A different word is used in the Prison Epistles. There the word parousia is never used of the Lord's coming or of

the hope of the Church, but rather the word epiphany. In 1 Thessalonians 4 the Lord descends from heaven; in

2 Thessalonians 1 He is to be revealed from heaven. This is very different from being manifested `in glory', i.e.

where Christ now sits `on the right hand of God'. While, therefore, the hope before all other companies of the

redeemed is `the Lord's coming', the `prior-hope' of the Church of the Mystery is rather `their going' to be

`manifested with Him in glory' which is `far above all heavens' (Eph. 4:10).

While the epistle to Titus is not a `Prison Epistle', it belongs to the same group as 1 and 2 Timothy. There, too,

we read that we should live

` looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ (OR ...

and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ)' (Titus 2:13).

We may perhaps illustrate these different aspects of the Second Advent, by using the occasion of the marriage of

the King's son at Westminster Abbey. The marriage is one, whether witnessed in the Abbey itself, from a grand-

stand, or from the public foot-way. So, whatever our calling, the hope is one in this respect, that it is Christ Himself.

Nevertheless, we cannot conceive of anyone denying that to be permitted to be present in the Abbey itself is

something different from sitting in a grand-stand until the King's son, accompanied by `shout' and `trumpet',

descends from the Abbey to be met by the waiting people. These waiting people outside the Abbey form one great

company, although differentiated as to point of view. So the early Church, together with the Kingdom saints, form

one great company, although some, going on to perfection like faithful Abraham, belong to `the heavenly calling'

connected with Jerusalem that is above, while others belong to the Kingdom which is to be `on earth'. We can

hardly believe that any subject of the King would `prefer' the grand-stand or the kerb to the closer association of the

Abbey itself; and we can hardly believe that any redeemed child of God would `prefer' to wait on earth for the

descent of the Lord from heaven if the `manifestation with Him in glory' were a possible hope before him. We

cannot, however, force these things upon the heart and conscience. We can only respond to the exhortation to be

`ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and

fear (reverence) (1 Pet. 3:15).

We will not strive with our brethren; we will not call them hard names. We seek grace to be patient and instruct

with meekness, `if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth' (2 Tim. 2:24,25).

We earnestly invite any readers who have followed this `reason for the hope within us' so far, and who would

examine more carefully both the foundation upon which it rests and the glorious superstructure of the Mystery itself,

to consider the various books and booklets that are published by The Berean Publishing Trust as well as the bi-

monthly magazine The Berean Expositor.

In conclusion, may we refer all our readers, especially those who believe the distinctive teaching of the Mystery,

to the words of the apostle in 2 Timothy 4:8 where he speaks with approbation of all those who `love His appearing'.