Knowledge

Alford's Law

Source đź“ť

118:"It will have been long ago anticipated by the readers of this commentary, that I cannot consent to distort its words from their plain sense and chronological place in the prophecy, on account of any considerations of difficulty, or any risk of abuses which the doctrine of the Millennium may bring with it. Those who lived next to the Apostles, and the whole Church for three hundred years, understood them in the plain literal sense; and it is a strange sight in these days to see expositors who are among the first in reverence of antiquity, complacently casting aside the most cogent instance of unanimity which primitive antiquity presents. As regards the text itself, no legitimate treatment of it will extort what is known as the spiritual interpretation now in fashion. If, in a passage where 64:, while the second means literal rising from the grave; then there is an end of all significance in language, and Scripture is wiped out as a definite testimony to anything. If the first resurrection is spiritual, then so is the second, which I suppose none will be hardy enough to maintain. But if the second is literal, then so is the first, which in common with the whole 138:
rising from the grave—then there is an end of all significance in language, and Scripture is wiped out as a definite testimony to anything. If the first resurrection is spiritual, then so is the second, which I suppose no one will be hardy enough to maintain. But if the second is literal, then so is
211:
George Eldon Ladd, "Historic Premillennialism", in The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views, ed. Robert G. Clouse (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1977), pp. 37–38. Note: Ladd documents his citation as from a printing of Alford's work by Lee and Shephard, Boston, 1872, IV:732 (cp. Ladd, p.
304:
John Piper, "The Chief Design of My Life: Mortification and Universal Holiness, Reflections on the Life and Thought of John Owen", presented January 25, 1994, at the annual Bethlehem Conference for Pastors, s.v. the "Question and Answer" session from
56:"If, in a passage where two resurrections are mentioned, where certain "souls lived" at the first, and the rest of the "dead lived" only at the end of a specified period after that first, - if in such a passage the first 330: 326: 334: 262:(Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1898, 1908, 1932), pp. 58–59. Blackstone documents this quote as from Alford's 2nd ed. (London: Rivington's, 1854), IV:726. 139:
the first, which in common with the primitive church and many of the best modern expositors, I do maintain and receive as an article of faith and hope."
158:
be used in the same sense both times. It is best simply to choose from the possible senses the one that best fits the context in each case."
181:, I go to Henry Alford. Henry Alford ... comes closer more consistently than any other commentator to asking my kinds of questions." 130:
only at the end of a specified period after the first —if in such a passage the first resurrection may be understood to mean
292: 28:(1810-1871) as a rule of biblical interpretation. It appeared in his monumental multi-volume work completed in 1861, 322: 274:, 3 vols. (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1952), II:291. Peters also referenced Alford's statement at II:281, note 3. 349: 107: 76: 25: 68:
and many of the best modern expositors, I do maintain, and receive as an article of faith and hope."
106:, and J. Barton Payne. A lengthier citation including the statement above is found in the works of 95: 162: 102:
The brief form of the quote from Alford above may also be found in works by Alva J. McClain,
8: 111: 80: 65: 237:(Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, n.d., 4th reprint ed. 1962), pp. 461, 464. 72: 49: 45: 178: 98:. We can do no better than to repeat the oft-quoted words of Henry Alford ..." 343: 83: 75:
