Mat 24:3 As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”(The NET Bible)
Since the days of C.T. Russell and his partnership with N. H. Barbour, Jehovah’s Witnesses have made a big deal about Jesus coming being invisible. Instead of the word coming in the verse the New World Translation renders it presence because of the word Parousia, believing this indicates Jesus presence to be invisible. However, this was not something the holy spirit gave them exclusive knowledge of.[1] Because Witnesses teach that Jesus presence began in 1914 it is crucial that the verse be interpreted this way. The early Bible students believed that Christ’s presence was invisible and occurred in the year 1874. They experienced disappointment when all of their expectations about Christ’s return in 1914 were not realized. Rather than drop the date, Jehovah’s Witnesses later argued that Jesus presence did indeed occur but invisibly.[2] They say it’s different from his coming at Armageddon because another Greek word erkhomai is used for that. For example the 2013 Watchtower states:
“Christ’s “coming” (Greek, erʹkho·mai) is different from his “presence” (pa·rou·siʹa). His invisible presence begins before his coming to execute judgment. (The Watchtower July 15, 2013 pg. 21)
It must be remembered that Parousia was the word choice, not of Jesus, but of his disciples. Even the Watchtower society realizes the disciples understanding of what was to occur in the future relative to Jesus kingdom was limited:
“At this point the apostles had but a limited grasp of Jesus’ teachings. They had earlier imagined that “the kingdom of God was going to display itself instantly.” (Luke 19:11; Matthew 16:21-23; Mark 10:35-40) And even after the discussion on the Mount of Olives, but prior to being anointed with holy spirit, they asked if Jesus was restoring the Kingdom to Israel then.—Acts 1:6. (The Watchtower August 15, 1996 pg. 10 par. 6)
In fact, in 1974 they plainly admit that the disciples did not understand that Jesus presence would be invisible:
When they asked Jesus, “What will be the sign of your presence?” they did not know that his future presence would be invisible. (Matt. 24:3) (The Watchtower January 15, 1974 pg. 50 par. 6)
That means that it is impossible that they chose the word Parousia because it refers to an invisible presence. However, at the time of Jesus ascension to heaven the angels used the word erkhomai when speaking about his coming.
“Men of Galʹi·lee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus who was taken up from you into the sky will come [erkhomai] in the same manner as you have seen him going into the sky.” (Acts 1:11)
Yet in all Watchtower publications it says this is talking about Jesus invisible presence. For example, note what is said in the book “Jesus, the Way, the Truth, the Life”:
Hundreds See Him Prior to Pentecost
As the faithful apostles are gazing after him, “two men in white garments” appear beside them. These are materialized angels, who ask: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus who was taken up from you into the sky will come in the same manner as you have seen him going into the sky.”—Acts 1:10, 11.
Jesus left the earth without public fanfare, his faithful followers being the only observers. He will return “in the same manner”—without public fanfare, with only his faithful followers discerning his presence in Kingdom power. (Jesus, the Way, the Truth, the Life pg. 310 pars. 8-9)
The study note on this verse in the New World Translation Study Bible states:
“will come in the same manner: The Greek word for “come” (erʹkho·mai) is used frequently in the Scriptures in a variety of ways. In some contexts, it refers to Jesus’ coming as Judge to pronounce and execute judgment during the great tribulation. (Mt 24:30; Mr 13:26; Lu 21:27) However, this Greek word is used regarding Jesus on other occasions. (Mt 16:28; 17:1, 2; Mt 21:5, 9; 23:39; Lu 19:38)
These occasions speak of Jesus coming in a favorable way and received as king. Yet in all of them he was seen. None were invisible.
Therefore, the context determines in what sense the term “come” is used here.
Yes, either for judgment or blessing
The angels said that Jesus would “come,” or return, in the same “manner” (Greek, troʹpos) as he departed. The term troʹpos does not refer to the same form, shape, or body but to the same way. As the context shows, Jesus’ manner of departure was not observed by the world in general. Only the apostles were aware that Jesus left the vicinity of the earth to return to his Father in heaven.
Yes, but they did see him. Read the angels words carefully, they are referring to what the disciples saw before Jesus entered the clouds. The society wants to convey the idea that they are speaking about what the disciples could discern about Jesus after the cloud obscured their vision.
Jesus had indicated that his return as King of “the Kingdom of God” would not be in a way that was obvious to all—only his disciples would know it had taken place. (Lu 17:20; see study note.)
