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Judicium Universale, Last Judgment
A. 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 (see article on
MILLENNIUM). 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."
B. 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:
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.
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".
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.)
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
"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 Saviour died or else of a wonderful cross of light.
C. 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 (q.v.).
(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.
D. 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.
J.A. MCHUGH
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