• Thessalonica


• 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
• 1 Thessalonians 2:1-20
• 1 Thessalonians 2:8 A wicked translation
• 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13
• 2024-04-22:  1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 Caught up in the rapture (this page)
• 1 Thessalonians 5:1-28


• 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12
• 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 End game deceptions (updated)
• 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18



More: Paul

The English theological term "paraclete" comes from the ancient Greek word "παράκλητος" ≈ "advocate" which comes from two Greek parts.

• The ancient Greek word "παρά" ≈ "beyond", although some prefer the meaning of "beside" because of the influence of Euclid's definition of a parallel line as a line "beyond" another line in a plane such that the lines never touch.
• The ancient Greek word "κλητός" ≈ "called one" where the calling can be thought of as an invitation.

The modern Greek word "παράκλητος" (pa-RA-klee-tos) ≈ "comforter" as in the Holy Spirit. This definition comes from the use of the Greek word in the GNT.

More: Calque: Advocate

The ancient Greek word "κτῆσις" ≈ "act of acquiring, ownership, taking" which, once obtained, becomes "property". The Greek "into" was translated as "in".

• Paraphrase: Do not acquire gold, ... (for what you do during your journey) into your purses (belts).
• Don’t take any money in your money belts—no gold, silver, or even copper coins. NLT (New Living Translation)

Discuss: Why might the church not want you to have money to take along to spread the "Good News"? Provide any known historical examples of either case.

More: Martin Luther: before the event

More: Matthew 10:5-10 Possessing acquired purchases

Who are those that "mourn"? [suffer for Christ]

The ancient Greek word "πένθος" ≈ "grief, sorrow, mourning, misery" and is cognate with "πάθος" ≈ "experience, happening" and "πάσχω" ≈ "undergo, experience" (as opposed to "doing" or "acting"). In context, the meaning can be "pain", "suffering", etc. Think "passive" and not "active".

The actual Greek word (prefix) used here appears four times in the GNT and LXX (Septuagint). We will look at those ofter looking at causes of mourning and grief and of consolation and comfort.

The English word "grief" is related to "grave".

More: Matthew 5:4 B2 Good grief: the consolation prize of comfort

Sometimes the KJV adds the word "things" where does not appear in the Greek. In the Greek, it is usually just an adjective with an implied connection to something (i.e., a real or abstract thing or entity).

There is a Greek word for "thing" or "things" as used in Matthew 18:19. The ancient Greek word "πρᾶγμα" ≈ "deed, act, fact" or a thing in a concrete reality is from the ancient Greek word "πράσσω" ≈ "to do" and is the source of the English "practical".

The modern Greek word "πράγμα" (PRA-gma) ≈ "thing, entity, object". The ancient Greek word "πραγματικός" ≈ "active, versed in affairs" is the source of the English "pragmatic".

A physical "thing" is different from something "abstract" such as a meta-wish. That is, a "wish" or "prayer" should be about a "thing" and not, say, a "wish for a wish".

More: Have you ever met a prefix like this?

There is a difference between a thing and talking about a thing. Kurt Gödel (Austrian logician, mathematician, philosopher)

More: Kurt Gödel

More: Matthew 13:51-52 KP8 Parable of new and old codes

The ancient Greek word "εκδίκηση" ≈ "revenge, vengeance".

The Latin word "vindico" ≈ "avenge, vindicate, claim, punish" which captures some of the meaning of the Greek.

More: Luke 18:1-8 Parable of the unjust judge

The ancient Greek word "καθαρός" ≈ "clean, clear, pure".

A folk etymology is that the English name "Catherine" comes from the ancient Greek word "καθαρός" ≈ "clean, clear, pure" but it comes from the ancient Greek word "Αἰκατερίνη" ≈ "Goddess Hecate". It is possible that they are related. Related English names are "Caitlin", "Karen" and "Katrina".

More: Matthew 5:8 B6 Blessed are the pure in heart

More: Matthew 11:1-6: Trapped by an offensive misinterpretation of Jesus

The Greek word translated as "whole" is that of "strong". The Greek word translated as "sick" is that of "harmed". Those "sick" have been "harmed" by disease, etc., but Jesus uses this word in a different sense. The word "doctor" means "healer".

The ancient Greek word "χρεώ" ≈ "want, need" and "χρεία" ≈ "need, want". The KJV translates this word as those that had "need" of healing but it appears Jesus only healed those who had a "want" or "desire" to be healed.

• Do the "strong" "want" a "healer"? Do the "harmed" "want" a "healer"?
• Do the "strong" "need" a "healer"? Do the "harmed" "need" a "healer"?
• The "strong" are the "birds" and the "fish" that become "pigs". The "harmed" are the "fish" who become "sheep".



More: Matthew 5:13-16 Animal crackers

More: Think after what you heard and repent

• The Greek for "toward" is the ancient Greek word "εις" ≈ "into".Paul will use the ancient Greek word "πρός" ≈ "to, towards" in verse 12.
• The Greek for "more and more" is that of "rather" as a comparison.
• The Greek for "beseech" is that of "pleading" as in "please". and is related to the word for "Paraclete" as in the "helper" or "Holy Spirit". This was translated as "exhort" in verse 1.

• In English, the comma is important. Compare:
• "you to be ignorant, brethren"
• "you to be ignorant brethren"
• The Greek for "concerning" is that of "around" as in "perimeter".
• The Greek for "asleep" can mean "deceased".
• The Greek for "sorrow" is that of "annoyed".
• The Greek for "others" is that of those "remaining" or the "rest" of them.
• The Greek for "hope" is that of, literally, a "good expectation" or "well-founded expectation".

The "Left behind" series of books (1995-2007) by Tim LaHay (1926-2016) and Jerry B. Jenkins deals with the tribulation period in the Bible in general and the rapture in particular.

BIBLE (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth),
Much of the stories are based on the Bible but make certain assumptions that may or may not be true.

In particular, the idea that bodies will just disappear is assumed. It may happen that just the soul disappears and those that are left, after some major global catastrophe, do not realize that the rapture has happened.

More: Crying wolf for the search and seizure of the rapture

The English word "harpoon" comes from a Greek word meaning "snatching up" and is the word used for what is called the "Rapture".

The author assumes that the "elect" are good and not bad. Perhaps Paul did not write 1 Thessalonians.

More: Matthew 22:14 Election callings of the chosen elect

More: Election callings as used by Jesus

More: Election callings us used by others and not Jesus

The words of interest here are "caught up" as in "rapture". The "caught up" appears to be related to Acts 1:11.
Part of this is related to the interesting phrase "thy kingdom come" in the Lord's Prayer.

Details are left as a future topic.

More: Crying wolf for the search and seizure of the rapture