Textual eschatology "Matthew 24" Part III

 

As we begin a look at the Gospels to further our understanding of the end times, I want to start with Matthew Chapter 24 because it is considered probably the most comprehensive discourse given by Christ concerning the end times. However, because of the various views and interpretations that have been placed upon it, we must be very careful. For this reason, we will spend a considerable amount of time and space looking through the Chapter. We will move very slowly, a small block of scripture at a time as we examine it, trying our best not to go beyond what the text itself is actually saying. That being said, let us begin.

Matthew 24:1-2 ESV

(1)  Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple.

(2)  But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

As Jesus and his disciples were leaving the temple on this day, it appears the disciples for some reason had become awe-struck by the magnificence of the Temple grounds. Mark and Luke's accounts convey the same thoughts. The great accomplishments of men and what they have erected do indeed strike a sense of awe in us sometimes, and this was one of those days. Jesus in his reply reminds them how quickly these great works of men can be brought to nothing. This brings curiosity into the minds of the disciples as to when these things will be. To more fully understand their question, let's look at all three Gospels.

Matthew 24:3 ESV

(3)  As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Mark 13:3-4 ESV

(3)  And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,

(4)  “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?”

Luke 21:7

(7)  And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?”

Here we need to remind ourselves our purpose is to look only at what is in the text and how they might have understood it, and not to place our own understanding from our current day perspective upon the text. Looking only at Matthew, we are tempted in our minds to go to the end of the world and the second coming. But that is not what the disciples asked, they would have had no concept of that reality as we have today. Looking at Mark and Luke we can better understand the question, when will the temple be destroyed, what will be the sign of its destruction, the end of the current age, and the beginning of the Messiah's earthly rule? There is simply nothing more to be seen in the text other than their question. Jesus answers their curiosity in great detail, yet not as they seem to expect, for he cautions them about such curiosity and being led away by false teachers taking advantage of those overly occupied in such things.

Matthew 24:4-5 ESV

(4)  And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.

(5)  For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.

In verse 5 we have the first sign Christ points his disciples to that will be indicative of the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Many will come claiming to be the Messiah which was commonly expected and much talked about during this time period in their history. They were looking for one that should arise and deliver them from the Roman yoke. And indeed, the disciples did see such claiming to be the Messiah before the destruction they were inquiring about. 

One was Theudas, which was in the time of Claudius Caesar when Cuspius Fadus was governor of Judea. He persuaded a great number to follow him to the river Jordan, which he promised to divide, by a word of command, and give them a passage over; and thereby, as the historian observes, "he deceived many"; which is the very thing that is here predicted. But he and his company were routed by Fadus, and his head was cut off.

Another called the Egyptian, mentioned in Act 21:38 made an uproar, and led four thousand cut-throats into the wilderness; one historian states this same man persuaded thirty thousand men to follow him to Mount Olivet, promising a free passage into the city; but he being vanquished by Felix, then governor of Judea; fled, and many of his followers were killed and taken. One Dositheus the Samaritan, asserted himself to be Christ [Messiah]; and also one called Menander affirmed, that no man could be saved unless he was baptized in his name; these are instances all before the destruction of Jerusalem. 

 Matthew 24:6-8 ESV

(6)  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.

(7)  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

(8)  All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

Mark and Luke speak the same, this was the second sign Jesus gave to his disciples concerning the coming destruction. The disciples would witness various commotions, insurrections, and seditions, against the Romans, and their governors; and the intestine slaughters committed among them before the siege of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple. Under Cureanus the Roman governor, sedition was raised on the day of the Passover, in which twenty thousand perished; after that, in another tumult, ten thousand were destroyed by cut-throats: in Ascalon two thousand more, in Ptolemais two thousand, at Alexandria fifty thousand, at Damascus ten thousand, and elsewhere in great numbers. 

Various famines were witnessed by the disciples before Jerusalem's destruction, one of these famines was in Claudius Caesar's time, was foretold by Agabus, and is mentioned in Act 11:28 and most dreadful ones there were, while Jerusalem was besieged, and before its utter ruin, related by Josephus.

