Apocalyptic Eschatology and the Delay of Parousia Essay

Apocalyptic Eschatology and the Delay of Parousia - Essay Example 2006). Parousia is Greek word which means presence or arrival. In an ancient Greek speaking world, it was used to describe the ceremonial visit of a ruler or the apparition of a god. In the New Testament it is used of the appearance or coming of the glorified Christ at the close of salvation history (Harrington, W.). The Pauline epistles are the fourteenth books in the New Testament that has been ascribed as to the Apostle Paul. The epistles of Paul have influenced the Christian theology and ethics. The epistles include controversies in the Christianity, his views and observation on several books in the Old Testament. Pauline epistles are divided in different subgroups depending on whose church he addressed to. The subgroup are as follows: Epistles to the Romans, First Epistle to the Corinthians, Epistle to the Galatians, Epistle to the Ephesians, Epistle to the Philippians, Epistle to the Colossians, First Epistle to the Thessalonians, Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, First epistle to Timothy, Second epistle to Timothy, Epistle to Titus, Epistle to Philemon, Epistle to the Hebrews. Paul on his writings assumes that the basic temporal scheme fo Jewish apocalyptic speculation which make mention of the two ages, the Old Age under Satan and the New Age God's power will dominate. He believed that God's sending of his Son, Jesus Christ had already inaugurated the New Age; yet the event had not wholly obliterated the Old Age with its powers of sin and death. For him the ultimate outcome of the apocalyptic would be the victory of the Old Age, because God struck the decisive blow for freedom in the cross. In Corinthians 2:8 the crucifixion was attributed as to the ruler of the Old Age, which refers to both the political authorities involved and to the demonic powers at work in and through them. Thus, according to Paul, the cross will symbolize the strange power of God, a power made perfect in weakness. God affirmed this power by raising Jesus Christ from the dead, by sending the Holy Spirit, and by establishing the Church as the foundation of his New Age. The Pauline eschatology lies between the older documents in which the Chiliastic view appears and this later efflorescence of it in 4 Ezra and Baruch. It is affirmed that Paul expects a double resurrection, one of a certain class of the delay of Parousia, and that of the remaining dead at the consummation of the world before the judgement, and that he places the glorious reign of Christ between these two resurrections1. According to the Pauline epistle addressed to the Roman church both the righteous and the wicked will be judged on the same day: "But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who " who will render to each one according to his deeds: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honour, and immortality; but to