The Second Coming

The Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 is often understood to be predicting the second coming of Christ due to the references to "the end of the age" and the language used. However, when read in the proper context of the question Jesus was answering and the similar judgment language used by the Old Testament prophets, it can easily be seen to be exclusively about the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple that happened with that generation,  in AD 70.  For a detailed exposition, please see my article This Generation. 

What does that imply about the doctrine of the second coming of Jesus? Why did the early church after AD 70 continue to teach that "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again" and write it into the creeds? 

The second coming is based on other verses such as the following:

And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11, ESV)

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52, ESV)

Even more is given in the final chapters of Revelation, when John's focus shifts from the current period of tribulation in the provinces of Asia Minor and coming destruction of the temple in Jerusalem to the hope that we all have for the future and the judgment that will come when Jesus returns.

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
...
And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. 

(Revelation 20:11-21:11,21:22-22:5, ESV)

The verses above clearly show that Jesus was expected to come again.  What is often not understood is when or how.

First, Jesus did promise to come "soon".  He did so in the Olivet discourse as well as in Revelation:

"Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place." (Matthew 24:34, Mark 13:30, Luke 21:32)

 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.” “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”  (Revelation 22:6-7)

 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Revelation 22:12-13)

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20)

So what did mean by "soon"?  I think he meant "soon", which was the primary focus of Revelation, encouraging perseverance under persecution and the coming judgement upon Jerusalem with the destruction of the temple.  

The events that follow in Revelation, being the "millennium" period often understood as being the current age, as new creations in Christ while we await His bodily return, followed by the final White Throne Judgement after Jesus returns.

So  why wasn't that the second coming? To put it simply, Jesus didn't come in bodily form in AD 70, as he had departed (Acts 1:10:11). Instead  He came in judgment through the Roman armies in the same way that He came in judgement on Israel and other nations in the Old Testament period.  It was the end of the age of temple sacrifices, the center of Jewish worship.

Further, the early church fathers, including some who knew the apostles personally, taught that the second coming was still future, even after the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple.

The first Council of Nicea, in AD 325, which was an ecumenical council formed to address the Arian controversy (whether Jesus was divine or a created being). It resulted in the formulation of the Nicene Creed, a statement of faith affirming Jesus' divinity and co-equality with God the Father. It also clearly specifies that Jesus would "come again with glory to judge the living and the dead."  See below for the creed, as amended at the second Council of Nicea, in 381.

He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father; And He will come again with glory to judge the living and dead. His kingdom shall have no end.

The Nicene Creed

I believe in one God, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, not created, of one essence with the Father through Whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; And He rose on the third day, according to the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father; And He will come again with glory to judge the living and dead. His kingdom shall have no end.

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Creator of life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke through the prophets.

In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come.

Amen.

This makes it very clear that the early church was in agreement that Jesus had not yet come a second time but was still expected to do so.  However, it also does not require that the Olivet Discourse nor the majority of the book of Revelation take place in the future.  Take comfort in knowing that the day will come that Jesus will return once and for all, to set things right and judge the living and the dead.