Bethel bible college

Subject: Jesus Tradition in Johannine Writings.

Topic: Realized and Future Eschatology.
Submitted to: Ms. Keziah Glory.
Presenters: Sulochana, Rajesh, Bhaskar, Jackson, Frincibarth. (Group.4).
Respondents: Walton, Devanand, Lalrinhua, Timothy, Lordson, Yacob. (Group.6).

Contents:

Introduction.
1. What is Eschatology definition.
2. Nature of Eschatology in the New Testament.
2.1. In Synoptics.
2.2. In Pauline.
3. Eschatology in Johannine Literature.
4. Realized Eschatology.
4.1. Salvation.
4.2. Parousia.
4.3. Heaven.
5. Future eschatology.
5.1. Death
5.2. Last Hour.
5.3. Resurrection.
6. Scholastic view.
7. Reflection and Theological significance.
Conclusion.

1
Introduction:
The term eschatology, formed from the Gk adjective eschatos (meaning “last,”
“final”) was coined in the early 19 th century by theologians to refer to that part of systematic
theology which deals with Christian beliefs concerning death, the afterlife, judgment, and the
resurrection, i.e.. individual eschatology. The term is now used more broadly to refer to the
whole constellation of beliefs and conceptions about the end of history and the transformation of
the world which particularly characterized early Judaism, and early Christianity, and Islam, i.e.,
cosmic eschatology.
1. What is Eschatology Definition?
Eschatology is relatively a recent theological term, which refers to the end and
goal of history. Abraham Calovius apparently coined it in Germany for use in his dogmatic
theology. In 1677. Later in the early nineteenth century, it was primarily used as a label for that
aspect of systematic theology which deals with topics relating to the future of the individual and.
Topics relating to corporate or national eschatology, that is, the future of the Christian church or
the Jewish people (e.g. the coming of the Messiah, the great tribulation, resurrection, judgment,
the second coming of Christ the temporary Messianic Kingdom, the recreation of the universe).
Literally, the Greek word tozatos means “last” or “farthest” and fogata means “last things”.
Thus, eschatology denotes the doctrine or science of last things. Eschatology, in the individual
sense, specifies on the ultimate destiny of the individual, that is, the fate of the individual at
death. In the collective echelon, it resides on the fate of the particular community that hold on to
the eschatological hope. In the ever-swinging scholarly pendulum, however, the Term
“eschatology” has been credited with varying nuances. They are mostly dictated by theological
agendas apparently prompted by theological, contextual, linguistic reasons. Hence, the
“eschatology” is defined both in narrower and broader sense. While the narrower definition is
governed by the belief in the end of the world, the broader definition endeavours to include all
future hope for “a new order of things.
Eschatology in the narrow sense augurs well with the plain meaning of its Greek root
fogator that deals with temporally final and irreversible realities. S. Mowinckel and some others
grasp the term in the narrower sense. If a narrower definition is used to measure the features of
Old Testament, then it embodies eschatological elements only at the very fringes. But if a
broader definition is employed, then eschatology is considerably found even in the Old
Testament faith “ Therefore, many scholars, overlooking its etymological meaning, opt for
broader definition to accommodate the Old Testament perspectives on the future into the
purview of eschatology. Thus, eschatology, in the broader sense, as represented by J. Lindblom
and others, refers to a future in which the circumstances of history are changed to such an extent
that one can speak of an entirely different state of things, without, in so doing, necessarily
leaving the framework of history. Th. C. Vriezen too argues for a broader definition.
But eschatology can also be used in a wider sense, to denote the faith that knows of a
new kingdom, a new world, even if there is no question here of the Destruction of the kosmos

2
and even if we see that it is all enacted within the framework of this one world of God. For future
and end, for later and last Hebrew thought has only one word, ‘aharit, just as it has only one
word for prehistoric time and the past (qedemt) and for always and for eternity (‘olam).”
Also, since the tension between the present and future is interpreted in diverse ways, the
term eschatology has been qualified with adjectives such as consistent, imminent, apocalyptic,
thoroughgoing, futurist, prophetic, realised, in the process of realisation, inaugurated or fulfilled.
In this backdrop, definitions have been proposed in the scholarly debate that makes the meaning
of the term (“eschatology”) very complex and vague. I.H. Marshall enlists a number of meanings
that have been attributed to the terms ‘eschatology’ and ‘eschatological.1
2. Nature of Eschatology in the New Testament:
Many New Testament scholars see John Gospel as presenting the realized or
present eschatology that futuristic view is absent. However, there cannot be such unanimity and
instant conclusion. Generally speaking, there are three views regarding the occurrence of the
Kingdom of God or eschatology or eternal life.2
2.1. In Synoptics:
In the synoptic gospel, Jesus' teaching hints more towards eschatology about
the Kingdom of God that has already been realized into history in Jesus' person and eternal life in
the Kingdom of God, that belongs to the Age to Come (Mk. 10:17-30). Therefore the coming of
the Son of Man in the clouds with power and great glory (Mk 13:26), to gather his people in
eschatological Kingdom (Mk. 13:27), the great tribulation that align with time of messianic woes
(Mk. 13:19ff) were given much emphasized.3
2.2. In Pauline:
Pauline letters are widely regarded as authentic (Rom, 1—2 Cor, Gal, Phil, 1
Thess, Phim). The other six letters, however, including the Pastoral Epistles (1-2 Tim: Titus), as
well as Eph, Col, and 2 Thess (all written during the last quarter of the 1 st century C.. or later),
are in all probability pseudonymous and reflect the later thought of various individuals and of
Christians sympathetic to Paul. Groups Though these six letters are valuable sources for the trans
mission and development of Pauline traditions, they can- not serve as primary sources for Paul’s
own thought. Acts, though emphasizing the travels, teaching, and preaching of Paul, is of unesen
and uncertain historical reliability and can be used as evidence for Pauline thought only When
supported by the authentic letters.
There are several problems involved in evaluating the role which eschatology plays in
the Pauline letters. First, since it is difficult to place the seven authentic Pauline letters in relative
1
S. Sobanaraj, Diversity in Paul's Eschatology(Kashmere Cate:ISPCK, 2007),10-11.
2
H. Joseph Lalfakmawia, Re-Reading the Gospel of John (Kolkata:2013),122.
3
Donald Guthrie, New Testament Theology (Hyderabad: Authentic, 2014),879.

