Our Lord's Presence, Advent, and Unveiling

WHAT is the meaning of the word parousia? As given in the CONCORDANT VERSION sublinear it literally means BESIDE-BEING, from par, BESIDE, and ousia, BEING. The best English equivalent is undoubtedly the word "presence," which is usually given as its translation. But it is possible to inject into an English word ideas which are not in harmony with the inspired Greek. To avoid this we should study the usage of such important terms. To enable all to do this we subjoin a list of all the occurrences and their contexts, as found in the CONCORDANT VERSION:

**parousia, BESIDE-BEING, presence**
Matt.	24:3	Matt. 24: 3 what is the sign of Thy presence
	24:27	27 thus shall be the presence of the Son of Mankind
	24:37	37 thus shall be the presence of the Son of Mankind
	24:39	39 thus shall be the presence of the Son of Mankind
1 Cor.	15:23	1 Cor. 15:23 thereupon, those who are Christ's at His presence.
	16:17	16:17 rejoicing at the presence of Stephanas
2 Cor.	7:6	2 Cor. 7: 6 by the presence of Titus;
	7:7	7: 7 yet not only by his presence
	10:10	10:10 yet his bodily presence is weak
Phil.	1:26	Phil. 1:26 through my presence with you again
	2:12	2:12 not as in my presence only
1 Thess.	2:19	1 Thess. 2:19 Lord Jesus at His presence?
	3:13	3:13 in the presence of our Lord Jesus
	4:15	4:15 unto the presence of the Lord
	5:23	5:23 in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ
2 Thess.	2: 1	2 Thess. 2: 1 in behalf of the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ
	2: 8	8 by the advent of His presence
	2: 9	9 whose presence is in accord
James	5: 7	James 5: 7 till the presence of the Lord
	5: 8	8 seeing that the presence of the Lord has drawn near
2 Peter	1:16	2 Peter 1:16 the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ
	3: 4	3: 4 Where is the promise of His presence?
	3:12	12 and hurrying the presence of the day
1 John	2:28	1 John 2:28 before Him in His presence

In these passages are seven which do not refer to our Lord. They refer to men. There is no difficulty in getting the exact meaning in the case of Stephanas and Titus and Paul. Of him the Corinthians said "his bodily presence is weak" (2 Cor.10:10). His reply was, "such as we are in word, through epistles, being absent, such also are we in act, being present" (2 Cor.10:11). It is evident that there were two distinct states for Paul, in regard to Corinth. He was actually, bodily there, or at a physical distance. This gives us the natural and true import of the term That it is not limited to his arrival is evident from 2 Corinthians 10:10. The weakness of his bodily presence continued as long as he was with them.

In spirit, Paul was often present in Corinth, even when he was many miles away in flesh. He carefully distinguishes this state. He finds it necessary to qualify it by adding "in spirit" to the word "presence." He speaks of "being absent in body, yet present in spirit" (1 Cor.5:3). But the word parousia, presence, alone, is never used of his spiritual nearness. He exhorts the Philippians to obey "not as in my presence only, but now much rather in my absence" (Phil.2:12). The usage of this word clearly indicates that it refers to actual bodily, physical arrival and continued nearness.

It is a blessed truth that, in spirit, we have constant communion with God and Christ. But the Scriptures never use the term presence to express this fact. Every passage which speaks of His presence loses all its point if we introduce this idea. In this sense He has always been present to faith. He has never left and He cannot return. But at His ascension He actually, physically went away, and in the same way He will return and be present. The word parousia implies a coming, a return, an arrival, but it is not limited to this. James (5:7,8) and Peter (2 Peter 3:11-14) use this word, rather than "coming," to indicate that which will take place after His advent.

In the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew (verses 27, 37,39) we are given a threefold description of Christ's presence. At the time of the end there will be false prophets. How shall we know them from the true? By their teaching concerning the presence of Christ. Those who proclaim a secret, gradual, private presence are false, for it will be as the lightning flash. Let us read and heed His own warning rather than those against whom He has warned us! The following verses are the most conclusive refutation of an invisible, spiritual, unknown parousia which it is possible to put into words:

"Then, if anyone should be saying to you, `Lo! Here is Christ!' or `Here' you should not be believing it. For false christs and false prophets shall be roused, and they shall be giving great signs and miracles, so as to deceive, if possible, even the chosen. Lo! I have declared it to you beforehand.

If, then, they should be saying to you, `Lo! He is in the desert!' you may not be coming out, `Lo! in the closets!' you should not be believing it. For even as the lightning is coming out of the east and is appearing as far as the west thus shall be the presence of the Son of Mankind."

Has our Lord come suddenly, swiftly, visibly, powerfully, publicly? Have the celestial signs occurred? Have all His chosen ones been assembled? All of this has to do with Israel, and His return to the earth. There is not a single indication that His parousia has taken place.

