1TH 4: Meaning of "meet"
1TH 4: Meaning of "meet"
This is essentially directed at Steve: I've heard you make the point that "meet" in 1TH 4:17 connotes going out & greet someone of importance to escort them back in. While attempting to verify that, I came across this article. Of course other articles (such as this one) refute this, but I wondered if you have anything to add.
Re: 1TH 4: Meaning of "meet"
Thanks for posting.
I don't believe I ever claimed that the word "meet" in 1 Thessalonians 4 is a "technical term." If I did, I spoke out of turn, but it has never been a conviction of mine that the term can only mean the meeting of a dignitary in order to accompany him on the last leg of his journey. I do think it means that in 1 Thessalonians, and it unmistakably means that in the other two appearances in the New Testament.
I have never thought the use of this particular verb disproves a pretrib rapture. That doctrine is disproved by every relevant passage about its timing (including 1 Thess.4, which places the rapture at the parousia, just prior to the resurrection). My point is that the word is reasonably understood in this way, and this meaning is the only one that can be documented by New Testament usage. That it may have other meanings in some contexts has never been anything I would have been interested in denying.
I don't believe I ever claimed that the word "meet" in 1 Thessalonians 4 is a "technical term." If I did, I spoke out of turn, but it has never been a conviction of mine that the term can only mean the meeting of a dignitary in order to accompany him on the last leg of his journey. I do think it means that in 1 Thessalonians, and it unmistakably means that in the other two appearances in the New Testament.
I have never thought the use of this particular verb disproves a pretrib rapture. That doctrine is disproved by every relevant passage about its timing (including 1 Thess.4, which places the rapture at the parousia, just prior to the resurrection). My point is that the word is reasonably understood in this way, and this meaning is the only one that can be documented by New Testament usage. That it may have other meanings in some contexts has never been anything I would have been interested in denying.
Re: 1TH 4: Meaning of "meet"
I agree with Steve on the meaning of this word in this context (we probably disagree on the timing, however).
The word apantēsis is found in only two other places in the NT, and in both places it has the above meaning. In Acts 28:15, believers from Rome went out to “meet” Paul and escort him back to their city. Similarly in Matthew 25:1-10, the virgins go out to “meet” the bridegroom and escort him back to the wedding hall. Thus, the image evoked in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 is that of believers being spiritually caught up to go out to meet and escort Jesus back to earth to begin his rule on earth (cf. Matt. 16:27-28; Luke 19:11-27). The idea of believers being physically transported to heaven in a literal rapture is foreign to the text. Martin writes the following along these lines:
In examining this section of Scripture it should first be noted that the image of meeting (Gr. apantēsis, v. 17) the Lord in the air draws from the ancient practice of the citizens of a city going out to meet an important dignitary at his coming (parousia) to their territory. The citizens would go out to meet the ruler and escort him back to their city (i.e., he comes to their location; they do not go to his).But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
The word apantēsis is found in only two other places in the NT, and in both places it has the above meaning. In Acts 28:15, believers from Rome went out to “meet” Paul and escort him back to their city. Similarly in Matthew 25:1-10, the virgins go out to “meet” the bridegroom and escort him back to the wedding hall. Thus, the image evoked in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 is that of believers being spiritually caught up to go out to meet and escort Jesus back to earth to begin his rule on earth (cf. Matt. 16:27-28; Luke 19:11-27). The idea of believers being physically transported to heaven in a literal rapture is foreign to the text. Martin writes the following along these lines:
D. Michael Martin, 1, 2 Thessalonians, (1995) 155. It should be noted that Martin is a futurist, not a preterist, and thus looks for the gathering of God’s people to happen in the future[Verses] 15-17 seem to be cast in language and images depicting the arrival of a grand dignitary. The heralds announce his coming. The crowds surge out of their city to meet him and celebrate his arrival. At this point such a dignitary would not take the crowd with him and leave. Rather, the crowd would escort him into the city. In other words, the most likely way to complete the scenario Paul painted is by assuming that after assembling his people Christ would not leave but would proceed with his parousia. What our passage depicts is not the removal of the church but the early stages of the day of the Lord.