Earthquakes were experienced at Crete, in cities in Asia, and in the times of Nero; particularly the three cities of Phrygia, Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Colosse; which were near to each other, and are all said to perish this way, in his reign; and Rome itself felt a tremor, in the reign of Galba.

Matthew 24:8-9 ESV

(8)  All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

(9)  “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake.

The disciples did indeed experience these things before the destruction.

 Matthew 24:10-14 ESV

(10)  And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.

(11)  And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.

(12)  And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

(13)  But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

(14)  And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

From our perspective, our minds are tempted to go to the end of the world, but that is not what the disciples heard or what Jesus said to them. The Gospel was indeed preached to the whole known world before the destruction of the Jewish Temple. 

Colossians 1:5-6 ESV

(5)  because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel,

(6)  which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,

The end of the Jewish state, the end of the city and temple was to follow this universal preaching of the Gospel all over the world, it was the last criterion and sign, of the destruction of Jerusalem. I have presented these fulfillments to help us refrain from taking our minds away from what the disciples heard and understood that day, and our temptation to place other interpretations upon it. That is not to say, that in God's Sovereign Providence, all these events do not mirror Christ's second coming and the end of the world, they most certainly do. And they very well agree with world conditions and events presented by our earlier study in the epistles. However, we must not push them further than the text allows them to go. Jesus now moves on to the actual destruction of the city and Temple itself and the cause.

Matthew 24:15 ESV (15) 

 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

This abomination of desolation has taken on various interpretations, so for our focus here, Luke's account is helpful. 

Luke 21:20 ESV

(20)  But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.

We have here a connection made by Jesus to Daniel, the most likely reading being referenced is Daniel 9:27. We will look at it in the ISV version, the ESV uses wings (כָּנָף) and the KJV uses overspreading (כָּנָף) as the cause, and the ISV seems to be more clear and in agreement with Luke when it renders the abomination of desolation as a destructive people. (כָּנָף)

Daniel 9:27 ISV

(27)  He will make a binding covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he will pause both the sacrifice and grain offerings. Destructive people will cause desolation on the pinnacle until it is complete and what has been decreed is poured out on the desolator.'"

The Roman armies were desolating ones to the Jews, and to whom they were an abomination; not only because they consisted of Heathen men and uncircumcised persons, but chiefly because of the images of their gods, which were upon their ensign the eagle. This seems to be most likely the pondering that would have been set upon disciple's minds as they heard about armies surrounding Jerusalem.  

 Matthew 24:16-20 ESV

(16)  then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

(17)  Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house,

(18)  and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak.

(19)  And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days!

(20)  Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.

The instructions here given by Christ were indeed followed by the disciples, Josephus in his writings takes notice with surprise, that Cestius Gallus having advanced with his army to Jerusalem, and besieged it, suddenly, without any cause, raised the siege, and withdrew his army when the city might have been easily taken. By which means a signal was made and an opportunity given to the Christians, to make their escape: which they accordingly did, and went over Jordan, as Eusebius says, to a place called Pella; so that when Titus came a few months after, there was not a Christian in the city, but they had fled as they are here told. The term used concerning housetops and turning back to take his clothes all reference Jewish customs of the times. The statements concerning the women who were pregnant were a direction for prayer, concerning the timing of these events as all providences are in God's rule and command.

Matthew 24:21-28 ESV

(21)  For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.

(22)  And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

(23)  Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.

(24)  For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

(25)  See, I have told you beforehand.

(26)  So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.

(27)  For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

(28)  Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

Mark's account is very similar, however, Luke's is phrased slightly differently.

Luke 21:23-24 ESV

(23)  For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people.

(24)  They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Jesus is here describing the terrible conditions experienced in the fall of Jerusalem and its destruction. The historian Josephus's account will fully convince of this who was an eyewitness of it, when he says, "Never did any city suffer such things, nor was there ever any generation that more abounded in malice or wickedness.'' 

In verse 27 Jesus emphasizes how quickly its destruction would come, supporting his warnings in verses 16-20 to flee quickly. Verse 28 sounds a little strange to us, it has been interpreted several ways. Mark and Luke do not use the phrase, the KJV uses Eagles to translate (ἀετός) whereas the ESV chooses Vultures (ἀετός). It is interesting to note the ensign of the Roman Empire was an Eagle, this may have been upon the minds of the disciples as Jesus spoke. 

