“..And he (Jesus) said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power..” Acts 1:7.

“.. But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief…” 1 Th 5:1-4.

It is natural for man to think that their own time of living in this perplexing world must be ever getting worse and worse with every generation. However, upon a calm and reasonable reflection from our knowledge of the history of the world, we know that this is not true. Indeed, it is granted that in our present time there are many evils and seemingly evils and dangers that even could threaten present humanity with utter destruction or as far as we know, may bring civilization to the brink of extinction. However, we believe that an omnipotent God is in perfect control of all these events, and regardless of the perceived danger, we are yet consoled and fortified in mind that nothing can exceed the bounds and limits of His Eternal decree in order for all things in His Will concerning these things to transpire, and to also bow to His sovereign Will and say “Righteous are Thy judgments, and Thy ways past finding out.”

Concerning the wickedness of the ancient world for instance, look at the very days of the Apostles: These were some of the worst times of wickedness that has ever existed in the world. When Jesus was born into the world, both the Scriptures and secular history show that the Jews were at the height of wicked living and practices as revealed by the denunciation upon them by Christ Himself. Jesus comparatively describes their perverse generation as being worse sinners even than those of Sodom and Gomorrha and the Ninevites, ( although their leaders professed to be righteous persons) because He said that even the perverted men of Sodom would have repented at His Divine presence and works He did among them - while most of the wicked Jews did not. These were also some of the worst times that ever existed in the pagan world of the Gentiles. Some of the worst and wicked Roman emperors that ever ruled reigned during these very times, such as Caligara, Nero and Domician.

Solomon in Ecc 7:10 says:

“…Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this…”

Solomon’s days, comparatively, were not better than the days to come for future generations of the children of God, or even for the world of mankind in general. Solomon’s days and times were far worse than the days that were to appear and prosper with the advent of Christ and the spiritual progress of the glorious kingdom of the Son of God: Solomon lived under the elements of the law dispensation and was bound by burdens, limitations and restrictions upon the children of God that were lifted from them by the mercy revealed in Christ. There is no comparison to be made with Solomon’s times and the glorious times that the children of God now live in under the terms and conditions of the New Covenant Dispensation. Solomon was divinely inspired to write a book called Ecclesiastes in which some of the most depressing language of the Old Testament Scriptures can be found. Solomon’s times were portrayed in these writings as being the times that the children of God were yet held and bound under the elements of The Law Dispensation. Solomon’s generations, comparatively, were generations of vanity and vexation of spirit for God’s people, and he concludes this book with this fact. He shows man as only a sinful, natural man, living under the blazing heat of the old legal sun, representing the wrath or displeasure of God upon sinful man from a fleshly standpoint, and they there are in and after the flesh cannot please God. (Rom 8). But those who are released from those legal restrictions of an abolished dispensation are no longer under its terms and conditions, but under the grace of Christ; For what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh of (human depravity) God, sending forth His Son in the same likeness of sinful flesh, condemned the sin of the former dispensation in His Own flesh, and thus set the heirs of the promise of faith free from this law of sin and death.

Solomon, because of the restrictions of the times which he lived in, and the Law which his contemporaries were bound to, he, though their wise representative, could not rise above the earth’s old mundane sun until the Sun of Righteousness was to appear with healing in His wings, flying over Solomon’s old earthly sun in exalted glory in the heavens or skies of the New Heavens and earth, as the Great Archangel and Messenger of the New Covenant, having the everlasting gospel to preach to the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem. God has made foolish the wisdom of that old legal world with all her provisions, so their bare earthly wisdom no longer prevails as a vexing instrument over and among the people of God:

There is no then real proof from the Scriptures or from secular history that the world of mankind in general is getting worse and worse or gradually more wicked as many advocate. It seems to me that this idea is founded more upon human emotionalism, speculation and hysteria than upon (comparatively) known facts - either from secular or ecclesiastical sources.

