General Judgment
(Judicium Universale, Last Judgment).
I.
EXISTENCE OF THE GENERAL JUDGMENT
1.
Few truths are more often or more clearly proclaimed in Scripture than
that of the general judgment. To it the prophets of the Old Testament
refer when they speak of the "Day of the Lord" (Joel 2:31; Ezekiel 13:5;
Isaiah 2:12), in which the nations will be summoned to judgment. In the
New Testament the second Parusia, or coming of Christ as Judge of the
world, is an oft-repeated doctrine. The Saviour Himself not only
foretells the event but graphically portrays its circumstances (Matthew
24:27 sqq.; 25:31 sqq.). The Apostles give a most prominent place to
this doctrine in their preaching (Acts 10:42; 17:31) and writings
(Romans 2:5-16; 14:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Timothy
4:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:5; James 5:7). Besides the name Parusia (parousia),
or Advent (1 Corinthians 15:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:19), the Second Coming
is also called Epiphany, epiphaneia, or Appearance (2
Thessalonians 2:8; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13), and
Apocalypse (apokalypsis), or Revelation (2 Thessalonians 2:7; 1
Peter 4:13). The time of the Second Coming is spoken of as "that Day" (2
Timothy 4:8), "the day of the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 5:2), "the day of
Christ" (Philemon 1:6), "the day of the Son of Man" (Luke 17:30), "the
last day" (John 6:39-40).
2.
The belief in the general judgment has prevailed at all times and in all
places within the Church. It is contained as an article of faith in all
the ancient creeds: "He ascended into heaven. From thence He shall come
to judge the living and the dead" (Apostles' Creed). He shall come again
with glory to judge both the living and the dead" (Nicene Creed). "From
thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead, at whose coming
all men must rise with their bodies and are to render an account of
their deeds" (Athanasian Creed). Relying on the authority of Papias,
several Fathers of the first four centuries advanced the theory of a
thousand years' terrestrial reign of Christ with the saints to precede
the end of the World. Though this idea is interwoven with the
eschatological teachings of those writers, it in no way detracted from
their belief in a universal world-judgment. Patristic testimony to this
dogma is clear and unanimous.
3.
The Roman Catechism thus explains why, besides the particular judgment
of each individual, a general one should also be passed on the assembled
world: "The first reason is founded on the circumstances that most
augment the rewards or aggravate the punishments of the dead. Those who
depart this life sometimes leave behind them children who imitate the
conduct of their parents, descendants, followers; and others who adhere
to and advocate the example, the language, the conduct of those on whom
they depend, and whose example they follow; and as the good or bad
influence or example, affecting as it does the conduct of many, is to
terminate only with this world; justice demands that, in order to form a
proper estimate of the good or bad actions of all, a general judgment
should take place. . . . Finally, it was important to prove, that in
prosperity and adversity, which are sometimes the promiscuous lot of the
good and of the bad, everything is ordered by an all-wise, all-just, and
all-ruling Providence: it was therefore necessary not only that rewards
and punishments should await us in the next life but that they should be
awarded by a public and general judgment."
II.
SIGNS THAT ARE TO PRECEDE THE GENERAL JUDGMENT
The
Scriptures mention certain events which are to take place before the
final judgment. These predictions were not intended to serve as
indications of the exact time of the judgment, for that day and hour are
known only to the Father, and will come when least expected. They were
meant to foreshadow the last judgment and to keep the end of the world
present to the minds of Christians, without, however, exciting useless
curiosity and vain fears. Theologians usually enumerate the following
nine events as signs of the last judgment:
1.
General Preaching of the Christian Religion. Concerning this sign
the Saviour says: "And this gospel of the kingdom, shall be preached in
the whole world, for a testimony to all nations, and then shall the
consummation come" (Matthew 24:14). This sign was understood by
Chrysostom and Theophilus as referring to the destruction of Jerusalem,
but, according to the majority of interpreters, Christ is here speaking
of the end of the world.
