Early Christian Belief in Christ's Return
Early Christians taught that Jesus will come again from heaven in glory to judge the world, raise the dead, and reward each person. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian, and others say this in plain terms. Many of them link his return to Matthew 24, Matthew 25, Daniel 7, and Revelation 1 and 22. They also treat the timing as unknown and leave that in God's hands.
128 early-church witnesses · 213 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about the Parousia and Christ's Return?
Early Christian writers taught that Christ will return visibly from heaven, judge all people, reward each person, and raise the dead. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian, Hippolytus, and the Apostolic Constitutions all repeat this hope in different ways. The evidence is broad across the 2nd and 3rd centuries, and it often ties Christ’s return to Matthew 24, Matthew 25, Daniel 7, Luke 21, 2 Thessalonians 1–2, and Revelation 1 and 22. Some writers also speak of a twofold coming:
the first in humility and the second in glory and judgment. The only thin part is not the return itself, but details like exact timing, which these texts do not set. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Early Christians taught that Christ will return from heaven in glory, not as a hidden or purely spiritual event.
- They linked his return with judgment, resurrection of the dead, and reward for each person’s works.
- Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian, Hippolytus, and the Apostolic Constitutions all say this clearly.
- The exact time of the return is not given in these writings.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Did early Christians teach that Christ would come again in glory?
The sources say Christ's second appearing would be visible, glorious, and heavenly. Several witnesses describe Him coming from heaven with angels and glory, and the Bible passages most often attached to that expectation are the Son of Man texts.
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Justin Martyr, The First Apology Direct teaching
but the second, when, according to prophecy, He shall come from heaven with glory, accompanied by His angelic host, when also He shall raise the bodies of all men who have lived, and shall clothe those of the worthy with immortality, and shall send those of the wicked, endued with eternal sensibility, into everlasting fire with the wicked devils.
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Tertullian, Scorpiace Supporting witness
...hild; and children will rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death," He has clearly announced, with reference to the others, this kind of unrighteous conduct, which we do not find shown in the case of the apostles. For none of them experienced a father or a brother as a betrayer, which very many of us have. Then He returns to the apostles: "And you will be hated by all men for my name's sake." How much more will this be true of us, for whom there is the necessity of being handed over even by parents. Thus, by assigning this very betrayal now to the apostles, now to all, He pours out the same destruction on all the possessors of the name, on whom the name will rest together with the condition that it is an object of hatred. "But he who will endure to the end, this man will be saved." By enduring what, if not persecution, betrayal, and death? For to endure to the end is nothing else than to suffer the end. And therefore there immediately follow the words, "The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his own lord." Because, since the Master and Lord Himself stood firm in suffering persecution, betrayal, and death, much more it will be the duty
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Gregory Thaumaturgus, A Sectional Confession of Faith Direct teaching
We acknowledge the passion of the Lord in the flesh, the resurrection in the power of His divinity, the ascension to heaven, and His glorious appearing when He comes for the judgment of the living and the dead, and for the eternal life of the saints.
More related quotations from this section 1 shown
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Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Direct teaching
but the other, in which He shall come from heaven with glory, when the man of apostasy, who speaks strange things against the Most High, shall venture to do unlawful deeds on the earth against us the Christians, who, having learned the true worship of God from the law, and the word which went forth from Jerusalem by means of the apostles of Jesus, have fled for safety to the God of Jacob and God of Israel;
Did early Christians connect Christ's return with judgment and reward?
The sources consistently connect Christ's appearing with judgment, recompense, and final separation. They say He will reward each person according to works, judge the living and the dead, and appear in a way that leaves no one able to ignore Him.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Direct teaching
...Some of them, seeing Him in glory, saw His glorious life at the Father’s right hand; others saw Him coming on the clouds as the Son of man; and those who declared about Him, “They shall look on Him whom they have pierced,” indicated His second coming, about which He Himself says, “Do you think that when the Son of man comes, He will find faith on the earth?” Paul also refers to this event when he says, “If it is a righteous thing with God to repay trouble to those who trouble you, and to you who are troubled, rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with His mighty angels, and in a flame of fire.” Others, speaking of Him as a judge, and referring to the day of the Lord as if it were a burning furnace, who “gathers the wheat into His barn but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire,” were accustomed to warn those who were unbelieving, concerning whom also the Lord Himself declares, “Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, which my Father has prepared for the devil and his angels.” And the apostle in the same way says of them, “Who shall be punished with everlasting death from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of His power, when He shal
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Direct teaching
and those who declared regarding Him, “They shall look on Him whom they have pierced,” indicated His [second] advent, concerning which He Himself says, “Thinkest thou that when the Son of man cometh, He shall find faith on the earth?” Paul also refers to this event when he says, “If, however, it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you that are troubled rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with His mighty angels, and in a flame of fire.” Others again, speaking of Him as a judge, and [referring], as if it were a burning furnace, [to] the day of the Lord, who “gathers the wheat into His barn, but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire,” were accustomed to threaten those who were unbelieving, concerning whom also the Lord Himself declares, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which my Father has prepared for the devil and his angels.” And the apostle in like manner says [of them], “Who shall be punished with everlasting death from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of His power, when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in those who believe in Him.” There are also some [of them] who declare, “Thou art fairer than the children of men;” and, “God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows;” and, “Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh
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Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness
Luke 21:31 This will be the great day of the Lord, and of the glorious coming of the Son of man from heaven, of which Daniel wrote: Behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, Daniel 7:13 etc.
