Thessalonians 4 Does Not Teach a Rapture Separate from the Second Coming

Dale said:

You say that the Marriage Feast of the Lamb is what matters. It seems to me that the Marriage Feast is only one of several ways that we are told of the saved entering Paradise, but we’ll take a look at it. Consider this passage.


Mt. 22:1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying:
Mt. 22:2“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a
wedding banquet for his son.
Mt. 22:3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the
banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
Mt. 22:4“Then he sent some more servants and said, `Tell those who
have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen
and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is
ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
Mt. 22:5“But they paid no attention and went off — one to his field,
another to his business.
Mt. 22:6The rest seized his servants, ill-treated them and killed them.
Mt. 22:7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those
murderers and burned their city.
Mt. 22:8“Then he said to his servants, `The wedding banquet is ready,
but those I invited did not deserve to come.
Mt. 22:9Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you
find.’
Mt. 22:10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the
people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding
hall was filled with guests.
Mt. 22:11“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a
man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.
Mt. 22:12`Friend,’ he asked, `how did you get in here without wedding
clothes?’ The man was speechless.
Mt. 22:13“Then the king told the attendants, `Tie him hand and foot,
and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Mt. 22:14“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
Matthew 22:1-14 NIV

The King represents God the Father, and the Prince, His son, can only be Jesus Christ. The servants of the King are the Apostles, Disciples and later evangelists who bring God’s word to the world. The slaugtering of the oxen and cattle in verse 22:4 are are slightly veiled reference to the Crucifixion of Christ. The Crucifixion has already happened when the Apostles are sent out with God’s word. Verses 6 and 7 tell of God’s messengers being rejected, persecuted, and even killed. God will bring destruction on those who persecute His messengers. In verses 10-12, we are told of the man who is improperly dressed and is thrown “into the darkness.” Here Jesus warns us about hypocrisy. Those who join God’s Kingdom must do so whole-heartedly.

This parable tells us that some who are brought into the King’s great banquet were not thought to be good people before they listen to God’s servants.

There is no promise here that those who respond to God’s invitation will be free from persecution before they get to the wedding banquet. There is the promise of heaven in this passage but there is no promise that God will snatch Christians off the earth before the Second Coming.

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Not to argue with you, but I'd like to offer an alternative interpretation. Nevertheless, I agree that the import of the parable was given to Jesus' Disciples to warn them of a dire need to be ready in a time when they may be distracted, or even coerced away from their mission by persecution.

And I certainly agree that there is no "Rapture"/Snatch of the Church prior to persecution, including persecution by the last Antichrist. There is the idea that Christians will be able to escape the "Wrath of God." But what does that mean? Does it mean that all Christians will be able to avoid persecution if they lead obedient lives? Obviously not!

Does it mean that Christians, in accepting Christ, will be able to avoid Eternal Punishment? Of course! That is the obvious meaning of Jesus' words, since elsewhere he indicated that all those who take up his Cross, ie his followers, will like him be persecuted. They will have to bear their own crosses, so to speak. They will have to endure some form of opposition, since in taking up Christ's mission they also take up the one thing Satan and his followers oppose.

So, I suggest the Marriage Feast is being given in OT terminology, even though it will be fulfilled in the NT era. It is being given in OT terminology because at the time Jesus gave this parable it was still the OT era! The Law was still in effect. Israel was the sole nation being in covenant with God at that time.

So the language is speaking primarily of Israel, many of whom were unworthy in that time but still capable of being changed by Christ's Gospel. The "Virgins" are brides maids, and not actually the Wife of the Groom. Under the Law, Israel was a Servant under a covenant that did not yet allow them to be eternally yoked to God in marriage. They were, in fact, "married" to God under a temporary contract.

So, these 10 brides maids represented followers of Christ under the Law, 5 of whom were choosing to be loyal to the end, and 5 who were being compromised in their commitment. All had "oil," meaning that under the Law they had a valid agreement, with the accompanying anointing for service. They had a measure of faith, and they knew God. But their "faith" would not result in a future Christian Salvation.

