The End of the World

Chinese do not subscribe to a linear conception of history. Very few of them would be bothered by the worries of the end of the world which is the hallmark of a linear history. In such a view, the universe has a beginning and an end. If my understanding is not wrong, Chinese believe in a spiral view of history. A circular conception of history believes that what happened in the past would happen again in the future. A spiral conception is a little bit different in that what happens again will not be identical to that happened in the past. Advocates of spiral conception optimistically believe that it will advance one step forward to a brighter future.

Is history linear, circular or spiral? This is a rather philosophical question and everybody is entitled to subscribe to whichever one that fancies him. Christians subscribe to the linear view. They believe that God created our universe some time in the past. They also believe that the world as we know it will come to an end when Christ comes the second time to judge the living and the dead. This is the famous Judgment Day which is a logical necessity because there have been so many miscarriages of justice and corruption. Our justice system is not airtight. Many political heavyweights attempt to bend the law in their favour. There have been tyrants whose whims were laws. Therefore, Christians welcome the idea of the end of the world when Christ would vindicate the injustice they suffer.

On my shelf there is one book which I will definitely not throw away. It is a hardcover book which means its sale was not good. Otherwise I would only have bought a paperback. This book predicted that the world would come to an end in 2009! I keep this book to show the stupidity of people trying to predict the end of the world.
In the gospel reading today (Mark 13:24-32), two embarrassing verses about the end of the world need clarification. Jesus was talking about the terrible things which would happen before the end of the world. The sun would be darkened, the moon would have no light to reflect to earth, stars (perhaps meteors) would fall from heaven and the powers in the heavens would be shaken (Mark 13:24-25). Then we hear the following verse.
Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away before all these things take place (Mark 13:30).
A generation is roughly thirty years. Suppose Jesus died at 33 and scholars estimate that the gospel of Mark was written in around 55 A.D. So, has Mark reported a stupid prediction by Jesus?
This verse actually reflects the belief of early Christians. They believed that Jesus would return soon. Money would be of no more use. Therefore, they handed over their property to the Apostles to share among all believers. But Mark could not put words into Jesus' mouth and Jesus would not say such stupid thing. Therefore, Jesus must be talking about something else. The only possibility would be the destruction of the Holy Temple in 70 A.D. Indeed, Jesus was talking about just this at the beginning of the chapter (Mark 13:1-3).

The next embarrassing verse is one of my favourites. My students have been troubled by members of some doomsday cults. So, I teach my students to defend themselves by quoting the following.
But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father (Mark 13:32).
So, when those doomsday cults members scare my students with the end of the world, my students should be able to counter-attack that those people are more powerful than Jesus Christ! They must be the Father!
This verse definitely would defend and save my students from falling into the snare of those doomsday cults. However, it backfires when we come to the theology of the Trinity which deals with the tension between the unity and distinction among the three Persons of God.
The three Persons are in unity. They have the same divinity, the same essence and are equal in glory etc. That is why they are one. Now, here is the difficulty. If the Son and the Father are one, how is it possible for the Son not to know about the end of the world, only the Father knows?
The Three Persons are also distinct. The Father did not die on the cross to redeem mankind. It was the Son. The Son did not enter the womb of Mary directly to become Jesus. It was the work of the Holy Spirit. Similarly, it is the Holy Spirit who turns bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus. Christ does not do this during Mass. In short, the three Persons have their own independent wills. Therefore, it is possible for the Son not to know the day or the hour of the end of the world because the Son and the Father have different and independent wills.They are different persons.

Dear Lord, keep us alert to expect Your second coming. Amen.