Summary Notes on Ch. 13 Marcus Borg - The Second Coming Then and Now.

Overview.

• This business of the second coming has to do with Jewish apocalyptic (end of the world) traditions.- now known as "eschatology".
• Paul expected it in the lives of those living. So also Mark and Revelation expected it right away.
• Since the end of the world was expected to be the beginning of the new world with the messiah in charge, the life, death and resurrection of Jesus required a second coming or "parousia" to explain why messiah had not introduced the new world.
• This belief has continued since even that 1/3 of Americans believe it is coming soon.

Origins - from Jesus?

• Thought has shifted from this since the gospel verses that speak to it are not considered by mainline scholars to be the words of Jesus
• It is agreed that Jesus would have expected God's intervention to establish the messianic kingdom as did the Jews of his time. John the Baptist before him and Paul the Evangelist after him did so.

Origins - from community?

• A new idea is surfacing that this concept emerged after Easter. It is Borg's view.
• "Put most simply, Jesus expected the kingdom of God; the early church expected Jesus."
• The Christians believed Jesus was Lord and would return as judge of the world.
• These matters were very influenced by the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

Second Coming Today.

• The notion of a literal "very soon" was wrong at the beginning.
• Modern world knowledge makes taking the imagery literally impossible.
• Revelation is primarily saying Christ is Lord and Rome is not.
• Judgement means we are accountable for what we do here and now. This in terms of justice and compassion.
• Advent has the meaning that Christ comes again and again and again. Jesus is born within us. We celebrate the coming of Jesus into our lives each Christmas.

19 November, 2000