Therefore, we know that the old world as a general rule has always been a pretty wicked place - But the present inquiry is -- are the texts found in Peter and Jude referring to the general wickedness of mankind, that always has existed since the fall, but rather to a certain or special wickedness that prevailed during the Apostles Age and times of the early church, and which wickedness the Apostles were especially confronted with and therefore suffered tremendously under its enmity and influence?

"..And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.." Rev 11:7-8.

The Old heavens and Old earth (land) of Solomon must give way in the experience of the redeemed in order to make room for the appearance of the New Heaven and New Earth wherein dwells righteousness - even the imputed and applied righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice the comparison of the concept of the cosmological heavens and the figurative heavens by the natural mind and the spiritual mind. I found a connection between Addison and Thomas Paine in researching this; and as it is well known, Paine was a Deist (Those who basically believe that God does not actively intervene within the workings of His creation; but pretty much leaves it to function on its own, or run on its own potential; But God actively rules the times and seasons and changes the dispensations of time, and upholds all things by the word of His power concerning the events of time according to His Own Eternal Will and Purpose in Christ. Note my comparison of Psalm 19 with that of the following poet:

As it is not for us, along with the Apostles, to know the exact timing of events to take place concerning His purpose, yet He gave the Apostles some general warning of the things that would transpire at the end of that dispensation which was also concurrent with the end of the Apostolic Age, and which was to take place in the earth (land) in just a few distant years, and He also informed the disciples of the same - along with the signs that would herald or serve as harbingers for those future believers in order to warn them of these predicted events when these divine predictions were given to them by Jesus before He was seen to depart out of sight from the presence of the men of Galilee in the form of His resurrected body; And is especially the prophecy of Jesus which was committed unto the Apostles, and which the Apostle Peter had personally received from Jesus while they yet stood upon the Mt. Of Olives - and also at other times when Jesus sometimes spoke unto His disciples (along with the Jews) concerning these coming events which would transpire in just a few short years, even within the bounds of that literal human generation; and Jesus said that there was literally even some standing there among them at that present time which would personally witness the literal transpiration of these predicted events.

“..And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power…”

“..7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen..” Rev 1:7.

“..51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, (Nathanael) Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

“..61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven..” Mark 14:61-62.

27 “.. For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works..” “..28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom..” Matt 16:27-28.

“..It has been argued (probably soundly) that the only reason "Apo Arti" has been rendered differently in this location (as "in the future" or the more ambiguous "hereafter") is that there would be profound doctrinal consequences to the futurists for making Jesus' statement in Matthew 26:64 refer to the time then present. It appears that the same is true for the Preterists. Well, tough noogies!

"It is you who say it. But, I tell you that from this time onward (apo arti) you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.' Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, 'He has blasphemed. What need of witnesses have we now? There! You have just heard the blasphemy. What is your opinion?' They answered, 'He deserves to die.'"

G. Abbott-Smith's Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament gives this definition for arti: "adverb. of coincidence, denoting strictly present time, as contrasted with past or future, just, just now, this moment." A very loose paraphrase of Jesus' declaration in this light might be : "You said it, bro. But I'm telling you, player hater, that though you think you've got me now, you'll be seeing plenty of me and my posse getting the best of you and your homies from now until your sorry murderous lives end" (cue Jules' pseudo-Ezekiel rant in Pulp Fiction). R.T. France, in his Commentary of the Greek Text of Matthew (TNTC), makes this hugely relevant statement:

"Coming on the clouds of heaven (together with the phrase ‘the Son of man’) is a clear allusion to Daniel 7:13,already similarly alluded to in 24:30. . . . We have seen that its natural application in terms of its Old Testament source is to the vindication and enthronement of the Son of man in heaven, not to a descent to earth. It is therefore in this verse a parallel expression to ‘seated at the right hand of Power’; the two phrases refer to the same exhalted state, not to two successive situations or events. In this verse the appropriateness of this interpretation is underlined by the fact that this is to be true ‘from now on’ (hereafter is a quite misleading rendering of the more specific phrase ap’ arti, which, as in 23:39 and 26:29, denotes a new period beginning from now). Indeed it is something which Jesus’ inquisitors themselves will see".. Comments from hyperpreterism.com website (by a preterist-idealist)

