Josephus, Church Fathers, and Reformers on Daniel's 70 Weeks - A Source List of Quotations

[anastasis888]

Greetings, fellow disciples and students. Here is a source list of quotes from Josephus, Church Fathers, and Reformers on Daniel's 70 weeks in light of Matthew 24:15 that I was able to compile. There are probably more, but this is what I was able to find in the major works. All of them together were unified on the doctrine that Daniel's 70 weeks were fulfilled at the siege of Jerusalem in AD 70 without exception. I share this as a springboard to further study and as a resource that may prove helpful in our eschatological studies. No, eschatology is not the easiest subject in the world, and it requires examination and reexamination over a number of years, I'm convinced, to gain an understanding of ending matters as taught and explicated by Jesus.

•     Josephus, Antiquities, Book X, Chap. 11, Sec. In the very same manner Daniel also wrote concerning the Roman government, and that our country should be made desolate by them. All these things did this man leave in writing, as God had showed them to him, insomuch that such as read his prophecies, and see how they have been fulfilled, would wonder at the honor wherewith God honored Daniel.
•     Tertullian (c. 160-225) An Answer to the Jews: Chap. XIII.--Argument from the Destruction of Jerusalem and Desolation of the Jews. Therefore, since the sons of Israel affirm that we err in receiving the Christ, who is already come, let us put in a demurrer against them out of the Scriptures themselves, to the effect that the Christ who was the theme of prediction is come; albeit by the times of Daniel's prediction we have proved that the Christ is come already who was the theme of announcement. [...] A second time, in fact, let us show that Christ is already come, (as foretold) through the prophets, and has suffered, and is already received back in the heavens, and thence is to come accordingly as the predictions prophesied. For, after His advent, we read, according to Daniel, that the city itself had to be exterminated; and we recognise that so it has befallen. For the Scripture says thus, that "the city and the holy place are simultaneously exterminated together with the leader," --undoubtedly (that Leader) who was to proceed "from Bethlehem," and from the Jews. Whence, again, it is manifest that "the city must simultaneously be exterminated" at the time when its "Leader" had to suffer in it, (as foretold) through the Scriptures of the prophets, who say: "I have outstretched my hands the whole day unto a People contumacious and gainsaying Me, who walketh in a way not good, but after their own sins."
•     Clement of Alexandria The Stromata, Book 1, Chap. XXI (c. A.D. 190) From the captivity at Babylon, which took place in the time of Jeremiah the prophet, was fulfilled what was spoken by Daniel the prophet as follows [...] That the temple accordingly was built in seven weeks, is evident; for it is written in Esdras. And thus Christ became King of the Jews, reigning in Jerusalem in the fulfilment of the seven weeks. And in the sixty and two weeks the whole of Jews was quiet, and without wars. And Christ our Lord, "the Holy of Holies," having come and fulfilled the vision and the prophecy, was anointed in His flesh by the Holy Spirit of His Father. In those "sixty and two weeks," as the prophet said, and "in the one week," was He Lord. The half of the week Nero held sway, and in the holy city Jerusalem placed the abomination; and in the half of the week he was taken away, and Otho, and Galba, and Vitellius. And Vespasian rose to the supreme power, and destroyed Jerusalem, and desolated the holy place. And that such are the facts of the case, is clear to him that is able to understand, as the prophet said.
•     Origen, De Principiis, Book IV: Chap. 1, Sec. 5 (c. A.D. 225) The weeks of years, also, which the prophet Daniel had predicted, extending to the leadership of Christ, have been fulfilled.
•     Athenasius of Alexandria (c. 296-373) On the Incarnation of the Word, Sec. 39. Do you look for another? But Daniel foretells the exact time. Objections to this removed. But on this one point, above all, they shall be all the more refuted, not at our hands, but at those of the most wise Daniel, who marks both the actual date, and the divine sojourn of the Saviour, saying: "Seventy weeks are cut short upon thy people, and upon the holy city, for a full end to be made of sin, and for sins to be sealed up, and to blot out iniquities, and to make atonement for iniquities, and to bring everlasting righteousness, and to seal vision and prophet, and to anoint a Holy of Holies; and thou shalt know and understand from the going forth of the word to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Christ the Prince" 3. Perhaps with regard to the other (prophecies) they may be able even to find excuses and to put off what is written to a future time. But what can they say to this, or can they face it at all?
