The Greek word translated as « presence, » mentioned in Matthew (24:3), is “πάρειμι”, “parousia” (Strong’s Concordance (G3952)): The primary meaning of « presence » for parousia is often translated by words like « the coming », « the arrival » or « the advent », which creates confusion. The words « the coming », « the arrival » and « the advent », suggest a much shorter space of time than the time of a « presence », which can be quite long in time. The translation of the Greek word parousia by, « the coming » or « advent », is all the more inaccurate as this word « coming » corresponds to another Greek word: « 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). In this same chapter which answers the same question (in verse 3), the coming of the son of man is translated by the Greek verb « erchomai » (ἔρχομαι (G2064) Strong’s Concordance).
Matthew 24:23-28 is an important transition with the second part. This rather short passage answers the question concerning the sign of the « presence » of Christ: « Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Christ,’ or, ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will perform great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the chosen ones. Look! I have forewarned you. Therefore, if people say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 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. Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together ».
We can also say that this passage would have two accomplishments (the biblical explanation in the conditional of caution, is presented as possibilities or probabilities while being open to any need for readjustments). Regarding the presence of Christ, there are two ways of understanding among those interested in this prophecy. The first, think that this presence would precede the great tribulation by many years and in addition that it would be invisible. This presence would be linked with another important event, the heavenly enthronement of King Jesus Christ in 1914 CE, reigning among his enemies ever since (Psalms 2).
Other Christians believe that this presence, is a visible coming or returning of Christ, particularly shortly before the great tribulation as the sign of the Son of man, as King judging the whole humanity (Matthew 24:30 and also 25:31-33). This understanding is entirely plausible. Even if the current editorial line of this biblical site, on the invisible presence of Christ and his enthronement in 1914, has been retained, the explanations will not be presented to discredit the faith of sincere Christians who think that his presence would only be visible, but rather with a possibility of complementarity of both understandings.
In Matthew 24:23-28, Jesus Christ speaks of the discernment of his presence which would only be understood by humans with the insight of spiritual eagles with high visual acuity (the Holy Ones) (acuity three times greater than that human).
The first visible presence of Christ
There was a first visible presence of Christ which preceded the destruction of Jerusalem in the 70 CE. This earthly, visible presence began at the time of Christ’s baptism and ended at his ascension into heaven (Acts 1:9). This first visible presence was mentioned in the prophecy of the 70 weeks of years and announced that its conclusion would result in the destruction of Jerusalem: « And the people of a leader who is coming will destroy the city and the holy place. And its end will be by the flood. And until the end there will be war; what is decided upon is desolations” (Daniel 9:24-26).
This first fulfillment is based on the prophecy of the 70 weeks (of years), in Daniel chapter 9:24-27, which foretold both the coming of Christ to earth and the end of God’s special covenant with earthly Israel (verse 27a). The last week of years (7 years) would begin with the anointing of Christ in the autumn of 29 CE, and his cutting off (his death) in the middle of the week (3 and a half years later), the spring of 33 CE (Daniel 9:26a and 27a): “And after the 62 weeks, Messiah will be cut off, with nothing for himself. (…) And he will keep the covenant in force for the many for one week; and at the half of the week, he will cause sacrifice and gift offering to cease” (Daniel 9:26a and 27a).
The second part of this last week of years, this period of 70 weeks of years, ended in the year 36 CE, with the baptism of the Roman officer Cornelius, at the moment when God turned his attention to all the nations. From then on, God’s special relationship with the earthly nation of Israel had definitively ceased (Acts 10).
The prophecy (of Daniel) of the 70 weeks of years foretold the first presence of Christ on earth and the imminent end of the special relationship with the former nation of Israel, culminating in its destruction, particularly its administrative structure, in the year 70 CE, through the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman armies. This description of Jesus Christ in Matthew (24:15-20) is its first fulfillment.
The second presence of Christ
The second presence of Christ, concerning our time, announces the end of this system of things, during the great tribulation (Matthew 24:4-22).
Just after the ascension of Jesus Christ, two angels said this, to the apostles and disciples who were witnessing this supernatural spectacle: « And as they were gazing into the sky while he was on his way, suddenly two men in white garments stood beside them and said: “Men of Galʹilee, 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). The angels mention that he would return in the same way, quite visibly, as mentioned in Matthew 24:30 (the sign of the Son of man), comparing with Matthew 25:31-33, shortly before the great tribulation. Moreover, in the book of Apocalypse, there is also talk of his visible and spectacular coming: « Look! He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, and those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief because of him. Yes, Amen” (Apocalypse 1:7). Nevertheless, it is important to differentiate between the « coming » or return of Christ, shortly before the great tribulation mentioned in the three biblical texts, above and his « presence », this time mentioned in the written question in Matthew 24:3.
