What Happened in 2023? (Part One)

Gary is interviewed by Darren Doane about what actually happened during the 2023 “Three Questions” controversy.

Traditionally, Christians have gotten their understanding of what passes for Biblical eschatology from the historic creeds, confessions of faith and catechisms of the Church, and from the various systematic theologies that have been written in the course of Church history per their abstracted “loci” (locus, “place”) method of doing theology where “eschatology” is the final category of theology dealt with. In my well-considered estimation, the methodology that was used to produce these various documents and treatises leaves a lot to be desired. In fact, it is what has created all of the confusion to begin with. But why would this be the case? In a matter such as Biblical eschatology, the various relevant Biblical texts cannot simply be gathered together in the abstract like picking cherries from a tree and then collated into “doctrine.” It is far from being that simple. Biblical eschatology, by definition, is the consummation of history and so, to be properly understood, the history in question has to be taken fully into account. But this then begs the question: What history or whose history is in view here?

Now, in terms of this traditional understanding, it has been the case that the presumed history in view is simply understood to be that of generic world history, with the focus, inevitably and without a doubt, on the “end of time/end of the world.” Now it is true, of course, that any events that occur on earth take place in the broader context of world history, but is this the specific history that the Scriptures themselves have in mind when it comes to their own understanding of eschatology? The foundational and operating thesis of what you are about to read in the various episodes of this book is that, No, it is not. The specific history that the Scriptures have in mind when it comes to the subject of Biblical eschatology is the redemptive history of Old Testament Israel! Note this well. By this history of redemption of OT Israel is meant the special or unique salvation history which starts with the call of and the promises made to Abraham and, thereafter, to the patriarchs of Israel (i.e., to Isaac and Jacob), as repeatedly stated in Genesis 12-50, and then runs on to its eschatological “telos” or goal in the person and work of Jesus as the Christ of Israel as Himself the fulfillment of all that was promised. The apostle Paul underscored this fact in Galatians 3:16:

“Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as referring to many, but rather to one, ‘And to your seed,’ that is, Christ.”

Paul confirmed this in his public testimonies found in Acts 26:6-7:

“And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our [i.e., Israel’s] fathers, the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve God night and day….”

And in 26:22-23:

“And so, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He should be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

Paul stated it most succinctly in Acts 28:20:

“For this reason therefore, I requested to see you and to speak with you [i.e., to ‘the leading men of the Jews’ in Rome, vs. 17], for I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope of Israel.”

Simeon, citing various parallel texts from the prophet Isaiah, expressed it all just as succinctly, in the context of Jesus being brought up to the temple to be presented to the Lord.

“Now Lord, Thou does let Thy bond-servant depart
In peace, according to Thy word;
For my eyes have seen Thy salvation,
Which Thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, A light of revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Thy people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).

For this “light of revelation to the Gentiles” (to the nations) was this “glory” that was of Yahweh’s people, Israel, and this “glory” that was in and of Israel was none other than the presence of Christ Himself!

The Hope of Israel and the Nations

The reader and student of the Bible must first understand the content of the New Testament writings in terms of how those in the first century would have understood it. The New Testament is written against the background of the Old Testament. The shadows of the Old were fulfilled in the reality of the New. All the rituals and ceremonies were fulfilled in Jesus. The same is true of the temple, land, blood sacrifices, the nature of redemption, the resurrection of the dead, the breaking down of the dividing wall dividing Jews and Gentiles, and so much more. The New Testament’s emphasis is on the finished work of Jesus and its application, not only to that Apostolic generation but to the world today.

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Gary is interviewed by Darren Doane about what actually happened during the 2023 “Three Questions” controversy. Gary summarizes his view of the whole situation and what he has learned from it. He gives background that is necessary to properly understand the entire conflict, which is essentially an in-house debate between adherents of classic Reformed Theology.

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