•     Eusebius, Proof of the Gospels, Book VIII, Chap. 2 (c. A.D. 310)
•     Eusebius, Church History: Book III, Chap. 5.--The Last Siege of the Jews after Christ. 1. After Nero had held the power thirteen years, and Galba and Otho had ruled a year and six months, Vespasian, who had become distinguished in the campaigns against the Jews, was proclaimed sovereign in Jews and received the title of Emperor from the armies there. Setting out immediately, therefore, for Rome, he entrusted the conduct of the war against the Jews to his son Titus.[...] 3. But the people of the church in Jerusalem had been commanded by a revelation, vouchsafed to approved men there before the war, to leave the city and to dwell in a certain town of Perea called Pella. And when those that believed in Christ had come thither from Jerusalem, then, as if the royal city of the Jews and the whole land of Jews were entirely destitute of holy men, the judgment of God at length overtook those who had committed such outrages against Christ and his apostles, and totally destroyed that generation of impious men. 4. But the number of calamities which everywhere fell upon the nation at that time; the extreme misfortunes to which the inhabitants of Jews were especially subjected, the thousands of men, as well as women and children, that perished by the sword, by famine, and by other forms of death innumerable,--all these things, as well as the many great sieges which were carried on against the cities of Jews, and the excessive. sufferings endured by those that fled to Jerusalem itself, as to a city of perfect safety, and finally the general course of the whole war, as well as its particular occurrences in detail, and how at last the abomination of desolation, proclaimed by the prophets, stood in the very temple of God, so celebrated of old, the temple which was now awaiting its total and final destruction by fire,--all these things any one that wishes may find accurately described in the history written by Josephus. 5. But it is necessary to state that this writer records that the multitude of those who were assembled from all Jews at the time of the Passover, to the number of three million souls, were shut up in Jerusalem "as in a prison," to use his own words. 6. For it was right that in the very days in which they had inflicted suffering upon the Saviour and the Benefactor of all, the Christ of God, that in those days, shut up "as in a prison," they should meet with destruction at the hands of divine justice.
•     Ephraim & Aphrahat, Demonstrations: Demonstration XXI:4 (c. A.D. 345) And Jerusalem has been inhabited, after the Babylonians laid it waste, during those seventy weeks about which Daniel testified. Then it was laid waste in its last destruction by the Romans, and it shall not be inhabited again for ever, for it abideth in desolation unto the accomplishment of the things that have been determined.
•     Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 313-386), Catachetecal Lectures, XII: 19. But we seek still more clearly the proof of the time of His coming. For man being hard to persuade, unless he gets the very years for a clear calculation, does not believe what is stated. What then is the season, and what the manner of the time? It is when, on the failure of the kings descended from Judah, Herod a foreigner succeeds to the kingdom? The Angel, therefore, who converses with Daniel says, and do thou now mark the words, And thou shalt know and understand: From the going forth of the word for making answer , and for the building of Jerusalem, until Messiah the Prince are seven weeks and three score and two weeks. Now three score and nine weeks of years contain four hundred and eighty-three years. He said, therefore, that after the building of Jerusalem, four hundred and eighty-three years having passed, and the rulers having failed, then cometh a certain king of another race, in whose time the Christ is to be born.
•     John Chrysostom (c. 347-407) Homilies on Matthew Homily XLIII Since then you will not attend, but have wrecked yourselves in greater wickedness (for to kill prophets was a crime not nearly so great and grievous as to slay Him); therefore your sufferings will be more grievous than the former, those at Babylon, I mean, and in Egypt, and under the first Antiochus. Because what things befell them in the time of Vespasian and Titus, were very far more grievous than those. Whereof also He said, "There shall be great tribulation, such as never was, neither shall be." Homily LXIX What then did He after these things? Since they were not willing to come, yea and also slew those that came unto them; He burns up their cities, and sent His armies and slew them. And these things He saith, declaring beforehand the things that took place under Vespasian and Titus, and that they provoked the father also, by not believing in Him; it is the father at any rate who was avenging. And for this reason let me add, not straightway after Christ was slain did the capture take place, but after forty years, that He might show His long suffering, when they had slain Stephen, when they had put James to death, when they had spitefully entreated the apostles. Seest thou the truth of the event, and its quickness? For while John was yet living, and many other of them that were with Christ, these things came to pass, and they that had heard these words were witnesses of the events.