Concerning the last two foregoing verses (before the preterist comments) -' When the Son of man comes in his glory' - Matt 16:27-28 - Even according to the rules of good grammar - these two verses are connected together- not only contiguously or sequentially - but are also connected or related in contextual importance as the 28th verse follows as a further explanation of what has been said in the 27th verse. The “verily”, or truly, truly is prefixed to the 28th verse by Jesus in order to emphasize this fact. So here is only another place in Jesus’ words where He gives the true nature of His future coming(s) where He uses the terms and figures of clouds attended with mighty angels (of spiritual and providential nature) to bring the final and last great judgment upon that wicked and perverse generation, and establish His New Kingdom of God in the earth - and thus hail by these mighty signs and plagues upon them, as by pouring out the last vials of His wrath upon them as was also clearly stated by the holy apostle in other places, for instance when he wrote to the Thessalonians concerning these things and referring again to the same predicted wrath and judgment that was now shortly to come upon that nation so as to historically leave her neither root nor branch as a favored people after the flesh:

“..For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:

15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: 16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost..” 1 Th 2:14-16

This refers to His second coming (in judgment) in the clouds of the glory of His Father to execute judgment and render and reward every one, (of that generation) - both believers and the faithless according to their works, and which was fully revealed not only metaphorically speaking; but was in an outward, open and literal judgment upon that very generation of unbelieving Jews.

This accords with Jesus’ parable of the talents (money), which He immediately follows with the parable of the sheep and goats. Here again are two parables (or statements) of Jesus that are placed in sequential importance in order to further illustrate and explain what He is referring to: Not to the destruction of the whole race of mankind, and the dissolution of the physical earth along with the cosmos; but to the demise of that whole legal dispensation where and when new principles of truth, righteousness and judgment were to be inaugurated by the Son of God Himself and by the power of His Own Spirit - and that by the very presence of His Spirit now indwelling His spiritual people; And in that day when men would be judged according to the inward dictates of a renewed conscience, heart and mind, as also as He spoke and compared these things with the generation of the wicked Jews concerning the need for a complete spiritual renewal or regeneration of that people whose religion was according to the natural precepts of the natural mind which is not subject to the spiritual law of God, and therefore cannot please God. (Rom 8:4)

“..34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned..” Matt 12:34-37.

Here our Lord brings forth the truth that God is no respecter of persons (after the flesh) as these Jews always claimed for themselves as a nation; but..

“… In every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him…” Acts 10:35.

The fleshly righteous Jew who could do no good in the sight of God, (and no human creature can, and as Christ says to them here) would (in the Day of His second coming ) be judged by the things within or out of their Law - because they were also dead in trespasses and sin along with the Gentiles, and also stood in need of a complete spiritual renewal (as much as did the pagan Gentile) - because the moral sickness was not outward in the flesh; but in the depravity of the human heart which had fallen into transgression of the spiritual law of God.

Paul explains all of this (in Romans) as applying to the Gospel Dispensation, and not to a “general judgment “ scenario or literal event which is to take place at “the end of time”, and which theory has been held as “orthodoxy” by the Romanists down through the centuries, and continued to be basically held by the Reformers - and most other Christians until the present day.

“.. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; 13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel..” Rom 2:12-16.

These “secret things of men” were now beginning to be brought to light and judgment by He that was enabled by His Divinity to “speak as never man spoke”; because “of judgment He was come into the world of legalism and its penalty of sin and death”, as the soul that sins shall die, and to bear witness of the truth, that they who are blind may receive sight, and they who in a state of fallen nature think and say they see - may be considered blind in Christ’s judgment when He came in judgment of this world.

