Did John make a mistake thinking that Jesus will come quickly?

by koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Kyungpook National University

Sangju Campus

South Korea

conjoint lecturer of Avondale College

Australia

8 August 2009

It is common for commentaries on the Johannine corpus to scoop up texts that gives the impression that John thought Jesus would come in his day or come quickly. Preterism is a  model of prophetic interpretation that loves to cite Revelation 22 where John is saying Jesus will come quickly.

In this writing we need to point out the following:

1. John did say Jesus said He will come quickly.

2. In Revelation 22:6; 7; 12 and 20 he repeated it four times. The fifth use of it is in Revelation 1:1.

3. It is now nearly 2000 years after that event, does that mean Jesus was lying or John was mistaken?

4. John used the expression tachu four times.

5. What is needed is to consider what tachu actually mean in context.

Revelation 1:1

"which must happen in speed".

It may also mean "which must happen in quick [succession]".

The last meaning is that moving from the one scene or one event to the other listed in chronological order or semi-chronological order, it will be quickly.

It certainly cannot indicate a quickly-all-over model since Revelation 12 with the 1260 years is all but quickly.

Revelation 22:6

The total of the book of Revelation is indicated to be true and the angel was given to John to show his people what is to take place in quick succession "which must happen in speed" from one event to another, that is.

Revelation 22:7

"And behold I am coming quickly".

Here Jesus definitely says He will come quickly, but when?

Implied by the time periods of chapter 12 one has to interpret the coming quickly of Jesus as quickly when all events are all over.

When Jesus complete His functions in the sanctuary, the door of mercy closes and He receives or take up His royal function, He will come quickly after the Time of Trouble which in essence means that the Time of Trouble will not be long since He promised it here.

Revelation 22:12

"Behold I am coming quickly and My reward is with me"

Again is repeated the speed with which He will change function and come. There will not be a long time between these two events.

Revelation 22:20

As a testimony Jesus said one more time:

"Yes, I am coming quickly".

When all the events are over, spread out through history even longer than the 1260 years mentioned in Revelation 12, then Jesus will change His function from Mediator to Kingship and from that time to His actual coming, it will be in speed.

Does John say that Jesus will come quickly in his day or did Jesus lied that He would come quickly but never did?

Such concepts cannot be found in the other Johannine literature and it is doubtful whether one can still be a Christian maintaining the calculative error view for John and Jesus. 

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