BEMA Episode Link: 161: 1 Thessalonians — Parousia
Episode Length: 21:43
Published Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2020 01:00:00 -0700
Session 4
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings step into the context of the church in Thessalonica and examine the theme of “parousia.”

Discussion Video for BEMA 161

In Search of Paul by John Dominic Crossan and Jonathan L. Reed

Surprised by Hope by N. T. Wright

Transcript for BEMA 161

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 161 Study Notes: 1 Thessalonians — Parousia

Title & Source Summary

Episode: BEMA 161: 1 Thessalonians — Parousia
Hosts: Marty Solomon and Brent Billings
Topic: This episode explores the Greek concept of parousia (the “second coming”) through its original Roman imperial context, revealing how Paul’s teaching about Christ’s return was actually a call to active engagement rather than passive waiting. The discussion centers on 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 and challenges common “rapture theology” by demonstrating how Paul used familiar Roman imperial imagery to teach about Christian responsibility and kingdom work.

Key Takeaways

  • Parousia was a well-known Roman imperial term referring to an emperor’s “second coming” to survey earthquake reconstruction work
  • Thessalonica experienced at least two imperial parousias in the first century, making Paul’s metaphor especially vivid for this audience
  • Paul’s description of Christ’s return follows the exact pattern of a Roman parousia: trumpet sound, honoring the dead, and eis apantesien (going out to meet)
  • The theology that uses this passage to support “rapture” theology commits the same error as the Thessalonians: disengagement from worldly work
  • Christ’s return is described as coming “down” while believers go “up” to meet Him - then return together to earth
  • The passage teaches urgent physical engagement with kingdom work, not escapist disengagement
  • Christians are given a “deposit” (the Holy Spirit) and will need to show Jesus what they accomplished with it
  • The goal is active participation in tikkun olam (repairing the world) rather than waiting for evacuation

Main Concepts & Theories

The Roman Imperial Parousia

In the earthquake-prone Roman Empire, the parousia was a well-established imperial practice with predictable elements:

The Emperor’s First Coming: After a major earthquake, the emperor would visit the devastated city to survey damage and assess needs. This was purely investigative.

The Imperial Deposit: Following his assessment, the emperor would leave behind a substantial sum of money (often millions of sesterces) for reconstruction efforts. This was understood as a loan/investment requiring accountability.

The Promise of Return: Everyone understood that the emperor would return for a “second coming” (parousia) to inspect what had been accomplished with his deposit.

The Pattern of Parousia

Roman parousias followed a consistent structure that Paul deliberately echoes:

Trumpet Announcement: City lookouts would sound trumpets when the imperial entourage was spotted approaching, giving the city time to prepare for the emperor’s arrival.

Honoring the Dead: Upon entering the city, the emperor would first pay respects at the necropolis (cemetery) located just inside the city gates, honoring those who built what came before.

The Eis Apantesien: This Greek phrase describes the specific practice of citizens going out from the city to meet the approaching emperor with joy, then escorting him back into the city to show him their accomplishments.

The Inspection: The emperor would be led around the city to see how his deposit had been used - ideally resulting in improvements beyond what existed before the disaster.

Paul’s Application to Christ’s Return

Paul deliberately structures his description of Christ’s return (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) to mirror the Roman parousia:

  • Trumpet call announcing Christ’s approach
  • Dead in Christ rise first (honoring those who came before)
  • Living believers caught up to eis apantesien (going out to meet Him)
  • Direction of movement: Christ coming down, believers going up to meet Him, then returning together
The Thessalonian Problem

The church in Thessalonica had developed a theological problem: believing Christ’s return was so imminent that physical work became pointless. Some members were:

  • Quitting their jobs and vocations
  • Disengaging from daily responsibilities
  • Expecting immediate evacuation from earthly concerns

This mirrors modern “rapture theology” that emphasizes escape from the world rather than transformation of it.

Paul’s Counter-Theology

Rather than supporting escapist thinking, Paul’s parousia metaphor teaches:

Active Engagement: Just as cities had to actively rebuild with the emperor’s deposit, Christians must actively work with the Holy Spirit’s empowerment.

Accountability: The emperor expected to see improvements when he returned; Christ expects to see kingdom work accomplished.

Physical Participation: The parousia was about improving the physical world, not abandoning it. Paul teaches “physical participation” rather than “disembodied evacuation.”

Present Responsibility: The focus should be on current work that will have something to show when Christ returns.

Examples & Applications

Historical Context Examples

Thessalonica’s Experience: Having experienced at least two imperial parousias in the first century, Thessalonian Christians would immediately understand Paul’s metaphor and its implications for active engagement.

Earthquake Reconstruction: Roman cities like those in modern-day Turkey show evidence of reconstruction efforts funded by imperial deposits, with visible improvements and dedications to the emperors who provided resources.

