preterististä

Preterism is a theological interpretation of Christian eschatology, focusing on the fulfillment of biblical prophecies in the past, particularly in relation to the events surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70. It posits that many, if not all, of the apocalyptic passages in the Bible, such as those found in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21) and the Book of Revelation, were primarily fulfilled within the first century AD.

There are generally two main branches of preterism. Full preterism (or extreme preterism) holds that all biblical prophecies, including the resurrection of the dead and the Second Coming of Christ, were fulfilled in AD 70. Partial preterism, on the other hand, believes that most, but not all, prophecies were fulfilled in the first century. Partial preterists typically maintain that certain events, such as the future bodily resurrection of believers and Christ's final, visible return, are still future occurrences.

Key to preterist interpretation is understanding the concept of "coming" (parousia) in biblical texts not always as a physical, visible event, but sometimes as a spiritual or judicial presence, such as God's judgment upon Israel. The destruction of Jerusalem is often seen as a manifestation of Christ's coming in judgment. Preterism contrasts with other eschatological views like historicism, futurism, and idealism, which interpret prophetic passages differently.