THE TIMING OF THE DAY OF THE LORD

IN 1 THESSALONIANS 5

By

Nicholas James Claxton

B.A., Pensacola Christian College, 2008

M.Div., Pensacola Theological Seminary, 2011

A RESEARCH PAPER

Submitted to the faculty

in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
at Baptist Bible Seminary

Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania

April 2014
Copyright © 2014 by Nicholas James Claxton
All rights reserved
1
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 5

A STUDY OF THE DAY OF THE LORD ................................................................... 8

How Interpreters from Various Rapture Positions Define the Day of the Lord ..... 8

Pretribulationism and the Day of the Lord ....................................................... 8

Midtribulationism and the Day of the Lord ...................................................... 10

Prewrath Rapture and the Day of the Lord ....................................................... 11

Posttribulationism and the Day of the Lord ...................................................... 12

Partial Rapture and the Day of the Lord ........................................................... 12

Summary of Views ........................................................................................... 13

A Survey of Old Testament Usage of the Day of the Lord .................................... 13

Obadiah ............................................................................................................. 13

Joel .................................................................................................................... 14

Amos ................................................................................................................. 15

Isaiah ................................................................................................................. 15

Zephaniah .......................................................................................................... 16

Ezekiel............................................................................................................... 16

Zechariah........................................................................................................... 16

Malachi ............................................................................................................. 17

A Survey of New Testament Usage of the Day of the Lord ................................... 17

The Day of Christ and the Day of the Lord Jesus ............................................. 18

Acts 2:20 ........................................................................................................... 20

2
 2 Thessalonians 2:2 ........................................................................................... 20

2 Peter 3:10 ....................................................................................................... 21

Conclusion Based on Findings................................................................................ 22

THE CONTEXT OF 1 THESSALONIANS 5 ............................................................... 23

Occasion and Setting of the Epistle ........................................................................ 23

Development of Argument through the Epistle ...................................................... 24

The “Wrath to Come” in Paul’s Argument ............................................................. 26

KEY EXEGETICAL EVIDENCE INDICATING THE TIMING OF THE DAY OF THE

LORD IN 1 THESSALONIANS 5 ......................................................................... 30

The Contrast Between 4:13–18 and 5:1–11 ............................................................ 30

An Overview of 4:13–18 .................................................................................. 30

The Presence of Περὶ Δὲ ................................................................................... 34

The Unexpected Arrival of the Day of the Lord ..................................................... 38

Its Coming as a “Thief in the Night” ................................................................ 39

Matthew 24:43 ............................................................................................ 40

Luke 12:39 .................................................................................................. 43

2 Peter 3:10 ................................................................................................. 43

Revelation 3:3 ............................................................................................. 44

Revelation 16:15 ......................................................................................... 45

Summary ..................................................................................................... 45

The Cry of “Peace and Safety” ......................................................................... 45

Prewrath View of “Peace and Safety” ........................................................ 47

Posttribulational View of “Peace and Safety” ............................................ 48

3
 Perceived Problems with the Pretribulational View ................................... 49

Summary ..................................................................................................... 51

The Sudden Onset of “Labor Pains” ................................................................. 51

Old Testament Usage of the Labor Pain Analogy ...................................... 52

New Testament Usage of the Labor Pain Analogy ..................................... 53

Objections to the Pretribulational View ...................................................... 55

Summary ..................................................................................................... 56

The Contrast Between the Children of Light and the Children of Darkness .......... 57

The Overtaking of the Children of Darkness .................................................... 57

The Analogy of the Thief ............................................................................ 58

The Significance of Overtaking .................................................................. 59

Summary ..................................................................................................... 62

Exhortations to Wakefulness ............................................................................ 62

The Promise of Deliverance from Divine Wrath .............................................. 64

Type of Wrath ............................................................................................. 65

The Nature of the Believer’s Deliverance .................................................. 67

Timing of Wrath ......................................................................................... 69

The Argument of Verse 10 ......................................................................... 71

Basis for Encouragement ............................................................................ 72

CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................... 75

BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................... 77

4
 INTRODUCTION

Few aspects of dispensational theology have been more ridiculed than the

pretribulational rapture.1 Opponents of dispensationalism often sneer at the notion of a

“secret rapture” that could snatch believers at any moment. R.C. Sproul’s comments reflect

this unfortunate trend:

I once spoke with one of the leading representatives of this school of thought, a man
who teaches the “pretribulation” rapture. I said to him, “I do not know a single verse
anywhere in the Bible that teaches a pretribulation rapture. Can you tell me where to
find that?” I’ll never forget what he said to me: “No, I can’t. But that’s what I was
taught from the time I was a little child.” I told him, “Let’s get our theology from the
Bible rather than from Sunday school lessons we heard years and years ago.”2

Sproul alleged that the pretribulational view is built upon nothing more than junior

Sunday school curriculum. If this analysis is correct, then pretribulational adherents have

little hope of cogently defending their position. Dispensationalists would be better advised to

abandon their doctrine of the “secret” rapture and embrace another eschatological scheme

instead.

1
Not all dispensationalists embrace a pretribulational rapture. Robert Gundry is one example of a
posttribulational dispensationalist. He asserted, “Posttribulation accords well with a scripturally measured
dispensationalism. Conversely, a scripturally measured dispensationalism gives no advantage to
pretribulationism” (Robert H. Gundry, The Church and the Tribulation [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1973], 27–
28). Feinberg granted Gundry’s point, but commented, “What Gundry does not say, but what should at least be
noted is that dispensationalism has more often than not led to pretribulationism” (Paul D. Feinberg, “The Case
for the Pretribulation Rapture Position,” in Three Views on the Rapture: Pre-, Mid-, or Post-Tribulation, rev.
ed., ed. Gleason L. Archer Jr. [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996], 49). Feinberg noted some “tensions” created
by a posttribulational dispensationalism: “How would Israel and the church coexist since both have different
regulations (law and gospel)? Would the tribulation church be exclusively Gentile, or could some Jews be a
part of it?” (Ibid.). Traditional dispensationalism’s distinction between Israel and the church naturally leads to
pretribulationism. Even so, Feinberg offered an astute observation: “It will not follow that an argument for
dispensationalism will necessarily be an argument for pretribulationism. Conversely, an argument against
dispensationalism will not necessarily be an argument against pretribulationism” (Ibid.).

R.C. Sproul, “What Is the Rapture?” Ligonier Ministries Blog, last modified July 16, 2012, accessed
2

March 25, 2014, http://www.ligonier.org/blog/what-is-the-rapture/.

5
 Admittedly, the biblical arguments for the pretribulational rapture are not as strong as

those undergirding the deity of Christ or His bodily resurrection. Even the timing and nature

of the millennium are easier to discern in Scripture than the timing of the rapture.

Nevertheless, contrary to Sproul’s claims, the argumentation in favor of the pretribulational

rapture goes well beyond childhood Sunday school lessons. In recent years, several

dispensational theologians have offered compelling, scholarly arguments in defense of the

pretribulational rapture.3 Critics of pretribulationism do their audiences a tremendous

disservice by failing to interact with such treatments.4

One component of the rapture debate with which pretribulational critics must wrestle

is the timing of the Day of the Lord in 1 Thessalonians 5:

Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be
written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come
just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then
destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child,
and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would
overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of
night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and
sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get
drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the
breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not
destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who

3
See Feinberg, “The Case for the Pretribulation Rapture Position,” 45-86; Craig Blaising, “A Case for
the Pretribulation Rapture,” in Three Views on the Rapture: Pretribulation, Prewrath, or Posttribulation, ed.
Alan Hultberg (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010), 25-73; Renald E. Showers, Maranatha: Our Lord Come!, 4th
ed. (Bellmawr, NJ: Friends of Israel, 2001); Charles C. Ryrie, Come Quickly, Lord Jesus: What You Need to
Know About the Rapture (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1996); et al.

4
e.g., Gary Demar, End Times Fiction: A Biblical Consideration of the Left Behind Theology
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2001), 37-52. The works cited above advance serious arguments (e.g., the timing
of the Day of the Lord, the need for nonglorified bodies in the millennium, the Philadelphian church’s promise
of deliverance from the time of trial, et al.) that are not even mentioned by Demar. Demar’s work represents an
unfortunate tendency to dismantle the entire pretribulational position based solely on popular-level arguments.

6
 died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.
Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
(vv. 1–11)5

Pretribulational adherents admit, “No single verse specifically states, ‘Christ will

come before the Tribulation.’”6 Furthermore, the case for a pretribulational rapture is

founded upon more than one text of Scripture. Nevertheless, if one can establish the timing

of the Day of the Lord, he can make a compelling logical deduction concerning the timing of

the rapture. Paul promised that the church was not “destined…for [God’s] wrath” (v. 9). If

the Day of the Lord represents this time of wrath, it rationally follows that believers will

experience the “catching up” described in the previous chapter (4:16) before the Day

commences.

The following study will establish two critical points: 1) the Day of the Lord in 1

Thessalonians 5 encompasses the entire seventieth week of Daniel; and 2) the Day of the

Lord in 1 Thessalonians 5 must take place subsequent to the rapture of the church. Only

pretribulationism is able to accommodate these two assertions. Other rapture positions

require that either 1) the church go through some part of the Day of the Lord or 2) the Day of

the Lord begin sometime later than the commencement of Daniel’s seventieth week.

Therefore, if an inductive study of 1 Thessalonians 5 yields the aforementioned conclusions,

pretribulationism emerges as the dominant rapture position.

5
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New American Standard
Bible. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.
Used by permission.

6
Tim LaHaye, No Fear of the Storm: Why Christians Will Escape All the Tribulation (Sisters, OR:
Multnomah, 1992), 188.

7
 A STUDY OF THE DAY OF THE LORD

One standard definition identified the Day of the Lord: “In the OT, the future

consummation of the kingdom of God and the absolute cessation of all attacks upon

it….[T]he NT idea is pervaded with the elements of hope and joy and victory. In the NT it is

eminently the day of Christ, the day of His coming in the glory of His Father.”7 This

definition reveals little of the considerable disputes over the precise identity of the Day of the

Lord. Therefore, it is needful to provide an overview of these disputes, as well as of the

pertinent biblical texts discussing the Day of the Lord.

How Interpreters from Various Rapture Positions Define the Day of the Lord

Pretribulationism and the Day of the Lord

There is noteworthy disagreement among pretribulationists concerning the future Day

of the Lord. Ryrie saw the Day as “beginning at the start of the Tribulation.”8 It would then

continue throughout the “literal thousand-year Millennium.”9 Feinberg argued for a Day of

the Lord commencement “about the middle of [Daniel’s seventieth] week.”10 Scofield

identified the Day as “that lengthened period of time beginning with the return of the Lord in

H.E. Dosker, “Day of the Lord,” in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, rev. ed., ed.
7

Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979), 879.

8
Ryrie, Come Quickly, Lord Jesus, 120.

9
Ibid., 106. Ryrie overstated the matter by asserting, “All premillennialists agree that the Day of the
Lord includes the events of the second coming and the literal thousand-year Millennium to follow” (Ibid.). The
discussion here demonstrates considerable disagreement as to whether the millennium should be included in the
Day of the Lord.

10
Feinberg, “A Case for the Pretribulation Rapture Position,” 61. Feinberg did not specify a
termination point for the Day of the Lord.

8
glory, and ending with the purgation of the heavens and the earth by fire preparatory to the

new heavens and the new earth.”11

Other pretribulationists allow for the Day of the Lord to have multiple referents.

Walvoord delineated three usages of the Day of the Lord: “(1)…any period of time in the

past or future when God deals directly in judgment on human sin; (2)…certain specific future

events constituting a judgment of God; (3) the broadest possible sense of the term, indicating

a time in which God deals directly…both in judgment and in blessing.”12 Walvoord

identified the third option as Paul’s usage in 1 Thessalonians 5, one that is “broad enough to

include not only the judgments preceding the millennium but also the blessings of the

millennium itself.”13 Showers argued somewhat differently by distinguishing between a

“broad sense” and a “narrow sense” of the Day of the Lord. He concluded, “The broad sense

refers to an extended period of time involving divine interventions related at least to the 70th

week of Daniel and the thousand-year Millennium….The narrow sense refers to one specific

day—the day on which Christ will return to earth from heaven with His angels.”14 Showers

identified the usage in 1 Thessalonians 5 as that of the broad sense.15

Mayhue also saw multiple future Day of the Lord referents: “(1) the judgment which

climaxes the tribulation period (2 Thess 2:2; Rev 16-18), and (2) the consummating judgment

11
C.I. Scofield, ed., The Scofield Reference Bible (Oxford: University Press, 1909), 1349.

12
John F. Walvoord, The Blessed Hope and the Tribulation (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1976), 110.

13
Ibid.

14
Showers, Maranatha, 35.

15
Ibid., 59.

9
of this earth which ushers in the new earth (2 Pet 3:10-13; Rev 20:7-21:1).”16 Mayhue

added, “I would also suggest that DOL will occur only at the end of the tribulation period,

not throughout its duration, and that DOL will occur only at the end of the millennium, not

through its duration.”17

Midtribulationism and the Day of the Lord

J. Oliver Buswell identified the Day of the Lord as “any time in which Jahweh takes

conspicuous and decisive action.”18 He would later identify the future Day of the Lord with

the sixth bowl judgment in Revelation (Rev. 16:15).19 Archer defined the Day of the Lord as

“refer[ring] at times to days of judgment and calamity upon various heathen nations, or even

upon Old Testament Israel itself, as well as to the ultimate and climactic day of God’s

judgment upon the wicked race of men in the end times.”20 Archer’s argument seems to

pinpoint the latter as the reference in 1 Thessalonians 5.21

16
Richard L. Mayhue, “The Prophet’s Watchword: Day of the Lord,” Grace Theological Journal 6,
no. 2 (Fall 1985): 246.

17
Ibid.

18
J. Oliver Buswell, A Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
1963), 2:300.

19
Ibid., 2:474.

20
Gleason L. Archer, Jr., “Response,” in Three Views on the Rapture: Pre-, Mid-, or Post-Tribulation,
216.

21
Ibid., 218. According to Archer, the contrast between chapters 4 and 5 suggests “a significant time
interval between the two events [the Day of the Lord and the rapture].” He concluded that “an interval of three
and a half years accords perfectly” with the progression between the two chapters.

10
Prewrath Rapture and the Day of the Lord

Van Kampen wrote, “Paul instructs the Thessalonians that the time and season in

which we, who are alive, will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air—the rapture—will be

when the Day of the Lord comes.”22 Rosenthal, following Van Kampen, identified the Day

of the Lord with “the opening of the seventh seal of Revelation 8:1.”23 Prewrath advocates,

therefore, place the Day of the Lord at the three-quarter mark of Daniel’s seventieth week.

They divide the second half of the week into the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.

