Jesus told us that his coming would be “as the lightning comes out of the east and shines even to the west…” (Matthew 24:27). If Jesus meant that his coming couldn’t be hid, why does he tell his disciples to beware of the possibility of deception (Matthew 24:24-26)? If Jesus’ coming cannot be hid, why would the disciples need a sign to alert them that he had arrived? I think that our modern understanding of Jesus’ Second Coming to this earth acts like a veil that conceals the real coming of the Lord. False doctrine, once believed is strong delusion able to hide just about anything—even the Lord’s coming.
Let’s look at it another way. Suppose Jesus claimed his coming would be for our modern days, some 2000 years (give or take) beyond his prophecy. What do we perceive Jesus coming would look like? Many see him coming on literal clouds, and in a manner that literally every eye would see him. In other words miracles beyond our comprehension would be performed to show Jesus coming out of heaven to the earth. If this is true, why would we need a sign to understand Jesus has arrived, and what sign could be given that would be more convincing than his coming upon literal clouds and in a manner that everyone on earth would see him? It seems to me that our understanding of Jesus’ Second Coming needs a little work, because it simply doesn’t make sense when we try to fit it into the Scriptures
The Greek word used to describe Jesus’ coming (parousia – G3952). It is used 23 times in the New Testament and 15 clearly referring to Jesus’ return.[1] So, let’s see what we can learn by following where this Greek word is used in the New Testament. Matthew is the only Gospel writer that uses the word, and all four occurrences are found in the Olivet prophecy! The Apostles use the word first by asking the question: “What shall be the sign of you coming (G3952). Jesus replied that although others would come upon the scene claiming to be the Messiah, no one was to believe them, because his coming would be unmistakable and like the lightning in the sky (Matthew 24:27).
Furthermore, Jesus’ coming would be as the days of Noah before the flood. Just as folks in Noah’s day were caught completely by surprise, so would folks be caught unawares when Jesus would come to judge that evil generation (cf. Matthew 24:34). Everyone would be doing exactly what he had been doing on every other day (Matthew 24:37-39), and so it was at the outbreak of the Jewish war with Rome in 66 AD. Everyone was eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, never suspecting a war with Rome was imminent, until it began, and just as lightning in the east is seen even in the west, so the news spread quickly both when the war began and when the Temple was destroyed four years later. Jesus returned in the first century AD just as he declared he would and judged those who rejected both him and the message preached by those Jesus sent to them.
James used the word twice in his epistle saying that the believers needed to be patient for the coming of the Lord, just as the farmer awaits the early and latter rain for his crops, and then he could harvest his fruit. James claimed that the day of Jesus’ coming was very near, i.e. it was very near at the time of James’ writing, cir. 60-62 AD (James 5:7-8).[2]
Peter also used the word twice in reference to the coming of the Lord. Scoffers, probably Jews loyal to Jerusalem, were openly critical of the Gospel and Peter’s first epistle as it pertained to the coming of Jesus (2Peter 3:4). In defense of what he had wrote, Peter claimed that when he had written of the power and coming of the Lord, he was not drawing upon cunningly devised myths, as the Jews often did (cf. Luke 20:27-33), but upon what he had personally witnessed the Lord saying (2Peter 1:16). So, Peter looked for Jesus to return in his own generation, certainly in the lifetimes of those to whom he wrote.
John used this word only once in his epistles, telling his readers that they needed to abide in Christ, so that, when Jesus would appear, they would not be ashamed at his coming but have confidence in his presence (1John 2:28). Once more, the coming of the Lord was near, not 2000 years hence.
What we know thus far is that unbelievers would not be expecting Jesus’ coming, and his arrival would come as a complete surprise, because they simply didn’t heed the Gospel (Matthew 24:37-39). Moreover, for all intents and purposes, Jesus’ coming was predicted for the first century world, and first century believers were to look for Jesus to arrive in their expected lifetimes. His coming would be as sudden as lightning, and just as lightning is seen and known from one end of heaven to the other, so people would know or see Jesus’ judgment (Matthew 24:27.
Moreover, believers living in the first century AD needed to be patient for the Lord to do his work (James 5:7 ) and not be looking on the things they see all around them (2Peter 3:4), because, if Jesus would come without warning, looking at present troubles would not help believers know the time of his arrival. Rather, they were to abide in him, so they wouldn’t be ashamed when Jesus arrive (1John 2:28). Believers also need to trust that the things that were written were true and not cunningly devised myths (2Peter 1:16). They are eyewitness records of Jesus’ words and deeds. The good news was, according to James, the time of Jesus’ coming was very near (James 5:8). Thus, the Apostles believed and taught Jesus would return in their expected lifetimes—i.e. the first century AD. Should we believe those who wrote the New Testament, or should we believe the modern “prophets” who try to tell us that Jesus delayed his coming for our day (cf. Matthew 24:48-49)?
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[1] Eight of the fifteen references to the parousia or coming of Jesus can be found in Matthew, James, Peter and John. The other seven are in Paul’s epistles. Paul uses the word more than any other New Testament writer, fourteen times in all, but only half of them concern the Lord’s coming. I’ll write of Paul’s understanding in another blog post.
[2] James was killed in 62 AD by Ananias the reigning high priest and son of Annas, the high priest who tore his cloths when Jesus said he would see the Son of Man coming in judgment against Jerusalem and the Temple (Matthew 26:65; Mark 14:63). James’ epistle was written shortly before his death.
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