PART 3 OF 5
the Early Christian Fathers
From the earliest times Christians have faced hardship to the point of being desuetude, some had given up their very lives willing; not accepting escape, but rather facing the Tribulation of this world.
Many in the Apostolic period and the years which followed recorded how Christians saw their deaths as a way to be apart of the death of our Lord.
…"They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground."Heb:11:37-38
Christians of that time took Jesus' words, that they would face challenges but they could still be at peace.
"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."Jhn:16:33
These Christians determined that in life or death they would glorify Jesus Christ .
Belief in the Rapture or not believing in the Rapture is not what determines whether a person is or is not a Christian. Our Salvation is not grounded or experienced by and in an event , but thru Jesus Christ alone. When we look to anything other then Jesus for unity in the body of Christ , which is his Church , what ever that might be, doctrine , theology, litany, liturgy , governance, sacraments, then unity will fail when ever there is a difference of opinion , but if our unity comes thru Jesus alone then we can have differences and still keep unity and fellowship.A past leader of Grace Communion once wrote that if doctrinal unity alone is the basis for our unity , then the very thing which brought us together will be the very thing which will tear us apart.
No Escape Found
When we look to Scripture and the history of the Church no matter how far back we go we can see that there is no teaching that Jesus Christ would come in stealth to remove Christians from off the Earth.
The Church, prior to the creation of the Rapture by the Jesuit Priest Francisco Ribera (1537-1591) of Salamanca , when Pope Leo X commissioned the study of the Book of Revelation and Daniel , had no such teaching of "escape" . This is a fact of history which John Darby knew to be true yet choose to ignore it. This is important to understand , for it becomes apparent that all of Darby's Theology exists to maintain the belief in escape thru the Rapture, and if there is no escape then all Despinsational Theology collapses especially in light of 1Corinthians:15:50-58
The Church, prior to the creation of the Rapture by the Jesuit Priest Francisco Ribera (1537-1591) of Salamanca , when Pope Leo X commissioned the study of the Book of Revelation and Daniel , had no such teaching of "escape" . This is a fact of history which John Darby knew to be true yet choose to ignore it. This is important to understand , for it becomes apparent that all of Darby's Theology exists to maintain the belief in escape thru the Rapture, and if there is no escape then all Despinsational Theology collapses especially in light of 1Corinthians:15:50-58
Cyril, who was the Bishop of Jerusalem 315-386 AD, wrote “We believe in Him, who ascended into the Heavens, and sat down on the right hand of the Father, and will come in glory to judge the quick and dead at the end of this world in the last day. For of this world is to be an end, and this creation is to be remade anew”
Lactantius 260-330 AD,
taught that the Antichrist would reign and persecute Christians then God would send Christ to destroy
the Antichrist and raise the dead in Christ at his coming.
Cyprain 200-258 AD, a
Christian minister and martyr, believed that the Antichrist would come then
Christ would come and defeat him at the “end
of the World”
Hippolytus 170-236 AD,
believed that during his lifetime the “Beast
Power” would emerge and persecute the church, which would then be delivered by Christ at his
coming. And it would be at this time of Christ’s coming that the dead would be
raised, and the Antichrist destroyed and the saints glorified.
Tetullian 160-240 AD,
believed that the Antichrists would come and persecute Christians and that the
coming of Christ would save the church out of the persecution and then followed
the resurrection of the saints.
Ignatius of Antioch, who was a disciple
of the Apostle Paul, was killed in the arena by lions during the time of the
Emperor Trajan in the Second Imperial Persecution between 98-117AD. He believed that
Christians would pass though Great Tribulation; Then Jesus would be seen by all
the Earth and be accompanied by the resurrected dead. (1) (2)
(1) Foxe’s Book of Martyrs – By John Foxe
(2) Early Church Fathers Edited by Cyril
Richardson
Polycarp, who was taught by the Apostle John at Ephesus and became
the lead pastor at Smyrna, taught that that Christians would face persecution
at the hands of the Antichrist, then Jesus
would come and resurrect the dead.