Posttribulationism and the Day of the Lord

Payne associated the Day of the Lord in 1 Thessalonians 5 “with God’s sudden

destruction of the wicked…at the end of the tribulation period.”24 Gundry defined the Day as

“a period which includes the millennium and the final judgment.”25 Posttribulationists see the

church as present when the Day begins. However, the “day of the Lord will not overtake

Christians like a thief because they will be watching.”26

Partial Rapture and the Day of the Lord

Partial rapture literature does not seem to address the Day of the Lord in great detail.

G.H. Lang’s treatment would appear to be the most extensive.27 His argument connected

22
Robert D. Van Kampen, The Rapture Question Answered: Plain and Simple (Grand Rapids: Baker,
1997), 112.

23
Marvin J. Rosenthal, The Prewrath Rapture of the Church (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1990), 117.

24
J. Barton Payne, The Imminent Appearing of Christ (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1962), 68.

25
Gundry, The Church and the Tribulation, 89.

26
Ibid., 109.

27
G.H. Lang, The Revelation of Jesus Christ (London: Paternoster Press, 1948), 25–27.

11
“the parousia, resurrection, and rapture” with the Day of the Lord.28 He associated the Day

with the sixth bowl judgment and asserted, “[John’s] whole reasoning implies the presence of

Christians on earth down to the day of the Lord, but their salvation from its sudden onset if

they are sober and watchful.”29 In Lang’s view, only a select group of Christians, those who

are “watchful, prayerful, overcoming,” will escape the Day of the Lord.30

Summary of Views

There are varying views regarding the beginning of the Day of the Lord: the

beginning of the tribulation, the middle of the tribulation, three-quarters of the way through

the tribulation, and the very end of the tribulation. Some interpreters include the millennium,

while others do not. Some believe that the church (or some part of it, in the case of partial

rapturists) will be present on earth when the Day begins, while others believe in a rapture

beforehand. Some see the Day of the Lord as a technical phrase, while others allow it to

have multiple referents.

28
Ibid., 25.

29
Ibid., 257.

30
Ibid., 258.

12
A Survey of Old Testament Usage of the Day of the Lord

Direct references to the Day of the Lord are found nineteen times in the Old

Testament.31 Six minor prophets and two major prophets use this expression. Moreover,

there are several other references to “the day,” “that day,” or “the great day.” After

considering all of the pertinent data, Vanhetloo concluded, “Sixteen books of the Old

Testament contribute to this theme, including over forty different passages of Scripture

containing more than four hundred and fifty verses.”32

Obadiah

Obadiah 15 is found in the context of God’s judgment upon Edom. This judgment

would befall the nation because of their treatment of God’s people. In this passage, however,

the Day of the Lord references more than the judgment of Edom; the Day “draws near on all

the nations.” Obadiah’s Day contains eschatological overtones, even in the context of a more

immediate judgment.

31
Mayhue helpfully listed the pertinent texts along with their dates of writing: “Obad 15 (ca. 845
B.C.), Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31 (Heb 3:4); 3:14 (Heb 4:14) (ca. 835 B.C.), Amos 5:18 (2 times), 20 (ca. 755 B.C.),
Isa 2:12; 13:6, 9 (ca. 720 B.C.), Zeph 1:7, 14 (2 times) (ca. 630 B.C.), Ezek 13:5; 30:3 (ca. 580 B.C.), Zech 14:1
(ca. 520 B.C.), and Malachi 4:4 (Heb 3:23) (ca. 450 B.C.)” (Mayhue, “The Prophet’s Watchword: Day of the
Lord,” GTJ 233, n.11). Mayhue’s dates were obtained from: H.E. Freeman, An Introduction to the Old
Testament Prophets (Chicago: Moody, 1968). While scholars dispute the dates of some of these books, the
development of the Day of the Lord theme remains largely the same regardless of which dates one accepts. The
order here follows the dates given by Mayhue.

32
Warren Vanhetloo, “Old Testament Passages Referring to the Day of the Lord,” Central Bible
Quarterly 5, no. 4 (Winter 1962): 16.

13
Joel

Joel’s prophecy contains the most extensive treatment of the Day of the Lord in all of

Scripture. The phrase “Day of the Lord” is found five times throughout the book. The entire

prophecy develops this critical prophetic theme.

There is considerable debate concerning the proper interpretation of the book.

Mayhue labeled the three major approaches as “allegorical/eschatological,”

“historical/eschatological,” and “historical/near eschatological/far.”33 Stuart adopted the

allegorical/eschatological approach, interpreting the locusts of chapter 1 as representative of

the Babylonian army.34 He took 2:18—3:21 as a reference to the eschaton.

Finley adopted the historical/eschatological approach.35 He saw 1:1—2:11 as a

reference to an historical locust plague.36 He viewed the end of chapter 2 (through the

remainder of the book) as eschatological. Chisholm adopted the final of Mayhue’s views.37

He took the locusts of chapter 1 as literal, but saw the beginning of chapter 2 as a reference to

a human army.

While all of these interpreters have varying approaches to Joel’s prophecy, they all

share one common denominator: they all agree that the Day of the Lord has both historical

and future fulfillments. For Joel, the future Day of the Lord will involve astronomical

33
Mayhue, “The Prophet’s Watchword: Day of the Lord,” GTJ, 236.

34
Douglas K. Stuart, Word Biblical Themes: Hosea–Jonah (Dallas: Word, 1989), 47–49.

35
Thomas J. Finley, Joel, Amos, Obadiah (Chicago: Moody, 1990), 40–42, 69–70.

36
Finley, however, offered this concession, “All this is not to deny the aptness of the comparison
between the Day of the Lord and a military invasion. One might even go so far as to view Joel’s description of
the locust invasion as typological, with its correspondent in the latter days” (Ibid., 42).

37
Robert B. Chisholm Jr., Interpreting the Minor Prophets (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990), 56–59.

14
phenomenon (2:31), unusual workings of the Spirit (2:28), and judgment of Israel’s enemies

(3:14). These events will bring about Israel’s future restoration (3:1). The past Day of the

Lord entailed destruction for Judah (1:15), whether through a locust plague or a human army.

It is noteworthy also that, in Joel, the Day of the Lord entails both an extended

judgment on God’s people and a final judgment of Israel’s enemies. The book establishes a

pattern in which the Day of the Lord may either be a simple event or a complex process.

This pattern is often overlooked, but is critical in deciphering many Day of the Lord

prophecies.

Amos

Amos prophesied that the Day of the Lord would be “darkness and not light” (5:18).

While many Israelites perceived the Day of the Lord solely as divine retribution upon their

enemies, Amos indicated that the Day would involve “exile beyond Damascus” (v. 27).

Therefore, Amos’s Day of the Lord was fulfilled historically in the Assyrian exile of the

northern kingdom.

Isaiah

Isaiah 2:12 presents the Day of the Lord “against everyone who is proud and lofty.”

As a result of the Day, “the Lord alone will be exalted” (v. 17). The universal language

indicates eschatological fulfillment.

Isaiah 13:6–9 connects the Day with judgment upon Babylon. While the passage may

reference historical judgments of Babylon in either 689 B.C. (by the Assyrians) or 539 B.C.

(by the Medes), there may also be some eschatological overtones as well. The passage

speaks of worldwide judgment (v. 11) and darkening of luminaries (v. 10). Isaiah compared

the affliction of the Day to a woman’s labor pains (v. 8).

15
Zephaniah

Zephaniah 1:7 relates specifically to Judah’s captivity in Babylon. God condemned

the people for their idolatrous worship (vv. 4–5) and promised retribution. The reference in

1:14 seems to shift to the eschaton, as the language becomes universal (“all the earth,” v. 18).

This future Day is one of “wrath,” “trouble,” “distress,” “destruction,” “desolation,” and

“darkness” (v. 15).

Ezekiel

Ezekiel prophesied “against the prophets of Israel” (13:1). The false prophets had

misled the people by crying, “Peace!” when there was no peace (v. 10). Their failure to

prophesy truly and bring the nation to repentance meant that there was nothing to prevent the

nation’s overthrow on the Day of the Lord (v. 5). The Day here refers to the Babylonian

captivity.

The Day of the Lord in Ezekiel 30:3 also seems to have been fulfilled historically.

The context in Ezekiel 30 relates specifically to Egypt (v. 4). The destruction of Egypt is

attributed to “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon” (v. 10).

Zechariah

Zechariah 14 provides a vivid picture of the future Day of the Lord. God promised,

“Behold, a day is coming for the Lord when the spoil taken from you will be divided among

you” (v. 1). God declared that he would “gather all the nations against Jerusalem” (v. 2).

However, God would also arise against those nations and fight on behalf of His people (v.3).

As in other passages, the Day is connected with the darkening of luminaries (vv. 6-7). Once

again, the Day of the Lord involves both a simple event (God’s swift destruction of Israel’s

enemies) and a complex process (a military campaign against God’s people).

16
Malachi

Malachi 4:5 declares that Elijah will come “before…the great and terrible day of the

Lord.” During the Day, “every evildoer” will be judged (v. 1). Those who “fear [God’s]

name” will “tread down the wicked” (vv. 2–3).

A Survey of New Testament Usage of the Day of the Lord

The phrase “day of the Lord” occurs four times in the New Testament (Acts 2:20; 1

Thess. 5:2; 2 Thess. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:10). Three other references mention the “day of Christ”

(Phil. 1:6; 1:10; 2:16).38 Two references are made to the “day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. 5:5;

2 Cor. 1:14).39 Peter referred to the “day of God” as equivalent to the Day of the Lord (2 Pet.

3:10–12). 1 Corinthians 1:8 mentions the “day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The New

Testament also contains other eschatological variations of ἡμέρα (“day”) that are similar to

the aforementioned usages.40

38
The Robinson-Pierpont Majority Text also reads ἡμέρα τοῦ χριστοῦ (“Day of Christ”) in 2 Thess.
2:2.

39
1 Cor. 5:5 contains a textual problem. While NASB reads “day of the Lord Jesus,” ’Ιησοῦ is not
found in Codex Vaticanus or P46. Mayhue observed that, since “Lord Jesus” is used twice in v. 4, this would
also be the expected usage in v. 5 (Richard L. Mayhue, “Prophet’s Watchword: Day of the Lord,” [ThD diss.,
Grace Theological Seminary, 1981], 143). For a pretribulational approach to 1 Cor. 5:5 based on the omission
of ’Ιησοῦ, see Michael D. Stallard, The Books of First and Second Thessalonians: Looking for Christ’s Return
(Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2009), 209.

40
For a full listing of usages, see Mayhue, “Prophet’s Watchword: Day of the Lord,” ThD diss., 131–
135.

17
The Day of Christ and the Day of the Lord Jesus

Interpreters debate whether the Day of the Lord is equivalent to other expressions

such as the Day of the Lord Jesus and the Day of Christ. Non-pretribulational interpreters

generally make no distinction between the Day of the Lord and these other terms. Gundry

asserted,

In the NT sixteen expressions appear in which the term “day” is used

eschatologically. Twenty times “day” appears without a qualifying phrase. In view
of the wide variety of expressions and the numerous instances where “day” occurs
without special qualification, it seems a very dubious procedure to select five out of
the sixteen expressions, lump together four of the five as equivalent to one another,
and distinguish the four from the one remaining. There is no solid basis, then, for
distinguishing between the day of Christ and the day of the Lord.41

It is true that some pretribulationists make sharp chronological distinctions between

the Day of the Lord and various other eschatological days.42 However, other

pretribulationists make more of a thematic distinction in these usages than a chronological

one.43 In other words, the Day of Christ (along with related terms) is used in reference to the

church, while the Day of the Lord is used primarily in reference to unbelievers. This is in

keeping with an understanding that the Day of the Lord itself is not so much a strict

chronological event, but a general prophetic theme with multiple applications.

41
Gundry, The Church and the Tribulation, 98.

42
e.g., David Levy, Joel: The Day of the Lord (Bellmawr, NJ: Friends of Israel, 1987), 13; Scofield,
ed., The Scofield Reference Bible, 1212. Mason’s chart is particularly helpful in seeing how some
pretribulationists view the various days (Clarence E. Mason, Jr., “The Day of Our Lord Jesus Christ,”
Bibliotheca Sacra 125, no. 500 [October 1968]: 354.).

Mason, “The Day of our Lord Jesus Christ, 352–59; J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come (Findlay,
43

OH: Dunham, 1958), 231–32.

18
 An inductive study reveals such a thematic distinction. Paul was confident that God

would continue His work among the Philippians “until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6).

Paul prayed that the Philippians would abound in love “in order to be sincere and blameless

until the day of Christ” (v. 10). Paul urged them to continued faithfulness so that he would

be able to glory “in the day of Christ” (2:16).

Uses of the Day of the Lord Jesus in the Corinthian epistles are strikingly similar.

Paul knew that his readers would be “blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor.

1:8). The incestuous church member’s spirit would be “saved in the day of the Lord Jesus”

(5:5). Paul’s godly testimony before the Corinthians assured him that he would be their

source of pride (as they would be his) “in the day of our Lord Jesus” (2 Cor. 1:14).

All of these uses specifically and uniquely relate to the church. Pretribulationists,

then, generally view the Day of Christ as the Judgment Seat of Christ.44 Pentecost noted,

“Certainly two different programs are in view in these two days [Day of the Lord and Day of

Christ], but they may fall within the same time area. Thus the two days may have the same

beginning, even though two different programs are in view.”45 Seeing a programmatic

distinction between the Day of Christ and the Day of the Lord is far different from seeing a

hard and fast distinction in meaning.46

44
See Robert N. Wilkin, “The Day Is the Judgment Seat of Christ,” Journal of the Grace Evangelical
Society 20, no. 39 (Autumn 2007): 3–15.

45
Pentecost, Things to Come, 232.

46
If ἡμέρα τοῦ χριστοῦ is the genuine reading in 2 Thess. 2:2, it might represent a deviation from this
usual pattern. The fact that Paul explained the Day of the Lord in his previous epistle to Thessalonica (5:1–11)
makes it likely that the same Day is in view in 2 Thess. 2. The alternate reading presents no difficulties so long

19
Acts 2:20

Peter quoted Joel 2:28–32 in his sermon at Pentecost. Even dispensational

interpreters debate the proper approach to this text.47 However one interprets Peter’s citation,

the remarks of Fruchtenbaum are apropos: “Acts two does not change or reinterpret Joel

two, nor does it deny that Joel two will have a literal fulfillment when the Holy Spirit will be

poured out on the whole nation of Israel.”48 Dispensationalists recognize, as part of their

overall interpretive paradigm, that New Testament revelation cannot undo or redefine Old

Testament revelation.49 Failure to acknowledge this critical hermeneutical principle will, by

necessity, diminish the concept of authorial intent.50 Peter’s quotation maintains the same

interpretation of the Day of the Lord as in Joel 2:31.

2 Thessalonians 2:2

Paul wrote at length concerning the Day of the Lord in his first epistle to the

Thessalonians (5:1–11). Apparently, further correspondence claiming to be from Paul falsely

asserted that the Day had come. Therefore, Paul wrote a second epistle to the Thessalonians

to correct this misconception (2:2). He explained, “Let no one in any way deceive you, for it

will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son

as the programmatic distinction between Day of Christ and Day of the Lord is not taken as an absolute
intepretive axiom.

