The Picture of the Waiting in the New Testament
The Christian religion is a religion which came into being in Jewish nation as a result of a long wait. Few of the Jews who had strictly promised Christ to get together around Jesus after his arrival founded a new religion which was in a rapid process of being global. However, after the worldly life of the Jesus this wait came into a new shape. This new wait was the wait for the return of the Jesus Christ and the founding of a government which can establish the divine rule.
This article strives to sketch the outlines of these two waits by consulting the first-hand and holy Christian texts. It is hoped that this work turns out to be a step forward towards more research in this field.
Keywords: Awaiting Christ, the New Testament, Return of Christ (Epiphany), Jewish-Christian Wait.
Prologue:
When you perform a subjective study of Christianity or analyze a truth in the life of a Christian, it will be beneficial for better understanding and realizing the real worth and aspects of this subject in the general thought of Christianity to perform a research about the worth of this subject in the Holy Bible or how it has spoken regarding this subject.
Christianity is established around the unique personality of its founder and is the only religion which has been founded on the basis of historic wait of a nation, teaching of a religion and increasing thirst of its followers for the appearance of the Redeemer. For this very reason a guess can be made that the subject of wait and the belief on the promised one can be discussed in Bible to which extent.
This research tries to picture the wait and promised belief in the New Testament. It is hoped that this would be an introduction to more study in this field for the researchers.
First Wait: Jewish-Christian
The first obvious instance of the wait in the New Testament is the instance of fulfillment of the long wait of the Jewish nation which came to an end with the introduction of Jesus by the name of “Messiah” and rescuer of Israel.
Christianity came into existence on a completely Jewish ground and in accordance with the beliefs of Jews. Due to this we can reckon the movement of Jesus as a Jewish movement. Christian called themselves Jews years after the end of the worldly life of the Jesus, used to practice all the rituals and traditions of the Jews, used to go to the place of worship everyday and follow the religion of Mosses similarly as other Jews. If someone came into their religion and was uncircumcised, they used to force him to get circumcised as a first and foremost symbol of accepting Judaism. Their belief towards Jesus as the Messiah, whose appearance has been promised in the books of the Prophets of Israel, separated them from other Jews.
The belief of first Christians who claimed themselves as original Jews had its roots in the Jewish history. Jesus and his Apostles were also Jews. They completely knew and believed in the stories of Holy Bible regarding Abraham, Isaac and Jakub. They knew that the Prophets of Israel have created this thirst in the Jewish nation with great emphasis that a person from the siblings of David will revive the golden period and the glory of the kingdom of his father for the Jews. For this reason, when they found the Jesus they ignored his birth in village and gave him monarchy and called him the same savior. For this very reason, this wait is completely Jewish which got focused on a person named Jesus through a group of Jews who later became the founders of Christianity.
The theory of the belief in the promised one amongst the Jews had a lot of ups and downs and had seen a lot of claimers. However Jesus was a different case who with his great passion absorbed a great amount of people from the lower class of the society and by becoming a Christ paved his way in the hearts and it was so much strong that a new religion was founded and quickly became global.
Regarding this specific stage of wait, some points are worth mentioning from the Bible:
First: Knowing Christ as a savior was not a fact that Jews, the real believers of the theory of Christ, recognize so easily and accept that he is the savior regarding whom the Prophet has given gospel to the Israel. Due to this, Jesus and his personality has always remained a mystery for Jews, whether he is an apostate or a Christ?
The monarchy was accompanied by hardships for Jesus because of the treatment the Jewish priests used to gave him and his followers as a result of such claim.
The only crime of Jesus when he was being trialed in Jerusalem was his claim that he is the “son of the human” which means the Christ.
It was tough for the dissent Jews to believe that a poor and a village born person who speaks the language of fisher men, lives the life of farmers, always speaks with the examples and does not mind living with his self kind is the same prince for whom the Isaiah has promised; one who will return the greatness and glory of the David’s rule to the Jews. On this basis, they used to negate him and used to hurt and harm him and his followers.
Second. In the reply to the dissention of Jews the great hard work of the Christians also cannot be ignored such that despite bearing hardships with immense determination they used to propagate that their leader is the same person promised by Isaiah. This effort was such that some have reasoned that: “Bible is written to prove that Jesus is the same promised one of Israel.”
In the beginning of the New Testament it is stated: “Jesus son of David the savior’s ancestor tree book”.