Matthew 24:29-31 ESV

(29)  “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

(30)  Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

(31)  And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Here we feel the greatest temptation yet in our minds to go to the second coming and the end of the world. But be patient with me here and remember our purpose, only what is in the text. It very well may be that Jesus jumps into a dialogue with his disciples speaking about his second coming.. If you want to read it that way, I see no problem presented. Just be aware, nothing in the text indicates that any transaction has occurred. Jesus does not tell his disciples when he transitions into speaking of things far in the future, nor does any Apostolic writer point to any of these verses as meaning such. In context, Jesus is still speaking in response to their question concerning the destruction of the Temple. The symbolism Jesus used in these verses of the Sun, the Moon, and the stares were not completely foreign to the disciples. We read in Genesis 37 concerning Joseph's dream:

Genesis 37:9 ESV

(9)  Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

The church began with the children of Israel, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars. His reference to the tribes of the earth seeing his coming on the clouds of heaven could be symbolic of his coming as the Jewish Messiah. This or any other conclusion is a human assumption and interpretation, all of which are fallible. Such human interpretation has given rise to much controversy. When the scriptures themselves do not clearly define our interpretation, a door of opportunity is opened for opposing views concerning the text. That is not to say we should not make those interpretations, we should just remain aware that is what they are, human conjectures. So for our purpose, we will remain in the context of Jesus still speaking about the destruction of the Temple and the disciples understanding his explanations. Matthew 24 is all in agreement with what has been described concerning the end-time events we have discovered so far in the epistles. That is true if you hold to a 70 AD fulfillment or allow for Jesus to give prophetic instruction far into the future in the end time.

Conclusion: 

However you chose to read the Matthew 24 text, we still have the end-time event that will catch the world unprepared, they will be scoffing at the event itself and continue their everyday lives as usual. This coming will come upon them suddenly, and they will face judgment as the old world burns and melts away. Many will be caught up in a false system of worship, however, the true believers will not be caught unprepared, they will be looking for Christ's coming, at which those who have passed on are reunited with their bodies, and those who are still alive are changed in a moment, a twinkling of an eye. This change ushers them and the resurrected dead into a new creation where they will forever be with the Lord with the wicked being cast into everlasting destruction. Less we become confused as to when this day occurs, we are assured it will not come until we see the powers of the world turn against the Gospel seemly led by a man of lawlessness. This man will be a religious man with a charismatic personality promoting himself as the answer to the world's problems. He will take his seat so to speak in what Paul calls or appears to be a "temple of God" and assumes all authority as though he were God himself. Then the day we are longing for will appear and this man along with his rule and authority and those who look to him will be destroyed and Christ will be glorified in his Church, the true "temple" and we shall be with him forevermore in a new heaven and new earth. Therefore we should comfort our hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

I do not present this very brief view of the end times as a replacement for the extensive schemes that have been offered which include all the symbolism in the Old Testament Prophecies and Revelations. However, I would caution against holding any of those views which would fundamentally alter the concise view that is presented in the Gospels and general epistles. I simply present this concise New Testament view for those like myself who want to have a sufficient understanding of the end times, yet without being compelled to spend the rest of our lives trying to understand the shadows of symbolism. I do not exaggerate that statement, men in the past have devoted their entire lives to that study only to pass and have their interpretation surpassed by another. The schemes of theology surrounding the end times are vast and complicated with divisions even among their own groups. The great mysteries of God revealed in the scriptures are beyond the capacity of men, even those with great minds. Only that which is revealed through Apostolic authority or Apostolic interpretation can we receive as infallible. The work of the men who have developed those large works of theology on the end time events is greatly appreciated, but they are received for what they are, the work of men.

This simple presentation of the end-time events is not intended to hinder your study of Old Testament Prophecy or perusing the book of Revelation. All of scripture is given to us to search out the mysteries of God. However, it is presented in the hope that you will be relieved from the weight of believing you must search out the mysteries of times and events as they are shadowed beneath symbolism and dark prophetic utterances to have a sufficient and adequate understanding of those events. Many great minds have attempted to plum the depths and reveal its secrets, but none have succeeded. Many interesting things have been presented, much to contemplate and busy the mind. But no fuller understanding has been brought forth which has not been challenged by another interpretation. However, the simple view God has given us in the New Testament epistles through Apostolic authority remains without challenge and sufficient for his people.     

