I don’t really know if this is a debate or not but I remember reading years ago from some odd source in my Foundations of Christianity class years ago that I don’t remember that the cult of Jesus was very similar to a lot of the modern day cults who believe that the world is coming to an end in the imminent future. It was said in this unnamed article that it influenced Paul’s subsequent writings and much of the other writers/characters of the New Testament and a lot of the fire and brimstone ideology.
I wish I could remember the source because I would like to research it a bit more just to give myself a more insightful background on the fundamentalist view. It is better to fight against ignorance when one has the proper ammunition against it.
The early Christians felt that the Second coming was going to hapen a lot sooner. However, they never had a specific time in mind. They pretty much concentrated on getting the good done now, and not waiting. When the years passed and He did not come again, they shruged and set their sights a lot longer.
Actually, if you read Paul’s Epistles, he regularly has to tell Christian communities NOT to concentrate on the end of the world! In several Epistles, he explicitly states that if anyone tells Christians “the end is imminent” or “Jesus is here,” such talk is not to be taken seriously. Look to 2 Thessalonians, Chapter 2, for one example.
Paul, like most Christians of his time, expected the return of Jesus, but he was NOT constantly proclaiming that the Second Coming was imminent, nor did he take it for granted he would live to see that day. Indeed, Paul was aggravated by Christians who supposed that, since the Second Coming was sure to happen any minute, there was no need to work hard or to prepare for the future.
Maybe not a specific time, but there were statements made that implied the time was at hand.
In Matthew Jesus says that there were people present that would see the second coming. Paul told couples to get married if they could not control their desires, but that it was better not to get married since the end was coming soon. If they returned today, they might exclaim “You mean you’re still waiting?” :eek:
Yes, there is a passage that says you can know when the time is near, even at the doors. However, we’re not to set dates, because we can’t know the exact date of Jesus’ return. Sorry, don’t have the reference at present. About time for me to go to work.