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Category: Rants

A Thief in the Night

Published by mhelbert on March 30, 2018

O thief!
Come to take my own!
Stealth’ly by darkness come,
Enriched, by silence gone.

One of the lasting metaphors that has been used by those who support some sort of rapture theology is that of the “Thief in the Night.” The idea for this comes from the Christian Bible. There are a couple passages where this is found. One is in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5.

Verse 2: For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.

The other is from the Gospel according to Matthew 24:43:

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.

This metaphor became so popular in the early 1970’s that in 1972 a really bad movie entitled, you guessed it, “A Thief in the Night” was produced. It attempted to show the life of a young woman who was ‘left behind’ by showing the audience all of the opportunities that she had to make a decision to follow Christ as Lord and Savior. She didn’t. So, consequently, she wasn’t ready when the call came. The movie even used Larry Norman’s song for it’s theme song.

Now, to be clear, I think the metaphor as written in the scriptures is a good one. It projects the idea that the day of the Lord will come without warning. It will come as a surprise. Both Jesus and Paul wanted those to whom they were communicating to know that there will be nothing that will show them that a storm is coming.

So, be prepared!

“Ok, I get it already! This big whatever thing is gonna happen. And, I’ve got to somehow prepare for it. But How?”

I’m glad you asked!

First, let’s look at how not to prepare. It’s not about going out and buying ADT or some other alarm system to protect your home. There’s no system available to protect against the Day of the Lord. A device that alerts a third party will not be sufficient. Bottom line: no one else can prepare for you.

Both of the passages do, however, contain instructions for preparation if we look.

In Thessalonians Paul emphasized the fact that the thief strikes in darkness. But, he considered the folks he wrote to be ‘children of light and the day.’ His encouragement to them was, in order to be prepared for that day they should live like children of light. All of the activities that took place after sundown, like sleeping and drunkenness should be avoided. They, in order to be prepared, must be sober and awake. The important takeaway from this is that those who follow Christ are destined for life and salvation, not death and destruction. (Yeah, Paul mixed metaphors and wrote in circles sometimes. But, he meant well.)

Jesus, on the other hand, followed the warning about the Day of the Lord with parables that described what it meant to be prepared. These are found in at the end of Chapter 24 and all of Chapter 25.

I’m not going to go into detail with these parables. That would require an entire volume on its own. I simply want to show a distinction between thinking and doing.

The first is basically a warning to be vigilant. Jesus used the image of a faithful servant performing the tasks that his master, who has gone away on a long trip, left for him to do. The servant has no idea when the master will return. So, he must be faithful to his duties.

The second parable is about ten virgins who were waiting for the arrival of a certain bridegroom. Part of their responsibilities was to carry some kind of lamp or torch. Five of them brought extra oil for the lamps; five did not. The bridegroom eventually showed up to the party. The five who were ‘prepared’ with extra oil went into the party. The other five had to find a Walmart where they could buy some more oil. By the time they got back, the party had started and they were locked out. Because they were NOT prepared, they were not selected. The point  being, to live wisely means be prepared for God’s reign.1

The third is about a man who went on a journey. He called his servants and gave each of them a certain amount of money. While he was away, two of the servants invested the money in some way. Through their work they were able to double their investments. The third servant chose to simply bury the money in order to keep it safe.

When the master returned he called the servants to give an account of his money. The two who had good return on their investments were praised and rewarded. The one who hid the money was scolded and punished.

This parable is NOT about money! It in no way supports any kind of so-called prosperity gospel. Where the first parable encourages folks to be prepared, this one shows one way that may be expressed.

We get a glimpse of servants behaving like, well, servants. Two of them execute their duties faithfully. One does not. That’s the point! This parable is “concerned that disciples may fail to be disciples.2” In order to be prepared for the Coming of the Son of Man, Jesus told his disciples that they must continue to be faithful in all things. Even if it takes a long, long time.

