Just a few weeks ago, many of us gathered at Raines Road Church of Christ in Memphis, Tennessee for the Memphis Eschatology Conference. Dr. William Bell, of All Things Fulfilled, was the host preacher. As always the fellowship and the lessons were amazing. I took many notes and have compiled them a bit here for your edification and prayerfully encouragement for you to dig into the lessons yourself. Enjoy.
Daniel Rogers – 1 Thessalonians
Mr. Rogers did a great job bringing us into the 1st letter to the Thessalonians which was penned around AD 51 – 52. I am familiar with Daniel’s teachings on the Second Exodus and was therefore thrilled to hear him explain how we should understand that as a framework. He frame the narrative as “out of darkness into light”. You can listen to more from Daniel Roger’s on the Second Exodus at the following link, https://labornotinvain.com/podcastarchives/topics/the-second-exodus/
In his presentation he said, “You could say Exodus is the first book of the Bible, and Genesis is the prologue”. He marked out specific mentions in Isaiah 11:11 and 1 Corinthians 10:6 & 11 of the “second exodus”. I appreciated Mr. Roger’s highlighting details from the Law and the Prophets to better and Biblically inform our understanding of what is being detailed in 1st Thessalonians. He mentioned Exodus 19:5, Zechariah 14, Isaiah 40, and Malachi 3-4. Two other important things I recollect from Daniel’s presentation was his exhorting us to pay attention to the use of “personal pronouns” in the letter and his remarking that “jumping to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 without developing the details of the letter usually highlights an agenda (rather than an honest understanding of the text).
All throughout his presentation, Mr. Rogers highlighted portions of texts from 1st Thessalonians and expounded upon their meaning. Looking at 1 Thessalonians 1:4 and God’s choosing and electing these people to turn from idols to the One True God (1 Thess. 1:9-10), to making note of “time-texts” that should be considered when we understand the fulfillment of these events (cf. 1 Thess. 2:17), the Church (Christ is us) being the “Apostolic hope” (cf. 1 Thess. 2:19-20), and how the “coming of the Lord in 1 Thess. 3:11-13 is the same as mentioned by Jesus Christ and noted in Matthew 16:27-28. Daniel’s mention of Tom Holland’s, Contours of Pauline Theology, is important when seeking to understand the corporate aspect of Pauline theology and eschatology. Lastly, Daniel made great points in noting the salvific, sanctification details noted in 1 Thess. 5:9-10 and how they correlate to baptism into Christ as mentioned in Romans chapter 6.
Listen to Daniel’s Roger’s full presentation at the Memphis Eschatology Conference at the following link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDVGlsY1ZuQ
Robert Buna – 2 Thessalonians
Mr. Robert Buna started out his presentation explaining that this group of Thessalonians receiving this letter around AD 52 were a group dealing with local Jewish persecution because of their conversion to Jesus Christ. This letter is reminding them of the soon coming relief as was promised by “word of the Lord”. Mr. Buna offered an excellent syllogism to make sense of the points he brought out.
The Olivet Discourse (Matthew chapter 24) is events leading to the destruction of the Jerusalem in AD 70.
2nd Thessalonians is an interpretation of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew chapter 24)
Matthew chapter 24 and 2 Thessalonians are both speaking of events leading the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
Basically, the Apostle Paul customizes the Matthew chapter 24 discourse to better suit the current perspective of the Thessalonians. Robert brought out so many great details from 2 Thessalonians that surely makes listening to his presentation of great importance. He detailed the audience of the Jews in Thessalonica as per the context of Scripture, marked out details regarding the “man of sin”, and challenged us to consider simple truths revealed through the context of 2 Thessalonians that prove Covenant Eschatology (ie., Full Preterism) as true.
