Julian of Toledo (d. 690), a seventh-century Spanish bishop, was the first theologian to compile a systematic treatise on Christian eschatology. Drawing upon the wisdom of the fathers, Julian treats life after death, the resurrection, Last Judgment, the eternal state and many related questions. Plowing through this sizable treatise in Latin, printed in the Patrologia Latina series and more recently in the Corpus Christianorum series, is no easy task. But thanks to Stancati, it will soon be available in English as Volume 63 in the Ancient Christian Writers series by Paulist Press. Its projected release date is September 2010.

Outlines of the chapters of Stancati’s book are found at www.prognosticum.info. The introduction by Stancati reveals that Prognosticum began as a dialogue between Julian and Idalius of Barcelona. He also comments upon the library of Julian and discusses Prognosticum as an anti-apocalyptic work.

The actual Prognosticum is divided like this:
Book 1: The Mystery of Death
Book 2: The Intermediate Eschatology
Book 3: Human corporeality has an eternal destiny

In Book 2, I look forward to reading about his distinction between the two paradises (presumably earthly and heavenly), what he has to say about apparitions of the dead, and his interpretation of Rev 20 that not only the martyrs but all the saints will reign with Christ.

In Book 3, I look forward to reading what he had to say about our ignorance of the date of the Parousia, and what he believed about the place and time of the Judgment. Other subheadings that interest me are “The Christological modalities of the Parousia,” “The great sign of the cross will precede Christ the judge,” The Parousia is one but diversified,” “The vision of glorious Christ will be ocular and bodily,” and “The ‘when’ of the Parousia.”

The book of 624 pages is listed in the Paulist Press catalog at $49.95. To me it will be well worth the money.

Julian of Toledo on the World to Come is a post from: Books and Articles on the Theology of Grace and Eschatology ~ Francis Gumerlock

There is a new book out by W. Brian Shelton entitled Martyrdom from Exegesis in Hippolytus: An Early Church Presbyter’s Commentary on Daniel. It’s put out by Paternoster Press in their series “Studies in Christian History and Thought.” Since Hippolytus’ commentary is still in Greek and unavailable in English translation, Shelton’s book is the best means of ascertaining the contents of the commentary (unless you read patristic Greek).

I recommend the book for those interested in the subject of persecution and martyrdom in early Christianity, early Christian eschatology, patristic biblical commentaries, or the book of Daniel. It contains some interesting information. For example, Hippolytus’ Daniel commentary tells about a Christian leader in his day who prophesied that the Lord was coming soon, and consequently led his congregation out to the desert to wait for Jesus. People quit their jobs and went along. But when the leader’s prophecy did not come true, they were all humiliated, and returned to their former lives. Hippolytus says that Christians in persecution cannot always expect the Lord to intervene by His coming; it is God’s will for some to endure martyrdom.

Martyrdom from Exegesis is available for purchase from the publisher and Amazon.com.
For a full review of Martyrdom from Exegesis in Hippolytus, refer to the Book Review page.

Hippolytus of Rome’s Commentary on Daniel is a post from: Books and Articles on the Theology of Grace and Eschatology ~ Francis Gumerlock

When people set dates for the end of the world, I point them to the words of our Lord Jesus who said, “No one knows the day or the hour.” (Matt 24) In Acts, before Jesus ascended to heaven, he told his disciples, “It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father has set by his own authority.” I think we should take these words seriously. Jesus knew what he was talking about: It is not for us to know.

We know from the teaching of the apostles that sometime in the future Christ will come, the dead will be raised, the Last Judgment will take place, and his kingdom will have no end. This is the church’s blessed hope. But the exact day or year is unknown. We are encouraged by the Lord in Matt 24 to be vigilant and ready. At the same time we are to be working in the Lord’s vineyard, being salt and light in the world.

If the Lord decides to come within the next few years, even so “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22). Nevertheless, I have planted trees in the front yard in hope of having a shady lawn in ten years, and have arranged the finances with consideration of being a senior citizen in the not so distant future.

In the late 1990s, a lot of people thought Christ was coming back in the year 2000. There were even people who moved to Israel to get a front row seat, so to speak. At that time I wrote The Day and the Hour. It goes through church history from the first century to the present, listing the predictions for Christ’s coming that never came to pass. The whole point of it is to illustrate that Jesus knew what he was talking about when he said, “No one knows the day or the hour.” If you don’t already have a copy, it’s still in print and is very reasonably priced. Here’s a quote from it by Cardinal Newman, who wrote in the late 1800s:

“Enthusiasts, sectaries, wild presumptuous men…have pointed out the exact year and day in which He would come. Not so His humble followers.”

Peace in Christ,
Frank

2012: Will It Be the End? is a post from: Books and Articles on the Theology of Grace and Eschatology ~ Francis Gumerlock

For a background to the question, Revelation 20 says that Christ and His saints will reign for a thousand years. Some take a literal approach to the thousand years, but I see the thousand years as a figure of speech. Those who take a literal approach to the thousand years often claim that Christians who see the thousand years as a figure of speech are guilty of allegorizing Scripture. The literalists also claim that the reason many early Christian writers rejected a literal reading of the millennium was because they adopted an allegorical method of biblical interpretation. My presentation will show the inaccuracy of their claim. It will demonstrate that the early Christian writers applied the “analogy of faith,” not allegory, to the text of Revelation 20. Analogy of faith is that principle of interpretation which says that clearer passages in Scripture help to interpret more obscure passages.

Revelation 20 raises many questions. The passage speaks of Satan being bound for a thousand years. Was Satan bound by the first coming of Christ or does his binding await a future millennium? The passage mentions a first and a second resurrection. Are these two resurrections bodily resurrections, one of believers that takes place before the millennium and one of unbelievers that takes place after the millennium? Or is there one general bodily resurrection and the other resurrection a spiritual resurrection? Are the thousand years to be interpreted literally or as a figure of speech? To answer these questions, early Christian writers looked at passages in the Gospels and Paul’s epistles and gained insight. Many of them held that Satan was bound at the incarnation and death/resurrection of Christ, not in a future millennium, that the first resurrection is spiritual and the second bodily (no future millennium bounded by two bodily resurrections), and that the thousand years are a figure of speech showing completeness.

I hope you can make it to the presentation. The complete schedule is available on the seminary website ptsco.org. My plan is to turn the transcript into a chapter in a book I have been working on tentatively entitled Amillennialism and the Early Church. For more information on how early Christians interpreted the thousand years of Revelation 20, see the article on this site entitled “Millennialism and the Early Church Councils.”

Have a great day. Frank

The Thousand Years of Revelation 20 is a post from: Books and Articles on the Theology of Grace and Eschatology ~ Francis Gumerlock

St. Jerome’s Commentary on Matthew is a post from: Books and Articles on the Theology of Grace and Eschatology ~ Francis Gumerlock