intervene between the destruction of Jerusalem and the Parousia.
The discourse closed with two remarkable state- ments : first, that that generation would not pass away until all those things were accomplished (Mk 1330, Mt 24=*^ Lk 21^2) ; second, that none save the Father, not even the Son, knew ' that day and hour' (Mk 13»^ Mt 24-'»). That the Evangelists should have placed side by side two such appar- ently conflicting utterances, can be explained only by assuming their certain knowledge that Jesus had spoken them, and by their extreme fidelity to truth. To apply both sayings to the same event makes Jesus say, ' I do not know the exact day or hour, but I know that it will occur within the lifetime of some of those present.' But the words are far too strong for such a meaning. He never would have asseverated so strongly in such a con- nexion the ignorance of the angels in heaven and of Himself as Son. What He evidently meant was, that He Himself would visit the Temple and city in judgment, and level them even with the ground within that generation ; but that the day and hour of His final return in glory were unknown even to Himself. 'That day' is used frequently as syn- onymous with ' last day,' indeed appears to be always used in that sense where the antecedent is not plainly indicated, and so must be taken in that sense here (Mt V^ 2&^^, Lk 10^^ 2P^ 2 Th P», 2 Ti
J12. 18 48)_
Mt. appends a series of parables which illustrate and spiritu- allj' apply the great lessons of the discourse. Jesus told His hearers to watch ; for if the master of the house had kept awake, the thief would not have entered. They are to be diligent and faithful as trusted servants, so that they may receive the blessing from their Master when He returns (Mt 2443. 51). By the parable of the Ten Virgins He cautioned them against indolence creeping upon them because of His delay in coming. By the parable of the Talents He taught them that definite duties are entrusted to them during ' the long time ' of His absence, but that on His return He will proportionate!}' reward faithful service and punish neglect. And, finally, by the parable of the Sheep and the Goats He pictured in majestic language the great culmination of His ministerial office, when, seated on the throne of glory, He will dispense to assembled humanity the justice which their deeds of love or selfishness have merited.
The historic Comings, which are, as we have seen, so largely predicted by the Synoptists, are as plainly taught by John ; in fact, it is even more impossible in the Fourth Gospel than in the first three to narrow down the sayings of Jesus that refer to His ' Comings ' to any one event. When He says, ' I will come again, and receive you unto myself' (14^), His meaning cannot be exhausted by referring the words to Pentecost, or to death, or to the Parousia ; rather does it include all these. Similarly, ' I will not leave you desolate : I come to you' (14^^), is not sufficiently interjjreted by referring the words to the Resurrection, or to Pentecost, or to personal spiritual revelations ; but must include all these.
In both these verses the Greek is not in the future tense but present (ipxof^eci), meaning not 'I will come,' but 'I come, at all times I am coming' (see Westcott, I.e. ; see also 16'6- 22 21—). This view of repeated 'Comings' does not prevent John from teaching the great Final Advent, for he records the words of Jesus which foretell the hour when the dead in their graves shall hear His voice (528) ; and in his Epistles uses the word Trotomcrix, in exactly the same sense as it is used by Matthew, James, and Paul (1 Jn 228 ; cf. Mt 24^, Ja S'?, 1 Co 152»).
The predictions of Jesus carry us even beyond His Parousia. They tell us that His Coming will be the signal for the resurrection of the dead, both bad and good alike ( Jn 52'^- 29), and that that resur- rection will be followed by the judgment of man- kind. It is revealed that He Himself will be the Judge, and that before the throne of His glory will be gathered the entire human race in order that tliey may receive the just recompense for their deeds (Mt 25^^''-)> each individual receiving his merited sentence (Mt 25^2 22" \Q^). The judgment will
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thus be universal and individual. It is furtlier revealed that the decisions of tliat judgment will be 'age-long' in their consequences. Un the one hiind, the guilty will suh'er from ' the unquenchable fire 'and 'the undying worm ' (Mk Q-iJ- -w. 4») ; they ■will be shut out from the marriage feast of the King's Son, and condemned to 'outer darkness' (Mt 22'=* 8'- 25^"). On the other hand, the rigliteous will pass in with the Bridegroom to the marriage (25'"), will enter into the joy of their Lord (25'-'), will be received unto Himself (Jn 14^), and will behold His glory (17-^).
As regards the predicted bliss of the pardoned, there can be no doubt that Jesus taugiit that it was of eternal duration, for tiiat bliss is naught but the gift of life, and that life is the life of God Himself, and so necessarily is everlasting as He is everlasting (Jn 1^ 5^s--^ cf. 1 Jn 5'i- '-). His teaching regarding the duration of the punishment of the wicked, however, is less plain. Much of His language is highly figurative, and may have been used by Him only to express the terrible punishment that awaits unrepented sin in the next world, without ^jrecluding the hope that God will finally win all to Himself by love ; a hope that not a few passages in the later books of the NT suggest.