47
For a summary of the various views, see Bruce A. Baker, “Luke’s Use of the Old Testament, Part 2,”
Conservative Theological Journal 7, no. 22 (December 2003): 286–96.

48
Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, Israelology: The Missing Link in Systematic Theology, rev. ed. (Tustin,
CA: Ariel Ministries, 1992), 844–45.

49
See Michael D. Stallard, “Literal Interpretation, Theological Method, and the Essence of
Dispensationalism,” Journal of Ministry and Theology 1, no. 1 (Spring 1997): 5–36.

50
If New Testament revelation can redefine Old Testament revelation, then the latter may mean
something very different from what the Old Testament author intended.

20
of destruction” (2:3).51 The interpreter will logically bring his understanding of the Day of

the Lord in 1 Thessalonians 5 to 2 Thessalonians 2.

While an extensive analysis of 2 Thessalonians 2 is beyond the purview of this study,

one observation should be made. If the Day of the Lord in 2 Thessalonians 2 is a simple

event rather than a complex process, it is difficult to see how the Thessalonians would have

feared that the Day had already begun. As Stallard observed, “If they were concerned that

Christ had already come, it is hard to understand how the concern makes sense, for they

would be in the kingdom.”52 The Day entails more than the physical appearance of Christ.

There must be some significant, complex sequence preceding the appearance.

2 Peter 3:10

Peter, like Paul (1 Thess. 5:2), compared the Day of the Lord to a “thief.” In that

Day, “the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense

heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.” The destroyed heavens and earth will

give way to “new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (v. 13). The

chronology of Revelation (21:1) suggests that this Day of the Lord will be fulfilled at the end

of the millennium.

51
For discussion concerning the missing ellipsis in this passage (translated by NASB as “it will not
come”), see Blaising, “A Case for the Pretribulation Rapture,” 56. Blaising suggested the passage be translated,
“For that day would not be here unless there was first the apostasy.” His view is based on the New Testament’s
development of the Day of the Lord theme as being “without signs, without warning.”

52
Stallard, The Books of First and Second Thessalonians, 210.

21
Conclusions Based on Findings

The Scriptures use Day of the Lord terminology in conjunction with both historical

and eschatological events.53 The Day signifies judgment either upon Israel’s enemies or

upon Israel itself. The Day can either indicate a simple event or a complex sequence of

judgments. The Day of Christ and the Day of the Lord Jesus are used in conjunction with the

Judgment Seat of Christ for believers. The remaining future implications of the Day of the

Lord are: 1) judgments associated with the tribulation and Christ’s appearance and 2)

judgments associated with the end of the millennium.

The various referents of Day of the Lord passages confirm the conclusion of Stallard,

“[T]he phrase Day of the Lord is not a technical term. It does not refer to the same exact

event(s) in every single case in Scripture….Each passage must be examined in its own right

to see if there are any contextual clues that help to pinpoint any time factors that might

identify the time frame meant in the passage.”54 Stallard identified the Day of the Lord as

“more a concept than a specific time.”55 This Day of the Lord concept refers to God’s

unusual intervention in history to judge mankind, often with a view toward punishing or

vindicating His chosen people Israel.

Kingdom blessings are sometimes mentioned in the broader contexts of Day of the

Lord passages (Zech. 14; Isa. 2). It is difficult to determine whether millennial blessings are

part of the Day of the Lord or simply result from the Day’s judgments. Nevertheless, the

For a helpful, extensive table detailing these usages, see Craig A. Blaising, “The Day of the Lord:
53

Theme and Pattern in Biblical Theology,” Bibliotheca Sacra 169, no. 673 (January–March 2012): 17.

54
Stallard, The Books of First and Second Thessalonians, 209.

55
Ibid.

22
immediate contexts of Day of the Lord passages relate primarily to judgment, making the

second option more likely.56

The burden of proof, then, is to demonstrate that the Day of the Lord in 1

Thessalonians 5 encompasses the entirety of Daniel’s seventieth week. Other passages may

involve a more narrowly defined picture of eschatological phenomena. If, however, 1

Thessalonians 5 references the entire tribulation and if believers are promised deliverance

from the wrath of that period, a compelling case can be made for a pretribulational rapture.

THE CONTEXT OF 1 THESSALONIANS 5

This study has analyzed the broader context of the Day of the Lord theme. It is now

needful to analyze the narrower context of 1 Thessalonians itself. Both contexts are of key

importance in establishing the timing of the Day of the Lord in 1 Thessalonians 5.

Occasion and Setting of the Epistle

The Apostle Paul founded the church of Thessalonica on his second missionary

journey (Acts 17:1–9). Many were converted to Christ, but persecution ensued as a result

(vv. 5–9). Paul and Silas were unexpectedly forced to flee the city by night (v. 10).

Luke recorded Paul’s ministry in the Thessalonian synagogue as lasting “three

Sabbaths” (v. 2). It is unclear whether this refers to the total time that Paul was in

Thessalonica or simply to the time he spent preaching in the synagogue. In either case, Paul

was deeply concerned about the spiritual welfare of the church he had so abruptly left.

Commentators generally date 1 Thessalonians at approximately A.D. 50 during Paul’s

stay in Corinth. Throughout the epistle, Paul expressed gratefulness for the Thessalonians’

56
Ibid., 208–9; Mayhue, “The Prophet’s Watchword: Day of the Lord,” GTJ, 246.

23
faith (1:1–10; 2:13—3:13), defended his ministry against false accusations (2:1–12),

challenged his readers to walk righteously (4:1–12; 5:12–28), and encouraged them with the

hope of Christ’s return (4:13—5:11).

Development of Argument through the Epistle

Recent interpreters of 1 Thessalonians often rely heavily on Greco-Roman rhetorical

studies to understand the epistle’s argument. Perhaps the most extensive use of such studies

was employed by Wanamaker’s commentary.57 Wanamaker classified 1:2–10 in the epistle

as the exordium, which is “intended to elicit the sympathy of the audience…through praise,

and to set out the main themes of the letter.”58

In a provocative study, Hodges used this exordium as a basis for outlining the

epistle.59 He focused specifically on 1:9–10, “For they themselves report about us what kind

of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and

true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus,

who rescues us from the wrath to come.” He outlined accordingly:

How you turned to God from idols (2:1—3:13)

To serve the living and true God (4:1–12)
And to wait for His Son from heaven (4:13—5:11)

Kennedy observed the chronology in chapters two and three: “The general

arrangement, as expected in a narration, is chronological, moving from Paul’s first ministry

57
Charles A. Wanamaker, The Epistles to the Thessalonians: A Commentary on the Greek Text (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990).

58
Ibid., 49.

59
Zane C. Hodges, “1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 and the Rapture,” Chafer Theological Seminary Journal
6, no. 4 (October 2000): 24.

24
in Thessalonica (2:9) to his departure for Athens (2:17) to his present circumstances (3:6).”60

In this section, “the Apostle considers his relationship to the Thessalonians from the point of

initially evangelizing them (2:1–16) to the present.”61

It is sometimes missed, however, that the succeeding chapters also follow a

chronology that fits with Hodges’ proposed outline. While Paul outlined the conversion and

early spiritual progress of the Thessalonians in chapters 2 and 3, he exhorted them to “excel

still more” in their walk with God (4:1) in chapter 4. Paul’s prayer at the end of chapter 3

transitions into the practical appeals of chapter 4.62 There is a shift, then, from a narration of

past events to a succession of encouragements for present living. In following Paul’s

exhortations, the Thessalonians would effectively “serve a living and true God.”

The Thessalonians’ conversion was to motivate not only faithfulness in present

circumstances, but also eager waiting for Christ’s future return. They were to “comfort one

another” with the realization that Christ would one day return for all the dead and living in

Christ (4:13–18). At the same time, they were to be “alert and sober” in light of the coming

Day of the Lord that would overtake the children of darkness (5:1–11).

It is possible, then, to expand on Hodges’ outline by adding chronological markers:

I. The Past—“You turned to God from idols” (2:1—3:13)

II. The Present—“To serve a living and true God” (4:1–12)
III. The Future—“To wait for His Son from heaven” (4:13—5:11)

60
George A. Kennedy, New Testament Interpretation Through Rhetorical Criticism (Chapel Hill, NC:
University of North Carolina Press, 1984), 143.

61
Hodges, “1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 and the Rapture,” 24.

62
Wanamaker classified 3:11–13 as the transitus that introduces “the subject of the second main part
of the letter (4:1—5:22)” (Wanamaker, The Epistles to the Thessalonians, 50).

25
 Certainly, the outline is not perfect. Nevertheless, the general chronological pattern

in the book is striking. If Hodges’ outline of the book has any merit (and there seem to be

compelling indications that it does), does it provide any guidance concerning the church’s

relationship to the Day of the Lord? To answer this question, it is needful to analyze 1:10 in

further detail.

The “Wrath to Come” in Paul’s Argument

Paul declared that, as a result of his ministry with the Thessalonians, they “turned to

God from idols” (1:9). The verb ἐπεστρέψατε (“turned”) is connected with the telic

infinitives (or infinitives of purpose) δουλεύειν (“to serve,” v. 9) and ἀναμένειν (“to wait,” v.

10). The Thessalonians were converted so that they could 1) “serve a living and true God,”

and 2) “wait for His Son from heaven.”

The term ἀναμένω (“wait”) carries the idea of remaining “in a place and/or state, with

expectancy concerning a future event.”63 In this case, the “future event” is the coming of the

Son. Paul described His coming with the prepositional phrase ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν (literally,

“from the heavens”), indicating source.

Paul further designated the Son with the relative clause ὅν ἤγειρεν ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν64

(“whom He raised from the dead”). Green observed, “The expectation concerning the

coming of Jesus would have been impossible without the resurrection from the dead. The

past is linked intimately with the future in God’s saving history, while the hope of the

63
Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, vol. 1, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament:
Based on Semantic Domains, electronic ed. of the 2nd edition (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 728–
29.

64
UBS and NA have the definite article τῶν in brackets.

26
Thessalonians lives between these two poles.”65 Later in the epistle, Paul would connect the

hope of the rapture with the fact that “Jesus died and rose again” (4:14). In 1 Corinthians, he

would describe Christ as “the first fruits of those who are asleep” (15:20). Hence, Christ’s

own rising from the dead provides assurance of both a resurrection for dead believers and a

translation for living believers.

This risen Jesus is the One “who rescues us from the wrath to come.” The term τὸν

ῥυόμενον is interpreted in the NASB as a substantival participle (“[the one] who rescues”).

Wallace observed, “The aspect of the present participle can be diminished if the particular

context requires it.”66 He concluded that the phrase in 1:10 should most likely be translated,

“Jesus, our deliverer from the wrath that is coming,” due to “the prepositional phrase [ἐκ67

τῆς ὀργῆς τῆς ἐρχομένης] that refers to a future time.”68

To what does τῆς ὀργῆς τῆς ἐρχομένης refer? Is this a reference to eternal wrath in

hell or to Day of the Lord wrath on earth? Fee was clearly convinced of the former. He

asserted, “It is of interest that the word ‘wrath’ is used exclusively in the New Testament to

65
Gene L. Green, The Letters to the Thessalonians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary, edited by
D.A. Carson (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002), 109–10.

66
Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament
(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), 620.

67
Several witnesses read ἀπὸ rather than ἐκ. Wallace determined, based on both internal and external
evidence, that ἀπὸ is likely the correct reading. Wallace contested that such a reading “fits quite naturally” with
a pretribulational rapture (Daniel B. Wallace, “A Textual Problem in 1 Thessalonians 1:10: Ἐκ τῆς Ὀργῆς vs.
Ἀπὸ τῆς Ὀργῆς,” Bibliotheca Sacra 147, no. 588 [October 1990], 478–79). He nonetheless cautioned, “A
textual variant in one verse that involves the interchange of prepositions is, of course, an inadequate foundation
on which to build a doctrine” (Ibid.).

68
Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, 620. See also Leon Morris, The First and Second
Epistles to the Thessalonians, rev. ed., The New International Commentary on the New Testament, ed. F.F.
Bruce (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991), 54; F.F. Bruce, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Word Biblical Commentary,
edited by David A. Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker (Waco, TX: Word, 1982), 19–20.

27
refer to God’s final judgment on the wicked, and thus is never used regarding believers,

whose present lot is ‘tribulation/suffering.’”69 Fee then took pretribulationalism to task in his

footnote, “Failing to distinguish between these two words, ὀργή (wrath) and θλῖψις

(tribulation, affliction, suffering), the former having always and only to do with God’s

judgment on the wicked and the latter with present trials (of believers themselves), was one

of the great failings of historic Dispensationalism, where these two terms were at times rather

cavalierly interchanged in the presentation of the system.”70

There are a number of difficulties with Fee’s assessment. First, ὀργή is not used

“exclusively” of “God’s final judgment on the wicked.” The New Testament portrays wrath

as presently abiding on the unbeliever, though certainly culminating in eternal punishment

(John 3:36; Rom. 1:18). Additionally, John used ὀργή in Revelation 6:17 to refer to earthly

judgment in the tribulation.71 Second, while the term θλῖψις frequently deals with the

69
Gordon D. Fee, The First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians, The New International
Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009), 50.

70
Ibid., n. 89.

71
Revelation 6:17 is part of the description of the sixth seal judgment. John recorded unbelievers
crying out, “The great day of their [God’s and the Lamb’s] wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” There is
considerable dispute concerning the timing of this judgment. Even pretribulationist Mayhue concluded that
“the sixth seal is part of DOL and occurs at the end of the Tribulation” (Mayhue, “The Prophet’s Watchword:
Day of the Lord,” GTJ, 239). Regardless of where one places the sixth seal, this passage renders Fee’s
conclusion erroneous. Even if the sixth seal judgment immediately precedes Christ’s return, it still constitutes
earthly wrath, not eternal punishment. The only possible solution for Fee is to interpret ἦλθεν (“has come”) as a
futuristic aorist, indicating that “God’s Day of the Lord wrath is impending. It is about to happen; it has not yet
occurred” (Rosenthal, The Prewrath Rapture of the Church, 166). Rosenthal claimed he “consulted forty
commentaries on the book of Revelation. Not one suggested that the sixth seal was retroactive and
encompassed the events of the first five seals. Attempts to suggest otherwise are new in origin and vainly
attempt to resolve this glaring problem for pretribulation rapturism” (Ibid., 167). There is tremendous irony that
Rosenthal would attack anything “new in origin” when the subtitle of his own book is “A New Understanding of
the Rapture, the Tribulation, and the Second Coming.” Even so, the issue for Rosenthal is not whether the
aorist of Revelation 6 retroactively refers to the first five seals (though there may be significant indications that

28
“present trials” of believers, it does not always bear this usage. Paul declared, “There will be

tribulation (θλῖψις) and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also

of the Greek” (Rom. 2:9). Additionally, the fact that believers are said to experience

“tribulation” does not necessarily imply that they will face the tribulation period.

