How can we trust anything the NT Bible writers said, if they were so wrong as to when Jesus would return?

Question

Paul and other NT writers firmly believed that Jesus would return either within their own lifetime or the lifetime of the people they were addressing their books to. They were obviously wrong (if you believe in a future coming of Jesus, and not a spiritual coming in AD 70). How can we trust anything else that they say when they were so wrong on this point? How did the Holy Spirit who supposedly directed the words they wrote misguide them on this simple fact? They did not take the approach that most mainstream Christian leaders now take ("It Could be today, it could be in a hundred years, but let's be ready!"). They were very obvious in their belief that Jesus would return within their listeners lifetime...they did not know when, but they knew it would be soon (and soon in the most simple definition...not 2000 years).

Why is it always assumed that people who ask tough questions are unbelievers? I have been a Christian for 25 years and know more about Scripture than most. This is not a confused person asking a dumb question, this is a highly educated believer asking a tough question that obviously people find difficult enough not to take seriously.

The disciples never predicted a date, they also believed that no one knows the day or hour. BUT, they were clear in their belief that although they did not know the day or hour, they did take Jesus' words literally and believed that he would be returning very soon and within either their lifetime or the lifetime of the believers who they were addressing at the time. One can believe that no one can know the specific time or date and still believe that he will come soon in the literal sense. (don't give me the day is as a thousand and thousand as a day, God's ways are higher than our ways speech, it's a cop out, true statements, but a cop out for so many Christians...soon is soon, quickly is quickly, 2000 years is not soon or quick).

timesrchanging--You are the epitome of a blind faith Christian who cannot stomach the idea of any question that could compromise your faith. You are a representation of all that our non-believer friends view us to be...people that cannot have any profitable discussions about the difficult aspects of our faith. You resort to guilt tactics and forcing Christians to fear the communal consequences of asking tough questions after we have accepted the message of the gospel. Let's band together as fellow believers in Jesus and not run away from tough questions peeing our pants and screaming rhetoric about un-belief, heresy, "carnal thinking", and plugging our ears and saying "la-la-la-la-la" to any response. Let's face our culture head on and say it is sometimes difficult to understand all of the details of our faith, but Jesus has changed my life and I can know that with everything I am.

Answer 1

Did Paul Expect Christ to Return Soon?

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Eschatology in the Letters
James Patrick Holding


This should answer your questions. Do a search on line to find.

Answer 2

Your first question is asking us if we did. Since it is on a certain Sunday of the month and not the specific day as an anniversary plus it isn't here yet, did you make a grammatical error? Second and third sentences about Nokia Telephone having 5 versions, well I don't think that is in itself a cause for distrust. Then you change your mind, saying NT means New Testament. You keep switching. Can we trust anything you say? xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Stop being so foolish. From all 5 scriptures, Mary is a visitor. Some accounts have others only showing the writers had different points of view. Try being a cop writing accident reports. No two people will give the same account. The point of view and detail in each eyewitness will be different. Corinthians doesn't say Mary and others were not at the tomb and neither does any of the other accounts say they saw Jesus at that time. They saw an angel there. You are so eager to find a mistake you go to this? Think before writing!!! By the way...it is 2Timothy 3:16 and it is correct.

Answer 3

According to St. John the Divine (Book of Revelation), the second coming of Christ was to have been a thousand years ago. He also said that only the few select people would go to Heaven.

Now if you look at the history of the world and the things that took place a thousand years ago, it seems to fit. That would mean that we are the dregs, with no hope of Heaven. That is what we must admit if we believe in the literal truth of the Bible. It is there in plain language.

If, on the other hand you want to argue that that particular part of the Bible needs "expert interpretation" (never trust a self-proclaimed "expert"), then we deny that the Bible is literally true.

If you can accept that the Bible is a history and a guide on how to live rather than the literal word of God, there is cause for hope.

I have to assume that the people who invented the "Rapture" in the early 19th century were thinking that the Bible was not literally true, or that they hadn't read it.

The Bible as we know it is only about 500 years old, and was compiled from several sources in several languages. I like to regard it as a guide and a history that God would probably approve of my reading it.

Answer 4

I take it you're not only not a Christian, but that you are also not really familiar with the Bible. Your sarcasm is wasted on the NT Bible writers. If you were familiar with the Bible, and being a non-Christian, I would have expected you to take a better pot-shot at Christianity by pointing out the verse where Jesus, Himself, appears to say that some of the disciples standing there would not die before He came into His kingdom.

Matthew 16:28 "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."

If the NT Bible writers thought as you say, then they were merely repeating Jesus' words.

