παρουσία (parousia) ― a survey

[John Reece]

I request that Geert van den Bos not post in this thread, the purpose of which is to look at every occurrence of παρουσία (parousia) in the New Testament.

[Cow Poke]

I think that will be interesting, John. I'll be a subscriber!

[John Reece]

I think that will be interesting, John. I'll be a subscriber!

[John Reece]

Matthew 24:27

Context: Matthew 24:15-28 (NRSV):

parousia)] of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

From Matthew (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries: Intervarsity Press, 1985), by R. T. France:

[24]:15. .... Whatever the precise fulfillment of Jesus' warning, it seems clear from what follows that it is in the events of the Jewish War of AD 66-70 that he sees the reappearance of Daniel's desolating sacrilege.

....

26. Popular expectation was that the Messiah would appear in the wilderness (hence perhaps some of the excitement about John the Baptist; ...), and several of the rebel leaders of the first century did in fact operate from there ...). The inner rooms (literally 'store-houses') probably indicates a secret place (as in 6:6) and may reflect the Jewish expectation of a 'hidden' Messiah, who would emerge from obscurity (cf. Jn 7:27). Such notions are easily played on to create a false expectancy in the absence of any evidence, and Jesus insists that his return (unlike his first coming) will be no secret affair which some may fail to recognize altogether.

27. On the contrary it will be as unmistakable and universally visible as a flash of lightning. (Lightning is also sudden, and that may be part of the symbolism; but the preceding verses, and the reference to visibility from the east ... as far as the west, indicate that that is not the main point.) Thus the mention of the parousia here is precisely in order to indicate that it is not to be looked for in the chaotic events of the Jewish War, but will be something of a quite different character.

28. The same point of the unmistakable coming [parousia] of the Son of Man is made by the proverbial saying, perhaps based on Job 39:30, though similar sayings are found elsewhere in the ancient world. The reference is presumably to vultures rather than to eagles (which do not normally eat carrion); precise identification of species is not normally a concern of biblical writers, and in any case Aramaic used the same term for both types of large flesh-eating bird. As the presence of the vultures infallibly indicates where the corpse is, so there will be no need to search for the coming [parousia] of the Son of man―it will be obvious.

[John Reece]

Matthew 24:37, 39

Context: Matthew 24:26-44 (NRSV):

The Unknown Day and Hourparousia)] of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming [παρουσία (parousia)] of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

From Matthew (NICNT: Eerdmans, 2007), by R. T. France:

37-39 If the time of the parousia is unknown, it follows that people will be caught unawares. The previous mention of the parousia in verse 27 has used the image of lightning to portray both its unmistakable nature and also its suddenness. It is a universal event, not a hole-and-corner occurrence (in the wilderness or the store-rooms, verse 26) which most of the world would be able to ignore. Everyone will be affected by it. In all these ways the sudden and universal onset of the flood as described in provides a powerful analogy; people were caught unawares, no one could evade it, and only those who had made advance preparation escaped a point which will be picked up especially in the parables of 2 Peter 3:4). But the time of normal banality is potentially also the time of danger.

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 15:23

Context: 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 (ESV):

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming [παρουσία (parousia

From The First Epistle to the Corinthian (NICNT: Eerdmans, 1987), by Gordon D. Fee:

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[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 16:17

Context: 1 Corinthians 15:15-18 (NIV):

epi tȩ̄ parousia̧) "over the coming/arrival/presence of"], because they have supplied what was lacking from you. 18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.

From The First Epistle to the Corinthian (NICNT: Eerdmans, 1987), by Gordon D. Fee:

epi tȩ̄ parousia̧

[John Reece]

2 Corinthians 7:6

Context: 2 Corinthians 7:5-7 (NJB):

2Cor. 7:5 Even after we had come to Macedonia, there was no rest for this body of ours. Far from it; we were beset by hardship on all sides, there were quarrels all around us and misgivings within us. 6 But God, who encourages all those who are distressed, encouraged us through the arrival [ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ (en tȩ̄ parousia̧)] of Titus; 7 and not simply by his arrival [ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ αὐτοῦ (en tȩ̄ parousia̧ autou)] only, but also by means of the encouragement that you had given him, as he told us of your desire to see us, how sorry you were and how concerned for us; so that I was all the more joyful.

[John Reece]

2 Corinthians 10:10

Context: 2 Corinthians 10:7-11 (NJB):

but his bodily presence [ἡ δὲ παρουσία τοῦ σώματος (hē de parousia tou sōmatos))].

[John Reece]

Philippians 2:12

Context: Philippians 2:12-13 (NRSV):

Phil. 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence [ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ μου (en tȩ̄ parousia̧ mou)], but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

[Cow Poke]

Just letting you know, brother - I'm enjoying your work!

[John Reece]

Just letting you know, brother - I'm enjoying your work!

Thank you!!!

[John Reece]

1 Thessalonians 2:19

Context: 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 (Young's Literal Translation):

17 And we, brethren, having been taken from you for the space of an hour -- in presence, not in heart [προσώπῳ οὐ καρδίᾳ] did hasten the more abundantly to see your face in much desire,
18 wherefore we wished to come unto you, (I indeed Paul,) both once and again, and the Adversary did hinder us;
19 for what [is] our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? are not even ye before our Lord Jesus Christ in his presence [ἐν τῇ αὐτοῦ παρουσίᾳ (en tȩ̄ autou parousia̧)]?
20 for ye are our glory and joy.

[John Reece]

1 Thessalonians 3:13

Context: 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 (Young's Literal Translation):

11 And our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you,
12 and you the Lord cause to increase and to abound in the love to one another, and to all, even as we also to you,
13 to the establishing your hearts blameless in sanctification before our God and Father, in the presence of our Lord Jesus [ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ (ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ)] with all His saints.

[John Reece]

Restart of Thread

From the outset, this thread has been impaired by two oversights on my part:

(1) I mistakenly assumed the accuracy of the Accordance search engine that I used to generate the list of occurrences of the word παρουσία in the NT and LXX; therefore, I have missed out some occurrences of the word thus far in this thread. I have belatedly looked at the more accurate and fulsome concordance feature in A Manual Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament by G. Abbott-Smith = the first lexicon I ever bought, because it was recommended by the professor at Duke University who taught the first NT Greek course I took in 1956-57. G. Abbott-Smith notes that usually in classical Greek παρουσία means a being present, presence.

(2) Until the last day or so, I did not think to look at Young's Literal Translation (YLT), wherein I find renderings of παρουσία that are consistent with the usual classical usage of the word. To my mind this is important to consider, because there is a lack of understanding in biblical theology with regard to the concept of the word in the NT, as noted in The Second Advent: The Origin of the New Testament Doctrine, by T. Francis Glasson and Jesus and His Coming by John A. T. Robinson ― both books available at Amazon.com. The latter books contain insights that first came to me decades ago as I marinated my mind in Greek NT scriptures. Because of the importance of rightly understanding such, I propose to restart this thread, beginning with my next post, using the more accurate Abbott-Smith concordance to be sure to include all occurrences of the word παρουσία in the LXX as well as in the NT, and using Young's Literal Translation (YLT) for English renderings thereof ― hopefully, as an exercise in expanding understanding of what the word may signify with regard to "Jesus and His Coming" and "The Second Advent: The Origin of the New Testament Doctrine".