The last parable is long and chock full of stuff. It pictures something that has become known as the Final Judgment. The scene shows the Son of Man returning in power. All the nations of the world come to him. The text states that he will separate the nations in the same way a shepherd may separate sheep from goats. The criteria that he uses to separate appears to be based on how each group treated others. The “goats” did not show compassion to people who were hungry or thirsty; sick or in prison. They did not welcome strangers nor clothe those who were naked. The others, the “sheep,” did those things. Both groups were said to have actually done these, or not, to the Son of Man himself.

Those in the first group were not selected to remain and live with the Son of Man. They were summarily ‘cast out.’

The second group, however, were commended and welcomed.

Like I said, there are a lot of things packed into this one story. I’m not going to go into detail here. This parable’s place within the CONTEXT of the larger passage is what I want to get at.

The focus of this story is NOT judgment. Although, judgment cannot be wholly dismissed. Snodgrass wrote, “We cannot avoid the focus on judgment in Jesus’ teaching, but our concern must be with the function of the language to arrest, warn, and force consideration, not to give a description of the judgment.3”

This parable, while set on a stage with props that indicate a courtroom, is not a judicial story. It’s emphasis is first and foremost on compassion. Secondly, it alludes to the idea that there will be consequences for the way that disciples of Jesus treat the oppressed. The images that Jesus uses are aimed at motivating the disciples to compassion and good works to alleviate suffering. As Snodgrass aptly put it, “A person cannot be a follower of Jesus and be void of compassion, which is at the heart of his gospel.4”

Take a minute and let that sink in. It’s a powerful statement that deserves our time to consider it.

Ok, let’s summarize.

Yes, there will be hard times.
Yes, the Son of Man will return.
No, He will not ‘snatch’ some chosen few to fly away into some heavenly bliss.
Yes, some will be ‘selected’; other will not.
How can we know if we’re ‘selected?’

BE PREPARED!

How can we be prepared?
By BEING faithful and compassionate.

I will, hopefully, pull all of this together in the next, (last?), post in this series.

As always, please use the comments to share your questions or other thoughts on this post.

And, please share this with your friends!

1 Snodgrass, Klyne R., Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parapbles of Jesus, William B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 2008, p. 518.

2 Snodgrass, Klyne R., Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parapbles of Jesus, William B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 2008, p. 536.

3 Snodgrass, Klyne R., Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parapbles of Jesus, William B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 2008, p. 536.

4 Snodgrass, Klyne R., Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parapbles of Jesus, William B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 2008, p. 561.

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As It Was In The Days of Noah

Published by mhelbert on March 24, 2018

Hey! Sorry it’’s been awhile since I visited here. I got sidetracked by some light reading, ”God’s Ecstasy: The Creation of a Self-Creating World” by Beatrice Bruteau. It’s a short book about what a Trinitarian philosophy of cosmology might look like. Pretty good stuff!

Anyway, back to our tale!

So far we’ve looked at a couple of passages from the Christian Bible that have been twisted out of context in order to build a dispensational house of cards. These passages, however, when read in their own historical, cultural, and literary contexts reveal meanings that are actually consistent with the whole of the canon. They show Paul as a caring pastor concerned for frightened and confused sisters and brothers at Thessalonica. I explained how folks in the first century Roman world would have received honored guests into their city. We also read how Jesus explained to his followers that he believed the magnificent Temple of the Jews in Jerusalem would ultimately be destroyed.

There are just a couple other points that I want to touch on before I call this series complete. (At least for now. Perhaps, I’ll work on it and polish it up a bit in order to publish a short e-book. That is, if there is any interest in one. Thoughts, anyone?)

In the passage from the Gospel according to Matthew that I cited in a previous post Jesus talked about the days of Noah and how two people together would suddenly become only one person. What in the world was he talking about?

Some commentators read this literally and say,” Well, the days of Noah must mean that sin and evil is everywhere. So, God has no choice but to get the righteous folks to safety so that God can destroy all of those other mean nasty people.” That’s one way to look at it. The Hebrew scriptures do tell a rather dire tale about Sons of God and daughters of men and evil and violence and all sorts of stuff not suitable for children.

But, is that the point that Jesus wanted to make here?

