La Historia y el Preterismo

Al buscar la historia de un sector minoritario del cristianismo, como es el Preterismo, el

estudiante tropieza con la dificultad producida por la falta de documentos. Todo grupo que
ha sido minoritario ha enfrentado una oposicin enorme y fantico por parte de sus
opositores. Por ejemplo, se sabe que los Anabaptistas han existido en todas las pocas de la
historia. Pero fueron perseguidos hasta la muerte, sus pastores asesinados y sus escritos
quemados. El concilio de Trento menciona que este grupo hertico haba sido un aguijn en
el costado de la Iglesia desde el tiempo de los apstoles. Pero la misma Iglesia ha logrado
desaparecer los escritos de este grupo y mucho de lo que se sabe de l es lo que escribieron
sus antagonistas. Desgraciadamente los enemigos de una corriente teolgica no son sus
mejores analistas.

El caso del Preterismo es muy similar al de los Anabaptistas. La Iglesia dominante por
tantos siglos, la Catlica Romana, emita declaraciones, confesiones que condenaban la
posicin Preterista, y las personas y escritos Preteristas fueron catalogados como herejes.
Durante la Reforma Protestante en Europa, algunos sacerdotes empezaron a revisar ciertas
doctrinas del Romanismo y cambiaron muchos conceptos para los feligreses de sus pases.
Pero no fueron cambiadas todas las doctrinas. Muchos conceptos de las confesiones de fe
protestantes fueron traspasados directamente del catolicismo. Juan Calvino reconoci la
necesidad de continuar reformando la doctrina catlica y dijo reformados y siempre
reformndonos! Sin embargo, las iglesias protestantes han seguido casi sin cambios en sus
confesiones de fe del siglo 16 hasta ahora. Existe un respeto apasionado por las confesiones
hechas durante la Reforma. Casi se dan a estos documentos la equivalente autoridad que a
la misma Biblia. Muchos protestantes consideran que la Confesin de Fe de su Iglesia es un
documento sin errores.

A pesar de esta situacin, se puede encontrar en los escritos antiguos algunas declaraciones
que revelan que sus autores guardaban convicciones Preteristas. En este artculo
presentamos al lector una traduccin de varias citas de personajes de la historia cristiana.

Otro punto que debe ser mencionado es el siguiente: a veces los que se oponen a cierta
doctrina tratan de comprobar que tuvo un comienzo nada honorable. Buscan vincular su
origen con algn movimiento o persona indigna. Este mtodo ha sido usado por los
Futuristas en contra del Preterismo, pero ha fallado. El lector se dar cuenta que el
Preterismo apela a las declaraciones de Jess y de los escritores del Nuevo Testamento. El
mayor argumento en pro del Preterismo se remonta desde la misma Biblia y el primer siglo.
Por eso decimos que el Preterismo es la escatologa de los cristianos del primer siglo.

La Escatologa en la Historia

La escatologa de la Iglesia ha cambiado numerosas veces a travs de los siglos. No hay

una sola posicin prevaleciente, sin embargo, alguna forma de Preterismo ha sido
sostenida.
Los Primeros seis siglos

Hubo quienes consideraban que las profecas hechas por Jess en el captulo 24 de Mateo
fueron cumplidas en el primer siglo:

1. Afrahat --- siglo III

2. Atanasio --- siglo IV
3. Agustn --- siglo V
4. Juan Casiano --- siglo V
5. Crisstomo --- siglo IV
6. Clemente --- siglo III
7. Cipriano --- siglo III
8. Los Rollos del Mar Muerto --- siglo I
9. Eusebio --- siglo III
10. Ireneo --- siglo II
11. Justino Mrtir --- siglo II
12. Lactantio --- siglos II y III
13. Melito --- siglo II
14. Orgenes --- siglo II
15. Sulpicio Severo --- siglo IV
16. Tertulio --- siglo II

El Periodo de la Reforma (Siglo XV - XVIII:

Hubo quienes hicieron comentarios claramente Preteristas durante la Reforma

1. Adam Clarke
2. John Lightfoot
3. Thomas Newton
4. N. Nsibett
5. John Owen

El Siglo XX
Nombres de cristianos notables Preteristas en la edad moderna
1. George Meter Holford
2. Ernest Renan
3. Milton S. Terry
4. James Stuart Russell
5. Philip Schaff
6. Philip Mauro

