Are You Waiting for the Coming,
or Waiting for the Revealing,
of Jesus Christ?
By Jonathan Mitchell
In the KJV translation of 1 Cor. 1:7, we read Paul speaking of "waiting for the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ." The NRSV renders this subordinate clause, "as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ." The 1995 NIV offers us, "as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed." The Concordant Literal NT give us, "awaiting the unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ."
This study will focus on the participle, rendered "waiting for," or "awaiting," in the above translations, and its occurrences in six other passages in the NT. This essay repeats much of a previous article, "What are You Waiting for and part two." It examines again the same NT verses, but adds more considerations concerning the implications of translating "apekdechomai" correctly. But before unpacking the participle form of the verb, we want to point out that the KJV's rendering of the direct object, "apocalupsis," as "coming," is completely erroneous. Think of how this mistake fed the doctrine of Christ's "second coming," which is an unscriptural phrase (cf my translation of Heb. 9:28, below). Here is my rendering of 1 Cor. 1:7-8,
7. and as you people are not continuing trailing behind or constantly late, so as to be deficient or fall short - not even in one effect of Grace (or: result of Favor) - being ones habitually receiving and taking away into your hands from out of our Lord's [= Yahweh's, or Christ's] unveiling: Jesus Christ (or: from the midst of an uncovering of, and a revelation which is, our Lord and Master, Jesus [the] Anointed; or: forth from the disclosure from this Lord of us, Jesus Anointed),
8. Who will continue making you folks stable, certain, and established on good footing, until maturity(or: until attainment of a purposed goal, and an accomplishment of intended and destined results; to the point of being finished): a people not [being] open to accusation
(or: those not in the midst of a [legal] charge, not being called into account or for censure, or considered in some category; unimpeachable ones; [cf Rom. 8:31; Col. 1:22; Phil. 1:6, 10]), within the midst of and in union with this Day of our Lord - Jesus Christ!
(or: in the, or this, Day which is our Lord, Jesus Christ; or: in the day of [Yahweh], who is our Master, Jesus [the] Anointed.)
[comment: the phrase "the day of the LORD" was used by the prophets to signify God's influence and activity on people; cf Acts 2:17-21]
In vs. 7, instead of "awaiting (etc.)," I offer the present participle as "being ones habitually receiving and taking away into your hands from out of." The verb form of this participle is "dechomai" (which means "to take or receive") which is modified by a prefix, which is the compound preposition "apek." (which means "away from out of" - cf Liddell & Scott). But, in the early manuscripts, this could also have been read "ap' ek dechomai" - and thus not have been a verb with a compound prefix, and the meaning would have been the same. Changing the meaning of the root verb from "receiving" to "waiting for," was a huge mistake which was repeated in six other passages, which we will investigate.
Also, notice that the final phrase can be rendered "of our Lord's unveiling: Jesus Christ," or, "from the midst of an uncovering of, and a revelation which is, our Lord and Master, Jesus [the] Anointed," or: "forth from the disclosure from this Lord of us, Jesus Anointed." The forms of the Greek words in this phrase can be read as a possessive genitive, a simple genitive, a genitive of apposition, or as ablatives (from). We should ponder each possible reading.
In vs. 8, I rendered the verb as a durative future: this is what He does now, and will continue doing in the future. This is not something that we are "waiting" for.
Next, we go to Gal. 5:5, where we once again have this verb which we are investigating:
" For you see, in union with [the] Spirit (or: by [the] Breath-effect; with [the] Spirit; or: in spirit) - out of Faithfulness (or: from [this] Trust-Faith-Allegiance) - WE, ourselves, continuously (or: progressively) receive by taking away, as with our hands, from out of [this; an] Expectation which belongs to, is from, and which is, a flowing-together, rightwising, eschatological Deliverance within the Way pointed out (or: forth from the midst of [the] expected hope, which is the state of being liberated, pointed in the right direction, and included [in the new covenant])."
The KJV again renders this verb as "wait for," and other common translations follow suit, which puts the finished work of Christ off into a future time. We are in union with the Spirit, and the work of Christ has brought us the expectation which is commonly called "righteousness," and which I have on offer as an expanded, conflated rendering, based upon a variety of scholars. We are not waiting for this!