Other commentators pick up on the bit about eating and drinking; marrying and being given in marriage. They emphasize the fact that life was going on as usual. Folks were engaged in the everyday activities of life. They had no idea what was going to happen. They had no idea that life as they knew it was about to end. Considering the context of this passage, I think this interpretation is a good place to start.

So, it appears that Jesus is doing a couple of things. One, he’s letting the guys know that something big is going to happen. The Temple will be destroyed, there will be wars, and their whole way of life was going to be turned upside down. The second thing is, no one except God the Father knows when this will happen. (There may also be an underlying message that says, “So, since you can’t know when, don’t waste time and energy trying to figure it out.”)

Immediately after bringing Noah into the picture, Jesus added the bit about 2 people doing stuff together. One of these was “taken” while the other was “left behind.” This picture has been used by Darbyists to somehow ‘prove’ that their idea of a rapture is accurate. “Look!,” they say. “Even Jesus talked about the rapture!”

Well, no. He didn’t.

If they understood how translations of ancient texts actually worked, they may have come to different conclusions. But, alas, they seem to think that Jesus and Paul and Peter and all of the other Biblical writers spoke and wrote in English. Many of them even think they all used King James English! Hey folks! I’ll let you all in on a secret. They didn’t. They spoke in various languages from Hebrew and Aramaic to Greek and Latin. No English! Surprise!

Because of this we need to translate those ancient texts into words and sentences using rules of syntax and grammar that we understand. These translations must provide us with an accurate understanding of what the writer was trying to communicate to his/her original audience. That is a tough job. Not least because the words that the writers used do not necessarily correspond to an exact word that we use today. Nor, does a word that we do use have the same meaning that it did thousands of years ago. Fortunately, there are scholars who are able to make these linguistic leaps over time and space. Most of the translations that we have today are pretty good. They can’t, however, get all of the nuance and cultural shades of meaning 100% of the time. I believe that this passage is one where we may be able to mine a bit more meaning.

Two key words that were used are usually translated, as noted above; “taken” and “left behind.” The folks who are “taken” are presumably those who were mentioned in verse 31 as “chosen” and gathered from the four winds. The others were not.

However, as I just wrote, not all words translate one to one with our modern English. (To be accurate, however, there is definitely a choice being made. What the criteria for choosing, however, is not clear.)

The first word is paralambanō. The meaning carries the idea of “taking to oneself”; “taking into fellowship”; “to bring along with.” In a narrower sense it can mean “to select” or “choose.” In this case the verse can mean that two people were together and one was “selected to come along with.” It’s not necessarily a hard meaning of “chosen.” There are other words that would fit that meaning better. But, this is softer. It’s more like a ‘Well done! Now, come along with me’ kind of idea. It is not equivalent to ‘Snatched!’ in Thessalonians.

The second word is aphiēmi. This word has many uses in Greek. And, like any translation, context drives the meaning. In this case it carries a nuanced meaning of “to leave or to set aside.” For us this would indicate that for some reason the second person was not chosen. They were “set aside,” or “bypassed.”

The popular understanding of this whole section of Matthew is that those who believe in Jesus as Messiah and have made a conscious choice to follow him, those who have been “born again,” will be the people who are ‘chosen’ and, therefore, ‘taken’ away from the nasty stuff mentioned earlier in the chapter. They will subsequently live happily ever after in the great by and by sipping lemonade and playing harps.

This passage, however, doesn’t present that broad picture. It presents something that is much narrower in scope.

Let’s take a look at it using Mike’s Paraphrase, shall we?

Jesus told his disciples many things that would happen at the coming of the Son of Man. There would be wars and famines. Natural disasters would occur. “Keep an eye out for these things!” he said.

“This day will come just like that day in Noah’s time. People will be going about their own business. They’ll be living life as they always have. Then, like the sudden coming of the flood, so, too, will be the coming of the Son of Man.

There will be two people doing the same thing. There will be no apparent differences between them. Yet, one will be chosen and the other rejected. How will they be chosen or not? God only knows. But, You! You be prepared! Don’t be like those in Noah’s time who were caught off guard and surprised. Behold! You have been told!”

