Simple newb question. I’m reading the Bible and finding a lot of references to the second coming particularly by Paul but also by Peter and possible even Jesus himself thought that this would happen in the lifetime of the Apostles. I’m assuming most Anglicans believe that this didn’t happen ( I understand some sects believe it did ) but it makes me wonder how trustworthy are the pronouncements of others especially, Paul, in the light of this fact. I’m not looking to argue but I would appreciate some guidance with this. Thank you most kindly
I think all the writings we have in the New testament were penned by those who believed that Jesus' return was immanent. They were assuming that statements like this: “Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.” from Jesus, were addressed only to the disciples that were following him at the time he said it. However we now know, from the fact that none of them are now alive on earth, Jesus must have been addressing this and other statements like it to successive generations of disciples also. It seems to me that what he was implying was, at our deaths, each of us will be met by him and escorted to wherever He is, with The Father. Thus it does not matter what the disciples may have mistakenly thought the timing of the second coming may have been expected. We all will immediately reach it in the hour of our death. History is absolutely littered with examples of wrong predictions of the return of Jesus Christ. Whenever ANYONE predicts a date, I think "Wait and see. I might more likely meet Jesus tomorrow, without a second coming. Live each day as if it is your last on earth, He will be there to meet us".
Nicene Creed: He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. Apostles Creed: from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. It would seem to me based on the Creeds we profess most Anglicans believe that this will happen.
Thank you both for your answers. I understand that Anglicans do look towards His return ( as do most Christians ) but what I'm really getting at I suppose is whether we can really look at Scripture as being inerrant in the light of the various passages that would imply the imminence of Christ's return. I'm maybe barking up the wrong tree or making an issue where one doesn't exist but it kind of troubles me.
I'm not sure the scripture is errant in this matter though, is it? Where does scripture indicate that the second coming would happen in the lifetime of the Apostles? I don't think we will find that it does. It certainly says that only God knows when the end will happen, not even Jesus claimed to know the time and date while he was here on earth actually speaking the words of scripture. So if the WORD himself claims not to know, I guess the words of scripture must also not contain that information. So that information cannot possibly be wrong or in error if it simply isn't there. Just because many infer from what St. Paul wrote that he said he would see the return of Christ, whatever they might infer may probably not have been implied by St Paul, because if Jesus didn't know when he'd return, then, for sure, nobody else did. I don't happen to think scripture is inerrant though. It does not claim itself to be so. I think some things that some writers of scripture wrote down might have been misquoted or mistaken, not through dishonesty but merely by mistake. If the Bible contains no such man made errors, it must be the only book ever to have to have achieved that state of perfection by the hands of the men that wrote it down, copied it and printed it. None of that would matter though. The good book is quite good enough for his and our needs, as far is God is concerned. .
Eschatology is a big topic, and I would agree with your assessment that much of the New Testament was couched in the context of a very imminent return. In terms of the Jewish Community which formed the base for much of the early thinking, this was probably connected with the destruction of the Temple. One of the real differences that underlies our contemporary thinking as against early thought is the concept of time. For the Early Christians time had a starting point and an end point and all points in between represented reality. We tend to understand time from the present moment stretching back and forward infinitely. Eschatology is ultimately about the interface between time and all that is beyond time. Therefore both Creation and the Return of Jesus can and should be understood in terms of Eschatology. But so to the Person and Incarnate ministry of Jesus should be understood eschatologically. That is why many theologians will talk about realised eschatology.
The people who wrote scripture down had no concept of either deep time, (the 14+Billion years the universe is estimated to have been in existence), or micro, pico or nano time, minute fragments of a second, which themselves they had no concept of, measuring time as they did, only approximately in potions of a day or watches of a night before dawn. It should come as no surprise to anyone that many expected the return of Jesus to be measured in months or a few years, rather than for so far, several millennia. .
Again, thank you both for your very thought-provoking replies. I admit I am a novice at this @Botolph I have never heard of "realised eschatology" but a quick google has given me a fair bit of reading to get my teeth into. The whole idea of how to view time is at once delightful and perplexing and I'm not able to make much of a comment at the moment, being both temporarily very tired and in the longer term a bit dim ! It will take me a little while to digest. You make an extremely strong point, @Tiffy about Jesus not claiming to know the time and I take that on board, but at the same time, it seems to me from my very limited experience that St Paul and St Peter both at some stage thought Jesus' return imminent. This gives me quite a bit of thought as to how to approach the written Bible because where do we draw a line between what is inspired by the Holy Spirit and doctrinally correct and what is simply his viewpoint? How does this inform the debate on sexuality, women, and a whole host of doctrinal ideas that seem to originate from his words. Does Paul overstep the mark in some of his writings? It still does bother me. Anyway, I'm off to pray and hope that it will become clear in err .. time! Thank you once more.
In Mark 13:32-35 and Matt 24:36-44 where the writers exhort people to be on high alert immediately. And in especially in Matt 24: 32-34..................... 32 “Let the fig tree teach you a lesson. When its branches become green and tender and it starts putting out leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, you will know that the time is near, ready to begin. 34 Remember that all these things will happen before the people now living have all died.( GNT version) I don't buy the "This generation" refers to a later generation arguement. Also I think it is significant that there appears to be no suggestion that the second coming is millennia away.