•     Augustine of Hippo, Reply to Faustus the Manichaean, Book XII:44 (c. A.D. 390) The same Saviour is spoken of in Daniel, where the Son of man appears before the Ancient of days, and receives a kingdom without end, that all nations may serve Him. In the passage quoted from Daniel by the Lord Himself, "When ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, let him that readeth understand," the number of weeks points not only to Christ, but to the very time of His advent. With the Jews, who look to Christ for salvation as we do, but deny that He has come and suffered, we can argue from actual events. Besides the conversion of the heathen, now so universal, as prophesied of Christ in their own Scriptures, there are the events in the history of the Jews themselves. Their holy place is thrown down, the sacrifice has ceased, and the priest, and the ancient anointing; which was all clearly foretold by Daniel when he prophesied of the anointing of the Most Holy. Now, that all these things have taken place, we ask the Jews for the anointed Most Holy, and they have no answer to give.
•     Sulpicius Severus (c. 363-425), Sacred History, Book II, Chap. 30. This afterwards passed to Vespasian, and although that was accomplished by evil means, yet it had the good effect of rescuing the state from the hands of the wicked. While Vespasian was besieging Jerusalem, he took possession of the imperial power; and as the fashion is, he was saluted as emperor by the army, with a diadem placed upon his head. He made his son Titus, Cæsar; and assigned him a portion of the forces, along with the task of continuing the siege of Jerusalem. Vespasian set out for Rome, and was received with the greatest favor by the senate and people; and Vitellius having killed himself, his hold of the sovereign power was fully confirmed. [...] Titus is said, after calling a council, to have first deliberated whether he should destroy the temple, a structure of such extraordinary work. For it seemed good to some that a sacred edifice, distinguished above all human achievements, ought not to be destroyed, inasmuch as, if preserved, it would furnish an evidence of Roman moderation, but, if destroyed, would serve for a perpetual proof of Roman cruelty. But on the opposite side, others and Titus himself thought that the temple ought specially to be overthrown, in order that the religion of the Jews and of the Christians might more thoroughly be subverted; for that these religions, although contrary to each other, had nevertheless proceeded from the same authors; that the Christians had sprung up from among the Jews; and that, if the root were extirpated, the offshoot would speedily perish. Thus, according to the divine will, the minds of all being inflamed, the temple was destroyed, three hundred and thirty-one years ago. And this last overthrow of the temple, and final captivity of the Jews, by which, being exiles from their native land, they are beheld scattered through the whole world, furnish a daily demonstration to the world, that they have been punished on no other account than for the impious hands which they laid upon Christ. For though on other occasions they were often given over to captivity on account of their sins, yet they never paid the penalty of slavery beyond a period of seventy years.
•     Martin Luther (1483-1546) Sermon for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity; Matthew 24:15-28 All this pertains still to the Jewish nation. For if this should come upon us at the end of the world, then would we, according to the text, have to be in the land of Jews, because he really points to that country. It is also true, when he says that no greater calamity has been or can be upon the earth than was at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem; as we see in history, how unmercifully they were slaughtered and even killed one another, cast themselves into the fire, and permitted themselves to kill one another. Yea, the famine was so great that they ate the strings of cross-bows and even their own children. It was so shameful and abominable that like pity and distress shall never be heard again.
•     John Calvin (1509-64), Commentary on Daniel Vol. II, 9:27 But we are now treating of a profanation of the temple, which should prove, if I may use the phrase, eternal and irreparable. Without the slightest doubt, this prophecy was fulfilled when the city was captured and overthrown, and the temple utterly destroyed by Titus the son of Vespasian.