The whole idea of this passage is to warn the disciples of that day when the Son of Man would come. They were to be aware of what was going on around them and prepare themselves. Jesus did not want them to be caught off guard.

There is nothing in this passage that states any particular order of events. Nor, is there anything indicating that certain actual events were going to take place. It is Jesus telling his disciples to not become complacent. But, to always be fully awake and watchful.

Jesus, himself, states this quite clearly in the very next verse.

Therefore, be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.

The next several verses in Matt. 24 explain this a bit further. Then all of Matt. 25 explains how to live as awake and watchful people.

But, that’s a topic for a different post.

I have one more topic to touch on before I wrap this whole thing up.

In the next part we’ll take a quick look at thieves and how they relate to what we’ve discussed here.

As always, please share this with your friends! The more the merrier!

Please share any thoughts or comments in the Comments section.

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Not One Stone Will Be Left Upon Another

Published by mhelbert on March 7, 2018

That song by Larry Norman had a lot in it about wars and people disappearing. Back in the 70’s when we were singing it the world was still mired in war in Southeast Asia. The cold war looked more and more like it could become ‘hot’ at any moment. There were seismic shifts in Western culture. Young people rose up against the “establishment” while those in power doubled down on their resolve to maintain the status quo at any cost. Many of us listened to this song and read the stories that Jesus told and began to do the math. We were sure that the end of the world was imminent.

One of those stories that Norman used in his song was from the Gospel according to Matthew.

Matthew 24:36-41
36 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven,  
     nor the Son, but the Father alone.
37 For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.
38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking,
     marrying and giving in marriage, until the day
     that Noah entered the ark,
39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all
     away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
40 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will
     be left.
41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will
     be left.
(New American Standard Bible, 1995 update, LaHabra, CA, The Lockman
Foundation.)

Wow! There’s talk about wars. We have Noah and the flood. There’s a bunch of eating and drinking and marriages. Then there’s that bit about 2 people doing something when suddenly, one of them is ‘taken’!

A lot of folks look at these verses and see a graphic description of the ‘End Times’ and the rapture. “Look,” they say. “All that partying and debauchery and nasty stuff. Just like we said! Then ‘poof!’ The righteous one gets raptured! Oh, isn’t that just glorious?”

Well, maybe…maybe not. Just like the passage in Thessalonians, the context here is key to understanding what this writer was trying to say to the people who would read this account. We can’t just ‘snatch’ this passage out of its context and create a meaning that backs up our preconceived ideas of what this text should mean.

I think that there are some questions that need asking. And, yes, we are allowed to ask questions. There can never be too many questions.

The first question that jumps out at me is ‘Why did Jesus even say these things? What sparked this discourse in the first place? I’m sure that he and his disciples weren’t just walking down the street and Jesus said, “Oh, by the way, the Son of Man is gonna show up! And, there’s gonna be a whole lot of weird stuff happening!”

No, there had to be some context to this.

This all took place during what we now call Holy Week. The day before this, Jesus had come to the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Yep! Palm Sunday! The events recorded here apparently took place on Monday.

Jesus returned to the Temple to talk with and teach the people gathered there. Some of the Jewish leaders came up to him and challenged him. According to Matthew they asked, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” In other words, “Dude! Who the hell do you think you are coming to OUR Temple and presuming to teach OUR people?”

As you’d expect, Jesus gave them a bit more than they asked for. In fact, the last half of chapter 21 and all of chapters 22 & 23 are devoted to Jesus’ response. And, it wasn’t exactly ‘uplifting’ for the leaders. Chapter 23 records what has become known as the Seven Woes. These are the verses where Jesus says, “Woe to you” Pharisees; scribes; hypocrites; blind guides; blind fools. At the end of this Jesus cried out a lament for Jerusalem itself. These chapters contain some of the most passionate speech by Jesus recorded anywhere in the Bible. He seems to have gotten very ‘worked up.’