The effort of Mathew to call Jesus the son of David was because that generally Armya had given the promise of the coming of a prince from humans and in the siblings of David. It has been stated in the story of the birth of the Jesus from the virgin women in the 14th verse of the seventh chapter that Isaiah stresses upon that although all of this happened so that the words which the God has spoken through Prophet’s tongue are fulfilled. Mathew narrates the incident of Christ entering Jerusalem that he was riding a donkey whose youngling was also coming behind it. Most of the critics consider this incident as fake and irrelevant to the subject and reckon that this incident has been narrated to relate the story of Jesus with the prediction of Zechariah.
Third. Whether the Jesus believed on the things which his companions used to claim regarding him? Whether he himself claimed to be Christ of Israel?
The reality is that the Jesus did not claim to be Christ of Israel openly. With all this, it has been stated that sometimes he announced within his students that he is the savior of Israel. It has been narrated that Christ went to the surroundings of Qaeserya philis and asked his students: “What do the people call me as I am the son of human?” They replied:” Some of them call you John the Baptist, some of them Elias and some call you Jeremiah, one of the prophets. Then Jesus asked them:” Do you know me?” Peter replied:” You are the son of God.”Jesus said:”God bless you oh Shimon son of Joona because no one cleared on you this body and blood but my father who is in the skies.”
After this prayer “he alerted his students to not tell anyone that he is the savior”. However, they did not listen to this advice of the Jesus and continued their preaching regarding it and as a result of this were tortured and tormented extensively by the Jews.
Jesus apart from this reality used the titles of the savior of Israel for himself which can be a proof that he considered himself a savior. One of the titles which Jesus has used for himself is “Son of the human”, which is the most debatable theological discussions of the modern age, is the most evident claim of the Christ on which theologists are not able to develop a consensus. This title has come hundred and seven times in the Antiquity and mostly is used in the meaning of human. In real this title is a metaphor in Iberian language and normally is used in the meaning of human. People also call themselves son of human while introducing. This word is used in the meaning of savior and the promised one of Israel in the holy Iberian text and poetry. In the book of Daniel this meaning can be easily understood: “I saw in my night dream and now he has come like a sun of human with clouds of sky and reached to the God and they took him in his presence. He was given sultanate, majesty so that all the nations, ummahs and languages serve him. His sultanate is everlasting and eternal. “
The word human’s son has come 83 times in different versions of bibles. In the first three bibles it has come 69 times while in the Johanna’s bible it has been stated 10 times. These 83 times have been narrated from Christ himself except some exceptions. Meaning of this word in the new and Antiquity is the same i.e. human. With this a group thinks that the Christ meant to convey specific religious messages through this word and his goal is to introduce his savior personality which has been promised in the book of Daniel. He says for himself:
“The human’s son has not come to become a master instead he has come so that he serves and sacrifices his life for the sake of many.”
Fourth, whether Christ with his stance was consent with this claim?
Jews are still waiting for the start of the era of the savior because they do not accept the claim of Christians regarding the Christ being the savior. According to the Jews many of the promises regarding the savior have not been fulfilled in the Jesus. For instance the thing which Isaiah defines regarding the time of Christ’s arrival: “Wolf will stay with sheep and tiger will sleep with goat and cow and lion together will drive away their young kid.” This symptom did not occur with the arrival of Jesus and he was hanged on the crucifix with nothing happening. Also Jews did not attain any political power and in general he could not fulfill the expectation of Jews.
Despite the effort of the companions to apply the features of Christ on Jesus, many of the qualities of savior cannot be found in the Christ; traits which Jews by mentioning them in their anthems reject Jesus being the Christ. According to Isaiah Christ will come to establish a government under which deprived will be given justice.” However, there has been no political plan or idea given by the companions to establish that government and in all his sayings are very simple and in the language of villager and farmers. His sayings are full of simplicity and are fully understandable. He explains his most important teachings which are mainly moral in a symbolic language spoken by people who are his audience.
He has made no claims regarding leadership and does not strive for establishing a government. He believes being a hardship bearer will compensate the penalty of human sins and by facing hardships the burden of sins will be lifted from the believers. The four version of bible have also not based the rescuing of Jesus over the establishment of a government or any other political or social thesis. Instead, they only reckon his role as a hardship bearer.
Some of his students had political thoughts and were anti-spirits who later got known as devotees. However, he did not use to support this political approach.
Second Wait: Wait of the Christ.
The meaning of the second wait has been interpreted as the belief on the return of the Christ in the world. According to this belief, Jesus is the same Christ of Israel and the savior of humanity who will again return to the world a period after being hanged on crucifix so that he establishes the government regarding which he has spoken. It was difficult for his followers to believe that their mentor has been crucified. For this very reason, they took a clear stance that Jesus Christ has been resurrected amongst dead bodies. According to this belief, after being hanged and buried he has been raised and has lived on the earth for 40 days before ascending towards skies. This belief, apart from the discussions regarding it, was a welcome belief for them which was able to eliminate their despair. On this basis, this belief turned into a most fundamental teaching of Christianity, on which all the teachings and structure of the church is based.
