Starting form scratch through the various elements surrounding the rapture doctrine is something I don't wan't to take on. Since I am a Preterist, coming from that particular angle is where I have to begin. Many of us here reading already have a presupposition contrary to the millennialist doctrine of the rapture, so it would be fruitless to waste our time on it. I will briefly touch on some of the major points in defense of this doctrine, and counter it as I see fit. This analysis of the rapture doctrine, placed in it historical context, is precisely what I am going to spearhead. Without syntactical gymnastics, we are going to address the reason why Paul used the language he used in 1 Thess 4:17 and to what end it covered theologically for those who eagerly awaited Christ's return, and most specifically, the audience to whom he was speaking.
We are going to focus on harpazo, or the conjugated verb of that:
ἁρπαγησόμεθα - shall be caught up - First Person Future Passive Indicative Plural
Paul writes that we will be ἁρπαγησόμεθα in the clouds in 1 Thessalonians 4.17.I believe he is applying imagery from Daniel 7.13-15 to indicate Christ is the returning son of man figure.
N.T. Wright sees three images behind Paul’s words:
(1) Moses coming down from Sinai where we have a trumpet and a loud voice.
(2) “Daniel 7, in which the persecuted people of God are vindicated over their pagan enemy by being raised up on the clouds to sit with God in glory.”
(3) When emperors visit colonies within the empire and “the citizens of the country would go to meet him at some distance from the city” in order to welcome him as ruler.
N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope, 132.
We have two intertextual echoes and one historical antecedent that give context to 1 Thess. 4.17. So our being “caught up” to meet Christ has more to do with Dan. 7 imagery of the saints victoriously joining Christ in his descent upon evil as well as the Parousia concept in the ancient world of the people of a colony welcoming their ruling emperor.
In the ancient world, it was common to see "caught up" language is common in Greco-Roman epitaphs from burial memorials, saying something along the lines of "caught up in death." Among the pagans, there was virtually no belief of life after death. In fact, among the Roman upper classes, this belief in resurrection put Christianity in the realm of fantasy; perhaps, this is why Festus declared: "Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad." (Acts 26:24) William Barclay (The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, p. 203) quotes ancient philosophers in the subject of dying: "Aeschylus wrote, ‘Once a man dies there is no resurrection.' Theocritus wrote, ‘There is hope for those who are alive, but those who have died are without hope.' Catullus wrote, ‘When once our brief light sets, there is one perpetual night through which we must sleep.' On their tombstones grim epitaphs were carved. ‘I was not; I became; I am not; I care not.' One of the most pathetic papyrus letters that has come down to us is a letter of sympathy which runs like this. ‘Irene to Taonnophris and Philo, good comfort. I was as sorry and wept over the departed one as I wept for Didymas. And all things whatsoever were fitting, I did, and all mine, Epaphroditus and Thermouthion and Philion and Appollonius and Plantas. But nevertheless against such things one can do nothing. Therefore comfort ye one another.'" (Col. 2:8)
Paul's use is to say they are "caught up" to the highest form of life, instead of death, contrasting it with what would have been known as a common euphemism for dying. So it would seem that Paul's message is not really referring to any intricate details of the catching-up, but rather contrasting the supposed finality of the catching-up of death with the hope those who are alive have of being caught up into eternal life with the Lord. By the use of "we," Paul wasn't necessarily stating that he would be caught up in the rapture. In Phil. 3:10-11, Paul desired to "attain to the resurrection from the dead." Later in this epistle, Paul wrote, "whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him" (1 Thess 5:10). When writing, Paul uses "we" to identify with all Christians. The issue of preceding "those who are asleep" was obviously of great concern to the Thessalonians. They may have thought...."Would those Christians who preceded us in death truly be "left behind?" Paul wrote definitively that the dead in Christ will rise first . (John 5:28-29)
This makes much more sense, since the surrounding context of the passage seems to be Paul addressing a concern the Thessalonians had regarding what happened to those who died before Christ's return. Apparently, they were afraid those who had died were dead forever, with no resurrection. . Paul's intent is not to set a pre or post-trib or whatever trib doctrine, but to comfort the Thessalonians and to teach them of the certainty of final resurrection for those who have died as believers. To try and set a timeline, or even a relative timeline is warranted by the passage. Though if anything I think its clear that if the passage sets a relative timeline it says that the coming of Christ and the resurrection and the "catching-up" all happen in very close temporal proximity to Paul's letter.
For the Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thess 4:16-17)
This passage is often cited as proof text for the rapture but Paul was not speaking of a literal event where all true believers will be caught up to meet Jesus in the air. Paul was referencing the political and military custom where citizens would leave the security of their walled city to "Go out and meet" visiting generals, kings and dignitaries. They would do so unarmed as a gesture of subservience and then escort the dignitary into the city as an honored guest.
Paul's statement lines up perfectly with Revelation.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:1-2)
Christ will come once and then those who wait for Him will escort him back to earth as a honored guest and he will transform the church into the heavenly Jerusalem. Rapture theology is also based on the several passages where Christ speaks of one being taken and another being left behind.
I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left. (Luke 17:34-25)
Rapture theologists use this passage outside of it's context. These lines are part of a larger discourse about the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD. Besides, Jesus prefaces his statement about being taken and being left behind several verses earlier by saying...
As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. (Luke 17:26-30)
We see the same imagery Paul is leaning on in Phil 3:20-21
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly bwait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
Don’t misread the statement that our citizenship is “in heaven”. That doesn’t mean we must “go” there to get it. It is obvious that even in this passage, like the others we have mentioned, resurrection is the focus and if resurrection is the focus then we do not regain our bodies to “go”.