So, of course, as they were leaving the Temple the disciples astutely changed the subject. “Hey, Jesus! Check out the magnificent stonework here! Pretty cool, huh?” When I read this I think about a group of guys walking down a street right after one of them went off on someone. They turn to their pal who’s still pretty hot and say, “Whoa! Check out that Corvette!” Totally clueless. But, trying to lighten the mood.

Jesus wasn’t quite ready to simmer down. He responded to them by saying, “You see these buildings? You like them? Well, listen up! There will not be one stone left on another. They will all be torn down!

Later that evening, after everyone had time to cool down a little, (Jesus), the disciples went to him and asked him to tell him when these things he talked about would happen.

Jesus then spent the remainder of chapter 24 and all of 25 explaining things to them. But, he didn’t come right out and give them a checklist of things that would happen. The writer of Matthew recorded a good share of this, including the passage that we’re looking at here using apocalyptic language. It is vital to understand this while reading this. If we don’t, if we read it like Darby & Assoc., we absolutely will come to a conclusion that Jesus never intended. We will wind up with a checklist that Larry Norman can use to write a song. And, we will completely miss the point.

And, that point will be the subject of the next post.

Please leave your thoughts and questions in the comments.
Let’s have a party! Share this with your friends!

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Rapture: The Return of the King

Published by mhelbert on March 1, 2018

Are you all still with me? I know that this is a lot of religious stuff. But, this particular topic has caused untold anxiety and real damage to people. So, let’s hang in there!

Up to this point we’ve seen how a small tributary called ‘dispensationalism’ flowed into the mainstream of Christian thought and practice a little over a century and a half ago. We’ve taken a quick look at what these folks think about future events based on a literal reading of the Bible. In the last post I began to unpack some of what the Apostle Paul was trying to communicate to the community of Christ followers in the ancient city of Thessalonica. We also saw ‘why’ Paul wrote those things. And, perhaps more importantly, we began to consider why he did not write other things.

The ancient culture of Rome was very different than today’s western culture. Dr. David A. deSilva wrote, “The culture of the first century world was built on the foundational social values of honor and dishonor.1” What others thought of you as a person, a citizen, your family, your occupation, how you acted with others, and how you esteemed those who were deemed worthy of honor were a part of everyday life. There was none of the rugged individualism that we, particularly in the U.S., aspire to.

This idea of honor and its opposite, shame, was the driving force for how every relationship was developed. There were some who were patrons. Those people who had the social where-with-all to offer benevolence toward others. They had social, economic, or political capital to ‘invest’ in those folks who did not have it. These others were the ‘clients’ who depended on the patrons’ good will. And, in order to tap into that good will, the client had to honor her/his patron. That could be by supporting the patron through speech, by ‘talking them up’ to others. It could be through advocacy or any number of other ways. The point is that reciprocity was expected. And, should the client not reciprocate, they were shamed. They could become social outcasts or pariahs. Their standing in the community would collapse and they would find themselves alone. In a society that held relationships in the highest regard, this shaming was the worst possible thing that could happen.

The greatest patron and most important benefactor in this world was a guy they called Caesar. There was no one more highly regarded than him. He was the one person that everyone desired to please in order to receive his good will and blessing. He was referred to as ‘Lord.’ He brought peace and security to the entire Roman world. And, he was worshiped as a god because of it.

Everyone in Thessalonica knew this. And, they knew all of the protocols that were necessary in order to honor this great man. One practice was how they were to show their fealty toward Caesar if he should happen to come and visit them.

The word that is translated “to meet” in this verse is apantesis. It was a technical term “for a civic custom of antiquity whereby a public welcome was accorded by a city to important visitors.2” Cicero, a Roman lawyer and politician who lived during the 1st century wrote about Julius Caesar, “”Just imagine what a royal welcome he is receiving from the towns, what honors are paid to him3.” He also wrote of Augustus, “the municipalities are showing the boy remarkable favor…Wonderful apantesis and encouragement.4” The fact is, no one at that time would have dishonored Caesar by making Caesar come to them. They would have gone out to meet him before Caesar entered the city. With this in mind F. F. Bruce observed, “These analogies suggest the possibility that the Lord is pictured here as escorted the remainder of the journey to earth by his people – both those newly raised from the dead and those remaining alive5.”