Edited November 11, 2022 by anastasis888

[Jedi4Yahweh]

15 minutes ago, anastasis888 said:

Greetings, fellow disciples and students. Here is a source list of quotes from Josephus, Church Fathers, and Reformers on Daniel's 70 weeks in light of Matthew 24:15 that I was able to compile. There are probably more, but this is what I was able to find in the major works. All of them together were unified on the doctrine that Daniel's 70 weeks were fulfilled at the siege of Jerusalem in AD 70 without exception. I share this as a springboard to further study and as a resource that may prove helpful in our eschatological studies. No, eschatology is not the easiest subject in the world, and it requires examination and reexamination over a number of years, I'm convinced, to gain an understanding of ending matters as taught and explicated by Jesus.

•     Josephus, Antiquities, Book X, Chap. 11, Sec. In the very same manner Daniel also wrote concerning the Roman government, and that our country should be made desolate by them. All these things did this man leave in writing, as God had showed them to him, insomuch that such as read his prophecies, and see how they have been fulfilled, would wonder at the honor wherewith God honored Daniel.
•     Tertullian (c. 160-225) An Answer to the Jews: Chap. XIII.--Argument from the Destruction of Jerusalem and Desolation of the Jews. Therefore, since the sons of Israel affirm that we err in receiving the Christ, who is already come, let us put in a demurrer against them out of the Scriptures themselves, to the effect that the Christ who was the theme of prediction is come; albeit by the times of Daniel's prediction we have proved that the Christ is come already who was the theme of announcement. [...] A second time, in fact, let us show that Christ is already come, (as foretold) through the prophets, and has suffered, and is already received back in the heavens, and thence is to come accordingly as the predictions prophesied. For, after His advent, we read, according to Daniel, that the city itself had to be exterminated; and we recognise that so it has befallen. For the Scripture says thus, that "the city and the holy place are simultaneously exterminated together with the leader," --undoubtedly (that Leader) who was to proceed "from Bethlehem," and from the Jews. Whence, again, it is manifest that "the city must simultaneously be exterminated" at the time when its "Leader" had to suffer in it, (as foretold) through the Scriptures of the prophets, who say: "I have outstretched my hands the whole day unto a People contumacious and gainsaying Me, who walketh in a way not good, but after their own sins."
•     Clement of Alexandria The Stromata, Book 1, Chap. XXI (c. A.D. 190) From the captivity at Babylon, which took place in the time of Jeremiah the prophet, was fulfilled what was spoken by Daniel the prophet as follows [...] That the temple accordingly was built in seven weeks, is evident; for it is written in Esdras. And thus Christ became King of the Jews, reigning in Jerusalem in the fulfilment of the seven weeks. And in the sixty and two weeks the whole of Jews was quiet, and without wars. And Christ our Lord, "the Holy of Holies," having come and fulfilled the vision and the prophecy, was anointed in His flesh by the Holy Spirit of His Father. In those "sixty and two weeks," as the prophet said, and "in the one week," was He Lord. The half of the week Nero held sway, and in the holy city Jerusalem placed the abomination; and in the half of the week he was taken away, and Otho, and Galba, and Vitellius. And Vespasian rose to the supreme power, and destroyed Jerusalem, and desolated the holy place. And that such are the facts of the case, is clear to him that is able to understand, as the prophet said.
•     Origen, De Principiis, Book IV: Chap. 1, Sec. 5 (c. A.D. 225) The weeks of years, also, which the prophet Daniel had predicted, extending to the leadership of Christ, have been fulfilled.
•     Athenasius of Alexandria (c. 296-373) On the Incarnation of the Word, Sec. 39. Do you look for another? But Daniel foretells the exact time. Objections to this removed. But on this one point, above all, they shall be all the more refuted, not at our hands, but at those of the most wise Daniel, who marks both the actual date, and the divine sojourn of the Saviour, saying: "Seventy weeks are cut short upon thy people, and upon the holy city, for a full end to be made of sin, and for sins to be sealed up, and to blot out iniquities, and to make atonement for iniquities, and to bring everlasting righteousness, and to seal vision and prophet, and to anoint a Holy of Holies; and thou shalt know and understand from the going forth of the word to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Christ the Prince" 3. Perhaps with regard to the other (prophecies) they may be able even to find excuses and to put off what is written to a future time. But what can they say to this, or can they face it at all?