Consider the following parallels:
Coming of the Lord (Matthew 24:3, 30 cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:1
Gathering of the Elect (Matthew 24:31 cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:1)
Persecution of the Saints (Matthew 24:9 cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5
Presence of Angels (Matthew 24:31 cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:7)
The Dangers: Shaken in Mind (Matthew 24:10 cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:2)
The Dangers: Being Deceived (Matthew 24:4, 24 cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:3)
The Dangers: Iniquity (Matthew 24:12 cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:7)
The Dangers: False Prophets (Matthew 24:11,24 cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:2)
The Dangers: False Signs & Wonders (Matthew 24:24 cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:9)
The Dangers: Apostasia (Matthew 24:12 cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8)
The Brightness (Matthew 24:27 cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8)
Exhortation (Luke 21:36 cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:5, 11)
Coming of the Kingdom (Luke 21:32 cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:5)
The “one” in the Temple (Matthew 24:15 cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:4)
You can listen to Mr. Robert Buna’s full presentation on 2 Thessalonians at the Memphis Eschatology Conference at the following link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qZ1fGzD8iI
Dr. William Bell – Galatians
Dr. Bell gave 2 lectures on Galatians and focused quite a bit on Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead (cf. Galatians 1:1; Acts 13:33; Romans 1:3-4). He detailed that there are two worlds in focus – flesh and Spirit, and the resurrection establishes Christ’s position. Dr. Bell detailed “the dead” being a concept far different than our modern concept (cf. Galatians 2:19; Romans 8:8-9), and ultimately how in ancient cultures, “if they had no children, they were considered dead”. He also detailed in length the concept of a last will and testament, and made note that in the time of the first century it was being revealed that the “OC Jews had an outdated will”.
You can listen to Dr. William Bell’s Lectures on Galatians at the following two links;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0njsLKs88lM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGjluWlLqH0
Holger Neubauer – Ephesians
Holger Neubauer delivered two presentations on Ephesians at the recent conference. In his first presentation he offered up powerful insights on textual criticism regarding the Greek text and the dating of New Testament writings. I have asked him to put together a writing that would further educate us all in those areas. Mr. Neubaur’s contending for the writing of Ephesians during his Casarean “house imprisonment” in AD 57-59 was interesting and runs against the often assumed writing during the Roman imprisonment in AD 60-62. Holger brought out attention to details in Acts chapter 21 and the reasoning for the Apostle Paul’s arrest and how that established historical context.
In his second presentation, Holger detailed the importance of paying attention to the pronouns – “we”, “you, “us”, them” – to the extent it will truly help highlight that the Apostle’s preached a law-free Gospel. Holger remarked, “It is my estimation, that this Jewish “us and we”, and the Gentile “you and them” have to be understood in order to see what the Apostle Paul is trying to accomplish when writing about these things”. Holger also brought us over to Acts chapter 19 to establish come context for the details in Ephesus, he went into great detail about the “7 essentials of New Testament Christianity” as marked out in Eph. 4:4.
I know I have enjoyed and look forward to more learning from Holger Neubauer. He truly is a preacher theologian and usually expounds on more than a few things at once. I encourage you to listen to his two lectures found at the following two provided links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoQKPo7jDNU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boP7w4ThYhg
Steve Baisden – Philippians
Mr. Steve Baisden framed his two lectures on the Book of Philippians as being to and about “A Well Established Congregation”. He launched right into marking out the eschatology in Philippians by making note of 2 Peter 3:10 and how that correlated to Philippians 1:6, 10, 19, 20; 2:14-16, 20; and 4:5. I thought it was great to hear Mr. Baisden make note of the fact that we must consider details in their own respective context, and also notice that all throughout Scripture there are different points being made in different contexts (that is why “proof-texting” is frowned upon).
In speaking about the eschatological resurrection being marked out in Philippians, and all throughout the New Testament, Steve said, “If Christ is in you, you have been resurrected!”. Steve marked out the Jewish context of Philippians (cf. Phil. 2:2; 3:3, 16; 4:9) and explained how this is important to take note of when “rightly dividing the Word of truth (cf. 2 Timothy 2:15)”. Pertaining to cross references, Mr. Baisden marked out Phil. 1:14-20 as fulfillment of Matthew 24:14, and Phil. 2:9-10 as fulfillment of Isaiah 45:23-24. In his first and second lectures, Mr. Baisden brought out many interesting details for further study such as the use of the Greek word “kampto”, the end of Hades (and corresponding thoughts), denominationalism, and the body of Moses (cf. Deuteronomy 31:29; 32:5; Romans 8:8-23; and 1 Corinthians 15: 51-56.