“..39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. 40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? 41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth..” John 9:41

Having said these things, it should be apparent that the judgment that was prophesied by all the ancient prophets, by the Old Testament prophets, and by Christ Himself as the Great Prophet as He spoke to His Disciples on the Mount of Olives was to be fulfilled in that very age of time, and even within that present generation; and the continuation of these judgmental principles would forever work and live experimentally within the "sheep and goats", the "tares and wheat", those who spiritually know God in Christ, and those to whom He has not revealed Himself in a renewed heart and mind, "His Own servants, compared with "wicked" servants", etc. This judgment began at Jerusalem - literally and allegorically - and has continued to the present realms of the Kingdom of God on earth. And as far as we know shall continue with that kingdom "That shall not be left to other people, but shall consume and break to pieces all other kingdoms, and shall stand forever. " that is, perpetually throughout the future ages of the world of mankind

“.. I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened…”Dan 7:9-10.

“..13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed..” Dan 7:7-13-14.

These prophecies were beginning to be fulfilled at the advent of the Lord Jesus and continue to be fulfilled during the days of His reign as the exalted King where He by His Spirit is even now opening the things of the books of the Law where we are judged after the flesh, and therefore fall as dead men before the righteous Law contained in them; because we are yet judged by them as men living in the flesh, but in Christ in the Spirit we live to God through His Spirit Who is living in us.

“.. Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. 6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. 7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer…” 1 Pet 4:5-7.

Paul, in speaking of this same judgment upon a quickened sinner, expresses it in another ( but yet similar) way in Rom 7. Dead, alien sinners are dead before God, but they don’t realize it in their conscience until they are brought before His tribunal of justice or into this judgment of conviction of their sinfulness in His sight:

“..9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died..” Rom 7:8-13..

This same spiritual judgment is also represented by John in his writings in Revelation:

“.. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works..” Rev 20:11-13.

Many, if not most, represent this scenario as yet to literally take place in what they conceive as a futuristic “great white throne, general judgment day setting. ” This has been the general or so-called “orthodox” view of this down through the centuries - but this does not necessarily make this view correct, or conform to that of “comparing spiritual things with spiritual” - because the children of faith have not received the spirit of torment and fear, which was the spirit of bondage and fear that ruled the legal dispensation, but the Spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 1 Cor 2:13- 14., 2 Tim 1:7.

The old heaven (sanctuary) and earth (land) of the former economy must flee away from the presence of Christ and the Spirit, because the natural man does not receive of the things of the Spirit, and they could not enter to that rest that remains for the people of God because of their unbelief. There was found no place for the carnal Jew within the New Covenant previsions, because they sought after the promises of Christ in Abraham as though they were to be obtained by human merit and outward performances; Thus, they stumbled at that stumbling stone and rock of offense which Christ became unto them; Because Christ’s coming Kingdom was to be spiritual rather that fleshly or natural in nature, and was founded upon better promises of the Old Covenant in the flesh of Abraham. There was left “no place” for them in the spiritual heavens “coming down from God out of heaven.” Or in the New Earth of those He had now indwelt with His Spirit; because He would dwell in them, and walk in them, and He would be unto them a God, and they would be unto Him a people. And not like the terms and conditions of the Old Covenant, His seed He also would He make to endure for ever, and his throne and dominion forever over them as lasting as the days of heaven. If his children forsake His law, and walked not in His judgments; If they broke His statutes, and kept not His commandments; Then would He visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes; but He had already laid the penalty for their sins upon His Dear Son; Nevertheless, His lovingkindness would He not utterly take from Him (Christ), nor suffer His faithfulness to fail - when He cried upon the Tree, “My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me.” The everlasting covenant made in the Eternal Godhead would He not break, nor alter the thing that had gone out of His lips. Psa 89:29-84.

And which John describes in the same Book. When this book of judgment was opened by Christ Jesus, (because only He of all in heaven and earth was worthy, and therefore able to open it - furthermore, it was bound and both sides, or the front and back, so no One but Eternal Omnipotence could have access to this Book which had been bound in God’s purpose until the fullness of time had come in Him to open the book and to begin to reveal the contents and revelations of the will of God in Him at the appearing of His glorious Kingdom, when He abolished death, and brought the Life and Immortality of God to light, which was dwelling in Himself as His Own immortality appearing in the sanctified flesh of His called children.

