# G3952 - parousia **Strong's:** [G3952](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3952/) · BLB lookup **Pronunciation:** par-oo-see'-ah **Part of speech:** feminine noun **Root:** *para-* (alongside) + *ousia* (being / being-present) **NT occurrences:** 24 ## Semantic range 1. **Presence, being-present**, the literal etymological sense 2. **Arrival, coming**, esp. the formal arrival of an honored visitor (a king, dignitary) 3. **The Second Coming of Christ**, the dominant eschatological-theological NT sense In Hellenistic Greek, *parousia* was a technical term for the **official visit of a ruler**, the king's *parousia* to a city, complete with formal procession, royal honors, civic celebrations, and the gathering of subjects to meet the king. NT writers borrow this royal-visit imagery for Christ's eschatological arrival. ## Theological force, the Second Coming *Parousia* of Christ is the **central NT term** for what is popularly called the "Second Coming." It refers to: 1. **A future personal-bodily return** of Christ (not merely spiritual) 2. **A glorious / royal-procession arrival** (with angels, trumpets, glory) 3. **A judgment / vindication event** (separating sheep from goats) 4. **The consummation of the kingdom** (saints gathered; enemies defeated; new creation inaugurated) ### Key passages - **[Matthew 24:3](/codex/matthew-24-3/), [27](/codex/matthew-24-27/), [37](/codex/matthew-24-37/), [39](/codex/matthew-24-39/)**, Olivet discourse: "what will be the sign of Your *parousias*?" The disciples ask; Christ describes the *parousia* using lightning imagery (24:27), Noahic flood-comparison (24:37-39) - **[1 Corinthians 15:23](/codex/1-corinthians-15-23/)**, "Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His *parousia*" - **[1 Thessalonians 2:19](/codex/1-thessalonians-2-19/); 3:13; 4:15; 5:23**, the Thessalonian church awaiting Christ's *parousia* - **[2 Thessalonians 2:1](/codex/2-thessalonians-2-1/), [8](/codex/2-thessalonians-2-8/), [9](/codex/2-thessalonians-2-9/)**, "the *parousia* of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him"; the destruction of the lawless one "by the splendor of His *parousias*"; the "lawless one" with deceiving *parousian*, Satan-imitation - **[James 5:7-8](/codex/james-5-7-8/)**, "be patient until the *parousias* of the Lord" - **[2 Peter 1:16](/codex/2-peter-1-16/); 3:4, 12**, "we have not followed cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and *parousian* of our Lord Jesus Christ"; opponents mock saying "where is the promise of His *parousias*?" - **[1 John 2:28](/codex/1-john-2-28/)**, "abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His *parousia*" ## *Parousia* and partial-realization vs final consummation The NT presents Christ's *parousia* in **two-stage / already-not-yet** structure: - **Already**, Christ has come (incarnation); Christ is present now in the Spirit ([Mt 28:20](/codex/matthew-28-20/), "I am with you always"; [Jn 14:18](/codex/john-14-18/), "I will not leave you as orphans"); the kingdom is inaugurated - **Not yet**, Christ will come bodily at the eschaton; the kingdom is consummated; the dead are raised; judgment occurs The *parousia* in technical theological-NT use refers primarily to the **future-not-yet** event, Christ's bodily return. ## Eschatological views Christian eschatology engages the *parousia* in different schemas: ### Futurist / classical eschatology The *parousia* is a future, public, bodily event accompanied by: - Resurrection of the dead ([1 Thess 4:13-18](/codex/1-thessalonians-4-13-18/)) - Judgment of the living and the dead ([Mt 25:31-46](/codex/matthew-25-31-46/); [Rev 20:11-15](/codex/revelation-20-11-15/)) - Renewal of all things ([Acts 3:21](/codex/acts-3-21/); [Rev 