보라! 내가 새일을 행하리니

Even though scholars disagree as to what tense and style Paul was thinking of when writing “Μαρὰν ἀθὰ, Maranatha” in 1 Corinthians 16:22, interpreting “Μαρὰν ἀθὰ” is not so difficult when considering God’s absolute sovereignty and His holy inspiration upon the writers of the scripture. This is because there is no problem in the context of the entire scripture even if “Μαρὰν ἀθὰ” is interpreted as the present perfect tense, the present or near future tense, or the present passive voice.

As “the kingdom of God” has already been in our midst according to Jesus’ words and there is “the kingdom of God” to which we will go after the end of our lives, we can interpret “Μαρὰν ἀθὰ” as (1) “Our Lord has come,” and (2) “The Lord is at hand” or “The Lord is come” or “Our Lord, come!” thinking of the Lord who will return in the future in the same way he ascended to heaven.

What we can know exactly through “Μαρὰν ἀθὰ” is that the Lord already dwells as the Spirit of Christ within us who believe in Jesus as the Christ, and that we will meet the glorious Lord and enjoy a life of worshiping God in heaven forever after the end of our lives or at that time when the Lord will return in the same way he ascended to heaven. “Μαρὰν ἀθὰ.”