The next passage where we find this verb is in Phil. 3:
20. You see, OUR citizenship (result of living in a free City [cf Gal. 4:26]; or: commonwealth-effects; political realm) continues inherently existing (or: continues humbly ruling; continuously subsists; repeatedly has its under-beginning) resident within the midst of [the] atmospheres (or: heavens; [cf Col. 3:1; Heb. 12:22]), from out of where (or: from which place) we also continuously receive and take away, as in our hands, from out of a Deliverer (a Savior; a Rescuer; One who keeps us safe; One restoring us to the health and wholeness): [the] Lord (or: a Master), Jesus Christ, [cf Rom. 8:23ff; Gal. 5:5; 1 Cor. 1:7; 2 Cor. 5:1ff; Tit. 2:13; Heb. 9:28]
21. Who will continue changing the position and the posture of (or: will progressively be refashioning and remodeling; will continuously be changing the outward fashion, mode of circumstance, condition, form-appearance, character, role, phase, configuration, or manner, of) our body from the low condition and status (or: the body of, and from, our humiliation; or: the body which is us, pertaining to this lowliness) [to be] joint-formed, co-formed together with, and conformed by, to, in, and with, the body of, and which is, His glory [cf Ps. 17:15; Mat. 17:2; 1 Cor. 15:43-49; 2 Cor. 3:18; Col. 3:4; 1 Jn. 3:2]
(or: the body from, and which is, His assumed appearance; [other MSS: into the {situation} for it to be brought into existence conformed to, and having the same form together with, His body, from that which calls forth praise and imagination for His character and good repute]), down from (or: in accord with; in the sphere of; to the level of; following the pattern of; in stepping with; commensurate with; as directed by) the inwardly-centered operation (functioning energy; inner-working) of the [conditions, situation or sphere for] Him to be continuously able (or: to progress with Power and means of Influence) also to subjoin and align The Whole, for shelter, in Himself [cf 1 Cor. 15:27-28; Eph. 1:19; Heb. 7:25] (or: to append and subordinate all things to Himself; to arrange everything under, so as to have full control, and to support [it] by, for and with Himself). [cf Isa. 63:1; Mat. 28:18]
We have included vs. 21, since what it says is often taken as only referring to a future event. But a close examination of this second verse, with its opening durative future tense (which can signify beginning in our present and continuing on into the future) does not lead us to a "futurist" interpretation, but rather to an ongoing process of "making all things new" (Rev. 21:5). So. let us consider this verse: Christ, by His Spirit (Who/Which also dwells within His called-out folks) and by His Word, will be progressively refashioning, remodeling and transfiguring our body from the humiliation, to be conformed to the body of His glory.
This is what happens as we walk the Path within Him who is the Way. We have much to anticipate as we live our lives here. Now the first question that we need to ask is, What body is it to which he is referring? Is it our individual physical body, or is it the corporate body of Christ? Reading the personal pronoun as in the genitive of apposition, it reads "the body which is us." His body is a corporate body (1 Cor. 12:12) and this is the body of His glory (Christ in you the expectation of glory - Col. 1:27). Recall John 17:22,
"And I, Myself, have given to them (or: in them), and they now possess, the glory (the notion; the opinion; the imagination; the reputation; the manifestation which calls forth praise; the assumed appearance) which You have given to Me, and which I now possess, to the end that they may continuously exist being one correspondingly as (just as; according as; on the same level as; in the same sphere as) We [are] one."
That glory was not an outward glory, but an inward one, just as His working is an inward one. It was the glory that the Father had given to Him, which He then possessed, but could not be seen outwardly.
The words "down from" is the Greek "kata," which, as you see, has a broad semantic range. If we use the meaning of "in the sphere of," this corresponds to His inward working - where the transfiguration and remodeling take place. The meaning "along the lines of" says the same thing, as does "following the pattern of." It is not an outward, physical transformation, but an inward one - of which he is here speaking - "the inwardly-centered operation."
Let us now ponder the implications of the final clause of this verse, concerning His "functioning energy and inward working": to be continuously able (or: to progress with Power and means of Influence) also to subjoin and align The Whole, for shelter, in Himself. The verb is the infinitive of "hupotasso," and is commonly rendered "to subject," which is a legitimate translation. On offer, in my translation, are rather these other meanings: to subjoin; to align; to create shelter; to append; to arrange everything under for control and support. This is all happening "in Himself," "to Himself," "by Himself," "for Himself," and very importantly, "with Himself." After all, "in Him we can live, and are moved, and exist" (Acts 17:28).
