Were Bible authors clearly WRONG when they said that Jesus will return within their lifetimes ?

Question

Paul and other authors were wrong to think Jesus would return in their lifetime and Christians say they were divinely inspired ?

"Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." -- Matthew16:28

"But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God." -- Luke 9:27

"Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done." -- New Testament

So........ since "everything is NOT accomplished" then the laws of the Old Testament are still in effect !!


1) All of the Old Testament laws will be binding forever. "It is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass away than for the smallest part of the letter of the law to become invalid." (Luke 16:17 NAB)

2)"Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 'The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do EVERYTHING they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.' (Matthew 23:1-3)"

3) Jesus strongly approves of the law and the prophets. "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest part or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place." (Matthew 5:17 NAB)

Answer 1

You contradict yourself up and down.
The first two passages you cite were spoken by Jesus Himself. He was not mistaken because the "death" He spoke of here was not physical death, but spiritual death.
The second passage (taken from Matthew chapter 24) refers to the events occurring immediately before the end of the age, and the "generation" of which Jesus speaks is the "generation" of the descendants of Israel.
The word could well be translated "race".

When Jesus died on the cross, some of His final words were; "It is finished". The Greek word used here could be more accurately rendered "It is completely complete", or "It is perfectly perfected".
What He meant was, all the requirements of the Law are fulfilled - the penalty for transgressed Law has been paid, and the blessings for obeyed Law have been fulfilled. All of this was accomplished in Jesus' perfect life and atoning death on the cross.
Paul taught that men were to live in a constant state of readiness for the Lord's return, because no man knows the day or the hour.

Answer 2

1) Eleven apostles saw Jesus ascend, "coming in his kingdom" - Act 1:9

2) Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God (Act 7:55)

3) The word "generation": "a group of people belonging to a category at the same time" - Randomhouse Collegiate Dictionary. Yes, we are all living in the Christian Era, a term used by most historical scientists (such as archaeologists).

4) Huh?

OT stuff
1) True. This was an everlasting covenant God made with the Jews.

2) Still correct. Proper instructions for Jews before the arrival of the New Covenant - and, of course, the Old Covenant still exists, if you choose that one.

3) As should all Christians. And, in case you haven't noticed, the Law is still intact. I haven't noticed anyone selling the abbreviated Law of Moses.

You just *have* to do better than this.

Jim

Answer 3

Jesus was the goal or fulfillment of the law (Rom. 10:4). Many people believe that his return is being prophesied in the parallel accounts of the synoptic gospels recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 17 & 21. Jesus was quoting Daniel 7:13 which was a reference to his ascension. Jesus did return in a sense to visit judgement on Jerusalem in 70 A.D. when Titus destroyed the temple in Jerusalem.

Answer 4

your absolutely right Jesus also said "anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Mt 5:19
all of the commandments are still binding including the Seventh Day Sabbath, because Jesus nor God ever changed it. Man did, in fact the Roman Catholic church did, Council Laodicea - A.D.365
"Canon 16-On Saturday the Gospels and other portions of the Scripture shall be read aloud." "Canon 29-Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday, but shall work on that day; but on the first day they shall especially honor, and as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day." Hefele's "Councils," Vol. 2, b. 6. (See an online version of this council on the Roman Catholic New Advent website - see Canon 29)

“It is well to remind the Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, and all other Christians that worship on Sunday, that the Bible does not support them anywhere in their observance of Sunday. Sunday is an institution of the Roman Catholic Church, and those who observe the day observe a commandment of the Catholic Church.” Priest Brady, in an address, reported in the Elizabeth, NJ ‘News’ on March 18, 1903.

''The [Roman Catholic] Church changed the observance of the Sabbath to Sunday by right of the divine, infallible authority given to her by her founder, Jesus Christ. The Protestant claiming the Bible to be the only guide of faith, has no warrant for observing Sunday. In this matter the Seventh-day Adventist is the only consistent Protestant.'' The Catholic Universe Bulletin, August 14, 1942, p. 4.
etc.etc.

Answer 5

Do you read other books out of context, cause you did a grand job doing so there.

First, Matthew 24 deals with the destruction of Jerusalem. Prophetic.

Secondly, the other passage says nothing of Christ's return. It speaks nothing of the kingdom coming.

#2 - He's speaking to the Pharisees...ones who lived by the law literally and carried a box on their forehead with the laws in it.

#1 and #3 state the same verse in different accounts, and you twist it two ways.

Answer 6

Entering the Kingdom of Heaven, and Seeing the Son of Man are not the same as reincarnation of Jesus.

You need to read these passages in the Spiritual sense, not as predictions of Earthly happenings

Answer 7

You are clearly misunderstanding these passages. Didn't you ever wonder why the "not taste death" quote is followed by the account of the transfiguration in all three synoptic Gospels? Or why the Olivet discourse predicted the destruction of Jerusalem that occured exactly one generation after the prophesy was made? Or why the one thousand years occurs before the Resurrection of the Dead (at the second advent of Christ)?

Answer 8

Uh. No. Some of those eyewitnesses live forever. Jeez.

Every religion has people like that.

The mormons have the three nephites.

The muslims have Khidr and Jesus (well, Jesus eventually dies).

Some normative Christians believe that the apostle John is immortal.

Jews believe that Elijah never died and will come back.

People like to believe that there is someone behind the veil, maintaining the correct understanding of God, who can come back and put things right.

Silly, I know.

Hail Satan,

Lazarus

Answer 9

When Jesus was on the cross his last words were "it is finished".

If you want to call Jesus a liar, you will have the opportunity, because you are going to meet Him.

You sound as if you know the Bible well enough to find salvation. What's your excuse?

Answer 10

Jesus was speaking of those who would be with him on the Mount of Transfiguration, and see him speaking with Moses and Elijah.