What do you think of that?

My Faith and my knowledge of the Bible tells me the answer.

EDIT:

>> this is a highly educated believer asking a tough question
>> that obviously people find difficult enough not to take
>> seriously.

Its not the question I don't take seriously, it is the asker. You said, "How can we trust anything the NT Bible writers said..." A believe wouldn't ask the question that way. They would say, "I trust the inspiration of the NT Bible writers, but I don't understand..." Even a sincere non-believer might say, "I'd like to believe in the NT Bible writers, but how could they have been so wrong as to when Jesus would return?"

Answer 5

No, no, no.

We will not get the bible until the last days will turn into the time of the end.

The bible is worded correctly and it is proof it was not done by them, at Acts 1:6-8; before Pentecost, then 1Thes.4:15-17 [ the caught up is near time for Jesus John 3:13-17; when will any go to heaven ? ]; 1Thes.5:1-9,21; To children of the light of times and seasons, Jesus does not come as a thief in the night. [ What ever generation we are in, we are ready, and if death, we know of the resurrection, but what of the living? they are special ].

At 2007 C. E. the bible has been in circulation 396 years, at year 6073, all in the bible is right on time. Total time is given, God alone knows day & hour.
Has nothing to do with age of the earth.

Jesus will be at God's right hand [ in his kingdom of the heavens at year 33 ]; until his enemies are underfoot.
When Jude 9; Michael in Dan.12:1-13 ; time of the end, at Rev.12:7-12; cast Satan down he has a short time in the time of the end to Rev.20:1-6,12,13; No Satan 1000 years.
The heavenly that are raised up after Satan is down Rom.16:20; Matt.22:42-44; Acts 2:27-35; Heb.1:1-13; John 6:39,40,44; 14:3; A place is prepared as Satan is down.
Matt.24:3, [ end of world ]. 7 [ after major wars as WW1 & WW2 ], 14 [ the whole world is told of Jesus second coming and that is why the word comes to the world in the last days and time of the end for Satan at Rev.20:1-6];

Most just know that we are in the time of the end without knowing what it really means, maybe if it gets their attention enough, they will search the bible to see for themselves.

Answer 6

Consider this my friend. You say that you have been a Christian for many years, and also that your knowledge of the Bible is greater than most. If so, then why do you ask such a question? For the question smacks of unbelief in the Scriptures themselves. For you say, "How can we trust them...?"

A real Christian trusts each and every word of the Bible, and if he has read the Bible as often as you claim to have, then he would also understand that it is not through the insight of man that he can understand it, but as Peter wrote, "First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." It is clear by your question that you have relied on your own insight, and not the Holy Spirit. You have interpreted the New Testament on your own.

What is apparent is either you do not really believe in God and Jesus Christ, or you do and are having some kind of crisis in faith, only because your human wisdom and insight is lacking to understand something you really want to understand.

I recommend what the New Testament writer James said, as well as many other servants of God....

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways, will receive anything from the Lord."

And in order to receive such a blessing, a good start is also found in James...."God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (Grace being the knowledge and wisdom of God and a humble spirit being precious in the sight of God)....again I turn to James to complete this answer to your question, for this is the real key to helping you understand your dilemma over Jesus' return...."Therefore put away all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." For by receiving the implanted word, which you have not yet received, you would not be asking the question you did. You would already know the answer....

Peace

By the way, the New Testament writers, just like the Old Testament writers, were inspired by God....therefore, how can they be wrong on any point?

All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Answer 7

You are really mixed up on this. The Author of the Bible is God. The writers wrote Scripture inspired by the Holy Spirit.
They did not think that Jesus was coming back in their own time. Revelation was written by John when he was imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos. He had visions that were revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. THIS IS ABOUT THE FUTURE. IT HASN'T HAPPENED YET. JESUS HASN'T COME BACK YET. HE WILL, THOUGH, AND IT WILL BE SOONER THAN YOU THINK. God Bless

Answer 8

Yes the Lord shall return, But only God knows the hour of the Lord's return. As believers we need to live our lifes in such
away as to believe Jesus could at any moment.

Answer 9

You misunderstand....Truly I say to you, this generation [Greek: genea] will not pass away until all these things take place (Matthew 24:34 NASB).

Jesus did not say he would return in the lifetime of those standing there listiening to him, but the generation who would be alive at the time he was speaking about....the end times.

Answer 10

Nice attempt at deception. If you truly understood the scriptures, you wouldn't post such drivel. Scripture makes it clear that we are not to know the day of Christ's return.