Q&A: Partial and multiple fulfillment of prophecy — the Elijah/John the Baptist example

Question from William Toy about whether Mike sees prophecy as having partial and multiple fulfillment.

Partial and total fulfillment: Mike's interpretive framework for prophecy

Mike presents the first of two key background concepts before diving into Mark 13.

John 5: Jesus gives three evidences for his identity — John the Baptist, his miracles, and OT prophecy; Winger cites this as Jesus using evidential method

Winger's argument from John 5

Sye's ultimate evidential claim: everything proves God's existence because you cannot make sense of evidence itself without God — he is 'the ultimate evidentialist'

Sye's reframing of himself as a supreme evidentialist

Historians accept that Jesus was baptized by John as historically reliable, partly due to the criterion of embarrassment — early Christians would have had reason to explain away or omit a detail where Jesus submits to a baptism of repentance, suggesting it is not invented.

Hebrews 10 and Mark 1:44 show that Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial system rather than rejecting or editing it

Winger addresses Zahnd's claim that Jesus 'picked a side' against sacrifice and against the Torah.

John 5:31-38 — Jesus presents three specific evidences for his identity: John the Baptist, miracles, and Scripture

Mike analyzes Jesus's own self-defense in John 5 as a model of evidence-based persuasion.

Matthew 11:13 — "All the prophets and the law prophesied until John" — indicates a new era beginning with Jesus

Additional scriptural support for the transitional nature of the Law

Extra-biblical corroboration: Mark 10 — why Jesus taught about divorce in that context

McLatchie uses Mark 10's divorce passage to show Josephus provides context explaining why the teaching is historically plausible.

Extra-biblical corroboration: Luke 3 — soldiers on active duty near John the Baptist

McLatchie presents a subtle corroboration between Luke 3's soldiers and the specific military situation in the region during John the Baptist's ministry.

John the Baptist's doubt from prison: Jesus responded with fresh evidence rather than rebuke

NT case study: how Jesus handled the doubt of a believer who already had abundant witness

Why was Zechariah punished for his question about John's birth, but Mary was not punished for asking the same type of question?

Question from Terry Defilo about Luke 1:18 (Zechariah) vs. Luke 1:34 (Mary) and the apparent inconsistency.

The Apostles' willingness to suffer demonstrates sincerity even without formal recantation opportunities. They knew what they were signing up for: Jesus told them they'd be brought before governors and kings (Matthew 10). They watched Stephen die, John the Baptist get executed, and Jesus himself crucified. They repeatedly chose to keep preaching despite imprisonment and beatings (Acts).

Sincerity without formal recantation opportunities

About John the Baptist being Jesus’ Cousin: Is it a big deal that John the Baptist was Jesus' cousin? I haven't heard this talked about much; wouldn't that mean that they knew each other when they were kids/before their ministries?

Q&A question: About John the Baptist being Jesus’ Cousin

Why didn’t JTB’s Followers just Follow Jesus?: Why did John the Baptist still have disciples after he clearly pointed out Jesus? Shouldn't they have followed Jesus?

Q&A question: Why didn’t JTB’s Followers just Follow Jesus?