Page 203 - The Rapture Question by John F. Walvoord

The Rapture Question: Revised and Enlarged Edition
to be considered. Thus the particle (de) is best taken, not as
adversative, but transitional and may well be rendered
‘now.’”1 As Hiebert pointed out, the translation “but" is used
by Conybeare, Darby, Goodspeed, Lattey, Phillips, Way,
Weymouth, Williams, RSV. and 20th Cent., while both the
New American Standard and the New International versions
use “now.”
It would only be natural for the Thessalonians, having
been taught the truth of the Rapture and the wonderful fact
that when it occurred they would see their loved ones who had
died, for them to ask the question. When will the Rapture
occur? The answer given in chapter 5 is that the time of the
Rapture is uncertain. It would seem, if the posttribulational
view were correct, that this would have been a good time for
Paul to explain that, as a matter of fact, the Rapture could not
occur soon and that at least a seven-year period would inter­
vene. including the Great Tribulation, before they’ could ex­
pect the fulfillment of the hope of the Lord’s return. Instead of
that, he introduced the subject of the day of the Lord as hav­
ing an uncertain beginning, and he seemed to tie the begin­
ning of the day of the Lord with the time of the Rapture. The
study of this chapter, while it was intended by’ Paul to have
primarily a practical exhortation to the Thessalonians, is also
related to the question of whether the Rapture is before or
after the predicted Tribulation.
The relationship of 1 Thessalonians 5 to the Rapture has
been debated bv both pretribulationists and posttribu-
lationists with an amazing variety’ of opinions.2 The prob­
lem centers in the definition of “the day' of the Lord” and
its relationship to the Rapture. Because there are differences of
interpretation among both pretribulationists and posttribu-
lationists, generalizations are inadvisable. The center of the
problem is, first of all, the question of what “the day of the
Lord” means. A second question is why the day of the Lord is
introduced immediately after discussion of the Rapture. A
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