Understanding Preterism: A Brief Overview

Eschatology—the study of “last things”—is a fascinating part of theology, and few perspectives spark as much curiosity and controversy as preterism. While it may not align with everyone’s beliefs, preterism offers a unique understanding of biblical prophecy. Preterists contend that many biblical prophecies—especially those found in Matthew 24, the book of Daniel, and Revelation—were fulfilled within the first century. They argue that references to the “end times” or “the coming of the Son of Man” do not pertain to a distant future but to the Roman siege of Jerusalem and the temple’s fall in 70 AD. 

Key Features of Preterism

The central text for preterists is Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 24:34, “Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place,” They understand this to mean that Jesus’ end-times prophecies were fulfilled during His hearer’s lifetime. Preterists see this as a clear indication that the events described in the Olivet Discourse were fulfilled in the first century, culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem. We will take a closer look at this key verse in a future post.

Variations within Preterism

Preterism usually comes in two flavors: full and partial.

1. Full Preterism: This view holds that all biblical prophecies, including the resurrection of the dead and the final judgment, were fulfilled in the first century. Because it denies the future, bodily return of Christ—a core doctrine of the faith, Full preterism is considered outside the bounds of orthodox Christianity.
2. Partial preterism: This more moderate view maintains that most prophecies concerning Jerusalem’s destruction have been fulfilled. However, it affirms the future return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment. We will examine partial preterism’s growth in popularity later. 

The Implications of Preterism

There are three ways that preterism can disrupt a pretribulation, premillennial view of the end-times. 

1. Placing prophetic fulfillment in the past alters the traditional timeline of end-time events. Specifically, preterists will contend that either there Jesus will not reign over a literal 1000-year kingdom.
2. Since texts like the Olivet Discourse and the Book of Revelation were fulfilled in the first century, preterists emphasize their symbolic and immediate relevance to the church.
3. Preterism abandons a consistent, literal, grammatical interpretation of prophetic passages

A Cautionary Conclusion

While preterism offers fascinating insights into first-century history, it greatly diverges from the view of those who use a straightforward, consistent application of a literal interpretative method. For those who hold to a dispensational view of the end times, preterism undermines the future hope of Christ’s return and the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel and the Church. A biblical eschatology must uphold the historical significance of prophecy and its future realization in God’s redemptive plan.

For Next Time: The Growth of Preterism’s Popularity