The Bible Undressed

            In the previous post I discussed whether Jesus was talking about himself or someone else when he spoke of the “Son of Man” coming to usher in God’s kingdom on earth.  The next question to deal with is, When is the Son of Man coming?  Let’s return to the first passage cited in the previous post: “For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38)  Matthew and Luke also record this statement, with slight variations (Matthew 16:27, Luke 9:26), but they also add an interesting comment:

“Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Matthew 16:28

            Jesus says not only that “the Son of Man” is coming, but that he is coming within the lifetime of some of those standing there.  Although Mark does not include this detail in his version of this passage, he does cite it in other passages:

[speaking to four disciples about the destruction of the temple followed by the coming of the Son of Man:] “Truly I say to you, this generation[1] will not pass away until all these things take place.”  Mark 13:30

[speaking to the high priest at his trial:] “I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” Mark 14:60

Christ Before the High Priest
by Dutch artist Gerard van Honthorst, 1617

Matthew has Jesus saying the same thing before the high priest, and also telling his disciples, “Truly I say to you, you shall not finish going through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man comes” (Matthew 10:23).  Luke alters Jesus’ statement to the high priest, but when he records Jesus speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem and the coming of the Son of Man he also makes the claim, “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place” (Luke 21:32).  The gospel of John seems to emphasize Jesus returning to the Father rather than an eventual return to earth, but there are a few references to Jesus coming back (John 14:3, 21:22).  However, John provides no details about how or when as the other gospels do.

            I would suggest two other pieces of evidence that Jesus thought the end was coming within their generation.  First, his predecessor John the Baptizer expressed urgency in his message as well: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” and “And the axe is already laid at the root of the trees” (Matthew 3:2, 10).  And when Jesus took up the mantle he continued that message: “Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14, 15).  Another piece of evidence is the nature of Jesus’ teachings.  Jesus said that “none of you can be my disciple who does not give up all his own possessions” (Luke 14:33).  Is that very practical?  How are his disciples supposed to live, then?  And, “do not show opposition against an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other toward him also” (Matthew 5:39).  Does he expect people to be perpetual doormats for bullies?  “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two” (Matthew 5:41).  Now he wants us to be slaves!  Speaking of slavery, why didn’t Jesus ever speak out against this terrible idea of one person owning another?  All these teachings, or non-teachings make sense if you believe the kingdom of God is at hand, within your lifetime.  You see, all injustice will be set right in God’s coming kingdom. There will be no hunger, or homelessness. There will be no bullies. There will be no slavery.  God will provide for your needs.  So just be patient; it’s about to happen! In your lifetime! For these teachings to be “good” they require a short time-frame until the coming of the kingdom.  Otherwise it would seem like a cruel hoax that leaves people destitute and enslaved.

            Famed English author D. H. Lawrence’s last book was a critique of the book of Revelation.  He thought that the reason the martyrs in Revelation are crying out for justice is because of this harsh lifestyle imposed by the teachings of Jesus.  They gave up possessions, gave up their families, bowed to those who oppressed them, and all they got in return was abuse and then death.  Lawrence thought Jesus’ teachings were not practical for living in an ongoing society.  He was right – unless the end of the age is at hand and a new righteous kingdom is around the corner.  Then such short-term hardship becomes meaningless as the wonderful long-term Kingdom of God begins.  But if it doesn’t begin soon…?

            The earliest Christians took Jesus at his word that he was coming back within their lifetimes.  Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica is thought to be the earliest document written in the New Testament:

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.  For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words. 
1^st Thessalonians 4:13-18

Paul included himself among those who would see Jesus return (“we” who are alive, not “those” who are alive).  Maybe he was just speaking hopefully, but it sounds like he expected to see it happen.  In the book of Acts Peter is portrayed as standing before the crowds in Jerusalem just fifty days after Jesus’ crucifixion and he quotes from the book of the prophet Joel to declare to them that they are in the “last days” and that they are soon to experience “the great and glorious day of the Lord” (Acts 2:14-21).  Hebrews 1:2 and James 5:3 also show that those writers viewed themselves as living in “the last days.”

            The problem is (or became) that the first generation of disciples passed away and Jesus did not return.  It seems this was causing some of the disciples to lose heart.  That called for some damage control.  There are two letters in the New Testament that directly address this problem.  The letter known as Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians is one.  Most contemporary scholars believe this letter is not really from Paul but from a later disciple writing in Paul’s name and assuming his authority.  One reason for thinking that is this second letter from “Paul” seems to directly contradict what Paul said in his first letter to them!  After the passage quoted above Paul continues in his first letter:

Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.  For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.  While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.  1^st Thessalonians 5:1-3

Paul says that while people are enjoying a time of peace and safety the “day of the Lord” will come upon them suddenly and without warning.  However, this is what the second letter says:

Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.  Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.  Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?  2^nd Thessalonians 2:1-5

In this letter the author says that they should not be disturbed by a previous message or letter supposedly from Paul and his partners.  Is he referring to the letter we now know as 1^st Thessalonians?!  If so, which is the real letter from Paul?  If Jesus said he would return within the lifetimes of his first disciples and now they are dying off, then either Jesus must have returned and the present disciples missed it somehow, or else Jesus was wrong.  Well, the disciples would not believe Jesus was wrong, so it is easy to see how they might come to the idea that Jesus had returned somehow without everybody knowing it.  This second letter says clearly that the day of the Lord has not come yet.  Also, rather than coming unexpectedly in a time of peace this author says there will be specific signs to look for and there will be lawlessness and destruction.  So, if Paul wrote this letter, too, then he must have been in error when he wrote the first one.  You can’t have it both ways.  I almost chuckle at the last statement in the passage above, where the author seems to be trying to convince the current church members in Thessalonica that this is what Paul really taught, despite the evidence of his first letter.

