Two Revelations of Jesus Christ

by Arthur J Licursi

In 2 Thes. 1:7-8 Paul tells us of the Lord's second coming to earth and to be revealed in vengeance. "the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven… in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that… obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." This is what the book of "The Revelation" is basically about. The last book of the Bible opens with the words: "The revelation of Jesus Christ (v1:1)" and from these words it derives its title "The Revelation." In "The Revelation" John deals largely with the return of Christ in glory to judge and reign in His kingdom long promised to Israel. This "The revelation of Jesus Christ" in His second coming occurs several years after the rapture of "the body of Christ," not applying to "the body of Christ."

Yet, this same phraseology, "The revelation of Jesus Christ," is also used in Paul's other epistles referring to something quite different.

Paul writes this in Gal. 1:11-12 concerning how he received the unique gospel that he preached, and to certify what he called "my gospel" (cf., Rom 16:25).

"I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not after man, for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by (Gk. di, through) the revelation of (from) Jesus Christ."

Surely this is not the same "revelation of Jesus Christ" of which John wrote.

Paul refers to God revealing Christ in Paul as Paul's new life, as he wrote of it in Gal 2:20). Paul's "revelation of Jesus Christ" is Paul's personal encounter with Christ, seeing that Christ was now living in Paul, giving Paul this offer and hope as a new gospel for the Gentiles (cf., Rom 11:13, Eph 3:1-5).

·         Paul's "revelation of Jesus" was not to "the revelation of Jesus Christ" in glory that is yet to come, but to "the revelation of Jesus Christ" in grace while He delays His coming in judgment;

·         Paul's "revelation of Jesus" is not Christ's revelation to the world in person as in His second coming, but rather, His revelation to Paul and the world through Paul as the chief of sinners, saved by grace.

In Gal. 1:15-16 the Apostle Paul writes: "…it pleased God… to Reveal His Son IN ME." What a revelation of grace to a sin-cursed world when God saved Saul, His bitter, blaspheming enemy! Paul tells about it this 1 Tim. 1:13-16, where he says:

"[I] was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious… Howbeit, FOR THIS CAUSE I OBTAINED MERCY, THAT IN ME FIRST JESUS CHRIST MIGHT SHOW FORTH ALL LONGSUFFERING, FOR A PATTERN TO THEM WHICH SHOULD HEREAFTER BELIEVE ON HIM TO LIFE EVERLASTING."

This is why Paul says: "…it pleased God… to Reveal His Son In Me." By saving the chief of sinners (as Paul calls himself in I Tim. 1:15), God would "show" His longsuffering mercy to us, such that He was willing to save Paul and any sinner, "for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13).