pa-rōṓ ́zhi-a:
The Second Coming of Christ (a phrase not found in the Bible) is expressed by the apostles in the following special terms: (1) “Parousia” (parousia), a word fairly common in Greek, with the meaning “presence” (2 Corinthians 10:10; Philippians 2:12). More especially it may mean “presence after absence,” “arrival” (but not “return,” unless this is given by the context), as in 1 Corinthians 16:17; 2 Corinthians 7:6-7; Philippians 1:26. And still more particularly it is applied to the Coming of Christ in 1 Corinthians 15:23; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 2:8; James 5:7, 5:8; 2 Peter 1:16; 3:4, 12; 1 John 2:28—in all 13 times, besides 2 Thessalonians 2:9, where it denotes the coming of Anti-christ. This word for Christ’s Second Coming passed into the early Patristic literature (Diognetus, vii. 6, e.g.), but its use in this sense is not invariable. But in modern theology it means invariably the Second Coming. Recent archaeological discoveries have explained why the word received such general Christian use in the special sense. In Hellenistic Greek it was used for the arrival of a ruler at a place, as is evidenced by inscriptions in Egypt, Asia Minor, etc. Indeed, in an Epidaurus inscription of the 3rd century BC (Dittenberger, Sylloge (2), Number 803, 34), “Parousia” is applied to a manifestation of Aesculapius. Consequently, the adoption by the Greek-speaking Christians of a word that already contained full regal and even Divine concepts was perfectly natural. (The evidence is well summarized in Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East 3, 372-78, German edition, 281-87.) (2) “Epiphany” epiphaneía), “manifestation,” used of the Second Coming in 2 Thessalonians 2:8; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13. The word was used like Parousia in Hellenistic Greek to denote the ceremonial arrival of rulers; compare Deissmann, as above. (3) “Apocalypse” apokalupsís), “revelation,” denotes the Second Coming in 1 Corinthians 1:7; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:7, 13; 4:13. (4) “Day of the Lord, more or less modified, but referring to Christ in 1 Corinthians 1:8; 5:5; 2 Corinthians 1:14; Philippians 1:6, 10; 2:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:2. The phrase is used of the Father in the strict Old Testament sense in Acts 2:20; 2 Peter 3:12; Revelation 1:6-14, and probably in 2 Peter 3:10. Besides, as in the Old Testament and the intermediate literature, “day of wrath,” “last day,” or simply “day” are used very frequently. See DAY OF THE LORD.
Of the first three of the above terms, only Parousia is found in the Gospels, 4 times, all in Matthew 24:3, 17, 37, 39, and in the last three of these all in the set phrase “so shall be the Parousia of the Son of Man.” As Christ spoke in Aramaic, the use of “Parousia” here is of course due to Matthew’s adoption of the current Greek word.
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Author: International Std. Bible Encyclopedia
Keywords: Parousia, Rapture
Source: James Orr (editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 5 volume set.
Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.