What Was Augustine's View of Matthew 24?

[Parker234]

Recently, I have been discussing eschatology with someone who insists that Augustine was a Preterist. I told him that I thought he was generally amillennial, but that I did not think Augustine was a Preterist.

Now, what better way to find out than to find Augustine's commentary on Matthew 24? The problem I am running in to is that my internet searches are coming up empty, and I don't have any of Augustine's commentaries.

So did Augustine believe that the events of Matthew 24 referred to events in the first century?

Thanks.

 

[Porter]

Recently, I have been discussing eschatology with someone who insists that Augustine was a Preterist. I told him that I thought he was generally amillennial

A Christian can be both amillennialist and preterist - these two are not mutually exclusive.

a Preterist

There are variations within general preterist (someone who thinks that biblical events happened in the past) , and a specific preterist (or, as the term pertains to eschatology). With the latter, there are a number of different views, so Augustine may have been (and I believe was) a preterist on a portion of Matthew 24, and a futurist regarding latter parts.

So did Augustine believe that the events of Matthew 24 referred to events in the first century?

"Our Master knowing that it was not profitable nor seemly for them to know these secrets, gave them by way of prophecy, warning of diverse miseries, signs, and tokens, that should fall, some further off, and some nearer the latter day: by which the faithful might always prepare themselves; but never be certain of the hour, day, month, nor year, when it should fall". (Augustine. Ep. 80.)

 

[DTK]

If you want to know Augustine's eschatological view, you will find his clearest expressions of it in epistle/letter 199. He does interact with Matthew 24 and other scriptural pericopes in this letter of 54 brief chapters. Rather than "spoon-feed" it to you, I'll leave you to the joy of discovery.

 

[Parker234]

Thank you, Cameron and Pastor King. I actually searched quite a bit for letter 80, as I had been told it held the answers I looked for, but to no avail. For some reason, New Advent leaves out letter 199 and 80 from their archives. I did find letter 199, and it is very clear. Thank you very much for the help.