refers to this “law” and cites the quote above in support of his position on
143: 103: 57: 94:
suggests that both words are to be taken in the same way, referring to
222:
The Greatness of the Kingdom: An Inductive Study of the Kingdom of God
249:(Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1980), p. 618, s.v. Prediction 32. 151: 91: 170: 44:
as follows with specific reference to the first resurrection in
174: 61: 154:
that when a word is used twice in close succession it
235:The Apocalypse: Lectures on the Book of Revelation 341: 60:may be understood to mean spiritual rising with 165:has been cited concerning Alford as follows: 224:(Winona Lake, IN: BMH Books, 1959), p. 490. 134:rising with Christ, while the second means 202:, 4 volume ed., Vol. IV, s.v. Rev. 20:5. 342: 146:cites the rule only to discredit it: 32:, which is still consulted today. 13: 293:William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 289:Tyndale New Testament Commentaries 126:at the first, and the rest of the 14: 361: 312: 295:, 1988), p. 171, s.v. 1 Pet. 4:6. 247:Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy 150:"There is no fixed rule in any 298: 277: 265: 252: 240: 227: 215: 205: 192: 79:and the interpretation of the 1: 185: 169:"When I'm stumped with a ... 122:are mentioned, where certain 7: 10: 366: 35: 108:William Eugene Blackstone 77:Historic Premillennialism 272:The Theocratic Kingdom 40:Alford presented the 96:literal resurrection 321:(in four volumes): 319:The Greek Testament 200:The Greek Testament 112:George N. H. Peters 90:"Natural inductive 30:The Greek Testament 124:souls came to life 81:Book of Revelation 24:was formulated by 350:Biblical exegesis 287:, Vol. 17 in the 128:dead came to life 120:two resurrections 73:George Eldon Ladd 357: 306: 305:1:30:11–1:30:31. 302: 296: 281: 275: 269: 263: 256: 250: 244: 238: 231: 225: 219: 213: 209: 203: 196: 66:primitive Church 365: 364: 360: 359: 358: 356: 355: 354: 340: 339: 315: 310: 309: 303: 299: 291:(Grand Rapids: 282: 278: 270: 266: 260:Jesus Is Coming 257: 253: 245: 241: 232: 228: 220: 216: 210: 206: 197: 193: 188: 177:or logical in 86:. Ladd writes: 38: 12: 11: 5: 363: 353: 352: 314: 313:External links 311: 308: 307: 297: 283:Wayne Grudem, 276: 264: 251: 239: 226: 214: 212:214, note 10). 204: 198:Henry Alford, 190: 189: 187: 184: 183: 182: 160: 159: 141: 140: 100: 99: 70: 69: 37: 34: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 362: 351: 348: 347: 345: 338: 336: 332: 328: 324: 320: 301: 294: 290: 286: 280: 273: 268: 261: 255: 248: 243: 236: 233:J. A. Seiss, 230: 223: 218: 208: 201: 195: 191: 180: 176: 172: 168: 167: 166: 164: 157: 153: 149: 148: 147: 145: 137: 133: 129: 125: 121: 117: 116: 115: 113: 109: 105: 97: 93: 89: 88: 87: 85: 82: 78: 74: 67: 63: 59: 55: 54: 53: 51: 47: 43: 33: 31: 27: 23: 19: 318: 316: 300: 288: 284: 279: 271: 267: 259: 254: 246: 242: 234: 229: 221: 217: 207: 199: 194: 161: 155: 144:Wayne Grudem 142: 135: 131: 127: 123: 119: 104:Joseph Seiss 101: 71: 58:resurrection 41: 39: 29: 26:Henry Alford 21: 17: 15: 175:syntactical 171:grammatical 258:W. E. B., 186:References 163:John Piper 84:chapter 20 132:spiritual 46:Rev. 20:4 344:Category 335:Volume 4 331:Volume 3 327:Volume 2 323:Volume 1 317:Alford, 152:language 92:exegesis 285:1 Peter 136:literal 36:Content 110:, and 62:Christ 16:This 179:Paul 156:must 42:rule 22:Rule 173:or 20:or 18:Law 346:: 337:. 333:, 329:, 325:, 114:: 52:: 50:6 48:–

Index

Henry Alford
Rev. 20:4
6
resurrection
Christ
primitive Church
George Eldon Ladd
Historic Premillennialism
Book of Revelation
chapter 20
exegesis
literal resurrection
Joseph Seiss
William Eugene Blackstone
George N. H. Peters
Wayne Grudem
language
John Piper
grammatical
syntactical
Paul
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4
Category
Biblical exegesis

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.

↑