The pretribulationalist does not “cavalierly” equate “tribulation” with “wrath.” The

argument of the epistle itself specifically points to a time of wrath (the Day of the Lord) on

earth (5:1–11). If the exordium (and particularly vv. 9–10) provides the theme for the rest of

the epistle, it is far more likely that Day of the Lord eschatological judgment is in view rather

than eternal damnation. 5:1–11 logically expounds upon the “wrath to come” in 1:10.

1 Thessalonians 1:10 does not definitively establish the timing of the rapture, for it

still does not identify when the Day of the Lord begins. Nevertheless, this passage, which

lays out Paul’s argument in 4:13—5:11, hints, at the very least, to a pre-Day of the Lord

rapture. The fact that believers are instructed to “wait for His Son from heaven” indicates

that the Son’s coming is the means by which believers are rescued from Day of the Lord

wrath. The rescue, therefore, must precede the wrath.

it does), but whether the tense indicates an event that is about to transpire. Wallace noted that the aorist “in the
indicative, usually indicates past time with reference to the time of speaking….There are exceptions to this
general principle, of course, but they are due to intrusions from other linguistic feature vying for control”
(Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, 555). Brooks and Winbery observed that there was some
“question about the legitimacy” of both the dramatic aorist and the futuristic aorist (James A. Brooks and
Carlton L. Winbery, Syntax of New Testament Greek [Washington: University Press, 1979], 93–94).
Furthermore, even if Rosenthal were correct, Fee would still need to demonstrate that the futuristic aorist of
Revelation 6 restricts the wrath to the final judgment only, not to any of the other earthly judgments described
in Revelation. These considerations make it altogether unlikely that the New Testament uses ὀργή exclusively
in the sense of the final judgment of the wicked.

29
 KEY EXEGETICAL EVIDENCE INDICATING THE TIMING

OF THE DAY OF THE LORD IN 1 THESSALONIANS 5

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13—5:11, Paul expounded upon the idea of “wait[ing] for

[God’s] Son from heaven…who rescues us from the wrath to come” (1:10). In 4:13–18, he

explained the means of rescue: the rapture of the church. In 5:1–11, he explained the nature

of the “wrath to come”: Day of the Lord judgment. Paul’s argument laid out evidence

indicating not only the timing of the coming wrath, but also the timing of the promised

rescue. This section will analyze such evidence.

The Contrast Between 4:13–18 and 5:1–11

An Overview of 4:13–18

Paul’s discussion in this section was designed to encourage the Thessalonians

concerning “those who are asleep” (v. 13). The verb κοιμάω is used both of physical sleep

and as a euphemism for death.72 The latter is clearly in view here, for Paul would identify

“those who are asleep” as “the dead in Christ” (v. 17). Apparently, the Thessalonians were

uncertain of what would happen to their deceased loved ones at Christ’s coming.

Paul wrote so that these believers would not “grieve as do the rest who have no hope”

(v. 13). The implication is that, as believers in Christ, the Thessalonians did have hope and,

therefore, did not need to grieve as if they were unbelievers. Paul explained the reason: “For

if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so will God bring with Him those who have

fallen asleep in Jesus” (v. 14). The statement here is a first-class conditional clause that

72
Walter Bauer, W.F. Arndt, F.W. Gingrich, and F.W. Danker, eds., A Greek-English Lexicon of the
New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000),
551.

30
“assumes the reality of [the speaker’s] premise.”73 In this case, Paul had no uncertainty; both

he and the Thessalonians were convinced that Jesus “died and rose again.”74 This confidence

needed to assure them that God would bring deceased believers with Him at His coming.

To bolster such confidence, Paul offered them a saying “by the word of the Lord” (v.

15). This was either a saying of Jesus Himself or a prophetic utterance carrying divine

authority.75 Paul clarified, “We who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will

not precede those who have fallen asleep” (v. 15). Paul emphatically rejected (οὐ μὴ) the

idea that the living would have any advantage over the deceased at Christ’s coming. In the

order of events, the living would not “precede” the dead in being gathered to Christ.76

73
Richard A. Young, Intermediate New Testament Greek: A Linguistic and Exegetical Approach
(Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 1994), 226.

74
Young noted concerning conditional clauses, “In the speaker’s mind there is usually nothing
conditional in the premise that is set forth to argue a point. The speaker is either convinced it is false and is
trying to persuade listeners of its falsity, or the speaker is convinced it is true and using it as a basis for a
conclusion” (Ibid., 229).

For further discussion on this issue, see Robert L. Thomas, “1 Thessalonians,” in Ephesians Through
75

Philemon, vol. 11, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
1978), 276–77.

76
Some pretribulational interpreters point to the first-person reference (ἡμεῖς) as evidence of
imminence (e.g., Thomas, “1 Thessalonians,” 278). It is reasoned that Paul expected to be among the living at
Christ’s return. This is certainly possible, but two cautions are in order. First, while Paul’s expectation of being
alive at Christ’s return may hint at imminence, it does not prove any-moment imminence. Saying that Christ
could come in one’s lifetime is not necessarily equivalent to saying that He could come at any moment. Second,
while even non-pretribulational interpreters posit some hint of imminence here (James E. Frame, A Critical and
Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, The International Critical
Commentary, ed. Samuel R. Driver, Alfred Plummer, and Charles A. Briggs [Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1912],
172; Bruce, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 99; Green, The Letters to the Thessalonians, 222; Wanamaker, 171–72),
some see indications in later epistles that Paul did not expect to be alive at the parousia. Bruce (99) and Green
(222) both cited 2 Cor. 4:14 as evidence that Paul’s expectation changed. Morris rejected any such expectation
in 1 Thess. 4:15, noting, “The expression he uses may mean no more than ‘those Christians who will be alive at
that day’” (Morris, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, 141; see also Fee, The First and Second
Letters to the Thessalonians, 175).

31
 Paul then gave further details: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with

a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ

will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the

clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord” (vv. 16–17).77

Two issues in this passage are sometimes raised against pretribulationism. First,

posttribulationists compare 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 with Matthew 24:31, noting similar

language (clouds, trumpet, angels).78 The parallels are not altogether surprising;

pretribulationists do not argue for such a radical discontinuity between the rapture and

Christ’s physical appearance that there cannot possibly be similarities. Nevertheless,

Feinberg examined some critical differences between 1 Thessalonians 4 and the Olivet

Discourse:

In Matthew the Son of Man comes on the clouds, while in 1 Thessalonians 4 the
ascending believers are in them. In Matthew the angels gather the elect; in 1
Thessalonians the Lord Himself (note the emphasis) gathers the believers.
Thessalonians only speaks of the voice of the archangel. In the Olivet Discourse
nothing is said about a resurrection, while in the latter text it is the central point. In
the two passages the differences in what will take place prior to the appearance of
Christ is striking. Moreover, the order of ascent is absent from Matthew in spite of
the fact that it is the central point of the epistle.79

77
It is worth noting that the chronology of this text presents a significant difficulty for the partial
rapture view. Paul explicitly stated that the living would not “precede” the deceased in the rapture (v. 15). He
then laid out a clear chronology where the dead would rise “first,” followed by “we who are alive and remain”
(vv. 16–17). If some deceased believers (those who died in an unwatchful condition) are not resurrected until
after the millennium (as was taught by many early partial rapturists) then watchful living believers cannot
possibly be raptured sooner based on this text.

78
See Robert H. Gundry, First the Antichrist (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1997), 107; Douglas J. Moo, “The
Case for the Posttribulation Rapture Position,” in Three Views on the Rapture: Pre-, Mid-, or Post-Tribulation,
180–82.

79
Paul D. Feinberg, “Response,” in Three Views on the Rapture: Pre-, Mid-, or Post-Tribulational,
225.

32
 The second issue is Paul’s use of ἀπάντησιν (“meet”). Moo cautiously suggested that

this term might point to a posttribulational scheme.80 The Theological Dictionary of the New

Testament identified it as a “tech. term for a civic custom of antiquity whereby a public

welcome was accorded by a city to important visitors.”81 In conjunction with this welcome,

the citizens would generally accompany the visitor back to the city. Hence, in the

posttribulational scenario, the saints accompany Christ back to earth immediately after the

rapture. However, several commentators are uneasy about this connection.82 Even Moo

admitted, “The word does not have to bear this technical meaning, nor is it certain that the

return to the point of origin must be immediate.”83

Paul said that the church would be “caught up” at the parousia (v. 17). The term

ἁρπάζω carries the idea of “to grab or seize suddenly so as to remove or gain control,

snatch/take away.”84 In three out of its fourteen usages in the New Testament, it is translated

in the NASB as “take by force” (Matt. 11:12; John 6:15; Acts 23:10). While the context in 1

Thessalonians 4 is far more positive, the saints will nonetheless be snatched suddenly from

the earth in the rapture.

80
Moo, “A Case for the Posttribulation Rapture Position,” in Three Views on the Rapture: Pre-, Mid-,
or Post-Tribulational, 181.
81
Erik Peterson, “ἀπάντησις,” in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. Gerhard Kittel,
Geoffrey W. Bromiley and Gerhard Friedrich, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964-), 1:380.

82
Wanamaker, The Epistles to the Thesssalonians, 175–76; Bruce, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 102–3;
Morris, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, 146; Fee, The First and Second Letters to the
Thessalonians, 180.

83
Moo, “A Case for the Posttribulation Rapture Position,” 181.

84
Bauer, et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature,
134.

33
 The result of this “snatching up” is that believers “shall always be with the Lord” (v.

17). For Paul, this encouraging thought should motivate Christians to “comfort one another

with these words” (v. 18). While the term παρακαλέω is frequently used in the sense of

“exhort” or “urge,” the context here reflects more the idea of causing “someone to be

encouraged or consoled.”85 Due to the hope of the rapture, the Thessalonian believers could

encourage each other concerning the departure of their loved ones.

It is noteworthy, then, that Paul’s entire discussion concerning the parousia in 4:13–

18 was intended as a source of comfort for the Thessalonians. Rather than grieving as the

unbelieving world around them (v. 13), they were to encourage one another (v. 18). This

context does not necessarily establish pretribulationism; these words are still a source of

encouragement to adherents of other rapture views. Nevertheless, the question must be

asked, “How do the words of 4:13–18 relate to those of 5:1–11?” The following section will

address this question.

The Presence of Περὶ Δὲ

Paul began 5:1–11 with the expression περὶ δὲ. The term περί is a preposition

translated numerous ways in the New Testament, such as “about,” “for,” “of,” “concerning,”

and “in regard to” (to name but a few). The term δέ is a mild adversative, a conjunction

commonly translated either “and” or “but.” Posttribulationist Moo seized on the fact that, on

many occasions, δέ indicates no contrast at all.86 However, both the preposition and the

85
Louw and Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 1:305.

86
Moo, “A Case for the Posttribulation Rapture Position,” 182–83.

34
conjunction must be considered together. Only their combined usage is determinative in this

context.

The expression περὶ δὲ repeatedly indicates a shift in subject matter throughout

Pauline literature. The subject introduced by περὶ δὲ is often related to the previous

discussion, but there is nonetheless a noticeable change. For instance, in 1 Corinthians 6:12–

20, Paul addressed the subject of sexual immorality. Then, in 7:1, he wrote, “Now

concerning [περὶ δὲ] the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a

woman.” Certainly, the discussion in chapter 7 relates to 6:12–20, for Paul further

elaborated, “But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman

is to have her own husband” (7:2). Nevertheless, Paul shifted from discussing sexual

immorality to discussing the issues of marriage and singleness.

Paul also used περὶ δὲ in 7:25, “Now concerning [περὶ δὲ] virgins I have no command

of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy.”

Again, there is a clear connection to the preceding discussion; Paul had encouraged each

believer “to remain in that condition in which he was called” (7:20). This same argument

was then applied to “virgins.” Even so, there is once again a clear change in the topic of

discussion.

Following his discussion on virgins, Paul then took a more radical shift in his

argument, “Now concerning [περὶ δὲ] things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have

knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies” (8:1). There is a greater

interrelatedness between the previous discussions than there is between chapter 7 and chapter

8. In this case, the change in subject matter is clearer.

35
 Paul used περὶ δὲ two other times in 1 Corinthians (12:1; 16:1), both indicating a

clear shift in topic. In 12:1, he shifted from discussing the Lord’s Supper to discussing

spiritual gifts. In 16:1, he shifted from discussing the resurrection to discussing the

“collection for the saints.”

The expression περὶ δὲ also occurs two other times in 1 Thessalonians besides 5:1

(4:9; 4:13). In the case of 1 Corinthians, περὶ δὲ generally preceded Paul’s answers to

particular written questions raised by the Corinthians. Black suggested, “Perhaps Paul’s use

of the phrase here and in 4:13; 5:1 indicates that he is similarly answering written questions.

It is just as likely, however, that his information came from Timothy’s verbal report.”87

4:3 introduces the subject matter of sexual immorality. In 4:9, however, Paul wrote,

“Now as [περὶ δὲ] to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you,

for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.” Once again, περὶ δὲ indicates a

distinct shift in subject matter.

4:13, then, shifts the subject matter once again, “But [δὲ] we do not want you to be

uninformed, brethren, about [περὶ] those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as those

who have no hope.” In 4:11–12, Paul challenged the believers to “work with your hands” so

that they could “behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.” 4:13 signals a

more encouraging note concerning the fate of deceased believers.

5:1, then, shifts from this encouraging note: “Now as [περὶ δὲ] to the times and the

epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.” The expression τῶν

χρόνων καὶ τῶν καιρῶν (“the times and the epochs”) is a phrase generally dealing with end-

87
David Alan Black, “The Literary Structure of 1 and 2 Thessalonians,” Southern Baptist Journal of
Theology 3, no. 3 (Fall 1999): 52.

36
time events (Acts 1:7). In this section, Paul would deal with the “sudden destruction” (KJV)

destined for the children of darkness (vv. 3, 5). While both 4:13–18 and 5:1–11 deal with

eschatological matters, even many non-pretribulational commentators see some type of

contrast between the two discussions.88

Moo noted, however, that, if there is a contrast between 4:13–18 and 5:1–11, “one

must determine the nature of that contrast.”89 Moo suggested, “Rather than distinguishing

two separate events, Paul may be contrasting the effect of the same events on two different

groups—believers and unbelievers.”90 Wanamaker advocated a similar approach, “Although

4:13–18 involves the salvation to be brought about at the parousia, few scholars seem to have

noticed that 5:1–10 views the subject from the perspective of impending judgment and the

possible threat that this might pose to Christians.”91 Several other commentators see the

same type of contrast: how the same event (a single posttribulational parousia) affects both

unbelievers and believers.92

88
Fee, The First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians, 185; Wanamaker, The Epistles to the
Thessalonians, 177; Green, The Letters to the Thessalonians, 230; Frame, A Critical and Exegetical
Commentary on the Epistles of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, 179; Ben Witherington III, 1 and 2 Thessalonians:
A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006), 143; Ernest Best, A Commentary on the
First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians (New York: Harper and Row, 1972), 203; R.C.H. Lenski, The
Interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Colossians, to the Thessalonians, to Timothy, to Titus and to
Philemon (Columbus, OH: Wartburg, 1946), 339.

