The New Testament's ONE context

Students of scripture are often reminded that just as successful real estate dealings depend on location, location, location, a successful hermeneutic depends on context, context, context. Here is just one of many descriptions of what this means (emphasis mine – DS):

Historical-critical study involves the attempt to discern the date, authorship, and recipients of the biblical materials, which involves the examination of materials internal to the manuscripts as well as external, archaeological and historical study. Modern interpretation must begin from a baseline that understands the most likely literal meaning of the text for those persons to whom it was first written. It is necessary to establish whether the text is prose, poetry, allegory, parable, or some other form of writing, for such considerations bear directly on methods of interpretation For example, few scholars would interpret Mark 9:47 literally: "if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out." Nor do many modern ministers follow Jesus' instruction to "take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic" (Mark 6:8-9). [David C. Stancil, Ph.D. http://www.fbcbristol.org/staff/nt_and_ordination_of_women.pdf]

Theologians deal with this constantly as they exegete passages for application to contemporary discipleship. While each of the Biblical writings has its own specific context, there is one context that should be noted as we read, consider, and apply every New Testament document – the expectation of Jesus’ imminent return (parousia), the resurrection, and judgment (PRJ).

Here are just a few examples of the 100+ references to the imminent PRJ showing that each NT writer had this in mind while writing:

John the Baptist to Jews:
Matthew 3:2, "...Repent you: for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near."
Jesus to His twelve apostles (telling them to preach to Israel):
Matthew 10:23, "...In no wise will you have completed the cities of Israel, until the Son of man be come."
Jesus to Peter, James, John and Andrew…privately:
Luke 21:22,26,32, "For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled... for the powers of heaven shall be shaken…This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. "
Jesus to His twelve Apostles (who were standing in front of Jesus):
Matthew 16:27-28, "For the Son of man is about to come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, There are some of those standing here, who in no wise shall taste of death, until they have seen the Son of man coming in his kingdom."
Mark 8:38 - 9:1, "…when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels....there are some of those standing here, who in no wise shall taste of death, until they see the kingdom of God having come in power. "
Luke 9:26-27, "... when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels…there are some of those standing here, who in no wise shall taste of death, until they have seen the kingdom of God. "
Jesus to Peter:
John 21:22-23, "...If I (Jesus) desire him (John) to abide till I come, what is that to thee?"
John 14:3, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming, and will receive you unto myself;"
Jesus to the high priest:
Matthew 26:64, "...Hereafter shall you see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. "
Jesus to Nathaniel:
John 1:51, "...you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. "
Jesus to Jews:
Matthew 23:36,38, "Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate."
Mark 1:15, "...The time has been fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has drawn near: "
Jesus to the daughters of Jerusalem:
Luke 23:28-29, "…weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming,"
Jesus to the Jews who sought to kill him:
Matthew 3:7, "...O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath about to come? "
John 5:25, "The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live."
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, communicated through John, to the seven literal churches which were in Asia in the first century:
Revelation 1:1, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must take place shortly."
Revelation 1:3, "...the time is near."
Revelation 2:16, "...I am coming to you quickly, "
Revelation 2:25, "…(you) hold fast till I shall come."
Revelation 3:11, "Behold, I come quickly:"
Revelation 22:7, "Behold, I am coming quickly:"
Revelation 22:10, "...Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is near.”
Revelation 22:12, "And, behold, I come quickly;"
Revelation 22:20, "...Surely I am coming quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."
Paul to all who were beloved of God in Rome:
Romans 13:11-12, " And that, knowing the time,...now is our salvation nearer than when we believed…the day has drawn near: "
Romans 16:20, "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly."
Paul to Timothy:
1 Timothy 6:14, "That you keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:"
Paul (?) to the Hebrews:
Hebrews 1:1-2, "God…Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,"
Hebrews 9:26, "For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the consummation of the ages hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."
Hebrews 10:25, "...you see the day drawing near. "
Paul to the church of Colossae:
Colossians 3:4, “When Christ, our life, shall appear, then you also shall appear with Him in glory.”
Paul to the church of Corinth:
1 Corinthians 1:7-8, "So that you come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Corinthians 10:11, "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are arrived."
Paul, Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians:
1 Thessalonians 3:13, "To the end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints."
1 Thessalonians 4:17, "Then we the living who remain shall be caught away together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
1 Thessalonians 5:23, "...and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. "
Paul to the Galatians:
Galatians 5:5, "For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith."
James to the twelve tribes who were dispersed abroad:
James 5:7-9, "(you) Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. …the coming of the Lord has drawn near…behold, the judge stands before the door."
Peter to the elect scattered abroad:
1 Peter 1:7, "That the proving of your faith…might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:"
1 Peter 1:13,20, " Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the appearing of Jesus Christ; Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,"
John to those who believed in the name of the Son of God:
1 John 2:28, "And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming."
1 John 3:2, "...when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. "

Students of scripture, from the 2nd century, have had great difficulty in understanding and then explaining these references. I’m no different. There are several of them that are beyond my understanding. Faulty exegesis abounds in sermons, commentary and various essays. Vigorous linguistic gymnastics have been used to show that the PRJ did not nor could not have happened as the NT writers expected.

This “non occurrence” has led many to reject scripture, as provided in the Bible, out of hand. Here are just two quotes that describe the problem:

Bertrand Russell, in his book, 'Why I Am Not A Christian', discredits the inspiration of the New Testament:

"I am concerned with Christ as He appears in the Gospel narrative…He certainly thought that his second coming would occur in clouds of glory be¬fore the death of all the people who were living at the time. There are a great many texts that prove…He believed that his coming would happen during the lifetime of many then living. That was the belief of his earlier followers, and it was the basis of a good deal of his moral teaching."

Albert Schweitzer in his 19-century book, 'The Quest of the Historical Jesus', summarized the problem of "Parousia delay" as follows:

"The whole history of Christianity down to the pre¬sent day... is based on the delay of the Parousia, the nonoccurrence of the Parousia, the abandonment of eschatology, the process and completion of the 'de-eschatologizing' of religion which has been connected therewith."

I would imagine that few readers of C.S. Lewis, one of the 20th century’s most respected Christian writers are aware of this quote:

"'Say what you like, we shall be told, 'the apocalyptic beliefs of the first Christians have been proved to be false.’ It is clear from the New Testament that they all expected the Second Coming in their own lifetime. And, worse still, they had a reason, and one which you will find very embarrassing. Their Master had told them so. He shared, and indeed created, their delusion. He said these words, 'this generation shall not pass till all these things be done.' And He was wrong. He clearly knew no more about the end of the world than anyone else.' It is certainly the most embarrassing verse in the Bible." Essay "The World's Last Night" (1960), found in The Essential C.S. Lewis, p-385.

In a later post, I’ll discuss the implications of the failure to recognize this SINGLE context of ALL New Testament documents.