•     Eusebius, Proof of the Gospels, Book VIII, Chap. 2 (c. A.D. 310)
•     Eusebius, Church History: Book III, Chap. 5.--The Last Siege of the Jews after Christ. 1. After Nero had held the power thirteen years, and Galba and Otho had ruled a year and six months, Vespasian, who had become distinguished in the campaigns against the Jews, was proclaimed sovereign in Jews and received the title of Emperor from the armies there. Setting out immediately, therefore, for Rome, he entrusted the conduct of the war against the Jews to his son Titus.[...] 3. But the people of the church in Jerusalem had been commanded by a revelation, vouchsafed to approved men there before the war, to leave the city and to dwell in a certain town of Perea called Pella. And when those that believed in Christ had come thither from Jerusalem, then, as if the royal city of the Jews and the whole land of Jews were entirely destitute of holy men, the judgment of God at length overtook those who had committed such outrages against Christ and his apostles, and totally destroyed that generation of impious men. 4. But the number of calamities which everywhere fell upon the nation at that time; the extreme misfortunes to which the inhabitants of Jews were especially subjected, the thousands of men, as well as women and children, that perished by the sword, by famine, and by other forms of death innumerable,--all these things, as well as the many great sieges which were carried on against the cities of Jews, and the excessive. sufferings endured by those that fled to Jerusalem itself, as to a city of perfect safety, and finally the general course of the whole war, as well as its particular occurrences in detail, and how at last the abomination of desolation, proclaimed by the prophets, stood in the very temple of God, so celebrated of old, the temple which was now awaiting its total and final destruction by fire,--all these things any one that wishes may find accurately described in the history written by Josephus. 5. But it is necessary to state that this writer records that the multitude of those who were assembled from all Jews at the time of the Passover, to the number of three million souls, were shut up in Jerusalem "as in a prison," to use his own words. 6. For it was right that in the very days in which they had inflicted suffering upon the Saviour and the Benefactor of all, the Christ of God, that in those days, shut up "as in a prison," they should meet with destruction at the hands of divine justice.
•     Ephraim & Aphrahat, Demonstrations: Demonstration XXI:4 (c. A.D. 345) And Jerusalem has been inhabited, after the Babylonians laid it waste, during those seventy weeks about which Daniel testified. Then it was laid waste in its last destruction by the Romans, and it shall not be inhabited again for ever, for it abideth in desolation unto the accomplishment of the things that have been determined.
•     Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 313-386), Catachetecal Lectures, XII: 19. But we seek still more clearly the proof of the time of His coming. For man being hard to persuade, unless he gets the very years for a clear calculation, does not believe what is stated. What then is the season, and what the manner of the time? It is when, on the failure of the kings descended from Judah, Herod a foreigner succeeds to the kingdom? The Angel, therefore, who converses with Daniel says, and do thou now mark the words, And thou shalt know and understand: From the going forth of the word for making answer , and for the building of Jerusalem, until Messiah the Prince are seven weeks and three score and two weeks. Now three score and nine weeks of years contain four hundred and eighty-three years. He said, therefore, that after the building of Jerusalem, four hundred and eighty-three years having passed, and the rulers having failed, then cometh a certain king of another race, in whose time the Christ is to be born.
•     John Chrysostom (c. 347-407) Homilies on Matthew Homily XLIII Since then you will not attend, but have wrecked yourselves in greater wickedness (for to kill prophets was a crime not nearly so great and grievous as to slay Him); therefore your sufferings will be more grievous than the former, those at Babylon, I mean, and in Egypt, and under the first Antiochus. Because what things befell them in the time of Vespasian and Titus, were very far more grievous than those. Whereof also He said, "There shall be great tribulation, such as never was, neither shall be." Homily LXIX What then did He after these things? Since they were not willing to come, yea and also slew those that came unto them; He burns up their cities, and sent His armies and slew them. And these things He saith, declaring beforehand the things that took place under Vespasian and Titus, and that they provoked the father also, by not believing in Him; it is the father at any rate who was avenging. And for this reason let me add, not straightway after Christ was slain did the capture take place, but after forty years, that He might show His long suffering, when they had slain Stephen, when they had put James to death, when they had spitefully entreated the apostles. Seest thou the truth of the event, and its quickness? For while John was yet living, and many other of them that were with Christ, these things came to pass, and they that had heard these words were witnesses of the events.
