the big, existential questions that are brought to the fore in the pursuit for immortality that is shared by Christians and transhumanists alike. Although Godde is unreservedly critical of transhumanism, I very much appreciated her perception of transhumanists as a "new breed of fellow travellers who also see a promised land" (p. 2). *Reviewed by Cory Andrew Labrecque, PhD, Associate Professor of Theological Ethics and Bioethics, Vice-Dean, Faculté de théologie et de sciences religieuses, Université Laval, QC.

Giorgio Agamben's work at the intersection of political theology, biblical exegesis, and culture criticism is taken up appreciatively. In an argument framed by Paul's Damascus Road experience, key texts such as 1 Corinthians 7 and Romans 9–11 are explored with Agamben, new proposals being made, to set the stage for a discussion of 2 Thessalonians 2. Successful treatment of this last text, and of the dialectic of law and lawlessness as it appears there, requires more attention to context than Agamben affords. That includes the Thessalonian correspondence as a whole, the teaching of Jesus, and the book of Daniel that underlies both. It also includes an appreciation of the narrative and liturgical framing of Pauline eschatology. While Agamben is questioned on this score, and his reading of 2 Thessalonians 2 challenged, common cause is made in critique of church/state alliances around pandemic policy, alliances based on a lawless use of law.

This thesis will examine closely two aspects of Pauline theology, namely, the timing of the resurrection and the state of the believer who dies before the parousia. Through exegesis of 2 Cor 5:1-10, the basic consistency in Paul's thinking and the arguments for and against the intermediate state will be examined. Chapter 1 analyzes what 1 Thess. 4, 1 Cor. 15, and 2 Cor. 5 have to say on the issue, comparing the passages as to content and compatibility. Chapters 2 and 3 pursue more fully questions related to the issue of postmortem existence. Chapter Two deals with Paul's use of verb $ underline{ eta o iota mu alpha sigma beta alpha iota}$ as a metaphor for death and the idea of the intermediate state as soul-sleep (psychopannychism). Chapter 3 explores the matter of Paul's concept of the "I" or "self" (or "naked" self), raised by Paul in 2 Cor. 5:3. The Pauline anthropology is compared with Hellenistic anthropological dualism in order to show the similarities and differences.

The subject of this thesis is the relationship between eschatology and history in the Christian community for which Luke-Acts was written. Chapter 1 formulates the problem in terms of Luke's eschatology. It argues that Luke and his community thought of the End as 'near' and that Luke's historical perspective affected his eschatology. Luke-Acts represents a community that held a relevant eschatological hope and was aware of continuing history. This is the interpretive problem this thesis seeks to enlighten. The perspective to be used in approaching this problem is that of sociological analysis. Chapter 2 explores the use of sociological perspectives in New Testament study and the benefits to be achieved by the use of the sociology of knowledge. Chapter 3 is a sociological analysis of the community in terms of date, location, stratification, racial composition, boundaries, social institutions, and charismatic roles and functions. This material suggests that mission was an important community task. Chapter 4 establishes a sociology of mission for the community, investigating commitment as the mechanism that motivated community members to pursue mission, the importance of mission to the community, the motivation of converts, and the problems encountered in mission. Chapter 5 investigates the social functions of eschatology in the community and finds that it functioned in legitimating numerous aspects of the community's mission experience. Chapter 6 investigates the social functions of history in the community and finds that it functioned in legitimating various aspects of the community's mission experience. In the conclusion it is shown that history and eschatology were functionally related to one another in legitimating aspects of the community's mission experience. This functionality also provided a meaningful relationship in helping the community to make sense of its world. This further prepares us to try and understand these ideas theologically by placing them in a social context.

