What does “parousia” mean in it’s true context? Does it mean coming of Jesus or does it mean judgment? I am reading a book and I don’t understand. Here is the paragraph which it is mentioned. Buddhists await the Fifth Buddha; New Agers await Maitreya; Jews await the Messiah; Christians await the Parousia; and Muslims await the Mahdi.
The Greek word parousia appears 24 times in the New Testament. 22 of those times it’s translated coming and two times presence. It comes from a root word that means to have arrived or be present. According to blueletterbible.org the comprehensive meaning of the word as it’s used in reference to the 2nd Coming is, “the future visible return from heaven of Jesus, to raise the dead, hold the last judgment, and set up formally and gloriously the kingdom of God.”
By “last judgment” this definition includes the 2nd Coming judgments of Matt. 24:45-25:46, but not the Great White Throne judgment that will take place 1000 years later.