Besides, the time of trouble which ends this eon, precedes His presence. After the affliction of those days the Son of Mankind will come on the clouds of heaven with much power and glory. That presence does not precede the coming; it follows it. Of no other person would we speak of his coming after he is present, or of his presence before his coming or advent.

Let us rid our minds of the idea that "parousia" is the name of a particular event or era. The lawless one has a "parousia" (2 Thess.2:8). Paul was present in Corinth a number of times. Each stay was a parousia. Our Lord's life was a real parousia, hence He was called Emmanuel, "God with us." In the future, when He returns to earth, He will be present with Israel and the nations. But before that, when He comes to the air to receive us to Himself there, that also is a parousia, for we will be in His presence. This parousia takes place when we are caught up to meet Him in the air (1 Thess.4:15-18). The presence in Matthew and that in Thessalonians occur at different times and places. One is for Israel, on the earth; the other is for us, in the air.

Another term applied to the coming of our Lord is epiphaneia, ON-APPEARING, which is best represented by our English word advent. It tells us that Christ will appear. He will be seen by physical eyes. The instant when He is sighted will be His advent. This must, of course, be at the beginning of His presence. Hence we read of the "advent of His presence" (2 Thess. 2:8). As this will be with great power and glory, it is the "glorious advent of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13). The following are all of the passages, as they occur in the CONCORDANT VERSION, in which epiphaneia is constantly rendered "advent."

**epiphaneia, ON-APPEARING, advent**
2 Thess.	2:18	by the advent of His presence
1 Tim.	6:14	unto the advent of our Lord, Christ Jesus
2 Tim.	1:10	through the advent of our Saviour, Christ Jesus
	4: 1	with His advent and His kingdom
Titus	2:13	and glorious advent of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ

The unveiling of our Lord gives us still a different aspect of His return. Up to the present He is unknown to the world. Even His first advent was not an unveiling, for He did not manifest His glory. Only occasional glimpses were given of His greatness. He covered His majesty with a veil of humility and weakness. When He comes again it will not be as the lowly Nazarene, insulted and despised, but as the mighty and glorious Messiah, omnipotent in power and effulgent in glory. He will be revealed as He is. He will be unveiled.

removal of the cover from that which is hid from human sight. It is usually used of the mind and will of God, and translated revelation. God's secrets could not be known apart from a FROM-COVERING or revelation (Rom.16:25).

When used of a person, the English word revelation is inadequate and misleading. "The revelation of Jesus Christ" suggests something that He has revealed, rather than the fact that He is revealed. Hence the CONCORDANT VERSION uses the word unveiling when apokalupsis refers to persons. The last scroll of the Scriptures uses this word as its title. It is not merely a prediction concerning prophetic events. It is all of that, but the point of the whole book lies in the fact that these occurrences lift the veil that hangs over the Christ of God, and make Him manifest to mankind. The following are all of its occurrences, as they are rendered in the CONCORDANT VERSION:

**apokalupsis, FROM-COVERING, unveiling**
Luke	2:32	a light for the revelation of nations
Rom.	2: 5	revelation of the just judgment
	8:19	unveiling of the sons of God
	16:25	in accord with the revelation of a secret
	1: 7	awaiting the unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ
	14: 6	speaking either in revelation
	14:26	has a teaching, has a revelation
2 Cor.	12: 1	to apparitions and revelations of the Lord
	12: 7	by the transcendency of the revelation
Gal.	1:12	but through a revelation of Jesus Christ
	2: 2	I went up in accord with a revelation
Eph.	1:17	a spirit of wisdom and revelation
	3: 3	seeing that the secret is made known to me by revelation
2 Thess.	1: 7	at the unveiling of the Lord Jesus
1 Peter	1: 7	glory and honor at the unveiling of Jesus Christ
	1:13	in the unveiling of Jesus Christ
	4:13	Exulting in the unveiling of His glory, also.
Rev.	1: 1	the unveiling of Jesus Christ

It is clear that this, like presence and advent, is not a proper noun, restricted to a certain time or place. It is a common noun, and may be used of any revelation or unveiling. As applied to our Lord, it includes His advent and presence. A large part of its action precedes them. All of the preliminary judgments which usher in the kingdom are a part of His unveiling. Every judgment which reveals Him as Prophet, Potentate, or Priest, helps to unveil Him.

As to time, only the word advent is applied to the brief moment of His arrival. Before that much had been done in His unveiling. After that is the era of His presence. His presence suggests a state, His advent an event, and His unveiling is the combined effect of a considerable series of events. The unveiling includes the advent and the presence. The advent is the beginning of the presence. There is not the slightest scriptural basis for making them distinct and successive periods of time. There is every evidence for taking each as an actual, visible return. A FROM-COVERING, an ON-APPEARING, a BESIDE-BEING, which cannot be seen makes these terms mean less than nothing. It is a delusion and a snare. "Every eye shall see Him."

OUR LORD'S PRESENCE, ADVENT, AND UNVEILING

OUR LORD'S PRESENCE,
ADVENT, AND UNVEILING