This thesis seeks to explore the implications of a parenetic reading of the Book of Revelation as a whole, rather than merely of the seven messages in which this is more commonly regarded as the primary purpose of the text. It examines the validity of this approach in relation to the book�s claims about its purpose in the original communication event of which its text is a witness and its effectiveness in addressing hermeneutical issues in key passages of the book and argues that attention to the function of parenesis facilitates readings of Revelation which connect more directly with the intention of the book free from the need to decipher obscure coded references to past or future history. Drawing from the text of the Apocalypse a twofold hermeneutical strategy is developed and exemplified by application to key passages of the book. The first aspect of this reading strategy is focussed on the proposed parenetic nature of the book. In an examination of Revelation�s introductory and concluding passages it is argued that as a coherent unity they form a frame around the book. This frame serves to establish the perspective from which the whole book may be read. It does so by giving rise to the expectation that the whole book contains parenetic exhortation to faithfulness in light of the imminent parousia. Consequently this thesis proceeds to interpret the Book of Revelation by focussing primarily on how the various images in the book�s body (4:1-22:9) as well as the explicit parenesis in the seven messages serve to communicate this parenetic exhortation to the original addressees. The second aspect of interpretation seeks to facilitate scholarly analysis of the parenesis expected to be contained in Revelation�s body with systematic regard for the individual situation of each of the addressees of the book, as documented in the comparatively accessible seven messages. To this end an intra-textual hermeneutic is employed. It builds on an examination of the links between the various parts of Revelation which is part of the examination of both the book�s frame and the seven messages. This intra-textual reading utilizes the many links between the seven messages and Revelation�s body by allowing them to play a determinative role in the investigation of an image�s parenetic implications. In order to further explore the validity of a parentic reading, the intra-textual principle is applied to two central parts of Revelation�s body, the Babylon vision (Rev 17-19:3) and the seal, trumpet and bowl visions (Rev 6, 8, 9, 11:15-19, 15, 16). In this reading, the Babylon vision is read not as a general critique of the church�s pagan environment but as a divine commentary on the concrete threats and temptations with which the churches of the seven messages were confronted. In God�s judgment of Babylon those who suffer under her violence against Christians are promised vindication and are thus encouraged to maintain their faithful witness as citizens of the New Jerusalem. The citizens of Babylon however are exhorted to repent and leave her behind, becoming citizens of the New Jerusalem and thus escaping Babylon�s demise. The seal, trumpet and bowl visions are interpreted as illustrating the dividing line between what constitutes faithful witness to Christ on the one hand and heed to satanic deception on the other. Faithfulness even to the point of death is expected of the followers of the Lamb; the inhabitants of the earth are exhorted to repent from their affiliation with the beast and give glory to God. Thus such an intra-textual reading of Revelation as parenesis offers a strategy for reading the book in a way that is relevant for the Christian church beyond the limits of end-time phantasms on the one hand and mere historic interest on the other hand and so might facilitate the emergence of the message of the book from the obscurity in which it appears to be hidden to a significant proportion of its contemporary readers.

Please read the abstract (Summary) in the section 00front of this document
Thesis (PhD (Dogmatics and Christian Ethics))--University of Pretoria, 2007.
Dogmatics and Christian Ethics
unrestricted

M.Litt. et Phil.
The role of the Spirit in the Eschatological Ethics of Revelation was a topic that has given me Great Joy to learn in the book of Revelation the role of the Spirit, Eschatology and Ethics. In this book I have discovered the plan of Salvation which was laid before the foundation of the World in a very clear manner. God, The Master of the universe, revealed to John the final story of this world's history, at the Isles of Patmos. The Trinity is well explained and even their duties as the God Head. God The Father, God The Son and God The Holy Ghost of which my dissertation is looking at the office or the role of the Spirit in the Second Coming of Christ. From Genesis to Malachi, it is God the Father who revealed himself to mankind, and from Matthew to Acts 1 : 8., It is God the Son who came in person to reveal God the Father and from Acts 1:9 to Revelation it is God the Holy Spirit who will teach us all that God the son could not finish teaching us. The Script is divided into Five Chapters which are the orientation into the book of Revelation, the theology and the ethics of the book of Revelation, the Eschatological Ethics in Revelation, the Holy Spirit in Revelation and the role of the Spirit and the Eschatological Ethics of Revelation, which is the theme of this script. Then we have the conclusion of the script. There are very few books written on Revelation and let alone on the Spirit but I have tried to outline the role of the spirit in this great book of the Bible and I hope to research further on some issues that are hard in Revelation. It is the book that summarises the history of the World Kingdoms in only 22 Chapters and I have limited mine to only Five Chapters. The Spirit has played the greatest role in Revelation because according to plan it is the time for it to play its role. The last events of this world will be shocking, the devil is angry. In the book of Revelation God calls Himself as the King of kings and Lord of Lords. He is the Almighty God. All creation own their existence to Him. It was one book of the Bible I did not like reading, but the research has helped me to develop some liking for the book. It is the book for our modern generation and unlike the book of Daniel which was to be put away until the end times, this one is to be read and a blessing is pronounce to the one who will read the book. We need to read this book very much and books that are in context should be written about the book. The few books that have been written on Revelation are not all very relevant. They miss the point. Most of them need well researched books to make clear the mysteries that are in Revelation and the Bible explains itself even in other books of the Bible which can also be used to explain the book of Revelation. The book of Daniel even though its in the old Testament, it has a lot in common with the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation opens for the reading of the book of Daniel in the old Testament and for one to understand Revelation well, one needs to read the book of Daniel together with Revelation. The beasts in Daniel are the beasts in Revelation. Even though some people would want to divide the old and the new Testament, they are the same and they interpret each other very well. The new testament has a lot of old testament quotations. I am trying to correct some misinterpretation of some verses found in the Book of Revelation and It will be good for any one who will read this script to read it carefully and critically because in the field of learning we learn by making mistakes and your input will be appreciated. In Revelation the devil is being given the last warning and all those that need life are called to come out of Babylon the Mother of all Harlots because if we do not come out of her and keep the commandments of God, then we will drink of the wrath of God which will be poured without a mixture for all those that worship the beast and its image.

