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Understanding the Parousia
No textual criticism of any gospel passage is complete without seeking older written records. In the case of the apocalyptic chapters of Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 this is essential since each chapter seems to be modeled on sayings that were conflated and confused at an early time (first evident in Mark’s gospel), leading early Christianity to believe that the Parousia was contemporaneous with an apocalypse or destruction of Jerusalem, and leading today’s Christianity to believe the Parousia is also associated with some great apostasy and apocalypse. However, such conditions were not associated with the Parousia early-on, as this article will show. This can be asserted from an early comment by Paul in 1 Thessalonians in which he speaks of the Parousia. Chapter 4: “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14: For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15: For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18: Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 5 1: “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2: For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3: For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4: But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5: Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6: Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” Paul’s comments are clearly primed by the apocalyptic sayings of Christ, reflecting Matthew more heavily in the illustration of the “thief in the night.” There is no contention amongst bible scholars that Matthew is an expanded version of Mark. From the earliest of times it was said that Mark wrote from his memories of Peter’s preaching. Moreover, Matthew’s Hebrew precursor was also called the “Gospel according to the Apostles,” implying that their memories were tapped in order to expand Mark or to add extra data. The Greek gospel known as Matthew may have tapped from both. This seems to be the case inasmuch as even Paul’s quote above seems to show dependence on sayings in Matthew that are not in Mark. Also, if Mark’s was considered a complete and purely accurate volume, no other gospel would have been deemed necessary. Moreover, it must be said that Mark’s was a Greek gospel whereas Matthew, though its present form is also composed in Greek, it did have some form of counterpart in Aramaic called the Gospel of the Hebrews. The differences in Matthew could therefore represent more of a Hebrew and Nazarene Christian compilation than Mark, and would be a source closer to the actual sayings and wisdom material of Christ. Anyway, there is no denying that 1 Thessalonians is an early epistle, and it is considered the oldest NT book, composed around 50 AD. In light of Paul’s insight on the Parousia, which clearly holds the event as separate to a great apocalypse, plus the confused language of the synoptic gospels’ apocalyptic chapters, there is no reason not to assume an early and confused conflation occurred, which prompted Christians to assume the Parousia of Christ was expected around the time of the destruction of Jerusalem. The apocalyptic sayings of Christ no doubt existed in oral form, but they were also probably written down in sayings and other sources. The sayings of his Parousia may have been written down after those sayings of Jerusalem’s apocalypse, and eventually they were conflated together. After 70 AD most, if not all, of the apostles were dead. At this time it seems Mark’s gospel needed some clarification, possibly from a different Hebrew source. The beginning of the chapter 24 in Matthew clearly testifies to this. The apostles asked Christ three distinct questions: “And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. 2: And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 3: And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” It is safe to assume that by the time Matthew was written down, the apostolic elders and disciples knew there had been a mistake in Mark. Matthew 24:3 has the apostles assume a Parousia is to happen, when that doesn’t seem to be explicitly taught by Christ prior to this point. Mark 13:3 “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4: Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?” But the amendment in Matthew 24:3 “the sign of thy coming, and the end of the world” would seem logical if the apocalyptic sayings and the Parousia sayings were now being divided between in a post-destruction 70 AD. Mark’s appears to be the most original, and the mistake of conflation probably existed or is reflected there first. It does seem possible that Christ’s independent sayings about his return were later mixed with the foretelling of the destruction of Jerusalem. Once, again, Paul’s apocalypse does not associate all the signs as do the synoptics, only specifying that mankind will be complacent in their ways. We must recall that the NT was not largely regarded in any sacred light for quite sometime, nor was to be used for explicit doctrine. Some things may have been amended in a book here and there to try and give a chronological harmony to what were separate gospel sayings. That the stories are conflated seems certain. In Mark 13:14 the pronoun “you” is used for the abomination of desolation and in the dialogue discussing the signs for the pending destruction of Jerusalem, and, moreover, for the dialogue previous to that point. But as to the coming of Christ, the pronoun is now different: “they.” Two events are being discussed— one whom those present will witness (or at least some of those standing around of that generation) and another event of which that generation will not see. Matthew is even more explicit in the description of the coming of the Son of Man: 38: For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39: And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. 40: Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41: Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 42: Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43: But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44: Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh. 45: Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 46: Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47: Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. 