Polycarp was martyred during the Fourth Imperial Persecution under
Emperor Marcus Aurelius at the age of eighty-six around 157-161-AD. (1)
(1) Foxe’s Book of Martyrs – By John Foxe
Irenaeus 130-202 AD, who was taught by Polycarp, spoke of the
“resurrection of the just, which takes place after the coming of the
antichrist. But after this Antichrist
has devastated all things in this world then the Lord shall come from Heaven in
the clouds, in the glory of the Father, sending this man and those who follow
him into the Lake of Fire; but bringing in for the righteous the times of the
Kingdom.” Irenaeus said that it is at
this coming that, “in the end the church will suddenly caught up and will be
crowned with in corruption”
Justin Martyr, 100-165 AD,
preached “He shall come from Heaven with glory, when the man of apostasy, who
speaks strange things against the most High, shall venture to do unlawful deeds
on Earth against us Christians, who, have learned the true worship of God from
the Law, and the word which went forth from Jerusalem by means of the Apostles
of Jesus” and “Christ will come from Heaven with glory, accompanied by His
angelic host, when also He shall raise the bodies of all men who lived, and
shall clothe those of the worthy with immortality.”
The Epistle of Barnabas written between 100-150 AD says “When the Son comes; He will destroy the time of
the Wicked One and will judge the godless.”
The writer placed the coming of Jesus after the rule of the Antichrist.
The Didache 90-100 AD: It is
one of the very earliest circulated
pieces of Christian writings, put together just after the Book of Revelation.
It stated that the Antichrist would come first that many would be
deceived by him, then after his rule,
Jesus would come.
Clement of Rome, who knew both Peter and Paul, believed again, that
there would arise a time of great distress and persecutions against Christians
by the Antichrist, then Jesus would come and resurrect the dead and destroy the
Antichrist and at that times Jesus would be seen by all living on the Earth at
his coming.
These are only a small number of the many of ministers
and Christian writers each of which places the return of Christ at “the End” after the Antichrist has
already appeared.
Nero-Antichrist
####-Foxe’s Book of Martyrs – By John Foxe
$$$$Early Church Fathers Edited by Cyril
Richardson
No matter how far back we go
in Church history before 1827, surveying writings of the church and ministers,
both well known and obscure, we always find the same basic scenario and view of
the “Last days”. They presented that the Antichrist would
emerge in the world, place himself as an object of veneration with the help of
a “prophet” who focuses the masses’
attention on this individual. He then
persecutes the people of God, both Christian and Jew who are,who are living and remaining
on the Earth during the rise of this personality.
There will be time of Great Spiritual and Political Deception. In every case these ancient writer say that Christians will be on the Earth and will suffer martyrdom. Then at the conclusion of the Antichrist’s rule, Jesus Christ comes in a very public and unmistakable way in great power and glory. He resurrects both the Old Covenant saints and the New Covenant Christian believers to glory.
There is nowhere found in Church writings from this time that the church believed in a “secret Rapture.” They all refer to a highly visible event that can not be mistaken and this event concludes humanities misrule over the Earth.
" At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."Lk:21:27
There will be time of Great Spiritual and Political Deception. In every case these ancient writer say that Christians will be on the Earth and will suffer martyrdom. Then at the conclusion of the Antichrist’s rule, Jesus Christ comes in a very public and unmistakable way in great power and glory. He resurrects both the Old Covenant saints and the New Covenant Christian believers to glory.
There is nowhere found in Church writings from this time that the church believed in a “secret Rapture.” They all refer to a highly visible event that can not be mistaken and this event concludes humanities misrule over the Earth.
" At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."Lk:21:27
All concluded that when the
Scriptures speaks of the “coming (Parousia) of the Lord” it is always speaking
of His public return at the end of
the “age”. They did not have a Rapture belief except
that believers would be caught up or changed at His coming at the “Last Trumpet” 1 Crth.15:50-57, (Parousia).