The key to understanding the Apostolic view on the resurrection of the dead held by the Early Church lies in identifying the influences to views expressed in New Testament literature that developed during the intertestamental period. Eschatological expectations that developed during this period were, firstly, those that held, as expressed in Daniel, that the dead spend their time asleep in Sheol awaiting the physical resurrection of their flesh. Examples of this can be found in 1 Enoch (22:1-4,8-14; 93:15-17; 102: 5), The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs (Testament of Judah 25: 1,3-5; Benjamin 10: 6-9) and 2 Baruch (20:23-25; 50: 1-4). This idea was largely adopted by the Pharisees who believed that the souls of the dead sleep in the earth until the last day when the resurrection takes place (Whitkin 1994: The Pharisees). They believed that on being resurrected their souls would reanimate their decomposed bodies which would regain life and rise from the dead (Douglas 1962: 981; Whiston 1960: 376-377, 478 - Josephus Antiq. Book xvii 1:3; Wars. Book ii 8:14). Both the righteous and the wicked are judged. The righteous spend eternal life with God, whereas the souls of the unrighteous suffer eternally. Secondly, there were those that believed in the resurrection or assumption of the soul on death, e.g., 1 Enoch (1:1-9; 98:7-12); The Testament of Moses (10:1-2, 7-10b); Jubilees (23:26-27, 29-31); 4 Maccabees (16:12-13) and the Psalms of Solomon (Ps. 2:30-35). Indications are that they did not believe in the resurrection of the flesh. This view was held by the Essenes who held to a ‘realised eschatology’ whereby they became part of the eternal assembly and experienced fellowship with the heavenlies on initiation into the community (Charlesworth 1994: Vol. 1. p. 3,13 - 1QS. Col. 2. 24-25; Nickelsburg 1972: 148). They looked forward to their transition from the body of flesh, which they saw as a hindrance to experiencing the fullness of their blessed state already entered into (Nickelsburg 1972: 154-155). At the birth of the Christian Church, Jews from different backgrounds and sects would have been birthed into the Church. This is evidenced in the different views on the resurrection of the dead portrayed in the New Testament. Firstly, a view emerges in the early Gospel accounts where Christ is attributed with propagating a view that the dead rise immediately on death to become like the angels and experience fellowship with God (Mt. 22:29-32; Mk. 12: 24-27; Lk. 20:34-38) (Hick 1976: 181-183; Charles 1963: 396- 397). Christ speaks of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as though they were already resurrected (Hick 1976: 181-183). This belief appears to be echoed by the author of Revelation who speaks of the souls of Believers entering directly into heaven upon being martyred (Rev. 6:9-11; 7:9-17) (Caird 1966: 101-102, 254). Saints that are martyred and translated into heaven receive white robes indicating the receipt of glorified bodies (Caird 1966: 101- 102, 254) (Rev. 7:9-17). This view does not see a general resurrection of dead bodies from tombs at the end of the age. There were those who extended this belief to include an idea of a ‘realized eschatology,’ similar to that held by the Essenes (Nickelsberg 1972: 167-169), where Believers, on being initiated into the faith, are immediately transferred into the heavenlies. The introduction of this belief to the Christian Church appears to have developed in the Jerusalem area where they adopted views expressed in the writings of Enoch (1 Enoch) and certain Essenic literature. Peter appears to echo Essenic concepts (Green 1968: 35- 36; Allbright 1957: 2f; Harrison 1964: 81) and speaks of Believers having been transferred out of darkness into marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9-10). Peter’s view on the destruction of heaven and earth by fire (2 Peter 3:10-13), his view on the incarceration of wicked angels (2 Peter 2:4) and the continued punishment of the wicked awaiting judgement (2 Peter 2:9) have Essenic parallels (1 Enoch 1:1-4, 6-7; 93:14-17; 10:11-14; Qumran – Column iv in the Hymns). Paul, after spending time with Peter and Mark (Cullman 1953: 70-152; 1 Clement 5,42,44), appears to have embraced the realised eschatology propagated by Peter. Paul’s realised eschatology (Filson 1964: 336-340) is evidenced in his prison epistles where he speaks of Believers having already been raised up with Christ (Eph. 2:1-6; Col. 3:1) and being citizens of heaven (Eph. 2:19; Phil. 3:20). Indications are that the Believer is already spiritually resurrected in Christ. This state is similar to the state that the Essenes believed they entered into on being initiated into the Community (Bailey 1979: 82-85; Nickelsburg 1972: 148; Charlesworth 1994: Vol. 1. p. 3,13) (1QS. Col. 2. 