Several key passages are now to be analyzed in lieu of our focal point.
Describing the vast majority who "heareth the Word of the Kingdom, and understandeth it not" (Matt 13:19), Satan "catcheth away [Greek, harpazo] that which was sown in his heart" (Matthew 13:19). The events surrounding the Rapture are by stealth to the ungodly, i.e., the "Day of the LORD so cometh as a thief in the night" (1Thess 5:2), but not to the Godly. "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief" (1 Thess 5:4).
"Harpazo" is used to describe the great multitudes of people who were ready to "come and take Him [Jesus] by force [Greek, harpazo], to make Him a king" (John 6:15). Though they had the base design of wanting to force Jesus to be their benefactor for selfish reasons, it does remind us that the LORD will take His own by force for His own pleasure. "Thou art worthy, O LORD, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created" (Revelation 4:11). It is the pleasure of our King to rapture His people, that "where [King Jesus is], there ye may be also" (John 14:3).
The Good Shepherd teaches us that He cares for us as His sheep. "I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep" (John 10:11). Compare the LORD Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd as opposed to a "hireling" (John 10:12). "But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth [Greek, harpazo] them, and scattereth the sheep" (John 10:12). Again, Satan will catch those who "received not the love of the Truth" (2 Thess 2:10), and these will "be damned who believed not the Truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thess 2:12).
Continuing with His analogy of Shepherd and sheep, Jesus assures us that no one is capable of seizing us by force out of His hand. "28 And I give unto them Eternal Life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck [Greek, harpazo] them out of My hand. 29 My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck [Greek, harpazo] them out of My Father's hand" (John 10:28-29). In this instance, it is with great relief that we are not snatched away-- by Satan. "The Name of the LORD is a Strong Tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe" (Proverbs 18:10).
Now let's read very carefully here about Phillip:
Philip the Evangelist was directed by the angel of the LORD to go to Gaza. He met an Ethiopian, who was a chief officer of Queen Candace, reading Isaiah 53.
"6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth" (Isaiah 53:6-7).
Expounding these Scriptures concerning Jesus the Messiah, the Ethiopian eunuch believed, and was baptized. "And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the LORD caught away [Greek, harpazo] Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing" (Acts 8:39). In this instance, Philip was caught away to other earthly employments. About twenty years later, the Apostle Paul stayed over at Philip's house in Caesarea (Acts 21:8). But, to be caught away by the LORD means to be repositioned for a higher service.
So what do we do with the part in 1 Thess. 4.17 where we are “caught up”. It almost seems like resurrection could be so we “go to heaven” where Christ has been. I think this misses Paul’s point and it ignores the Johannine and Lukan contributions to our eschatology that we have noted.
ἅμα. Does this (A) emphasize the σὺν: ‘together with’ (NIV), or (B) emphasize the unity of the περιλειπόμενοι, or (C) state the unity of all the living Christians since that specific event?
shall be caught up (Harpazo) aΊrpa/zw har-pad'-zo
to seize, carry off by force
to seize on, claim for one's self eagerly
to snatch out or away
the clouds (Nephele) nefeΡlh nef-el'-ay
a cloud
used of the cloud which led the Israelites in the wilderness
Cloud in this verse is different from "cloud" as we know it. It is meant to represent the Spirit of God as shown above. This is found in Exodus, when a pillar cloud lead the israelites into the wilderness. This was not a "normal" cloud, but the Spirit of God.
to (Eis)
meet (Apantesis) a)pa/nthsiv ap-an'-tay-sis
the Lord (Kurios) ku/riov koo'-ree-os
in (Eis) the air (Aer) aΉh/r ah-ayr'
the air, particularly the lower and denser air as distinguished from the higher and rarer air
As seen here, the "air" means the "air" right above the surface of the earth or denser air, such as above mountain terrain. This matches up with scripture in the Old Testament, that this air, in the clouds, resides in a realm although yet physical in appearance, is none other than the spiritual realm in which God abides. Riding swiftly on the clouds of Heaven.
In conclusion, it is hard to interpret this as a voluntary action of the caught up saints, dead or alive. Paul is clear that external force (God) makes it, it is not voluntary decision. The language Paul used was common usage for the ancients when applying a higher spiritual existence that does not necessarily denotes incorporeal living solely, but rather an existence that was shown through various works and historical elements that were concerned with higher, divine service, whether it be in this world, another, or both incorporated together, as such is current with any Christian and their life. Paul exemplifies the act of the chastised bride 2 Cor 11:2…leaving the city walls…prepared for the husband Christ, catching up His bride in consummation The Parousia (Presence or indwelling), Marriage, Harpazo, etc…are all part of one grand scheme and panoramic event…the end of the Old Covenant terminally….the city walls of the temple fell, and the saints and Christ indwell cohesively in the physical, natural and spiritual dimensions that we call reality…Heaven on Earth….as it is on Earth, it is in Heaven…complete union like "Christ's" resurrected and ascended body…as the two were indeed compatible…that is the resurrection of the dead. Jesus comes, Christians meet him in the "spirit sky/air" and then follow him back to earth where all the other judgements take place, and then the wedding feast begins….the marriage, the honeymoon, and all the life's toil of endurance, overcoming of "temptations" to sin, throughout the ages to come, unto a world without end, where in the earth abodes forever....
The saints of the first century and those that slept, were indeed caught up, in eternal life and service, and those who eagerly awaited Him, were positioned here on earth into priestly service, for the Lord God, Jesus Christ.
Thanks for reading.
Ken Palmer
Covenant Preterism
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