21](/codex/revelation-21/)-22) ### Premillennial vs amillennial vs postmillennial - **Premillennial**, Christ returns *before* the millennium ([Rev 20](/codex/revelation-20/)) - **Amillennial**, Christ's *parousia* coincides with the final consummation; the millennium is the present church age - **Postmillennial**, Christ returns *after* a millennium of gospel triumph All historic-orthodox positions affirm the *parousia* as future, personal, bodily, glorious. Differences concern timing relative to other eschatological events. ### Preterism / partial-preterism - **Full preterism**, all *parousia* prophecies were fulfilled in AD 70 (heretical, denies bodily resurrection) - **Partial preterism**, some *parousia*-language refers to AD 70 judgment; the bodily *parousia* is still future (within orthodox bounds) ## Related vocabulary cluster The NT eschatological vocabulary: - **parousia** (G3952), the coming / arrival - **epiphaneia** (G2015), the appearing / manifestation ([Titus 2:13](/codex/titus-2-13/); [2 Tim 4:1](/codex/2-timothy-4-1/), [8](/codex/2-timothy-4-8/)) - **apokalypsis** (G602), the revelation / unveiling ([1 Cor 1:7](/codex/1-corinthians-1-7/); [2 Thess 1:7](/codex/2-thessalonians-1-7/); [1 Pet 1:7](/codex/1-peter-1-7/), [13](/codex/1-peter-1-13/)) - **hēmera tou Kyriou**, the Day of the Lord ([1 Thess 5:2](/codex/1-thessalonians-5-2/); [2 Pet 3:10](/codex/2-peter-3-10/)) Each emphasizes a different angle: arrival / appearing / unveiling / Day of judgment. ## Apologetic significance *Parousia* anchors: 1. **The future bodily return of Christ**, against full preterism / spiritualizing readings 2. **The historical-personal-bodily nature of Christ's eschatological reign**, not merely metaphysical 3. **The Christian hope**, "Maranatha", "Our Lord, come!" ([1 Cor 16:22](/codex/1-corinthians-16-22/); [Rev 22:20](/codex/revelation-22-20/)) 4. **Final justice**, the unrepentant face the *parousia* in judgment; the redeemed in glory 5. **The vindication of Christ's claims**, including those rejected during His earthly ministry ([Mt 26:64](/codex/matthew-26-64/); [Phil 2:9-11](/codex/philippians-2-9-11/)) ## Notable verses ### Olivet discourse / synoptic - **[Matthew 24:3](/codex/matthew-24-3/), [27](/codex/matthew-24-27/), [37](/codex/matthew-24-37/), [39](/codex/matthew-24-39/)**, Olivet *parousia* ### Pauline - **[1 Corinthians 15:23](/codex/1-corinthians-15-23/)**, Christ's *parousia* as resurrection-trigger - **[1 Thessalonians 2:19](/codex/1-thessalonians-2-19/); 3:13; 4:15; 5:23**, Thessalonian *parousia*-anticipation - **[2 Thessalonians 2:1](/codex/2-thessalonians-2-1/), [8](/codex/2-thessalonians-2-8/)**, *parousia* anticipations + lawless-one engagement ### General epistles - **[James 5:7-8](/codex/james-5-7-8/)**, patience until the *parousia* - **[2 Peter 1:16](/codex/2-peter-1-16/); 3:4, 12**, *parousia* mockery + defense - **[1 John 2:28](/codex/1-john-2-28/)**, confidence at the *parousia* ## Patristic / scholarly note Patristic engagement: extensive, every patristic-millennial / apocalyptic discussion engages *parousia*. Modern conservative: G. E. Ladd (*The Presence of the Future*, 1974); Anthony Hoekema (*The Bible and the Future*, 1979); Wayne Grudem (*Systematic Theology* chs. 54-58); Sam Storms (*Kingdom Come*, 2013). ## See also - G2015 - epiphaneia, appearing - [G602 - apokalypsis](/codex/g0602-apokalypsis/), revelation - [G2920 - krisis](/codex/g2920-krisis/), judgment - [G0166 - aionios](/codex/g0166-aionios/), eternal - [Hell and Eternal Punishment](/codex/hell-and-eternal-punishment/), eschatology synthesis - [Christology](/codex/christianity/), Christ's coming - [Titus 2.13](/codex/titus-2-13/), *epiphaneian* of glory ## Notes _Lexical workspace for parousia._