3
chronological order, the varying eschatological emphasis in them (eg, the Parousia is not men-
tioned in Galatians) has led to various hypotheses of the development of Pauline eschatology
(Hurd 1967: Longe necker 1985) Second, there is the problem of deciding on the center of Paul’s
thought and of determining whether apocalypticism is that center (Beker 1980: 15-18: 1982 10),
or what the relationship is between apocalypticism and that center.4
3. Eschatology in Johannine Literature:
The eschatology of John is dominated by the presence of Jesus, who
demands decision and belief on the part of characters in the narrative as well as on the part of the
readers (John 20:30-311. A positive response to this invitan results in the present appropriation
and enjoyment of the eschatological gift of eternal life. Just as in the Senoptic Gospels, the title
messiah is of central significance for the Christology of the Fourth Gospel (20:30 (), since for the
Fourth Evangelist the coming of the Messiah is an essential aspect of Jewish eschatological
expectation (1:20, 25, 41: 3:28, 4:25, 29: 7:26 1, 31, 41 E 9:22 10:24) These references,
however, tell us more about the Christian conception of the messianic role of 91). Jesus than they
do about early 1st-century Jewish messianic expectation. Since the author clearly identified Jesus
with the Christian conception of the Messiah of Jewish expectation (20:31), the title functions as
a key to understanding the realized eschatology of John.
Though "Christ" is twice used as a name for Jesus (1:17: 17:31. a usage characteristic
of Paul, the term messiah is also used in a creedal or confessional way (9:22 11:27; 20:31). Many
aspects of traditional future eschatology are found in John. Several times reference is made to "I
will raise him up on the last day (6:39, 40, 44, 54). Two aspects of the Parousia of Jesus are
described in 14:23. The future resurrection is referred to in 5.28-29. The second coming is
mentioned in 14:5 and 21:21-23. Judgment is referred to in 12:48, the Parousia in 14:18. The
element of futurity is possibly retained in John 4:14, 36: 5:29. 39, 6:27; 12:25, 1 John 2:25.
While the Gk text of the gospel of John contains eschatological statements which refer both to
the present and to the future, the phenomenon of "realized eschatology is dearly dominant. Since
realized eschatology refers to the realization in present experience of blessings normally
regarded as belonging to the eschatological future, the author and the community he represents
have trans formed traditional Christian eschatology.5

4. Realized Eschatology:
According to Brown, John emphasizes things that have already begun; his
eschatology is in part already realized (3:18; 5:24-25; 7:12: 9:16; 10:19-21: 12-31-33; 14:1-3,
18-20; 17:3).” According to Dodd, Jesus preached only a present kingdom, and the supposed

4
David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Bible Dictionary(New York: A Division of Bantam Doubleday,1992),602.
5
David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Bible Dictionary(New York: A Division of Bantam Doubleday,1992),605-
606.

