Return of Christ - Biblical Time Frame

The Parousia

The Parousia

Lately you may have heard a lot about Christians using the word "Parousia".

The word "Parousia" is a Greek word that is used often in the Greek bible. In English it is translated as "Coming" or "Arrival" or "Presence"

In Mat 24:27, we read the word "Parousia":

Mat 24:27  For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming (Parousia) of the Son of Man. 

This verse is Jesus answering the disciples question in verse 3:

Mat 24:3  As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming (Parousia) and of the end of the age?” 

The disciples are asking Jesus in verse 3 about the sign of Jesus "arrival". They knew from their scriptures that the Messiah is making His presence with power and glory. Just that they want to know "when" is His "parousia".

This term "Parousia" has been misunderstood by many to mean a "physical" appearance, more so particularly within the last 200 years of church history, when the Dispensationalist propagated their future arrival of a physical Jesus. But to understand whether it is so or not, we need to look at the Jewish perspective because Jesus was talking to a Jewish audience.

One example is the "burning bush" experience of Moses when he met with God and talked with Him about the situation of the nation and Egypt.

Exo 3:7  Then the LORD said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 

Exo 3:8  and I have "come down to deliver them" out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 

God told Moses that He will come down to deliver them. My question is when did God came down to deliver them? and was it a literal coming down in physical form or in the flesh?

Of course not. God did not come down in physical form but He used Moses to deliver His people. Where was God then? God was with Moses by His Presence (Parousia) to perform signs and miracles, such as opening up the Red Sea. God made His appearance by His presence to confirm that God was there with Moses. God had a "Parousia".

This is the Hebrew culture. In their history, when God delivered Israel from the enemies in military combat, God did not come down physically to fight for them in human form. They still had to fight but God was with them in His Presence to give them the victories.

Consider the question of the disciples to Jesus in Mat 24:3. Why did the disciples ask for a "sign" of Jesus "Parousia"? Why was a sign needed? Is there a need for a "sign" if Jesus is coming back in physical form or in the flesh?

Just to ponder: Could it be that it is their Hebrew culture to expect Jesus to come back or to come down to deliver them (just like God who delivered them in the past), NOT in physical form but by His PRESENCE (Parousia), or in His spiritual form?

It is interesting to take note that of all the 4 gospels, only the book of Matthew uses the word "Parousia" and also the phrase "End of the Age", because these words are easily understood by Jews and not by non-Jews. Definitely not by 21st Century believers. Matthew was speaking to a Jews audience. In fact he had to convinced the Jews that Jesus came from the line of David by calling Jesus the Son of David in Mat 1:1, making Him the rightful heir and leader of the Jews. This makes Jesus as their rightful king and Messiah. The Jews also understood that "age" refers to their "Mosaic age", and "parousia" may not mean a physical arrival but a spiritual arrival.

In other parts of the New Testament the Greek word "Parousia" is sometimes translated in the English bibles as "presence" or "arrival".

See:

1Co 16:17  I rejoice at the coming (Greek:Parousia) of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus,...

Php 2:12  Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence (Greek:Parousia) but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 

Q: Could it be that the Coming (Parousia) of Jesus be a spiritual appearance, but not in their timeline but in the far distant future when He will return a second time?

A: Let's look at what Jesus said about the timing of His "Parousia" in Mat 26:64.

Mat 26:64  Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from "now on" you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming (Parousia) on the clouds of heaven.” 

Jesus was telling the high priest Caiaphas, scribes, elders and the Pharisees, that FROM NOW ON, they are going to see the Coming (Parousia) of the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven in power and in glory.

It was "from now on" or "hereafter" or "from that moment on", and NOT a future someday event.

Ask ourselves honestly, why are we teaching that the Coming of Jesus is still in our future? It is wrong teaching and wrong interpretation. It is from that moment on, the Caiaphas and the priests are going to see the "Parousia". Not 2000 years later they are going to see because all of them will be DEAD in 2000 years.

Q: What was recorded in the bible that happened that the priests and Pharisees saw from then on?

A: When Jesus died on the cross, the bible and other historians recorded that there was an earthquake that shook Jerusalem. The sun was darkened and the day turned night in the noon day. (See: Mat 27:45).

There was a 1st Century Roman historian called Pliny (AD23 - AD79) who was living in Egypt on the day that Jesus was crucified. And this was what he wrote on what he saw in Egypt:

[  At the moment, in the afternoon when the sky went dark, either the world was coming to an end or God is dying  ]

See some background on Pliny:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pliny_the_Elder

The world had a phenomenon event due to the death of Jesus at the Cross. This was what Albert Barnes, a bible theologian wrote:

[  There was darkness - This could not have been an eclipse of the sun, for the Passover was celebrated at the time of the full moon, when the moon is opposite to the sun. Luke says Luk 23:45 that “the sun was darkened,” but it was not by an eclipse. The only cause of this was the interposing power of God - furnishing testimony to the dignity of the sufferer, and causing the elements to sympathize with the pains of his dying Son. It was also especially proper to furnish this testimony when the “Sun of righteousness” was withdrawing his beams for a time, and the Redeemer of men was expiring. A thick darkness, shutting out the light of day, and clothing every object with the gloom of midnight, was the appropriate drapery with which the world should be clad when the Son of God expired. This darkness was noticed by one at least of the pagan writers. Phlegon, a Roman astronomer, speaking of the 14th year of the reign of Tiberius, which is supposed to be that in which our Saviour died, says “that the greatest eclipse of the sun that was ever known happened then, for the day was so turned into night that the stars appeared.”  ]

Also when Jesus died and was resurrected, the bible records that many dead bodies were resurrected in Jerusalem, and began to walk the streets of the city (Mat 27:52-53).

See a secular write up on this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_27:53

This was their confirmation of the Coming (Parousia) of the Son of Man in power and in great glory and it climaxed at the judgement of Israel with the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple in AD70.

After the death and ascension of Jesus, Paul wrote to the Jews in Hebrews 9:28:

Heb 9:28  so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. 

Jesus came a first time to take away their sins.

Jesus came a second time to save them from the judgement of God on Israel.

All these signs and calamities, armies surrounding Jerusalem, troubles and famines are the manifestations of Christ's Coming (Parousia). While the believers in Jerusalem see all these things they had to look up and lift up their heads because their redemption (salvation) was drawing near. Their redemption was the hope that they had to wait for.