THERE ARE NUMEROUS PASSAGES THAT TEACH SOME APOSTLES & DISCIPLES WOULD STILL BE ALIVE AT CHRIST’s RETURN. By Tuese Akiong
Here’s just a few:
Matt. 10:23
“You shall not finish going through the cities of Israel, UNTIL THE SON OF MAN COMES.”
**Christ tells His disciples that they will not finish going through the cities of Israel until He comes. Doesn’t this verse disturb you or raise curiosity as to why Christ would say this to His disciples if His return is still in the future as most people say?
Matt. 16:27-28
“THE SON OF MAN IS ABOUT TO COME IN THE GLORY OF HIS FATHER WITH HIS ANGELS and will then RECOMPENSE every man according to his deeds.” THERE ARE SOME OF THOSE WHO ARE STANDING HERE WHO SHALL NOT TASTE DEATH UNTIL THEY SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING IN HIS KINGDOM.”
**Around 33AD, Christ is saying that MOST of His apostles/ disciples standing with Him would be DEAD before His coming, and only SOME STANDING HERE WITH HIM will not DIE until they see His coming. The coming of Christ is limited to the lifetime of His apostles/disciples standing with Him. Most were MARTYED and DEAD by 70AD.
And NO! There are NO Apostles from Christ’s time still alive! Lol
John 21:20-23
Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”
**Peter already knew that SOME would still be alive at His coming from Matthew 16:28.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
**Paul includes himself with the church in Thessalonia that he might possibly be still alive at the coming of the lord.
Rev 22:12
“Behold, I am coming SOON, bringing my RECOMPENSE with me, to REPAY each one for what he has done.
***Revelation was written around 65 AD. This verse harmonizes with Matthew 16:27-28, 24:34 with almost a generation completed with a coming soon judgment.
Matt. 24:34
Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
**Verses 1-33 are “all these these things take place” speaks of the destruction of the temple, end of the age, wars, famines, great commission, sun darkened, moon blood, Christ return, judgment… Which generation would Christ return to? The generation He was speaking to or a different one? All these events happened destruction of the temple in 70AD.
Matt. 26:63-64
But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64“Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “BUT I SAY TO ALL OF YOU: IN THE FUTURE YOU WILL SEE THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE MIGHTY ONE AND COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.”
**Yeshua states that high priest and those there that they would see Christ at the right hand of The Mighty One coming on the clouds which means He is on the throne to judge!
James. 5:7-9
“BE PATIENT, THEREFORE, BRETHREN, UNTIL THE COMING OF THE LORD.” 8 “You too be patient strengthen your hearts, FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD IS AT HAND.” 9 Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. THE JUDGE IS STANDING AT THE DOOR!
**James says The Judge, Yeshua, is at the door! Is He still standing at the door or did He Judge already?
Titus 2:12-14
It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
**Again Paul includes himself, and Timothy as being still alive and waiting for the appearing of Christ!
Additional Reading:
WAS THE APOSTLE PAUL A FALSE PROPHET in penning 2 Thessalonians 1?
https://tueseahkiong.blogspot.com/2017/03/was-apostle-paul-flase-prophet-in.html
Were the Bible writers Paul, Peter, James and John FALSE PROPHETS?
http://tueseahkiong.blogspot.com/2014/09/were-bible-writers-paul-peter-james-and.html
