Themes of the End Times (Eschatology in Church History [Part 1: AD 50 – 1800])

A. Apostolic Era

This is not a study of what the apostles taught of eschatology in the scriptures; the rest of the semester will largely be dealing with that question. Rather, it is an observation of the scriptural account of the first heresies/major errors pertaining to eschatology that developed in the early Church.

1.The error of Hymenaeus and Philetus (2 Tim. 2:16-19)

2.The error of the Corinthian resurrection-deniers (1 Cor. 15:12-20)

B. Ante-Nicene Patristics

The Nicene Council was held in A.D. 325

Philip Schaff – “The most striking point in the eschatology of the ante-Nicene age is the prominent chiliasm, or millenarianism, that is the belief of a visible reign of Christ in glory on earth with the risen saints for a thousand years, before the general resurrection and judgment. It was indeed not the doctrine of the church embodied in any creed or form of devotion, but a widely current opinion of distinguished teachers, such as Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Methodius, and Lactantius; while Caius, Origen, Dionysius the Great, Eusebius (as afterwards Jerome and Augustin) opposed it.” – Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, VIII vols. (Grand Rapids. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1973), vol. II, p. 614

1.Background in inter-testamental period

e.g. The Book of Enoch (prob. 2nd century BC)

91:12 And after that there shall be another, the eighth week, that of righteousness, and a sword shall be given to it that a righteous judgement may be executed on the oppressors, and sinners shall be delivered into the hands of the righteous. 13 And at its close they shall acquire houses through their righteousness, and a house shall be built for the Great King in glory for evermore, 14 and after that, in the ninth week, the righteous judgement shall be revealed to the whole world, and all the works of the godless shall vanish from all the earth, and the world shall be written down for destruction. And all mankind shall look to the path of uprightness. 15 And after this, in the tenth week in the seventh part, There shall be the great eternal judgement, in which He will execute vengeance amongst the angels. 16 And the first heaven shall depart and pass away, and a new heaven shall appear, and all the powers of the heavens shall give sevenfold light. 17 And after that there will be many weeks without number for ever, and all shall be in goodness and righteousness, and sin shall no more be mentioned for ever.

2.Epistle of Barnabas (according to Clement and Origen, Paul’s co-worker; in reality, likely another Barnabas, early second-century [see Bruce Metzger, The Canon of the NT, Clarendon Paperbacks, pp. 56-57])

“Attend, my children, to the meaning of this expression, “He finished in six days.” This implieth that the Lord will finish all things in six thousand years, for a day is with Him a thousand years. And He Himself testifieth, saying, “Behold, to-day will be as a thousand years.” Therefore, my children, in six days, that is, in six thousand years, all things will be finished. “And He rested on the seventh day.” This meaneth: when His Son, coming [again], shall destroy the time of the wicked man, and judge the ungodly, and change the-sun, and the moon, and the stars, then shall He truly rest on the seventh day.”

3.Papias (60/70-130/155)

“The same person, moreover, has set down other things as coming to him from unwritten tradition, amongst these some strange parables and instructions of the Saviour, and some other things of a more fabulous nature. Amongst these he says that there will be a millennium after the resurrection from the dead, when the personal reign of Christ will be established on this earth.” (Exposition of the Oracles of the Lord – Fragment VI). – Eusebius (Eusebius himself argues against Papias’ millenarianism, calling him “a man of small mental capacity” Hist. Eccl. 3.39.13).

4.Justin Martyr (100 – 165)

“I and others who are right-minded Christians on all points are assured that there will be a resurrection of the dead, and a thousand years in Jerusalem, which will then be built. . . . For Isaiah spoke in that manner concerning this period of a thousand years.” But “many who belong to the pure and pious faith, and are true Christians, think otherwise” (Dialogue with Trypho [chapter 80]).

