Will Jesus's second coming be visible?
A Response To The Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB) - Will Jesus' Second Coming Be Visible To All?
The SAB raises the question of whether or not Jesus' return would be visible to all. This response concludes that his return would be visible but not in the manner in which is often thought. The Bible never indicates that Jesus would return in physical form, but that he would return his attention back to Earth, where he would be in spirit. Jesus' return is often thought to be in the physical form of a man, but scripture never speaks of his return in such a manner.
In order to establish a contradiction the SAB uses John 14:19 in support that Jesus return would not be visible and parallel accounts given at Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26 and Luke 21:27 as well as Revelation 1:7 in support that his return would be visible.
John 14:19 - Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Jesus was telling his disciples that the world would see him no more because he would be put to death, but they would see him again because he would be resurrected and he would resurrect them in spirit upon their deaths. The verse has nothing to do with his return to Earth. Paul later confirms this by saying that, in spirit form no man has seen Jesus and none will, unless they be changed into spirit form. (1 Timothy 6:14-16; 2 Corinthians 5:14; 1 Peter 3:18)
At Matthew 24:30 the Greek word horao is translated "see" but can also mean to discern. A Greek-English Lexicon, by Liddell and Scott, says of horao "metaphorically, of mental sight, discern, perceive." - 1948 edition, pages 1244, 1245. This metaphorical perception can also be confirmed by Paul's use of horao at Romans 1:20 where things are invisible yet perceived.
Clouds, like those mentioned in the verses given by the SAB are typically used in a symbolic sense to signify the presence of God (Isaiah 63:9; 1 Kings 8:10-12)
The SAB then says: "Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 without clouds, glory, or being seen by anyone.
Thanks to the WatchTower Society for pointing out this contradiction. (Reasoning From the Scriptures, p. 313, 342-3)"
Response: From page 313 of that Watchtower publication it says: "Jesus foretold: "Then they will see the Son of man [Jesus Christ] coming in a cloud with power and great glory." (Luke 21:27 RSV) In no way does this statement or similar ones in other texts contradict what Jesus said as recorded at John 14:19. Consider: At Mount Sinai, what occurred when God 'came to the people in a thick cloud,' as stated at Exodus 19:9 (RSV)? God was invisibly present; the people of Israel saw visible evidence of his presence, but none of them actually saw God with their eyes. So, too, when Jesus said that he would come "in a cloud," he must have meant that he would be invisible to human eyes but that humans would be aware of his presence. They would "see" him with their mental eyes, discerning the fact that he was present."
The SAB raises the question of whether or not Jesus' return would be visible to all. This response concludes that his return would be visible but not in the manner in which is often thought. The Bible never indicates that Jesus would return in physical form, but that he would return his attention back to Earth, where he would be in spirit. Jesus' return is often thought to be in the physical form of a man, but scripture never speaks of his return in such a manner.
In order to establish a contradiction the SAB uses John 14:19 in support that Jesus return would not be visible and parallel accounts given at Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26 and Luke 21:27 as well as Revelation 1:7 in support that his return would be visible.
John 14:19 - Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Jesus was telling his disciples that the world would see him no more because he would be put to death, but they would see him again because he would be resurrected and he would resurrect them in spirit upon their deaths. The verse has nothing to do with his return to Earth. Paul later confirms this by saying that, in spirit form no man has seen Jesus and none will, unless they be changed into spirit form. (1 Timothy 6:14-16; 2 Corinthians 5:14; 1 Peter 3:18)
At Matthew 24:30 the Greek word horao is translated "see" but can also mean to discern. A Greek-English Lexicon, by Liddell and Scott, says of horao "metaphorically, of mental sight, discern, perceive." - 1948 edition, pages 1244, 1245. This metaphorical perception can also be confirmed by Paul's use of horao at Romans 1:20 where things are invisible yet perceived.
Clouds, like those mentioned in the verses given by the SAB are typically used in a symbolic sense to signify the presence of God (Isaiah 63:9; 1 Kings 8:10-12)
The SAB then says: "Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 without clouds, glory, or being seen by anyone.
Thanks to the WatchTower Society for pointing out this contradiction. (Reasoning From the Scriptures, p. 313, 342-3)"
Response: From page 313 of that Watchtower publication it says: "Jesus foretold: "Then they will see the Son of man [Jesus Christ] coming in a cloud with power and great glory." (Luke 21:27 RSV) In no way does this statement or similar ones in other texts contradict what Jesus said as recorded at John 14:19. Consider: At Mount Sinai, what occurred when God 'came to the people in a thick cloud,' as stated at Exodus 19:9 (RSV)? God was invisibly present; the people of Israel saw visible evidence of his presence, but none of them actually saw God with their eyes. So, too, when Jesus said that he would come "in a cloud," he must have meant that he would be invisible to human eyes but that humans would be aware of his presence. They would "see" him with their mental eyes, discerning the fact that he was present."