But those who did not bring enough supply were compromised and more concerned with their own interests than with this Marriage to God. They would run out of oil, and lose their place in covenant relationship with God.

The 5 faithful brides maids would prove not only that their covenant relationship was good, but that it would transcend the failure of the Law and consummate in an eternal Marriage Covenant with God. Their oil would never run out. Their commitment would never end. And the things of the world would pale in comparison with the joy of knowing and serving their Heavenly Master.

Just a thought. But the idea that one should ignore the full meaning and only hope for the Marriage Supper is unhelpful. It makes it a virtue to cut to the chase, ignoring important biblical details that can help and save us. Nevertheless, this parable of the 10 Virgins has a complete message, and saying that choosing Heavenly Marriage as a primary interest is probably a good thing.

Richard T said:

From liberty univ. Some evidence prior to Darby.
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE RAPTURE
Tom’s Perspectives
by Thomas Ice
"One of the most often cited objections to pretribulationism is that it is a new teaching in church history having only come on the scene in the 1830s. It is t church history. In the last decade, individuals have found a number of
pe cholars such as John Walvoord,1
it is significant that the Apostolic Fathers, though
posttribulational, at the same time just as clearly taught the pretribulational feature of imminence. Since it was common in the early church to hold contradictory positions
without even an awareness of inconsistency, it would not be surprising to learn that their era supports both views. Larry Crutchfield notes, “This belief in the imminent
return of Christ within the context of ongoing persecution has prompted us to broadly label the views of the earliest fathers, 'imminent intratribulationism.’”2
Expressions of imminency abound in the Apostolic Fathers. Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, The Didache, The Epistle of Barnabas, and The Shepherd of Hermas all
speak of imminency.3
Furthermore, The Shepherd of Hermas speaks of the
pretribulational concept of escaping the tribulation.
You have escaped from great tribulation on account of your faith, and because you did not doubt in the presence of such a beast. Go, therefore, and tell the elect of the Lord His mighty deeds, and say to them that this beast is a type of the great tribulation that is coming. If then ye prepare yourselves, and repent with all your heart, and turn to the Lord, it will be possible for you to escape it, if your heart be pure and spotless, and ye spend the rest of the days of your life in serving the Lord blamelessly.4
Evidence of pretribulationism surfaces during the early medieval period in a sermon some attribute to Ephraem the Syrian, but more likely the product of one scholars call
Pseudo-Ephraem, entitled Sermon on The Last Times, The Antichrist, and The End of the World. 5
The sermon was written some time between the fourth and sixth century. Therapture statement reads as follows:
Why therefore do we not reject every care of earthly actions and prepareourselves for the meeting of the Lord Christ, so that he may draw us from the confusion, which overwhelms all the world? . . . For all the saints andelect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are
taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins."

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This copypasta has been circulating on the internet for a while.

But it ignores academic seriousness when it comes to historical analysis of relevant texts.

For one thing, the Latin Pseudo-Ephraem text isn't 4th-6th century, it's post 7th century. Though at least the copypasta here acknowledges that it is Pseudo-Ephraem, many versions of this copypasta I've seen ignore this and assert St. Ephraem as the author.

None of the Apostolic Fathers, nor the Shepherd, even come close to indicating anything remotely like the "pretribulational rapture". But Rapturists have been passing this around online for a couple decades now.

-CryptoLutheran

ViaCrucis said:

This copypasta has been circulating on the internet for a while.

But it ignores academic seriousness when it comes to historical analysis of relevant texts.

For one thing, the Latin Pseudo-Ephraem text isn't 4th-6th century, it's post 7th century. Though at least the copypasta here acknowledges that it is Pseudo-Ephraem, many versions of this copypasta I've seen ignore this and assert St. Ephraem as the author.

None of the Apostolic Fathers, nor the Shepherd, even come close to indicating anything remotely like the "pretribulational rapture". But Rapturists have been passing this around online for a couple decades now.

-CryptoLutheran

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This is one person's analysis of Pseudo Ephraim's work:

In sum, he believes that current pretrib thought is being inserted in his material, when the context is quite different.