Holy bible has discussed this subject more than 300 times and has dedicated few complete chapters on explaining this teaching. In addition to this, important books such as Tisalinician first and second and Johanna’s apocalypse have tried to explain this matter. Keeping this in mind, we can reckon the return of Christ as the most important teaching of the Holy Bible.
The teachings and most of the meanings in the Holy Bible such as Jewish priest, Jesus the king, salvation in future are unperceivable without understanding the meaning of Christ’s return. They become perceivable only after one accepts the return of Christ. Other rituals such as Baptism and Eucharist have developed a deep relation with this teaching.
According to this belief, Jesus himself has announced many times that while reflecting the majesty and dignity of the father he himself will return at once with the angels for the triumph.
To analyze the hints of the Holy Bible regarding the return of Christ is a difficult job and presenting the verses referring this issue will make a long list. In these verses sometime Christ himself gives the promise of return, such as: “I tell you that after this I will not drink the grape fruit till the day I will drink it with you in the kingdom of my Father.” And sometimes, prophets have revived the hope and wait in the Christian society.
“Oh my loved ones we are now sons of God and it has not appeared what we will be, but we know that when it appears we will be like it.”
Return of the Christ appears to have a clear meaning, but sometimes interpretations regarding it are there to be seen which are totally different from each other. In these interpretations, sometimes it has been stated that he will return in the sky “till we welcome the God in the air” while sometimes his return on the earth has been mentioned: “The same Jesus who has been lifted from you to the sky, will return.” After seeing these interpretations and verses which are in support of both opinions, we can perceive that the arrival of Christ has two stages: First stage is his return in air or sky, and the second stage which is worldly return.
Goals of Christ’s return:
After studying all of the Holy Bible it can be perceived that there are some goals of the return of Christ that some of them are discussed below.
- Gathering of believers.
One of the goals of Jesus is to gather believers around himself.
“I will come again and will pick and take you with myself; you will also be at the place where I will be.”
The gathering of believers around Christ is one of the most important and key lessons of the New Testament which have a wide usage in the books of Paul.
- Helping and rewarding.
One of the other goals of the Christ which has a lot of importance and has been discussed specifically in the New Testament is the judgment between the believers and rewarding them in the end: “has given him the power so that he judges also and he will give the reward to everyone according to his action.”
On the basis of many verses of the Holy bible, especially the books of Paul, the believing person is forgiven for his belief on the Christ and will not be questioned regarding his sins.
“Peace peace ill say to you everyone who listen my words and believes on my messenger, (he) has eternal life and will not come in judgment.”
With all this according to the teachings of Holy Bible it is confirmed and doubtless that Jesus will judge as a Christ between the believers after his return.
“When the son of human will come with all his holy angels in his majesty then he will sit on his majestic chair and all the nations will gather in front of him and he will separate them from each other. “
According to many verses of the Holy Bible judgment of Jesus regarding the believers does not mean that he will specify their sins and prescribe a punishment. Instead, he will judge the believer according to the opportunity he had and also judge his capabilities and after the judgment he will be given the reward.
“Because the son of human will come… and at that time will give the reward to everyone according to his actions.”
- Salvation of Israel.
As it is discussed before, the theory of the promised one in Christianity is in reality the continuation of a Jewish belief; the belief which had different shapes regarding its perception and instances also. Belief in this that they are selected nation of God and God has given them the promise of salvation and they will succeed one day was a deep rooted belief. For the same reason, they believe that when the Christ will return first of all he will get the Israel free from the hands of enemies and then he will gather all the Israel and will unite the family of Israel with the Jews and in the end will save them and will establish a new testament with them. According to Christians, all these beliefs without any deficiency have been reported for the return of the Christ. Even they suppose the Christ with a team just like David and with a crown just as it can be seen in the Jewish text. The teachings of New Testament also reckon salvation of the promised one of Israel as one of the goals of the Christ’s return.
“Similarly all the Israel will be saved, as it is written that a savior will appear amongst the Zionists.”
It should also be kept in mind that the Christ after his return will not save all of the Israel instead he will bless only those who will believe on him otherwise the person will leave this world as an unbeliever.
- Judgment amongst the nations.
Judgment of the Christ after his return amongst all the nations is one of the important issues stated in the New Testament. Although this belief is not just a Christian belief in fact it has its root in the Antiquity. In reality, in the Antiquity the cloth of judgment will be on the body of the Christ. According to the New Testament after his return Jesus will sit on a majestic throne and will judge between the nations:
“When the son of human will come with all his holy angels in his majesty then he will sit on his majestic chair and all the nations will gather in front of him and he will separate them from each other. “
- Liberation and Blessing.