89
Moo, “A Case for the Posttribulation Rapture Position,” 183.

90
Ibid.

91
Wanamaker, The Epistles to the Thessalonians, 177–78.

92
Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Colossians, to the Thessalonians, to Timothy,
to Titus and to Philemon, 339; Frame, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles of St. Paul to the
Thessalonians, 178–80; Green, The Letters to the Thessalonians, 229–230; Morris, The First and Second

37
 Such a perspective, however, fails to recognize the argumentation developed

throughout the epistle. 4:13–5:11 expounds upon Paul’s instruction in 1:10 “to wait for His

Son from heaven…who rescues us from the wrath to come.” Chronologically, 1:10 presents

a scenario in which the Son comes before the wrath. It has already been demonstrated that 1

Thessalonians generally follows a chronological pattern. If 4:13–18 expounds upon the

parousia, it is likely that 5:1–11 expounds upon the wrath.93 The rapture will rescue the

believer from Day of the Lord wrath.

The chronological development of the epistle makes it likely that περὶ δὲ in 5:1

indicates a “contrast…not between attitudes of surprise and expectation, but between no

escape and escape.”94 Paul continued the eschatological theme from 4:13–18 in 5:1–11.

However, the overall progression of 1 Thessalonians strongly indicates that two different,

successive, and closely related events are in view.

The Unexpected Arrival of the Day of the Lord

The preceding discussion has established a strong likelihood that the rapture (4:13–

18) precedes the Day of the Lord (5:1–11). However, the precise beginning of the Day of the

Lord has not been established. One could still adopt a midtribulational perspective if the Day

begins at the midpoint of Daniel’s seventieth week. Likewise, one could still adopt a

prewrath perspective if the Day begins at the three-quarter mark of the tribulation. The

Epistles to the Thessalonians, 148; John R.W. Stott, The Gospel and the End of Time: The Message of 1 and 2
Thessalonians (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1991), 107.

93
Hodges, “1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 and the Rapture,” 25; Stallard, The Books of First and Second
Thessalonians, 85.

94
Feinberg, “Response,” 227.

38
preceding discussion does not even rule out posttribulationism, provided that the Day begins

at the very end of the tribulation.

The following discussion will point out several exegetical factors indicating that the

Day of the Lord will arrive suddenly and unexpectedly. These factors point to a Day of the

Lord that commences conterminously with Daniel’s seventieth week. Consequently, these

factors also point to a rapture that occurs prior to the seventieth week (a pretribulational

rapture).

Its Coming as a Thief in the Night

The Thessalonian believers had “no need of anything to be written” to them (v. 1).

Paul gave the reason: “For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come

just like a thief in the night” (v. 2). The Thessalonians had likely speculated as to exactly

when the Day would begin. Paul responded that they already knew “full well” that the Day

would come unannounced.

Paul’s description of the Day of the Lord coming as a “thief” (κλέπτης) is mirrored in

five other New Testament passages (Mt. 24:43; Luke 12:39; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 3:3; 16:15).

Gundry asserted that all of these references are posttribulational.95 For Gundry, the

significance of the illustration is that “the wicked, being in darkness, will fail to perceive the

significance of tribulational events. Consequently, the day will catch them unprepared.”96

Hence, the Day’s coming as a thief does not mean that it cannot be preceded by other

95
Gundry, The Church and the Tribulation, 108. Gundry seemed uncertain of whether 2 Peter 3
references “the close of the tribulation” or the “close of the millennium” (31).

96
Ibid., 109.

39
judgments in the tribulation. Only a survey of the aforementioned passages can validate or

invalidate Gundry’s claims.

Matthew 24:43. In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus warned, “Therefore be on the alert, for

you do not know which day your Lord is coming” (Matt. 24:42). Then, Jesus used the

illustration of the thief: “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what

time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have

allowed his house to be broken into” (v. 43). Just as the thief comes at an unexpected time,

so “the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will” (v. 44).

Pretribulational interpreters often take Matthew 24:42–44 as a reference to Christ’s

visible appearance at the Second Coming. Walvoord wrote, “Just as one cannot know when

a thief may come, so the servants of God who live in the great tribulation should expect

Christ to come (cf. 1 Th 5:2).”97 In a similar vein, Toussaint said, “The signs [of the

tribulation] will give a general warning, but they will not be so specific as to designate the

day or hour. Therefore, when the signs appear, they [the people on earth during the

tribulation] are to watch.”98

However, interpreting Matthew 24:42–44 as a reference to the visible descent of

Christ to earth presents some difficulties. The Olivet Discourse itself identified Christ’s

appearing as occurring “immediately after the tribulation of those days” (v. 29). There are

definite signs listed in both the Olivet Discourse and Revelation that precede the Second

97
John F. Walvoord, Matthew: Thy Kingdom Come (Chicago: Moody, 1974), 194.

98
Stanley D. Toussaint, Behold the King: A Study of Matthew (Portland: Multnomah, 1980), 281.

40
Coming. It seems difficult to correlate Christ’s appearance at the Second Coming with the

unexpected, unannounced coming of a thief.

Furthermore, while it may not be possible to decipher the “hour” of Christ’s

appearing, it will nonetheless be possible to decipher the “day” once the tribulation begins

(Matt. 24:36). The tribulation is Daniel’s seventieth week, a period of time lasting seven

years or 2,520 days. This means that Christ will come 2,520 days after the Antichrist signs

his treaty with Israel or 1,260 days after he breaks said treaty (Dan. 9:27).99

It is worth noting that, in Matthew 24:36, Jesus used the aforementioned expression

περὶ δὲ. Hence, there is a clear demarcation between Matthew 24:4–35 and 24:36—25:46.

Blaising divided the Olivet Discourse accordingly:

The first part (Matt. 24:4–35; Mark 13:5–31; Luke 21:8–33) consists of a narrative of
events leading up to the sign of the Son of Man coming on the clouds. This is
followed by a conclusion or teaching point, the parable of the budding tree(s). The
second part (Matt. 24:36—25:46; Mark 13:32–37; Luke 21:34º36) asserts that it is not
known when that day will come, and this is followed by exhortations to be ready.100

Blaising, then, equated the “coming” (or parousia) of 24:36 (and, by extension,

24:42–44) with an extended Day of the Lord pattern.101 He asserted, “The day of the Lord is

the day of His coming, and in biblical parlance, the coming of the Lord and the day of His

coming are often interchangeable, as most would agree.”102 This pattern begins in 24:4–14,

99
Other pretribulationists have identified this same problem; see John F. Hart, “Should
Pretribulationists Reconsider the Rapture in Matthew 24:36–44?” Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society 20,
no. 39 (Autumn 2007): 61.

100
Craig A. Blaising, “The Day of the Lord and the Seventieth Week of Daniel,” Bibliotheca Sacra
169, no. 674 (April–June 2012): 137.

101
Ibid., 141.

102
Ibid.

41
which discusses the “beginning of birth pangs” (v. 8). The mention of “the abomination of

desolation” (an event that takes place in the middle of Daniel’s seventieth week; see Dan.

9:27) in 24:15 indicates that the preceding verses refer to events in the first half of the

tribulation. Blaising concluded, “The parable of the budding tree(s) [24:32–33] then places

the appearing of Christ at the end of a greatly intensifying process, one that will have people

in a state of terror and alarm, and one that will have led to a point of imminent

expectation.”103

Blaising’s equation of 24:36 and 24:42–44 with the entire Day of the Lord pattern

(one that encompasses all of Daniel’s seventieth week) effectively resolves the difficulty that

both pretribulationists and posttribulationists often face in Matthew 24. His view is also

substantiated by several contextual markers, including the use of περὶ δὲ, the parable of the

fig tree, and the presence of labor pains.

Waterman cited the aforementioned phrase in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 ἐν λόγῳ κυρίου

(“by the word of the Lord”) as evidence that Paul got his teaching on the Day of the Lord

directly from Jesus Himself.104 He then noted a “striking resemblance” between Paul’s

teaching in 1 Thessalonians 5:2 and Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24:43.105 Paul’s illustration

of the thief in the night was likely borrowed from Jesus Himself. In both the Olivet

103
Ibid. Note that Blaising contrasted the “imminent expectation” of Christ’s visible descent (one that
is “sign-based and sign-induced”) with the “signless” imminence described in the second half of the Olivet
Discourse.

G. Henry Waterman, “The Sources of Paul’s Teaching on the 2 nd Coming of Christ in 1 and 2
104

Thessalonians,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 18, no. 2 (Spring 1975): 106.

105
Ibid., 110. Many of Waterman’s other parallels erroneously equate Christ’s coming at the end of
the tribulation with the rapture. See above for discussion concerning the differences between the two events.

42
Discourse and 1 Thessalonians 5, the analogy is used in regard to the Day of the Lord. It

stands to reason, then, that both references concern a sudden and unexpected commencement

of Daniel’s seventieth week.

Luke 12:39. Luke 12:39–40 parallels Matthew 24:43–44. Bock noted a few

peculiarities of Luke’s account.106 However, it is best to view Luke 12:39 in the same light

as Matthew 24:43.

2 Peter 3:10. Premillennialists generally take one of two views on this passage.

Some see this as a reference to Christ’s physical return at the end of the tribulation (and

perhaps including all the tribulation judgments that precede it).107 Others see this as a

reference to the “event that immediately precedes eternity future.”108 The mention of “new

heavens and a new earth” (v. 13) seems to parallel Revelation 21:1, making the second

option more likely.

How does 2 Peter 3:10 use the illustration of the thief? Revelation 20:9 provides

some insight: “And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of

the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them.” The

fire that consumes the unbelieving armies will come suddenly and unexpectedly. Even these

unbelievers during the millennium will have experienced Christ’s reign of peace and

blessing. The unexpected judgment of Revelation 20:9 provides a parallel to the beginning

106
Darrell L. Bock, Luke, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, ed. Moises Silva
(Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996), 2:1176.

107
Craig A. Blasing, “The Day of the Lord Will Come: An Exposition of 2 Peter 3:1–18,” Bibliotheca
Sacra 169, no. 676 (October–December 2012): 394–401.

108
Mayhue, “The Prophet’s Watchword: Day of the Lord,” ThD Diss., 107–9.

43
of the tribulation (characterized by an appearance of “peace and safety” according to 1

Thessalonians 5:3).

Revelation 3:3. Jesus warned the church at Sardis, “So remember what you have

received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come

like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.” Not all interpreters see

a reference to Christ’s future coming here. Note the remarks of Ladd,

[I]n the present context, the warning is far more suitable to some historical visitation
[than to the Second Coming] when the Lord will bring upon a lethargic church an
unexpected experience which will mean a divine judgment. This interpretation is
supported by the fact that this visitation is posited upon the failure of the church to
repent—a condition which is not primarily related to the Lord’s return.109

However, even if Revelation 3:3 represents a general eschatological event, it is far

from clear that the event is posttribulational as Gundry claimed. Thomas interpreted the

theme of the messages to the seven churches as “the imminence of the hour of trial as an

incentive for the book’s recipients to make their calling and election sure so they can escape

this coming dreaded period.”110 There is nothing contextually that demands

posttribulationism in Revelation 3:3. In fact, the unexpected nature of Christ’s coming upon

the Sardis church, in conjunction with the other aforementioned uses of the thief analogy,

argue strongly against Gundry’s view.

Revelation 16:15. Out of all the passages Gundry cited, only this one is clearly found

in context of the tribulation’s end. In the sixth bowl judgment, Christ warned, “Behold, I am

coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will

109
George E. Ladd, A Commentary on the Revelation of John (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972), 57.

110
Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8–22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody, 1995), 267.

44
not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.” However, the reference here is not

definitively posttribulational. Thomas noted that the warning here is parenthetical and relates

back to the general theme of chapters 2–3.111 In light of the horrendous judgments of the

tribulation, John’s readers needed to be certain that they were the “overcomers” who would

escape the Day of the Lord. Once again, the thief analogy indicates a sudden and unexpected

coming.

Summary. None of the references that Gundry cited are definitively posttribulational.

To the contrary, there are strong indications that the thief analogy applies to a sudden and

unexpected destruction in line with the commencement of the tribulation. Paul’s use of the

analogy is likely informed by Jesus’ teaching in the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24:42–44). The

thief analogy is not irrefutable proof that the Day of the Lord encompasses all of Daniel’s

seventieth week. However, the other usages of the illustration certainly point in this

direction.

The Cry of “Peace and Safety!”

Paul asserted that the Day of the Lord would come “while they are saying, ‘Peace and

safety!” (1 Thess. 5:3). Note Paul’s use of the third-person plural verb λέγωσιν. This is in

contrast to the first-person plural pronoun ἡμεῖς in chapter 4. Paul did not include himself or

his believing readers among those who would cry, “Peace and safety!” when the Day of the

111
Ibid.

45
Lord begins.112 Fee asserted that Paul’s “immediate concern is that the day of the Lord does

not pose a threat to them.”113

The term εἰρήνη indicates “a state of concord, peace, harmony.”114 Ἀσφάλεια is

found only three times in the New Testament. In this context, it indicates “a state of safety

and security, implying a complete lack of danger.”115 Moulton and Milligan cited this term’s

use in secular literature in reference to a “written security.”116 Showers equated this term

with the Antichrist’s seven-year covenant with Israel at the beginning of Daniel’s seventieth

week (Dan. 9:27).117 Whether ἀσφάλεια specifically references the Antichrist’s peace

agreement, the events surrounding this covenant would certainly give the unbelieving world

a false hope of peace and safety.

It is difficult to imagine the appearance of peace and safety at any other time besides

the very beginning of the seventieth week. Even the first half of the tribulation will involve

“wars and rumors of wars” in which “nation will rise against nation” (Matt. 24:6–7). Peace

is taken from the earth with the opening of the second seal in Revelation (6:3–4). The

calamity, war, and distress will only escalate, not subside, after the first half of the week.

112
Thomas, “1 Thessalonians,” 282.

113
Fee, The First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians, 188.

114
Bauer, et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature,
287.
115
Louw and Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 1:238.

116
J.H. Moulton and G. Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (London: Hodder & Stoughton,
1930), 88.

117
Showers, Maranatha, 60.

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 Even so, non-pretribulationists have taken issue with those who place the “peace and

safety” at the beginning of Daniel’s seventieth week. First, an examination of prewrath and

posttribulational perspectives on “peace and safety” is in order.118 Then, two apparent

problems with the pretribulational view will be analyzed.

