Discussion Questions: Jacob Gulka

1. Eschatology in Paul’s Letter to the Philippians

At the beginning of Paul’s letter to the Philippians Paul gives thanks for the Philippians’ support. He connects their sanctification to eschatology right off the bat as follows: “…he who began good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ,” (1:6). Paul also prays that their love abounds with more knowledge and all discernment that they may prove to blameless in the day of Christ (1:10). He connects sanctification with the Lord’s return showing that we must await the Lord in purity.
Later in Paul’s letter he tells of the epitome of humility in Christ. Summarizing Christ’s descent to earth and ascent to heaven he explains how God has raised him to the highest place. At the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is Lord (2:5-11). Paul actually starts this chapter with instruction to love selflessly and uses Jesus as the example illustrating the practicality connecting to eschatology.
The last instance of mentioning Christ’s return in this letter is when Paul is exhorting the church to press on toward the upward call of Christ “who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself,” (3:21). This is good news to look forward to in the final stage of glorification in our lives.
As can be noticed there is quite a depth of eschatological material in Paul’s epistles.

2. What view of the millennium do you find most persuasive and why?

Personally, I find the premillennial view as most persuasive. Upon looking at the three different realms of thought I found that it makes sense in line with scripture and history. Postmillenial makes no sense unless you ignore the exponential increase in martyrdom, and ignore some graphic areas of revelation describing the tribulation. Amillenial makes sense in some regard that we are in “thousand” years reign of Christ as He is in heaven ruling the church, however the book of Revelation gets specific upon that piece. I was drifting closer toward amillienial upon reading this but as Bird said Revelation 20 makes him a premillennial considering it’s description of Jesus’ reign.
Premillenial accounts for Jesus coming back in the craze of the apocalypse and setting up his kingdom as described in scripture, which I can definitely agree on. However when it comes to the nature of when the Tribulation period happens I am unsure what to consider. I had grown up pretrib, but upon Bird’s description of postrib and the nature of the Olivet discourse I’m either-or on the my belief.