4
references to a future kingdom must be understood in an already realized sense.” Some of the
realized eschatologies are as follows:6
3.1. Salvation.
Rand states that participation in the mutual life of Jesus and the Father
through knowing, loving, And abiding constitutes realized salvation. Believing enables us to
understand Jesus’ identity (14:1) and experiences salvation now (14:10). And the consequence of
believing in him results in a mutual relationship of knowing Jesus and being known by him
(14:7, 17). These are the components of realized salvation to commit personal freedom. 7
3.2. Parousia.
Dodd states that Jesus foretells his own coming in John 14:3. Some have seen
Christ’s coming to his people at death or in the person of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, thus
providing a future coming. This interpretation may claim some support from verse 18, where the
reference is not specific to the second coming of Christ. In John 16:16, Jesus said, “A little
while, and you will no longer see me, again a little while, and you will see me.” Here, the idea is
present. Some scholars refer Jesus speaks of a coming again in the coming of Paraclete” (14:18)
to this Parousia.” However, Aune argues that all Jesus’ sayings in the Johannine about his
parousia seem insufficient for excluding the possibility that a future coming is envisioned.” For
Ladd, Jesus’ words about coming of the Paraclete and his eschatological coming both reflect the
tension between realized and futuristic eschatology.8
3.3. Heaven.
Jesus himself is central to the concept of heaven. In John 6, the “bread of
heaven” applies in a physical sense to the manna in the wilderness, in which case, heaven means
from above the earth. Jesus claimed to be the bread from heaven’ to provide life, the spiritual
provision guaranteed life forever (6:58). Naturally, the process begins in this life but can reach
its goal only in eternal life. In the mind of Jesus, the primary idea of heaven for believers is the
idea of an eternal home John assures that when we see Christ, we shall be like him (1 Jn. 3:2),
which is regarded as a hope for the present.9
4. Future Eschatology.
Moule views that the present-future tension represents shifts of emphasis
between individual and collective sayings. Some of the future eschatologies are as follows.
4. 1. Death.

6
D. E. Aune, The Cultic Setting of Realized Eschatology in Early Christianity (Leiden: Brill, 1972), 129.
7
Raymond E. Brown, The Gospel and Epistles of John: A Concise Commentary (Minnesota: Liturgical,1988),
19.
8
CH. Dodd, The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel (Cambridge: CUP, 1954), 147-148.
9
Donald Guthrie, New Testament Theology (Hyderabad: Authentic, 2014),879.

5
 Morris comments that the death in John 8:51 is an emphatic position.”
Marsh adds, the Jews thought that Jesus promoted a way of escaping from physical death.
However, it is clear from the consequence that Jesus was not thinking of physical death. Rather
the spiritual death, which his followers would not experience in the future. Jesus also predicted
what kind of death Peter would die as a means by which he would glorify God (21:15-19). The
Johannine focus more on the quality of having eternal life than worrying about the present
physical death.10
4.2. Last Hour.
Marshall states that in 1 John 2:18, there is a reference to the last hour,
which is related to the antichrist's coming," John saw the false teachers of his day as antichrists
that are possessed by the spirit of the antichrist; the same still lay in the future. Guthrie mentions
that the expression which John uses can be understood in two ways. It could mean the same as
the last days. generally understood of the period linking the ascension with the parousia. Or it
could refer to the last stage of the last days." However, for both ways, it points toward future
eschatology future eschatology.11
4.3. Resurrection.
According to Ladd, resurrection involves both a future objective event
and a present spiritual reality (11:25-26) that exist in Christ. The resurrection of Lazarus can be a
matter of subjective enjoyment here and now and an objective reality in the eschatological
consummation. It is affirmed that those who enjoy the present reality of life will be raised out of
the grave in the future in a bodily resurrection. There can be two stages of life-life in the present
in the spiritual realm and life in the future in the resurrection of the body. The significant of
resurrection is reflected upon Jesus' resurrection as a real bodily resurrection. John emphasizes
the fact that Jesus' resurrection body bore the scars of crucifixion (20-25-27).12
5. Scholastic view:
6. Theology significance:
Conclusion:
As we have discussed above we come to our understanding that the Johannine vision
of consummation emphasized on realized eschatology but does not deny future eschatology. The
revelation of God is made known to us in Jesus Christ, the Son, where Jesus is given the
authority to judge. The eschatology truth in John is all about Christ, his death, heaven, judgment,
eternal life, resurrection, or his return.
Hope is in Christ when struggle with the meaning of life or the fear of death,
reminding us of How much it is important for us to be aware of our present lifestyle to have a

10
Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, NICNT (Grand Rapid Eerdmans, 1971), 469.
11
I. H. Marshall, The Epistle of John, NICNT (Michigan: Eerdmans, 1978), 148.
12
Raymond E. Brown, S.S., The Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to John(New York:
Doubleday,1966), 219-220.

6
better and perfect Future tomorrow. We will be in one with the Father and Son and with each
other.

Bibliography:

Sobanaraj, S. Diversity in Paul’s Eschatology. Kashmere Cate:ISPCK, 2007.

Lalfakmawia, H. Joseph. Re-Reading the Gospel of John. Kolkata:2013.
Guthrie, Donald. New Testament Theology. Hyderabad: Authentic, 2014.
Freedman, Noel David. The Anchor Bible Dictionary New York: A Division of Bantam
Doubleday,1992.
Aune, E. D. The Cultic Setting of Realized Eschatology in Early Christianity. Leiden: Brill,
1972.
Brown, E. Raymond. The Gospel and Epistles of John: A Concise Commentary Minnesota:
Liturgical,1988.
Dodd, CH. The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel. Cambridge: CUP, 1954.
Guthrie, Donald. New Testament Theology. Hyderabad: Authentic, 2014.
Morris, Leon. The Gospel According to John. NICNT Grand Rapid Eerdmans, 1971.
Marshall, I. H. The Epistle of John. NICNT Michigan: Eerdmans, 1978.
Brown, Raymond E. The Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to John. New York:
Doubleday,1966.