eschatology draws heavily on Col. 2:15 where Paul tells us that Jesus disarmed the and “powers or and and made a of them. In so doing, he principalities” “rulers authorities” “spectacle” them. The rulers and authorities are now part of an old age. The former age in which “disarmed” they claimed to be gods has been disarmed; they no longer have that kind of power over us. In crucifying Jesus, who was true God and humanity in one person, they were revealed for what they really are, self-absorbed centers of power who reject the things of God. Jesus calls and equips his church to be a sign of the new age, an age in which has begun and will be God’s reign fulfilled in the eschaton. Meanwhile, Christians live in the midst of two aeons, the new age of the church and the old age of the world. The rulers and authorities of the old age remain. They are creatures that serve purposes, but they have been limited in their role. God’s Yoder gives the following interpretation to the role for the rulers and authorities after of Christ means for the state the obligation to serve God by Christ’s triumph: “The Reign encouraging the good and restraining evil, i.e. to serve peace, to preserve the social cohesion in which the leaven of the Gospel can build the church and also render the old aeon more The purpose of the ruling authorities has been limited by victory in his tolerable.” Christ’s crucifixion, resurrection and Ascension. The real politics now resides with the church and all who witness to the new age that has been inaugurated and whose completion we await. Yoder stated, point apocalyptic makes is not only that people who wear crowns and who claim to “The foster justice by the sword are not as strong as they think true as that it . . . . It is that people – who bear crosses are working with the grain of the universe. One does not come to that belief by reducing social processes to mechanical and statistical models, nor by winning some of one’s battles for the control of own corner of the fallen world. One comes to it by sharing the life one’s of those who sing about the Resurrection of the The first task of Christians is to act slain Lamb.”
eschatology draws heavily on Col. 2:15 where Paul tells us that Jesus disarmed the “powers and principalities” or “rulers and authorities” and made a “spectacle” of them. In so doing, he “disarmed” them. The rulers and authorities are now part of an old age. The former age in which they claimed to be gods has been disarmed; they no longer have that kind of power over us. In crucifying Jesus, who was true God and humanity in one person, they were revealed for what they really are, self-absorbed centers of power who reject the things of God. Jesus calls and equips his church to be a sign of the new age, an age in which God’s reign has begun and will be fulfilled in the eschaton. Meanwhile, Christians live in the midst of two aeons, the new age of the church and the old age of the world. The rulers and authorities of the old age remain. They are creatures that serve God’s purposes, but they have been limited in their role. Yoder gives the following interpretation to the role for the rulers and authorities after Christ’s triumph: “The Reign of Christ means for the state the obligation to serve God by encouraging the good and restraining evil, i.e. to serve peace, to preserve the social cohesion in which the leaven of the Gospel can build the church and also render the old aeon more tolerable.” The purpose of the ruling authorities has been limited by Christ’s victory in his crucifixion, resurrection and Ascension. The real politics now resides with the church and all who witness to the new age that has been inaugurated and whose completion we await. Yoder stated, “The point apocalyptic makes is not only that people who wear crowns and who claim to foster justice by the sword are not as strong as they think – true as that it . . . . It is that people who bear crosses are working with the grain of the universe. One does not come to that belief by reducing social processes to mechanical and statistical models, nor by winning some of one’s battles for the control of one’s own corner of the fallen world. One comes to it by sharing the life of those who sing about the Resurrection of the slain Lamb.” The first task of Christians is to act
T1%20Long%20Eschatology.docx