Thus the characteristic of 1 and 2 Thess. is that the eschatology is the ' central ' theme, and is completely Judseo-Christian in form. At the same time, it is closely linked with moral teaching (1 Th 312 4^^ etc. ) ; and this practical aspect of St. Paul's eschatology (which in this respect is in complete accord with that of our Lord) remains unclianged throughout all his writings,
{b) 1 and 2 Corinthians, Romans [and perhaps Galatians). — In these Epistles, which form the second gioup of Pauline writings, the Jewish form of eschatology is still prominent, especially in 1 Corinthians. The Christians addressed are 'wait- ing for the apocalypse of our Lord ' (1 Co 1'), which is near at hand (Ro 13'i, 1 Co 7"'^- '^^), and will be associated with the Resurrection (Ro 8^) and the Judgment (1 Co 4^ 62, Ro 2'^% All this resembles 1 and 2 Thess. ; yet the eschatology no longer occupies the centre of interest in these Epistles ; other themes receive a larger share of attention. The spiritual gifts which the Christians possessed, and the spiritual power Avhich had transformed their lives, begin to claim a pre-eminent place ; and phrases originally eschatological are adopted to describe spiritual experiences in the past and present ; e.g. 2 Co li", 6s . . . eppvaaro ri^ds, Kai pvaerai (cf. 31^ 4i^'^* 51^). And in Romans we see how 'justification,' which is properly an eschato- logical term (signifying the act by which the Messianic Judge pi-onounces the believer 'not guiltj'' at the Great Judgment [Ro 2^^-'^^]), is be- coming weaned from its. old associations. For St. Paul teaches that the believer who has faith is pronounced 'not guilty' here and now, in anticipa- tion of the final verdict ; and so 'justification' be- comes severed from eschatology, and linked with the spiritual experience known to Christians as 'the sense of forgiveness' or 'assurance' (cf. Ro 51, etc.).
In tliis group of Epistles we also see signs of Gentile influence, modifying the Jewish methods of thought. In dealing witii the Resurrection, St. Paul uses a distinctly non-Jewish line of argument (see below), and his vision of the final consummation (Ro ll^*'-, etc.) is far wider than that current in Jewish circles. Moreover, in I Co 15^--^ St. Paul teaclies that a 'kingdom of Christ' on earth must precede the final consummation when ' he shall deliver the kingdom to God, even the Father' (15-'* ; cf. the Parable of the Tares, Mt 1.3^'-«). Su-ii a conception implies that the certainty of an im- mediate coming of the end is being abandoned.
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(c) Colossians, Ephcsians, Philip2)ians. — In this group of St. Paul's letters ■vve find the modify- ing tendencies noted above still further developed. The ' dramatic ' eschatology, though still present (Col P 3^ Ph 1«- '» 3-^ Eph 4^"), has receded still further from the central position it held in 1 and 2 Thess., and the use of eschatological terms in a non-eschatoloaical sense becomes more and more frequent (Col l'^, Ph 3^0, Eph P 2«-, etc.). There is no distinct assertion that the Return is near at hand (it may be implied, Ph 3^") ; and some passages suggest that a prolonged future lies before the Church on earth (e.g. ' the building up of the body of Christ,' Eph 4^'"'^, and the ingathering of the Gentiles, Eph 2 and 3). In such passages St. Paul's thoughts seem to be far from the normal tone of Jewish apocalyptic.
(d) The Pastoral Epistles. — Here eschatology appears to rise once more into greater prominence ; but it is not quite the same as before. The earlier Christian eschatology had sprung from enthusiastic hopes : ' The Last Days have come, because Messiah has appeared.' But in the Pastoral Epistles the message is sadder, and more like that of the Jewish apocalyptists : ' The Last Days are at hand, because the times are evil' (I Ti 4\ 2 Ti 31-5 4i-8)_ There is a note of disappointment, as the Apostle speaks of prevalent apostasy (2 Ti 2'^), which accords well with the supposition that these Epistles were written in a period of spiritual re- action, when the early hopes were being strained by the prolonged delay. Under such circum- stances, it was necessary to guard against one-sided doctrines of the resurrection (2 Ti 2'^) and to em- phasize the objectivity of the Last Things (1 Ti 6^^ 2 Ti 41-8, Tit 1-).
A broad survey of the Pauline Epistles thus shows that the Apostle's eschatological teaching underwent considerable modification in tlie court<e of time, from the somewhat conventional Jewish outlook of 1 and 2 Thess. to the broad and deep spiritual teaching of Eph. ; and finally, in the Pastoral Epistles, we see signs of a renewed em- phasis upon old truths which were in danger of being obscured.
(2) St. Paul's doctrine of Judgment, Interme- diate State, Resurrection, Final Destinies. — [a) Judgment. — The ' dramatic ' conception of the Judgment recurs frequently in the Pauline Epistles (2 Th I'ff-, Ro 25-»--6, 1 Co 45), but there are very few signs of the Johannine idea of a continuous judgment-process being worked out in historv. The Judgment is to be universal (1 Co 62, 2 Co o^'^) ; but the Christian is free from condemnation (Ro 8'"^), and indeed has already been ' justified ' (see above).