48: But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; 49: And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 50: The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51: And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. We can see here from where Paul got his comparison of the “thief in the night.” We can also see that the destruction of Jerusalem cannot be in view, since that is foretold by detailed signs, including the Abomination of Desolation. When it comes down to it, there are just a few verses misplaced and a line here or there used to attach the events and make them erroneously continuous or closely associated. But the language is very precise— one event (the ending of the age) is preceded by various signs: false prophets, christs, and wars and upheaval; the Parousia, however, is not preceded by any particular event. We can assume the world would just be very complacent in its ways at the time. We must also reiterate that Jesus said there would be no warnings. Certainly, if it was to be around the time of the Temple’s destruction, or within a given frame after the Abomination of Desolation, anybody could come to a good guess. Therefore we see yet again by this language an entirely different event unassociated with the destruction of Jerusalem. One gospel even has the statement that Jesus would not know when it is. It is, of course, possible that Jesus never said he did not know it, since that implies a lack of omniscience which is not divine. This may be an early addition to impress upon the readers the point that such a moment could not be predicted, and that any of the many charlatans traveling about the early churches claiming to have been actual disciples should not be believed it they claimed Jesus told them when. We must remember that, once again, early-on the divinity of Christ was not fully understood. Likewise, the elaboration on the warnings of the coming of false christs and false prophets in the epistles before the end may be 2nd century additions, as so many similar warnings were in some epistles, warning those of the faith against the attacks of Gnosticism. Yet these false prophets and christs were no doubt limited in the original sayings to the apocalypse of Jerusalem; and this most definitely did occur. Before concluding with a possible reconstruction of Mark 13, it seems worth noting here that if interpretations of Daniel are correct, that there would be 3 ages in which the prophecy of an abomination would apply, then we should expect that before the second age ends (presumably this own age) such signs would repeat. Indeed, no other time since those preceding 70 AD have seen so many false claims of Christ being on earth, of prophets teaching apocalyptic and bizarre doctrines and requirements for salvation. Never has our time felt itself so at the brink of some end. If this is the end of the age, then the words of the LORD to Daniel stand the test of time. Let us seek by faith to discover what the original must have closely said. But though faith and self-deception walk a thin line, faith seeks evidence and finds it. Metaphysics do not. To sit around and stew in one’s own second-guesswork and make excuse is not faith. It is to stew in metaphysics; and the person who so does has crossed the line where faith leaves off and self-deception begins. Let us try a hypothetical recreation of what was originally said. Mark 13:
1: And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! 2: And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 3: And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4: Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? 5: And Jesus answering them began to say, When ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. 8: For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. 14: But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: 15: And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: 16: And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. 17: But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 18: And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. 19: For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. 20: And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. 21: And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: 22: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. 23: But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. 28: Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: 29: So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. 30: Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. 9: But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. 11: But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. 12: Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. 13: And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. 10: And the gospel must first be published among all nations. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 31: Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 34: For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35: Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37: And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. Verse 24 appears to be a scribe trying to meld the stories together. 24: But in those days, after that tribulation. Matthew’s statement is even worse, adding “immediately” after the tribulation of those days.
Both by the duel language evident in the gospels, plus the Paul’s interpretive “peace and safety” we can clearly deconflate the two sayings. Also, Paul’s is interesting for the fact that “Peace and Safety” indicate in this sense an acceptance or a state of having grown complacent over all the sin and injustice in the world. In the 1970s, as an example, we still stood out against homosexuality, corrupt litigation, and growing political corruption. Today, we are almost complacent about their existence, and we take them in stride. This is not a sign of “it’s just relative.” There is a point to which corruption can go before it totally destroys society. We are seeing that point come closer, and for 150 years or so we have merely looked upon it as “changing times.” “Changing” has progressed to the point where injustice is growing rife, where the human mind is only satiated with primitive carnal urges, and where education is so bad that few have any idea what has been the result in the past when mankind, like today, forgot equity. At the same time, however, we grow more complacent, and we are sure it’s just an “alternative” lifestyle. Complacence more than anything breeds unexpected and slow destruction. Verses 26 to 33 of the reconstruction immediately above also contains an interesting pronoun change from “I” to “him” or “he” or “his” when talking about the “Son of Man”— and this deals with his often-confused coming. It is as if Christ is not speaking this at all. Why does he not say “I” will send my angels? Was this added later by scribes because of Paul’s (and other apostles’) teachings? Contained therein is the statement that even “the Son” would not know— an impossibility for the divine Messiah and also a reflection of a later developed Christology. It would seem plain that Christ said something similar to this, but that scribes had to add it later for clarification when the Parousia did not happen, perhaps tapping Paul’s recollection in Thessalonians or the written material from which Paul himself had copies. It seems pointless to get too detailed. From history we know truth very definitely: Christ did not come at 70 AD or thereabouts. Today is a long time since, and Christ said earlier that the “the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35: Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37: And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. Can anybody deny this is what has happened? Moreover, Matthew 24:36 omits that the Son will not know the time. Therefore it is possible that verses 25 - 28 are the original that Christ spoke in the first person about his coming. “Behold, I have told you before. 26: Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27: For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28: For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” One thing we must do: stand by faith. This shall come to pass |