The Nugget:
1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (KJV)
1Th 4:13 But it is our desire, brothers, that you may be certain about those who are sleeping; so that you may have no need for sorrow, as others have who are without hope. (BBE, Bible in Basic English)
1Th 4:13 Also we do not want you to have any misunderstanding, brothers, about those who are falling asleep, so as to keep you from grieving over them as others do who have no hope. (Williams NT)
1Th 4:13 Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about those who have died. We don’t want you to be sad like other people—those who have no hope. (ERV, Easy to Read Version)
1Th 4:13 My friends, we want you to understand how it will be for those followers who have already died. Then you won’t grieve over them and be like people who don’t have any hope. (CEV, Contemporary English Version)
My Comment:
In a recent discussion on Facebook, the article I shared was about the Pretribulation Rapture. The first part of the article drew upon early church writings that some suppose support the doctrine. I do not base my understanding of the Pretribulation Rapture on what early Christian writers have written. I base my understanding of all doctrine on what is IN the Bible, not by what is NOT IN the Bible.
The article I shared listed and gave the English text of several Bible verses the article author believes support the Pretribulation Rapture doctrine. I am not the one who chose the verses.
Here is the list of verses that were given: (1) Revelation 3:10. (2) Luke 21:36. (3) 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17. (4) 1 Thessalonians 1:10. (5) 1 Thessalonians 5:9. (6) 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 2, 3.
I decided to write an exposition of each of these Bible texts and more as required by the subject. I am giving more specific technical detail than I have given in previous Real Bible Study posts for the above-listed passages.
I have already given information on Revelation 3:10. I believe that article alone fully establishes the correctness of the Pretribulation Rapture position because it accurately follows the Greek grammar involved in that text.
If I were making my own list of verses to support the Pretribulation Rapture I would not likely have selected Luke 21:36. It is a marvelous verse. Studying the far more complete cross references for that verse (as I have shared them in my preceding post) from The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury will provide new insights about just what the Bible teaches about subjects mentioned in that verse.
The original article made reference to 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17. This is perhaps the most important passage in the New Testament about the Pretribulation Rapture. But to better understand 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17, I believe it is necessary to carefully study the whole section, 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.
My Exposition and Explanation of 1 Thessalonians 4:13
Paul is answering the concerns of the Thessalonican believers by answering their question about those of their number who have died already. Will those persons miss the blessing they were taught about by Paul of experiencing the Rapture?
I will present the cross references for 1 Thessalonians 4:13 from two sources.
First, I will present the cross references as originally given in The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. I do this to ease the entrance into the habit of studying cross references by using its references. They are less extensive and far fewer in number.
Then I will present the cross references from my digital resource, The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury, which is far more complete and more suited to yet deeper study of the Bible.
from The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:
1 Thessalonians 4:13
I would: Rom 1:13; 1Co 10:1, 1Co 12:1; 2Co 1:8; 2Pe 3:8
which are: 1Th 4:15, 1Th 5:10; 1Ki 1:21, 1Ki 2:10; Dan 12:2; Mat 27:52; Luk 8:52, 53; Jhn 11:11, 12, 13; Act 7:60, Act 13:36; 1Co 15:6, 1Co 15:18; 2Pe 3:4
ye sorrow: Gen 37:35; Lev 19:28; Deut 14:1, 2; 2Sa 12:19, 20, 2Sa 18:33; Job 1:21; Ezk 24:16, 17, 18; Jhn 11:24; Act 8:2
which have: Eph 2:12; Job 19:25, 26, 27; Pro 14:32; Ezk 37:11; 1Co 15:19
from The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:
1 Thessalonians 4:13
I would not. FS175B, +Gen 21:16, Paul is addressing the question of those Christians known to the Thessalonians who have already died. Paul urges that they not sorrow over the loss of these loved ones in the manner of those who have no hope. Those who have already died in Christ will not miss out should it happen that Christ returns in the lifetime of those believers who were then still living. 1Th 3:10, Rom 1:13; Rom 11:25, +1Co 10:1; 1Co 12:1, 2Co 1:8, Col 2:1, 2Pe 3:8.
which are. 1Th 4:15, 1Th 5:10, 1Ki 1:21; 1Ki 2:10, Ezk 44:25, +*Dan 12:2 note. +Mat 27:52, Luk 8:52, 53, *Jhn 11:11, 12, 13, *Act 7:60; Act 13:36, 1Co 15:6; 1Co 15:18, 2Pe 3:4.
asleep. Gr. koimaomai, to fall asleep, involuntarily: hence used (in nearly every place) of death, but only of saints. Contrast +*1Th 5:6, “sleep,” Gr. katheudo, to go asleep, voluntarily: hence not used of death, but either of taking rest in sleep, or of the opposite of watchfulness. EWB (F/S 372) observes, “Thus the marked use of koimaomai in the first series, and of katheudo in the second series teaches us that the hope of Resurrection and Ascension before the Day of the Lord is for all who are Christ’s, whether they are dead or alive, whether they are watchful or unwatchful” 1Th 1:10 note. “This metaphorical use of the word sleep is appropriate because of the similarity in appearance between a sleeping body and a dead body; restfulness and peace normally characterise both. The object of the metaphor is to suggest that as the sleeper does not cease to exist while his body sleeps, so the dead person continues to exist despite his absence from the region in which those who remain can communicate with him, and that, as sleep is known to be temporary, so the death of the body will be found to be. Sleep has its waking, death will have its resurrection” (Hogg & Vine, p. 128). *S# G2837. 1Th 4:14, 15, Psa 4:8, Pro 3:24, Song 7:9, Isa 14:8 g. Dan 12:2, Mat 27:52; Mat 28:13, Mrk 5:39, Luk 20:36; Luk 22:45, Jhn 11:11, 12, Act 7:60; Act 12:6; Act 13:36, 1Co 7:39; 1Co 11:30; 1Co 15:6; 1Co 15:18; 1Co 15:20; 1Co 15:51, 2Pe 3:4.
ye sorrow not. Gen 24:67; Gen 37:35; Gen 44:31; Gen 50:1, Lev 19:28; Lev 21:2; Lev 25:28, *Deut 14:1; *Deut 14:2, **2Sa 12:19, 20, 21, 22, 23; 2Sa 18:33, **Job 1:21, Ezk 24:16, 17, 18, Mrk 5:39, Luk 7:13, *Jhn 11:24; *Jhn 11:33,, 34, 35, Act 8:2; Act 9:39, 2Co 2:7, Php 2:27.
even as. Gr. kathōs (S# G2531). 1Th 2:4; 1Th 3:6; 1Th 5:11, Rom 1:13, Php 1:21.
others. or, the rest. FS142, +Gen 20:16. 1Th 4:12, 1Th 5:6, Luk 8:10, Act 4:2; Act 5:13, Eph 2:3.
have no hope. While all the dead shall be raised (Jhn 5:28, 29), the resurrection of unbelievers cannot be described as a hope (see Hogg & Vine, p. 130). 1Th 1:3, Job 14:7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12; %+*Job 19:25, 26, 27, %*Psa 16:9; %*Psa 16:10, +*Pro 14:32, Ecc 9:4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, +*Isa 26:19; Isa 38:18, 19, Ezk 37:11, Hos 6:2, Mat 22:31, 32, **Mrk 12:18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, Luk 20:37, 38, Act 23:8; Act 26:7, 8; Act 27:20, 1Co 15:19; 1Co 15:32, See on +*Eph 2:12, %*Php 1:21, 2Th 2:16, Heb 6:2, %1Pe 1:3.