I wouldn't be surprised because there have been a few instances of Christian leaders teaching that the Church is given to escape the final wrath of God against the Antichrist. And why not? God's Wrath against Antichrist is not God's Wrath against the Church. The death inflicted upon the Antichrist leads to eternal damnation. The death suffered by casualties of the last battle who are believers will rise again gloriously to new life.

To insert a Pretrib Rapture into such language is imposing ideas that simply weren't there yet--not until Darby established a significant separation between the Rapture of the Church and the 2nd Coming of Christ by 7 years.

There are always casualties of war who are innocent bystanders in a war not their own. Some might call them martyrs, or victims of "friendly fire." The Prophet Jeremiah suffered in a war not of his own causing. Many of the Prophets died in a war not of their own making. They were, in a sense, "collateral damage" in a war God needed to fight to end sin.

This is surely not escaping tribulation in this world, or the persecution of Antichrist. Sometimes Christians are given to escape events that are directed at evil nations. But there are always innocent victims, as well, who provide testimony to the evils of evil men who then must be judged.

However, the notion that Christians, overall, will escape via a Rapture prior to the rise of Antichrist, or prior to his Reign, is not in the Scriptures, nor is it in history until John Darby in the 1800s. The only thing that prompted him to create this myth was the rise of Futurism, suggesting that Antichrist hasn't come yet, and will come.

It inspired him to extract from the spiritually-dying Church of his day a remnant of faithful who will be rewarded by escaping this, allowing Israel to perform the final act of martyrdom under Antichrist. How weak to proclaim one's own group a spiritual "elite," while consigning God's grace towards Israel to a time of intense persecution and death!

Dale said:

Like Matthew Henry, the Britannica sees I Thessalonians 4 as pointing to the Second Coming and judgment. There is no mention of a “rapture of the saints” followed by years of Tribulation where those who became Christians too late are still suffering.

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I use this site to compare commentaries.

Hank77 said:

I use this site to compare commentaries.

Hebrews 10:1 Commentaries: For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.

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I think that's a good practice. I do it too.

Dale said:

In my lifetime, Protestant Christianity has been invaded by a bizarre doctrine of “rapture,” the notion that Christians should expect a “rapture” instead of the Second Coming of Christ. When I was a teenager, no one doubted that the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins was about the Second Coming. Now people tell me that the Wise and Foolish Virgins is about the “rapture.” Every verse that used to point us to the Second Coming has now been re-purposed to back up the unscriptural notion of “rapture.”

Today, Rapturists, or Dispensationalists, point to verses in Thessalonians 4. Interestingly enough, when the notion of rapture was invented in the 19th century, for decades it never occurred to anyone to support their belief with Thessalonians. See Post #2.

The only way to come up with a “rapture” is to separate the Second Coming into two parts, Part 1: Rapture, and Part 2: Second Coming, followed by the Millennium and Final Judgment. The idea of the “rapture” is that Jesus comes secretly for believers and snatches them away to heaven. Later He returns in glory, publicly, for all to see, the Second Coming. Yet Thessalonians refutes any notion of a secret coming of Christ.

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a
loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the
trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
I Thessalonians 4:16 NIV

Look at what this verse says. The coming of Jesus is heralded by an archangel. It is announced by a trumpet blast and “voice of an archangel” who shouts a “loud command.” This is not private, it is not secret, it is something everyone will see and hear. The coming of Christ in First Thessalonians 4 is public.

This isn’t the only point believers in a “rapture” overlook in I Thessalonians 4. The saints return with Jesus, just as they do in Revelation 19.

We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe
that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in
him. I Thessalonians 4:14 NIV

It may be that these two verses are confusing. Verse 14 says that saints who have passed away will return with Jesus while verse 16 says that they will be raised from the dead. However they arrive, it is clear that those who died in communion with Christ will be present. No one who believes in the modern concoction of “rapture” says anything about those who lived in the past being seen as living Chrsitians disappear.

