Pauline Epistles View on Apocalyptic Eschatology and Delay of Parousia - Essay Example

Pauline Epistles' View on Apocalyptic Eschatology and the 'Delay of Parousia What is Apocalyptic Eschatology Eschatology is the doctrine of last things but it is the last things of God's plan to redeem man, not the last things of planet earth (Curtis, D.,2006). Eschatology in its original sense: eschatology describes and explains the goal and ultimate destiny of human history (Schmithals,W. 2006). Apocalyptics are myths among many peoples of the collapse of the world, sometimes also of a time of redemption to be expected upon the ending of the world; and in these, of course, Christian influences are often present. The eschatological beliefs of Western as well as of Islamic cultural history are rooted in late Jewish apocalyptics in which the historical perspectives of the Old Testament are fused with aspects of Iranian eschatology (Schmithals,W. 2006). The word "epistle" is from the Greek word epistolos which means a written "letter" addressed to a recipient or recipients, perhaps part of exchanged correspondence (Wikipedia.com). Parousia is Greek word which means presence or arrival. In an ancient Greek speaking world, it was used to describe the ceremonial visit of a ruler or the apparition of a god. In the New Testament it is used of the appearance or coming of the glorified Christ at the close of salvation history (Harrington, W.). Pauline Epistles Apocalyptic Eschatology The Pauline epistles are the fourteenth books in the New Testament that has been ascribed as to the Apostle Paul. The epistles of Paul have influenced the Christian theology and ethics. The epistles include controversies in the Christianity, his views and observation on several books in the Old Testament. Pauline epistles are divided in different subgroups depending on whose church he addressed to. The subgroup are as follows: Epistles to the Romans, First Epistle to the Corinthians, Epistle to the Galatians, Epistle to the Ephesians, Epistle to the Philippians, Epistle to the Colossians, First Epistle to the Thessalonians, Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, First epistle to Timothy, Second epistle to Timothy, Epistle to Titus, Epistle to Philemon, Epistle to the Hebrews. Paul on his writings assumes that the basic temporal scheme fo Jewish apocalyptic speculation which make mention of the two ages, the Old Age under Satan and the New Age God's power will dominate. He believed that God's sending of his Son, Jesus Christ had already inaugurated the New Age; yet the event had not wholly obliterated the Old Age with its powers of sin and death. For him the ultimate outcome of the apocalyptic would be the victory of the Old Age, because God struck the decisive blow for freedom in the cross. In Corinthians 2:8 the crucifixion was attributed as to the ruler of the Old Age, which refers to both the political authorities involved and to the demonic powers at work in and through them. Thus, according to Paul, the cross will symbolize the strange power of God, a power made perfect in weakness. God affirmed this power by raising Jesus Christ from the dead, by sending the Holy Spirit, and by establishing the Church as the foundation of his New Age. The Pauline eschatology lies between the older documents in which the Chiliastic view appears and this later efflorescence of it in 4 Ezra and Baruch. It is affirmed that Paul expects a double resurrection, one of a certain class of the delay of Parousia, and that of the remaining dead at the consummation of the world before the judgement, and that he places the glorious reign of Christ between these two resurrections1. According to the Pauline epistle addressed to the Roman church both the righteous and the wicked will be judged on the same day: "But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who " who will render to each one according to his deeds: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honour, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath" (Rom. 2:5-8)." Paul's view of the apocalypse is the separation of good and evil. The good ones will be in heaven with God and the others will be with Satan. This maybe true but how true enough since no one can conclude that they have been in heaven or hell. 1 Where the doctrine of a universal resurrection is denied to Paul, the judgement alone would have to mark the close of the provisional kingdom, and the resurrection, in its form of a resurrection of believers only, would fall at the beginning of the kingdom. In his letter to the Thessalonians, the apocalyptic or the second coming was described as the "thief of the night." "The Apostle Paul always teaches in his epistles that the second coming of Christ, the resurrection of the righteous and the wicked, the reward of the righteous and the condemnation of the wicked occur on the same day-the day of the Lord. He says, "But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, 'Peace and safety!' then suddenly destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this day should overtake you as a thief.... For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him" (1 Th. 5:1-4, 9-10). "Paul associates the second coming with the resurrection and the ensuing glory of the saints and the sudden destruction of the wicked. Without the shadow of a doubt, that day has its reference to both parties:-believers are to look for it (1 Th. 5:4-10), for then they shall obtain salvation in all its fullness (vs. 9), then they shall 'live together with him' (vs. 10); while that same day will bring the false security of unbelievers to an end in their 'sudden destruction.'" Paul had inherited the Hebraic world view, which envisaged two ages: the present age and the age to come. But he came to regard the historical coming of Christ as the goal of God's plan of salvation. In his perception, Christ's coming, death and resurrection were the eschatological climax-"the fullness of time" (Gal 4:4), the beginning of "the resurrection of the dead" (Rom 1:4). For him, then, the two ages now overlapped. This means