What if Jesus foretelling his return was just a metaphor and he's never actually returning?

According to the bible, he was supposed to come back in the first century. Matt 24:34 - "Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened."

The other metaphor is ' In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth'. It was actually a metaphor for 'We are not intelligent enough to know how the universe originated, but lets put an invisible man in the sky just to give us hope'.

Heh.

Oh please, practically everything in the bible was a metaphor if you look at it from the right angle.

Listen to me this, Banana friend, what if the person who wrote the bible truly was a scholar, and was just writing a story?

What if his message was of peace, but was misunderstood?

I don't know, just a thought :)

Since no one has ever returned from the dead - with the possible exception of
someone revived with a defibrillator - Big J isn't ever going to make it either.

That is just Christian mythology at its silliest, no matter how many low I.Q's
have been activated to contradict your statement here.

There was a time, when I was amazed at the number of pointy-headed people
who used Yahoo!Answers in order to make the most ridiculous statements.

Then I considered that half of the U.S. population is under average in intelligence -
I.Q's below 100 - and I realized that there are over 150 million dullards out there,
and it all made sense.

Do you suppose that Yahoo! would consider operating a separate on-line forum
for which users would need to qualify by submitting a verified I.Q. of 100 or over?
(That would eliminate an awful lot blonds and Republicans, I know.)

no

Jesus restricted his appearances to his disciples. His ascension to heaven was also seen only by them, not by the world, and the angels present assured the disciples that Jesus’ return would be in “the same manner” (Gr., tro′pos, not mor·phe′, “form”), hence without public display, discerned only by his faithful followers.—Ac 1:1-11.
A bad condition of heart coupled with wrong expectations regarding Christ’s presence no doubt contributes to the attitude of ridiculers. It was foretold that, in “the last days,” they would scoff, saying: “Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as from creation’s beginning.”—2Pe 3:2-4; compare 1:16.
Clearly, men will be aware of what is taking place at “the revelation” (Gr., a·po·ka′ly·psis) of Jesus Christ “with his powerful angels in a flaming fire, as he brings vengeance upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus.” (2Th 1:7-9) This, however, still allows for an invisible presence that goes undiscerned by all but the faithful prior to that revelation. We may recall that Jesus, when paralleling his presence with “the days of Noah,” states that in Noah’s time the people “took no note” until watery destruction came upon them, and “so the presence of the Son of man will be.”—Mt 24:37-39.


Conditions accompanying his presence. The book of Revelation presents in symbolic expression much information relating to Christ’s presence and his manifestation and revelation. The symbolic picture of the crowned rider on the white horse depicted in Revelation 6:1, 2 corresponds to that of the rider of Revelation 19:11-16, who is the “King of kings and Lord of lords,” Christ Jesus. Revelation chapter 6 shows that when Christ rides forth as conquering King he does not immediately bring about removal of wickedness from the earth, but rather, his ride is accompanied by war that takes “peace away from the earth,” as well as by food scarcity and deadly plague. (Re 6:3-8) This, in turn, parallels features found in Christ’s prophecy at Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. It therefore appears that Jesus’ prophecy found in the Gospel accounts, which clearly involves the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple (occurring in 70 C.E.), also has an application to the time of Christ’s presence, thereby supplying a “sign” that allows for determining when that presence is taking place and when “deliverance is getting near.”—Mt 24:3, 32, 33; Lu 21:28-31
Other references to Christ’s presence generally present encouragement to faithfulness and endurance until and during that time.—1Th 2:19; 3:12, 13; 5:23; Jas 5:7, 8; 1Jo 2:28.

People are foolish if they think the Bible is only a metaphor. Yes, Jesus did say that marrying a divorced woman was adultery, but he also said the only way to be properly divorced is if one or the other committed adultery in the first place. Meaning if you divorce based on anything else besides cheating, when you are remarried you are committing adultery.

It's not a metaphor, it means take marriage seriously. It's a vow between God and a man and a woman. You can't make the vow, and then decide the person you married isn't good enough.

You may have overlooked...

9
When he had said this, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. h
10
While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. i
11
They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.” j
12k
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away.
http://www.usccb.org/bible/acts/1

What ought to you imagine if the Bible mentions YOUR question? 2Peter 3:3 ¶ understanding this common, that there shall come interior the perfect days scoffers, strolling after their own lusts, 4 And putting forward, the position is the promise of his coming? for because the fathers fell asleep, all issues proceed as they were from the starting up of the introduction. 5 For this they willingly are unaware of, that by utilizing the understand God the heavens were of previous, and the earth status out of the water and interior the water: 6 wherein the international that then became, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 even if the heavens and the earth, which at the prompt are, by utilizing a similar be conscious are kept in keep, reserved unto fireplace antagonistic to the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. EDIT: Daniel prophesied that the Messiah ought to arrive 493 years after a particular experience. The Jews ignored it and are nevertheless waiting...even if this became prophesied also. Daniel became good on time.

Hebrews 4:8-11 (future rest)
8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

2 Peter 3
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

new heavens and new earth in OT is describing the church age, but in the NT they take that meaning and show that there is still a future rest (in heaven) ahead of us.

Revelation 21 and 22 takes the idea of new heavens and new earth and uses it to describe heaven.

Is the second coming of Christ near? NO. based on the Bible the heavens need to be overturned and the planets shaken out of their courses, yet NASA keeps plugging along. Right? We can only know this by what we know...everything has a beginning and an end...even Earth, our solar system, galaxy, etc... all ends. Everything ends so saying we or this will not is silly, yes? So it may be both- perhaps at the end of our life- our judgment day- we have to meet Jesus...And he also attends the end of everything and reformation of the Earth. This is the most likely explanation, but ony God knows for sure. As for Adultery- Everyone involved in a divorce feels the stain of the sin- ask anyone who is divorced. Did it change them? Did it hurt? Was it your fault? Is there guilt? Who did you let down by failing your marriage? Oh yes, they will tell you and you will perceive the weight of sin they carry. So I think Jesus was right- it is a form of adultery and a sin. Realize that the words of the Bible are like the Hebrew language- each set of symbols have deeper meanings. That's why parables are so powerful...the more mature a Christian you are the more you see the power and might of humility. Si?