Ray Vander Laan’s Turkish Village Story: The episode shares a powerful modern parallel where American visitors left a monetary “deposit” with a Turkish village mayor. Years later, they returned to find the village had become the #1 ranked school district in Turkey, with the mayor eagerly showing them the accomplishments - a perfect picture of joyful accountability at the parousia.

Contemporary Applications

Christian Vocation: Rather than viewing secular work as meaningless in light of Christ’s return, believers should see their vocations as part of kingdom work requiring excellence and accountability.

Social Justice: The parousia theology supports active engagement in addressing systemic problems rather than waiting for divine intervention to fix them.

Environmental Stewardship: Christians are called to improve the physical world as stewards of God’s “deposit,” not to abandon it as temporary.

Community Development: Like the Turkish village, Christian communities should be actively working to make their contexts better, more just, and more flourishing.

Theological Implications

Prayer Application: Jesus taught us to pray “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” - an active request for present transformation, not future escape.

Tikkun Olam: The Jewish concept of “repairing the world” aligns with Paul’s parousia theology, emphasizing human partnership in restoration work.

Kingdom Theology: God’s kingdom comes through human participation in divine work, not through human evacuation from earthly responsibility.

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

Historical Studies
  • Research specific Roman parousia records from the first century, particularly in Macedonia and Asia Minor
  • Study earthquake patterns and imperial responses in the eastern Roman Empire
  • Examine archaeological evidence of imperial reconstruction projects and their dedications
  • Investigate John Dominic Crossan’s work on first-century Roman contexts in “In Search of Paul”
Theological Investigation
  • Compare Paul’s parousia imagery with other New Testament “second coming” passages
  • Study the development of “rapture theology” in Christian history and its departure from early church understanding
  • Examine how different Christian traditions have interpreted 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
  • Research N.T. Wright’s work on resurrection and eschatology, particularly “Surprised by Hope”
Biblical Context
  • Analyze other Pauline passages about the Holy Spirit as God’s “deposit” or “guarantee”
  • Study Jesus’s parables about stewardship and accountability in light of parousia imagery
  • Examine how Paul’s teaching addresses work and vocation in his other letters
  • Research the cultural context of Thessalonica and its unique challenges
Practical Applications
  • Develop frameworks for understanding Christian vocation as kingdom work
  • Study how different Christian communities have engaged in community transformation
  • Examine successful examples of faith-based community development and social justice work
  • Research how eschatological beliefs influence Christian engagement with environmental and social issues
Comparative Studies
  • Compare Roman imperial imagery with modern presidential disaster responses
  • Study how authority figures throughout history have used “deposit and accountability” models
  • Examine other cultures’ concepts of stewardship and communal responsibility
  • Research modern parallels to the Turkish village story in international development work

Comprehension Questions

  1. Historical Understanding: How does understanding the Roman imperial parousia change your interpretation of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18? What specific parallels can you identify between Paul’s description and the Roman practice?

  2. Theological Application: Why does Marty argue that “rapture theology” commits the same error as the Thessalonian church? How does Paul’s parousia metaphor argue against disengagement from worldly work?

  3. Directional Significance: What is the significance of Christ coming “down” while believers go “up” to meet Him? How does this directional movement support Paul’s argument for earthly engagement rather than heavenly escape?

  4. Stewardship Connection: How does the concept of the Holy Spirit as God’s “deposit” relate to the emperor’s reconstruction funds? What implications does this have for Christian responsibility and accountability?

  5. Contemporary Relevance: Using the Turkish village story as a model, what would it look like for modern Christians to work in such a way that they could joyfully show Jesus their accomplishments when He returns? How might this apply to your specific context and calling?

Brief Personalized Summary

BEMA Episode 161 provides a revolutionary reframing of one of the most misunderstood passages in Christian theology. By revealing the Roman imperial context of parousia, Marty transforms 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 from a proof-text for escapist “rapture theology” into a powerful call for engaged kingdom work.

The episode’s central insight - that Paul deliberately used familiar imperial imagery to teach about Christian responsibility - brilliantly exposes how modern evangelicalism has often inverted the apostle’s intended message. Rather than supporting disengagement from worldly concerns, Paul’s parousia metaphor argues for urgent, accountable participation in God’s restoration work.

The Turkish village story serves as a perfect modern illustration, showing the joy and pride that comes from faithful stewardship of entrusted resources. This image of running across a field in excitement to show Jesus what we’ve accomplished with His “deposit” is both inspiring and convicting.

Perhaps most challenging is the recognition that much Christian theology has inadvertently promoted the same error Paul was correcting in Thessalonica. The call to active engagement - working for justice, restoration, and flourishing in our physical world - stands as a necessary corrective to any theology that treats earth as something to escape rather than something to heal and restore.

The episode concludes with a powerful vision: Christians as partners with God in tikkun olam (repairing the world), actively participating in making creation “more ordered, more shalom-filled, more holy” while we await Christ’s return. This is theology that inspires both present engagement and future hope.

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