Jesus's Return in Apostolic Writings
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All the apostles who wrote inspired canon spoke in terms of Jesus coming back—in terms of believing that He was coming back soon. Many scholars today suggest that they were wrong. They were not wrong. He returned in that day when they expected. The question is what are believers gonna do with this information now?
CHRISTIANARCHYTODAY
Show 7 – He Already Came Back – Part II
December 12th, 2017
“If you think you understand Christianity you are probably wrong.”
Prayer
Apostles' Expectations of Jesus's Return
Last week we talked about what Jesus said about his second comingChrist’s return, fulfilled in 70 A.D., ending the old covenant—not the world.. And we called the show, “I trust what Jesus said about His coming.” Tonight, we are going to call this show, “I also trust what Jesus Apostles said about his coming.”
Whether you realize it or not all of the New Testament writers fully expected, taught, and encouraged the believers who trusted them in that day to believe Jesus's return—His second coming—was on its way and would happen within forty years or so of His deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. and resurrection. We can’t get around this fact and will use tonight to prove it. But before these examples are presented, we might ask ourselves: If Jesus's own apostles believed this, where did they get the impression? From Jesus Himself. We then might also ask: “If the apostles were wrong in their estimation of when Jesus would return, and they misunderstood Jesus and His teachings on the subject, how can we trust anything else they said, wrote, or taught?” I would go so far as to say that if they were wrong about the time of Jesus's return we can’t trust a word they say about anything else! (long beat) But they weren’t wrong. They were dead right! We are the ones who have misinterpreted their words.
So tonight, I’m going to start with the words of James (who doesn’t say too much about it), and we will work our way through the writer of Hebrews, then John, then Peter, and finally Paul. There are five Jameses in the Bible and this one was believed to be the half-brother of the Lord who was martyred in 62 AD so his words have to have been written before. Let’s let his own words do the talking. Remember, this was a letter written to believers at that time. Bold emphasis mine:
James 5:7-9 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. That line “draweth nigh” in the King James is translated, “is at hand” in the ESV and the New King James, and, “is near” in the NASB. James was either leading them in truth and they ought to have trusted his words or he was deceiving them and His return was not at hand.
Insights from the Book of Hebrews
Okay, let’s talk about the book of Hebrews
Forgetting the traditions and dogma, we simply don’t know who wrote Hebrews. But scholars think it was written 67-69 AD. The whole thing was written to encourage Jewish converts to hang on to faith in Christ and to get them to realize He was faithful to His promises, promises that were better than anything they had under the Law. Perhaps the whole point and purpose of the writer can be summarized in chapter 10 verses 22-39. Here the writer is instructing them on what to do in the face of persecution and the faith failing all around them and what to look forward to in the future—their future. So let’s read it.
Hebrews 10:22-39 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (this is the same day that
Patience and Promise
Jesus spoke of not knowing in Matthew 24. For if we sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace. willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. (Phraseology which pictures the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD) Dropping down he says: For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. (Did you hear the promise the writer of Hebrews made to those saints in that day? Reread it! By the way, the Greek for “little” as in a “little while” is micron – “a very little while” is a better translation. In fact, the NASB translates this passage as: “For in a very little while,” which is consistent with the Greek word Micron.) Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. So it’s not too much, but it is a reference from the Book of Hebrews that supports the idea that the apostles of that day believed that For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
John's Teachings on the Last Days
Let’s now talk about the Apostles John. In 1st John 2:17-18 the Beloved, who also wrote Revelation and the Gospel of John says: “And the world passeth away, (the age of their world, the whole Jewish system under the law) and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever (and what is the will of the Father? John 6 – to believe on the Son whom He has sent, right? Then John writes:) “Little children, it is the last time:” (Here he appeals to all the signs and prophecies of the Anti-Christ that had been provided to them) “and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.” This is completely fitting to that time, to that age, and to Nero and his numerological identifier of 666. John is saying, look around, they are present, here! And the last time, the last hour is upon us.
Later in this same chapter John writes:
1st John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”
We always have to ask, when we read scripture, the W’s – Who was the writer speaking to? What was he trying to impart to them? Why, and Where and When was this taking place? Again, Christians today love to read the passages and assign them to our day all the while ignoring these W questions which clearly teach us context. So obviously John was writing to encourage the believers in that day to “abide in Him” so that “when He appears” they would have “confidence” and not be ashamed at his coming.” All based in and around their standing with the Lord when He was expected to return at any moment.
Hope and Expectation
Finally, we have evidence of John instilling hope and expectation into the hearts of the readers of his epistles AT THAT TIME that they would be there to witness His return. Consider 1st John 3:2 where he says: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” Was John blowing smoke . . . or was he correct in his encouragement? I would suggest he was totally correct and if he was wrong we can toss the Bible aside.
Let’s stop here for today – and next time we will talk about Peter’s views.