Prewrath View of “Peace and Safety.” Prewrath adherents place the rapture after the

tribulation’s midpoint, but before the outpouring of God’s wrath. They place this outpouring

(the Day of the Lord) roughly three-quarters of the way through the tribulation. Rosenthal

described the conditions that, according to prewrath advocates, will bring about the

appearance of peace and safety:

At the middle of the seventieth week the Antichrist will make his capital the city of
Jerusalem (Dan. 11:42–45). He will seek to become a world ruler, ruthlessly
destroying men and nations as he moves to consolidate his power. His greatest fury
will be unleashed against the Jewish nation. For that reason, this period of time is
called “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” It will be a time of such severity that except
those days were shortened, no flesh (in context, Jewish) would live. But for the
elect’s sake, those days will be shortened. At that moment cosmic disturbance will
signal the approach of the Day of the Lord. Jews being persecuted by the Antichrist
will view this as divine intervention on their behalf in the nick of time. They will
proclaim “peace and safety,” but their cry will be premature—an expression of short-
lived duration: “For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction
cometh upon them” (1 Thess 5:3).119

The novelty and ingenuity of Rosenthal’s view cannot be doubted. Nevertheless,

there is no evidence that the cry of “Peace and safety!” will come from the Jewish people

exclusively. 1 Thessalonians 5 contrasts the “sons of light” with the sons of “darkness” (vv.

118
It seems that most midtribulationists place the Day of the Lord at the end of the Tribulation, as
posttribulationists do. See above discussion concerning the various views of the Day of the Lord.

119
Rosenthal, The Prewrath Rapture of the Church, 174.

47
4–5). The third-person plural of verse 3 refers to the children of darkness universally, not

those in the Jewish nation specifically.

Furthermore, Rosenthal’s assertion that Jews will cry “Peace and safety!” because of

a “cosmic disturbance” indicating “the approach of the Day of the Lord” is difficult to

establish exegetically. The cosmic disturbances in the sixth seal judgment (which prewrath

advocates believe is the precursor to the Day of the Lord) are nowhere said to provoke the

cry of “Peace and safety!” In fact, in the Revelation account, earth’s inhabitants are said to

call out “to the mountains and to the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him

who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb” (6:16). This is a nearly universal

response of unbelievers (“every slave and free man”) at that time (v. 15).

Posttribulational View of “Peace and Safety.” Gundry suggested, “The very form of

the statement [in 1 Thess. 5:3] suggests that peace and safety will not be the actual condition

of the world preceding the day of the Lord, but the expressed wish and/or expectation of men,

which God will answer with a blow of judgment.”120 He cited several Old Testament texts

(Jer. 6:14; 8:11; Ezek. 13:10) to establish such a precedent. He then proposed, “Perhaps just

before Armageddon there will be a lull, a seeming end of world upheavals, which will excite

men’s hopes for the peace which has so long eluded them (as suggested by the three-and-a-

half days’ merriment in Rev. 11:7–11).”121

In regard to a possible “lull,” it is difficult to see any abatement of the tribulation

judgments in the biblical text. Ryrie observed, “The last judgments of each of the series in

120
Gundry, The Church and the Tribulation, 92.

121
Ibid.

48
Revelation reveals: killing of martyrs (6:9), a meteor shower (6:13), earthquakes (6:14),

torment like the sting of a scorpion (9:10), one-third of the population killed (9:18), people

gnawing their tongues because of pain (16:10), armies converging on Armageddon (16:14),

and widespread destruction (16:20, 21).”122 Ryrie also noted, “[A]ccording to

posttribulationists some, if not all, of these judgments will occur toward the end of the

tribulation.”123

As for Gundry’s first assertion, it is problematic to relegate the cry of “Peace and

safety!” to merely an expectation or wish. The passage depicts sudden destruction coming as

a thief in the night (vv. 2–3). This indicates that, at bare minimum, there must be at least the

appearance of peace and safety. The peace and safety may not even be genuine. It must,

however, be legitimately perceived in order for the world to be caught off-guard by the

coming destruction. Furthermore, the posttribulational scheme begs this question: why will

armies gather at Armageddon for war if they have expectations of peace and safety?

Perceived Problems with the Pretribulational View. Gundry asserted, “If peace and

safety must exist as actualities when the day of the Lord begins, that day could not begin and

the rapture could not occur at the present time. For the current condition of the world is

neither peaceful nor safe.”124 There are some significant flaws in Gundry’s reasoning. For

one, pretribulationists do not demand peace and safety to “exist as actualities.” Rather there

must be the appearance of peace and safety, causing the world to be caught off-guard by the

122
Ryrie, Come Quickly, Lord Jesus, 114.

123
Ibid.

124
Gundry, The Church and the Tribulation, 92.

49
Day of the Lord. Also, the “current condition of the world” is far more peaceful and safe

than the world at the end of the tribulation where Gundry places the Day of the Lord.

Rosenthal offered a chronological problem with the pretribulational view, “If the

peace and safety is placed inside the seventieth week, the Day of the Lord cannot begin at the

beginning of the seventieth week….[A]ccording to Paul, the Day of the Lord follows the cry

of peace and safety. If the call of peace and safety is placed before the seventieth week, then

a prophesied event must precede the seventieth week, and the pretribulational pillar of

imminence once again crumbles.” While Rosenthal’s claim may, at first glance, seem

devastating for pretribulationism, a careful analysis reveals otherwise.

First, it is a common misconception that pretribulationism is wholly dependent upon

the doctrine of imminence. Feinberg noted, “[A]n any-moment imminency could be wrong

and pretribulationism could still be right. The minimum requirement for the truth of

pretribulationism is simply that the rapture of the church must precede the Tribulation.”125

There are compelling defenses of the pretribulational rapture that involve little or no reliance

upon imminence.126 Even the findings of this study are not contingent upon imminence.

Rosenthal is correct that the peace and safety likely precede the Day of the Lord

(perhaps in anticipation of the Antichrist’s treaty with Israel). However, he is not correct that

this order of events damages pretribulationism or even the doctrine of imminence.

Rosenthal’s entire argument is contingent upon one erroneous assertion: in order for

125
Feinberg, “Response,” in Three Views on the Rapture: Pre-, Mid-, or Post-Tribulational, 152.

126
See, e.g., Feinberg, “A Case for the Pretribulation Rapture Position,” 45–86; Blaising, “A Case for
the Pretribulation Rapture,” 25-73; Richard L. Mayhue, “Why a Pretribulational Rapture?” The Master’s
Seminary Journal 13, no. 2 (Fall 2002): 241–253.

50
pretribulationism to be true, the rapture must be coterminous with the beginning of the Day

of the Lord.

The peace and safety precede the Day of the Lord, not the rapture. It may even be

possible to posit a gap between the rapture and the tribulation. The Bible nowhere indicates

how much time elapses between the two events. However, there is likely some type of gap

between the rapture and Daniel’s seventieth week, albeit a brief one.127 A gap would allow

for conditions of peace and safety to develop before the tribulation starts.128

Summary. The cry of “Peace and safety!” indicates that the Day of the Lord begins

simultaneously with Daniel’s seventieth week. It is only at this time (and no other) that

earth-dwellers will perceive any semblance of peace and safety. Prewrath and

posttribulational views fail to provide compelling evidence that any other time of the

tribulation will involve such a perception. Finally, the presence of peace and safety hints at

the possibility of a gap between the rapture and the Day of the Lord in order for such

conditions to develop.

The Sudden Onset of “Labor Pains”

In verse 2, Paul compared the coming of the Day of the Lord to that of a thief in the

night. In verse 3, he introduced another illustration, “[T]hen destruction will come upon

127
Stanton cited similar gaps between Calvary and Pentecost and between the end of the Tribulation
and the start of the millennial kingdom (Gerald B. Stanton, “A Review of The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the
Church,” Bibliotheca Sacra 148, no. 589 [January 1991]: 100).

128
Thomas seemed to oppose the idea of a gap, noting, “Were either the rapture of the day of the Lord
to precede the other, one or the other would cease to be an imminent prospect to which the ‘thief in the night’
and related expressions (1:10; 4:15, 17) are inappropriate” (Thomas, “1 Thessalonians,” 281). However, the
Day’s coming as a thief simply signifies that it is sudden and unexpected. The analogy does not demand that
the Day of the Lord be imminent from the present standpoint, but that it will be unexpected when it comes.

51
them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.” The

term αἰφνίδιος (“suddenly”) is used only one other place in the New Testament: “Be on

guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and

the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap” (Luke 21:34).

Luke 21’s use of “day” is parallel with that of Matthew 24:42–44. The passage concerns the

entire Day of the Lord pattern.

The term ὄλεθρος (“destruction”) connotes various types of destruction: the ruin

associated with the love of money (1 Tim. 6:9), the destruction of the errant Corinthian’s

“flesh” (1 Cor. 5:5), and the eternal death that awaits unbelievers (2 Thess. 1:9). This

destruction will be of such magnitude that the children of darkness “will not escape”; such a

prospect is utterly impossible (note the emphatic negation οὐ μὴ).

Paul graphically illustrated the onset of the Day of the Lord with the words ὥσπερ ἡ

ὠδὶν τῇ ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσῃ (“like labor pains upon a woman with child”). In context, the

illustration reveals both the sudden initiation of the Day, as well as the impossibility of

escape.129 The comparison to labor pains strongly indicates that the Day of the Lord

encompasses all of Daniel’s seventieth week. An examination of other passages that contain

the same analogy reveals this to be the case.

Old Testament Usage of the Labor Pain Analogy. In the midst of a prophecy against

Babylon, God declared, “They will be terrified, pains and anguish will take hold of them;

they will writhe like a woman in labor, they will look at one another in astonishment, their

faces aflame” (Isa. 13:8). The illustration here (as well as in Isa. 26:17–18) indicates the

129
Bruce, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 110; Wanamaker, The Epistles to the Thessalonians, 180;
Witherington, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 147.

52
“pain and anguish” associated with birth pangs, as opposed to the suddenness stressed in 1

Thessalonians 5.

Usages in Jeremiah (6:24; 13:21; 22:23, 30:6; 48:41; 49:22, 24; 50:43) also focus

predominantly on the agony associated with labor. Jeremiah 30:6 is of particular interest.

God asked, “Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in childbirth?

And why have all faces turned pale?” The answer: “Alas! For that day is great, there is

none like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s distress, but he will be saved from it.” The time of

distress will be followed by restoration and freedom (v. 8).

While these Old Testament analogies focus on the anguish of child labor rather than

its suddenness, they do share a common point of reference with 1 Thessalonians 5:3. As

these references demonstrate, labor pains indicate a process, not simply an event. As Stallard

observed, “There is a period of time in which the labor pains take place that leads to an event,

namely, the birth of a child.”130 The period of distress for Israel and the nations will

culminate in the physical appearing of Christ.

New Testament Usage of the Labor Pain Analogy. Matthew 24:8 (and the parallel

passage Mark 13:8) contains a highly significant reference to labor pains: “But all these

things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.” The same Greek term ὠδίν is used to

indicate labor pains in 1 Thessalonians 5:3. Waterman cited this illustration as further

evidence that Paul derived his Day of the Lord teaching directly from Jesus.131

130
Stallard, The Books of First and Second Thessalonians, 89.

131
Waterman, “The Sources of Paul’s Teaching on the 2 nd Coming of Christ in 1 and 2 Thessalonians,”
110.

53
 To what did Jesus refer when he said πάντα ταῦτα (“all these things”)? The

preceding verses list them as the presence of false Messiahs (v. 5), “wars and rumors of

wars” (v. 6), “famines” (v. 7), and “earthquakes” (v. 7). As horrendous as these woes will

be, Jesus indicated that they would only be ἀρχὴ ὠδίνων (“the beginning of birth pangs”).

Furthermore, Jesus Himself provided a clear chronological marker: “Therefore when

you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet,

standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee

to the mountains” (vv. 15–16). The first labor pains (vv. 4–8) precede the midpoint of the

tribulation (vv. 15–16).

When do the first labor pains take place? They will begin when “many…come in My

name, saying, ‘I am the Christ’” (Matt. 24:5). Paul would later assure the Thessalonians that

the Day of the Lord had not come since the “man of lawlessness” had not been revealed (2

Thess. 2:3). The breaking of the first seal in Revelation reveals a conqueror on a white horse

(6:1–2). The first labor pains, then, arrive with the revelation of Antichrist, who will sign a

seven-year treaty with Israel (Dan. 9:27).

Paul’s imagery of labor pains in 1 Thessalonians 5:3 reflects the imagery Jesus used

in Matthew 24:8. This imagery is a strong textual indicator that the Day of the Lord is not a

simple event (the Second Coming), but a process beginning with the revelation of Antichrist

at the beginning of Daniel’s seventieth week. Paul’s focus on the sudden onset of labor pains

correlates with the “beginning” of labor pains in Matthew 24:8.

Objections to the Pretribulational View. Rosenthal contended,

The Lord’s description of the first half of the seventieth week, then, is of a woman in
the early stages of labor (“the beginning of birth pangs”). In marked contrast, when
Paul describes the period immediately prior to the Day of the Lord, he uses the
imagery of a woman, not in beginning birth pangs, but in hard labor, about to deliver
54
 (Paul’s contrast is between “sudden destruction” and “travail upon a woman with
child”).132

Paul’s correlation of “sudden destruction” (KJV) with labor pains is not a “contrast”

as Rosenthal claimed. The conjunction ὥσπερ (“like”) is a “marker of similarity between

events and states.”133 Rosenthal offered absolutely no evidence that the construction in this

passage connotes a woman “not in beginning birth pangs, but in hard labor, about to deliver.”

Both Paul and Jesus used the same Greek word (ὠδίν) to denote labor pains. The

prepositional phrase τῇ ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσῃ merely indicates that the labor pains will come

“upon a woman with child” (Matt. 1:18, 23; 24:19; Mark 13:17; Luke 21:23; Rev. 12:2).

Additionally, Paul’s emphasis is on the sudden onset (αἰφνίδιος, “suddenly”) of labor pains,

not on the intensification of subsequent labor pains.134 The context of peace and safety and

the thief analogy indicate that the labor pains will come unexpectedly; they will not be

preceded by other “beginning birth pangs.”

Another prewrath advocate, Hultberg, argued, “[V]erse 8 [of Matthew 24] marks an

intentional distinction between the general ‘eschatological’ events of verses 4–14 and ‘the

end’ mentioned in verses 6 and 14. They are thus not the labor pains of the day of the Lord

132
Rosenthal, The Prewrath Rapture of the Church, 173.

133
Bauer, et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature,
1106.

134
The vast majority of commentators hold that the analogy illustrates the sudden onset of the Day of
the Lord. See, e.g., Witherington, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 147; Wanamaker, The Epistles to the Thessalonians,
180; Fee, The First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians, 190; Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Paul’s
Epistles to the Colossians, to the Thessalonians, to Timothy, to Titus and to Philemon, 343; Best, The First and
Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, 208; Bruce, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 110.