In opening the books of the law in the convicted conscience of His quickened children, and bringing them into the condemnation of this judgment, and finding them, with the whole world, guilty before God, that every fleshly, boasting mouth of theirs might be stopped at the divine arraignment of the conscience of these under consideration who were found and stood as dead in the sight of God. Rom 3:19.

Jesus spoke in another way of this same judgment in John 5:25-26.

“..Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself..” “..28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation…”

This judgment and resurrection (from death to life, and death death) that Jesus refers to had already begun to take place when He came into the world. He was given this authority over life and death, because He is the life and death of and for His people, as He endured death for them that they might have life, and have it more abundantly, while His word has no present place in those who cannot understand His (spiritual) word:

"..Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not..." John 8:42-45.

".. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? 2 Cor 2:15-16.15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?.."

Continuing with the text in 1 Peter:

3 “..Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts..”

We well know that there are yet many false prophets in our present world. Every child of grace that has been enlightened in the truth of Jesus can perceive this, and will flee from such, for they know not the voice of strangers or the preaching of those who are foreign to the truth as it is in Jesus. Certainly the many errors of the wicked with such have extended on down to our times. However, I think in order to better understand the context of Peter’s writing here, we need to understand that he, along with his fellow apostles, was emphasizing a certain phenomenon of wickedness that would prevail among the Jews and Gentiles of that age and greatly increase among them shortly before its demise.

Scoffers are sometimes also called agnostics, or those who do not believe in things that are very apparent to many others. Jesus charged the unbelieving Jews with this tendency when they scoffed at His ministry, and later they grew worse and worse in this and seemed to become oblivious to the things that were now taking place around and among them as the favored nation of God under that economy.

“… He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?..” Matt 16:2-3.

But what does the phrase mean, “the last times” that is several times used by the Apostles? I am sure that they understood what they themselves meant by it.

“..3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy…. 8. ”..Reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all (men, )as theirs also was..”

Paul has given a long list of the character of corrupt persons here. As mentioned above, surely all these types that bear this character yet fill our present society - but notice especially that these were “reprobate concerning the faith.” These must have been castaways from the Apostles as they are represented here.

John also speaks of some who went out from among the Apostles to be made manifest that they were not of them.

Also, during “those last days” there were many who departed from their profession of the Apostolic faith, and gave heed unto doctrines of devils

“..And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation..” 1 Pet 3:4.

The signs of the then present times which attended the dissolution of that age were all around visible to those who were given eyes to see and ears to hear what the coming events of that age did portend as concerning the Jews and the Coming of the Messiah and the end of their days as a national people of God. But many scoffed at these things saying they could see no change of anything at all which had taken place among them. And indeed it was so, for these who remained in unbelief at the Coming of Christ in His Kingdom. His first coming among these was to be as the lowly, suffering and humiliated Jesus, despised and rejected of men; for when they beheld Him in mortal flesh, He had no form or comeliness that they should desire Him. Truly, it is only the spiritually enlightened to the knowledge of Christ and the present glory of His established kingdom in the heavenly realms or places that can really view and enter into the Kingdom that He spoke of to Nicodemus and of which He said to partake of, one must be born from above, or from the heavenly places in Him.

“..The whole of this reasoning, every one must immediately perceive, was peculiarly seasonable and admirably adapted to the situation and circumstances, in which the apostles would find themselves placed, in the execution of the commission, which they had received from Jesus. And, it is worthy of particular observation, that what he said to them in the 37th and following verses, is founded upon that most solid and important maxim, that God is rather to be obeyed them man. -or, that duty to him is, at all times, paramount to every other consideration. And, in order that they might see this, in the fullest, and most advantageous light- he goes on to reason with them, in the following energetic terms. He that receiveth you, receiveth me, and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me. As if he had said- if those who receive you, to whom I have given a commission, receive me; it will necessarily and unavoidably follow that if, I am the ambassador of God, and bear about me, his credentials-no man can reject me or contemn my authority, without rejecting the authority of God himself who sent me;- Nor will they who treat me, or those to whom I have given a commission, with the respect to which, as the ambassadors of heaven, we are justly entitled, lose their reward.-v. 41- 42. He that receiveth a prophet, in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet’s reward- or the reward due to one who shall be honored with so distinguished a character- and whosoever receiveth a righteous man, in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whosoever shall even give to one of these little ones, a cup of cold water only, to drink,in the name of a disciple; verily I say unto you, he shall, in no wise, lose his reward.."

