“FOUR Reasons why I cannot BELIEVE
THE 70AD doctrine”
Some good brethren in the church have become
obsessed with the 70AD doctrine to the point of making it a hobbyhorse. Simply stated, the 70 AD doctrine teaches
that all prophecies were fulfilled by 70 AD.
This means that the second coming of Jesus, the resurrection, and the
Day of Judgment happened at the destruction of
1.
The 70AD doctrine teaches that the resurrection happened at the destruction of
We learn from Paul that at the
resurrection we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye and we will have an
incorruptible body (1 Cor. 15:50-54).
Paul also tells us that a Christian’s citizenship is in heaven and how
they were eagerly waiting for Jesus’ return so that he would transform their
lowly bodies and conform them to His glorious body (Phil. 3:20-21). John agrees with this when he says, “when
Christ is revealed, we shall be like Him and see Him as He is” (1 Jn.
3:2). Have these things already happened
as the 70AD doctrine teaches? If they
have, I personally am not impressed with this new glorious body that is suppose to be immortal and incorruptible. Are you?
Obviously, the resurrection has not happened yet.
During Jesus earthly ministry, the
Sadducees were trying to trap Jesus in a question about the resurrection. Jesus responded to them by saying, "The sons of this age marry, and are given in
marriage. But those who are counted
worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither
marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal
to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection” (Luke 20:34-36). Jesus’ words here are a big deathblow to the 70AD
doctrine. Notice, at the resurrection we
will not marry or be given in marriage.
We cannot die anymore and we are equal with angels. First of all, it’s obvious that we are still
marrying, giving in marriage, and we are still dying. Now if the 70AD advocates try to make dying a
spiritual concept, then this means we cannot sin, because sin is what causes
spiritual death (Rom. 6:23). Are you
ready to accept such a notion? Did the
resurrection happen in 70AD? Absolutely
not!
2. The 70 AD doctrine teaches
that Jesus second coming and judgment was at the destruction of
At
the second coming all will be resurrected (John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15, 1Cor.
15:50-54), all will be judged (Mat. 25: 31-46; 2 Tim. 4:1; Jude 15; John
12:48), and all the righteous will be caught up in the air with Jesus and be
with him forever (1 Thes. 4:17; John 14:2-3; Phil. 3:20-21). When we all stand at the judgment seat of
Christ, we will all bow to him and confess to God that Jesus is His Son (Rom.
14:10-11). There will be no more death,
tears, sorrows, or pains (Rev. 21:4; 1 Cor. 15:26). When Jesus comes, He will come like a thief
in the night and there will be no escape (1Thes. 5:1-3). The earth will be burned up with fervent heat
(2 Peter 3:10-13). Did any of these
things happen in 70AD? Of course not. If the
final judgment has already occurred, as the 70AD doctrine teaches, then
there is nothing we can do for the saved or the lost because everyone has
already been separated to eternal life or eternal punishment (Mat. 25:46).
Another
big problem for the 70AD doctrine is that it does not have any early historical
evidence. There is not one shred of
early Christian writing to prove that Christians believed that Jesus’ second
coming happened at 70AD. Instead, the
following writers from about 75 AD to 150 AD all spoke of Jesus’ second coming
as a future event: Justin Martyer, Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Polycarp (a student and
friend of the apostle John), Irenaeus, and Hippolytus.
One would think he would find at least one early church writer that expressed
the 70AD view if it were true. However, one cannot be produced. Was Jesus’ second coming in 70AD? Absolutely not!
3.
The 70AD doctrine teaches that all prophecy was fulfilled by 70AD and that the
law was still in effect for the Jews until that time. To make this
whole argument crumble all one needs to do is produce one prophecy that was
fulfilled after 70AD. Before I do that,
I want to show that the verse they take out of context to support their view
does not teach what they say it does. "For
assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is
fulfilled” (Matt. 5:18). Those who hold the AD 70 view will say, “see the law cannot pass away until all is fulfilled.” In order to understand what is being said
here lets examine the context. In Matthew 5: 17 Jesus
said, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the
Prophets. I did not come to destroy but
to fulfill.” In this passage Jesus tells us that He did not come to destroy the law
but to fulfill it. With this in mind, we
can understand that in verse 18 the law will not pass away until Jesus fulfills
it. Jesus wanted to make sure his
disciples understood this, so after he was raised from dead, he said the
following. "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that
all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me" (Luke 24:44). Jesus’ point that
He is trying to get across to His disciples is this. Remember when I said the law would not pass
away till all was fulfilled (Matt. 5:17-18)?