One more example to show that I’m not just being a putz simply in order to be difficult. The writer of the Book of Acts described Paul’s arrival at Rome using this same term. In chapter 28 the story goes, “And the brethren, when they heard about us, came from there as far as the Market of Appius and Three Inns to meet us; and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.” The Christ followers in and around Rome came out to meet Paul and escort him into the city. Just as they would any important visitor.

I think that Paul, the pastor who cared deeply for these people, used all of these words for one reason only…to comfort them. He was not attempting to make them anxious about the ‘end times.’ He certainly wasn’t trying to manipulate them into conforming to his own beliefs through fear of some coming judgment. He was, in fact, trying to calm their fears.

Here’s my take on this.

The small community of faith at Thessalonica was afraid because some of its members had died and Jesus had not yet returned. They feared that these sisters and brothers who had passed were going to miss out on Jesus’ return.

Paul wrote and said, “No, that’s not how this works. You see when Jesus returns he will return as King. There will be a trumpet fanfare and a loud shout. Our sisters and brothers who are asleep will wake up at the sound! They will rise from their rest and, together with those of us who are living, will rise into the sky to meet our returning, victorious King! Then we will all return here as He begins his rightful reign over the Earth.”

That’s quite a different message than the one of fear and death that Darby & Pals came up with. This is a message of hope. And, not just for a select few. It is a message of hope for the entire Earth as her rightful King returns to ascend His throne.

“Ok, ok, Mike, I get it. No escape from a dying planet. Thanks for the explanation. But, what about that song? You know, about wars and two people doing stuff and one of them disappears or something. And, what about that whole thief in the night thing? You haven’t explained any of that.”

That’s very observant of you. And, I’m glad that you asked that question. We’ll begin to look at those things in the next post.

Stay tuned!

Please ask any questions in the comments.

Also, please feel free to share with your friends.

1 deSilva, David A., Honor, Patronage, Kinship & Purity: Unlocking New Testament Culture, IVP Academic:Downers Grove, 2000, p. 23.
2 Theological dictionary of the New Testament. 1964-c1976. Vols. 5-9 edited by Gerhard Friedrich. Vol. 10 compiled by Ronald Pitkin. (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley & G. Friedrich, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (1:380). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
3 Witherington III, Ben, 1 and 2 Thessalonians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary, William B. Eerdmans:Grand Rapids, 2006.
4 Witherington III, Ben, 1 and 2 Thessalonians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary, William B. Eerdmans:Grand Rapids, 2006.
5 Bruce F. F., 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Word:Waco, 1982, p. 103. Qtd. In Witherington III, Ben, 1 and 2 Thessalonians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary, William B. Eerdmans:Grand Rapids, 2006.

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Rapture: A Closer Look

Published by mhelbert on February 25, 2018

So, let’s move along to the text from Paul’s first letter to the church at Thessalonica that folks of the dispensationalist disposition use to “prove” that at some point in time Jesus is going to show up, someone’s going to blow a horn, and all of the good christian folks are going to be taken up into heaven. They will all sit around in joyful bliss while the world they left behind, all of the people, family; friends; and loved ones, are being tormented by plagues and death. I wonder, will those joyous few be munching on chips watching death unfold as if they were watching the Super Bowl? “Hey, pass the nachos!”

Here is that text,

13) But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.
14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
15) For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16) 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.
17) 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. (New American Standard Bible, 1995 update, LaHabra, CA, The Lockman Foundation.)

Like I wrote earlier, the fact that some of the people in this particular community of Christ followers had died was the concern here. So, Paul shares a bit about that. (The term “asleep”, or “fallen asleep” here refers to death.)

However, the verse I want to focus on now is the last one, v. 17.

