While the term "second coming" is not found in the New Testament, it appeared early in Christian writings. It was used as early as the middle of the second century and perhaps earlier. Justin Martyr, in his First Apology (dated between A.D.147 and 161), speaks of "two advents".... the second, when, according to prophecy, He shall come from heaven with glory, accompanied by his angelic hosts, when also He shall raise the bodies of all men who have lived, and shall clothe those of the worthy with immortality and shall send those of the wicked, endued with eternal sensibility into everlasting fire with the wicked devils." In other places in the writings of Justin the term was used to refer to the coming of Christ at the end of the world in contrast to his earthly life and ministry which closed with the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension.
The doctrine of the second coming occupied a very prominent place in the New Testament and in early Christian thinking. It was one of the teachings of Jesus which was most precious to the followers left in the world when he ascended to the Father. Because of the fact that the material in the Gospels relates primarily to the earthly life and ministry of Jesus, the references to his second coming are relatively few. They are, however, sufficient and specific. Following the ascension of Jesus, because of his own promise to return and because of the promise of the heavenly messengers to those who witnessed the ascension, the followers of Jesus made much of the promise of his return. Their faith is reflected in the preaching and the writings of the apostles. This emphasis extended beyond the period of the writings of the New Testament; Christian literature of the second century reflects the acceptance of the teaching of the Lord's return and of the Christian hope in relationship to it.
In spite of the fact that the teaching has been precious to Christian hearts from the very beginning, great confusion has reigned historically and now reigns currently in the discussion of the doctrine. Doubtless this is true because of man's intense longing to know the details of the future of the world in relationship to the redemptive purposes of God. It is due in part, too, to the fact that little is given in the New Testament concerning the time of the second coming other than the idea of imminence; few details of what will take place at the Lord's return are given, other than the fact that it will mean resurrection, judgment, and the consummation of God's purpose for the world.
When men accept the New Testament teaching that when the Lord returns he will raise the dead, hold the final judgment of men, and establish the eternal order, there is general agreement and little confusion. When, however, men try to determine the events related to the Lord's return in more specific ways, confusion reigns. Because this has been the history of the doctrine, many Christians have neglected to give it the proper emphasis.
It is easy to take the approach that since so little can be known from the New Testament a Christian must be satisfied to leave all of that to the future and to concentrate on what Christ can mean to men in this world. While that may appear to be worthy, it leaves something lacking if it ignores what is in the New Testament regarding the second coming. On the other hand, it is evident that many have overemphasized the future. They have given an emphasis out of proportion to the place which the doctrine occupies in the New Testament. Undue emphasis has been given, too, in many instances, to an effort to determine the detailed events related to the Lord's return. It therefore appears all the more important that the subject be approached in the light of two questions: What are the New Testament passages which relate to the second coming? What do they reveal about the doctrine?
When the investigator attempts to make out a systematic program, great difficulty is involved. No one of the so-called systematic approaches to the subject is free of difficulties. Not one of them appears to have all the evidence clearly on its side. It appears, then, that the Lord must have meant for the teaching to be just as it is. He did not mean for men to have all of the details of his purpose for the future. If he had, surely the details would have been given in clearer fashion. That which Christians need to know, they do know: The Lord has promised to return to the earth; in connection with his return he wikk raise the dead and transform the living; he will exercise final judgment upon the deeds of men and their response to the offer of his mercy through his redemptive work; he will bring an end to the present world order and establish the eternal order for the glory of those who are his and the degradation of those who are not his. This much is clear. On these points most interpreters agree. It is when the details are pressed that difficulties become mountainous and confusion reigns.
A specific definition of the term "second coming" must be given. There have been various interpretations of the Lord's promise to return. Some have thought that the promise was fulfilled in the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Others have seen fulfilment in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. This was interpreted at a very early date as the coming of Christ in judgment upon the nation of Israel for their rejection of him as Messiah. It brought to an end their religious system, of which Jesus had been the fulfillment, though they had not accepted him as such. Still others find the Lord's promise to return to be related only to his coming to receive the believer at the point of death. When Stephen was stoned to death, he saw the living Christ standing ready to receive him. The emphasis in the Gospels, in Acts, in the Epistles, and in Revelation, however, is on a personal, visible, and triumphant return of Christ to the earth to consummate the purpose of God in history and to usher in the eternal order.
The verb that is used most often in the New Testament for the Lord's return literally means: "I come." It is the one that Jesus used in Matthew 24-25 when he spoke of the coming of worldly masters after a journey. He used these illustrations to speak of his own coming.
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