Page 186 - The Rapture Question by John F. Walvoord

The Rapture Question: Revised and Enlarged Edition
from heaven to the earth, He describes a coming for His saints
to take them to the Father’s house. In contrast to the post-
tribulational efTorts to place a Rapture in Matthew 13 or Mat­
thew 24-25, here posttribulationists labor to eliminate the
reference to the Rapture because it is a contradiction of their
own point of view.
A common explanation of this passage is that it is in
reference to a Christian’s death and Christ’s coming for the
Christian to take him to heaven. While this is the normal
liberal interpretation, it is also held by conservatives such as
J. Barton Payne, who referred it to the death of Christians.13
Most conservative scholars, however, will agree with Gundry,
who stated in regard to this passage, “Nothing is said con­
cerning the death of believers generally."14
Taken in its common understanding, the passage says
that Christ will come for His disciples and take them to
heaven to the Father's house. Such an event is totally different
from Christ’s coming to the earth to establish His kingdom. It
is noted that none of the phenomenal features accompanying
the Second Coming are mentioned here.
In order to support his posttribulational view, however,
Gundry, although normally adhering to literal interpretation,
offered an extraordinarily nonlitcral interpretation of this pas­
sage. In his discussion, he first explicitly denied that it is a
movement from heaven to the earth.15 Then he went on to
explain, “In order to console the disciples concerning His
going away, Jesus tells them that His leaving will work to their
advantage. He is going to prepare for them spiritual abodes
within His own Person. Dwelling in these abiding places, they
will belong to God’s household. . . . Thus, the rapture will not
have the purpose of taking them to heaven. It rather follows
from their being in Christ, in whom each believer already has
an abode.”16
When the reader of such a quotation asks for proof or any
evidence in the context that this is what it means, he is left

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