{"id":51391,"date":"2017-09-15T20:04:00","date_gmt":"2017-09-16T01:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=51391"},"modified":"2022-08-09T20:07:15","modified_gmt":"2022-08-10T01:07:15","slug":"why-does-the-new-testament-talk-about-jesus-returning-soon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-does-the-new-testament-talk-about-jesus-returning-soon\/","title":{"rendered":"Why does the New Testament talk about Jesus returning soon?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t<h2>Question:<\/h2>\n<p>Hello,<\/p>\n<p>I just had an interesting thought that I&#8217;m confused about. This is in no way a lack of faith on my part but something I do not understand. Why in the Bible, specifically in the New Testament, do the apostles write about Jesus&#8217; return being soon? I can find over 20 places that say Jesus will return soon and a lot of these places are describing His return as if it will happen in their lifetime. This is somewhat confusing to me because 2000 years isn&#8217;t soon. I suppose it could be argued that one day is like a thousand for God, so time is relative, but I think this would not be a correct explanation.<\/p>\n<p>Hope to hear back from you. Thank you.<\/p>\n\t<h2>Answer:<\/h2>\n<p>I&#8217;m wondering about your list of verses. What I&#8217;ve noticed is that most people don&#8217;t pay attention to the context and attribute things like Jesus coming in judgment against Jerusalem (Matthew 24; Luke 17 and 21) or Rome (Revelation) and attribute the statements to Jesus&#8217; second coming. Not that you are the first. The Thessalonians obviously misunderstood Paul&#8217;s statements that they should be ready for Jesus&#8217; return at any moment and concluded that they should just stop working and wait for Jesus&#8217; coming. Coming abruptly and without forewarning is not the same as coming soon.<\/p>\n<p>Rather, there are several passages that indicate that it would be a long time before Jesus&#8217; return:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>&#8220;<em>But if that evil slave says in his heart, &#8216;<strong>My master is not coming for a long time<\/strong>&#8216;<\/em>&#8221; (Matthew 24:48; also Luke 12:45).<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;<em>Now\u00a0<strong>after a long time<\/strong>\u00a0the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them<\/em>&#8221; (Matthew 25:19).<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;<em>And He began to tell the people this parable: &#8220;A man planted a vineyard and rented it out to vine-growers, and\u00a0<strong>went on a journey for a long time<\/strong>&#8221; <\/em>&#8221; (Luke 20:9).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Question: Hello, I just had an interesting thought that I&#8217;m confused about. This is in no way a lack of faith on my part but something I do not understand. Why in the Bible, specifically in the New Testament, do the apostles write about Jesus&#8217; return being soon? I can find over 20 places that&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[793,339],"class_list":["post-51391","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-apparent-contradictions","tag-second-coming"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":31438,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-to-hope-that-jesus-wont-come-soon\/","url_meta":{"origin":51391,"position":0},"title":"Is it wrong to hope that Jesus won&#8217;t come soon?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 22, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: A while ago my grandma, who has been an amazing influence on me as a Christian, says sometimes she feels hypocritical when we sing and pray about wanting Jesus to return soon.\u00a0 She says she wants to go to heaven, but she enjoys life and hasn't had to deal\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31050,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-to-hope-jesus-doesnt-return-soon-i-still-have-a-lot-of-people-to-whom-i-want-to-bring-the-gospel\/","url_meta":{"origin":51391,"position":1},"title":"Is it wrong to hope Jesus doesn&#8217;t return soon? I still have a lot of people to whom I want to bring the Gospel?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 27, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Is it wrong if I don't want God to come quickly? We always sing songs about being excited to go to Heaven and asking God to come quickly. I don't really know that I want him to come quickly; it almost feels selfish to pray and sing for that.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":42222,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/since-jesus-is-going-to-return-with-the-blast-of-a-trumpet-cant-instruments-be-used-in-the-worship-of-him\/","url_meta":{"origin":51391,"position":2},"title":"Since Jesus is going to return with the blast of a trumpet, can&#8217;t instruments be used in the worship of him?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 23, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: If music is not authorized in New Testament worship, even to the point of sin if it is used, then when the Lord returns and that great trumpet sounds, will we then say that it isn't a time of worship and praise? Are we willing to say that the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":20199,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-can-jesus-be-coming-quickly-when-it-has-been-2000-years\/","url_meta":{"origin":51391,"position":3},"title":"How can Jesus be coming quickly when it has been 2,000 years?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 21, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Can you explain to me what this verse means?\u00a0 \"Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done\" (Revelation 22:12).\u00a0 I was asked how this would be quick if the promise was made nearly 2,000 years\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":41120,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-a-wife-return-to-her-first-husband-after-marrying-another-man\/","url_meta":{"origin":51391,"position":4},"title":"Can a wife return to her first husband after marrying another man?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 30, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Dear Brother Hamilton, Based on my research, there appear to be almost as many interpretations among biblical scholars of what \"defiled\" means in Deut. 24:4 as there are interpretations of the exception clause in Matt. 19:9. However, I don't see why it should be an issue because it was\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7828,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-do-you-believe-in-regards-to-premillennial-and-dispensational-theories\/","url_meta":{"origin":51391,"position":5},"title":"What do you believe in regards to premillennial and dispensational theories?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 17, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I just came across an article on your website that talked about premillennialism. Current events seem to have got them talking. Basically, I'd like to ask you several questions about premillennial and dispensational theories that these people believe. Do current events in the Middle East, particularly those between Israel\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51391","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51391"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51391\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51391"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51391"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51391"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}