that those who have believed in Christ and received the Spirit live out their lives as Christ's in the overlap of the ages, "between the times." Delay of Parousia Scholars has been analyzing the epistles of Paul, did he expect parousia within his lifetime or after his death In 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 and 1 Conrinthians 15:51-52, Paul expected the parousia to come quickly, so quickly that it will take place before his death. In the expressions he made mention to his letter, "We who are alive, who are left until the Lord come," This phrase can also be seen in 1 Corinthians 15:51f, wherein he might be referring "we" as those who survive the and Paul emphasize that he is one of them who have survive at the parousia. However in the second coming Paul is not expecting to be alive. In verses such as "death is at work in us, but life in you"2, and in "we know that if the earthly building we live in is destroyed.. we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord"3 which shows that Paul refers to dying as gain and of his desire to depart and 2 2 Corinthians 4:12 3 2 Corinthians 5:18 be with Christ which is far better. Which shows that Paul considers death before the parousia to be the real possibility, a overview which is not seen to 2 Corinthians and he now thinks that the parousia will no longer take place in the proximate future. The "delay of the Parousia" is said to be real in the Catholic Church. Christians expected this coming in the first generation but until now they have seen the second coming or the parousia. Although Paul insist that is in the eyes of the believer, people are interpreting it literally. Christians nonetheless waited the day when Jesus would be "revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God" (II Thessalonians 1:6-8; see also Colossians 1:27; Ephesians 3:17; Galatians 2:20). Although the gospels warn that no one knows the exact time and date of the second coming, the early Christians did not expect that it will happen in the distant future. Because of the death of Paul the Christians where divided on their belief. Some would say that the second coming would come in the near future. Others would say that it will not come at all. Here are some verses in the Pauline epistles as evidence for the second coming or parousia: Cor. 15:23-25 - "But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are at Christ's at His coming (parousia), then comes the end, when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet." We must understand the Jewish festivals in the Old Testament that are the types in Christ. Christ the first fruits, in other words, Christ and some of the saints rose from the dead or the "first resurrection" (Matt. 27:52, 53). After that, those who were at Christ's coming, the harvest gathered. Then comes the end of the Mosaic age when His enemies (the Jewish nation: Luke 19:27; Rom. 11:28; Phil. 3:18) were put under His feet. 1 Thessalonians 2:19 - "For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord at His coming (parousia)" These passages clearly refer to the Jewish people in their generation (Matt. 23:32-36). 2 Thessalonians 2:8 - "And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming (parousia)." some believers thought that the day of the Lord had come. Paul explained the day of the Lord would not come unless the apostasy came first, and the man of sin was revealed in the temple of God. Conclusion In conclusion, I think that we can say with a great deal of certainty that the delay of the parousia resulted in a fundamental change within Christianity in terms of theology, authority, and Scripture. The early Church expected Jesus to return within their generation, and operated within that assumption. As one looks at the end of the first century, however, when the apostles began to die and the need for a change from oral to written tradition emerged, the Church began to shift towards a more 'permanent' structure. To put it in more informal terms, they saw that they were in it for 'the long haul.' Church authority changed and Scripture was written and formalized. To be sure, there have been periods in Christian history since the first century when the idea of Jesus' immanent return reached near hysteric proportions (e.g., at the turn of the first millennium and during the Millerite movement in America in the late nineteenth century). Indeed, the delay of the parousia still seems to be shaping Christianity even into our own day. One can only speculate what new changes will occur as we approach the year 2000. In my own point of view the second coming of Christ or parousia may come without knowing it that it was the second coming. As described by Paul in his epistles, "Christ may come with angels blowing horn", this maybe referring to something else and not the literal coming of angles with horn. Nowadays, Christian has different view, some would say that there is no such thing as parousia, others believed Paul and do what is necessary for the second coming. Because of these contracting believes a number of religious group were establishing their own group proclaiming that they are the authenticate member of God. The fear of dying on the day of the apocalypse is increasing for those who believe in the second coming. It is best to follow the writings for us to be ready for the coming of Christ. Works Cited Curtis, D. What is the Preterist View, September 2006, https://www.eschatology.org/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=323&Itemid=61 April 29, 2007 Hochner, D. Part three- Greek: Parousia, http://ecclesia.org/truth/parousia.html April 30, 2007 Schmithals, W. 2006, Dictionary of the History of Ideas, Eschatology, http://www.preteristarchive.com/StudyArchive/e/eschatology_index.html April 29, 2007 Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistles April 30, 2007 Woodbridge, P. Did Paul Change His Mind - An Examination of Some Aspects of Pauline Eschatology Themelios 28.3 (Summer 2003): 5-18 http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/article_paul_woodbridge.html April 30, 2007 Read More