That is a fact of Church history. No Christian writer or preacher at the close of the Apostolic period 150 AD until 1827 wrote of or preached the Rapture aside from the very one obscure reference by Ephraim the Syrian which his meaning was unclear. Some scholars believe that Ephraim looked to what we understand is the second coming at the very end of human history.
Even after the Reformation the great preachers never understood the Scriptures to speak of Per-Tribulational exodus of the Church from off the Earth to avoid the persecution which arises at the end of Human history
That is a fact of Church history. No Christian writer or preacher at the close of the Apostolic period 150 AD until 1827 wrote of or preached the Rapture aside from the very one obscure reference by Ephraim the Syrian which his meaning was unclear. Some scholars believe that Ephraim looked to what we understand is the second coming at the very end of human history.
Even after the Reformation the great preachers never understood the Scriptures to speak of Per-Tribulational exodus of the Church from off the Earth to avoid the persecution which arises at the end of Human history
But does that mean that the
Rapture could be there yet unknown to the church? It is possible
that it could be there. After all the
Scriptures were not finally canonized until just after 300 AD. That would mean that a doctrine could be
found when all the recognizable writings could be consulted. Prior to the canonization there were writing
held by some to contain truth, some even written by Biblical personalities. Just
because something is not in plain view does not mean that it is not
present. There are many truths that have
not been taught from the close of the Apostolic Church and remained in silence
until the relative present. So is the
Rapture there?
Views of the Rapture
 |
| Petra ,in Jordon |
Some schools of Dispensationalism believe that the Tribulation will be a seven years period others believe that it will only be three-and-a-half years.
Pre-Tribulation – Christ comes prior to the Great Tribulation and removes Christians from the Earth, suddenly and without warning. This is the most popular of the views. There is variation in some circles that states that “Luke Warm Christians” will be “left behind. *
Mid-Tribulation - Christ comes mid-way thought the Tribulation and
removes Christians. This is more widely
believed by those who say the Tribulation is a seven year period. This view is usually associated with a seven
year Tribulation and that it occurs 3 ½
years into the period.
Post-Tribulation - the most common view - that Jesus returns,
“second coming” then the Church is resurrected at the End of the Tribulation. This is the Traditional view that of Jesus' visible coming when our Lord will descend from the Heavens to bring the rule of God over all things
*Doctrine of Imminence
(1) – A variant of the Pre-Tribulation view. This is the belief and doctrine among
Dispensationalist that Jesus could return for the church at any unannounced moment. They apply Jesus’ words that talk of His unannounced arrival which would catch
some off guard Matt: 24:42-44, (1 )Things to Come, Dr. Dwight Pentecost
Greek Words from Scripture (3)
Do the Greek words distinguish two separate events when discussing the
coming of Jesus? Two events are what is
being discussed? The Rapture belief says
there are two separate comings of
Jesus; one prior to the Tribulation and one after the Tribulation.
Parousia – Used 24 times, the Personal Presence of the one who
comes and arrives. Jam: 5:7-
“Be patience until the coming (Parousia)
of the Lord”
Apokalupisi - Used 18 times as a noun, 26 times as a verb,
Appearing, Revelation. 2Thess:1:7-
“The Lord shall be revealed (Apokalupisi)
from Heaven with His mighty angels”
Epiphaneia - Used 4 times, Manifestation, or Glory.
1Tim:6:14- “the
appearing (Epipheaniea) of our Lord Jesus Christ”
Phaneroo - To Render apparent.
1Jhn:3:2- “When He
shall appear (Phaneroo) we shall be like Him”
Erchomai - The act of coming from one place to another.
Lk: 19:13- “Occupy
till I come (Erchomai)”
Heko - The point of arrival.
Rev: 2:25- “Hold fast
until I come (Heko),”
Parousia.
In 1Thess:4:15-17 - Paul uses the word Parousia. This is a support
passage for those who believe in the Rapture – Paul talks about the “coming (Parousia) of the Lord” as the
time when Christians will be “caught up”
in the air.
The idea of Parousia, comes from the practice of citizen going forth to meet king who coming to a city, and then welcoming and escorting the arriving king into their city.This was always understood to be a very public event accompanied with much fanfare and celebration.
