On the road to where my father lives someone has posted a sign in their front room window that has been there for at least 10 years: 'Jesus is returning soon'. As I sit in the traffic, I ponder this sign. The original sign started out somewhat amateurish, but in recent years that sign has been replaced with something more polished. Obviously, the sign's owner thought that Jesus' return wouldn't be that soon, because they felt had enough time to make another one. My problem: Jesus' return has been a long time; 2000 years, more or less, and we are still waiting. I know I'm not the only who ponders this question. Some argue that Jesus' return is through his Spirit. I partially buy that one. The Holy Spirit is the first fruits of the coming Kingdom, but the New Testament certainly thinks of Jesus' 'bodily' return (the parousia), and not just his presence through the Spirit. So here we have a dilemma: the imminent return of Jesus that hasn't been so imminent.What got me thinking about all this is this week's reading from 1 Thessalonians 4: 9 -18; in particular verse 17: '... then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them (those who have died and now have been resurrected) to meet the Lord in the air...'. Some Christian groups describe this as the 'rapture'. It is a most curious text. What do we make of it; what do you make of it?
Chris
P.S. We will be doing some thinking around this @ connecT on Sunday night @ 5.30pm.
4 comments:
I always like the bumper sticker
"If the driver of this car has just disappeared then the rapture has just occurred"
It's literalist nonsense isn't it?
Only if the driver doesn't have their seat belt on, Stephen. Otherwise, the car goes with them.
Yes, it is very hard to take this literally. The crux of it, I think, is about being raised into the presence of God.
Just another thought: Thessalonians is reputed to be Paul's first letter. I wonder how his theology matures. If we take the Pastorals - some, I know regard these as deutero Pauline - as reflected Paul's more mature thought, then we see a down playing of this apocalyptic imagery, moving towards a more
church orientated theology.
Jesus return marks the end of history. To say its imminent is to say that God has no more plans for this world. The harvest is no longer plentiful. 'Caught up in the clouds' follows from verse 16 that 'the Lord himself will descend'. This would not be so strange to 19th century hearers but with the advent of space travel there is kind of 'where is Jesus coming from?' I think its safe to say that Jesus was not the first astronaut. Scripture doesn't say too much more. Acts 1:6-11 speaks of the ascension. However scripture does say is that it will be 'with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God' Jesus will descend. This not some private spiritual meeting. It is the final triumphant piece of Gods Kingdom.
Thanks for your insightful comments, Philip. Yes, Scripture does not say much more, and maybe that is a cue for us too. As Jesus said ' no one knows the time or the hour'. N.T Wright makes some helpful comments about some of the background to this : the return of the King from battle.
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