TheosGuy

Following is some of the requested info re: premillennialism.

1. Pre-millennial Leaders in the Early Church. Following are some of the notable premillennial disciples/writers in the early church.

• Barnabus (~100 AD)
• Polycarp(70-155-160 AD)
• Pothinus (87-177 AD)
• Irenaeus(120-202 AD)
• Justin Martyr (100-165 AD)
• Tertullian (150-225 AD)
• Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis (60-130/155AD)
• Tatian (110-172 AD)
• Apollinaris (175 AD)
• Clement, Bishop of Rome (90-100 AD)
• Cyprian (200-258 AD)
• Hegesippus (Second Century)
• Melito (~190 AD)

Of special note in the above list are Polycarp, Irenaeus and Justin Martyr. Polycarp was a direct disciple of the Apostle John (the writer of Revelation) and at the same time when Revelation was written. Therefore, it is reasonable that John would have directly taught Polycarp about this subject. And Polycarp was premillennial. Carry this on to the next level, since Irenaeus was a direct disciple of Polycarp, and Irenaeus was premillennial. Then Justin Martyr a contemporary of Irenaeus, both premillennialists, wrote the work, Against Heresies to document what Christians believe. I attached an interesting article from Dr. Michael Vlach of The Master’s Seminary, who traces the premillennial beliefs of the early church chronologically around the time of the Apostle John and geographically around John’s ministry.

2. While we could find quotes in the writings of the above, a “shortcut” would be to review the following notable researchers.

• Philip Schaff, in his seminal work The History of the Christian Church, noted the following:
  

  The Apostolic Fathers and the early church were definitely premillennial in their thinking. In fact, Church historian, Phillip Schaff, wrote the following: The most striking point in the eschatology of the ante-Nicene age is the prominent chiliasm, or millennarianism, that is the belief of a visible reign of Christ in glory on earth with the risen saints for a thousand years, before the general resurrection and judgment. It was indeed not the doctrine of the church embodied in any creed or form of devotion, but a widely current opinion of distinguished teachers, such as Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Methodius, and Lactantius; [1]

  [1] Phillip Schaff. The History of the Christian Church, Vol. 2 (New York: Charles Scribner & Company, 1884), p. 482.

• Thomas Burnet, Royal Chaplain to King William III of England, documented the Ante-Nicene history of premillennialism for the King, in the late 1600’s.
  

  And to make few words of it, we will lay down this conclusion, that the Millennial kingdom of Christ was the general doctrine of the Primitive Church, from the times of the Apostles to the Nicene Council; inclusively. [2]

  [2] Thomas Burnet, The Sacred Theory of the Earth (London: J. McGowan, 1681), 346.

  Note even the fact that in the 1600’s they were discussing premillennialism from a historical standpoint, shows that it did not start with Darby in the 1800’s.

Tags: Premillennialism