24-25). Paul looks forward to his body being transformed to a body of glory (Phil. 3:20-21) and speaks of being transferred from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of ‘His beloved Son’ (Col. 1:13). Similarly to 1 Enoch he speaks of the Believers being revealed with Christ when He is revealed in glory (Col. 3:4). Paul also speaks of Christ’s return where the bodies of Believers who are alive on the earth will be transformed into glorious bodies similar to that held by Christ (Phil. 3:20-21). The two views mentioned above do, however, see a resurrection, or relocation of souls at the end of the age. Revelation speaks of the second resurrection (20:11-15), which appears to be a resurrection of the wicked (Massyngberde Ford 1975: 359). It appears that on being judged the souls of the lost are either annihilated in the second death (Caird 1966: 260) or suffer eternally (Craigen 1998: 191-201). Confusion arose during the intertestamental period regarding the severity and the finality of the punishment to be suffered by the wicked. Certain writings during this period allude to the wicked being totally annihilated on being judged (Nickelsburg 1972: 134) (Psalms of Solomon 3: 9-12; 13:11-12;1 Enoch 10:11-14; 53: 1-2; 98: 6-11; 99:11; 108:1-3, 11-15;) whereas other writings allude to the eternal suffering of the wicked (4 Maccabees 13:13-18; 1 Enoch 21:7-10; 103:6-8). As 1 Enoch was compiled over a few centuries, views contained therein are not always constant (Black 1985: 8). Thirdly, there are New Testament authors who held to a Pharisaic view on the resurrection of the dead. They, like the Pharisees, believed that the dead spend their time asleep in Sheol awaiting the resurrection of their fleshly bodies, i.e., the reanimation of their decomposed bodies (Douglas 1962: 981; Whiston 1960: 376-377, 478 - Josephus Antiq. Book xvii 1:3; Wars. Book ii 8:14). This is reflected in the early teachings of Paul (1 Thes. 4:13-18; 2 Thes. 2:1; 1 Cor. 15:1-58) (Charles 1963: 437-454), the Fourth Gospel (Jn. 5:28; 6: 38-40, 44,54) and a view held by the redactor of Matthew (27:51- 53). This view holds that all souls, righteous and wicked, are raised at the end of the age to face judgement (Whiston 1960: 376-377, 478 - Josephus Antiq. Book xvii 1:3; Wars. Book ii 8:14). The Pharisees held that the righteous undergo a resurrection of their decomposed bodies whereas only the souls of the wicked are raised on the last day (Whiston 1960: 478; Josephus Wars. Book ii 8:14). The righteous enter into eternal bliss whereas the wicked are condemned to eternal punishment (Whiston 1960: 478; Josephus Wars. Book ii 8:14). It becomes apparent that the term ‘resurrection,’ the Greek anastasis (Green 1976: 912, 924), meaning, ‘a raising up,’ or ‘rising,’ (Thayer 1962: 41-42) came to signify various elements of what was eventually referred to as the ‘resurrection.’ This term is used by the Synoptic Gospels (Mt. 22:29-32; Mk. 12:24-27; Lk. 20:34-38) to refer to those who enter into eternal life on dying (Hick 1976: 181-183; Charles 1963: 395-400). The author of Revelation uses this term in reference to the resurrection of the souls of the righteous who enter heaven on dying (20:4-6) (Caird 1966: 254). This term is also used by those holding to the Pharisaic view in referring to the raising up of decomposed bodies of the dead at the end of the age (Douglas 1962: 981; Whiston 1960: 376-377, 478 - Josephus Antiq. Book xvii 1:3; Wars. Book ii 8:14) (1 Thes. 4:16). Paul uses this term in correspondence subsequent to his second epistle to the Corinthians, but not in specific relation to the resurrection of the flesh (2 Tim. 2:18; Phil. 3:12) (Charles 1963: 455-463). Paul’s early views on the resurrection were challenged by the Corinthian Believers, who, after being exposed to the teaching of Peter and Apollos (1 Cor. 1:12) (Barrett 1968: 3; Tenney 1961: 294) appeared to have adopted a belief in an immediate assumption on death (Schutz 1969: 439-457), claiming that ‘there is no resurrection of the dead’ (1 Cor. 15:12). On receiving feedback from Titus on the Corinthian’s reception of his epistle to them (2 Cor. 7:6-7,13-16; 10:10), Paul changed his view from spending time ‘asleep’ waiting for the resurrection, to receiving a dwelling made without hands