•     Augustine of Hippo, Reply to Faustus the Manichaean, Book XII:44 (c. A.D. 390) The same Saviour is spoken of in Daniel, where the Son of man appears before the Ancient of days, and receives a kingdom without end, that all nations may serve Him. In the passage quoted from Daniel by the Lord Himself, "When ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, let him that readeth understand," the number of weeks points not only to Christ, but to the very time of His advent. With the Jews, who look to Christ for salvation as we do, but deny that He has come and suffered, we can argue from actual events. Besides the conversion of the heathen, now so universal, as prophesied of Christ in their own Scriptures, there are the events in the history of the Jews themselves. Their holy place is thrown down, the sacrifice has ceased, and the priest, and the ancient anointing; which was all clearly foretold by Daniel when he prophesied of the anointing of the Most Holy. Now, that all these things have taken place, we ask the Jews for the anointed Most Holy, and they have no answer to give.
•     Sulpicius Severus (c. 363-425), Sacred History, Book II, Chap. 30. This afterwards passed to Vespasian, and although that was accomplished by evil means, yet it had the good effect of rescuing the state from the hands of the wicked. While Vespasian was besieging Jerusalem, he took possession of the imperial power; and as the fashion is, he was saluted as emperor by the army, with a diadem placed upon his head. He made his son Titus, Cæsar; and assigned him a portion of the forces, along with the task of continuing the siege of Jerusalem. Vespasian set out for Rome, and was received with the greatest favor by the senate and people; and Vitellius having killed himself, his hold of the sovereign power was fully confirmed. [...] Titus is said, after calling a council, to have first deliberated whether he should destroy the temple, a structure of such extraordinary work. For it seemed good to some that a sacred edifice, distinguished above all human achievements, ought not to be destroyed, inasmuch as, if preserved, it would furnish an evidence of Roman moderation, but, if destroyed, would serve for a perpetual proof of Roman cruelty. But on the opposite side, others and Titus himself thought that the temple ought specially to be overthrown, in order that the religion of the Jews and of the Christians might more thoroughly be subverted; for that these religions, although contrary to each other, had nevertheless proceeded from the same authors; that the Christians had sprung up from among the Jews; and that, if the root were extirpated, the offshoot would speedily perish. Thus, according to the divine will, the minds of all being inflamed, the temple was destroyed, three hundred and thirty-one years ago. And this last overthrow of the temple, and final captivity of the Jews, by which, being exiles from their native land, they are beheld scattered through the whole world, furnish a daily demonstration to the world, that they have been punished on no other account than for the impious hands which they laid upon Christ. For though on other occasions they were often given over to captivity on account of their sins, yet they never paid the penalty of slavery beyond a period of seventy years.
•     Martin Luther (1483-1546) Sermon for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity; Matthew 24:15-28 All this pertains still to the Jewish nation. For if this should come upon us at the end of the world, then would we, according to the text, have to be in the land of Jews, because he really points to that country. It is also true, when he says that no greater calamity has been or can be upon the earth than was at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem; as we see in history, how unmercifully they were slaughtered and even killed one another, cast themselves into the fire, and permitted themselves to kill one another. Yea, the famine was so great that they ate the strings of cross-bows and even their own children. It was so shameful and abominable that like pity and distress shall never be heard again.
•     John Calvin (1509-64), Commentary on Daniel Vol. II, 9:27 But we are now treating of a profanation of the temple, which should prove, if I may use the phrase, eternal and irreparable. Without the slightest doubt, this prophecy was fulfilled when the city was captured and overthrown, and the temple utterly destroyed by Titus the son of Vespasian.

