1. What is the right understanding of the word "parousia" as used in the Scriptures? Are there other words that mean the same in the Scriptures, also?
Answer:
The Greek word "parousia," is only one of at least nine leading Greek words used to describe the second return of Christ. This word is used by the Watchtower Society to teach that Christ's return/arrival/presence or "parousia" was invisible and took place in 1914. Contrary to this teaching is the fact that the ancient Greeks used the word "parousia" to describe the arrival or visit of a royal person or King. It was always understood to be a literal, visible, personal visit, usually accompanied with pomp and much splendour. This is the way the Bible describes Christ's future return, and the other Greek words in the Bible also support this. We will explore these other words used in the Bible further on in this lesson.
2. What illustration do we know from some ancient Greek sources help us understand the proper usage of the word "parousia?"
Answer:
An interesting illustration of the use of the word "parousia," is given in the book, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament, --Illustrated from the Papyri and Other Non-literary Sources , by J.H. Moulton and Geo. Milligan. Under "Parousia" on page 497 is the following:
"What, however, more especially concerns us in connection with the NT usage of 'parousia' is the quasi-technical force of the word from Ptolemaic times onwards to denote the 'visit' of a King, Emperor, or other person in authority..."
The article then goes on to give illustrations of such visits in Greek literature. On one such papyri, was a description of The Royal Visit of the Queen Cleopatra and King Ptolemy Philometor, to Memphis in their kingdom of Egypt. This was called a parousia.
3. So is it possible that the word can be used to describe an invisible coming of Christ?
Answer:
In the above illustrations of the use of this word "parousia" in the Greek, before and during the writing of the Greek Scriptures, it is obvious that it was used in the context of the royal person being literally and visibly present. To use this word to describe an invisible presence of Jesus Christ since 1914 completely takes it out of the context in which the word was known and used.
4. How is the word "parousia" used in the Bible when it is not referring to the second coming of Jesus?
2 Corinthians 10:10; 1 Corinthians 16:17; 2 Corinthians 7:6, 7; Philippians 1:26; 2:12.
Answer:
a. "For, say they: '[his] letters are weighty and forceful, but [his] ________________ in _______________ is weak and [his] speech contemptible." 2 Corinthians 10:10. Paul uses the word in connection with his being literally and visibly present with his people from the time of his arrival among them.
b. "But I rejoice over the ______________ of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your not being here." 1 Corinthians 16:17
c. "Nevertheless God, who comforts those laid low, comforted us by the _______________ of Titus; yet not alone by his _________________, but also by the comfort with which he had been comforted over you, as he brought us word again of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced yet more."
2 Corinthians 7:6, 7
d. "..so that your exultation may overflow in Christ Jesus by reason of me through my _________________ again with you." Philippians 1:26
e. "Consequently, my beloved ones, in the way that you have always obeyed, not during my ________________ only, but now much more readily during my absence, keep working out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Philippians 2:12.
5. How do the Bible writers use the word when they are describing Christ's return?
Matthew 24:27; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:8
Answer:
a. "For just as the lightning comes out of eastern parts and shines over to western parts, so the _________________ of the Son of man will be." Matthew 24:27
b. "For this is what we tell you by Jehovah's word, that we the living who survive to the __________________ of the Lord shall in no way precede those who have fallen asleep [in death]; because the Lord _______________ will descend from heaven with a _______________________ ___________, with an archangel's ____________________ and with God's ______________________, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first. Afterward we the living who are surviving will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we shall always be with [the] Lord. Consequently keep comforting one another with these words." 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.
c. "Then, indeed, the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will do away with by the spirit of his mouth and bring to nothing by the manifestation of his ___________________." 2 Thessalonians 2:8 In the KJV, the words "brightness of his coming" is used.
These texts certainly do not give any room for an invisible secret return of Christ in 1914. No wonder this teaching of the Watchtower is causing more and more of its thinking members to question it, and has led thousands out of the Watchtower Society.
6. What are the other Greek words used to describe Christ's second return?
Answer:
a. Apokalupto : "revelation" as in 2 Thessalonians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:7; Luke 17:29, 30
b. Epiphaneia : "manifestation" as in 1 Timothy 6:14; 4:8; Titus 2:13
c. Erchomai: "coming" as in Matthew 24:30; 26:64; John 14:3; 1 Corinthians 11:26; Revelation 1:7
d. Optomai: "appears" "made visible" as in Hebrews 9:28
e. Phaneroo: "made manifest" as in 1 Peter 5:4
f. Hupostrepho: "return" as in Luke 19:12
g. Analuo: "returns" as in Luke 12:36
h. Heko: "come" as in Revelation 2:25
7. How is the word "parousia" understood by Modern Greeks?
Answer:
Attendance at school each day is called by modern Greeks a "parousia." This demands them to go to school and be literally, personally and visibly present. For a student to say they attended school, but their "parousia" was invisible, or they were there in spirit or had turned their attention to the school, would be ludicrous. What the Watchtower Society tries to teach about Christ's "return" or "parousia" being invisible or a turning of his attention to the earth is just as ludicrous!