That scripture mentions the kingdom not coming with striking observableness. However, it is obvious when Luke says “For the kingdom of God is in (present tense) your midst” it was something people could understand at present. He talks about his future coming in verse 24 likening it to lightning.
For just as lightning flashes from one part of heaven to another part of heaven, so the Son of man will be in his day. (Luke 17:24)
Obviously, lightning is something visible to everyone. In Matthew’s account he calls this future coming as lightning Jesus presence using the word Parousia.
For just as the lightning comes out of the east and shines over to the west, so the presence of the Son of man will be. (Matthew 24:27)
Speaking about the lightning, Matthew uses the Greek word exerkhomai which means to come out of. Thus equating the future presence of Jesus with the coming of lightning. The study note then goes on to try and make a distinction between Acts 1:11 and Revelation 1:7 even though the same Greek word erkhomai occurs in both verses:
The “coming” mentioned at Re 1:7 is different. On that occasion, “every eye will see him.” (Re 1:7) So in the context of Ac 1:11, the term “come” apparently refers to Jesus’ invisible coming in Kingdom power at the beginning of his presence.—Mt 24:3. (NWT study Bible)
Wait! Revelation uses the same Greek word as Acts but in that case the coming is visible whereas in Acts it’s invisible?
Under the heading Ascension, Insight on the Scriptures volume 1 states:
“They continued looking into the sky until advised otherwise by the angels, who informed them: “This Jesus who was received up from you into the sky will come thus in the same manner as you have beheld him going into the sky.”—Ac 1:9-11.
It is to be noted that the angels referred to the “manner” (Gr., troʹpos) not the form (Gr., mor·pheʹ) in which Jesus departed. As the cloud caught him up, he became invisible to human eyes. The Acts account shows that his ascension was without ostentation or fanfare, discerned by only a few faithful followers and that for only the initial part of the ascension. The manner of his ascension was such that it would qualify the apostles to serve as witnesses of that fact, even as they were of Jesus’ resurrection. (Ac 1:3) Thus, he did not simply ‘disappear’ from them, as he did earlier from the two disciples at Emmaus, or as the angel who had appeared to Gideon “vanished from his sight.” (Lu 24:31; Jg 6:21, 22) To an extent, his ascension was more like that of the angel who appeared to Manoah and his wife. He had them prepare a sacrifice, and “as the flame ascended from off the altar heavenward, then Jehovah’s angel ascended in the flame of the altar while Manoah and his wife were looking on.”—Jg 13:20. (Insight on the Scriptures vol. 1 pg.186)
Note how the Insight book says that the disciples only discerned the initial part of Jesus ascension. This is not what the Bible says:
“After he had suffered, he showed himself alive to them by many convincing proofs. He was seen by them throughout 40 days, and he was speaking about the Kingdom of God. 4 While he was meeting with them, he ordered them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but keep waiting for what the Father has promised, about which you heard from me; 5 for John, indeed, baptized with water, but you will be baptized with holy spirit not many days after this.” 6 So when they had assembled, they asked him: “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” 7 He said to them: “It does not belong to you to know the times or seasons that the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction. 8 But you will receive power when the holy spirit comes upon you, and you will be witnesses of me in Jerusalem, in all Ju·deʹa and Sa·marʹi·a, and to the most distant part of the earth.” 9 After he had said these things, while they were looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud caught him up from their sight. (Acts 1:3-9)
The book “Bearing Thorough Witness” states:
“As mentioned at the outset of this chapter, Jesus rose from the earth and disappeared from view. Yet, the 11 apostles kept standing there, looking into the sky. Finally, two angels appeared and offered this gentle rebuke: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus who was received up from you into the sky will come thus in the same manner as you have beheld him going into the sky.” (Acts 1:11) Did the angels mean that Jesus would return in the same body, as some religionists teach? No, they did not. How do we know?
15 The angels said that Jesus would return, not in the same form, but “in the same manner.” In what manner did he depart? He was out of sight when the angels spoke. Only those few men, the apostles, perceived that Jesus had left the vicinity of the earth and was on his way to his Father in heaven. The manner of Christ’s return was to be similar. So it has been. Today, only those with spiritual discernment realize that Jesus is present in kingly power. (Luke 17:20) We need to discern the evidence of his presence and convey it to others so that they too may see the urgency of our times. (Bearing Thorough Witness pg. 17 pars. 14-15)
The Bible specifically states that after Jesus resurrection he showed himself alive throughout 40 days. Was this visible or did the disciples merely discern he was alive for that 40 day period? On this occasion he gave them orders about their ministry. Was this visible or did the disciples merely discern he was giving them instructions? Were they carrying on a conversation with him in their minds? When and at what point was it necessary for them to rely on their powers of discernment rather than their eyesight? They watched him ascend until a cloud caught him up from their sight. Hence, prior to that, they had seen him with their physical eyes. So when they later heard what the angels said, what would they expect his return to be other than in the same manner that they had beheld him with their literal eyes going into the sky? It was not necessary for the angels to say what body he would come in to make the point that Jesus return would be visible. The word rendered beheld is taken from the Greek theasomai. It occurs 22 times and is always used in reference to literal sight.