This simple view concerning Christ's second coming has been believed and confessed by the Saints throughout Church history. I suggest it is still sufficient for our understanding today.  Here are the views presented by the church throughout history.

Apostles Creed: (4th Century) "Christ . . . sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and dead."

Nicene Creed: (381 AD) "And Christ shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; whose Kingdom shall have no end.

Athanasian Creed: (6th Century) "He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty; at whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give account for their works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire."

Augsburg Confession (1530 AD) " . . . at the Consummation of the World Christ will appear for judgment, and will raise up all the dead; He will give to the godly and elect eternal life and everlasting joys, but ungodly men and the devils He will condemn to be tormented without end."

Belgic Confession (1561 AD) "Finally, we believe, according to God's Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world in fire and flame in order to cleanse it. 

Then all human creatures will appear in person before the great Judge, men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet. 

For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others, but will be changed in the twinkling of an eye from corruptible to incorruptible.

Then the books (that is, the consciences) will be opened, and the dead will be judged according to the things they did in the world, whether good or evil. Indeed, all people will give an account of all the idle words they have spoken, which the world regards as only playing games. And then the secrets and hypocrisies of men will be publicly uncovered in the sight of all.

Therefore, with good reason, the thought of this judgment is horrible and dreadful to wicked and evil people. But it is very pleasant and a great comfort to the righteous and elect, since their total redemption will then be accomplished. They will then receive the fruits of their labor and of the trouble they have suffered; their innocence will be openly recognized by all; and they will see the terrible vengeance that God will bring on the evil ones who tyrannized, oppressed, and tormented them in this world.

The evil ones will be convicted by the witness of their own conscience and shall be made immortal, but only to be tormented in the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

In contrast, the faithful and elect will be crowned with glory and honor. The Son of God will confess their names before God his Father and the holy and elect angels; all tears will be wiped from their eyes; and their cause, at present condemned as heretical and evil by many judges and civil officers, will be acknowledged as the cause of the Son of God. 

And as a gracious reward, the Lord will make them possess a glory such as the heart of man could never imagine. So we look forward to that great day with longing in order to enjoy fully the promises of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord."

Westminister Confession of Faith (1647)

London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689)  "God has appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness, by Jesus Christ; to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father; in which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged, but likewise all persons that have lived upon the earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds, and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil. 

The end of God's appointing this day, is for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy, in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of his justice, in the eternal damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient; for then shall the righteous go into everlasting life, and receive that fulness of joy and glory with everlasting rewards, in the presence of the Lord; but the wicked, who do not know God, and do not obey the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast aside into everlasting torments, and punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.

 As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin, and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity, so will he have the day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come, and may ever be prepared to say, Come Lord Jesus; come quickly. Amen."

Methodist Articles of Religion (1784) "Article 3: Of the Resurrection of Crist" Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and took again his body, with all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth until he returns to judge all men at the Last Day."

New Hampshire Baptist Confession (1833) "We believe that the end of the World is approaching; that at the Last Day Christ will descend from heaven and raise the dead from the grave to final (reward and) retribution; that a solemn separation will then take place; that the wicked will be adjudged to endless punishment, and the righteous to endless joy; and that this judgment will fix forever the final state of men in heaven or hell, on principles of righteousness."

Baptist Faith and Message (1963) "God, in His own time and his own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised, and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in heaven with the Lord."   

David

 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 ESV

(1)  Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,

(2)  and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

(3)  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

(4)  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

(5)  and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

(6)  Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

(7)  Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

(8)  Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

Textual Eschatology "Peter, James, & John" Part II

Previously, we looked at Paul's instruction to the Thessalonians concerning the end times. In this address, we want to look at another block of Scriptures written by the Apostles Peter, James, and John, and a section of Hebrews along with a few others. Our examination will primarily be to determine if Peter and the others are speaking of the same event and if so are they in agreement with Paul. Our text will be as follows: 

2 Peter 3:1-13 ESV

(1)  This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,

(2)  that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,

(3)  knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.

