Catholic Interpretation of 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18

[Miquelot]

We all know that Evangelicals interpret 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18 as the basis for "the Rapture."  But what is the historical, orthodox, Catholic interpretation of this passage?  How did the Fathers and Doctors of the Church see this verse?: "Then we who are alive, who are left, shall be taken up together with them in the clouds to meet Christ, into the air, and so shall we be always with the Lord."  (I apologize, but I do not own Scott Hahn's Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Thessalonians, Timothy, and Titus, the Navarre Bible Commentaries, or Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary.) 

[jovan66102]

We all know that Evangelicals interpret 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18 as the basis for "the Rapture."  But what is the historical, orthodox, Catholic interpretation of this passage?  How did the Fathers and Doctors of the Church see this verse?: "Then we who are alive, who are left, shall be taken up together with them in the clouds to meet Christ, into the air, and so shall we be always with the Lord."  (I apologize, but I do not own Scott Hahn's Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Thessalonians, Timothy, and Titus, the Navarre Bible Commentaries, or Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary.) 

Haydock is online here:

http://haydock1859.tripod.com/index.html

[glgas]

Here is the text from the Duoay Rhems

1 Tess 4:15 For the Lord himself shall come down from heaven with commandment, and with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead who are in Christ, shall rise first. 16 Then we who are alive, who are left, shall be taken up together with them in the clouds to meet Christ, into the air, and so shall we be always with the Lord. 17 Wherefore, comfort ye one another with these words.

The exegesis as I remember is:

- Christ is coming
- Everyone rises (those who died in Christ first not in time, bu dignity)
- Christ makes the judgment (applies the commandment)
- The good people are elevated to the eternity with Christ

[iggyting]

I think the difference between the Catholic and the Protestant interpretation is not over the 'mechanism' of the so-called 'Rapture'. It may be those alive then would be lifted up in the air, literally. Rather the difference is in the fundamental (literal) reading of every aspects of the Bible. This 'Rapture' stands as an illustrative point of the difference.

[jovan66102]

I think the difference between the Catholic and the Protestant interpretation is not over the 'mechanism' of the so-called 'Rapture'. It may be those alive then would be lifted up in the air, literally. Rather the difference is in the fundamental (literal) reading of every aspects of the Bible. This 'Rapture' stands as an illustrative point of the difference.

Actually, the 'rapture' is a new doctrine, even in protestantism. It was invented in the 1820's. No one had ever heard of it before then.

[TradCathYouth]

I think the difference between the Catholic and the Protestant interpretation is not over the 'mechanism' of the so-called 'Rapture'. It may be those alive then would be lifted up in the air, literally. Rather the difference is in the fundamental (literal) reading of every aspects of the Bible. This 'Rapture' stands as an illustrative point of the difference.

Actually, the 'rapture' is a new doctrine, even in protestantism. It was invented in the 1820's. No one had ever heard of it before then.

And they say CATHOLICS make up doctrines...

[Miquelot]

I think the difference between the Catholic and the Protestant interpretation is not over the 'mechanism' of the so-called 'Rapture'. It may be those alive then would be lifted up in the air, literally.

That's exactly what I was wondering. 

[iggyting]

It does matter when you are lifted up. Just pray that you are not doing your toiletry! 

[iggyting]

Pardon my distasteful sense of humor (or lack of it) ! What I am suggesting is that the popular Protestant interpretation of the 'Rapture' bears a mark of the macabre, as if a vengeful god delights in the final destruction. Whereas, the Catholic interpretation would see the event as the glorious fulfillment of the long-awaited Kingdom of God, the triumphant moment of salvation.

[glgas]

I think the difference between the Catholic and the Protestant interpretation is not over the 'mechanism' of the so-called 'Rapture'. It may be those alive then would be lifted up in the air, literally. Rather the difference is in the fundamental (literal) reading of every aspects of the Bible. This 'Rapture' stands as an illustrative point of the difference.

The essence of the protestant Rapture theology is, the sequence of the events:

 - Christ coming
 - he saves the chosen Christians
 - great tribulation for the rest
 - last judgment
 - Eternity for the predestinated ones, eternal death for the rest

Catholics could believe too that the heaven is not in this Earth, so we are elevated there, but the preferential treatment solely for faith at the end is against out faith. We need good works, at we too will be tested at the end.

[Nic]

I think the difference between the Catholic and the Protestant interpretation is not over the 'mechanism' of the so-called 'Rapture'. It may be those alive then would be lifted up in the air, literally. Rather the difference is in the fundamental (literal) reading of every aspects of the Bible. This 'Rapture' stands as an illustrative point of the difference.