Under the heading “Presence”, Insight on the Scriptures states:
His ascension to heaven was also seen only by them, not by the world, and the angels present assured the disciples that Jesus’ return would be in “the same manner” (Gr., troʹpos, not mor·pheʹ, “form”), hence without public display, discerned only by his faithful followers.—Ac 1:1-11. (Insight on the Scriptures vol. 2 pg. 678)
If his ascension to heaven was seen by his disciples, why is the word discern used here? True, Jesus promised his disciples that they would behold him but not the world. But they did see him.
Under the heading “Sky”, it states:
“When Jesus ascended toward heaven, a cloud caught him away from the disciples’ vision. As they gazed into the sky, angels appeared and said: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus who was received up from you into the sky will come thus in the same manner as you have beheld him going into the sky.” (Ac 1:9-11, ftn) The angels, in effect, told the disciples that there was no point in their gazing into the sky, expecting him to appear to their vision there. For the cloud had caught him up, and he had become invisible. But he would come back in like manner, invisibly, unobserved by the physical eyes. (Insight on the Scriptures vol. 2 pg. 977)
The account does not tell us what the disciples were thinking as they were looking into the sky. It is an assumption to say, in effect, what the angels meant by what they said. Their words are simple enough to understand as written. Besides that , we have Jesus promise to them of what to expect in the future. (Matt. 24:30) But also that they should not expect him to return immediately:
So he said: “A man of noble birth traveled to a distant land to secure kingly power for himself and to return. 13 Calling ten of his slaves, he gave them ten miʹnas and told them, ‘Do business with these until I come.’ 14 But his citizens hated him and sent out a body of ambassadors after him to say, ‘We do not want this man to become king over us.’ 15 “When he eventually got back after having secured the kingly power, he summoned the slaves to whom he had given the money, in order to ascertain what they had gained by their business activity. (Luke 19:12-15)
However, when he did return it would be as Matthew 24:30 and Revelation 1:7 states.
Then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30)
Jesus likened his coming to the days of Noah and the days of Lot. The Watchtower society makes the point that the comparison equates the invisible presence of Jesus with the period of wickedness and violence before the flood came and Sodom was destroyed. However, Luke’s account indicates the point of Jesus comparison is with the suddenness of his arrival with the destruction of those two prior events:
“It will be the same on that day when the Son of man is revealed.” (Luke 17:30)
Note that Luke does not refer to the days prior to the flood or the destruction of Sodom but on the day that the Son of man is revealed. The Greek word in this verse is apokalypto which means to reveal or uncover. This is similar to what Paul described in his second letter to the Thessalonians:
This takes into account that it is righteous on God’s part to repay tribulation to those who make tribulation for you. 7 But you who suffer tribulation will be given relief along with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels 8 in a flaming fire, as he brings vengeance on those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus. (2 Thessalonians 1:6-8) See also 1 Peter 1:13; 4:13
According to the Bible, Jesus was enthroned as king shortly after his resurrection in 33 C.E. (Eph.1:20-23)
Since then he has been invisibly present with his disciples. (Matt. 28:20) Therefore they have not been awaiting his invisible presence but his visible coming.
[1] Proclaimers book chap. 5 p. 46 Proclaiming the Lord’s Return (1870-1914) states:
Neither Barbour nor Russell was the first to explain the Lord’s return as an invisible presence. Much earlier, Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) had written that Christ would return and reign “invisible to mortals.” In 1856, Joseph Seiss, a Lutheran minister in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, had written about a two-stage second advent—an invisible pa·rou·siʹa, or presence, followed by a visible manifestation. Then, in 1864, Benjamin Wilson had published his Emphatic Diaglott with the interlinear reading “presence,” not “coming,” for pa·rou·siʹa, and B. W. Keith, an associate of Barbour, had drawn it to the attention of Barbour and his associates.
[2] It is noteworthy that Jesus warned his disciples not to be deceived by persons teaching such things. (Matt. 24:23-27)