"..If ever clearness and perspicuity were to be found in any writing, either ancient or modern; surely this has a just and undeniable claim to these important and essential characteristics of good writing. What reasoning can be more close- or better adapted to the situation and circumstances of the disciples of Jesus, at the moment of his giving them a commission to act, as his delegates and apostles, in announcing the approach of the Messiah’s kingdom, than the whole of this discourse? And at the same time that it stands distinguished, for clearness and perspicuity; it carries, in every part of it, such unequivocal marks of genuine history, as must leave, upon the mind of every one who considers it, with an impartial and unbiased attention, no doubt of its authenticity- or a single suspicion that the coming of the son of man, in the 23rd verse, which it was the principle object of this minute survey, to illustrate, can possibly relate to any other event than to the coming of the Messiah.. * The Coming of The Messiah by Prof. Nehemiah A. Nisbett A. M. c. 1802.

“..It appears, then, that is Scripture be the best interpreter of Scripture, we have in the Old Testament a key to the interpretation of the prophecies in the New. The same symbolism is found in both, and the imagery of Isaiah, Ezekiel, and the other prophets helps us to understand the imagery of St. Matthew, St. Peter, and St. John. As the dissolution of the material world is not necessary to the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, neither is it necessary to the accomplishment of the predictions of the New Testament. But though symbols are metaphorical expressions, they are not unmeaning. It is not necessary to allegorize them, and find a corresponding equivalent for every trope; it is sufficient to regard the imagery as employed to heighten the sublimity of the prediction and to clothe it with impressiveness and grandeur. There are, at the same time, a true propriety and an underlying reality in the symbols of prophecy. The moral and spiritual facts which they represent, the social and ecumenical changes which they typify, could not be adequately set forth by language less majestic and sublime. There is reason for believing that an inadequate apprehension of the real grandeur and significance of such events as the destruction of Jerusalem and the abrogation of the Jewish economy lies at the root of that system of interpretation which maintains that nothing answering to the symbols of the New Testament prophecy has ever taken place. Hence the uncritical and unscriptural figments of double senses, and double, triple, and multiple fulfillments of prophecy. That physical disturbances in nature and extraordinary phenomena in the heavens and in the earth may have accompanied the expiring throes of the Jewish dispensation we are not prepared to deny. It seems to us highly probable that such things were. But the literal fulfillment of the symbols is not essential to the verification of prophecy, which is abundantly proved to be true by the recorded facts of history." (vol. i. p.200).

“..It is quite plain that in our Lord's prediction the expressions "the end," and probably "the end of the world," are used in reference to the entire dissolution of the Jewish economy. The events of that period were very minutely foretold, and our Lord distinctly stated that the existing generation should not pass away till all things respecting "this end" should be fulfilled, This was to be a season of suffering for all; of trial, severe trial, to the followers of Christ; of dreadful judgment on His Jewish opposors, and of glorious triumph to His religion. To this period there are repeated references in the apostolic epistles. "Knowing the time," says the Apostle Paul, "that now it is high time to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand." "Be patient," says the Apostle James; "stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." "The Judge standeth before the door." Our Lord's predictions must have been very familiar to the minds of Christians at the time this was written. They must have been looking forward with mingled awe and joy, fear and hope, to their accomplishment: "looking for the things which were coming on the earth;" and it was peculiarly natural for Peter to refer to these events, and to refer to them in words similar to those used by our Lord, as he was one of the disciples who, sitting with his Lord in full view of the city and temple, hears these predictions uttered.. Dr. John Brown of Edinburgh. 1784-1858.

