The Reformed Olive Press

  Surpassing the Righteousness of the Pharisees: A Full Preterist & New Perspective Reflection on Matthew 5:20 In Matthew 5:20, Jesus delivers a striking challenge: “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” At first glance, this verse appears to conflict with the doctrine of justification by faith. Yet, when read through the lens of Full Preterism and the New Perspective on Paul, the tension dissolves and a richer, more coherent message emerges. The Context of Jesus’ Warning Jesus was not condemning the Law itself. Rather, He was exposing the hypocrisy and misuse of the Law by the religious elite of His day. The Pharisees had turned the Torah into a tool of control, status, and exclusion—especially against the marginalized, including Gentiles and even their fellow Jews who didn’t conform to their traditions. For example: To God: The Pharisees honored God with their lips, but their hearts were far...

                                What is Heresy according to Scripture, not Tradition- Part 1 What is Heresy? Few words in Christian history carry as much weight—or as much confusion—as heresy. It's a word that instantly stirs images of councils, excommunications, and heated debates over what defines "true faith." But what exactly is heresy? Is it simply disagreeing with the majority? Is it rejecting the essential truths that give Christianity its life? Or has the label sometimes been used more to control than to clarify? In this post, we’ll explore what heresy originally meant according to scripture. Before we accuse—or excuse—any belief, we need to know: what really makes something heretical? 1. The Word Itself The Greek word translated as heresy is αἵρεσις (hairesis). Originally, it simply meant "choice," "sect," or "party." It wasn’t inherently negative. For example: Acts 5:17 – the Sadduc...

  Jesus: The Flesh Temple of the Father’s Indwelling Throughout Scripture, the Temple was the sacred meeting place between God and His people. But what happens when the true meeting place is no longer made of stone, but of flesh and blood?  The New Testament reveals that Jesus is the true Temple of God the Father, and His baptism marks the moment the Father’s Spirit visibly descended and filled His new dwelling. Malachi 3:1 – The Lord Comes to His Temple The prophet Malachi foresaw a time when "the Lord" would come suddenly to "His Temple": "Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts." (Malachi 3:1, ESV) In this passage, it is recognized that "the Lord" here is God the Father Himself, not Jesus. The Father is the One who is coming to His Temple. But intriguingly, ...

I Have Not Yet Ascended: Jesus, the Firstfruits, and the Temple Revelation- A Preterist Perspective on John 20:17 When Jesus says to Mary in John 20:17, “Do not cling to me…”, it’s not just a gentle correction—it carries a sense of urgency. J esus, as both the High Priest and the Firstfruits offering, was in the middle of a covenantal ritual. So, Jesus tells Mary not to cling to Him—not out of coldness, but because He is on His way to present Himself in the Temple, both physically to His people and spiritually to His Father. It’s the shadow of the Levitical priesthood being fulfilled in the greater, final Priesthood of Christ. In addition, many have taken this to mean that He was preparing to go to heaven. But the Greek word used here—anabainō—doesn’t always mean a heavenly ascension. It can also mean to go up in a more general or geographical sense, such as going up to Jerusalem. Jesus as the Firstfruits Offering Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:20: “But now Christ has been raised from...

 Preterism Doesn’t Kill Hope—It Fulfills It There’s a common misconception that Preterism removes Christian hope. Critics often say, “If everything’s fulfilled, what’s left to look forward to?” But that’s the wrong lens. Fulfilled eschatology doesn’t rob us of hope—it grounds it, magnifies it, and sets it free from delay. God Kept His Promises The beauty of Preterism is this: God did not delay. He fulfilled everything He said He would—on time, and in full. Every judgment, every resurrection promise, every kingdom prophecy was kept. We're not hanging in limbo, waiting for someday. We are living in the reality of God’s finished work. Full Access to God’s Presence Before AD 70, the Holy of Holies remained a barrier. God’s full presence was veiled. But now? That veil is forever torn. We dwell in His presence—not symbolically, but truly. No temple. No intermediaries. No earthly priesthood. As Zephaniah 3:15 declares: “The Lord has taken away your punishment... The King of Israel, the Lo...

Was Jesus Seen Physically in 70 AD? Yes. One of the biggest challenges to Full Preterism is the idea that Jesus was not physically seen at His coming in AD 70. Many assume that a “cloud-coming” must be invisible or purely spiritual. But Scripture tells a different story—one rooted in real appearances, fulfilled prophecies, and a visible, powerful return of the glorified Christ. Let’s walk through the evidence. Acts 1:9–11 — The Ascension Sets the Pattern “He was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight... This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Jesus left visibly. He went up in a cloud and came back in a cloud So, when did this happen? Matthew 26:64 / Mark 14:62 — “You Will See...” Standing before the high priest, Jesus declared: “You will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” This wasn’t said to a random generation. It was directed at Caiaphas, the high ...

G od is Not Omniscient: A Biblical Refutation The classical doctrine of God's omniscience claims that God knows all things—past, present, and future—in exhaustive detail. But does the Bible really teach that God knows everything ahead of time and never learns, reacts, or changes? When we examine Scripture closely, we find that many passages portray God as dynamic, relational, and even surprised. Let’s explore 15 verses that challenge the idea of divine omniscience. 1. Genesis 3:9 "But the Lord God called to the man, 'Where are you?'" Why would God ask this if He already knew? This suggests He was seeking, not merely making a rhetorical point. 2. Genesis 11:5 "But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built." If God already knew all things, why would He need to “come down” and examine? 3. Genesis 18:20–21 "I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to Me; and...