When the TOR, Philo, and Paul first began allegorizing scripture the Pharisees resisted by placing a literal interpretation of scripture against its allegorical meaning The solution might have been an appeal to authority or even power, but these can be subjective, as authority is argumentative and political power can shift over time. Who is in power today may not be in power tomorrow., right? The ultimate decision on truth should come from God but that can be subjective in a world filled with opposing opinions. Therefore, what do do? What marks the true interpretation of scripture, at the end of the day, is its fulfillment in reality?
Therefore, if the logic, reason, and historical precedence for a spiritual or celestial Messiah forming a moral consciousness within man, aka, “last Adam”, who rules a future world, a new creation, as described in the OP,—is rejected, in preference for a literal, fleshy Messiah of nation Israel who rules the nations of this earth, then the proof will be in the reality on the ground.
The reality on the ground has been and will continue to be that no national Messiah of nation Israel is ever coming to rule the nations of the earth. Reality is that nation Israel has never ruled the nations of any significance, currently is unable to rule Palestinians, and has no chance of ruling its Islamic neighbors, much less greater nations like China, Europe, Russia, or the Americas. Therefore, Jews waiting for a national Messiah, wait in vain.
This inevitable reality on the ground is the mark of the true interpretation of scripture, that is, the Christ or Messiah is spiritual, namely, Yeshua the Holy Spirit ,forming a moral conscious in humanity. The promise being to those pious, virtuous souls or “chosen ones” a bodily resurrection into a new creation, a “promised land”, not this material one, but an ideal, intelligible world created by the Holy Spirit, a “new heaven and new earth” predicted by Isaiah.
In anticipation of those who say that this future world is subjective and cannot be objectively observed, I say, neither is your national Messiah an objective reality. You wait in vain for something that will never happen in this world, whereas, I hope in faith for a world promised by the Spirit, one that is now being formed within myself and in the cloud of witnesses who came before us. For who will inhabit that future world but pious, virtuous souls being formed by the Spirit now, not by works of the Law, but by trust in the Spirit alone. This was and is the Gospel message of both the Teacher of Righteousness and of Paul.
For evangelicals who think of Messiah in terms of the flesh, ruling from the earthly Jerusalem, I remind you what Paul said,
“Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” (2 Cor 5:16)
IOW, Paul once regarded Christ as a national Messiah, according to the flesh, but no longer. To Paul, Christ was celestial and his kingdom is from above, being formed within man, and his new Jerusalem is heavenly too, a city formed of pious, virtuous souls, his Temple will be the ideal world, a cosmic construction, so that we might enter into the holy of holies, forever.
I urge everyone to look in and look up, not out and down to earth. Inside is where the Holy Spirit forms the divine nature, a moral consciousness, and up is where he creates the ideal world for us to inhabit. Our family is there, our home is there, where the Celestial Messiah has prepared a place for us.
I get why Paul washed his hands of the Jews, because he tired of arguing over interpretations and authority, things that are subjective. He went to the Gentiles who valued a changed life free from outward rituals of purity, sabbath keeping, food restrictions, animal sacrifice; and who valued the inner Holy Spirit over the alternative: fits of rage, jealousy, condemnation, and wrath. Ultimately, the true interpretation and true authority will be proven by what happens in reality. I propose that the TOR, Philo, and Paul and gnostic Christians will be proven right, who perceived a celestial Messiah that has always been and always will be the inner Holy Spirit forming moral perfection of the individual soul, i.e., “born again”, in preparation for an ideal world prepared by God.
It has been a pleasure, my best wishes for everyone. I think I am finished here.
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