55
but the beginning of labor pains.”135 Hultberg then asserted that the events of Matthew 24:4–

14 “would be typical of the church age.”136 Like Rosenthal, Hultberg failed to consider that

the labor pain analogy refers to the sudden onset of the Day of the Lord. While many

descriptions in Matthew 24:4–14 may fit the church age to some extent, they correlate better

with the seals of Revelation. Correlations include false Messiahs (Mt. 24:4–5; Rev. 6:1–2),

wars (Mt. 24:6–7; Rev. 6:3–4), famines and pestilences (Mt. 24:7; Rev. 6:5–8), and affliction

of believers (Mt. 24:9; Rev. 6:9–11). While the church age may reveal some of these trends

in incipient form, their full realization will not come until Daniel’s seventieth week.

Summary. Paul’s illustration of labor pains indicates that the Day of the Lord will

come suddenly, unexpectedly, and without any possibility of escape. The labor pain

imagery, as found in both Testaments, signifies a process, not a simple event. An

examination of the Olivet Discourse reveals that this process begins with the onset of

Daniel’s seventieth week. Paul likely borrowed the analogy from Jesus’ teaching, thus

indicating that he too viewed the commencement of the Day of the Lord as coterminous with

that of Daniel’s seventieth week.

The Contrast between the Children of Light and the Children of Darkness

In verse 4, Paul turned his attention again to his believing readers. He offered them

exhortations in light of the coming Day of the Lord (vv. 7–8, 11). Does Paul’s further

discussion confirm that the Day of the Lord 1) occurs subsequent to the rapture and 2)

135
Alan Hultberg, “A Prewrath Response,” in Three Views on the Rapture: Pretribulation, Prewrath,
or Posttribulation, 81.

136
Ibid., 82.

56
encompasses all of Daniel’s seventieth week? Only a study of the pertinent passage can

answer this question.

The Overtaking of the Children of Darkness

After describing the onset of the Day of the Lord, Paul directly addressed his readers,

“But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you

are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness” (vv. 4–5). Paul

began this section with the second-person plural pronoun ὑμεῖς and the conjunction δέ. In

the previous three verses, Paul dealt with how the Day of the Lord would affect “them” (the

unbelieving world). In verse 4, he shifted to discuss how the Day would affect “you” (the

believing Thessalonian readers). The conjunction δέ, used with the second-person pronoun,

indicates a contrast in this context.137

Paul reminded his “brethren” that they were not “in darkness.” The noun σκότει

(“darkness”) is a dative (or locative) of sphere. By contrast, Paul’s readers were “sons of

light and sons of day.” The genitives φωτός (“light”) and ἡμέρας (“day”) are descriptive.

Wallace commented, “This does not mean ‘lightful sons’ but ‘enlightened sons’ comes

closer. The figurative and compressed language involves a connotation which has more

emotive force than merely ‘sons who dwell in the light,’ though that is surely close to the

denotative meaning.”138

Since these believers were “sons of light” rather than sons of “darkness,” the Day of

the Lord would not “overtake” them “like a thief.” The discussion here will analyze the

137
Frame, The Epistles of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, 183; Morris, The First and Second Epistles to
the Thessalonians, 154; Fee, The First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians, 192.

138
Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, 81.

57
analogy “like a thief” first. Then, an analysis of the verb καταλάβῃ (“overtake”) will

determine its significance in this context. The analysis will demonstrate how the Day of the

Lord impacts both unbelievers and believers.

The Analogy of the Thief. A textual problem in the passage potentially impacts the

meaning of the Pauline analogy. Most manuscripts read ὡς κλέπτης (“like a thief”).

However, Alexandrinus and Vaticanus read ὡς κλέπτας (“like thieves,” NASB margin).

Plummer argued in favor of the latter: “No copyist would deliberately change ‘as a thief’ to

‘as thieves’ (ὡς κλέπτης to ὡς κλέπτας), whereas the converse change would be natural.”139

Plummer’s analysis is based on the text critical axiom that the more difficult reading is to be

preferred over the easier reading. In Plummer’s thinking, a scribe would be likely to change

the text to ὡς κλέπτης to harmonize with the analogy in verse 2.

If ὡς κλέπτας is the original reading, then the analogy may reflect the rendering of

Frame: “That the day should surprise you as thieves are surprised.”140 The Day would not

surprise believers in the same way that thieves are surprised when they are caught stealing.

However, Plummer admitted another possibility: “But the reading ‘thieves’ might be

an accidental slip, caused by the preceding ‘you’ (ὑμᾶς ὡς κλέπτας).”141 The presence of

ἡμέρας in verse 5 may also have been a factor. Certainly, the singular reading κλέπτης fits

much better in the context. Additionally, if Paul based his teaching on that of Jesus, he

139
Alfred Plummer, A Commentary on St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Thessalonians (London: Robert
Scott, 1918), 85.

140
Frame, The Epistles of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, 184.

141
Plummer, A Commentary on St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Thessalonians, 85.

58
would likely be using the same analogy as in verse 2.142 The weight of both the external

evidence and the internal evidence argues strongly in favor of κλέπτης.

The analogy, then, bears the same significance as in verse 2: unbelievers will be

overtaken by the Day as if they were overtaken by a thief. The coming of the Day of the

Lord will be sudden and unexpected; it will catch the world off-guard.

The Significance of “Overtaking.” The verb καταλαμβάνω is used fifteen times in

the New Testament. The addition of κατά to the verb λαμβάνω indicates either “intensity” or

“suddenness.”143 The thief analogy indicates that the latter is in view in 1 Thessalonians 5:4.

The idea, then, is “to come upon someone, with implication of surprise, catch.”144 The same

implication of surprise is demonstrated in John 8:3–4 with the woman “caught” in adultery.

Paul assured the believers that they would not be overtaken or surprised by the

sudden onset of the Day of the Lord. They would not be caught off-guard as they would be

at the unexpected arrival of a thief. Again, there is a noted contrast between “they” (v. 3) and

“you” (v. 4).

Gundry understood the text this way: “[T]he Day of the Lord will come on unsaved

people (‘them’) ‘as a thief at night,’ but…it will not overtake Christians that way. Why not?

Hardly because it won’t overtake them at all, for then ‘as a thief’ would lose its point.

142
Morris, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, 155, n. 19. Morris also observed,
“Furthermore, in this context the sons of darkness who are surprised are not awake and watchful, like thieves,
but asleep or drunken.”

143
Gerhard Delling, “καταλαμβάνω,” in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, 4:10.

144
Bauer, et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature,
520.

59
Rather, because Christians are ‘not in darkness’ (verse 4).”145 In Gundry’s view, the Day of

the Lord will overtake Christians, but it will not overtake them “as a thief.”

Gundry’s approach to the passage is problematic. The text nowhere says that the Day

of the Lord will “overtake” Christians.146 The entire point of Paul’s argument is that

believers will not be overtaken by the Day of the Lord. It is also uncertain how the thief

analogy would, in Gundry’s view, “lose its point” if Christians are not overtaken by the Day

of the Lord. The word καταλαμβάνω itself indicates an element of surprise and

unexpectedness (and often in a negative sense). The thief analogy serves to graphically

illustrate this element, not to indicate that believers are overtaken, just not “like a thief.”

There are at least three indications that the contrast between “them” and “you” is “not

between attitudes of surprise and expectation, but between no escape and escape.”147 The

first indication is in the immediate context, in which Paul declared that unbelievers “will not

escape” (v. 3). The adversative δέ with the second person pronoun ὑμεῖς in the following

verse suggests a contrast between unbelievers, who “will not escape,” and believers, who will

not be “overtaken.” It logically follows that believers would not be “overtaken” because they

would “escape” the Day of the Lord altogether.

The second indication is in the broader context of 1 Thessalonians. Remember that

this section of the epistle expounds upon 1:10, which describes Jesus as He “who rescues us

145
Gundry, First the Antichrist, 20.

146
Gundry’s wording was a bit more careful in his earlier book: “And what point is there in saying
that the day will not come like a thief upon Christians, who are watching, if it will not come upon them at all?”
(Gundry, The Church and the Tribulation, 96). Nevertheless, in the earlier book, it seems as though Gundry
simply replaced the word “overtake” with “come…upon.” His argument remains the same.

147
Feinberg, “Response,” in Three Views on the Rapture: Pre-, Mid-, or Post-Tribulational, 226.

60
from the wrath to come.” The verb ῥύομαι (“rescues”) has the idea of “to rescue from

danger, with the implication that the danger in question is severe and acute.”148 The promise

of rescue would lead to the Thessalonians not being “overtaken” by the Day of the Lord. The

believers would not be caught off-guard because they would be rescued before the Day

began.

The third indication is the contrast between “light” and “darkness.” Stallard cited

Zephaniah 1:15, which describes the Day of the Lord as “darkness and gloom”; he asserted,

“Because the Thessalonians are sons of day, they will not be overtaken by the dark night of

the Day of the Lord’s wrath that is coming upon the world.”149 Note that the Day will come

“like a thief in the night” (emphasis added). Walvoord suggested, “[T]he thief is going to

come in the night, but the believers are declared not to belong to the night or the darkness.

The implication is quite clear that believers are in a different time reference, namely, that

they belong to the day that precedes the darkness.”150 While the nighttime analogy need not

be pressed too far, there is a significant correlation between darkness and the Day of the

Lord. Paul’s illustration hints at the fact that believers will be rescued prior to the onset of

darkness.

Summary. Believers will not be “overtaken” by the Day of the Lord because they will

escape or be rescued prior to its onset. This is seen both in the general argument of 1

Thessalonians, as well as in the specific contrast of 5:4 between unbelievers and believers.

148
Louw and Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 1:240.

149
Stallard, The Books of First and Second Thessalonians, 93.

150
Walvoord, The Blessed Hope and the Tribulation, 117.

61
The illustration “like a thief” points once again to the notion of unexpectedness or

suddenness. The analogy graphically illustrates the concept of “overtaking.”

Exhortations to Wakefulness

After promising the believers that they would not be overtaken by the Day of the

Lord, Paul exhorted them, “So then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.

For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.

But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having on the breastplate of faith and love, and

as a helmet, the hope of salvation” (vv. 6–8).

Paul included himself in these exhortations, perhaps prefacing his instructions with a

more gentle and tactful approach.151 The use of ἄρα οὖν (“so then”) indicates that the

discussion in verses 6–8 relates to what was said in verses 4–5. His first exhortation was μὴ

καθεύδωμεν (“let us not sleep”). The “sleep” here is not death (in contrast to κοιμάω in

4:13), but spiritual lethargy. If the readers chose to “sleep” they would be like the “others.”

Ὁι λοιποὶ, as in 4:13, indicates unbelievers, those who demonstrate no preparedness for the

Day of the Lord.

Paul’s second exhortation is γρηγορῶμεν (“be alert”). Jesus used the same verb when

He called on His disciples to “keep watching” while He was praying in Gethsemane (Matt.

26:41; Mark 14:38). The word indicates watchfulness, alertness, and wakefulness. This

exhortation is connected with a third, νήφωμεν (“be sober”), indicating sober-mindedness

and restraint.152

151
Frame, The Epistles of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, 185.

152
Louw and Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 1:751.

62
 The children of darkness “sleep” and “get drunk” at night (v. 7). Believers, however,

“are of the day” (v. 8). Sobriety presupposes that believers have “put on the breastplate of

faith and love” and the “helmet, the hope of salvation” (v. 8). There is an allusion to Isaiah

59:17 here. The image of the armed guard is particularly fitting in light of the instruction to

“be alert and sober.”153

How do these exhortations relate to believers? Gundry asserted that believers must

be watchful because of “the coming of the Day of the Lord, with which the whole of the

surrounding passage deals.”154 Gundry correctly acknowledged that the verbs in the passage

do not take direct objects, but asserted that sobriety is required because of the impending

Day.

Gundry is right that the believer is to be watchful in light of the coming Day of the

Lord. However, this interpretation does not require that the believer be present on earth

during the Day. Paul gave the exhortations for watchfulness in light of the believer’s

position as a son of light (vv. 4–5). If a believer becomes lethargic, he evidences the same

character as the children of darkness, who will find themselves unprepared when the Day of

the Lord comes. Therefore, believers must be alert, not because they may face the Day of the

Lord, but so that they stand in stark contrast to unbelievers who will face the Day.155

153
Frame, The Epistles of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, 187; Wanamaker, The Epistles to the
Thessalonians, 185.

154
Gundry, First the Antichrist, 30.

155
For extended discussion on these exhortations, see Hodges, “1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 and the
rapture,” 28–31.

63
 Furthermore, placing the Day of the Lord at the end of the Tribulation presents

problems for a posttribulational view of these exhortations. If, as Gundry asserted, believers

must watch for the Day of the Lord, they must watch for an event that is, at the very least,

seven years from the present. In such a scenario, it is difficult to see how the Day would

come “suddenly” and “just like a thief.” Indeed, the Day would come 2,520 days after the

Antichrist signs a treaty with Israel! Believers would have ample warning before the Day in

such a scenario; why be watchful when there is no possibility that the Day will come any

time in the immediate future?

It is best, then, to take the exhortations for watchfulness not as watching for the Day

of the Lord, but as watching in light of the Day of the Lord. Such watching on the part of

believers will cause them to evidence their true position as children of light. They will not

demonstrate the apathy of unbelievers when the Day of the Lord comes.

The Promise of Deliverance from Divine Wrath

In verse 8, Paul admonished the Thessalonians to “be sober.” In order to be sober,

Paul’s readers would need to put on “the breastplate of faith and love” and, “as a helmet, the

hope of salvation.” Paul explained this “hope of salvation” in verse 9, “For God has not

destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Christ

“died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him” (v. 10).

On the basis of such hope, Paul once again urged his readers (as he similarly did in 4:18),

“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing” (v.

11).

In order to understand Paul’s argument, several questions must be answered. 1) From

what type of wrath is the believer delivered? 2) How is the believer delivered from God’s

64
wrath? 3) When does this wrath begin? 4) How does verse 10 factor in to Paul’s argument?

5) How are these truths to be the basis for encouragement (v. 11)?

Type of Wrath. The term ὅτι (“for”) in verse 9 is used causally. Paul explained here

why the believer must put on the “helmet, the hope of salvation.” The reason is that “God

has not destined us for wrath.” The verb τίθημι is translated a number of different ways, but

in this context, it communicates the notion of causing “someone to experience, with the

implication of subjecting a person to something.”156 In this case, God has not subjected the

believer to ὀργὴν (“wrath”).

The term ὀργή is found thirty-six times in the New Testament. It is translated

“wrath” (28X), “anger” (6X), and “fierce” (2X). In some instances, it connotes a vice, which

believers must shun (Eph. 4:31; Col. 3:8; 1 Tim. 2:8; Jas. 1:19–20). However, the majority

of usages relate specifically to God’s wrath against sinful humanity. Sometimes, the biblical

writers portrayed wrath as presently abiding on the unbeliever (Jn. 3:36; Rom. 1:18). The

unconverted are even described as “children of wrath” (Eph. 2:3). Quite frequently, ὀργή is

used in an eschatological context either in the sense of eternal judgment (Mt. 3:7; Lk. 3:7;

Rom. 9:22; Rev. 14:10) or of earthly judgment during the tribulation (Rev. 6:16–17),

culminating in the ultimate wrath at Christ’s appearing (Rev. 19:15).

