Many Bible scholars agree that the last paragraphs of the Gospel were not written by Mark but were later additions. This was confirmed, as the oldest text available of Mark's Gospel do not contain the verses 9 to 20 in Chapter 16. This means that the original Mark's Gospel was shorter than the present version.

Therefore the verses in which Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene, then to the disciples and then ascended into heaven could be considered as later additions.

The Rapture

  Many conservative Christians believe that when Christ returns 'in the clouds' as prophesied in Matthew, the believers will be raised up to meet Him in the air.  This concept is known as the 'Rapture'. 

 The verses cited most often to support the belief in the Rapture are found in

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 Paul writes:

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout with the voice on an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

Christians have traditionally interpreted this passage literally, but the Bahá'í writings clearly indicate that its terminology is symbolic and its meaning spiritual.  Bahá'u'lláh writes:

 An interpretation of 1 Thessalonians 4;16-17 may be as follows:  The 'dead in Christ' signifies those 'dead in unbelief' (Certitude114) those who have fallen away from the religious life.

  The 'dead in Christ will rise first' indicates that, in general sense, many of the first to believe in Bahá'u'lláh will be those who have died spiritually because they have abandoned religious life.

Following these verses, Paul says,' Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.' This appears to refer to those who are still faithful to Christ and who await His return.  These would be the next to embrace the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh and to be caught up in the 'clouds of knowledge' (Gleanings45), that is, the next to have their lives changed and raised up spiritually by the divine teachings and laws(Certitude71-2).

Based on this interpretation, the promised Rapture has already taken place.  The Bahá'ís constitute the 'dead' and 'living' who have been raised up into the clouds of heaven.  Bahá'u'lláh writes:

Speed out your sepulchers.  How long will ye sleep?  The second blast hath been blown on the trumpet.  On whom are ye gazing?  This is your Lord, the God of Mercy. (Gleanings 44)

And in the words of 'Abdu'l Baha`:

The light hath shone forth, and radiance floodeth Mount Sinai, and gentle wind bloweth from over the gardens of the Ever-Forgiving Lord;  the sweet breaths of the spirit are passing by, and those who lay buried in the grave are rising up - and still do the heedless slumber on in their tombs. (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha`14)

 Jesus states that the Son of Man will come on the clouds of heaven 'with power and great glory'.

The Meaning of 'With Power and Great Glory'

Christ's return in 'glory' is a theme which is central to the prophecies of the Old Testament (e.g.Ezek. 43:1-2; Isa. 25:2, 40:5), the prophecies of the New Testament (e.g. Mark 8:38, 13:26; Rev. 21:23), and to Bahá'u'lláh's claims.  Addressing Christians, Bahá'u'lláh writes:

Day and night ye have been calling upon your Lord, the Omnipotent, but when He came from the heaven of eternity in His Great glory, ye turned aside from Him and remained sunk in heedlessness. (Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh 9)

In starting that He has come 'from the heaven of eternity in His great glory', Bahá'u'lláh indicates that His appearance is the fulfilment of Jesus prophecy that "the Son of Man' will come on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory' (Matt. 24:30).

The glory of Christ is seen by many Christians in the Resurrection because it represents Christ's triumph over death, but they believe that Christ's glory will be especially revealed at the time of His return.  Traditionally, many Christians have believed that when Christ returns at the end of the age, He will be opposed by the forces of evil in an epic battle of unparalleled carnage, which some regard as the battle of Armageddon mentioned in Scripture.  Jesus' triumph in this battle is supposed to reveal His Power and glory.

According to conservative Christian belief, Satan's human agent, the beast, will gain the allegiance of 'the kings of the earth' and will lead them into the battle against Christ and His hosts.  This is based on the Book of Revelation, chapter 19:

And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him who sat on the horse against His army.  Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image.  These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with tombstone.  And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse.  (Rev. 19:19-21)

According to Scripture, Christ and His hosts are victorious and Satan is bound for 'a thousand years' (Rev. 20;2).  The beast is believed by some Christians to be a totalitarian world ruler.                                                                                

From a Baha'i point of view, these biblical passages have an inward spiritual significance.  The battle is a spiritual battle and the victory is the triumph of Bahá'u'lláh's Faith over those who opposed Him and over the evil in the world which stands in opposition to the truth of His Cause. 

 Therefore, the power of the Second Advent is, in fact, revealed through the persecutions and afflictions Bahá'u'lláh suffered.  His suffering reveals His words and the spirituality of His life could not be overcome and destroyed by His persecutors and adversaries.

 His power is therefore, manifest in His spiritual invincibility.  His glory is evident in His triumph over the persecution He suffered.  The triumph of His Cause and its spiritual transformation of the people who accept His teachings is another sign of His victory over the forces of evil.

His power and glory are not concerned with a temporal victory such as a military general seeks but are, rather, seen in His spiritual victory- His triumph presence and divine attributes.  The significance and appropriateness of Bahá'u'lláh's name, which means 'the glory of God', is made evident by the divine nature of His Person and Revelation.

