In the 19th century, S. P. Tregelles wrote the best book responding to the first generation of pretribulationism, The Hope of Christ’s Second Coming. It is filled with nuggets and is required reading for any prewrather. He had a lot to say to the pretrib notion that the Olivet Discourse was not instruction for the church, including his chapter entitled, “The Jewish ‘Waste-paper Basket.'” One remark he makes is so effective yet simple. He writes:
Such persons often escape from the bearing of Scriptures on their consciences by calling them “Jewish.” But let such be asked, Do you mean unbelieving-Jewish, or “Christian-Jewish?” If they say the latter, then must the person to whom such Scriptures apply be part of the Church, as essentially so as the Ephesians were; if they say the former, then it may be asked them, How can unconverted Jews use any part of the New Testament at all? If an expression be adopted and used without explanation or definition it may then afford a shelter for any ambiguity or fallacy (90, emphasis his).