The idea of Parousia, comes from the practice of citizen going forth to meet king who coming to a city, and then welcoming and escorting the arriving king into their city.This was always understood to be a very public event accompanied with much fanfare and celebration.
In 2Thess:2:8 - Paul again uses the word Parousia but it is used to describe a point in time when Jesus
deals with a personality which will be on the world scene called “the man of sin” who is active and
causing great deception upon the Earth – that when Jesus Parousia occurs the “man of sin” is present as well.
The Rapture teaching employs the word “Parousia” in conjunction with an event that is placed timewise before the “man of sin” is revealed, yet, Paul says differently, at least in this verse, “the coming (Parousia) of our Lord” and “our gathering together unto Him” the Lord shall destroy (the man of sin) with the brightness of His coming (Parousia)”
The Rapture teaching employs the word “Parousia” in conjunction with an event that is placed timewise before the “man of sin” is revealed, yet, Paul says differently, at least in this verse, “the coming (Parousia) of our Lord” and “our gathering together unto Him” the Lord shall destroy (the man of sin) with the brightness of His coming (Parousia)”
2 Ptr:3:4-12 - Peter is describing the “last days” being in full bloom, and some doubting that Jesus would
return; that some would be “scoffers.” Mainly this is a reference to the “world” but unfortunately there are some,
and it is growing in number of professing Christians and churches who do not
believe in Christ’s personal return to rule the Earth.
Vs. 10- Peter says “But the Day of the Lord will come (Parousia) like a thief. The Heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire”
Vs. 12- “as you look forward to the Day of the Lord and speed its coming (Parousia).”
Peter understood that at the Parousia which he places at the end inaugurates and change in the whole
order of everything and he groups this change and its inauguration with the
coming (Parousia) of Jesus. It is possible that Peter is using sweeping
imagery here and being very general in his time frame, which could be, but why
then would he use the same word as Paul did in Thessalonians which is a precise
word to describe a single event?
Even grammatically the Greek word
for coming (Parousia) is used as a singular form adverb, which means in the
Greek it is always, in this form, talking about a singular event - if it were
other wise it would be translated into the English as “a coming of the
Lord”.
The usage of Greek grammar rule this out. Therefore, it is forced by grammar to be translated as “the coming (Parousia) of the Lord” singular. If the word Parousia were used for two separate events the grammar of the Greek language would demand the use of the plural usage and the article before the subject a, not the.
The usage of Greek grammar rule this out. Therefore, it is forced by grammar to be translated as “the coming (Parousia) of the Lord” singular. If the word Parousia were used for two separate events the grammar of the Greek language would demand the use of the plural usage and the article before the subject a, not the.
Through out Scripture, Old as
well as New Testaments, the Holy Spirit inspired the writers to adhere to the
rules of language consistently, in
Hebrew as well as Greek, why would God disembark at this point, one as critical
as the return of Jesus Christ?
2Thess:1:7 - Paul says that “the Lord will be reveled (Apokalupsis) from Heaven with His
mighty angels.” This carries with it,
that it is not something hidden from view it is seen as an outward and visible
event, not a Secret or clandestine.
1Ptr:1:13 - Peter tells Christians that this Revelation (Apokahupsis) is when their hope comes to
maturity.
Scripture places the Coming (Parousia) and Revelation (Apokahupsis) as simultaneous events
2Thes:2:8 - That Jesus will destroy “the man of sin” “with the
brightness (Epeiphaneia) of His coming (Parousia)” it places the
Brightness/Glory and dealing with the “man
of sin” at Christ Return or coming.
This is not an exhaustive
study of these words.
(3) The Rapture
is it Scriptural? - Woodrow
Things to Come a Study in Biblical Eschatology- Dwight
Pentecost
To be continued......
Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor
The
Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion
2101 Old National Pike.
2101 Old National Pike.
Washington,
Pennsylvania. www.gcfountainoflife.org
The
Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in
Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM in the Arden Fair Grounds area
of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela,
Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com