Now we have, by tradition, been programmed to think of this verse as referring to a physical change... e.g., a new "glorified" physical body. Some have thought of this as being a "resurrected body." We suggest that one example of this could be Jesus, on the Mount of Transfiguration. Paul, in 2 Cor. 5:1, informs us that:
"we constantly have (continuously hold; presently possess) a dwelling structure or place (a building for an abode; or: a household; = a family or a possession) forth from out of the midst of God: an eonian act of building a roofed house (or: a covered building for dwelling - a home - having qualities and character which pertain to the Age [of the Messiah]; a structure of edification of, for, and pertaining to, the eras and ages) - not made by hands [cf Heb. 9:1-8, 11; Dan. 2:34, 45; Eph. 2:11; Col. 2:11] - resident within these atmospheres (or: in union with the heavens)." [cf 2 Cor. 6:16; 1 Tim. 3:15; Heb. 9:24; Rev. 21:10]
He was referring to our bodies, or perhaps, to our corporate body - a household. If we take the meaning of the verb as "changing the position and the posture of our body," this could be seen as the present reality of Eph. 2:6, where we have been raised up and seated with Christ.
In Heb. 9:28b, the KJV has, "and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Here is my rendering of vs. 28,
"so also, the Christ - being once borne (or: carried) close, and face to face, into the Many (or: being offered once unto, and for, the Many; [cf Rom. 5:14-21]) to carry and bear up failures (errors; sins; mistakes; deviations; misses of the target) - will continue being made visible (or: will be progressively seen) forth from out of the midst of the second [place (cf 9:3, 7 and 10:9; comment: = the holy of holies)] - apart from failure (apart from sin; apart from a sin offering; apart from deviation or error in attempting to hit the target) - in those (or: by those; to those; for those; with those) habitually receiving from out of the midst of (or: progressively taking away out of) Him, [progressing] into a deliverance (or: [leading] into a rescue; with a view to health and wholeness; unto salvation and safety).
Now, in the context of Heb. chapter 9, Christ was the Chief Priest that entered into us, the heavenly temple, sprinkled our hearts (Heb. 10:22), and carried out of our midst our deviations and times of missing the target. The final Day of Atonement involved the Messiah as the Sacrifice, and people as the tabernacle or temple. This was the superior Sacrifice (Heb. 9:23) that cleansed the super-heavenly temple. So, let us turn our attention to the beautiful promise that is focused on this super-heavenly temple. Christ, the Messiah, "will be made visible (will be seen) forth from out of the midst of the second [place (cf 9:3, 7 & 10:9; {comment: = the holy of holies})]." Unfortunate exegesis has put this off to some future "time," and this is due primarily to the KJV adding the word "time" after the word second. Mostly because of that translation addition do we have the sad teaching that Christ will return to earth in a "second coming." This paradigm has shaped the interpretation of OT prophesies and NT statements in a way that has shifted fundamental and evangelical eschatology so as to focus attention away from the present and off into the indefinite future - resulting in detrimental mindsets about our life here and our earth environment.
Now I, too, have added a word to the text - as seen in the bracketed [place]. My reason for pointing my readers in this direction is that the holy of holies was the "place" into which the chief priest entered on the Day of Atonement, and when he came out and was "made visible" to the people the final time on that day, tradition has it that he said, "It is finished." From Heb. 9:9 and 7, we see that the second referred to the holy of holies, and it was in the context of this specific day of the year. Now considering that the holy of holies is now within the heart of His people (who comprise His temple), the "place" from which He will be made visible is His called-out covenant community, His body. When this happens (continuously, we would hope) He is not dealing with the sin issue: that was finished at the cross. So, He will repeatedly be seen apart from the people's failure - "apart from error in attempting to hit the target."
Take note that this happens "in those (or: by those; to those; for those) habitually receiving (or: progressively taking) from out of the midst of Him." This is another witness that our author is speaking of a "place" and not a time. "By those" would also center His being made visible "in them." He will also be visible "to them" as they perceive Him working within people and in the earth. And, of course, this happens "for them," as well.
