According to W.R.F. Browning, the term parousia in the Greek New Testament means presence. It is used in the context of the Second Coming of Christ within the eschatological framework which includes judgment and resurrection. Browning (1996: 282).
Browning reasons that Paul expected the day of the Lord, not as the end of the world and of time, but rather for the judgment of humanity and the final defeat of evil. The resurrection of Jesus would lead to the resurrection of all followers and a renewed creation. Browning (1996: 283).
Millard Erickson writes that parousia literally means ‘being by’ and presence, coming or arrival. He notes it is used in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 to designate the coming of Christ as he raises those in him from the dead and catches believers in the air with him. This coming will lead to the destruction of the antichrist in 2 Thessalonians 2:8. It will not be a secret event, but will be public. Erickson (1996: 993).
Strong defines the root word παρουσία from 1 Thessalonians 4: 15 as being near, advent, coming, and presence. Strong (1986: 74).
Word Detail
Word/Inflected Form Lemma Part of Speech Lexical Entry
παρουσίαν (6) παρουσία (28)
Noun coming, arrival, presence
Parsing Accusative Singular Feminine
Related Words ἔλευσις ἔναντι ἀπέναντι ὕπαρξις νυνί ἐνοικέω γέρας εὐκαιρία ἔγκτησις ἔνδοθεν πατάσσω
Context in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 οἱ περιλειπόμενοι εἰς τὴν ... τοῦ κυρίου οὐ μὴ
“From Merriam-Webster: Accusative (In many languages including NT Koine Greek)
1 : of, relating to, or being the grammatical case that marks the direct object of a verb or the object of any of several prepositions”
1 Thessalonians 4: 15
…and remain (verb) until the coming (accusative noun) of the Lord.
Bauer writes that in the context of 1 Thessalonians 4: 15 the word παρουσίαν is used of Christ and the Messianic Advent in glory to judge this world at the end of the age. Bauer (1979: 630).
Eschatology is derived from the Greek word eschaton meaning last, it refers to the ultimate culmination of history where Jesus Christ returns to earth and fully establishes his rule and Kingdom. Grenz, Guretzki, and Nordling (1999: 46). Eschatology is the theology that seeks to fully understand the direction and purpose of history and progressing events. Grenz, Guretzki, and Nordling (1999: 46).
Henry C. Thiessen writes that eschatology includes the concepts of the Second Coming of Christ, the resurrection, judgments, the millennium, and the final state. Thiessen (1956: 440).
These are far too complex concepts to thoroughly discuss within a blog article, but these ideals would all be aspects of how the Biblical God delivers this current age that exists with the problem of evil, into an age where evil is a thing of the past. This present fallen creation, inhabited and influenced by sinful creatures would be transformed into a universe and earth empirically ruled by Christ as God.
It should be noted here that The Kingdom of Heaven/God will therefore not only include access to God in the heavenly non-physical spiritual realm, but also a physical creation restored to an original perfection ruled by God. The elect in Christ will be physically resurrected and not live everlastingly as spiritual beings alone, because God wants the those in Christ to live forever in the restored Kingdom described in Revelation, Chapters 21-22.
Robert H. Mounce points out that contrary to Greek dualism, God always intended for human beings to exist on a redeemed earth, not in a heavenly realm removed from physical existence. Mounce (1990: 368). This makes sense as a physical resurrected body naturally requires a physical realm to exist in, but Paul calls the resurrected body, spiritual, in 1 Corinthians 15: 44.
Gordon Fee explains that the resurrection body is not immaterial but supernatural. It is a body adapted for eschatological existence under the domination of the spirit. Fee (1987: 786). Mounce notes that the concepts of new heaven and new earth in Revelation are described with varying degrees of literalness, but the new heaven and new earth provides the setting for the new and everlasting state. Mounce (1999: 369). The new heaven and new earth is not simply metaphor for a spiritual existence with God in his heavenly presence, but an actual physical place where human beings shall live and prosper with Christ. If Christians were intended to live merely a spiritual existence with God in the heavenly realm this would make the resurrection of the natural body, which becomes a spiritual body, as Paul describes it, unnecessary. If God did not intend to restore the physical universe and human body, then saved human beings, after death, could simply remain in Paradise (Luke 23: 43, 2 Corinthians 12: 4) in spirit form only.
BAUER, W. (1979) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Translated by Eric H. Wahlstrom, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.
BROWNING, W.R.F. (1997) Oxford Dictionary of the Bible Oxford, Oxford University Press.
ERICKSON, MILLARD J. (1996) ‘Second Coming of Christ’, in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.
FEE, GORDON (1987) The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
GRENZ, STANLEY J. DAVID GURETZKI and CHERITH FEE NORDLING (1999) Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press.
MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1990) The Book of Revelation, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
STRONG, J. (1986) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Pickering, Ontario, Welch Publishing Company.
THIESSEN, HENRY C. (1956) Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
An unusual sight greeted Jerusalem police as they entered one of Christianity's holiest sites Sunday morning: dozens of monks punching and kicking each other in a massive brawl.
Hey, was this all over a blog article?