(4)  They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”

(5)  For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God,

(6)  and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished.

(7)  But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

(8)  But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

(9)  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

(10)  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

(11)  Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,

(12)  waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!

(13)  But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 

Very quickly by verse 2, Peter brings to their remembrance the words of the prophets and those of the Lord as delivered through the apostles, placing them all on equal authority. He then moves into a description of society in general as the world approaches the last day. In verse 4 we find our answer, our discourse is concerned with events sounding the "coming" (παρουσία) of the Lord. This is the same word Paul used speaking of the same event.

 1 Thessalonians 4:15 ESV

(15)  For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming (παρουσία) of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

In verses 5 and 6, Peter makes reference to the flood and God's judgment upon the world as a comparison for the coming event he is fixing to describe. In verse 10 Peter begins to move into his description of that day. He says that day will come as a "thief" (κλέπτης). This is in agreement with Paul in his instruction to the Thessalonians.

 1 Thessalonians 5:2 ESV

(2)  For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief (κλέπτης) in the night.

Verse 10 goes on the explain this event will be accompanied by a great noise, which is also consistent with Paul's instructions.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 ESV

(16)  For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

Peter then describes the heavens and earth being dissolved and their works exposed. This is also in agreement with Paul's instruction concerning sudden destruction and works being judged. 

 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 ESV

(5)  This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—

(6)  since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you,

(7)  and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels

(8)  in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

(9)  They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

(10)  when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

In verses 11,12, and 13 Peter describes the state of God's people during this time and how that impact should be reflected in our lives. He speaks of how we should be looking forward to that day, as it will usher in a time of new creation and righteousness. This is also conducive to Paul and his instruction to let these things be a constant encouragement among us, for we will be with the Lord forevermore. 

 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 ESV

(16)  For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

(17)  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

(18)  Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Peter makes allusions to the coming of Christ in his 1st letter, let's see how those comments fit into our discourse.

1 Peter 1:6-7 ESV

(6)  In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,

(7)  so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation (ἀποκάλυψις) of Jesus Christ.

Here, Peter is addressing the fact the believers are in various trials of their faith, even severe persecution, but that they can use that occasion to rejoice, much like Paul's previous statement of encouraging themselves with those words. He points out that these tests and trials they are facing will bring praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. The King James translators chose the word "appearing" instead of revelation. Both convey the meaning, but the King James rendering probably brings out the most clarity. It is the same word Paul uses in his letter to the Thessalonians. (ἀποκάλυψις)

2 Thessalonians 1:7 ESV

(7)  and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed (ἀποκάλυψις) from heaven with his mighty angels

Peter seems to be saying the same thing as Paul, the troubles and trials we face in this life will be relieved and rewarded when Christ comes with his mighty angels to judge the world. They both seem to be pointing to one grand climatic event consummating in Christ's return.  As Peter continues his discourse in his first letter, he broadens this idea in more detail.

1 Peter 4:7-19 ESV

(7)  The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.

(8)  Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

(9)  Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

(10)  As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:

(11)  whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

(12)  Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

(13)  But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. (ἀποκάλυψις)

(14)  If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

(15)  But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.

(16)  Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

(17)  For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

(18)  And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

(19)  Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

Peter's discourse supports Paul's assessment of the nature of the body of Christ as we are nearing that day in Thessalonians and the nature of the world and the judgment it will bring in Romans 2.

Romans 2:5-11 ESV

(5)  But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

(6)  He will render to each one according to his works:

(7)  to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;

(8)  but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

(9)  There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek,

(10)  but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.

(11)  For God shows no partiality.

In Romans, Paul is again speaking of that day, in which he reveals God's judgment upon all who have stored up wrath with their impenitent hearts and mentions those who through patience in well doing will be rewarded on that day with eternal life. Paul speaking to the Corinthians concerning the resurrection supports Peter's assessment of the end times. Speaking of Christ coming (παρουσία) we see those in Christ receiving their glorified state and then comes the end of the age with God destroying every rule and authority with a new kingdom being delivered up to God.  

1 Corinthians 15:22-24 ESV

(22)  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

(23)  But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming (παρουσία) those who belong to Christ.

(24)  Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.