5.Irenaeus (100′s – 202) [Against Heresies 5:25-36]

Speaks of future Antichrist Clearly emphasizes that the Church is the seed of Abraham Clearly emphasizes reality of new earth and new Jerusalem Emphasizes the millennium as a renewed earth (not just an ethereal “heaven”) in fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham and all his spiritual seed

6.Tertullian (160-225)

“But we do confess that a kingdom is promised to us upon the earth, although before heaven, only in another state of existence; inasmuch as it will be after the resurrection for a thousand years in the divinely-built city of Jerusalem, ‘letdown from heaven,’ which the apostle also calls ‘our mother from above;’ and, while declaring that our citizenship is in heaven, he predicts of it that it is really a city in heaven. This both Ezekiel had knowledge of and the Apostle John beheld.” – Against Marcion, 3:25 (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 3, p. 342, Hendrickson, 2004).

7.Clement [150-230]/Origen [184-254]

Notable exceptions to chiliasm. In De Principiis 2:11, Origen argues against chiliasm, the physical rebuilding of Jerusalem, marriage, physical eating, etc. in the eternal state. (Perhaps influenced by Platonism – did not Jesus eat fish after he was resurrected?).

C. Nicene and Post-Nicene Patristics

Characterized by reaction against early chiliasm

1.Eusebius [263-339]

Argues against Chiliasm – calls Papias “a man of small mental capacity” Hist. Eccl. 3.39.13

2.Jerome [347-420]

Lists and argues against early chiliasts

3.Augustine [ 354-430]

Most notable anti-millenarian theologian among the patristics. His treatment of eschatology would shape the Church’s perspective for the next thousand-plus years.

Extensive treatment of eschatology in City of God, Book 20

Chap. 6: Argues that the first resurrection is spiritual, the second is physical First res. spiritual, second physical [John 5:25, 28; 1st, “hour is coming and now is;” 2nd, just “hour is coming”]

Chap. 7: Exegesis of Rev. 20 – 1st is a spiritual resurrection, second is physical; the binding of Satan corresponds to Jesus’ “binding the strong man” speech [Mark 3:27]; the phrase is “not deceive the nations” (not, “any man”); a thousand is ten cubed (cf. “thousand generations” in Ex. 34, et al) – symbolic.

Chap. 8: The reference to Satan’s being“loosed” for 3½ years refers to future antichrist; then, “the love of many will wax cold” [Mat. 24:34].

Chap. 9: Saints are presently reigning; Church could not be called “kingdom” if not reigning now – Church on earth is “kingdom militant,” not “kingdom triumphant [Did this teaching influence the later Crusades?].

Chap. 10: Reasons why it is not impossible to see spiritual resurrection referred to in Rev. 20.

Chap. 11: Gog and Magog are not literal nations, since they arise from “the four corners of the earth”; instead, they are the devil and his people everywhere.

Chap. 19: Argumentation for a future antichrist

D. Medieval Era

Characterized almost exclusively by amillennialism

When AD 500 was nearing (in Augustine’s day, who argued against them), there was much celebration in expectation of the millennium, largely among the Donatists, who believed that Christ was born 5500 years after creation, and that the millennium would begin after six “days” of a thousand years each. After AD 500 came and passed, millennial hopes faded away.

1.Julian of Toledo [642-690]

Summarizes the medieval doctrine of the millennium by referring to it as “the church of God which, by the diffusion of its faith and works, is spread out as a kingdom of faith from the time of the incarnation until the time of the coming judgment.” Rest of Medieval era very consistent with this understanding [Julian of Toledo, Antitheses 2.69 (Patrologia Latina 96:697), translated and quoted by Jaroslav Pelikan, The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine, Vol. 3 (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1978), 43].

2.Joachim of Fiore [c. 1135-1202]

First major exception. Taught that an “Age of the Spirit (for one thousand years) would begin in AD 1260 (Rev 11:3, 12:6).

E. Reformation Era

1.The Major Reformers (Luther, Calvin, Melanchton, Zwingli, Knox, etc.)

All amillennial, and argued against both the early chiliasts and the latter revival of millenarianism among the radical reformers.