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Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness
... the Son of man," in Daniel 3:25. He also was revealed to Daniel himself plainly as the Son of man, coming in the clouds of heaven as a Judge, as Scripture shows in Daniel 7:13. What I have said might have been enough concerning the designation in prophecy of the Son of man. But Scripture offers me further information, even in the Lord's own interpretation. For when the Jews, who looked at Him as merely man, and were not yet sure that He was God also, as being likewise the Son of God, rightly enough said that a man could not forgive sins, but God alone, why did He not, following up their point about man, answer them that He had power to remit sins, since when He mentioned the Son of man, He also named a human being? Unless it was because, by means of that very title Son of man from the book of Daniel, He wanted so to lead them to reflect as to show them that He who remitted sins was God and man—that one Son of man indeed, in the prophecy of Daniel, who had obtained the power of judging, and thereby, of course, of forgiving sins likewise, for He who judges also absolves. So when their objection had been shattered to pieces by their remembrance of Scripture, they might more easily
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Matthew 24:30 Background
Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
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Luke 21:27 Background
And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
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Mark 13:26 Background
And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.
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Revelation 1:7 Background
Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
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Matthew 25:31 Background
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
How did early Christians speak about waiting for Christ's appearing?
A number of sources describe the Christian life as waiting for Christ's appearing, loving His appearing, or looking for the blessed hope. These texts do not just mention future return; they frame it as the believer's present expectation.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching
...ring His passion, death, resurrection from the dead, return into the heavens, and His future second appearing, in which He is to come with glory and power to judge the living and the dead, and to repay everyone according to his works, we offer to You, our King and our God, according to His constitution, this bread and this cup. We give You thanks through Him, because You have counted us worthy to stand before You and to sacrifice to You. And we beg You to look mercifully upon these gifts set before You, O God, who stand in need of none of our offerings. Accept them, to the honor of Your Christ, and send down Your Holy Spirit upon this sacrifice, the Witness of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus, that He may show this bread to be the body of Your Christ, and the cup to be the blood of Your Christ, so that those who partake of it may be strengthened for piety, may obtain the remission of their sins, may be delivered from the devil and his deceit, may be filled with the Holy Spirit, may be made worthy of Your Christ, and may obtain eternal life through Your reconciliation to them, O Lord Almighty. We further pray to You, O Lord, for Your holy Church spread from one end of the world t
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Gregory Thaumaturgus, A Sectional Confession of Faith Direct teaching
and now we look for His appearing from heaven in glory for the life and judgment of all, when the resurrection of the dead shall take place, to the end that recompense may be made to all according to their desert.
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Clement of Rome, Second Epistle (attributed) Direct teaching
...For the Lord said, "I come to gather all nations, kindreds, and tongues." This means the day of His appearing, when He will come and redeem us, each one according to his works. And the unbelievers will see His glory and power. And when they see the rule of the world belonging to Jesus, they will be amazed and say, "Woe to us, because You were there, and we did not know, did not believe, and did not obey the elders who plainly showed us our salvation." Isaiah 66:18. "And their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be a spectacle to all flesh." Isaiah 66:24. He is speaking of the great day of judgment, when they will see those among us who were guilty of ungodliness and were mistaken in their judgment about the commandments of Jesus Christ. But the righteous, who have succeeded in enduring trials and hating the indulgences of the soul, when they see how those who have gone astray and denied Jesus by words or deeds are punished with severe torments in unquenchable fire, will give glory to their God and say, "There will be hope for the one who has served God with his whole heart."
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Lactantius, The Epitome of the Divine Institutes Direct teaching
He is called Christ on this account, because He Himself will come from heaven at the end of this dispensation to judge the world, and, having raised the dead, to establish for Himself an everlasting kingdom.
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Matthew 16:27 Background
For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
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Revelation 22:12 Background
“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done.
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Hebrews 9:28 Background
so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
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Titus 2:13 Background
looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
More related quotations from this section 4 shown
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Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching
Antichrist is coming, but above him comes Christ also.1 The enemy goes about and rages, but immediately the Lord follows to avenge our sufferings and our wounds.
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Gregory Thaumaturgus, A Sectional Confession of Faith Direct teaching
...m who was made man for our salvation, not as one made completely like us in a like body, but as the Lord who has taken to Himself the form of a servant. We acknowledge the passion of the Lord in the flesh, the resurrection in the power of His divinity, the ascension to heaven, and His glorious appearing when He comes for the judgment of the living and the dead, and for the eternal life of the saints.
