----- Original Message -----From: "Dominic Benincasa" <dino2819@juno.com>
To: <acts0412@msn.com>
Sent: Friday, September 07, 2001 7:17 PM
Subject: Re: Preterist Amillennial Heresy
"Matthew 10:23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come."
Dear Pastor Reckart:
The Preterists use this scripture to explain that Jesus returned in 70 A.D.
They make the statement that Jesus is saying that the disciples would not even have enough time to go over all of the cities of "Israel" before He had returned.
From what I could see, did not the disciples evangelize all of the cities of Israel, and did they not also establish churches?
Wasn't this done prior to the 70 A.D. massacre?
Now if they want to say that the scripture in Matthew 10:23 means "fleeing" Is Jesus telling the disciples that they will not be able to escape the destruction?
Interesting these Preterists
In Jesus name,
Bro. Dominic Benincasa
*****************************************
Response by Pastor Reckart
September 8, 2001Dear Brother Benincasa:
Figures never lie but liars always figure.
Once the preterist set up their lies that the second coming of Jesus was in 70AD they then look for text that would seem to prove Jesus would return before or at that time. They use Matthew 10:1-23 and other text to support their Catholic preterist heresy.
Matthew 10 is a text where Jesus sent out his 12 Apostles (Judas in this number) in a trial run of their own ministry. He sent them out to see how they would obey and carry out his word and doctrine. He sent them out with authority.
Take a look at this text slowly. In verse 2 he tells them to preach that the KINGDOM IS AT HAND! Remember Judas is in this number to preach this message.
Brother this is clear proof this text is "NOT" to be seen as a post resurrection event of Jesus and certainly not as a post day of Pentecost event, needed, if it is to be used to support a 70AD rapture and resurrection of the Church.
After the Resurrection of Jesus and the Day of Pentecost the Apostles were to preach the Kingdom had COME not that it was at hand. This shows us that the coming of Jesus in verse 23 is not his second coming but a different coming. Verse 2 then shows us that the Apostles were sent forth before the crucifixion, before the resurrection of Jesus, and before the day of Pentecost. And Judas was among them. Are we to believe this event takes place AFTER the day of Pentecost leading up tp 70AD? I do not think the text will support such a conclusion.
The Apostles were commanded not to go to the Gentiles but to the house of Israel (verse 5 & 6). If we apply this to the present day or to even the post day of Pentecost time period BEFORE 70AD, then the Gentiles were not to receive the Gospel or salvation by the preaching of the Apostles since this going forth was specifically NOT TO THE GENTILES. This means if we apply this text as the preterist do from Calvary to the coming of the Lord in 70AD, that the Apostles were commanded not to go to the Gentiles. Any going forth to the Gentiles before 70AD would have been a direct contradiction tot he command of Jesus! This contradicts the very words of Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20 to preach to all the world and make disciples. What then of the the Gentiles who were preached to and saved prior to 70AD?
The Apostles were sent forth throughout Israel and given power to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast of devils. They were to provide no money for their missionary work. They were to stay in homes where they were welcome. If they were not welcomed they were to shake off the dust of their feet against that house and city.
And, during this mission, if they were persecuted they were to flee to the next city and continue to carry out the work he sent them to accomplish. In the confines of this mission, Jesus tells them if they are persecuted they will not have fled over all the cities of Israel before he come. Does he mean here his second coming, or does he mean here that he would come and join them and stand this persecution with them? I believe the text forces us to have a different coming to them that is not the second coming announced in Acts 1 by the angel in white apparel. The second coming mentioned in Acts 1 is after Matthew 10:1-23 was over and in the past. By the time of Acts 1 and mention of a second coming, the Apostles had already gone forth and came back announcing that they had done many miracles and devils were subject unto them. There is no mention they had to flee and no mention they were persecuted.
His coming in Matthew 10:23 cannot be the second coming for several reasons. The first and foremost is that if so, the Gentiles were not to be preached to or received BEFORE THE SECOND COMING. Second, the Kingdom was only at hand and had not come. Third, Judas was among this number and Judas would have continued until 70AD as a part of the group sent out. According to the Catholic preterist heresy, this means the Church age before 70AD would not be the Kingdom and the Kingdom would not come then until after 70AD. We know this is a falsehood.
Peter was given the keys to the Kingdom in Matthew 16:19. We Apostolics preach that Acts 2:38 contains those keys. If the Kingdom was to come when Peter had the keys and during his life time, then he and the other Apostles were not to preach the Kingdom was at hand netween 30-70AD and would come only AFTER the Lord's second coming. Most preterist believe the Kingdom did not come until after the 70AD rapture and resurrection. This means Peter's keys would have been no good during his life time since the Kingdom to which he had been given the keys would not come until AFTER his own rapture and resurrection.
The preterist doctrine is a Catholic heresy.
Matthew 10:23 is then not a text or prophecy concerning the second coming and the tribulation.
Pastor Reckart