The "those" is identified by the qualifying participle phrase "habitually receiving (or: progressively taking) from out of the midst of Him." It is the habitual and progressive receiving from out of the midst of Him that progressively leads us into complete deliverance (which we all have experienced as being a life-long work of the Spirit in us). He is the one from whom we receive our life, as we "eat His flesh and drink His blood." So, for those that are living "abiding in the Vine (Christ)" - John 15:1ff - Christ will be made visible from out of the midst of His Temple: His people. Verse 9 in chapter 10 makes another application of the term "the second," there referring to the second tabernacle and the second covenant. This all applies to the here and the now.
The final passage which we will investigate is in Rom. 8, and we will quote the three verses where "apekdechomai" is used, offering my translation of this verb:
19. In fact, with the departure and liberation from head-thinking - the ceasing, and moving away, from imagination, opinions and assumptions - of the creation, there is progressive receiving, and taking away from [cf Heb. 9:28], the disclosure from God's sons (or: the uncovering and revealing of folks who have the character and qualities of God; or: the disclosure pertaining to the children of God; or: the unveiling and revelation which belongs to God's sons). [cf Gal. 1:16a]
23. Yet not only [this], but further, even we ourselves - constantly holding (or: having; possessing) the firstfruit of, and which is, the Spirit (or: the Firstfruit from the Breath-effect; or: the first offering, or first portion, which is spirit and breath, and is from the Attitude) - we ourselves also continually sigh and groan within (in the center of) ourselves, continuously accepting and, as with our hands, taking away from out of, and fully receiving, a placing in the condition of a son (or: [the] deposit of the Son; a setting in place which is the Son; a constituting as a son; a placing in the Son): the buying-back process of the emancipating [as from slavery, by payment of a ransom], redeeming release of our body [cf Ezk. 37:1-14](or: [and] the loosing from being tied to the destruction pertaining to the [corporate; old creation] body, which is us; or: = the unbinding, setting free, and release from the body [of Adam; of humanity], which belongs to us). [cf 2 Cor. 5:2-4]
25. Yet since (or: Even if, and assuming that,) we continue expecting what we are not seeing (or: observing), we still continue taking away and accepting from out of (or: fully receiving from) it through remaining under [our present situation and circumstances] (or: by means of patient, humble, persistent, supportive endurance).
If we are branches who are "abiding in the Vine" (Jn. 15:1ff), we will be continuously receiving nourishment from the Vine... in order to produce His fruit. In Rom. 8:14, we are instructed that "as many as are being continuously led by God's Spirit (or: habitually brought or conducted in [the] Breath-effect which is God; progressively driven along with an attitude from God), these folks are God's sons (these continuously exist being sons of God; or: = these are adult children with the character and qualities of God)." [cf Ex. 4:22; Mat. 2:15; Gal. 4] Those who are God's sons continuously receive from out of the condition of being sons (Rom. 8:23, above). We were "son-placed" by receiving the Message of the Good News which was "disclosed from God's sons" (Rom. 8:19), such as given by all the writers of the NT. "The one continually holding (or: constantly having; progressively possessing) the Son continuously holds (constantly has; progressively possesses) the Life" (1 Jn. 5:12a). If you are continuously holding the Son, why would you have the attitude of "waiting" for His coming, or His appearing? Would this not be living as what Ray Prinzing called a "pro tem atheist" - meaning that the Son is not presently in one's life?
All of the NT uses of "apekdechomai" speak about situations in the first century AD, and all of those also continue on into the present time. The incarnation of Jesus, His death on the cross, and His resurrection, brought about the Day of the Lord. We are still in that Day. Paul informed us that, "for you see, you all are (or: exist being) sons of (from; associated with and having the qualities of; or: which are) Light and sons of (from; associated with and having qualities of; or: which are [the; this; a]) Day!" (1 Thes. 5:5a)
We should not be waiting; we should be receiving. How do we receive? Heb. 12:2 gives us an answer: by "turning [our] eyes away from other things and fixing them unto (or: looking off, with undivided attention, into the midst of) Jesus, the Inaugurator (First Leader; Prime Author) and Perfecter (Finisher; the Bringer-to-maturity-and-fruition; He who purposes, completely carries through, and accomplishes the destiny) of this (or: the aforementioned) faith, trust, confidence and loyal allegiance." Another answer, which parallels this one, is found in 2 Cor. 3:18,
"But (or: So now,) we all, ourselves - having a face that has been uncovered and remains unveiled [note: as with Moses, before the Lord, Ex. 34:34] - being folks who by a mirror are continuously observing, as ourselves, the Lord's glory - the very image - (or: being those who progressively reflect - from ourselves, as by a mirror - the assumed appearance of, from, and which is, [our] Owner and Master [or: = from Yahweh]: the same image and form), are presently being progressively transformed, away from a glory and appearance, into the midst of a glory and manifestation which calls forth praise (or: are being continuously changed in form: transfigured, from glory to glory) - corresponding essentially to, exactly as, precisely to the degree of, and following the very Pattern, from [the] Lord, Who is Breath-effect."