That has now happened! This same thought is also found in Acts 13:27-29. This harmonizes perfectly with the numerous
Scriptures that state that the Old Covenant was replaced with the New Covenant
at the death of Jesus (Heb. 9:15; Heb. 8:6-7; Gal. 3:23-25). The handwriting of requirements of the law
were nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14) and put to death in his flesh (Eph.
2:14-16). Paul tells us that the
Christians before 70AD were no longer under the law (Rom. 6:15; Rom. 7:1-6;
8:1-4). Those Christians who believed in
Jesus and were led by the spirit were no longer under the law (Rom. 10:4; Gal.
5:18). Finally, Paul proclaimed that if
Christians tried to go back to the law for justification they would fall from
grace (Gal. 5:4). Although the law was
still being practiced by some of the Jews, its authority ended at the cross and
the New Covenant took its place. Contrary to the 70AD doctrine, we have clearly
seen that the law was fulfilled at the point of Christ’s death and not at the
fulfillment of all prophecy.
Now let us look at one fulfilled prophecy that happened almost
400 years after 70AD. As we look at this, please remember that if I can show one
prophecy that was fulfilled after AD 70, then the whole belief system crumbles. In Daniel 2, we four different kingdoms are
presented. The fourth kingdom is
described as having legs of iron and its feet being partly iron and clay (vs.
33). We learn that this fourth kingdom
would be in power at the time the church/kingdom would be setup (vs. 44). Without a doubt, this fourth kingdom is the
4.
The 70AD doctrine teaches that the kingdom started at Pentecost but did not
come with power or was not established until 70AD. Mark
tells us that some of those standing in the presence
of Christ would not die before the kingdom would come with power (Mark
9:1). Luke tells us that the power and
the spirit would come together (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8). We learn that the power and spirit came at
the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) and that was when the kingdom/church was
established with power. The kingdom did
not have to wait until 70AD to have power or to be established. The Bible does not speak of the kingdom
starting without power. The Hebrew
writer tells us that Jesus’ New Covenant was established on better promises
(Heb. 8:6). Notice, it did not say that
it was to be established,
but that it was established. You
cannot find a biblical example where someone thought that the kingdom/church
was lacking power or was not yet established.
The church was established on the bedrock of Jesus Christ (Mat.
16:18). Jesus is the head of the kingdom/church
(Col. 1:18) and he has all authority over heaven and earth (Mat. 28:18). I do not see how anyone could say that
Christ’ kingdom was lacking power until 70AD.
Paul informs us that Jesus already had power and glory before 70AD
(1Cor. 5:4; Eph. 1:19-23; 1 Pet.1:20-21).
Paul didn’t view the church as lacking power or anticipating a future
power. Instead, he said that they had
the power now (Eph. 3:20). Paul told the
Colossians that God had delivered them out of darkness and had translated them
into the kingdom of the son of his love (Col. 1:13). Now the 70 AD advocates will say that the
kingdom was incomplete at this time, but notice what Paul says about these
Christians who had been translated into the kingdom. Paul said,
“you are complete in Him, who is the head of all
principality and power” (Col. 2:10). How
could Paul say that these Christians were complete in the kingdom if the
kingdom was not to be completed until 70AD?
The reason Paul could say this is because the Bible does not teach what
the 70AD advocates want it to teach.
Paul tells us that Jesus must reign until He comes again (1Cor.
15:23-25). At that time He will hand the
kingdom over to the Father and He will cease to be a mediator (1 Cor.
15:28). If this occurred at 70AD, then we
should not be praying in the name of Jesus but directly to God. Please notice that Paul tells us when this
happens there will be no more death (1Cor. 15:26). I have pointed this out already, but it is
worth saying again. If this refers to
physical death then we should not be dying.
If it refers to spiritual death then we cannot sin.
The
70AD advocates try to use Luke 17:20-21 to support their view.
Notice what this passage says, “Now when
He was asked by the Pharisees when the
We could examine how the Bible teaches that we are in the
last days right now (Joel 2:28-30; Acts 2:16) or talk about how we are to
partake of the Lords Supper until he comes (1 Cor. 11:26).We could look at more
arguments like these, but these four should be enough to show that the Bible
simply does not support the 70AD doctrine.