Is Christ Invisible? – Megiddo Church

Question:

Why does I Tim. 6:16 say no man has seen Christ, “nor can see” him, yet other places in Scripture talk about the visible presence of the Lord, like Rev. 1:77?

Answer:

The Bible leaves no question but that Christ was visible when He was on earth the first time, and that He will be visible when He returns. The passage you cite states this very clearly: “every eye will see Him” (Rev. 1:7). Jesus also compared His return to the lightning which “comes from the east and flashes to the west” (Matt. 24:27), and lightning is very visible.

The problem in 1 Timothy 6:16 lies in distinguishing between the persons referred to. Paul speaks first of “Christ Jesus, who before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate” (verse 13). Paul is charging Timothy with his responsibility to be faithful “until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (6:14-15). The wording is much clearer in the original and its literal translation, as in Wilson’s Emphatic Diaglott, which reads: “That thou keep. the commandment, being spotless, blameless, till the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; which in his own season that blessed and only potentate will exhibit–the King of kings, and Lord of lords–the only one possessing immortality, inhabiting light in accessible; whom no one of men has seen, nor is able to see; to whom be honor and might everlasting” (1 Tim. 6:13-16). Paul says that the “blessed and only potentate [God]” will in his own season exhibit Him who is “the King of kings, and Lord of lords,” Jesus Christ. This designation is confirmed by Jesus’ own words in Revelation 3:21, that those who overcome will be privileged to sit with Him on His throne as associate rulers to share His power and glory. This same title is applied to Him again in Revelation 17:14: “For he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

At the present time Christ is the only one of our earthborn race who possesses immortality. He is the “firstfruits,” the first to receive immortality, but “afterward” there will be many more: “Afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming” (1 Cor. 15:23) when He brings the reward of immortality to all faithful men and women (Phil. 3:20-21).

Then the Apostle continues by describing Christ in His present exaltation–as the apostles delighted to do–glorified and at the right hand of God. At least three other times in his Epistles Paul spoke of Jesus seated at the right hand of God, in the position of highest honor; the Book of Hebrews alone mentions Jesus in His current heavenly position five times. The apostle Peter also spoke of Jesus who is “gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him” (1 Pet. 3:22). Likewise, Paul in 1 Timothy 6 speaks of Christ who was then at the Father’s right hand, “dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto.”

Then follows the phrase: “whom no man has seen, nor can see.” The use of the pronoun “whom” might seem, at first reading, to refer back to Jesus, whom the apostle has been discussing. But the meaning of the passage is much clearer as phrased in the Diaglott. The passage reads: “The only one possessing immortality, inhabiting light inaccessible; whom no one of men has seen, nor is able to see.” The confusion is the result of the translators who, not understanding the passage, used an inappropriate pronoun. Had they used “which” instead of “whom,” the meaning would be clear. Greek pronouns all having gender, the English equivalent must be chosen by the context, rather than by a literal rendering of the original Greek. Substituting “which” for “whom,” the passage would read “Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light unapproachable, which no man hath seen, nor can see”–the light in which God dwells is what is forbidden to mortal sight. The heavenly realm where Christ now dwells is invisible in that it is beyond the reach of human eyes. The extreme light of heavenly glory blinded Paul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9).

Moses experienced its dazzling brilliance when he met the angel of God in Mt. Sinai–and his face was still shining too much for mortal eyes to behold even after he had left the Divine Presence (Ex. 34:19-20). On another occasion, when Moses asked for a confirmation of the Lord’s presence with him, the angel told Moses that he could not look upon his face because of its glory. He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live” (Ex. 33:20).

The brightness of Divine glory is beyond our present ability to experience, comprehend, or see. But when Christ returns to earth, He will be visible, as visible as He was when He went away (Acts 1:11); as visible as the lightning that comes out of the east and shines to the west (Matt. 24:37). Jesus speaking of the time of His return, said Himself, “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27).

When Christ returns, He will bestow upon all faithful ones the same glorious reward of immortality which He is now enjoying, and the now “invisible” (unseen) wonders of the far-off heavens will be opened to their view, even to the fulfilling of the promises: “They shall see God” (Matt. 5:8); and “the upright shall behold His face” (Ps. 11:7, ASV).