EarlyChurch beliefs about the return of Christ

[Calliope]

Is anyone here familiar with the beliefs regarding the return of Christ in the very early Church?

Did they expect Christ soon? (before the passing of the generation)?
Was it much of an issue?

I am not much of a Bible scholar, and any help in this area is much appreciated. Thank you.

Calliope

 

[Verbum]

Calliope,

Jesus had said that he would come like a thief - without warning. To the first Christians this meant that they had to be ready at all times… which is the right attitude.Yet there is a definite feeling in the New Testament that many were expecting Him soon.

But the apostles were aware of course that nobody knew the day nor the hour. Read 1Thessalonians chapters 4 and 5 about this.

Verbum

 

[Mintaka]

There’s something in Acts about how Jesus not coming back yet was God being merciful to the world, giving us more time.

So the early Christians expected and wanted the Second Coming, but they also were happy for it not to have come. More time to evangelize; more souls with a chance to be saved!

 

[MarcoPolo]

I think the notion of Him returning soon was fulfilled in His Real Presence in the Eucharist.

How’s that for a different angle?

 

[Calliope]

Thanks. I also get the impression, from the NT, that he was expected soon. So I wondered if the early Church fathers commented on that in the first couple of hundred years.

I have a collection of early Church writings, and I don’t recall seeing anything about the second coming in them, but I have not extensively read collections of the ECF.

While I do believe in the Real Presence, Christ did say we would see him return, as we saw him go…lifted up in the clouds, and I get the idea that is what Paul and the others expected as well, not just his return every time Mass is said.

Calliope