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Will the Son of Man find faith on earth?

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posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 05:04 PM
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“Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Luke ch18 v8

This question follows on from the “parable of the unjust judge”.
Jesus tells the story of an importunate widow who is persistent in presenting her plea for justice;
“Vindicate me against my adversary”.
Her patience is rewarded when the judge finally takes action.
The moral of the parable is that God will take action to “vindicate”, to bring justice to, his people who “cry to him day and night”, being troubled by their enemies.

The connection between the parable and the question is that the Son of Man is associated with judgement.
The concept is based on the image in Daniel of the great judgement scene in front of “the ancient of days”, when “one like a son of man” comes with the clouds of heaven and is given dominion over the world (Daniel ch7 vv9-14).
In that scene, judgement falls upon the power most hostile to God’s people.
In the same way, Jesus taught his disciples to expect the coming of a Son of Man, who would be presiding over the judgement scene at the end of the age, and vindicating his people.
But in his teaching, Jesus also called himself the Son of Man.
Thus he identified himself as that Son of Man who would be presiding over the great judgement scene.
That is how his disciples understood the expectation, as we see from the story of the two brothers who wanted places at his “right hand”.
Where does Jesus promise to return?

The implication of the question is that the Son of Man would be looking for faith on the earth.
Which brings us to the importance of faith, in the teaching of Jesus.

There is no discipleship without faith.
In the parable of the sower, the devil takes away the word of God from the hearts of those who fall on the path, “that they may not believe and be saved” –Luke ch8 v12

In particular, Jesus makes it clear that the essence of discipleship is faith in himself
When the repentant woman washed his feet, he gave her the assurance “Your faith has saved you”.
He said this, because she trusted his message of forgiveness as coming from God, and therefore trusted himself as the spokesman of God.
Your faith has saved you

He defines his disciples as “These little ones who believe in me”.
He calls them this, because they are trusting his message as coming from God, and therefore trusting himself as the spokesman of God.
These little ones who believe in me

He even identifies faith in God with faith in himself;
“Believe in God; believe also in me” –John ch14 v1
But “Faith” is such a major theme in John’s gospel that it will demand separate treatment.

The taunts of his enemies at the crucifixion scene were based on the well-known features of his teaching, so they are indirect evidence of the features of his teaching.
He was known to have said something about the Temple being destroyed and rebuilt, so they mocked him about that.
He was known for the claim to be able to save those who were lost, so they said “He saved others, he cannot save himself”.
And the taunt “Let him come down from the cross, that we may see and believe” shows that he was known for the demand that people should believe in him (Mark ch15 vv29-32).

But Jesus looked for this faith in himself to continue even after his death.
For he said to Peter at the Last Supper; “I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22 v32).
He must have been expecting it to be sustained until he returned in his role as the vindicating Son of Man.
Hence the question quoted at the beginning; Would the Son of Man find faith on earth? Would his disciples maintain their trust and confidence?

Thus the faith in Jesus, which he was demanding in his own lifetime, merges into the faith which the coming Son of Man will be expecting to find.
It would incorporate a confident faith in God’s “vindication” of his people from the power of their enemies (up to and including sin and death), which was the message of the parable he had just been presenting.

So the faith in Christ which the New Testament commends is merely extending the faith which Jesus himself required, namely faith in himself as the one sent by God.





edit on 29-4-2016 by DISRAELI because: (no reason given)



posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 05:27 PM
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a reply to: DISRAELI
Thanks for this thread DISRAELI. It helped me to get out of the worldly focus (politics and society) and refocus on HIM.

I also pray for HIM to strengthen my Faith. If Peter needed prayer for Faith, I sure as heck do too!

Always appreciate the effort you put into your threads.



posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 05:28 PM
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a reply to: stosh64
Thank you for the encouragement.
We all need our faith strengthening.



posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 05:28 PM
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What of the son of woman?