It seems they all agree that the 70th weeks of Daniel and the Abomination of Desolation has already been fulfilled in 70 AD.

[anastasis888]

1 minute ago, Jedi4Yahweh said:

It seems they all agree that the 70th weeks of Daniel and the Abomination of Desolation has already been fulfilled in 70 AD.

Yes, that has been the consensus view in the church for the last 2000 years. Even Josephus a Jew writing in about AD 81 is not in doubt regarding the certainty of Daniel's weeks being fulfilled. I thought it would be a good cross section of quotes from writers throughout the centuries on the subject. It may also help orient newer readers to the questions at hand when they are engaging in a study of Matthew 24 and 25. That section is not easy and new readers could probably use some readings from the church fathers on this section.

[Jedi4Yahweh]

2 minutes ago, anastasis888 said:

Yes, that has been the consensus view in the church for the last 2000 years. Even Josephus a Jew writing in about AD 81 is not in doubt regarding the certainty of Daniel's weeks being fulfilled. I thought it would be a good cross section of quotes from writers throughout the centuries on the subject. It may also help orient newer readers to the questions at hand when they are engaging in a study of Matthew 24 and 25. That section is not easy and new readers could probably use some readings from the church fathers on this section.

I agree it has already been fulfilled just as Daniel and Jesus prophesied.   Too many people want to lump the destruction/desolation of the temple and the second coming together as the same event, but not so.  The destruction/desolation of the temple and Jerusalem has already been fulfilled, the second coming is a separate event yet to come.  

[anastasis888]

1 minute ago, Jedi4Yahweh said:

I agree it has already been fulfilled just as Daniel and Jesus prophesied.   Too many people want to lump the destruction/desolation of the temple and the second coming together as the same event, but not so.  The destruction/desolation of the temple and Jerusalem has already been fulfilled, the second coming is a separate event yet to come.  

Yes, that's clearly how the early church saw it too. Matthew 24 is clearly regarding the profanation of the Temple Daniel had foretold. However, Matthew 25 moves on into another part of eschatology which is far beyond that time. Jesus describes that time to come as being a time like the Days of Noah. Enjoy the readings and may your study be blessed.

[Keras]

I disagree. Only 69 ;weeks', [483 years] have been fulfilled, up to the day Messiah was cut off. Daniel 9:26  THEN the Roman conquest of 70 to 135 AD happened. 

The 70th 'week', [7 years] has not yet been fulfilled.  Proved by the time periods prophesied in Revelation, of 3 1/2 years, or 42 months, or 1260 days, all of which point to the second half of the final seven years of this Church age.  Culminating in the glorious Return of Jesus and His thousand year earthly reign. 

The first half of that 7 year period, will commence with a peace treaty, as Daniel 9:27 describes and will be peaceful. Then at the mid point, the holy people of God: faithful Christians from every tribe, race, nation and language, will be conquered; Zechariah 14:1-2, Revelation 13:5-7, Daniel 7:25  The Lord will take half of them to a place of safety for those 1260 days. Revelation 12:14

That the Early Church Fathers, AND all the wise and learned people up to today; have failed to see the truth of God's Plans, is told to us by Jesus in: Matthew 11:25-26

[Jedi4Yahweh]

3 hours ago, Keras said:

I disagree. Only 69 ;weeks', [483 years] have been fulfilled, up to the day Messiah was cut off. Daniel 9:26  THEN the Roman conquest of 70 to 135 AD happened. 

The 70th 'week', [7 years] has not yet been fulfilled.  Proved by the time periods prophesied in Revelation, of 3 1/2 years, or 42 months, or 1260 days, all of which point to the second half of the final seven years of this Church age.  Culminating in the glorious Return of Jesus and His thousand year earthly reign. 

The first half of that 7 year period, will commence with a peace treaty, as Daniel 9:27 describes and will be peaceful. Then at the mid point, the holy people of God: faithful Christians from every tribe, race, nation and language, will be conquered; Zechariah 14:1-2, Revelation 13:5-7, Daniel 7:25  The Lord will take half of them to a place of safety for those 1260 days. Revelation 12:14

That the Early Church Fathers, AND all the wise and learned people up to today; have failed to see the truth of God's Plans, is told to us by Jesus in: Matthew 11:25-26

Question: Was the Temple and Jerusalem destroyed/desolated in 70 AD?  The answer is obviously clear. 

