Why Can’t I Find The Word “Rapture” In The Bible?

Many are being led away into serious error even apostasy because of doctrinal difficulties having to do with Biblical Prophecy.

One very serious issue among Christians concerns the use of the word “rapture” and the doctrinal claims made by those who oppose it.

Some theorists who oppose the use of the word refer to the W.E. Vines Expository of New Testament Words as an authority to claim the word “rapture” has no rightful place in New Testament vocabulary. Below are 2 reasons the Vines should not be used as an authority in this case:

• The Vines commentary is not comprehensive. It does not contain all of the words contained in the New Testament.
• The word “rapture” is found in Latin texts. These are Bibles the Vine’s Expository does not deal with.

Therefore, using the Vines as an authority on the subject is very misleading to those unfamiliar with the limited scope of the work.

Some rightfully maintain the Greek Word, harpazo, translated, caught up, in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 has a very forceful connotation and can also be accurately translated, caught, snatched or seized. The problem presents itself when they go from there to attack the use of the word “up,” (to form the phrase—caught up) as an inaccurate translation of the word harpazo.

In scripture, we see the Greek word, harpazo, used in other applications that have nothing whatsoever to do with being caught up or snatched up. But is that proof it was translated erroneously in 1 Thessalonians 4:17?

Claims are made that the word “up” has no rightful place as part of the translation of the word harpazo in that verse. But is that reasoning logical considering the end result, which finds those who have been snatched or caught—up—in the air—with Christ, after the event occurs?

The translators of the King James Bible were, responsibly, looking at the entire context, (which must be done anytime the word harpazo appears in the text) and were in no way misleading anyone when the decision to translate the Greek word, harpazo, as “caught up” was made.

In looking at other passages in which the word harpazo was used, the end location of those who were seized or snatched was not necessarily up—and the seizing or snatching wasn’t always a good thing. So we know the word, harpazo, by itself, has no connotation of good, evil, or of direction (up, down, east, west etc.). The context of the passage must determine both the purpose and the direction of the catching, snatching or seizing (Acts 8:39, 23:10).