Paul would continue in the Corinthian discourse and speak again concerning believers who were still alive on that day. 

1 Corinthians 15:50-54 ESV

(50)  I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

(51)  Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

(52)  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

(53)  For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

(54)  When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

It is clear that Paul and Peter agree and support each other in their view of the end-time events, but what about the other writers of the New Testament? We find the writer of Hebrews in chapter 12 makes reference to events coming at the end of the age. He speaks of a day when one kingdom will be removed and another kingdom will remain. 

Hebrews 12:26-29 ESV

(26)  At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”

(27)  This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.

(28)  Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,

(29)  for our God is a consuming fire.

The phrase, "Yet once more" implies only one more event to come. This seems to support the writers beginning discourse where he states:

Hebrews 1:1-2 ESV

(1)  Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,

(2)  but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

Here the writer seems to solidify the idea that these are the "last days," and this is the last age before the consummation.

James in his address in chapter 5 makes a reference to the coming of Christ. His statements affirm Peter and Paul's assessment of approaching judgment for some and the reward of mercy upon those who through patience remained steadfast on that day. 

James 5:7-12 ESV

(7)  Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming (παρουσία) of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.

(8)  You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming (παρουσία) of the Lord is at hand.

(9)  Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

(10)  As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

(11)  Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

(12)  But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

The apostle John makes a couple of references in 1st John that will also lend support to Paul, Peter, and James. In chapter 2 verse 28, John uses the word "appears" (φανερόω) in connection with his coming (παρουσία). This identifies that when he again uses the term appear later in the letter he is still talking about the day of his coming. Both statements suggest at Christ's coming on that day both shame and confidence will be exhibited by two groups of people. He also suggests a change in the believers which will occur on that day. 

1 John 2:28 ESV

(28)  And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears (φανερόω) we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.

1 John 3:2 ESV

(2)  Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears (φανερόω) we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

Last, we can observe a few things Jude says about that day in his letter warning about false teachers. In verse 17 he reminds them to remember things the apostles had said, so we will do exactly that as we consider these verses. In verse 18 he supports Peter concerning scoffers, so we can understand they are speaking of the same people and the condition of society approaching the last day. Then in verses 24 and 25, we see a people that are kept and presented blameless before the presence of his glory, which would be conducive to his coming and his people experiencing great joy. All of this supports the idea of a people looking to and hasting the coming of the Lord, a people that is not caught unprepared and unaware.

Jude 1:1-25 ESV

(1)  Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:

(2)  May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

(3)  Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

(4)  For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

(5)  Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.

(6)  And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day

(7)  just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

(8)  Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.

(9)  But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”

(10)  But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.

(11)  Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion.

(12)  These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;

(13)  wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

(14)  It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones,

(15)  to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

(16)  These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

(17)  But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(18)  They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”

(19)  It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

(20)  But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,

(21)  keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

(22)  And have mercy on those who doubt;

(23)  save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

(24)  Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,

(25)  to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

This whole discourse of Jude reminds me of the condition of society Paul refers to which issues in the man of sin. It is just conjectured on my part here, but the Church falling away and a false system of worship arising are easily conceived being a reality in these verses. As the false teachers gather themselves a large following, one would expect someone from among them to arise and take a seat of authority. That seat of authority could be what Paul is talking about when he says the man of sin will sit in the temple of God (the false system of worship) and proclaim himself to be God. 

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 ESV

(3)  Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

(4)  who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

The New Testament text has shown us that this event will catch many unprepared, they will be scoffing the event itself and continue their everyday lives as usual. This coming will come upon them suddenly, and they will face judgment as the old world burns and melts away. Many will be caught up in a false system of worship, however, the true believers who have passed on are reunited with their bodies, and those who are still alive are changed. This change ushers them all into a new creation where they will forever be with the Lord. Less we become confused as to when this day occurs, we are assured it will not come until we see the powers of the world turn against the Gospel seemly led by a man of lawlessness. This man will be a religious man with a charismatic personality promoting himself as the answer to the world's problems. He will take his seat so to speak in what Paul calls a "temple of God" and assumes all authority as though he were God himself. Then the day we are longing for will appear and this man along with his rule and authority and those who look to him will be destroyed and Christ will be glorified in his Church and we shall be with him forevermore in a new heaven and new earth. Therefore we should comfort our hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

Next week we will examine the Matthew 24 account concerning the end times using the same textual eschatological approach with the intent to see if they are consistent with what we have discovered in the epistles.

