From: Russ Reeves (russr@pe.net)
Date: Sat Feb 17 1996 - 18:46:13 EST
> At any rate, the position you advocate here was being argued at that time,
> with the additional assertion that ALL the gospel references to an event to
> occur within the lifetime of listeners were referring to events of the year
> 70. The reason why I don't think this is an adequate interpretation of the
> INTENT of the original passage is found at the end of the verse in question
> Mt 24:30 and in the verse that follows it. When the sign appears (beginning
> of vs. 30) ALL THE NATIONS ON EARTH will beat their breasts--and they will
> see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven WITH POWER AND MUCH
> GLORY. Then in vs. 31 there is the gathering of the "elect" from all the
> earth. Surely this sequence has to refer as a whole to the eschatological
> consummation, not merely to what happened in the year 70.
I hate to re-hash what has probably been thoroughly hashed <g>, but
I think the Dictionary of NT Theology (under the first entry for
"earth" - 1:518), addresses this very well. "It is frequently
difficult to decide whether a particular passage is speaking of a
particular county, especially the land of Israel, or of the populated
earth as a whole. With our modern outlook on the world we are
inclined to think globally and universally. However, the NT can use
"the earth" in a very particularistic way, PASAI hAI PHYLAI TES GES
(Matt. 24:30; Rev. 1:7) means in the setting of Zech. 12:10-14 "'all
the tribes of the land.'" Since Matthew 24 is filled with OT
allusions, and considering the similarity of the passages, I think
Matt.24:30 should be interpreted in a manner consistent with Zech.
12:10-14. I wish I had a copy of the Septuagint to check how similar
the two are. Also, Matt. 24:16 is a command to flee the land of
Judea.
I think Revelation 1:7 should be considered a parallel passage
due to the similarity of language, though I have no idea if one
borrowed from the other. But Rev. 1:7 states that "every eye will
see Him, even they who pierced him," indicating that those who did
the piercing will see him, expecting fulfillment in the near future.
Russ Reeves
russr@pe.net
http://www.pe.net/~russr
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