So where do believers go after they meet Jesus in the air?

After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up
together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so we will be with the Lord for ever.
I Thessalonians 4:17 NIV

Paul says “we will be with the Lord for ever.” Rapturists take that to mean that Christians will be taken to heaven at this time. Yet the entire passage points to the Second Coming. If Christ has returned to earth, then Christians on earth are “with the Lord.”

Teachers Bible Commentary on I Thessalonians 4:1 – 5:22

“The Greeks had no concept for a resurrection of the body. They believed that only the spirit was eternal. Paul here (4:13-18) explains that the believers who have died will not be left behind. On the other hand, the Jews generally believed that only those living at the advent of the Messiah’s reign would share in it. Paul explains that the Christian view is different from both. Those who died as believers will be raised to take part in the coming messianic kingdom.”

The Teacher’s Bible Commentary, Herschel H. Hobbs, New Testament
Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1972

This is a traditional Baptist commentary. Notice there is no mention of “rapture.” Instead, it says that believers, some raised from the dead, will share in a Messianic Kingdom as Jesus rules on earth.

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Amen

From my studies John Nelson Darby is considered the father of the pre tribulation rapture theory from the 19th century.

And from my studies both Billy Graham and Oral Roberts enhance this teachings popularity from the 1950s on.

Dale said:

You say that the Marriage Feast of the Lamb is what matters. It seems to me that the Marriage Feast is only one of several ways that we are told of the saved entering Paradise, but we’ll take a look at it. Consider this passage.


Mt. 22:1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying:
Mt. 22:2“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a
wedding banquet for his son.
Mt. 22:3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the
banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
Mt. 22:4“Then he sent some more servants and said, `Tell those who
have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen
and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is
ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
Mt. 22:5“But they paid no attention and went off — one to his field,
another to his business.
Mt. 22:6The rest seized his servants, ill-treated them and killed them.
Mt. 22:7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those
murderers and burned their city.
Mt. 22:8“Then he said to his servants, `The wedding banquet is ready,
but those I invited did not deserve to come.
Mt. 22:9Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you
find.’
Mt. 22:10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the
people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding
hall was filled with guests.
Mt. 22:11“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a
man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.
Mt. 22:12`Friend,’ he asked, `how did you get in here without wedding
clothes?’ The man was speechless.
Mt. 22:13“Then the king told the attendants, `Tie him hand and foot,
and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Mt. 22:14“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
Matthew 22:1-14 NIV

The King represents God the Father, and the Prince, His son, can only be Jesus Christ. The servants of the King are the Apostles, Disciples and later evangelists who bring God’s word to the world. The slaugtering of the oxen and cattle in verse 22:4 are are slightly veiled reference to the Crucifixion of Christ. The Crucifixion has already happened when the Apostles are sent out with God’s word. Verses 6 and 7 tell of God’s messengers being rejected, persecuted, and even killed. God will bring destruction on those who persecute His messengers. In verses 10-12, we are told of the man who is improperly dressed and is thrown “into the darkness.” Here Jesus warns us about hypocrisy. Those who join God’s Kingdom must do so whole-heartedly.

This parable tells us that some who are brought into the King’s great banquet were not thought to be good people before they listen to God’s servants.

There is no promise here that those who respond to God’s invitation will be free from persecution before they get to the wedding banquet. There is the promise of heaven in this passage but there is no promise that God will snatch Christians off the earth before the Second Coming.

Click to expand...

The Parable of the Banquet always seemed pretty straight forward. Remember Jesus said to the Pharisees and teacher of the Law, "The prostitutes and tax collectors are entering the kingdom ahead of you"? That's what the Parable is about. The invitation is sent out, but the ones to whom received the invitation--e.g. the Pharisees, scribes, the chief priests--refused. So then the invitation is sent to the street corners, to the Gentiles, to the prostitutes, the sinners, the tax collectors, etc.

The kingdom of God, Jesus says, is like this Wedding Feast. This isn't about the end of the world, it's about the kingdom of God which has come through the Person and Work of Jesus.

-CryptoLutheran