2.
Conversion of the Jews. According to the interpretation of the
Fathers, the conversion of the Jews towards the end of the world is
foretold by St. Paul in the Epistle to the Romans (11:25-26): "For I
would not have you ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, . . . that
blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fullness of the
Gentiles should come in. And so all Israel should be saved as it is
written: There shall come out of Sion, he that shall deliver, and
shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob".
3.
Return of Enoch and Elijah. The belief that these two men, who have
never tasted death, are reserved for the last times to be precursors of
the Second Advent was practically unanimous among the Fathers, which
belief they base on several texts of Scripture. (Concerning Elijah see
Malachi 4:5-6; Ecclesiasticus 48:10; Matthew 17:11; concerning Enoch see
Ecclesiasticus 44:16.)
4. A
Great Apostasy. As to this event St. Paul admonishes the
Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 2:3) that they must not be terrified, as
if the day of the Lord were at hand, for there must first come a revolt
(he apostasia).The Fathers and interpreters understand by this
revolt a great reduction in the number of the faithful through the
abandonment of the Christian religion by many nations. Some commentators
cite as confirmatory of this belief the words of Christ: "But yet the
Son of man, when he cometh, shall he find, think you, faith on earth?"
(Luke 18:8).
5.
The Reign of Antichrist. In the passage above mentioned (2
Thessalonians 2:3 sqq.) St. Paul indicates as another sign of the day of
the Lord, the revelation of the man of sin, the son of perdition. "The
man of sin" here described is generally identified with the Antichrist,
who, says St. John (1 John 2:18), is to come in the last days. Although
much obscurity and difference of opinion prevails on this subject, it is
generally admitted from the foregoing and other texts that before the
Second Coming there will arise a powerful adversary of Christ, who will
seduce the nations by his wonders, and persecute the Church.
6.
Extraordinary Perturbations of Nature. The Scriptures clearly
indicate that the judgment will be preceded by unwonted and terrifying
disturbances of the physical universe (Matthew 24:29; Luke 21:25-26).
The wars, pestilences, famines, and earthquakes foretold in Matthew 24:6
sq., are also understood by some writers as among the calamities of the
last times.
7.
The Universal Conflagration. In the Apostolic writings we are told
that the end of the world will be brought about through a general
conflagration, which, however, will not annihilate the present creation,
but will change its form and appearance (2 Peter 3:10-13; cf. 1
Thessalonians 5:2; Apocalypse 3:3, and 16:15). Natural science shows the
possibility of such a catastrophe being produced in the ordinary course
of events, but theologians generally tend to believe that its origin
will be entirely miraculous.
8.
The Trumpet of Resurrection. Several texts in the New Testament make
mention of a voice or trumpet which will awaken the dead to resurrection
(1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:15; John 5:28). According to St.
Thomas (Supplement 86:2) there is reference in these passages either to
the voice or to the apparition of Christ, which will cause the
resurrection of the dead.
9.
"The Sign of the Son of Man Appearing in the Heavens." In Matthew
24:30, this is indicated as the sign immediately preceding the
appearance of Christ to judge the world. By this sign the Fathers of the
Church generally understand the appearance in the sky of the Cross on
which the Savior died or else of a wonderful cross of light.
III.
CIRCUMSTANCES ACCOMPANYING THE GENERAL JUDGMENT
1.
Time. As was stated above, the signs that are to precede the
judgment give no accurate indication of the time when it will occur
(Mark 13:32). When the Disciples asked the Saviour: "Lord, wilt thou at
this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" He answered: "It is not
for you to know the times or moments, which the Father hath put in his
own power" (Acts 1:6-7). The uncertainty of the day of judgment is
continually urged by Christ and the Apostles as an incentive to
vigilance. The day of the Lord will come "as a thief" (Matthew
24:42-43), like lightning suddenly appearing (Matthew 24:27), like a
snare (Luke 21:34), as the Deluge (Matthew 24:37).
