...about the Thessalonians.
"Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 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. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness." 1 Thess 2:1-3
Is Paul laying out as eschatological principle for all time or is he writing a letter to the Thessalonians? Is the Bible written to us or for us? Reading Doug Wilson, I have taking his counsel to not immediately ask "How does this apply to me?" but what was Paul saying to the church? He was concerned about the church being shaken and alarmed by a certain teaching. He presents an argument to refute that teaching. He is actually reminding them of this argument which he presented in person (2 Thess 2:5), likely quoting Daniel to them. He is reminding them to be faithful to scripture and to wait for God to fulfill his promises, which include in this case, the Destruction of the (standing) temple.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
What would they think?
So when Paul write the Thessalonians
"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, 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."
and there is a standing temple, wouldn't they think that it is the existing temple of which Paul is speaking.
Futurist would say that we have not seen this yet, that it will take place in a temple yet to be built. So years later, did the Thessalonians, when they saw the destruction of the standing temple, release they hadn't seen this man of lawlessness. Did they reason "Well, we didn't see this guy so I guess God will build another temple at some point in the future. He did it in the past."
I doubt it. This was the temple that the Messiah was presented in, taught in, etc. I think this passage has application to the people to whom it was written.
"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, 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."
and there is a standing temple, wouldn't they think that it is the existing temple of which Paul is speaking.
Futurist would say that we have not seen this yet, that it will take place in a temple yet to be built. So years later, did the Thessalonians, when they saw the destruction of the standing temple, release they hadn't seen this man of lawlessness. Did they reason "Well, we didn't see this guy so I guess God will build another temple at some point in the future. He did it in the past."
I doubt it. This was the temple that the Messiah was presented in, taught in, etc. I think this passage has application to the people to whom it was written.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)