John Gill

A “perfect” condition requires “perfect” people, a “perfect” relationship to God, and “perfect” knowledge. Paul envisioned all these for the saints: But when that which is perfect (Gk. teleios) has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a…

The AD 70 blog has come full circle. We published our first post on Nov. 3, 2016. Our fourth post appeared on the last Wednesday of that month. Since then, the Lord has blessed us to post each Wednesday for 129 consecutive weeks. We have covered much ground. Our first…

“The Synoptic Gospels give more details of the teaching of Jesus on this Tuesday in the Temple and on the Mount of Olives than for any other single day.” Matthew devotes more than four chapters to those details (Matt 21:19–25:46). Our last post (here) discussed the four questions in Matt 22.…

Matthew 22 shows a theological battle between Jesus and the apostate Jewish leaders of his day. The skirmishes comprise four rounds of Q&A. They occurred on Tuesday of Passion Week in AD 30. We have seen two in previous posts. We will review these before looking at the other two. Question 1…

Matthew 22 continues showing what Jesus did on the Tuesday of Passion Week. Here, the Lord again teaches about the kingdom of heaven. He uses a story about a wedding feast to do so. Here is his parable: And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The…

Matthew’s gospel emphasizes the kingdom of heaven. “The central emphasis of the book is found in what is designated (uniquely in the Gospels) as … ‘the gospel of the kingdom’ (Matt 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; cf. 26:13).” To understand the gospel, we must understand the kingdom. In Matthew 19, Jesus uses four…

The long-awaited kingdom of heaven was coming. The disciples had heard John the Baptist announce its approach (Matt 3:1–2). They had listened when Jesus confirmed this message as he preached the gospel of the kingdom (Matt 4:17, 23; 9:35). Jesus had taught them the ethics of the new age in…

The transfiguration (Matt 17:1–9) provides subtle confirmations of inmillennialism. As a vision (Matt 17:9), it showed the passing away of the Mosaic age. The law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah) would disappear. The messianic age (Jesus) would take their place. Peter linked this transition to Christ’s parousia (2 Pet 1:16–18). Inmillennialism’s…

Many scriptural passages make our need for a better prophetic model obvious. They are like boulders in our interpretive paths. Our last post (here) discussed one of them (i.e., Matt 16:27–28).  Other passages are more subtle. Their obstacles lie below the surface. We must excavate to see how they show…

One atheist used Matthew 16:27–28 to explain his rejection of Christianity. Speaking to the South London Branch of the National Secular Society in 1927, Bertrand Russell said, I do not believe that one can grant either the superlative wisdom or the superlative goodness of Christ as depicted in the Gospels;…