According to the teachings of the New Testament another issue which will take place after the return of Jesus is the liberation of creation from immorality:
“Hope that the creation itself also will get free from immorality.”
Lot of changes will take place in the world and will be blessed:
“Will bless him and around the mountains and will shower the rain at its time and the rains will be blessing.”
According to the New Testament, majestic future of Israel, the success of creation, blessing of the world and other promises such as:
“Wasteland will grow like red flowers and water will flow in wilderness… desert and dry places will turn into the springs of water.” Which are pointed towards in the 11th chapter of Isaiah will take place when the son of human sits on his majestic throne. Peibus says regarding this blessing:
“The days will come in which grapevines will grow and each one will have 10 thousand bigger, 2000 big and 10000 small branches and 2 small branches will have 10000 bunches of grapes and every bunch will have 10000 grapes.”
- Establishment of Kingdom.
Establishment of God’s kingdom is one of the other issues which will take place after the appearance and return of the Christ. The term “kingdom of God” has a wide meaning that in reality and according to the three bibles is the central nucleus of the teachings of Jesus. In reality, the kingdom of God is the realization of the promise of the God to David who said: “he will strengthen his sultanate forever” and supported it through pledge several times. Now this promise and pledge will be fulfilled with the return of the Christ.
In United States, orgasm of the wait in the Christianity near the year 2000 has resulted in creation of lots of religious sects and all of them stress upon the return of Jesus and his wait. Some of the extremists in these sects have committed suicide to meet Jesus. This wait became so powerful that in the American province of Massachusetts, a research center with the name of “Millennium studies” was developed, and this centre through installing a countdown clock always used to update the people regarding the start of the year 2000.
Nature of the wait and the Christian Christ
Nature of the wait is the most important concept in the Christianity that some important points regarding it are as follows:
- Keeping in mind what we have considered as the goals of Jesus’ return, belief on the Christ in the second stage, is a look towards the future and a future making vision which in contrast with the first stage does not have spiritual aspects only. “Universal judge” by establishing of a government, divine kingdom or the same promise of the God to David, judgment within Israel and all nations and also giving reward to the believers have social aspects. He will strive with these social aspects to bring a enlighten future for the Christians. Though it has been strived that these social aspects do not turn political.
- Promised one, has a social aspect i.e. establishment of government however its spiritual aspects are also in focus. Appearance of the promised one and the return of Jesus will only prove beneficial for those who have reached to special level and stage of belief and faith, those who have accepted Jesus as the Christ and believed in him so that they are able to benefit from him after his return. This type of faith is sometimes referred to as living in Christ. Therefore, we can consider this aspect as more powerful and obvious.
- Contrary to the first promised one of the new testament this promised one is not a nationalist one instead he is completely non nationalist and all inclusive and for the same reason he has been introduced as the judge of all nations, whether Israel or any other one. The only condition for success is the faith which has been discussed above. Although, sometimes the success of Israel or judgment amongst them is discussed but it is not a valid proof for the success being confined within Israel. These verses should be considered as the effect of the Antiquity and efforts of Christians to apply the predictions of the Antiquity on Jesus.
- In the New Testament, there is no aspect beyond this universe defined for Jesus after his return. In the meaning that he take the control of the existence and bring changes in the universe by performing supernatural actions. The role of Christ in the New Testament is the role which is totally in the boundaries of the laws of existence. Only his resurrection and his return are the super natural actions which are related to him.
- Contrary to the picture which has been presented in some of the religions or schools, rescuing of the Christian Christ cannot be limited in a period of time or specific era. According to Christianity rescuing of the Christ is always and forever, it is sufficient that a person only believes on the Christ so that he succeeds. The success cannot be confined to a specific time or a geographical location and whenever a person attains faith reaches to the success. This feature can be considered as the real distinction of the Christian theory of Christ which also existed in the first stage of Christ.
- The time of the return in unknown. The time of the return of Jesus being unknown results in the lantern of hope being enlighten forever. He himself stresses on this point many times that: “No one knows regarding that day and that instance even those living in the skies except my father.” Due to this he reminds them to be always prepared and hopeful: “Hence stay awake because you do not know that day and that instance.”
- Return of Jesus is clearly contrary to his first arrival. As his return has been interpreted as the reviving and leadership of the church therefore he should make it happen. Therefore it has been said:” Believers will hear the voice of his arrival and will leave everyone and everything.” He defines his return in this way:” As the light is generated from the east so that it appears in the west, arrival of the son of human will also be like this.”