From a first glance, it appears that maybe Darby got it right. On what the late Billy Graham would call a ‘simple reading’ of the text, it does seem to say that those who believe like Paul did will, in fact, be ‘caught up’ to be with Jesus forever and ever, Hallelujah, ain’t it grand!

But, if we take a closer look, things may not be like they seem.
(Insert diabolical laugh here.)

The actual word ‘rapture’ does not appear at all in this text. Many scholars think that the term is an English take on the Latin version of this verse. In that version, the word translated ‘caught up’ is rapiemur. That literally means “we shall be carried away.” The English word also carries a meaning of some “lofty emotion” or “feeling of ecstasy” which could have influenced its use here. In any case, this is the term assigned to an event that Paul wrote about.

The question, though, is this the point that Paul was explaining to his young sisters and brothers? Was he trying to give them the actual blow-by-blow sequence of events that would occur at Jesus’ return? And, did he intend that they should understand it as being whisked away to the great by-and-by where they would be eternally separated from the world that they were born into?

Here’s where it’s important to know a bit about the social and cultural context of the writer and the readers. This period of time in the world controlled by Rome was vastly different than the time in which we live. They had different beliefs, different goals and ways to achieve them, they were, in a word or two, “Not Us.” Yet, so many people who interpret these ancient documents read them as if they were written yesterday. Simply put, we cannot sit down and read the Bible like we would the latest Stephen King novel. Anyone who says different is either playing you or just plain ignorant.

I wrote earlier that Paul was addressing a question that the young community at Thessalonica had. “When Jesus returns, what’s going to happen to our friends and family who are already dead?” Paul had apparently told them that Jesus was going to return to institute God’s righteous kingdom. And they, the Thessalonians, would be members of that kingdom.

These people were primarily from a pagan background. They worshiped the gods of the Greek and Roman pantheon as well as Caesar and Roma. They had no concept of resurrection from the dead like Paul did. Paul might as well have been talking gibberish to them. But, they accepted his words and believed that somehow this Jewish prophet from Palestine had, indeed, risen from the dead and was taken up into the heavens. But, they didn’t seem to be able to apply that to anyone other than Jesus. “Yeah, sure, Jesus was special and all. But, what about my husband? My business partner? They all believed in Jesus. Are they going to miss out on Jesus’ coming?”

This was the question Paul was attempting to answer. Not, “Hey Paul! What’s gonna happen to us when Jesus comes back?” This is the question that moderns ask. It’s an entirely different issue. And, if we start from there, we will miss Paul’s point completely.

So, knowing the question, what was Paul’s response? This is where the literal, simple readers of the text get completely turned around. They generally say something along the line of what Darby & Pals did.

And, they would be mistaken.

The language that Paul used was something that everyone to whom he wrote would understand. It was, after all, part of their culture. Paul responded that when Jesus returned all who had died would be raised from the dead. Resurrected just like Jesus. (I can hear the collective “Whew!” from everyone hearing this.) After that, all who were alive would be snatched up to meet Jesus somewhere in the clouds.

That’s it. Nothing more. There is nothing in this text that indicates where they would go from there. Yes, they were promised that they would be with Jesus always. But, the location is nowhere to be found in this letter.

This truly begs the question, WHY NOT?

The short answer to that is that they already knew!

“Whoa! What! Hold on, Mike! How could they know if Paul didn’t tell them?”

Context, context, context my friends. It’s all about the context.

And, in the next post we’ll see what this means.

Please use the comments to share your thoughts and questions.

And, Please share with one and all! Your friends, neighbors, the mailman!

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Context, Context, Context!

Published by mhelbert on February 22, 2018

We now have an idea about where the idea of dividing history into Ages or Dispensations came from.

Theologians, trying to make sense of how God seems to change the way that God relates to humans, came up with a structure that allowed the ‘unchanging’ God to actually ‘change.’

This idea grew and morphed until Darby and Friends created the Dispensationalism that we have all grown to know and love. They devised a mechanism that allows God to judge the World with wrath and fire. At the same time they added an escape hatch for “true believers.” (And, we all know that “true believers” were ONLY those who believed exactly as they did.)

