Understanding the “Comings” of Jesus: A Defense of Partial Preterism

One of the key questions in eschatology is how to understand the “comings” of Jesus described throughout the New Testament. Partial Preterism affirms that many of the time-texts and prophecies of Christ’s coming were fulfilled in the first century—particularly in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70—yet at the same time holds firmly to the future bodily return of Christ and the resurrection of the dead at the end of history.

Unfortunately, critics often confuse Partial Preterism with Full Preterism. But the distinction is vital: Partial Preterism takes the Bible’s time-statements seriously while remaining faithful to the historic Christian hope of Christ’s final coming and bodily resurrection.

All in the New Covenant Community Have the Holy Spirit

New Covenant Theology (NCT) has reshaped how I view the church, the Old Testament (OT), and God’s redemptive plan, particularly through the truth that all members of the New Covenant community have the Holy Spirit. This defining feature of the New Covenant, rooted in Scripture, distinguishes it from the Old Covenant and reveals the transformative power of Christ’s work. Below, I explore this theme, drawing on biblical texts and NCT principles to show why this truth is both theologically profound and personally meaningful.

Interpreting the Old Testament in Light of the New Testament

New Covenant Theology (NCT) offers a distinctive framework for understanding the relationship between the Old Testament (OT) and the New Testament (NT), emphasizing the centrality of Christ in interpreting Scripture. As a theological approach, NCT navigates a balanced path between the discontinuities of Dispensationalism and the strong continuity of traditional Covenant Theology. This perspective has profoundly shaped my approach to biblical interpretation, particularly in recognizing the NT as the authoritative lens through which the OT must be understood. Below, I outline how NCT guides the interpretation of the OT in light of the NT, grounding the discussion in key principles and scriptural examples.

The Kings of Revelation 17

One of the more puzzling passages in Revelation is found in chapter 17, where John speaks of seven kings:

“This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he does come he must remain only a little while. As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction.” (Revelation 17:9–11)

For many, this section is mysterious and difficult to untangle. But from a Partial Preterist perspective, this passage makes sense when placed in its first-century context. Rather than pointing to distant future empires thousands of years later, John is describing the line of Roman emperors leading up to the time of Nero and the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

The Case for an Early Date of Revelation

For centuries, many Christians assumed that the book of Revelation was written late in the first century, during the reign of Emperor Domitian (around AD 95). But there’s a growing case — historically, textually, and theologically — that John actually wrote Revelation much earlier, in the late 60s, just before the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

If true, this dramatically changes how we read Revelation, placing much of its prophecy in the shadow of the most earth-shattering event in Jewish history: the fall of the Temple.

Not Under the Law of Moses

New Covenant Theology (NCT) is a Christian theological framework that emphasizes a significant shift from the Old Covenant, centered on the Law of Moses, to the New Covenant established by Jesus Christ. Unlike other theological systems that may see partial continuity by dividing the Mosaic Law into moral, civil, and ceremonial categories, NCT views the Mosaic Law as a unified whole that has been fulfilled and replaced by Christ’s work. Christians, therefore, are not bound by the Mosaic Law but are guided by the "law of Christ," which consists of Jesus’ teachings and the apostolic writings in the New Testament. This perspective is rooted in passages like Hebrews 8:13, which states the old covenant is obsolete, and Romans 10:4, where Christ is described as the culmination of the law for those who believe.

Why Nero Caesar Was the 666 of Revelation

When people hear “666,” most immediately think of some shadowy, future world leader — maybe an antichrist who hasn’t even been born yet. I understand why, because that’s the way many modern prophecy books have framed it. But as a partial preterist, I believe that’s not at all what John intended. Revelation was a letter written to real first-century Christians, facing real persecution, and its cryptic symbols pointed to people and events in their time.

And when you examine the evidence without 21st-century lenses, the case is compelling: the beast of Revelation 13 — the one whose number is 666 — was the Roman Emperor Nero Caesar.

Christ at the Center: God’s Unified Plan of Redemption

New Covenant Theology (NCT) presents a compelling vision of God’s redemptive plan, emphasizing that from eternity past to the consummation of history, God’s purpose has been singularly focused on Jesus Christ as the centerpiece of His saving work. Unlike frameworks that fragment God’s plan into distinct dispensations or covenants with varying purposes, NCT affirms one cohesive plan of redemption, rooted in Christ’s person and work, through which God reconciles humanity to Himself. This perspective highlights the unity of Scripture, portraying the Old and New Testaments as a continuous narrative culminating in the New Covenant established by Jesus.

There is No Tripartite Division of the Law

The Tripartite Division of the Law, a framework central to Covenant Theology, categorizes the Mosaic Law into moral, ceremonial, and civil components, asserting that the moral law, exemplified by the Ten Commandments, remains perpetually binding on believers, while the ceremonial and civil laws are fulfilled in Christ and thus obsolete. This approach seeks to harmonize the continuity and discontinuity between the Old and New Testaments but encounters significant biblical and logical challenges. In contrast, New Covenant Theology (NCT) posits that the Mosaic Law, in its entirety, has been fulfilled by Christ and superseded by the law of Christ, offering a more coherent and scripturally grounded interpretive framework.

The Old Covenant Was Temporary

I’ve often found myself tangled in questions about how the Old Covenant applies to me today. Coming from a perspective shaped by Covenant Theology, I initially saw the Old Covenant as part of a seamless, overarching plan of redemption. But the more I studied, the more I struggled with its relevance to my life as a modern believer. It was New Covenant Theology that began to unravel these tensions, offering clarity by emphasizing the temporary nature of the Old Covenant and the surpassing beauty of the New Covenant in Christ.

Defending Partial Preterism

I’ve found Partial Preterism to offer a compelling and coherent framework for understanding the New Testament’s prophetic passages. Unlike Futurism, which projects most of these prophecies into a distant future, Partial Preterism sees many of them as fulfilled in the first century, particularly around the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. This perspective not only aligns with the historical context of the New Testament but also respects the urgency and immediacy in the texts. Below, I’ll explore key passages often debated between Partial Preterists and Futurists, arguing why Partial Preterism provides a more consistent interpretation.

Why Partial Preterism Best Explains "This Generation" in the Olivet Discourse

As a former follower of Shepherd’s Chapel, I once viewed the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21) through a premillennial, futurist lens, expecting Jesus’ words about “this generation” (Matthew 24:34) to point to a distant future. But my journey led me to Partial Preterism from a New Covenant Theology perspective, which I now believe offers the most faithful and coherent explanation of Jesus’ prophecy. Below, I contrast premillennial/futurist views with Partial Preterism, showing why the latter best accounts for the historical, biblical, and theological context of “this generation.”