The Transformation of Early Christianity from an Eschatological to a Socialized Movement: A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Arts and Literature in Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of PhilosophyEdwards, Lyford P. (Lyford Paterson)
Religion
The Transformation of Early Christianity from an Eschatological to a Socialized Movement: A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Arts and Literature in Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Edwards, Lyford P. (Lyford Paterson)
Christian sociology -- History -- Early church, ca. 30-600; Eschatology -- History of doctrines; Theology -- History -- Early Church, ca. 30-600
In the first century A.D., still confining ourselves to specifically
Jewish Apocalyptic literature we find various changes taking place. The
eternal Messianic kingdom passes largely out. The temporary Messianic
kingdom becomes an eternal national one. The interest of the individual
Jew comes to center on his own lot in the future life.[4] We have to
pass a number of writers; Assumption of Moses, Philo, etc., before we
come to the specific statement of Chiliasm proper, i.e., the duration of
the Messianic kingdom for 1000 years. In the Book of The Secrets of
Enoch commonly known as II Enoch (1-50 A.D.) we find for the first time
the doctrine which was taken over to make the Christian Millennium. The
writer of II Enoch was an Egyptian Jew. He says that as the world was
made in six days, its course will run for six thousand years. The 6000
years will be followed by a Messianic kingdom of rest and blessedness
lasting 1000 years. After that follows the final judgment, "The great
day of the Lord."
Passing now to the New Testament, it is only necessary for our purpose
to enumerate three different concepts of the Messianic kingdom that are
found therein. In these concepts contemporaneous Jewish ideas are taken
with more or less transformation.
The first conception perhaps holds the idea of a present world kingdom
but puts emphasis on the futurity of the kingdom. Its ultimate
consumation is not by gradual, natural development, but by the
catastrophic reappearance of Christ. This Second Advent is to be
preceded by tremendous portents of the most terrible sort.
The second conception is that the kingdom is already present in Christ's
appearance as the Messiah. It is to grow by the natural laws of
spiritual development to its full realization. A considerable length of
time is conceived as necessary for the attainment of mature growth. The
consumation of the kingdom in the Second Advent is to be unexpected and
sudden and none but the Father knows when it will take place.
The third conception, that of Chiliasm, is that the Second Advent of
Christ is close at hand. Anti Christ and his confederates are to be
destroyed at Megiddo. Satan is to be bound for 1000 years during which
is the Millennium, when the martyrs are raised in the first resurrection
and reign with Christ at Jerusalem. This conception is found in the
Revelation and perhaps I Cor. XV, 24-27. All the essential elements of
it are to be found in pre-existing sources, e.g., the 1000 years in II
Enoch, the reign of the saints in Testaments of the XII Patriarchs, etc.
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