appearance of the "new heavens and the new earth." And so it was not strange that Peter should say: "Master, we know that all things will pass away when the new heavens and the new earth appear, but how shall we know when you will return to bring all this about?"
When Jesus heard this, he was thoughtful for some time and then said: "You ever err since you always try to attach the new teaching to the old; you are determined to misunderstand all my teaching; you insist on interpreting the gospel in accordance with your established beliefs. Nevertheless, I will try to enlighten you."
On several occasions Jesus had made statements which led his hearers to infer that, while he intended presently to leave this world, he would most certainly return to consummate the work of the heavenly kingdom. As the conviction grew on his followers that he was going to leave them, and after he had departed from this world, it was only natural for all believers to lay fast hold upon these promises to return. The doctrine of the second coming of Christ thus became early incorporated into the teachings of the Christians, and almost every subsequent generation of disciples has devoutly believed this truth and has confidently looked forward to his sometime coming.
If they were to part with their Master and Teacher, how much more did these first disciples and the apostles grasp at this promise to return, and they lost no time in associating the predicted destruction of Jerusalem with this promised second coming. And they continued thus to interpret his words notwithstanding that, throughout this evening of instruction on Mount Olivet, the Master took particular pains to prevent just such a mistake.
In further answer to Peter's question, Jesus said: "Why do you still look for
the Son of Man to sit upon the throne of David and expect that the material
dreams of the Jews will be fulfilled? Have I not told you all these years that my
kingdom is not of this world? The things which you now look down upon are
coming to an end, but this will be a new beginning out of which the gospel of the
kingdom will go to all the world and this salvation will spread to all peoples.
And when the kingdom shall have come to its full fruition, be assured that the
Father in heaven will not fail to visit you with an enlarged revelation of truth
and an enhanced demonstration of righteousness, even as he has already bestowed upon this world him who became the prince of darkness, and then
Adam, who was followed by Melchizedek, and in these days, the Son of Man.
And so will my Father continue to manifest his mercy and show forth his love,
even to this dark and evil world. So also will I, after my Father has invested me
with all power and authority, continue to follow your fortunes and to guide in
the affairs of the kingdom by the presence of my spirit, who shall shortly be
poured out upon all flesh. Even though I shall thus be present with you in spirit,
I also promise that I will sometime return to this world, where I have lived this
life in the flesh and achieved the experience of simultaneously revealing God to
man and leading man to God. Very soon must I leave you and take up the work
the Father has intrusted to my hands, but be of good courage, for I will sometime
return. In the meantime, my Spirit of the Truth of a universe shall comfort and
guide you.