COMMENTS - OAB

Strong's Concordance seems to be In agreement with the understanding of the learned scholars above: The Greek word AIDIOS - ah-id'-ee-os - which according to Strong’s concordance means “eternal” and “everlasting” has been rendered respectively as such in only two places in the New Testament: In Rom 1:20 and Jude 1:6. Transliterated Word = AIDIOS - Phonetic Spelling = ah-id'-ee-os - Adjective

“..For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his ETERNAL power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:..” Rom 1:20.

“..And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in EVERLASTING chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day..” Jude 1:6.

It seems that the K. J. translators realized that there was a difference in the way that the two Apostles had used this Greek word in these passages, and that in harmony with the context; therefore this may have been their reason for using different (english) words in these two places in translating the same orginal Greek term AIDIOS as ETERNAL in one instance, and EVERLASTING in the other. Aidios as used in Romans 1:20 must refer directly to the eternal nature of the power of God Himself, Who is, and is of and in Christ, His Eternal Son; While the word is used by Jude as referring to a judgment which would hold firm until a certain time had transpired to accomplish His purpose upon “the angels “which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation” - and at the time of the Apostle Jude’s writing were yet awaiting “the judgment of this great day.” Aionios (S166). The word used frequently (by preterists, especially) to proving "it does not refer to the end of the world, but to the end of the age" On Mt. 24:3, Aionios is here also translated by Strong as: " for ever, an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity the worlds, universe, period of time, age ". Aei - ah-eye' is from the same as Aion (S165) - ahee-ohn' , meaning “perpetually, incessantly invariably, at any and every time: when according to the circumstances something is or ought to be done again.” - Strong’s (104), so we see from Strong’s that these terms seem very synonymous as referring to the Ages of time. (rather then to the end of the physical world.)

Therefore, the main thing to remember about the related foregoing terms is that they refer much more (or altogether) to “Age” and “The Ages” than does the Greek word Kosmos, which is nearly always properly rendered “world” in the KJV. However, the KJV has sometimes translated Aion as “world”, which has often led English readers to think the passages refer to the world of mankind and the material world in an absolute sense. (rather than referring to the ages of time.) Then what is the difference between Aionios (S166) and Aion - if any?

Abbo of Fleury (c.945-c.1004) “When I was a young man I heard a sermon about the end of the world preached before people in the cathedral of Paris. According to this, as soon as the number of a thousand years was completed, the Antichrist would come and the Last Judgment would follow in a brief time. I opposed this sermon with what force I could from passages in the Gospels, the Apocalypse and the Book of Daniel” (Apologetic Work)

In the Parable of The Tares in Matt 13:38, the KJV has properly translated Kosmos and Aion together in the same parable, which again without inquiring to the original might lead some to think that the KJV translators had here again incorrectly translated these terms. However, with close observation, notice that “the WORLD” in verse 38 refers NOT to the world of mankind in general, but only to the FIELD in which those whom Jesus referred to inhabited or grew up in, and in accordance with His other parables such as The Separation of The Sheep and Goats, The Rich Man and Lazerus, the Wicked Husbandmen, etc., which parables concerned that present generation, was to be shortly plucked up so the wheat or spiritual children among them might have a place to grow instead of being choked down by these allegorical, spiritually worthless tares as represented in the Lord’s parable. Hence, the fire of God’s judgment that was to come upon that present generation, and seems to be that which was under consideration by our Lord.

--So, the term Kosmos has indeed here been rendered correctly by the KJV translators, as the FIELD in the parable is the Greek- Agros according to Strong’s, because it is there defined as “ land, the field, the country, a piece of land, bit of tillage, the farms, country seats, neighbouring hamlet.”. And which represented the nation of the Jews, and the land of Israel, especially Jerusalem of Judea. This definition certainly corresponds much more with the opinion that Jesus was not referring to the “world” as the kosmos or the world of mankind in general; neither to the material or physical world; but to a special field or certain piece of (material) land . And too, the 39th verse has been properly rendered from the Greek - Aion in accordance with the above Strong’s definitions and most all other translations as the NKJV also has rendered it. However, the NKJV has here again followed the KJV and incorrectly translated Aion (Age) of verse 40 as “world” Greek -(Kosmos)

OAB

To be continued if God wills: