Why would you perpetuate that lie? I thought you Catholics thought highly of the Latin and understood what it meant.
Rapture translation 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
I Thessalonicenses 4:17 deinde nos qui vivimus qui relinquimur simul rapiemur cum illis in nubibus obviam Domino in aera et sic semper cum Domino erimus Caught up (Greek: harpazo - to seize, carry off by force)
Caught up (Latin: rapiemur - shall be caught up)
English Rapture.
It’s true, the Latin word “repiemur” appears there in 1 Thess 4:17. However of course, the English word “rapture” isn’t there. Perhaps that’s what Salvation was thinking. At any rate...
The “modern” idea of the “rapture” though (succinctly described by Scott), is clearly not in Scripture. I must admit, I have been befuddled by that verse, however it wasn’t until just today that I actually read the context of Scripture that surrounds it; now it seems quite clear the idea of a mysterious whisking away of believers won’t happen.
1 Thess 4:15-18.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Note verse 16; this is so overlooked in such discussions, and I guess, for good reason. I think it’s clear what’s being described here: The Catholic (and some Protestant) Eschatology. That is, that Jesus will return in a loud, very visible way. Once. First, to raise the dead and judge them, and then, during this same Second Coming, those that are alive and are in a state of Grace, will be also judged and taken up into the clouds with Him.
One return, quite visible. No mysterious whisking away of the believers first. It’s actually the opposite; the dead are raised first, then the believers (both those who have died and were raised again during the Second Coming, and those who didn’t die yet) are assumed bodily into the clouds. I hate to say it (because I always criticize similar claims), but the Bible seems quite clear on this.
caught up does not mean rapture.
I can be caught up in a maze and not find my way out of it. Or caught up in a task and get distracted from fixing supper.
What about the Bible saying that Christ will only come once more at the General Judgement?
Doesn’t a rapture insinuate that Christ comes and takes some people.
At the General Judgment (Book of Revelation) is when we see Christ coming on a cloud.