The Rapture? No: A Biblical Examination of Christ’s Return

Introduction

One of the most divisive assertions within church circles—more contentious than debates over women’s ordination or entire sanctification—has been the claim that there is no “rapture” as popularly imagined. The narrative of a secret, pre-tribulation removal of believers, popularized by the Left Behind series and similar media, lacks solid biblical grounding. This perspective was shaped through a Master of Arts in Theological Studies program at Nazarene Theological Seminary, completed in 2020, which included an in-depth study of Revelation and leading a monthly Bible study on the book. The doctrine of the rapture is not only misunderstood but often constructed from isolated verses, ignoring broader biblical theology and context. This post examines 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, the primary text cited for the rapture, through Greek exegesis, historical theology, and scriptural coherence, demonstrating that Christ’s return is a public, triumphant event, not a secret escape. The Greek harpazō (caught up) and parousia (coming) reveal a resurrection reunion, not a clandestine departure.

The Context of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (ESV) reads:

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. 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, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

Paul addresses the Thessalonian church’s grief over deceased believers, fearing they missed Christ’s return. The term “asleep” (koimaō, to sleep; BDAG 2000, s.v. “κοιμάω”) is a euphemism for death, emphasizing hope in resurrection (Bauckham 2010, 145). The passage comforts, assuring that the dead in Christ will participate in the parousia (coming of the Lord), a term denoting a king’s public arrival (BDAG 2000, s.v. “παρουσία”). This is not a secret event but a visible reunion.

The phrase “caught up” (harpazō, to seize or snatch; BDAG 2000, s.v. “ἁρπάζω”) describes believers meeting the Lord in the air, but the context is resurrection, not rapture. David DeSilva notes, “Paul’s imagery draws from imperial processions, where citizens meet a returning king outside the city” (DeSilva 2018, 89). The “trumpet of God” (salpigx, trumpet; Revelation 11:15) signals a public, triumphant event, not a stealthy escape (Keener 2009, 247).

Misunderstandings of the Rapture Doctrine

The rapture doctrine, as popularly taught, originates from 19th-century dispensationalism, popularized by John Nelson Darby and the Scofield Reference Bible (1909). It posits a pre-tribulation, secret removal of believers, leaving the world in chaos. This view relies on a literalist reading of 1 Thessalonians 4, ignoring its comforting purpose and broader eschatology (Bauckham 2010, 132). Norman Geisler, while not a dispensationalist, critiques similar misreadings, noting that building theology on isolated verses leads to error (Geisler 2005, 278).

The rapture narrative assumes a seven-year tribulation, with believers spared. However, 1 Thessalonians 4 describes Christ’s descent (katabainō, to descend; BDAG 2000, s.v. “καταβαίνω”) with a “cry of command” (keleusma, shout; BDAG 2000, s.v. “κέλευσμα”), archangel’s voice, and trumpet—public fanfare, not secrecy. The “meeting in the air” (apantēsis, meeting; BDAG 2000, s.v. “ἀπάντησις”) echoes ancient customs where citizens met returning rulers outside the city, escorting them in triumph (DeSilva 2018, 90). Believers meet Christ, not to flee earth, but to join His victorious return.

Historical and Theological Context

Dispensationalism, emerging in the 1830s with Darby, divided history into “dispensations,” with the church raptured before the tribulation. This view gained traction through the Scofield Bible and media like Left Behind, but it’s a modern construct, unknown to the early church (Wright 2019, 78). John Wesley, in his Explanatory Notes on the New Testament (1755), interpreted 1 Thessalonians 4 as the resurrection at Christ’s visible return, not a secret rapture (Wesley 1872, 3:456). Dr. Andy Johnson, a Nazarene scholar, emphasizes Revelation’s parousia as a public event, calling believers to endure tribulation with hope, not escape it (Johnson 2017, 89).

The early church fathers, like Irenaeus (Against Heresies 5.31.1, ca. 180 CE), viewed Christ’s return as a single, visible event with resurrection, not multiple stages (Holmes 2007, 457). The Nicene Creed (325 CE) affirms “He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,” with no mention of a pre-tribulation rapture. This historical consensus supports a unified eschatology, where believers face trials but are sustained by God’s grace.