            Another letter which directly addresses the delayed arrival of Jesus is 2^nd Peter.  Like 2^nd Thessalonians contemporary scholars do not believe it was really written by the purported author, Peter. There are several reasons for this belief, including the fact that Peter was said to be an illiterate Jew (Acts 4:13) while the letter is well-written in Greek.  Also, read the book of Jude and you will see that it seems to have been the model used for writing 2^nd Peter, and even some of the specific images and phrases are borrowed from it.  (Jude itself is problematic, as it references two other works that were not considered authentic and were not included in the Christian or Jewish bibles.)   Regardless, this is what the letter says:

This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.  Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”  2^nd Peter 3:1-4

People were questioning and even mocking the return of Jesus.  The “fathers,” the original disciples of Jesus, had died, and Jesus had not returned.  (If Peter was still alive and writing this letter, why would people be saying that?!  Further evidence Peter did not write it.)  Why hasn’t Jesus kept his promise?  Here is the author’s answer:

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.  2^nd Peter 3:8-10

He actually gives two reasons (excuses?).  The first is that the Lord sees time a lot differently than we do. The time-distortion excuse is one that modern soothsayers like to use when the end of the world does not come when they predicted it would.  They reinterpret and recalculate and go on to their next predictions.  So we see this is an old trick.  And it does not change the fact that Jesus did not specify some number of days in which he was to return; he said it would be within their lifetime.  Maybe to God a thousand years is like a day but that does not change what Jesus said.  The second reason given is that the Lord is being patient, wanting more people to come to repentance.  This seems to be a stark contrast with what Jesus taught about the end of the age: many will be caught unaware and die in their sins.  Jesus in his parables on the subject never suggested God would wait for people to repent (e.g., see the parables in Matthew 25).   With these two excuses the author nullifies and ignores what Jesus actually said.   But the main point for our purpose is that the early Christians expected Jesus to return within their lifetime, just as he had said, and when he did not show their leaders had to change the rules.

The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins
(Matthew 25:1-13), William Blake, ca. 1825
Jesus apparently did not think God was waiting for
people to repent: His message was you better do it now!

            There may be a third instance of this sort of thing.   In the gospel of John Jesus talks primarily about returning to the Father but he does make a few references to coming back, as mentioned earlier.  Then in the last chapter Jesus has a conversation with Peter.  For some reason at the conclusion of the discussion Peter turns and looks at “the disciple whom Jesus loved” and asks, “What about him?”  Jesus answers, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”  The author then explains:

Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”  John 21:23

It appears there was a rumor that this disciple would not die.  This would explain why Jesus could still be right about his return: as long as this disciple was still alive it would be possible for Jesus to return within the lifetime of the original disciples (even though there is only one left).  Of course, the gospel of John never has Jesus making such a statement about his imminent return and therefore the author can refute this rumor.  There is no need to perpetuate this rumor in his theology.  So the author (alone among the gospels) introduces and then refutes the rumor:  Jesus will return whenever and however he wants, with no conditions placed upon his return.

            One way that modern believers get around the difficulty of Jesus’ apparent mistake is to say that Jesus did in fact return and establish his kingdom: the Christian church is his kingdom.  In the book of Acts, chapter 2, we read of the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost, they preach to the crowds in Jerusalem, there is a mass conversion of 3,000 souls, and the church age begins.  Thus Jesus’ promise is fulfilled.  Except that what happened on that day did not fulfill what Jesus actually said about his return.  More importantly, the New Testament authors themselves never make such a claim.  Read again what Paul said in 1^st Thessalonians above: he was still waiting for Jesus’ return; it did not happen on the day of Pentecost.  If the church age was the beginning of Jesus’ kingdom on earth, then all the later writers had to say to those who were questioning Jesus’ return was, “Hey, it already happened!   Jesus did return via the Holy Spirit and established his kingdom in the church!”  But they (particularly 2^nd Thessalonians and 2^nd Peter) instead say that Jesus’ return is yet to come, so be patient.  Either Jesus had already returned within the lifetime of the first disciples, in which case Paul and Peter are wrong, or he had not, in which case Jesus himself was wrong.  Take your pick.

            In Mark 13:32 (and Matthew 24:36) Jesus says, “But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”  If only Jesus had left it at that.  Instead, he goes too far and tells his listeners that the coming of the Son of Man would happen in their lifetime.  So, now one must decide if he was wrong or the gospel authors were wrong about what he said or the later letter writers were wrong in their understanding of what he said.  Or you can do what is commonly done with difficult parts of the Bible: make up your own convoluted doctrine that is not actually found in the Bible. (The Rapture comes to mind.) That’s what theology is for: to explain things the Bible does not say and to explain away what it does say.

Thinking exercises:

1. The doctrine of the Rapture did not develop until the early 1800s, but it says Jesus will take up all the true Christians to heaven and leave everybody else behind.  Have you ever considered that maybe Jesus did this during that first generation of disciples and everybody else over the past 1900 years including us were all left behind?  It would explain a lot when you look at this troubled world, wouldn’t it?!
2. Make a prediction for when Jesus will return, share it with your friends, and see if you can get any of them to repent.
3. 2^nd Peter says the Lord is being patient, waiting for “all” to come to repentance. Looking at the world today, can you envision a time when “all” people will come to repentance? After almost 2,000 years Christianity is still a minority in the world, and every sect within Christianity is a minority within the religion. Does it look to you like there has been much progress on getting “all” to repent?

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[1] Some want to translate this phrase as “this race,” but that would render Jesus’ comment meaningless, and it would not negate the other passages in which Jesus is clearly referring to the life span of his generation.