J.D. Crossan redefining of “eschatology” in The Historical Jesus: Five Views (p. 109) stood out to me as one of the more agreeable aspects of his essay. This week I quote him where he wrote,
Eschatology is not about the destruction of the earth but about its transfiguration, not about the end of the world but about the end of evil, injustice, violence—and imperialism. I think of the eschaton as the Great Divine Clean-Up of the World. It is clear, I hope, that the kingdom is 100 percent political and 100 percent religious altogether and inextricably intertwined at the same time. It is ultimately about who runs this world and how, therefore, it should be run.
the archives near Emmaus 
Great quote. I have always seen eschatology as about the coming of the kingdom rule of God, which has already begun (and I might add it has been increasing for 2 millenia).
I also like how Lewis emphasised it at near the end of Perelandra:
That is a good quote. Lewis was more of a theologian that he gave himself credit for.
For some reason, people think that the hope of the scriptures is “going to heaven.” But it has always been and still is the hope of living under the rule of God in the promised land (in the middle east). The scriptures are consistent on this point.
But I don’t see the scriptures as being consistent on the rest of the world. In some places it appears that the unholy will be eliminated, whereas in other places, they seem to be merely subjugated, punished and humiliated but they continue to live on outside of the new Jerusalem. For example:
Rev 22:
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
This seems inconsistent with an earlier passage:
Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
The only precedent I can think of is the distinction made in the conquest of Canaan (which I can’t find right now) that the inhabitants of the land were to all be slaughtered while those in the nations around were only to be subjugated.
Any ideas?
All things in the old covenant pointed to greater promises to come in the new covenant. Christ and the new covenant make it quite clear that the land now given to God’s people is the whole earth. I’d say the kingdom worldview looks something like this:
a) The earth belongs to God (Ps 24:1)
b) The glory of God will fill the whole earth one day (Hab 2:14; Isa 11:9)
c) Jesus presently has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt 28:18-20)
d) The meek shall inherit the earth (Matt 5:5)
e) We proclaim the gospel of the kingdom telling people that God is reconciling humanity to Himself (2 Cor 5:18-21) and God is reconciling all creation to Himself of which one day He will make all things new (Rom 8; Rev 21:1-3; 21:5)
>>>…The meek shall inherit the earth (Matt 5:5)…
One thing to be careful about is that the word “earth” does not refer to the proper name of the planet, “Earth.” It refers to either the dry land (as opposed to the bottomless ocean from which it was formed), or, as in the verse above, the promised land. Jesus was just referring to the original promise of the land.
I agree, but it’s Crossan’s development of these themes that I have a problem with. 😉
TC,
I as well.
>>…I agree, but it’s Crossan’s development of these themes that I have a problem with.
Please clarify.
Thanks.