Rapture

From Textus Receptus

The Rapture is an event in the futurist interpretation of Christian eschatology, in which it is posited that Christians will be gathered together in the air to meet Christ at, or up to seven years prior to, his return. The primary passage used to support this idea is 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, in which Paul cites "the word of the Lord" about the return of Jesus to gather his saints.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Etymology

Latin

"Rapture", in the context of eschatology, is an English noun derived from the Latin verb rapiō, "caught up" or "taken away." ^[1] as found in the Vulgate rendering of 1 Thessalonians 4:17.^[2]

Greek

"Raptured" (Latin rapiemur) is Saint Jerome's translation of the Koine Greek verb harpazo, which means "caught up" or "taken away." The Greek verb harpazō (ἁρπάζω) is used only in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 and Acts 8:38.^[3]:Acts 8:39 "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. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea."

English

Bible versions - English Bible versions have rendered Jerome's "raptured" in various ways:

The Wycliffe Bible (1395), translated from the Latin Vulgate (405), uses "rushed".^[4]
The Tyndale New Testament (1525), and then the Bishop's Bible (1568), Geneva Bible (1587) and King James Version (1611) have "caught up"^[5]
The New English Bible, translated from the Greek^[6] in 1 Thess. 4:16 has this footnote: suddenly caught up. Or "snatched up." The Greek verb arpazo (ἁρπάζω) implies that the action is quick or forceful, so the translation added the adverb "suddenly" to make this implicit notion clear.

Literature - The Oxford English Dictionary provides two pages describing the history of usage of the word in English. From the 17th century onwards, the word is attested as rapture with similar senses to the older form rapt. The OED provides the etymology as from Latin rapere: to seize, especially abduct; it likens the words capture and rapture. Of particular note are the various distinctions involving either literal or figurative transport of body or emotions to heaven or from one place to another on earth.^[7]* circa 1400: Þe visions of seynt poul wan he was rapt into paradys. – Vernon manuscript^[8]

1412-20: In this wyse were the brethren twayne To heauen rapt, as thes poetes fayne. – John Lydgate, Chronicle of Troy^[9]
1432-50: Helyas was rapte in this tyme. – Ranulf Higden, Polychronicon^[10]
1526: Whan he was rapt & taken vp in to the thyrde heuen. – William Bond, Pilgrim of Perfection^[11]
1610: To this place … were Enoch, Elias and Paul rapt up fore their deaths. – John Guillim, Display of Heraldry ^[12]
1667: Rapt in a Chariot drawn by fiery Steeds. – John Milton, Paradise Lost^[13]
1866: He was rapt up on high and saw S. Peter. – Charles Kingsley, Hereward the Wake^[14]

John 11:23-27

The mindset of Martha about the resurrection is reveled in John 11:

23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Here Martha and Jesus were speaking of the resurrection of the Old Testament period righteous when Jesus resurrected and not the Rapture of the New Testament saints.

John 14:1-3

John 14:1-3:

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

1 Corinthians 1:7-8

1 Corinthians 1:

7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:50-53

1 Corinthians 15:

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Philippians 3:20-21

Philippians 3:

20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Philippians 4:5

Philippians 4: 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Colossians 3:4

Colossians 3: 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

1 Thessalonians 1:10

1 Thessalonians 1: 10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

1 Thessalonians 2:19

1 Thessalonians 2: 19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 19 · 20 · 21 · 22 · 23 · 24 · 25 · 26 · 27 · 28 · 29 · 30 · 31 · 32 · 33 · 34 · 35 · 36 · 37 · 38 · 39 · 40 · 41 · 42 · 43 · 44 · 45 · 46 · 47 · 48 · 49 · 50 · 51 · 52 · 53 · 54 · 55 · 56 · 57 · 58 · 59 · 60 · 61 · 62 · 63 · 64 · 65 · 66 · 67 · 68 · 69 · 70 · 71 · 72 · 73 · 74 · 75 · 76 · 77 · 78 · 79 · 80 · 81 · 82 · 83 · 84 · 85 · 86 · 87 · 88 · 89 · 90 · 91 · 92 · 93 · 94 · 95 · 96 · 97 · 98 · 99 · 100 · 101 · 102 · 103 · 104 · 105 · 106 · 107 · 108 · 109 · 110 · 111 · 112 · 113 · 114 · 115 · 116 · 117 · 118 · 119 · 120 · 121 · 122 · 123 · 124 · 125 · 126 · 127 · 128 · 129 · 130 · 131 · 132 · 133 · 134 · 135 · 136 · 137 · 138 · 139 · 140 ·