and immediately going into the presence of God (2 Cor. 5:1-8) (Charles 1963: 455-461). In subsequent correspondence Paul never again speaks of the dead spending their time asleep awaiting the resurrection, nor does he specifically mention the resurrection of the flesh, i.e., the reanimation of the decomposed bodies of the saints. The Jerusalem Church and those with close ties to it appear to have held to a belief that on death Believers are immediately resurrection into the presence of God. This appears to have had its roots in preaching attributed to Christ recorded in the earlier Gospels (Mt. 22:29-32; Mk. 12:24-27; Lk. 20:34-38) (Hick 1976: 181-183; Charles 1963: 395-400). Christ taught that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were an example of the resurrected, which neither marry nor are given in marriage, and are as the angels who are in heaven. Indications are that the bodily compositions of the resurrected will be similar to that of the angels in heaven. Peter, who had close ties with the Jerusalem Church (Acts 15:1-12), appears to have held a similar view on the resurrection. He lays emphasis on the salvation of the soul (1 Pet. 1:9). The Early Church at Alexandria (Clement of Alexandria), which was believed to have been originated by Mark (Lafort 1999: The Church of Alexandria), Peter’s disciple (Brown 1996: Introduction to the Gospel of Mark), interpreted the epistles of Peter to speak of the resurrection of the soul (Roberts 1997: Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. 2. From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus). The Epistles of Peter have definite parallels to Essenic literature and the writings of Enoch (1 Enoch) (Green 1968: 35-36; Allbright 1957: 2f.; Harrison 1964: 81), which display belief in a ‘realised eschatology’ and immediate assumption on death (Charlesworth 1994: Vol. 1. p. 3,13 - 1QS. Col. 2. 24-25; Nickelsburg 1972: 148). The Epistle of Jude, which appears to have originated in Palestine (Green 1968: 48), has parallels with the epistles of Peter (Green 1968: 22-23), indicating a common belief system. The Epistle of James, which also originated in Judea (Tasker 1980: 28-30; Acts 15:13-29; 21:18), does not contradict an immediate resurrection on death. The writer of Revelation appears to hold to this view by speaking of the souls being translated into heaven on being martyred (Rev. 6:9-11;7:9- 17) (Caird 1966: 86,254). On being raised into heaven these souls are given white garments (Rev. 6: 11; 7:13), signifying their receipt of glorified bodies (Caird 1966: 86,254). This view on the resurrection of the dead appears to have been the official view held by the Judean Church, the early leaders of the Church.
Prof. J. Du Rand

M.Litt. et Phil.
The focus on this script is based on the comparison between the Johannine and Pauline eschatology. Eschatology is the field of interest of many scholars and theologians. Both the Old and the New Testament, examine eschatology as the hope of the Messiah's coming and the end of the Age. Eschatology is the teaching or doctrine of the last things, the Second coining of Our Lord Jesus Christ. John and Paul use different words, with the same meaning, to describe the Second coming of the Messiah. They approach the subject matter under the following headings: Parousia, resurrection, judgment and eternal life. In order to define John and Paul's meaning of eschatology, the following passages are important: John 5:19-29; I and II Thessalonians and I Corinthians 15. When we read the entire fourth gospel, the strong emphasis is upon the presence of salvation in the believers life. Paul, for instance, speaks of salvation as both a present experience and future hope. This is clearest in Paul's declaration in Romans 8:24 "for in hope we are saved". The central message in both Johannine and Pauline gospels is Jesus Himself is life, He offers life to men in the present. The aim of this script, is to bring this important aspect of the eschatology of John and Paul to the fore. This script also highlights the importance of eschatology as the foundation of the Christian faith (Creed). Jesus Christ will come again to judge the living and the dead. Christians look forward with hope to the resurrection of the dead and the life in the world to come. We shall realise in this script that salvation, eternal life, resurrection and judgment are a realized or present reality. The reason why this study has been undertaken is to look at the presentation of eschatology as present and future, in John and Paul letters.