David

 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 ESV

(1)  Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,

(2)  and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

(3)  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

(4)  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

(5)  and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

(6)  Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

(7)  Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

(8)  Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

Textual Eschatology "Making it simple"

In this post, I want to suggest to you there is a simple way to understand and talk about the end time that is both accurate and Biblical. It's not something you can impress your friends with, but it will give you a working understanding as well as a means to be able to convey that understanding to others. 

There are four main theological views concerning the end times with each system of thought having varying schemes of interpretation within itself. 

They are:

 (1) Amillennialism

(2) Postmillennialism

(3) Historic premillennialism

(4) Dispensationalism

If you want to identify with one of those groups of interpretation I will leave you with the task of studying each scheme and determining for yourself which you think to be the most plausible. Our study here will take a different path, for the lack of a better terminology but to be able to make a distinction from the main views let's call our system Textual Eschatology. I am no scholar, nor do I have the ability to read and understand the original languages. I have no seminary education, online or otherwise. All I have going for me is a Bible and some good study tools to help me along. I suspect many of you may be the same. 

When studying the various end-time views mentioned above with all their variations, I would become lost in the depth of the theological rhetoric being presented. I'm not attempting to say that deep theological thought is a bad thing, it's just the sheer volume contained in all the various end-time views combined was difficult if not impossible for me to wrap my mind around. It is obvious the scriptures indicate we should have an understanding of these things, but I was left not only inadequate in my own comprehension but also unable to speak of these things in an adequate and confident manner. As a result, I found myself avoiding the subject altogether and that was not a satisfying state of mind. Thus the purpose of this post and the term, "Textual Eschatology." I realized the letters to the early church were written in large part to the non-Jewish community. Also, John's book of Revelation had not been written yet, therefore, the knowledge of all the Old Testament Prophecies along with Revelation which is necessary to build the large comprehensive views we now have would not have been on the minds of the people being taught. I wondered if perhaps I was approaching the subject in the wrong direction. Instead of starting with the main theological views and trying to comprehend them and all their differences, what if I started with the New Testament understanding and then looked at the more comprehensive views that might seem to agree? So I decided to try and look at the end-time events as they were spoken of relying only upon the information given in the Apostolic writings and the Gospels while for the moment excluding the Old Testament Prophecies and Revelation except where the New Testament specifically indicated and explained. It seemed to me by doing so, I should be able to obtain a concise yet Biblical and accurate understanding of the coming events as they were understood by the church under New Testament instruction and Apostolic authority. 

So let us begin and see what we can learn, 

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ESV

(13)  But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

(14)  For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

(15)  For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

(16)  For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

(17)  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

(18)  Therefore encourage one another with these words.

I am already astounded as to what I now know about the end time and the coming of the Lord! Not only can I understand it, but I can defend my position from the standpoint of scripture. In verse 13 Paul tells us he doesn't want us to be uninformed or not to know these things. From his instruction, we can learn that in the end, at the Lord's coming, those that are asleep will come with him. Don't let the term asleep (Greek κοιμάω) present any problem, it could just as easily be translated as dead, like in 1 Cor. 7:39 "The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, (Greek κοιμάω) she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord"

On that day, the Lord will come, an angel will announce it, those who have died in the Lord will come with him and be raised in their new bodies, then we that are still alive will be changed and caught up with them in the air. From that point we will forever be with the Lord, this is to be our encouragement during that time and now. 

It is here some would like to talk about a rapture, 7 years of tribulations, the marriage supper of the lamb followed by a thousand-year Millennial reign of Christ along with a host of other things. However, you will notice none of that is in the text, and with Textual Eschatology all we want is what is in the New Testament text. It seems the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul determined this simple understanding sufficient for an accurate comprehension of the coming events.  

Paul continues:

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 ESV

(1)  Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.

(2)  For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

(3)  While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

(4)  But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.

(5)  For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.

(6)  So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.

(7)  For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.

(8)  But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

(9)  For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

(10)  who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.