Comentarios Preteristas a travs de la Historia:

La siguiente Lista es tomada del website www.PreteristArchive.com donde el lector puede
encontrar las obras en esta lista en el idioma ingls. Con el tiempo las traduciremos al
Espaol.
1. A.H. Strong - From His 1907 Work, Systematic Theology

2. Abiel Livermore - From His 1843 Work, The Four Gospels: With a Commentary

3. Adam Clarke - From His 1837 Work, Commentary on the New Testament

4. Albert Barnes - From His 1832 Work, Notes on the Old and the New Testament

5. Alfred Edersheim - From The Temple: Its Ministry and Services as They Were at the Time
of Christ

6. Andreas of Cappadocia Caesarea - (A.D. 431- 506) From His Work, Commentary on
Revelation

7. Arethas of Caesarea - From His Sixth Century Work, Commentary on Revelation

8. Athanasius - From His Various Works

9. Augustine - Commentary on Matthew 24:15

10. Austin Farrar - From his 1886 Work, A Rebirth of Images

11. B.H. Carroll - From His 1947 Work, An Introduction of the English Bible

12. B.W. Johnson - From His 1891 Work, The People's New Testament

13. Barnabus - From His First Century Work Known as The Epistle of Barnabus

14. Benjamin Keach - From His 1670 Work, Tropologia: A Key to Open Scripture Metaphors,

15. Bishp. William Newcome From His 1778 Work, Harmony of the Gospels

16. Cecil Sanders - From His 1990 Work, The Future: An Amillennial Perspective

17. Chrysostom (John of Antioch) - From His Work, Homily on St. Matthew

18. Clement of Alexandria

19. Clement of Rome - From His First Century Works, Epistles to the Corinthians

20. Conybeare and Howson - From The Life and Epistles of St. Paul

21. Cyprian - From His Third Century Works

22. Dale Moody - From His Work, The Word of Truth

23. David Brown - From His 1858 Work, Christ's Second Coming, Will it be Pre-millennial?

24. David Chilton - Commentary on Matthew 24:34

25. Dr. Carl August Auberlen - From His 1856 Work, The Prophecies of Daniel and Revelation
26. Dr. E Robinson - From His Work, The Training of the Twelve

27. Dr. John Owen - From His 1721 Work, Sermon on 2 Peter iii. 11.

28. Dr. John Smith - From His 1804 Work, A Summary View of the Writings of the Prophets

29. Dr. Jortin - From His 18th Century Works

30. Dr. T.P. Stafford - From His Work, A Study of the Kingdom

31. Dr. Thomas Manton (1620-1677) From His 1651 Work, Commentary on James

32. Dr. Thomas Newton - From His 1754 Work, Dissertations on the Prophecies

33. Dr. W.B. Godbey - From His 1891 Work, Harmony of the Gospels

34. Dr. William Warburton - His 1787 Work, Our Lord's Prophecies of the Destruction of
Jerusalem

35. E.B. Elliott - From His 1851 Work, A Commentary on the Apocalypse

36. Epiphanes - (A.D. 315-403)

37. Ernest Hampden-Cook - From His 1891 Work, The Christ Has Come

38. Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg - From His 1829 Work, The Christology of the Old Testament

39. Eusebius - From His 325 work, Ecclesiastical History

40. Ezra Gould - From His 1896 Work, Commentary on Mark

41. F.F. Bruce - From His Work, Israel and the Nations

42. F.W. Farrar - From his 1886 Work, The Early Days of Christianity

43. G.A. Henty - From His 1880 Work, For the Temple

44. G.C. Berkower - From The 1961 Translation of His Work, The Return of Christ

45. G.R. Beasly-Murray - Commentary on Matthew 24:34

46. Gary DeMar - From His Article, The Passing Away of Heaven and Earth

47. Geneva Bible Notes - From the Year 1599

48. George B. Caird - From His 1965 Work, Jesus and the Jewish Nation

49. George Peter Holford - From His 1805 Work, The Destruction of Jerusalem

50. Heinrich Meyer - From His 1852 Work, Commentary on the New Testament
51. Henry Cowles - From His 1881 Work, Matthew and Mark