Daniels prophecy of 70 weeks (490 years) was regarding the building of the second temple and the restoration of Jerusalem until its destruction and desolation.  This happened in 70 AD approximately 490 years from the decree to rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem, depending what calculations you use.  Jesus told his disciples not one stone will be left upon another regarding the temple.  This all came true in when Titus (the Syrian) destroyed the Temple and Jerusalem and made it desolate.  It is absurd to say the Daniel's prophecy was not actually 490 years but included a huge time gap that exceeds over 2022+ years.  Also, no mention in scriptures of a 3rd earthly temple being rebuilt. God said that 490 years had been determined upon your people (Jews), not 483yrs + [2022 plus yrs] + 7 years.  People that use this gap theory are literally stretching the truth.

Edited November 11, 2022 by Jedi4Yahweh

[anastasis888]

10 hours ago, Keras said:

I disagree. Only 69 ;weeks', [483 years] have been fulfilled, up to the day Messiah was cut off. Daniel 9:26  THEN the Roman conquest of 70 to 135 AD happened. 

The 70th 'week', [7 years] has not yet been fulfilled.  Proved by the time periods prophesied in Revelation, of 3 1/2 years, or 42 months, or 1260 days, all of which point to the second half of the final seven years of this Church age.  Culminating in the glorious Return of Jesus and His thousand year earthly reign. 

The first half of that 7 year period, will commence with a peace treaty, as Daniel 9:27 describes and will be peaceful. Then at the mid point, the holy people of God: faithful Christians from every tribe, race, nation and language, will be conquered; Zechariah 14:1-2, Revelation 13:5-7, Daniel 7:25  The Lord will take half of them to a place of safety for those 1260 days. Revelation 12:14

That the Early Church Fathers, AND all the wise and learned people up to today; have failed to see the truth of God's Plans, is told to us by Jesus in: Matthew 11:25-26

You are correct to say that only 69 weeks had been completed at the cutting off of the Christ. For Jesus comes at the start of the year of Jubilee in the autumn of AD 26 and proclaims the acceptable year of the Lord at Nazareth that went through that autumn of AD 27. The Passion is that Passover of AD 30. That would mean that Christ was cut off that very 69th week.

So, what are we to do with the other week remaining? There was exactly a 40 period between the end of Christ's earthly ministry and the desolation of Jerusalem in AD 70. That siege of Jerusalem technically began at the command of Vespasian that winter of 66 for Titus to go muster the 5th and 10th legions. Titus was to come up from the south. Vespasian would come in from the north. And that is how they planned to wedge everyone into Jerusalem between two armies. The war against the Jews did not end until AD 73. So, you have a period of 7 years here which makes up that final 70th week. It was in the midst of that week that the daily offering was taken away through the famine of the siege that July of AD 70 only a few weeks before the desolation of the Temple on Sunday August 5th (the 9th of Av; 10th of Av according to Josephus). But Daniel foresees all the way to the end of the 70th week in AD 73. He does not stop with the desolation of the Temple and end of the daily sacrifice. Daniel writes, "And till the end of the war desolations are determined." (Dan. 9:26) The end of that war was not till AD 73. It was a full 7 year conflict.

Edited November 12, 2022 by anastasis888

[anastasis888]

When Jesus says only days before the Passion that early April of AD 30 that 'this generation shall not pass before all these things are accomplished' (Matt. 24:34), he was being quite literal. For that 40th year after these words were spoken had not come to a completion before the Temple had been razed, every last foundation stone removed, and Mosaic priestly Judaism had ceased to exist. That year was the midst of the 70th week just as Gabriel had foretold Daniel.

Edited November 12, 2022 by anastasis888

[anastasis888]

The point of these quotes from the early church witness is to simply state plainly that if Jesus is not the Messiah, there is no such thing as a Messiah since the 70 weeks have long since past and all things that Daniel foresaw regarding those 70 weeks were fulfilled by the end of AD 73.

Therefore, the world is left with the option of either Jesus as the Messiah or no one.

I say Jesus is the Messiah. No one can fulfill these events to the jot and the tittle and not be the Messiah.

Edited November 12, 2022 by anastasis888