  His life reveals that real glory does not depend on material property, the support of popular opinions or temporal victories.  Real glory -  spiritual glory - is revealed in the triumph of the religious life.  It is a glory attainable even to those who are among the poorest of the poor or who are, all outward appearances, defeated even to the point of death.                           'Abdu'l-Baha` explains that the teachings for which Bahá'u'lláh has suffered are the real means by which people 'may attain to glory':

If man lives up to these divine commandments, this world of earth shall be transformed into the world of heaven, and this material sphere shall be converted into a paradise of glory.  It is my hope that you may become successful in this high calling so that like brilliant lamps you may cast light upon the world of humanity and quicken and stir the body of existence like unto a spirit of life.  This is eternal glory. (Promulgation 470)

On a different occasion, He stated:

Man must be lofty in endeavour.  He must seek to become heavenly and spiritual, to find the pathway to the threshold of God and become acceptable in the sight of God.  This eternal glory to be near to God. (Ibid.186)

The validity of the Baha'i understanding of 'power and glory' can be seen in the biblical teachings about the sacrifice of Christ.  The Bible indicates that Christ's suffering was not a sign of humiliation, powerlessness or defeat.  Paul states that to the spiritually minded this suffering reveals the power and wisdom of God:

For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Cor. 1:22-4)

Another passage which affirms this understanding can be found in the Book of Revelation:

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honour and glory and blessing! (Rev. 5:12)

This message is also apparent in Bahá'u'lláh's words concerning His oppressors, 'They are, however, oblivious of the fact that abasement in the path of God is My true glory' (Epistle 125)                                                                               Therefore, from a Baha'i point of view, Christians who are awaiting the fulfilment of Matthew 24:30- the coming of Christ with power and glory - should not look for an epic military battle at the time of the end but, rather, should look to the power and glory already revealed in the suffering and imprisonment of Bahá'u'lláh.  They should look to the victory that is attained by all those who truly know Bahá'u'lláh and practice His teachings.

  HE WILL SEND FORTH HIS ANGELS

And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

                       COMMENTARY (24:31)

The Meaning of Angels

Christians who believe that Jesus' Olivet Discourse is not about the return of Christ but about the coming victory of Christ through the establishment of the Church, believe that the 'gathering together of the elect' refers to the missionary outreach of the Church.  That is, it represents the process of Christians (angles) travelling throughout the earth and converting (gathering together) new persons (His elect) to the cause of Christ.                                                                                      The more commonly accepted view argues that the gathering together of the elect refers to angels of Christ bringing together all the true Christians at the time of Christ's return.  This view coincides with Bahá'u'lláh's explanation:

And now concerning His words: "And He shall send His angels..."By 'angels' is meant who, reinforced by the power of the spirit, have consumed, with the fire of the love of God, all human traits and limitations, and have clothed themselves with attributes of the most exalted Beings and of the Cherubim Certitude"

This passage indicates that angels signify, or can refer to persons living in this world whose lives are completely sanctified.  In a later passage, He adds:

And now, inasmuch as these holy beings have sanctified themselves from every human limitation, have become endowed with the attributes of the spiritual, and have been adorned with the noble traits of the blessed, they therefore have been designated as 'angels'. Certitude 79-80)

 He has sent out His followers to proclaim and teach His Cause:

Arise thou to serve the Cause of thy Lord; then give the people the joyful tidings concerning this resplendent Light whose revelation hath been announced by God through His Prophets and Messengers. (Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh 242)

Verily, We behold you from Our realm of glory, and shall aid whosoever will raise for the triumph of Our Case with the hosts of the Concourse on high and a company of Our favoured angels. (Synopsis and Codification 16)

They that have forsaken their country for the purpose of teaching Our Cause these shall the Faithful Spirit strengthen through its power.  A company of Our chosen angels shall go forth with them, as bidden by Him Who is the Almighty, the All Wise. (Gleanings 334)

Today Bahá'u'lláh's message has been spread to all nations, and millions of souls have embraced His Faith throughout the entire world.  They represent individuals from all the world's religions.  Thus the elect have been and are being gathered together 'from one end of heaven to the other.' 'Abdu'l Baha` states:

Array yourselves in the perfection of divine virtues.  I hope you may be quickened and vivified by the breaths of the Holy Spirit.  Then shall ye indeed become the angels of heaven whom Christ promised would appear in this Day to gather the harvest of divine planting.  This is my hope.  This is my prayer for you (Promulgation 7) .

The Sound of the Trumpet

Other passages in the Baha'i writings also indicate that the 'great sound of the trumpet' has been heard through the proclamation of Bahà'u'llàh:

Arise, and proclaim unto the entire creation the tidings that He Who is the All Merciful hath directed His steps towards the Ridva`n and entered it.  Guide, then, the people unto the garden of delight which God hath made the Throne of His Paradise.  We have chosen thee [His pen] to be our most mighty Trumpet, whose blast is to signalize the resurrection of all mankind. (Gleanings 31, clarification added)

Trumpets are used to announce the approach of a King or the proclamation of a decree, or announcement.  The trumpet symbolizes Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation, which calls people to God and announces the Glad-Tidings of God's word amongst humankind.  The meaning of Jesus' words (Matt.24:31) is essentially about the proclamation of the Faith of God. 

When Bahà'u'llàh states, 'We have chosen thee to be our most mighty Trumpet', He is referring to His Revelation and calling upon the believers to carry His message to the people of the world.

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