Wrath, then, is not the lot of believers. Instead, God has “destined” them “for

obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Σωτηρία (“salvation”) is used sometimes

of physical deliverance (Acts 7:25; Phil. 1:19), but is more frequently used in a spiritual

156
Louw and Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 1:808.

65
sense of the salvation that comes through Christ. This raises the question, however, as to

how the believer is being saved or delivered in 1 Thessalonians 5:9.

Pretribulationist Mayhue stated, “It is this writer’s opinion that, in light of the

immediate context and the larger context of Paul’s other uses of wrath in this letter, it is

certain he refers to God’s eternal wrath here. Thus, nothing here helps the interpreter to

determine the time of the rapture.”157 Mayhue based his position on the reference to

“salvation” in verse 8 and the promise “that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live

together with Him” in verse 10.

Mayhue’s analysis failed to deal with the general argumentation of 1 Thessalonians.

Remember that 1:9–10 provide clues for the structural outline of the epistle. Paul said that

Jesus “rescues us from the wrath to come” (1:10). In the flow of Paul’s argument, the “wrath

to come” most naturally concerns the “destruction [that] will come upon them suddenly” in

chapter 5. The concern of chapter 5 specifically relates to eschatological judgments that will

take place on earth.

Furthermore, in the immediate context of chapter 5, there is nothing to indicate that

eternal judgment is in view. The immediate context references unbelievers who will be

“sleeping” when the Day of the Lord comes (vv. 6–7). It is natural, then, to take the

“salvation” here as deliverance from Day of the Lord wrath.

The Nature of the Believer’s Deliverance. If Day of the Lord wrath is in view, the

issue remains as to how the church will be protected from this wrath. Gundry quoted 1:10

and 5:9 and claimed, “Neither of these verses states the method by which God will save

157
Richard L. Mayhue, 1 & 2 Thessalonians: Triumphs and Trials of a Consecrated Church (Geanies
House, Scotland: Christian Focus, 1999), 140.

66
believers from wrath. Therefore both offer inconclusive evidence either for prior removal

from wrath or for protection in the midst of it.”158 In his later work, Gundry cited the

description of tribulation saints in Revelation 7 as “a description of salvation from God’s

wrath….Yet the people who enjoy this salvation will live on earth during the tribulation, as

nobody disputes.”159 For Gundry, then, the promise of deliverance in 5:9 concerns not prior

removal from the time of wrath, but protection during the time of wrath.

A careful look at both 1:10 and 5:9 reveals Gundry’s analysis to be faulty. It was

demonstrated earlier that 1:9–10 provides the outline for Paul’s epistle. 1:10 specifically

previews the content of 4:13—5:11, which explains Christ’s coming for believers (4:13–18),

followed by a discussion of the Day of the Lord, which comes upon unbelievers like a thief

(5:1–11). The implication is that the coming of the “Son from heaven” is what “rescues us

from the wrath to come.” This is clear both from 1:10 and from the larger argument of the

epistle, one that demonstrates a chronological progression. The rescue must precede the

wrath. This being the case, Gundry cannot maintain that believers are protected in the midst

of wrath.

It is true that ῥύομαι (“rescue”) can sometimes mean, “preserve.”160 However, in this

context, it is used with the preposition ἐκ (“from”), indicating that τῆς ὀργῆς (“the wrath”) is

most likely a genitive (or ablative) of separation, indicating “that from which something is

158
Gundry, The Church and the Tribulation, 54.

159
Gundry, First the Antichrist, 48.

160
Bauer, et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature,
907.

67
separated.”161 The promised rescue, then, does not indicate “protection in the midst of” but

“deliverance from.”162

If 1:10 previews the entire epistle, the implication is the same in 5:9: the church is

rescued from divine wrath through the coming of the Son from heaven. This coming is the

“hope of salvation” (v. 8). The same word ἐλπίδα (“hope”) is used in 4:13 concerning “the

rest who have no hope.” The antidote for hopelessness is the coming of Christ for dead and

living believers (vv. 16–18; cf. Titus 2:13). The “hope of salvation” is not simply protection

in the midst of divine wrath, but deliverance from it via the rapture.

Finally, a brief word is in order concerning saints in the tribulation. For Gundry, this

is evidence that the rapture will not occur until after the tribulation. Both pretribulationists

and posttribulationists agree that believers will not suffer the direct, retributive wrath of God.

However, if the “hope of salvation” (v. 8) concerns not the believer’s deliverance from

eternal wrath, but his deliverance from earthly Day of the Lord wrath, then the exemption

need not be normative for all believers, but simply for those in the church age. Feinberg

noted, “[T]he ground for the exemption is not that Jesus Christ on the cross has borne our

wrath so that we will not come into wrath….Like salvation, this is a sovereign decision of

God. God simply has given this special promise to the church.”163 Obviously, the death of

Christ determines whether one is a believer who can claim the promise of exemption (v. 10).

161
Brooks and Winbery, Syntax of New Testament Greek, 19–20.

162
See also Showers, Maranatha, 194–199.

163
Feinberg, “A Case for the Pretribulation Rapture,” 52.

68
However, the text nowhere indicates that the church’s exemption from Day of the Lord wrath

is based on the fact that Christ bore such wrath on the cross.

Timing of Wrath. If believers are exempted from the time of wrath, such exemption

begs the question, “When does the wrath begin?” Midtribulationist Buswell placed the

coming of God’s wrath with the bowl judgments of Revelation 16.164 Prewrath Rosenthal

placed the wrath after the seals of Revelation and coterminous with the trumpets at the three-

quarter mark of the Tribulation.165 Posttribulational Gundry placed the wrath “at the very

close of the tribulation.”166

There are, however, compelling reasons to place divine wrath at the beginning of

Daniel’s seventieth week. First, the argumentation of 1 Thessalonians itself strongly points

in this direction. 1:10, previewing 4:13—5:11, identifies the coming of the Son from heaven

as that which “rescues us from the wrath to come.” In the argumentative and chronological

progression, 5:1–11 correlates with the “wrath to come.”

Furthermore, as has already been seen, the Day of the Lord is a thematic description

of divine judgment. The unexpected arrival of the Day of the Lord, signaled by the thief

analogy, the cry of “peace and safety,” and the sudden onset of labor pains, demonstrates that

the Day begins conterminously with Daniel’s seventieth week. If the Day begins with the

seventieth week, God’s wrath must also begin at the same time.

164
Buswell, A Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion, 2:389.

165
Rosenthal, The Prewrath Rapture of the Church, 147.

166
Gundry, First the Antichrist, 52.

69
 Also, the book of Daniel itself establishes a pattern whereby God’s wrath is poured

out not just in a concentrated event, but in an extended process. In critiquing Moo’s

posttribulationism, Blaising observed, “He misses the fact that wrath is used as a descriptor

for the whole pattern as well as individual events within it. An adversarial king and army

carry out God’s wrath, creating the conditions in which the saints suffer persecution. At the

end of the pattern, God’s wrath is poured out in turn on the persecutor (note Dan. 7:11, 26;

8:25; 9:27; 11:36, 45).”167 Along these lines, Blaising cited Daniel 9:16, “O Lord, in

accordance with all Your righteous acts, let now Your anger and Your wrath turn away from

Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our

fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become a reproach to all those around us.”168 The

reference here is to the Babylonian captivity. However, this pattern is evidence that God’s

wrath includes, not just the physical appearance of Christ, but even the beginning judgments

(the “beginning birth pangs,” Mt. 24:8) that culminate in His appearing.

Finally, the sequence of judgment in Revelation begins when the Lamb breaks the

first seal of the seven-sealed scroll (6:1).169 As Showers observed, “[T]he things that

transpire when Christ breaks the seals will be part of the irrefutable evidence that He is the

true Kinsman-Redeemer with the right, authority, and power to evict Satan and his forces and

167
Blaising, “A Pretribulation Response,” in Three Views on the Rapture: Pretribulation, Prewrath, or
Posttribulation, 245.

168
Ibid., n. 120.

169
An extensive analysis of the various views of this scroll is beyond the purview of this study. The
reader is encouraged to consult Renald Showers’ extensive discussion on the issue: Showers, Maranatha, 74–
102.

70
take tenant possession of the earth.”170 The fact that Christ Himself opens the seals indicates

strongly that the entire sequence in Revelation 6–19 involves manifestations of divine wrath.

The Argument of Verse 10. Paul asserted that salvation comes through Christ “who

died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with him” (v. 10).

The passage here raises two questions. First, who are those “awake” and those “asleep”?

Second, how does this interpretation impact the understanding of the promised salvation in

verse 9?

The terms γρηγορῶμεν (“are awake”) and καθεύδωμεν (“are asleep”) are also used in

Paul’s preceding exhortations concerning wakefulness (vv. 6–8). On this basis, a few

interpreters have concluded that verse 10 is referring to both watchful and unwatchful

believers.171 The implication is that, regardless of whether believers are watchful, they will

still participate in the rapture. These interpreters propose that Paul would have used κοιμάω

rather than καθεύδω had he intended to refer to physical death.

However, there are compelling arguments in favor of the majority position, namely

that the passage references dead and living believers at Christ’s return. First of all, while this

usage of καθεύδω may seem unusual, it is certainly not outside of the semantic range of the

word. In fact, the Septuagint uses the same word for physical death in the context of

resurrection (Dan. 12:2). Second, the “sleepers” of verses 6 and 7 are not believers but

unbelievers. Paul designated them as οἱ λοιποὶ, those outside the community of faith.

170
Ibid., 95–96.

171
Hodges, “1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 and the Rapture,” 31–35; Thomas, “1 Thessalonians,” 285–86;
Thomas R. Edgar, “The Meaning of ‘Sleep’ in 1 Thessalonians 5:10,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological
Society 22, no. 4 (December 1979): 345–49.

71
Finally, 5:11 contains the same exhortation as 4:18, which indisputably deals with dead and

living believers.172 The majority view, then, is preferable in this case.

Those who are awake and asleep “will live together with him.” The verb ζήσωμεν is

an aorist subjunctive. Robertson classified the verb as a “constative aorist covering all life

(now and hereafter) together with (ἁμα συν [hama sun] as in 5:17) Jesus.”173 However, the

NASB correctly identified the future context of Paul’s remarks with the translation “will

live.” It is better to take the aorist here as ingressive, indicating that believers will begin

living together with Christ when He comes. This better fits the parallel statements in 4:15–

17.

What is the significance of verse 10 in Paul’s argument? Verse 10 continues the

argument of verse 9. Life “together” with Christ that commences at the rapture will deliver

believers from Day of the Lord wrath. Again, this is consistent with 1:10, which implies that

the coming of the Son from heaven would “rescue” believers from the “wrath to come.”

Basis for Encouragement. Paul concluded this section by urging his readers,

“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing” (v.

11). The term παρακαλεῖτε (“encourage”) was also used in 4:18 (translated there as

“comfort”). The meaning is the same here, though with more complex implications based on

the teaching of 5:1–10. Not only could the Thessalonians be assured of the destiny of their

deceased loved ones, but they could also be assured of their deliverance from Day of the

172
For further discussion, see Tracy L. Howard, “The Meaning of ‘Sleep’ in 1 Thessalonians 5:10—A
Reappraisal,” Grace Theological Journal 6, no. 2 (Fall 1985): 337–348.

173
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman, 1933), 1 Th 5:10.

72
Lord wrath. Whereas the encouragement in 4:18 concerns the “dead in Christ,” that in 5:11

concerns “we who are alive and remain.”

Is the basis for encouragement weakened through other rapture positions? Gundry

made no effort to deal with the encouragement offered in either 4:18 or 5:11.174 Rosenthal

addressed 4:18 in a section entitled, “Are Pretribulation Rapture Arguments Really

Unanswerable?” He said, “[F]or the believer to realize that he will be raptured before the

trumpets and bowls of God’s wrath are poured out—before Armageddon occurs—is a great

and glorious word of comfort.”175

Admittedly, all rapture positions can sustain a strong word of comfort in 4:18. The

context there deals specifically with deceased believers. Christians can encourage one

another with the assurance that, one day, their dead loved ones will meet Christ at His return,

irrespective of its timing. 5:11, however, seems more challenging. Rosenthal is correct that

escape from the trumpet and bowl judgments is a comforting thought. Nevertheless, in a

prewrath scheme, the church must face the “beginning of birth pangs” (Mt. 24:8). While the

seals in Revelation do not entail the same level of destruction as the trumpets and bowls, the

widespread terror and panic are still apparent.

Certainly, the exhortation of comfort in 5:11 is far from conclusive in determining the

timing of the rapture or the Day of the Lord. Even so, the exhortation is very difficult for

posttribulationism, which asserts that the church will be present when the Day of the Lord

174
See the indexes in Gundry, The Church and the Tribulation, 214–15; Gundry, First the Antichrist,
192. Gundry offered a brief mention of 5:11 in a footnote (The Church and the Tribulation, 154, n. 5).
However, even there, the passage was simply listed among several other references.

175
Rosenthal, The Prewrath Rapture of the Church, 249.

73
begins. While the prewrath and midtribulational views fare much better, pretribulationism

seems to give this exhortation the most force. Christians can offer tremendous

encouragement and comfort to one another, knowing that they will escape even the beginning

stages of Daniel’s seventieth week.

74
 CONCLUSION

The preceding discussion established the following:

 The Day of the Lord is not a technical term, but a prophetic theme that may

indicate a simple event or a complex process, depending on context.

 The future fulfillments of the Day of the Lord involve either 1) the judgments

connected with the tribulation and Christ’s future appearance or 2) the

judgment at the end of the millennium.

 The argument of 1 Thessalonians indicates a chronological progression. This

progression indicates that the church will be raptured prior to the

commencement of Day of the Lord wrath.

 The contrast between chapters 4 and 5 indicates that two related, but distinct,

events are in view. This again points to a rapture that precedes the Day of the

Lord.

 The unexpected arrival of the Day of the Lord, indicated by the labor pain and

thief analogies, as well as by the cry of “Peace and safety!” points to its

sudden onset at the beginning of Daniel’s seventieth week.

 The contrast between the children of light and the children of darkness in

chapter 5 indicates that, while the latter are overtaken by the Day of the Lord,

the former escape the Day via the rapture.

These factors confirm a twofold thesis: 1) the Day of the Lord in 1 Thessalonians 5

encompasses the entire seventieth week of Daniel; and 2) the Day of the Lord in 1

Thessalonians 5 must take place subsequent to the rapture of the church. Only

pretribulationism can accommodate this twofold thesis.

75
 In light of this thesis, two responses are in order. First, Christians must encourage

one another in light of Christ’s pretribulational return (1 Th. 5:11). Thanks to God’s

sovereign grace, the church will never have to face Day of the Lord wrath.

Second, Christians must be watchful and sober (1 Th. 5:6-8). The world is anything

but watchful and sober. Unbelievers will find themselves caught by surprise when the Day

of the Lord comes. Christians must demonstrate their position as children of light by

refraining from this same spirit of lethargy.

76
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