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Caius, Fragments Supporting witness
And hence, although different points are taught us in the several books of the Gospels, there is no difference as regards the faith of believers, inasmuch as in all of them all things are related under one imperial Spirit, which concern the Lord's nativity, His passion, His resurrection, His conversation with His disciples, and His twofold advent, — the first in the humiliation of rejection, which is now past, and the second in the glory of royal power, which is yet in the future.
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Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness
Only, I have said these things with the view of referring his return when he comes with his kingdom to the consummation, when he commanded the servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him that he might know what they had gained by trading, and from a desire to demonstrate from this, and from the parable of the Talents, that the passage he who wished to make a reckoning with his own servants Matthew 18:23 is to be referred to the consummation when now he is king, receiving the kingdom, on account of which, according to another parable, Luke 19:12 he went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.
Which Bible texts did early Christians use for the Son of Man coming on the clouds?
The clearest Bible passages are the Gospel sayings about the Son of Man coming on the clouds with power and glory. Early writers also explicitly quote or echo these passages when describing the future appearing of Christ.
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Hippolytus, Treatise on Christ and Antichrist Direct teaching
67. These things, then, I have set shortly before you, O Theophilus, drawing them from Scripture itself, in order that, maintaining in faith what is written, and anticipating the things that are to be, you may keep yourself void of offense both toward God and toward men, looking for that blessed hope and appearing of our God and Saviour, when, having raised the saints among us, He will rejoice with them, glorifying the Father.
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Early Liturgies, Divine Liturgy of St. James Supporting witness
and the incarnation of the Son of God is set forth, and His sufferings and resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, and His second appearing with glory;
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1 Corinthians 15:23 Background
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
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Colossians 3:4 Background
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Did early Christians teach a first coming and a second coming?
Yes. Some writers clearly speak of two comings: the first in humility or suffering, and the second in glory and power. Cyprian, Caius, and the Apostolic Constitutions use this twofold pattern, and the same idea appears in Lactantius.
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Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching
But His advent being signified to them as twofold — the one which should discharge the office and example of a man, the other which should avow Him as God — they did not understand the first advent which preceded, as being hidden in His passion, but believe in the one only which will be manifest in power.
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Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews Supporting witness
And there was given Him royal power; and all nations of the earth, according to their race, and all glory, shall serve Him: and His power is eternal, which shall not be taken away, and His kingdom one which shall not be corrupted.
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Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness
For since it is so arranged by God that the same Christ should twice come to the earth, once to announce to the nations the one God, then again to reign, why do they who did not believe in His first advent believe in the second?
Did early Christians know the time of Christ's return?
No clear date is given in these writings. The strongest language focuses on waiting, watching, and being ready, while one fragment plainly says the day is not a secure position for us. The point is readiness, not date-setting.
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Archelaus, Connection to 1 Thessalonians 5:1 Direct teaching
And as the knowledge of the date of the last day is no secure position for us, he has given us, to that effect, a declaration on the subject in the epistle which he wrote to the Thessalonians, thus: "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that i write unto you; for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night."
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Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
... righteous Judge, shall give me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who love His appearing." 2 Timothy 4:6-8. This fight, therefore, foretold long ago by the prophets, begun by the Lord, and carried on by the apostles, Mappalicus promised again to the proconsul in his own name and in the name of his companions. Nor did his faithful voice fail in what it promised. He showed the fight to which he had pledged himself, and he received the reward he deserved. I not only beg but also urge the rest of you that you all should follow that martyr, now most blessed, and the other sharers in that struggle—soldiers and comrades, steadfast in faith, patient in suffering, victorious in tortures. Then those who are joined together both by the bond of confession and by the keeping of a dungeon may also be joined together in the completion of their courage and in a heavenly crown. Then by your joy you may dry the tears of our Mother, the Church, who mourns over the ruin and death of very many. And you may strengthen, by the urging of your example, the firmness of others who still stand. If the battle calls you out, if the day of your contest comes, engage bravely and fight with
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1 Thessalonians 5:1 Background
Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.
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1 Thessalonians 4:15 Background
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
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2 Peter 3:14 Background
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
More related quotations from this section 1 shown
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2 Thessalonians 2:1 Background
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
Common Questions
Did the early Christians believe Jesus would come back?
Yes. They expected Jesus to return from heaven in glory, judge the world, and raise the dead.
Did early Christians think Jesus' return would be visible?
Yes. They spoke of his coming as something the world would see, with clouds, glory, angels, and public judgment.
Did early Christians connect Christ's return with the resurrection?
Yes. Several writers say his second coming includes raising the dead and giving eternal life.
Did early Christians know the date of Christ's return?
No. The writings here stress the coming itself, not the exact day or hour.
Source Index for the Parousia and Christ's Return
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 160 ranked source links from 213 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 160 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 128
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 80 shown of 85
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.
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What Was the Early Christian's Understanding of the End Times, the Return of Christ, and How Did This Understanding Develop?
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