Can We know When Jesus Will Return & How?

Hello everyone, I’m Sir Eze Okirika. Welcome to our community as we will tackle the toughest questions surrounding Jesus’ return. Let’s dive in and discover what the Bible says about this important topic. “Can We know When Jesus Will Return & How?: by Daniel Bonevac and N.T Wright. The speaker is discussing the concept of the Second Coming of Jesus, which is a central doctrine in Christianity. However, He is highlighting some nuances and complexities in the way this doctrine has been interpreted throughout history.

Here are some key points the speaker is making:

1. *The early church expected Jesus to return soon*: The speaker notes that the early Christian community expected Jesus to return within their lifetime. However, it has now been 2,000 years and Jesus has not returned. This has led to a shift in understanding the Second Coming from an imminent event to a more symbolic or metaphorical one.

2. *The American Dispensationalist view has distorted the original meaning*: The speaker suggests that the American Dispensationalist movement has misinterpreted the Second Coming as a physical event where Jesus will rapture believers away from the world. This view has become popular in modern evangelicalism but is not the original understanding of the doctrine.

3. *The language of “appearing” vs “coming”*: The speaker highlights that some New Testament verses use the language of “appearing” instead of “coming”. This suggests a manifestation of Jesus’ presence rather than a physical arrival from afar.

4. *Some prophecies are about the fall of Jerusalem, not the end of the world*: The speaker notes that some prophecies in the Gospels, like Mark 13, are actually about the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE rather than the end of the world.

5. *Jesus’ stories convey the idea of God’s return to Zion*: The speaker suggests that Jesus’ stories, like the parable of the talents, convey the idea of God’s return to Zion, which is a symbol of God’s presence and reign.

6. *The Jewish context is crucial*: The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the Jewish context of Jesus’ teachings, particularly in regards to the concept of God’s return to Zion.

OVERALL

The speaker is encouraging a more nuanced and contextualized understanding of the Second Coming doctrine, one that takes into account the complexities of biblical language and the historical development of Christian theology.

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