(11)  Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

 

He reminds them here how this day will affect those who do not believe, they will be caught unaware, and sudden destruction will come upon them. However, he tells the believers that day will not surprise them as they continue to be encouraged. They understand that he is coming, he is bringing the dead with him for resurrection, and if we have remained till that time, we will be changed and caught up with them. He tells us this catching away and gathering with Christ is because God has not destined us for wrath. The wrath is for those who are caught up in the things of the world and remain on the earth and will immediately meet with destruction. 

Paul for some reason finds it necessary to write to them again concerning this subject of this last day. He finds his previous instructions either misunderstood, which seems unlikely having been done with such clarity and straightforwardness, or misguided. It seems more likely they had been influenced by an opposing view or some rhetoric that changed and confused his previous instructions. For whatever reason, it became necessary for him to write a second time. 

2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 ESV

(5)  This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—

(6)  since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you,

(7)  and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels

(8)  in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

(9)  They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

(10)  when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

In verses 5 through 7, it seems he is again distinguishing between his people and the judgment. He assures them that retribution will be due to those that were afflicting them. He tells them that even though they may not be seeing it now when he comes with his mighty angels, this retribution will take place. In verses 8 through 10 he describes this Judgment upon the non-believers. This is conducive to his previous statements describing the catching away and gathering of his people, separating them from the others.   

2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 ESV

(1)  Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,

(2)  not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

(3)  Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

(4)  who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

(5)  Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?

(6)  And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time.

(7)  For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.

(8)  And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

(9)  The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,

(10)  and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

(11)  Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,

(12)  in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

(13)  But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

(14)  To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(15)  So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.

(16)  Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,

(17)  comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

In verse 1 Paul sets the scene, it is Christ coming and our gathering unto him, an event which he has already clearly defined. In verses 2 and 3 he cautions them about being troubled in mind by whatever new teaching had corrupted their understanding. He informs them that all the things he had previously told them concerning the coming of the Lord were contingent upon certain other events. Assures them that day will not come until those events have arisen on the scene.

We find it a little difficult here in verse 4 to discern how the hearers would have understood the term "temple" (Greek ναός). The difficulty comes from the fact that most all scholars date the letters to have been written before 70 AD and the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem still standing. One is tempted in their minds and understanding to go to that Temple as the one being referenced.

We cannot go there in our minds, because there has not been a Jewish temple after 70 AD. It seems we are tempted to take our minds and understanding to the future building of a new temple in Jerusalem as to what is referenced here. If Paul was not speaking of the then-present temple, it seems unlikely he was speaking of a future temple to be built, for that would have required an explanation that is not present in the text. It is also difficult to see Paul's mind going to the then-present temple, for that would leave him confused in his own understanding as that temple no longer exists. It is plausible to speculate the minds and understanding of the Thessalonians went to the body of Christ. Paul is known to refer to the body as a "temple"  1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV(16)  Do you not know that you are God's temple (Greek ναός) and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 

Paul continues to build upon this idea in Ephesians 2:19-22 ESV

(19)  So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

(20)  built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

(21)  in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple (Greek ναός) in the Lord.

(22)  In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

This seems to be a common understanding in the Church as Peter also uses the same language. The phrase translated "spiritual house" In 1 Peter 2:5 is the same word Paul uses that is translated as "temple". 

1 Peter 2:5 ESV

(5)  you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house(Greek ναός), to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

I may suppose this understanding was prevalent in the church and their minds simply went to that understanding as ours should. If so we can understand that God was in the temple of old and was worshipped there and is in and with his church now, so the man of lawlessness here mentioned is some usurper of God's authority in some perceived religious system, who claims divine honors to himself. However, the word Paul uses could apply to all 3 options. Hence, the difficulty remains in determining just exactly how that phrase affected the hearers when they received and read the letter. However, it seems the understanding of a spiritual temple falls into place in the text more easily than the others. 

In our next post, we will continue our textual eschatology by examining other New Testament texts on the subject of the end time and see if they agree with and enhance what Paul has laid out here for the Thessalonians.

David

1 Corinthians 15:1-8 ESV

(1)  Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,

(2)  and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

(3)  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

(4)  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

(5)  and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

(6)  Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

(7)  Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

(8)  Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.