2.
Place of the Judgment. All the texts in which mention is made of the
Parusia, or Second Coming, seem to imply clearly enough that the general
judgment will take place on the earth. Some commentators infer from 1
Thessalonians 4:16, that the judgment will be held in the air, the newly
risen being carried into the clouds to meet Christ; according to others
the prophecy of Joel (3:1 sq.) places the last judgment in the Valley of
Josaphat.
3.
The Coming of the Judge. That this judgment is ascribed to Christ,
not only as God, but also as Man, is expressly declared in Scripture;
for although the power of judging is common to all the Persons of the
Trinity, yet it is specially attributed to the Son, because to Him also
in a special manner is ascribed wisdom. But that as Man He will judge
the world is confirmed by Christ Himself (John 5:26-27). At the Second
Coming Christ will appear in the heavens, seated on a cloud and
surrounded by the angelic hosts (Matthew 16:27; 24:30; 25:31). The
angels will minister to the Judge by bringing all before Him (Matthew
24:31). The elect will aid Christ in a judicial capacity (1 Corinthians
6:2). The lives of the just will in themselves be a condemnation of the
wicked (Matthew 21:41), whose punishment they will publicly approve. But
the Apostles will be judges of the world in a sense yet more exact, for
the promise that they shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve
tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28) seems to imply a real participation in
judicial authority. According to a very probable opinion, this
prerogative is extended to all who have faithfully fulfilled the
counsels of the Gospel (Matthew 19:27-28). Nothing certain is known as
to the manner in which this delegated authority will be exercised. St.
Thomas conjectures that the greater saints will make known the sentence
of Christ to others (Supplement 88:2).
4.
Those to be Judged. All men, both good and bad, according to the
Athanasian Creed, will appear in the judgment to give an account of
their deeds. As to children that have personally done neither good nor
evil, the baptized must be distinguished from the unbaptized. The former
appear in the judgment, not to be judged, but only to hold the glory of
Christ (Supplement 80:5), while the latter, ranked with the wicked,
although not judged, will be enabled to realize the justice of their
eternal loss (Suarez). The angels and the demons will not be judged
directly, since their eternal destiny has already been fixed; yet,
because they have exercised a certain influence over the fortunes of
men, the sentence pronounced on the latter will have a corresponding
effect on them also (Supplement 89:8).
5.
Object of the Judgment. The judgment will embrace all works, good or
bad, forgiven as well as forgiven sins, every idle word (Matthew 12:36),
every secret thought (1 Corinthians 4:5). With the exception of Peter
Lombard, theologians teach that even the secret sins of the just will be
made manifest, in order that judgment may be made complete and that the
justice and mercy of God may be glorified. This will not pain or
embarrass the saints, but add to their glory, just as the repentance of
St. Peter and St. Mary Magdalen is to these saints a source of joy and
honour.
6.
Form of the Judgment. The procedure of the judgment is described in
Matthew 25:31-46, and in the Apocalypse 20:12. Commentators see in those
passages allegorical descriptions intended to convey in a vivid manner
the fact that in the last judgment the conduct and deserts of each
individual will be made plain not only to his own conscience but to the
knowledge of the assembled world. It is probable that no words will be
spoken in the judgment, but that in one instant, through a Divine
illumination, each creature will thoroughly understand his own moral
condition and that of every fellow creature (Romans 2:15). Many believe,
however, that the words of the sentence: "Come, ye blessed", etc. and
"Depart from me", etc. will be really addressed by Christ to the
multitude of the saved and the lost.
IV.
RESULTS OF THE GENERAL JUDGMENT
With the
fulfilment of the sentence pronounced in the last judgment the relations
and the dealings of the Creator with the creature find their
culmination, are explained and justified. The Divine purpose being
accomplished, the human race will, as a consequence, attain its final
destiny. The reign of Christ over mankind will be the sequel of the
General Judgment. |