The Uncomplicated Parousia

“‘Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’”

Jesus, recorded in, Matthew 24:44 esvbible.org

This is not complicated.

No matter how hard some try to make it complicated.

Biblical knowledge and understanding of the parousia (the second coming of Jesus) does not require charts, graphs and an esoteric vocabulary.

Many followers of Jesus do not understand, nor really care too much about, the supposed ramifications of words and phrases such as premillennial dispensationalism, or pre-trib, mid-trib or post-trib rapture, preterism or amillennialism or postmillenialism dispensationalism.

It is astonishing that some Christians adhere so tightly to some of their positions on the second coming, that they have brought about whole theologies, doctrines, books, study Bibles, and the establishment of Bible colleges, seminaries, Bible conferences and magazines.

During the 19th Century certain aberrant views on the subject also led to the founding of some cults and fringe movements.

There are people fascinated with the newspaper waving and theology of Jack Van Impe or the massive flow charts of John Hagee. Others find the pronouncements and predictions of these men to be a bit of a joke, and often an embarrassment.

What the Bible actually teaches about the return of Jesus is not complicated or confusing. It can be grasped by every Christian.

1. The time of the second coming of Jesus is unknown.

“‘Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.’” (Matthew 24:42)

Why would anyone who claims to be a student of the Bible ever attempt to predict the date of the parousia? Yet many have done so, and continue to offer up dates and times.

This is what Jesus tells us:

“‘But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.’”

(Matthew 24:36)

2. The time of the second coming of Jesus will be unexpected.

This is the essential word in our text, yet the purveyors of prophetic utterances cannot resist conflating certain Bible verses with world events, saying “this is that”, only to be proven wrong, again and again.

Wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, famine, pestilence and drought have been happening in the world since before Jesus ever spoke these words, and they will continue to occur until the day He returns.

3. The time of the second coming of Jesus is uncomplicated.

Some preachers and teachers spend far too much time, energy and air time making the Bible texts seem complicated, when they are clear and unambiguous.

Jesus said that He will visibly and bodily return, and that the time is known only to the Father, and it will happen when it is unexpected.

“And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’” (Acts 1:9–11)

4. The time of the second coming of Jesus is uncomfortable.

Since the time is unknown, some followers of Jesus may think it doesn’t matter what we do in the meantime, when Jesus said just the opposite.

Jesus said we are to wait, and watch, and work. We are not to be like some of our spiritual ancestors in Thessalonica, who decided that Jesus was returning soon, so they quit their jobs and expected others in the church to look after them while they sat and waited (2 Thessalonians 3:12)

5. Therefore, since the time of the second coming of Jesus is something unknown, unexpected, uncomplicated and even uncomfortable, then it is also unpredictable!

Rather, let us do as our Lord instructed, and be witnesses, make disciples, do good works, and love our neighbor, all to the glory of God.

Really and truly, it’’s not complicated.

Soli Deo gloria!

Related posts:

Once upon a time I was severely agoraphobic. For years I had a terror of strange spaces. I was limited to my house, my yard, my car, and my place of work. If I attempted to break this tight little…

Busy week this week. Monday was a bit of a write-off, project wise, because of some live-service issues that needed urgent attention. The rest of the week was productive, but meeting heavy. I didn’t…

There is a very negative and down-putting connotation when you hear the word “fake,” “replica,” “counterfeit,” “knockoff,” or even “fufu.” This can apply to anything; jewelry, cars, electronics, or…