Source: Richard Bauckham, The Climax of Prophecy: Studies on the Book of Revelation (London; New York: T&T Clark: A Continuum Imprint, 1993), 92–117.
3. Prophecy Gospels And The Parousia.pdf
Synoptic Parousia Parables and the Apocalypse.wav
This podcast analyzes how parables about the Second Coming of Christ (parousia), particularly the Watching Servants and the Thief, were used and transformed in early Christian writings. It argues that these parables were widely known and often associated together, leading to a process called "deparabolization" where their imagery was extracted and used as independent metaphors or exhortations for Christian readiness. While the story of the parables persisted, this deparabolization was the primary way the church's teaching influenced the form of these parables in the tradition. The podcast examines examples in the Synoptic Gospels, Revelation, and other early texts to show this pattern, suggesting that while Revelation's prophetic pronouncements formulate sayings as spoken by the exalted Christ, their use of existing tradition isn't fundamentally more "creative" than other early Christian teaching.
When we read the Bible, it’s easy to think of its verses and stories as fixed and static, like words carved in stone. We open to a passage, read it, and assume it has always existed in that exact form, carrying a single, unchanging meaning through the centuries. But the reality of the early church was far more dynamic. The teachings of Jesus were part of a living tradition, a collection of stories and sayings that were retold, adapted, and even remixed to speak to new situations.
A deep dive into the Book of Revelation and its relationship to the parables of Jesus reveals some fascinating and counter-intuitive insights into this process. The author of Revelation, the prophet John, didn’t just quote Jesus; he engaged with the traditions of Jesus’s teachings in sophisticated ways. This interaction shows us how familiar stories were understood and applied in a community grappling with its identity and its hope for the future.
By looking closely at how the parables were used, we can peel back layers of tradition and see the text not as a static artifact, but as a vibrant part of an ongoing conversation. Here are four of the most surprising truths that a scholarly reading of Revelation and the Gospels reveals about this living tradition.