The Broader Biblical Theology: Hope in Resurrection

Paul’s emphasis is hope: the dead in Christ rise first, then the living are “caught up” to meet Him (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). This mirrors 1 Corinthians 15:51–52 (ESV): “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.” The salpigx (trumpet) signals the same event—the resurrection at Christ’s parousia (BDAG 2000, s.v. “σάλπιγξ”). Matthew 24:31 (ESV) describes the Son of Man sending angels “with a loud trumpet call” to gather the elect, echoing Paul’s imagery. No secret rapture here—just a glorious, public reunion.

The Thessalonian church feared the dead missed Christ’s return, but Paul assures unity in resurrection. As Beale notes, “The harpazō is not escape but participation in Christ’s descent, a triumphant escort” (Beale 2015, 278). This hope counters fear, encouraging believers to “encourage one another” (1 Thessalonians 4:18).

No Secret Rapture: A Public, Triumphant Event

The rapture doctrine posits a secret removal of believers before tribulation, but scripture portrays Christ’s return as visible and dramatic. Revelation 1:7 (ESV) says, “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him.” The Greek erchomai (coming) and horaō (see) emphasize universality (BDAG 2000, s.v. “ἔρχομαι,” “ὁράω”). Jesus warns of false christs claiming secret returns (Matthew 24:26–27, ESV: “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man”). The parousia is like lightning—unmissable.

Dispensationalism’s pre-tribulation rapture lacks explicit biblical support, relying on a misreading of harpazō as a separate event from the second coming. Paul’s “word from the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:15) aligns with Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 24, where the gathering follows tribulation (Matthew 24:29–31). Johnson argues, “The rapture is a modern invention, distorting Paul’s hope in resurrection” (Johnson 2017, 92). The early church expected to endure trials, as seen in Revelation 7:14 (ESV): “They have come out of the great tribulation.”

Theological Implications: Endurance, Not Escape

The rapture doctrine can foster escapism, discouraging engagement with the world. Wesley warned against such views, emphasizing endurance through grace (Wesley 1872, 3:456). The Bible calls believers to suffer with Christ (Romans 8:17, ESV: “if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him”). Tribulation (thlipsis, pressure; BDAG 2000, s.v. “θλῖψις”) refines faith, as in Revelation 3:18 (ESV): “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire.” The church’s mission is witness amid trials, not evacuation.

This ties to the gospel’s call to voluntary faith (pisteuō, John 3:16). If the rapture spares believers from suffering, it undermines the cross’s model of victory through sacrifice. As Bauckham notes, “Revelation’s hope is not escape but faithful endurance, conquering as the Lamb conquered” (Bauckham 2010, 145).

Conclusion: Christ’s Return – A Glorious Reunion

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 offers hope in resurrection, not a secret rapture. The parousia is a public triumph, where the dead in Christ rise and the living are “caught up” to meet Him. This comforts the grieving, encouraging faithfulness amid trials. Dispensationalism’s rapture narrative, a 19th-century innovation, distorts scripture’s unified eschatology. The church’s call is endurance, not escape, witnessing God’s kingdom until Christ returns in glory.

Bibliography

Bauer, Walter, Frederick W. Danker, William F. Arndt, and F. Wilbur Gingrich. 2000. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Bauckham, Richard. 2010. Reading Revelation Responsibly: Uncivil Worship and Witness. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books.

Beale, G.K. 2015. Revelation: A Shorter Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

DeSilva, David A. 2018. Unholy Allegiances: Heeding Revelation’s Warning. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers.

Fee, Gordon D. 1987. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Geisler, Norman L. 2005. Systematic Theology: Volume Four: Church, Last Things. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House.

Johnson, Andy. 2017. Holiness and the Missio Dei. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books.

Keener, Craig S. 2009. The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Scofield, C.I. 1909. Scofield Reference Bible. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Wesley, John. 1872. The Works of John Wesley. Edited by Thomas Jackson. 14 vols. London: Wesleyan Methodist Book Room.

Wright, N.T. 2019. Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church. New York: HarperOne.