DID JESUS REALLY SAY EÑ×ÏÌÁÉ ÔÁ×U 'I AM COMING SOON'? INTERROGATING THE USAGE OF ÔÁ×U 'SOON' IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
1 Department of Religion and Philosophy University of Jos, Nigeria
* Corresponding author: tambiyig@unijos.edu.ng
* Corresponding author: tambiyig@unijos.edu.ng
Abstract
This work challenges the motive behind the usage of ôá÷?
'soon' in the New Testament amidst the various interpretive
thoughts associated with the word as ipsissima vox rather
than the ipsissima verba of Jesus. Such an ipsissima verba quest
has made some people consider Jesus as a deceiver, who has
kept his followers in deceit for centuries about the Parousia.
A lot of people have anticipated the second coming of Jesus
and lost faith. Some people mock those who still insist on the
word 'soon' and it has created difficulty in the proclamation
of the gospel message. Using biblical theology and
historical-critical methods, this work surveys the various
positions and argues that Jesus perhaps never said 'I am
coming soon' as understood in the context of imminence for
the first century Christians. This work reveals possible
interpretations, which underscores ?ñ÷ïìáé ôá÷? “I am
coming soon” to become an agent of evangelistic strategy
by Apostle John in the intention of Jesus and raises a few
implications into the present missionary involvements as
the Church waits the groom.
Keywords
Jesus
?ñ÷ïìáé ôá÷? evangelism
New Testament
'soon
' early church
and Parousia
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How to Cite
TAMBIYI, G. I. (2025). DID JESUS REALLY SAY EÑ×ÏÌÁÉ ÔÁ×U 'I AM COMING SOON'? INTERROGATING THE USAGE OF ÔÁ×U 'SOON' IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. Humanity - Jos Journal Of General Studies, 16(1), 95-103. https://doi.org/10.67862/hjjgs.2025.yhax06it
G. I. TAMBIYI, "DID JESUS REALLY SAY EÑ×ÏÌÁÉ ÔÁ×U 'I AM COMING SOON'? INTERROGATING THE USAGE OF ÔÁ×U 'SOON' IN THE NEW TESTAMENT," Humanity - Jos Journal Of General Studies, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 95-103, January 2025. doi: 10.67862/hjjgs.2025.yhax06it