All hail great Eris! Kallisti! What of the original Snub?



posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 05:29 PM
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a reply to: HUMBLEONE
Not mentioned in the gospel texts, and so not relevant to a discussion on the gospel texts.



posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 05:32 PM
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originally posted by: stosh64
a reply to: DISRAELI
Thanks for this thread DISRAELI. It helped me to get out of the worldly focus (politics and society) and refocus on HIM.

I also pray for HIM to strengthen my Faith. If Peter needed prayer for Faith, I sure as heck do too!

Always appreciate the effort you put into your threads.



Treat it like a sideshow. God is always the most important, but you can't turn you back completely on the world, otherwise how can you watch and be aware of where we are?

Goodness knows the world certainly is a strange and entertaining place these days.
edit on 29-4-2016 by ketsuko because: (no reason given)



posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 05:34 PM
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Thank you for the thread.

Faith is all I can have at times these days. Everything else seems to be coming apart all around.



posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 05:43 PM
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Well, that's one 'popular' explanation for Son of Man anyway, which frankly smacks of desperation in the interpretation, hence the various religious interpretations. If ever there are missing link/s in the Bible that is one of them.



posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 05:45 PM
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What will He find? People acting as the did in the days of Noah

Even Christians? Per Timothy: Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.



posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 05:49 PM
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a reply to: ketsuko

Good advice, as usual from you Ketsuko.

Thank you.


And yes, it sure is ummm........'interesting'.



posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 05:50 PM
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a reply to: smurfy
The derivation of "Son of Man" from the eschatological figure in Daniel is fairly standard in theological circles; and when Jesus tells his disciples to expect a coming Son of Man, it clearly has an eschatological sense. See, for example, the second half of Matthew ch24.




edit on 29-4-2016 by DISRAELI because: (no reason given)



posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 05:50 PM
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a reply to: visitedbythem

Yes, even people who call themselves Christians. They will call to Him Lord, Lord and he will turn them away. Read the letters to the churches, almost every one has its challenges and while some will overcome and come out of all of them, many will not.



posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 05:51 PM
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originally posted by: visitedbythem
What will He find? People acting as the did in the days of Noah

Indeed. That is why he asks the question, as a challenge.



posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 05:55 PM
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originally posted by: ketsuko


Faith is all I can have at times these days. Everything else seems to be coming apart all around.


Amen to that!

I wonder how people navigate this mayhem without Faith.

Then I look around and SEE how they do it. 'Do What Thou Wilt", what a mess.



posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 06:07 PM
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a reply to: DISRAELI

I think people star and flag religious threads simply because they too wear their faith on their sleeve. I think you're smart and would encourage you to dip your toe into the conspiracy waters. Like mom always (never) said, "If you put half as much effort into solving conspiracies that you do in expressing your faith, we just might get to the bottom of things."




posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 06:09 PM
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a reply to: eisegesis
I'm applying my energies to the field which I think is more important.



posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 06:12 PM
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a reply to: eisegesis

To judge by some of the responses people give to religious threads with pretty straightforward theology, he HAS dipped his toes into the realm of conspiracy.



posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 06:14 PM
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originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: eisegesis
I'm applying my energies to the field which I think is more important.


Touché!


For what it's worth, I read all of your threads and respect your input.




posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 06:25 PM
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a reply to: DISRAELI

He will indeed find some faithful. That is already written. Of course, there will be many with no faith, as well, and some with a false faith. Judgment is indeed His. A lot of people forget that He is about judgment as well as love.



posted on Apr, 29 2016 @ 06:28 PM
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i believe the concept "son of man" or " humanity " comes down to the simple ways the western society is built upon.. and the way i see it, most of the western world adapted to self indulgence and greed. Then hide it behind a facade of " every man can be a good man " or " every man for himself ". Most of the western world people failed to realize without the proper foundation to build upon the whole concept of "humanity" will fail.
I believe that for some parts of the western culture it will be a struggle to adapt to a world which will benefit humanity as a whole and not individuals.




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