In the question of Matthew 24:3, there are three important words that allow us to understand its meaning and the answer of Christ: The « sign » (σημαίνω (sēmeion) (Strong’s Concordance (G4591)), which has the sense of indication by « things that will take place ». The « sign » refers to two groups of events, stated by Christ: events which show that Christ is present and that he has begun to reign in the heavens (since 1914) (Matthew 24:4-14 and 24:23- 28). The « sign » of the nearness of the end and the end itself (Matthew 24: 15-22 (« sign » focused on the city of Jerusalem) and Matthew 24:29 at 25:46).
Thus, the sign or indication of the presence of Christ, would be done over a long period of time, unlike his coming to judge the nations, shortly before the great tribulation, which will be brief: « When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne » (Matthew 25:31 « comes » (erchomai)). The first presence of Christ took place during the three and a half years of his ministry, from the year 29 to the year 33 (C.E.), until the time of his death. This first presence was discerned by the « eagles », the disciples who were present especially at the time of his death (Matthew 24:23-28). The second presence of Christ began in 1914, and will end at the end of the thousand-year reign mentioned in Revelation 20:1-6 (Matthew 24:4-14 ; Daniel 12:3,10b). This second presence is discerned by « eagles, » a group of Christ’s disciples (Matthew 24:4-14; Daniel 12:3,10b).
As indicated by Jesus Christ, the first « eagles » were at the feet of the dead body of Jesus Christ, at the end of his first presence on earth, from the year 29 to the year 33 CE, at the time of his death: « Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together » (Matthew 27:55,56; John 19:25-27). Among these spiritual « eagles » was the apostle John who would write the book of Apocalypse. Jesus Christ says that from now on, they should no longer believe anyone who claims to be Christ or to have seen him somewhere: « Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Christ,’ or, ‘There!’ do not believe it” (Matthew 24:23-28).
And for good reason, because at the moment when the signs would be realized, Jesus Christ would have ascended to heaven, and during the years which would precede the great tribulation, he would not be more visible. He will only be visible by his return, at the very end of this system of things, just before the great tribulation (Matthew 24:30; 25:31-33; Revelation 1:7).
This is how Jesus Christ describes his future presence (as he was speaking): « 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). By this enigmatic sentence, is Jesus Christ suggesting that his presence would be visible? To fully understand what he means, we must read the words which precede this declaration: « Therefore, if people say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it » (Matthew 24:26). In this verse, Jesus Christ designates specific places. When Jesus Christ describes his presence with the metaphor of lightning tearing the sky from east to west, he is only illustrating his presence on the entire earth. And according to verse 28, it would only be perceived by the spiritual eagles, as the ones having insight who were, at the end of his first presence, at the feet of his human dead body: « Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together » (Matthew 24:28).
The meaning of the current presence of Christ
How to define in a concrete way what the presence of Christ means? This is the moment when King Jesus Christ reigns among his enemies. This hostility of the nations towards this heavenly kingship is described in Psalm 110, when Christ sat down at the right hand of God, awaiting this heavenly kingdom:
“Jehovah declared to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
Until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet””
(Psalms 110:1).
And then Psalm 2 describes the hostile attitude of the nations towards the current kingship of Christ:
“Why are the nations agitated
And the peoples muttering an empty thing?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand
And high officials gather together as one
Against Jehovah and against his anointed one.
3 They say: “Let us tear off their shackles
And throw off their ropes!”
4 The One enthroned in the heavens will laugh;
Jehovah will scoff at them.
5 At that time he will speak to them in his anger
And terrify them in his burning anger,
6 Saying: “I myself have installed my king
On Zion, my holy mountain.”
7 Let me proclaim the decree of Jehovah;
He said to me: “You are my son;
Today I have become your father.
8 Ask of me, and I will give nations as your inheritance
And the ends of the earth as your possession.
9 You will break them with an iron scepter,
And you will smash them like a piece of pottery””
(Psalms 2:1-9).
During his first visible presence on earth, during his earthly ministry, Jesus Christ paid special attention to the earth in order to lay the foundation for the new Christian congregation, which would become the Spiritual Israel of God (Galatians 6:16). Likewise, when Jesus Christ, in Heaven, as King, was present a few years before his coming before the great tribulation, he would prepare a people, both heavenly and earthly, who would survive the great tribulation (Apocalypse chapter 7 (the 144,000 and the great crowd)).
According to Daniel’s prophecy, some insightful, spiritual eagles, have understood the moment his second presence, since 1914 and will discern in advance, his future coming for the world judgment, at the great tribulation (Matthew 25:31; Apocalypse 3:3): « Many will cleanse themselves and whiten themselves and will be refined. And the wicked ones will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand; but those having insight will understand » (Daniel 12:10).
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