Widespread consensus that the Pope was the antichrist – even an article in the major confessions, e.g. The Westminster Confession 25.6: “There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ: nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition, that exalts himself in the Church against Christ, and all that is called God”.

Augsburg Confession “Art. XVII: “…condemns the Anabaptists and others ’who now scatter Jewish opinions that, before the resurrection of the dead, the godly shall occupy the kingdom of the world, the wicked being everywhere suppressed.’”

Second Helvetic Confession (Heinrich Bullinger): “We also reject the Jewish dream of a millennium, or golden age on earth, before the last judgment.”

John Calvin [Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 3, XXV.V]: millennialism is a “fiction” that is “too childish either to need or to be worth a refutation.”

2.The Radical Reformers

Many revived the old belief in chiliasm, often in wildly exaggerated forms. For example, Melchior Hoffman, who taught that he was the promised Elijah, the end of world would be in 1533, Strasbourg would be the New Jerusalem (The European Reformations, Carter Lindberg, Blackwell Publishing, p. 221).

F. The Puritan Era

Characterized by postmillennialism (especially among the American Puritans); but notable contingencies of amillennialists and a few premillennialists.

1.Jonathan Edwards

Typical of optimistic, American postmillennialism. Taught that a golden age was coming 1260 years after the rise of antichrist as the “universal bishop”. The Great Awakening was the first stirring of this golden age, and America was the place where God’s Kingdom would first come to visible form as a truly Christian nation.

2.Cotton and Increase Mather

Premillennial exceptions. “That which presseth me so, as that I cannot gainsay the Chiliastical opinion, is that I take these things for Principles, and no way doubt but that they are demonstrable. 1. That the thousand apocalyptical years are not passed but future. 2. That the coming of Christ to raise the dead and to judge the earth will be within much less than this thousand years. 3. That the conversion of the Jews will not be till this present state of the world is near unto its end. 4. That, after the Jews’ conversion there will be a glorious day for the elect upon earth, and that this day shall be a very long continuance.” [Increase Mather, The Mystery of Israel’s Salvation Explained and Applied. quoted in Charles Ryrie, The Basis of the Premillennial Faith, (Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1953), 31-32.

G. Lessons to be learned from each period

Apostolic Era: The centrality of the person/work of Christ; also the importance of eschatology practically and its interconnectedness with other doctrines.

Ante-Nicene Era: Caution against date-setting and elaborate schemes/interpretations of scriptures pertaining to the end times; importance of seeing the spiritual/Christian significance of the OT prophetic passages (major on the majors).

Nicene/Post-Nicene: Advance in solid exegesis of passages such as John 5, Rev. 20, etc.; caution against Platonic influences and inferences drawn from Augustine’s “Kingdom militant”.

Medieval: Not much new, but previous lessons reinforced.

Reformation: Beware of radical interpretations of prophecy; caution against harsh denunciations of non-radicals who differ eschatologically.

Puritans: Helpful emphasis on the unity/coherence of world history, hopeful expectation of the climactic advance of the gospel; beware of elaborate/historicist interpretations of eschatology and social implications of eschatological positions.

H. Discussion Questions

1.What is the purpose of studying the history of eschatology in the Church? What do we hope to gain from this study?

2.How does Church history give us an increased understanding of the importance of eschatology? How does it help us distinguish what is truly important from what is secondary? What are some of the more important elements of eschatology and what points are of secondary importance?

3.What does this study of Church history teach us of the practical effects/outworkings of our understanding of eschatology? What cautions may we derive against possible negative effects in our daily lives? What positive examples of healthy practical effects may we follow?

One Response to “Themes of the End Times (Eschatology in Church History [Part 1: AD 50 – 1800])”

  1. Steve Haverdink says:
    December 2, 2011 at 10:12 pm

    “This is not a study of what the apostles taught of eschatology in the scriptures; the rest of the semester will largely be dealing with that question.” Where is your information that deals with what the apostles taught of eschatology in the Scriptures? Thanks

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