by Elizabeth Leung.
Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-86).
Abstract also in Chinese.
Acknowledgments --- p.iii
Abbreviations --- p.iv
Abstract --- p.v
Chapter
Chapter I. --- Introduction --- p.1
Chapter A. --- A Brief Survey of Method of Matthean Studies --- p.1
Chapter 1. --- Before the 1980s: Redaction Criticism --- p.1
Chapter 2. --- An Example of Transition --- p.4
Chapter 3. --- Narrative Criticism --- p.5
Chapter B. --- Method of Study --- p.13
Chapter C. --- Thesis --- p.14
Chapter II. --- The Eschatological Theme of Persecution --- p.16
Chapter A. --- Persecutors & Persecution --- p.16
Chapter 1. --- "Identity of Persecutions, Traitors and Haters (24:9-10 cf. 10:17-18, 21-22)" --- p.16
Chapter 2. --- Severity of Persecution (24:9 cf. 5:11) --- p.19
Chapter B. --- Communal Disharmony --- p.22
Chapter 1. --- The Lack of Reconciliation (24:10 cf. 5:21-26) --- p.23
Chapter 2. --- "The Lack of Non-Retaliation (24:10 cf. 5:38-42, 43-48)" --- p.26
Chapter 3. --- "The Lack of Forgiveness and Non-Judgment (24:10 cf. 6:14-15, 7:1-5)" --- p.28
Chapter C. --- False Prophets & Lawlessness --- p.30
Chapter 1. --- "False Prophets (24:11, 24 cf. 7:15-20)" --- p.31
Chapter 2. --- Lawlessness (24:12 cf. 7:21-23) --- p.34
Chapter D. --- Perseverance & Purpose --- p.38
Chapter 1. --- The Way of Persevering (24:13 cf. 7:24-27) --- p.38
Chapter 2. --- The Circumstances of Persevering (24:13 cf. 10:22) --- p.41
Chapter 3. --- The Purpose of Persevering (24:14 cf. 10:5-6) --- p.42
Chapter E. --- Concluding Remarks --- p.46
Chapter III. --- The Eschatological Theme of Separation --- p.48
Chapter A. --- "The Time of Separation (24:3 cf. 13:24-30，36-43, 47-49)" --- p.49
Chapter 1. --- "The Destruction of the Temple and ""These Things""" --- p.50
Chapter 2. --- The Sign of the Parousia and the End of Age --- p.53
Chapter B. --- "The Reason for Separation (24:40-41; 25:1-13,31-46 cf. 13:24-30,36-43,47-49)" --- p.56
Chapter 1. --- The Ones Being Separated in the Parables Speech --- p.56
Chapter 2. --- The Reasons of Separation in the Eschatological Speech --- p.61
Chapter C. --- Separation & the Responsibility of Authority (24:45-51; 25:14-30 cf. 18:1-35) --- p.65
Chapter 1. --- The Leadership Authority to Love --- p.66
Chapter 2. --- The Leadership Authority to Discipline --- p.70
Chapter 3. --- Use and Misuse of Authority --- p.73
Chapter D. --- Concluding Remarks --- p.78
Chapter IV. --- Conclusion --- p.80
Bibliography --- p.84

Abstract George Ladd moved with his family to Pasadena in the summer of 1950 and began his teaching career at Fuller Theological Seminary, a tenure that would last for more than a quarter century. The institution, though barely three years old, boasted a faculty of mostly young evangelical stars, and Ladd was thrilled to be a part of the team. Fuller was still developing its own character in those early years, especially in relation to three key issues facing the evangelical movement at large: the nature of the Bible and the definition and functions of biblical inerrancy, ecumenism and the practice of ecclesiological separatism, and the extent to which dispensationalist eschatology would shape theological discussion and ecclesiology.1 These issues were crucial to the role evangelicalism would play in American culture in the years after World War II, and they provided the talking points-and later the battle lines-in the process of shaping the seminary’s identity.