A few verses after this affirmation, in 2 Cor. 4, we see the above statement expanded:
6. because the God suddenly saying (or: the God Who once was saying), "Light will progressively shine forth (give light as from a torch; gleam) from out of the midst of darkness (dimness and shadiness; gloom and the absence of daylight; [cf Gen. 1:1-2])," [is] the One who shines forth within the midst of our hearts, with a view to illumination of the intimate and experiential Knowledge of God's Glory - in a face of Christ, from an Anointing (or: [is] He Who gives light in union with our hearts, [while] facing toward an effulgence and a shining forth which is an intimate knowing and insight of this praise-inducing manifestation and assumed appearance, whose source and origin is God, and which is God, [while] in union with a face-to-face presence of Christ [other MSS: Jesus Christ]).
7. Now we presently and continuously hold (have and possess) this Treasure within containers (jars; pots; vessels; equipment) made of baked clay [e.g., pottery; bone ware] so that the transcendence of the inherent Power and means of Influence may habitually originate its existence in God - and not from out of us (or: the over-cast of ability can, and would, be that which is God - and not of us; or: the overwhelming, which comes from the Power and Potentiality, would exist with the character and quality of God - and not from what characterizes us)!
In Jn. 15:4, Jesus put it simply: "Remain (dwell; abide; stay) within, and in union with, Me! I, Myself, also [am] within, and in union with, you folks." Then, in Jn. 15:7, Jesus further explains how we can abide in Him:
"If you people can (or: would; should) remain (abide; dwell; stay) within the midst of, in union with, and in the sphere of, ME - and My gush-effects (results of spoken words) can (should; would) remain [with p66 and others: and the flow of My declarations continues abiding] within the midst of, and in union with, you - seek in petition [other MSS: you will continue asking] whatever you folks may habitually purpose (constantly intend; repeatedly will; continuously want or desire), and it will proceed coming to be within and among you folks (or: will progressively occur for you people; will continue being birthed by you folks; will habitually happen to you folks)."
So then, are you waiting for His coming, or for His unveiling?
John Gavazzoni has reminded me of 1 Jn. 5, where the verb in the first clause of verse 20 is a present perfect, affirming that God's Son is continuously here. I also include verse 19 in order give the context:
20. yet we have seen and absolutely know that God's Son has arrived and is continuously here, and He has given, so that we now possess, a thorough understanding (input throughout the mind; comprehension; faculty of thought; intelligence; intellectual capacity) to the end that we continuously and progressively know [other MSS: so that we would constantly know] by intimate experience, and insight, the True One (or: the true, the real, the genuine), and we constantly exist within, and in union with, the True and Genuine One (or: centered in the Real [situation or sphere]; in the midst of Reality): within His Son, Jesus Christ. This One is the True (Real; Genuine) God, and Life pertaining to, and having the qualities of, the Age (or: life from out of the Age [of Messiah]; eonian life; Life of, for, and on through, the ages).
Another witness to Christ's constant presence can be seen in Rev. 2:1, "the One continuously walking around within the midst of, and in the sphere of, the seven golden lampstands (= the called-out congregations; cf Rev. 1:20b)."
Jonathan
PS: John Gavazzoni offers these observations on 1 Jn. 5:20: "In my opinion, provides the essential meaning of eonian life. The ending describes that 'this One,' 'the True God,' IS eonian life AS having come to us in the arrival of His Son. Summation: Ontologically, as the Father has life in Himself and gives the Son to have life in Himself (Jn. 5:26), that life has come to us in the arrival of the Son, etc. This One, the True God, AS SUCH, IS eonian life, i.e., in the here and now with us, to us as life in, pertaining to, having the quality of the age or ages... to, in turn, give us to have life in ourselves. In other words, emmanuel, God with us."
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