G.K. Beale's "A New Testament Biblical Theology" -- 2012 Reading Group discussion

Beale is obviously putting a lot of weight behind the end times as he looks at the NT. This is an area where I have not cared all that much over the years. I've often thought that there were many other things far more important than the end...like the present. Beale's strong language might have me reconsider. On page 16 he says:

...to understand the NT in its full richness, we must have a keen acquaintance with how the biblical authors viewed the "end time," especially as it forms as essential part of the NT story.

What do you guys think? Is he overstating?

I don't think he is overstating. Think about Daniel and the "weeks." Based on the verses in Daniel 9, the New Testament is basically telling the story of the final two weeks of God's timeline.

Also, he reminds us that after Genesis 3, the Old Testament looks ahead to Christ, who will reunify mankind with God. The rest of the Old Testament is how God works things out to His glory - good or bad from a human perspective - in anticipation of Christ's sacrifice for us.

No overstatement. The biblical authors were always looking towards the end especially since it meant the end of sin and the total complete reign of God in Christ over creation.

I think Beale uses the term inauguration eschatology. The end is in the present?

About a year ago or so, I read Jason C. Meyer's book The End of the Law which looks at how Paul views the Mosaic covenant and what exactly makes the New Covenant new. He makes the point that Paul stresses the newness of the current covenant over and over. The new-old antithesis consumes Paul in almost everything he writes. And Paul makes up most of the NT. So I agree, one cannot approach the NT without realizing the big role "end times" plays.

great quote, Junior. And by the way, I'm a huge Graeme Goldsworthy fan, but I haven't read all his stuff yet.

Greg, as you may have already read by now, Beale explains why he is so end times focused on pg. 18. He is not focusing on the literal end of all things but rather how the end is present in the present. How the end has begun to blossom in the present and will continue to grow until the literal end. Inaugurated eschatology.