The essence of the protestant Rapture theology is, the sequence of the events:

 - Christ coming
 - he saves the chosen Christians
 - great tribulation for the rest
 - last judgment
 - Eternity for the predestinated ones, eternal death for the rest

Catholics could believe too that the heaven is not in this Earth, so we are elevated there, but the preferential treatment solely for faith at the end is against out faith. We need good works, at we too will be tested at the end.

Indeed the Rapturists have fabricated a theology that is somehow very attractive to those who don't know Christian history, or for that matter, Scripture.

Rapturist theology was invented by a man named Darby in the mid 1800's.  It is based on a totally skewed view of the Apocalypse of St. John (Revelation).  Even among many Catholics there are Christians who just cannot stop themselves from placing the book of Revelation WAY in the future from the time it was written (which was most evidently around 68 AD).  It can be easily seen that the Apocalypse was written through the lenses of the 1st Century - and all of the vivid imagery is Apocalyptic literature to explain actual truths.  Anyway - the book of Revelation has to do with the destruction of the Temple and the Old Covenant - and the beginning of the Kingdom of Heaven which Christ spoke of so often in Scripture as being imminent.  What Rapturists do is place a 2,000 year "parenthesis" period so they can get  away from admitting that Jesus Christ set up an earthly Ecclesiastical Kingdom, and that after the date of A.D. 70 there is no more distinction between Jew or Gentile (most Rapturist are of the Dispensational ilk - they believe that God still owes the ethnic Jews something) - now there are only Christian and non-Christian (actually, Catholic and non-Catholic).  The only verses in the Apocalypse of St. John that have to do with the future is a brief section at the end of ch. 20 into ch. 21, concerning the time of Satan's bounded imprisonment and the time he is released to deceive the nations (which in my opinion he has already been released).

Anyway, Rapturist theology is bologna and was absolutely foreign to the Early Church.  The only thing that Fundies have to hold on to concerning ancient beliefs is Chiliasm, which was erroneous because many of the Jewish converts to Christianity did not thouroughly Christianize their belief in the millennium.  This is the main reason why the Eastern portion of the Early Church had such a problem with the Apocalypse of St. John - but when the Western half proved that it doesn't teach a literal millennium, the book was canonized into Sacred Scripture.

[CrusaderKing]

It's important to note that Catholics believe the event described in Thessalonians is going to occur. Where we part company with Pentacostals/Evangelicals/Fundamentalists is the timing of it. Catholics believe this event will happen after the reign of Antichrist and at the time of the Second Coming; the aforementioned groups believe it'll happen before the reign of Antichrist, and they're going to be in for a rude awakening when it doesn't go according to their expectations.

[Miquelot]

It's important to note that Catholics believe the event described in Thessalonians is going to occur. Where we part company with Pentacostals/Evangelicals/Fundamentalists is the timing of it. Catholics believe this event will happen after the reign of Antichrist and at the time of the Second Coming; the aforementioned groups believe it'll happen before the reign of Antichrist, and they're going to be in for a rude awakening when it doesn't go according to their expectations.

So in essence you are saying that Catholics do believe in a "rapture" event, one in which believers will be whisked away to ascend into the clouds, but after the Great Tribulation? 

[CrusaderKing]

It's important to note that Catholics believe the event described in Thessalonians is going to occur. Where we part company with Pentacostals/Evangelicals/Fundamentalists is the timing of it. Catholics believe this event will happen after the reign of Antichrist and at the time of the Second Coming; the aforementioned groups believe it'll happen before the reign of Antichrist, and they're going to be in for a rude awakening when it doesn't go according to their expectations.

So in essence you are saying that Catholics do believe in a "rapture" event, one in which believers will be whisked away to ascend into the clouds, but after the Great Tribulation? 

The Catholic Church doesn't believe in it in the same sense the aforementioned groups do. However, since St. Paul did say this event is going to occur, it will happen. Certain Saints and Doctors of the Church described this part of Catholic eschatology. If you want me to, I'll try and dig up the quotes.

[Walty]

It's important to note that Catholics believe the event described in Thessalonians is going to occur. Where we part company with Pentacostals/Evangelicals/Fundamentalists is the timing of it. Catholics believe this event will happen after the reign of Antichrist and at the time of the Second Coming; the aforementioned groups believe it'll happen before the reign of Antichrist, and they're going to be in for a rude awakening when it doesn't go according to their expectations.

Yes, I think this is the main difference here.  And it makes sense that Protestants should think this way.  I mean, they shun suffering.  They don't like to see that God uses tribulation and that suffering is a necessary part of being a Christian.  This is why they are always listening to Joel Osteen and hiding from crucifixes.