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Resurrection

Is the Meaning of Harpagēsometha in 1 Thess 4:17 ‘Rapture’ or ‘Plunder’? Part 2 – Ep. 115

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This episode I responded to Chris Steinle on his interpretation of “from heaven” that he comments on from his chapter “Reclaiming the 1st Thessalonians Rapture Narrative” in his co-authored book with Douglas Hamp, Reclaiming the Rapture: Restoring the Doctrine of the Gathering of the Commonwealth of Israel. He reads the notion that Jesus is immediately coming to earth into the rapture passage of 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18.

I responded to that point which is part of my larger response to Chris Steinle’s claim that the Greek word harpagesometha behind the English “suddenly caught [up]” in 1 Thess 4:17 is not derived from the Greek harpazo and consequently does not actually refer to a rapture.

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven [katabesetai ap’ ouranou] with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be suddenly caught up [harpagēsometha] together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.” (1 Thess 4:16-17)

 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THE PROGRAM:

Recommended New Testament Greek Grammars

Recommended Greek New Testament Dictionaries/Lexicons

Articles for Posttribulationism to Consider

Antichrist Before the Day of the Lord: What Every Christian Needs to Know about the Return of Christ

 

Is the Meaning of Harpagēsometha in 1 Thess 4:17 ‘Rapture’ or ‘Plunder’? Part 1 – Ep. 114

 

 

 

 

Why ‘the blinking of an eye’ Does NOT Refer to the Rapture – Ep. 101

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“Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed– in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”

I explained several reasons why many interpreters think this refers to the rapture. In addition, I responded to this as a common pretrib proof text for imminence. It is argued that “the blinking of an eye” refers to imminence. But this make no sense if one stops to think about it. It is confusing two different categories. The category of timing says “imminence” is about what will not happen before the return of Jesus, while the category of the “blinking of an eye” is refers to what will happen at the return of Jesus.

So what exactly is the expression of “blinking of an eye” mean? It may come to a surprise for many that not only does this passage have nothing to do with imminence, it is not even a “rapture passage.” If one reads this passage in context, the previous verse says: “Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed” (1 Cor 15:51). The mystery is that the last generation of God’s people who are alive when Jesus returns will not have to experience death. They “will not all sleep” but will be changed. Their living bodies will instantaneously—“in a moment, in the blinking of an eye”—will take on imperishable bodies.

There is nothing in this context that indicates a “catching up.” That is not Paul’s concern in this passage. The question of the relationship between the rapture and the resurrection (they are not the same event) is treated by Paul in his first epistle to the Thessalonians. Paul most likely teaches that the resurrection of dead believers and translation of living believers will occur on earth just before both groups are raptured to the sky to meet Jesus. In other words, believers will not receive their new bodies as they are being caught up to meet Jesus. They will already have their new resurrected bodies just before the rapture—as Jesus had his new body before his Ascension. I have argued elsewhere on this point for further reading.

Coming back to our main point, Paul is not concerned about addressing the topic of what may or may not occur before Jesus’ return (he addresses this issue in 2 Thessalonians). So to impose the teaching of imminence into Paul’s mouth is to say the least not handling the Word of God properly. Paul is simply revealing the mystery that the last generation of the church will not have to die before Jesus returns. Satan will not achieve his aim in destroying the entire church through his persecution program! God in his power and mercy will preserve a remnant of his people that will survive up to the second coming (parousia) of Jesus. “But each in his own order [for resurrection]: Christ, the firstfruits; then when Christ comes [parousia], those who belong to him” (1 Cor 15:23).

 

Some Thoughts on the Final State for Individual and Cosmic Eschatology

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I’d like to consider some potential objections to the Christian doctrine of the final state, then consider how to field those objections.

Generally stated, are there aspects of the final state that are naturally impossible? There are things that even an omnipotent God can’t naturally do. That doesn’t mean he can’t do them; just that he can’t naturally do them. God would have to circumvent natural processes to make it happen.

Let’s take one example: Is biological immortality naturally possible? I don’t think we know the answer to that as of yet. To my knowledge, scientists haven’t figured out why humans (and other organisms) age. Yet the Bible promises that we will have immortal bodies.

One question is whether aging is caused by a master switch. Is there one mechanism that triggers a cascade effect. Assuming that’s the case, then if that switch were improved, renewed, or replaced, the organism wouldn’t age. The human body already has some capacity to regenerate itself. Just not systematically and permanently.

Perhaps, though, there is no single mechanism of senescence. Perhaps organs and body parts individually age, independent of each other. The whole body wears out, and there’s no discrete solution.

In that event, how would God preserve the body from aging? The answer depends in part on whether senescence is naturally inevitable. If so, then God must supernaturally preserve the body. READ MORE….

 

The 1611 King James Bible Agrees with the Prewrath Position

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King James Bible 1611

If you are a Pretribulationist King James Version Only Advocate this post may be disturbing news. A few years back I examined a facsimile of the original King James Version—1611 edition.

I was looking at instances of textual variant notes found in the King James Version; there are 2,193 instances. (Yes, the early 17th century Anglican King James translators made textual critical choices when they translated it. Just as do modern translators make textual decisions today.)

During my research of textual variant notes, I came across something that was interesting. As you know, pretribulationists claim that Matthew 24:31 does not refer to the event of the rapture or resurrection. They claim that the “gathering of the elect” in verse 31 refers to a group of Jews who are gathered at the end of the seven-year period, not the rapture or resurrection of the church. This is to avoid the implication of the rapture and resurrection happening after the Antichrist’s great tribulation; and in the pretrib system they cannot have the church being persecuted during this time, and it would undermine their doctrine of imminence since it would have the rapture following after prophesied events.

In the image above, notice the asterisk at the beginning of Matthew 24:31 and the two cross-references in the margin: 1 Cor 15:52 and 1 Thess 4:16. The former verse is the twinkling of an eye resurrection passage, and the latter is the classic rapture and resurrection passage! In other words, King James Version translators understood that Matthew 24:31 refers to the rapture and resurrection.

So for pretribbers who invest ultimate authority into the textual critical decisions of early 17th century Anglican churchmen, I thought I would highlight this interesting King James Bible fact.

For a larger image, click here.

 

Does the Bible Teach the Rapture? An Explanation of 1 Thessalonians 4:17 – Ep. 4

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itunes cover art biblical programI responded to those who deny that the Bible teaches the rapture by giving biblical evidence for the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. I first described the context of this verse in Thessalonians 4:13-16, leading up to verse 17.  Second, I expounded on verse 17 and the larger rapture concept itself describing the specific sequence of events at the rapture, since there are misconceptions to what will happen. Finally, I noted that 1 Thessalonians 4:17 by itself is sufficient to establish the rapture event; however, it is not alone since other passages teach this event, in one way or the other, such as John 14:1-3, Matthew 24:31, and Revelation 7:9-14.  I closed the program by admonishing people who deny the unequivocal biblical truth of the rapture are consequently denying the authority of Scripture.

 

Chart from Antichrist Before the Day of the Lord: What Every Christian Needs to Know about the Return of Christ by Alan Kurschner

 

Read the Transcript of this Episode

 

 

Copyright © 2018 by Alan Kurschner.