8. Was Christ raised as an invisible spirit being or creature, and will He return in this manner, so that we cannot see Him? What exactly did Christ prophecy about His resurrection and second coming?
John 2:19-22; Luke 24:37-43; John 20:25-29 Please read these prophecies in full from the NWT.
Answer:
a. "....Break down this temple, and in ___________ ____________ I will raise it up....But he was talking about the temple of his ____________." John 2:19-22.
b. "....they were terrified....imagining they beheld a _____________. So he said to them:...'See my hands and my feet, that it is I _______________; feel me and see, because a ___________ _________ __________ have _____________ and ________________ just as you behold that I have.'" Luke 24:37-43. Jesus emphasized that he had been bodily resurrected by saying "it is I myself. " He had not assumed "another" body!
c. "Put your finger here, and see my ____________ and take your hand and stick it into _____ ___________, and stop being unbelieving but become _________________." John 20:25-29. It was not until Thomas followed Jesus' instructions that he believed in Christ's bodily resurrection. If Jesus had not been bodily resurrected but was a spirit, then His prophecy of John 2:19-22 had failed, and He would be a false prophet. Furthermore, if He really was a spirit when He told His disciples He was not a spirit then He was a liar. The teaching of the Watchtower Society that Christ was raised a spirit would make Christ guilty of both these accusations!
9. How was Christ resurrected?
Romans 8:11; 1 Peter 3:18
Answer:
a. "If, now, the spirit of him that _____________ ________ _______________ from the _______________ dwells in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also make your mortal ________________ ___________ through his spirit that resides in you." Romans 8:11
b. "Why, even Christ died once for all time concerning sins, a righteous [person] for unrighteous ones, that he might lead you to God, he being put to death in the flesh, but being made alive ______ ___________ _______________." 1 Peter 3:18 NWT. The Emphatic Diaglott and the KJV render this text that Jesus was resurrected "BY the Spirit," which is consistent with Romans 8:11.
10. Will Christ's bodily return be visible?
Philippians 3:20-21; 1 John 3:2; Hebrews 9:28; Revelation 1:7; Matthew 26:64; Matthew 24:30; Acts 1:9-11
a. "As for us, our citizenship exists in the heavens, from which place also we are eagerly waiting for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will ________________ our humiliated body to be conformed to his ________________ _____________ according to the operation of the power that he has, even to subject all things to himself." Philippians 3:20-21
b. "Beloved ones, now we are children of God, but as yet it has not been made manifest what we shall be. We do know that whenever he is made manifest we shall be like him, because we ______________ ___________ him just as he is." 1 John 3:2
c. "So also the Christ was offered once for all time to bear the sins of many; and the second time that he __________________ it will be apart from sin and to those earnestly looking for him for [their] salvation." Hebrews 9:28
d. "Look! He is coming with the clouds, and _____________ _____________ will ____________ him, and those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief because of him. Yes, Amen." Revelation 1:7
e. "Jesus said to him: 'You yourself said [it]. Yet I say to you men, From henceforth you will ____________ the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.'" Matthew 26:64
f. "and then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation, and they will __________ the Son of man coming _____ the _____________ of heaven with power and great glory." Matthew 24:30
g. "And after he had said these things, while they were looking on, he was lifted up and a ___________ caught him up from their vision.... and they said: 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus who was received up from you into the sky will come thus in the same manner as you __________ ________________ him going into the sky." Acts 1:9-11.
Yes! Christ's second coming will be visible! Every eye shall see him, wicked and righteous alike. This cannot mean every spiritual eye, for the wicked do not have spiritual eyes or understanding! All those who are alive on planet earth at His second coming in the clouds of heaven, will see Him just as He is, just as He went back to heaven. There is no getting around this important teaching of the Scriptures about the Son of God. Hebrews 13:8 proclaims this truth about our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever." How grateful we should be that Christ is our Brother, and our Saviour from all sin to the glory of God the Father in heaven, that He will come to receive us just as He was received to heaven, in the clouds of heaven! We shall soon go with Him to our heavenly abode at His glorious coming if we remain faithful.
But what about the millennium? Will sinners be converted to Christ during the millennium because He is so full of love and mercy that He doesn't want anyone to be destroyed? Rather, He wants all to be saved who possibly will if given the opportunity? The next study will discuss the points from the Bible about the millennium and the possibility of a second chance. What does the Bible really teach?