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As we approach Advent once more, we are confronted with issues around the End of the World. What was Jesus talking about in Matthew 24 and Mark 13? Did he and his earliest followers expect the world to end in their lifetime? What about popular ideas like the ‘rapture’ and the ‘tribulation’? Are they found … Continue Reading
Martyn Whittock is a historian who has written two fascinating books about end times expectation through history, The End Times, Again? 2000 Years of the Use & Misuse of Biblical Prophecy and its impact on the radicalisation of politics, Apocalyptic Politics: A Taproot of Political Radicalization and Populism. In this video, he asks me all the … Continue Reading
I recently recorded a ‘fireside chat’ on the Book of Revelation for a conference of the Christian Residential Network. Keith Hagon asked me a number of questions, including the ones below. For fuller exploration, see my Grove booklet and my IVP Tyndale commentary. (On some of these questions, see also the articles on this blog … Continue Reading
With the advent of Advent on Sunday, we make the move in the lectionary from Year C to Year A. So, after journeying through Luke all year, this Sunday’s gospel reading comes from Matthew, Matt 24.36-44. This short section of text contains some important ideas and images, but we cannot make sense of them without … Continue Reading
With the advent of Advent on Sunday, we make the move in the lectionary from Year C to Year A. So, after journeying through Luke all year, this Sunday’s gospel reading comes from Matthew, Matt 24.36-44. This short section of text contains some important ideas and images, but we cannot make sense of them without … Continue Reading
I was due to be at Lee Abbey in Devon this week, teaching on eschatology (thinking about ‘the last things’) and the end of the world. Sadly, Covid prevented me going, so I recorded five videos and did two Zoom question and answer sessions. The five videos are embedded below; the Zoom sessions were not … Continue Reading
Over the last two years, there seems to have been a heightened interest in certain circles in discussion of the ‘end times’—and there is no doubt that this will continue. Many Christians don’t know how to respond to or engage with this, and without a better understanding of what the New Testament says, unhelpful and … Continue Reading
Yesterday I was the guest on the hour-long ‘Bible surgery’ on Premier Christian Radio, hosted by Maria Rodrigues and recorded over Zoom. It was the first time that I had worked with Maria, and she is a lovely person! Although the programme was an hour long, with songs and breaks my contribution was about 35 … Continue Reading
With the advent of Advent on Sunday (!) we make the move in the lectionary from Year C to Year A. So, after journeying through Luke all year, this Sunday’s gospel reading comes from Matthew, Matt 24.36-44. This short section of text contains some important ideas and images, but we cannot make sense of them … Continue Reading
How should we respond to forecasts of the end of the world and a coming apocalypse? Will there be a ‘tribulation’ and a ‘rapture’? And what does the Bible really say about the end of the world and the return of Jesus?
These questions keep swirling around—but it is not always easy to find sensible answers.
In this accessible study morning, we will look carefully at the teaching of Jesus, Paul and others in the New Testament to see what they really thought. It turns out that expectation of ‘the end’ was important to the first followers of Jesus—but in ways very different from what we might find in the latest Hollywood blockbuster.
There always seems to be a rash of ‘end times speculation’ material coming to us from across the pond. The latest one is all about the mystery planet Nabiru, the alignment of planets and constellations, and a bad misreading of Revelation 12—but we don’t actually need to worry about that one. Three years ago we … Continue Reading
Ian Paul: theologian, author, speaker, academic consultant. Adjunct Professor, Fuller Theological Seminary; Associate Minister, St Nic's, Nottingham; Managing Editor, Grove Books; member of General Synod. Mac user; chocoholic. Tweets at @psephizo
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