Truth About The Crucifixion — Page 162
II. Let us now deal with the question of the so-called "Parusy that did not take place" Die ausgebliebene Parusie of the. German theology. . In the Christian religion parusy means the coming back, or the second advent of Christ from heaven. It is for them a warrant and hope for a just reward for their life waited for in eternity. Parusy is promised in Matthew 24: 27; For as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west, so shall the coming of the Son of man be. This belief was so eagerly held after the departure of Jesus from Palestine, that the apostle Peter felt obliged to tone it down in his second letter (2P 3, 4. ). The Jewish apocalyptic texts show that the Jews rather expected the Messiah to install first his kingdom of bliss and abundance for one thousand years before the Last Judgment would take place. . According to me, this firm belief in his return was based on his own words given in John 14, 2, 3: In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. . I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. . The followers of Jesus expected patiently the fulfillment of his promise which had such a near term in Luke 9: 27; But I (Jesus) tell you of a truth, there are some standing here, who shall not taste of death, till they see the Kingdom of God. . But not even their sons lived to see it. Both Paul and Peter felt therefore that the words of Jesus had to be explained to believers in a sense so as not to create discontent because the parusy did not take place. This theological turn was easy to perform: the promised mansions were raised from earth to heaven. An agreeable future is easily accepted and trusted. The return of Jesus and the installation of his kingdom of affluence was prophesied even in the 15th century. . The Christian believers of the 20th century still ask when will Christ return to earth? On this point a theological discussion about how to explain this, developed in Switzerland in the thirties. The leading theologian Fritz Buri summed up the discussion by suggesting: first to study and explain the historical 167