For some time, now, I’ve been examining the Challenge of Christ found in John 10:37-38. Basically, Jesus says there: “Don’t believe my words, unless I do what I say I will do.” The Father had given Jesus a mission to fulfill—i.e. works to do. Jesus claimed, while dying on the cross, that he had finished the works the Father had given him (John 19:30; cp. 17:4). In other words, there was nothing left for Jesus to do that the Father had given him to do. Well, what about what we call his second coming? Surely, that wasn’t done yet. Well, this is true, but Jesus put that in force by saying: “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom” (Matthew 16:27-28; emphasis mine).
Jesus made the claim that he would come in his Kingdom. He also made the claim that he would come in the glory of the Father, i.e. in the same manner that the Father had come in times past. For example, Isaiah 19:1 tells of the Lord coming to judge Egypt. He came in the clouds, but no one saw him. He claims responsibility for destroying Egypt, but he did it through the armies of another nation, Assyria, whom the Lord called the rod of his anger.
Jesus also claimed in Matthew 16:27 that he would come with his angels, just as the Lord had come in the past with angels. For example, David claimed when he was in distress about Saul seeking his life, he prayed to the Lord, and the Lord delivered him, as he rode upon a cherub (Psalm 18:10). Did David see the cherub? Did the Lord literally ride a cherub, or is this figurative language that expressed the answer to David’s prayer?
Finally, Jesus claimed there would be some who stood there, listening to him, who wouldn’t die until they “saw” Jesus coming in his Kingdom (in the glory of his Father, with his angels to reward everyone according to their works—good or evil), and this is where many Christians stumble, today. Jesus SAID he would come before that generation to whom he preached would pass away (Matthew 16:28; cp. 23:36; 24:34). Yet, many folks today don’t believe him, i.e. they don’t believe he did the work. In other words, Jesus didn’t come. However, rather than literally reject Jesus, they claim he’ll make good on his promise sometime in our future—2000 years and counting since he uttered those words. If Jesus didn’t come in the first century AD before the generation of folks he preached to would pass out of existence, how does he say we should react in light of John 10:37-38)?
It is utterly fascinating to me to see what lengths, otherwise brilliant scholars, will go to in an effort to maintain their physical belief (i.e. seeing is believing faith) of a physical Jesus coming in a physical Jewish body to physical Jerusalem, to a physical throne in a physically rebuilt Temple. First, they believe in a physical coming of Jesus to fulfill their seeing is believing faith, then they interpret what Jesus claimed in the scriptures. In other words, Jesus’ words are molded to fit their preconceived idea of what his coming should look like. They never consider molding their belief about what Jesus said around Jesus’ actual words.
What might Jesus’ coming look like, if we take him at his words? First of all, he says he would come in the glory of the Father. Was the Father ever seen when he judged nations in the past? No, he wasn’t. Secondly, Jesus said he would come with the angels, but the Father wasn’t seen with the angels, when he judged nations in the past. So, would Jesus be literally, physically seen coming in his Kingdom with the mighty angels? Where’s the precedent in the word of God that he would? Jesus said he would come in his Kingdom, and some standing there would see that happen. What occurred in the first century AD that might be interpreted as the judgment of God? The only historical event I can think of is the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, which effectively ended the Old Covenant. Could that be seen as Jesus’ coming? I think it was, because I believe Jesus’ words. The only question is, then, upon what ground do believers in Christ today say Jesus did not come in the first century AD? Is it because of one’s SEEING IS BELIEVING faith?
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