Listen to both of Steve Baisden’s lectures at the following links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz6lop7XoHo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiuOxMBEzg0
Dr. Don Preston – Colossians
Dr. Don Preston framed his two lectures on Colossians in light of “The Passing of the Law of Moses: A Different View”. Dr. Preston explained that when we properly understand the “time-statements” in Scripture and the context of the passing of the Law, is a double-barrel shotgun with buckshot to futurism. Don also brought our attention to Israel’s Festal Calendar as reference in Colossians chapter 2. In his usual fashion, Dr. Preston detailed and demanded consistency from the Christian theological community regarding the Torah and it’s Telos (a focus Don has continued to emphasize). Don explained the correlation between Colossians 2:15, Matthew 5:16-18, and Leviticus 23. Dr. Preston also remarked that Israel’s feast days are the Rosetta Stone of eschatology, and showed how Jesus Christ used the vernacular of Jewish feast days to explain the impending end (cf. Matt. 23:39; 24:29-31, 36).
In preparation for lecture number 2, Dr. Preston had us read John chapters 7-8 and Revelation chapters 13 -15 and see the allusion to Sukkot. In his second presentation, he used Sukkot as the focus of a fulfilled eschatology (all jots and tittles must be fulfilled for the New Covenant to be a reality). Furthermore, Dr. Preston made it clear that NT eschatology “…builds its entire narrative around the 2nd exodus, the 2nd Moses, and the fulfillment of the feast days”. He made mention of a book, The Moses Connection by Bill Day.
It would surely be an enriching study to follow this review by marking out time to listen to Dr. Don Preston’s lectures on Colossians which are available at the following links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT5NOasF5lk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dByt_t3kBaM
Kyle Elliot – 1 Timothy
Mr. Kyle Elliot offered up his lecture on 1 Timothy with a focus on sound doctrine. He also brought before us a chiastic literary structure found throughout the letter to Timothy marking out the “good fight”, “submission”, “leadership”, “service” and “apostasy”. The text takes place within the framework of the last days (cf. 1 Timothy 4:1-5). Kyle offered up a bulk of Old Testament and New Testament passages that should be considered to best understand the details brought forth in 1st Timothy. For example, Isaiah 2:2, 20-21; Daniel 2:44; 12:1; Joel 2:28-29, 30-31; Hebrews 12:22-24 (cf. Haggai 2:6, 21); Acts 2:38; 10:45; Luke 23:27-31 (cf. Revelation 6:16); Mark 13:14-19 (cf. Revelation 16:18); 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 (cf. Revelation 10:5-7; 11:15).
I loved that Mr. Kyle Elliot challenged us with sound doctrine and application to take on the “untraversed frontier before us”. Go ahead and listen to his lecture at the following link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2rWRsGeKgs
John Holt – 2 Timothy
Mr. John Holt framed his lecture on 2nd Timothy as “The Crown of Righteousness: Enduring the Last Days”. Three points that Mr. Holt marked out were 1.) The Prize/ The Reward – 2 Timothy 4:1, 8 cf. Hebrews 9:28; James 1:12). 2.) The Parousia/ Coming – 2 Timothy 4:1, 8; 1 Peter 5:4; Revelation 21:1; Matthew 16:27-28; Luke 21:31; Matthew 10:21-23. 3.) The Sending of the Spirit – John 16:5-7.
Mr. Holt highlighted the wisdom in 2 Timothy 2:10, “…that they may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory”. This would happen at the time of the end (cf. 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Acts 2:16—21 (cf. Joel 2:28), and Matthew 24:29-31.
Listen to Mr. Holt’s entire presentation at the following link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYQTqSzCvns
Submitted by Michael Miano
c/o The Power of Preterism Network
