Welcome to Defenders, the teaching class of Dr. William Lane Craig.

For more information and resources from Dr. Craig, go to reasonable faith.org.

Last time I argued that passages about the second coming of Christ

that appear to imply that Jesus thought that this event was going to take place

within the lifetime of the eyewitnesses create a false impression due to what I called contextual

ambiguity. Now, if this weren't enough, what I've not yet shared with you is that while

we do have a pair of troubling verses about this generation's not passing away and some's

standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.

What we also have in the gospel is a parade of parables by Jesus precisely about the delay of the parusia. It is going to appear to be delayed. Look at these then,

starting with the parable in Matthew 24, verses 45 to 51. Jesus says, who then is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has set over his household,

to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes,

will find so doing. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.

But if that wiggid servant says to himself, my master is delayed and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with the drunken. The master of

that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour he does not know,

and will punish him and put him with the hypocrites.

There men will weep and gnash their teeth.

This same parable is also to be found in Luke 12, verses 35 to 48.

As if that weren't enough, Jesus gives another parable in Matthew 25, 1 to 13, which teaches this same thing. He says, then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to 10 maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them

were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with

them, but the five took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed,

they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, Behold, the bridegroom,

come out to meet him. Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps,

...