52. Henry Hammond - From His 1659 Work, A Paraphrase and Annotations...

53. Henry Hudson - From Echoes of the Ministry, Vol. 11, No. 2

54. Hippolytus of Rome - From His Various Works

55. Hugo Grotius - From His 1644 Work, Annotations in Apocalypse

56. Ireneo - From His AD174 Work, Against Heresies

57. Isaak August Dorner - From His 1879 Work, A System of Christian Doctrine

58. J. Marcellus Kik - From His 1971 Work, An Eschatology of Victory

59. J.C. Fenton - Commentary on Matthew 24:34

60. James Stuart Russell - From His 1878 Work, The Parousia,.. our Lord's Second Coming

61. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown - From Their Work, Commentary

62. Johann August Wilhelm Neander - From His 1837 Work, Life of Christ

63. Johann Peter Lange - From His 1857 Work, Theologisch-homiletisches Bibelwerk

64. John A. Broadus - From His 1886 Work, An American Commentary on the New Testament

65. John A.T. Robinson - From His 1976 Work, Redating the New Testament

66. John Albert Bengel - From His 1742 Work, Bengel's New Testament Commentary

67. John Brown - From His 1852 Work, Discourses and Saying of our Lord

68. John Calvin - From His Work, Institutes of the Christian Religion

69. John Gill - From His 1809 Work, An Exposition of the New Testament

70. John Lightfoot - From His 1859 Work, A Commentary of the New Testament...

71. John Locke - From His 1705 Work, Paraphrase and Notes on Galatians

72. John N.D. Kelly - From His 1978 Revised Work, Early Christian Doctrines

73. John Wesley - From His 1754 Work, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament

74. Jonathan Edwards - From His Sermons in the Year 1739, History of Redemption

75. Joseph Ernest Renan - From His 1873 Work, L'Antechrist

76. Justin Martyr - From His Second Century Works

77. K.F. Keil - From His 1876 Work, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Ezekiel

78. Ken Gentry - From His 1989 Work, Before Jerusalem Fell

79. Kett's History

80. Lactantius - From His 3rd Century Works, Including Divine Institues

81. Mara BarSerapion - "A.D.73 Syrian"

82. Matthew Henry - From His 1721 Work, Commentary

83. Melito, Bishop of Sardis - From His Second Century Work, Homily of the Pascha

84. Milton Terry - From His Works Biblical Apocalyptics and Biblical Hermeneutics

85. Moses Stuart - From His 1845 Work, Commentary on the Apocalypse

86. N. Nisbett - From His Various Works

87. Noah Webster - From His 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language

88. Origen - "greatest scholar of his age, the most gifted, industrious, cultivated of all ante-
Nicene fathers."

89. P.S. Desprez - From His 1854 Work, The Apocalypse Fulfilled

90. Philip Doddridge

91. Philip Mauro - From His Works, The Hope of Israel, The Seventy Weeks...

92. Philip Schaff - From His 1877 Work, History of the Christian Church

93. Professor Benjamin Jowett - From His 1860 Work, Essays on the Interpretation of Scripture

94. Rudolph Ewald Stier - From His 1851 Work, Reden Jesu

95. Samuel Hinds - From His 1829 Work, The Catechist's Manual and Family Lecturer

96. Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) From His Work, Observations on the Prophecies

97. Sulpicius Severus - From His A.D. 403 Work, Sacred History

98. Tertullian - (A.D. 160-220)

99. The Jewish Sibylline Oracles and Talmud - Beginning Shortly After A.D.70

100.Theodore Robinson - From His 1928 Work, The Gospel of Matthew

101.Thomas F. Torrance - From His Work, The Evangelical Theology of the Ancient Catholic
Church
102.Thomas Scott - From His 1817 Work, Commentary

103.Weymouth's New Testament - From the 1909 Translation and Notes

104.William Arnold Stevens - From His 1887 Work, An American Commentary...

105.William Whiston - From His 1737 Translation of Josephus' Wars of the Jews

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