THE COMINGS OF CHRIST

Hugo McCord

The word parousia (1 Thessalonians 2:19; 3:13) is a compound of two words, meaning “being” and “at the side.” “Presence” then is an accurate translation (Philippians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 10:10). If an arrival is necessary for being present, then a parousia means “arrival” or a “coming” or an “advent.” Titus’ coming to Paul was a parousia (2 Corinthians 7:6). The arrival of the man of sin was a parousia (2 Thessalonians 2:9). Both the first and the last comings of Christ are called a parousia (2 Peter 1:16; 3:4).

1. The first coming of Christ was at Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-8). According to the apostle John, “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory” (John 1:14).

2. The second coming of Christ was non-physical, and no eye saw him. He prepared his disciples for this unusual coming from heaven to the earth. Two years before, in 28 A.D., while he was still on the earth in his first coming, he informed his apostles that they would “by no means have gone through the cities of Israel until the Son of man comes” (Matthew 10:23).

Thus an imminent second coming was promised: “Indeed, I assure you, that some standing here will not taste of death until they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom” (Matthew 16:28). Further, the kingdom coming in that generation would be “with power” (Mark 9:1). On his ascension day (May 18, 30 A.D.) he commanded his apostles to “stay in the city [of Jerusalem] until you are clothed with power from above” (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8).

Ten days later (Pentecost, Sunday morning, May 28, at nine o’clock) the power came as “a sound from heaven like a rushing, violent wind, and it filled the whole house where [the apostles] were sitting” (Acts 2:1-15).

So came an invisible, spiritual reign of Jesus “in his kingdom” (Matthew 16:28), a kingdom “not of this world,” a kingdom of “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 16:28; John 18:36; Romans 14:17). It was an internal kingdom, of which people could not say, “Look! Here it is!” or “There,” for, said Jesus, “God’s kingdom is inside of you” (Luke 17:21, FHV). In contrast with Jesus’ first literal and visible coming, his second, though real, was and is internal and invisible.

3. The third coming of Christ was and is also internal and invisible. Immediately after sinners are immersed, God sends forth from heaven “the Spirit of his Son into” their “hearts” (Galatians 4:6). “The Spirit of his Son” is also called “the Holy Spirit” and “the Spirit of God” (Acts 2:38; 5:32; Romans 8:9). This third coming is called “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

The physical body of a sinner, when he becomes a Christian, houses the heavenly Guest, and in the process becomes a temple in which he glorifies God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Then, for the rest of his days on the earth he rejoices that he can repeat Jesus’ words, “The Father does not leave me alone” (John 8:29).

This third coming is not “better felt than told.” It is never felt at all. It is an intangible, spiritual coming of Christ into a Christian’s body and heart of which he would never have known had not he read of it in his Bible (1 Corinthians 6:19; Galatians 4:6). Not by sight nor by feelings, but by faith he rejoices in Jesus’ promise: “My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and we will dwell with him” (John 14:23).

An unfelt, spiritual coming and indwelling! Oh how much they display Heaven’s love for a Christian! A coming and an abiding that is non-sensuous but real! How meaningful! An inward certificate that a sinner has now become a precious child of God! (Galatians 4:6). No one but a Christian has that heavenly Guest, for him “the world cannot receive” (John 14:17).

The third coming and indwelling are the line of demarcation between those who belong to the devil and those who belong to Christ: “If anyone does not have Christ’s Spirit, he does not belong to him” (Romans 8:9).

This third coming and abiding in a Christian is also an inward guarantee of a reserved place “in heaven,” “the first installment” of his “inheritance” until “the redemption of the purchased possession” (1 Peter 1:4; Ephesians 1:13-14, FHV).

However, if the Christian misbehaves he grieves the indwelling Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), and he will leave the backslider. Christ’s Spirit does not want to leave. He still loves the backslider, and through his divine word will make attempts to “correct and chasten” him (Psalm 73:24; Revelation 2:7; 3:19). His love keeps him standing outside the door of the backslider’s heart, and figuratively he knocks! (Revelation 3:20). He will not force his way in where he is unwanted, but he assures every backslider: “if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will” return (Revelation 3:20). He promises, “I will come in to him, and I will dine with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

4. The fourth coming of Christ was also invisible, but very real. To some backsliding Christians in 96 A. D. he told John to write, “Change your heart! And if not, I am coming to you soon, and I will make war against” you “with the sword of my mouth” (Revelation 2:16, FHV). The fourth coming, for punishment, would be “like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you” (Revelation 3:3).

5. The fifth coming of Christ, like the first, will be visible and personal: “As the lightning comes out of the east and shines to the west, so will be the coming (parousia) of the Son of man (Matthew 24:27). “All the tribes of the earth ... will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and much glory” (Matthew 24:30).

The fact that the first coming of Christ was visible and personal, coupled with the fact that the fifth coming will be visible and personal, no doubt explains why the author of the book of Hebrews called the fifth coming “a second” appearance (9:28). The comings listed above, two, three, and four, were and are invisible and impersonal.

Some have conjectured that Jesus’ words to Caiaphas would be fulfilled in an invisible and impersonal coming at the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A. D. But it was no invisible and impersonal coming that Caiaphas will see: “you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64). In 70 A. D. neither he nor anyone else saw “the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

On the other hand, at the fifth coming, “every eye will see him,” including Caiaphas, and “even those who pierced him” (Revelation 1:7). In 70 A. D. the sun and the moon were not darkened, neither did the stars fall, neither did “all the tribes of the earth” mourn, neither did anyone see “the Son of man” coming on the clouds with power and glory, neither did anyone hear the “great sound of a trumpet,” and neither were the Lord’s elect people gathered together (Matthew 24:29-31).

Besides the errors of the 70 A. D. speculation, another theory holds that the New Testament teaches that the second visible and personal coming of Christ was to take place in the first century. It is thought that several Greek words point to his imminent coming: eutheos, immediately, Matthew 24:29; eggidzo, be near, at hand, James 5:8; 1 Peter 4:7; Revelation 22:10); mikron hoson hoson, a very little while, Hebrews 10:37; eschate hora, last hour, 1 John 2:18; tachu, soon, quickly, Revelation 22:7, 12, 20).

But the New Testament warns us not to forget “this one thing” that

one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promises, as men count slackness (2 Peter 3:8-9).

In more than one way I have learned that the Lord “sees not as man sees” (1 Samuel 16:7). I learn that when “the Father of Eternity” (Isaiah 9:6, ASV margin), Jesus Christ, says “I come soon” (Revelation 3:11; 22:7, 12, 20) that he did not mean he was coming in the first century, nor in 1900 plus years.

But my mind cannot grasp the scope of eternity, “from everlasting to everlasting” (Psalm 90:1). However, “a thousand years in” the eyes of him who can say, “I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last,” are “as yesterday, and as a watch in the night” (Psalm 90:4; Revelation 22:13).

The word eutheos, immediately, in Matthew 24:29 is to me not understandable, for Jesus did not come right after the 70 A. D. destruction of Jerusalem. It may be, as Jesus surveyed eternity, that only two high points remained after his death and resurrection: (1) “the great tribulation” of A. D. 70, and (2) “the coming of the Son of man” (Matthew 24:21, 29, 39).