Why I'm Partial to Full Preterism

by Brian L. Martin

Both Full and Partial Preterists agree that Christ came in judgment in AD 70. Both agree that Matthew 24 and the book of Revelation are prophecies of that judgment—although Partial Preterists see some items as yet future. And that’s where the two divide—Full Preterists believe that all prophecy was fulfilled in the AD 70 judgment coming, while Partial Preterists believe in a yet future physical return of Christ, and a general resurrection and judgment.  These two—a physical Second Coming and resurrection of the dead—appear to be the sticking point between Full and Partial Preterists. As R. C. Sproul stated in The Last Days according to Jesus:

“The great weakness of full preterism—and what I regard to be its fatal flaw—is its treatment of the final resurrection. If full preterism is to gain wide credibility in our time, it must overcome this obstacle.” (p. 203)

While I don’t want to put words into anyone’s mouth, if the concept of a “spiritual” resurrection were as easily discerned in the Scriptures as was the imminency with which the early Church expected it, Partial Preterists might be more inclined to accept a “spiritual” rather than physical Second Coming and resurrection. However, even Full Preterists have different interpretations of the resurrection. I am still grappling with the various concepts of the resurrection—trying to get a handle on them.

So, you might rightfully ask, why am I partial to Full Preterism? Not because of my understanding of how the resurrection took place, but my understanding of when it took place. Consider the following Old Testament resurrection passages:

     Isa 26:19

Your dead shall live;

Together with my dead body they shall arise.

Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust;

For your dew is like the dew of herbs,

And the earth shall cast out the dead.

Dan 12:2

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,

Some to everlasting life,

Some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Aren’t these Old Testament prophecies part of the “all things which are written” that Jesus said would be fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem?

Luke 21:20, 22

But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. . . For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

To my knowledge, Full Preterists, Partial Preterists and even many Futurists see this as a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. If that is the case, and all things which were written (the Old Testament prophecies) were fulfilled, shouldn’t the resurrection have also taken place during that time frame? This premise is strengthened when we consider that Daniel was told that the prophecies he had received were not for him, but for the time of the end—and that he would die and arise again at that time:

      Dan 12:7-9, 13

Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished. Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?”  And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 13 “But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.”

All things (which included the resurrection of Dan. 12:2) were to be fulfilled when the power of the holy people had been completely shattered. Wasn’t this fulfilled in AD 70 when Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed? In fact, aren’t these passages from Daniel and the previous one in Luke parallel passages? Did Martha have Daniel in mind when she talked of Lazarus’ resurrection?

John 11:23-24

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Once again we see the resurrection associated with “the last day,” which surely is synonymous with “the time of the end” and “the end of the days.” (Dan. 12:2, 13) The fact that Jesus said all things which were written would be fulfilled when Jerusalem was destroyed, and that Peter told his generation “the end of all things is at hand” (1 Pt. 4:7), which included the resurrection, makes me partial to Full Preterism. I may not understand how it took place, but it seems pretty evident when it took place.