So, let’s begin to take a closer look at the so-called Biblical basis for this.

DISCLAIMER:
I realize that some of you who read this blog have not spent a lot of time studying the Bible. You may not have opened one since you were a teenager. Some of what I write here may seem strange. That’s because, well, it is. At least for those of us living in the 21st century. I will attempt to keep my assumptions and language accessible to everyone. PLEASE, if I am not clear about something, let me know in the comments and I’ll try to explain things better.
Thanks!

Context! Context! Context!
Anyone who has seriously studied ancient texts knows that context is everything. Not just literary context, how one part of the text is related to others around it. But, the social and cultural contexts of the writer and original reader of the text is also necessary. Missing this piece may cause folks to read an ancient text and assume that their own contemporary context is what’s important in any interpretation. It is Not! That’s where folks like Darby get things seriously wrong.

There are a few primary Biblical texts that dispensationalists use to build their fantasy. The first one that I want to deal with is in St. Paul’s first letter to the Church at Thessalonica. These people lived in an area of Macedonia, (modern day Greece), on the northern tip of the Aegean Sea. It’s location as a port city meant that the population was pretty diverse. It also meant that the population was decidedly pagan. Yes, there was a small community of Jewish folks. We know that because the story of Paul’s arrival recorded in Acts 17 states that there was a “synagogue of the Jews.” It was Paul’s custom to go to the synagogue of each city he came to. In the synagogue he would attempt to reason with the Jews in order to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was, in fact, their long-awaited Messiah. However, like in most Greek cities Paul & Co. visited, there were a number of non-Jewish people who also attended the synagogue. These folks were referred to as “God fearing Greeks.” As Paul spoke he convinced some of his Jewish sisters and brothers about Jesus. It was also recorded that a “large number” of the Greeks were convinced as well. This ultimately lead some of the Jews to stir up opposition to Paul and his team. So much so, that they had to hurriedly leave Thessalonica to save their skin.

That leads us to Paul’s letter.

Most scholars believe that after Paul got kicked out of Thessalonica he worried so much about the people that he’d left that he sent an envoy back to check on them and to encourage them. Paul was that kind of guy. He didn’t simply blow into town, sell some snake oil, and skate out of town. He was truly a pastor who cared about people.

When his partner, probably a guy named Timothy, returned he gave a report that both encouraged and concerned Paul. The small community that he had established was doing well in some areas. They understood what it meant to love one another and that it was necessary to stick together in the face of mounting opposition from others in the city. You see, it was very difficult for people to try to follow a God who was not Caesar. But, they seemed to be doing ok.

There were, however, a couple areas of concern for Paul. Because he had to leave in a hurry, he did not have the time to teach them fully. There were things that were lacking in the Thessalonians’ knowledge base that Paul needed to address. One of those things had to do with what would happen when Jesus returned to Earth. “Returned to Earth!” you say. Yes, you read that right. One of the foundational beliefs of the Christian Church is that one day Jesus will return to Earth as King and Judge. Paul had apparently begun to talk about this to the Thessalonian believers. However, it seems as though he didn’t really get to elaborate much about the details. We don’t have any letters or other documentation to show exactly what the Thessalonians were wondering about. But, from Paul’s responses we can get an idea.

Apparently, the Thessalonians were under the impression that when Jesus returned the people who were alive would see that and receive whatever blessing and advantage that Jesus brought. But, since Paul had left, some members of the community had died. What was going to happen to them? Would they be totally left out?

Hence, Paul’s letter of explanation.

Well, this post is getting pretty long. So, Paul’s explanation and what I, and many others, believe about this rapture thing will need to wait til the next post.

Again, if you have questions or other ideas, let me know in the comments.

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The Rapture Invented

Published by mhelbert on February 9, 2018

John Nelson Darby – The Father of Modern Dispensationalism

When I was a member of the Evangelical church I was taught that we, and we alone, were a direct descendants of the original 1st century church. You see, the other churches had in some way compromised the original teachings and doctrines through traditions and other accouterments to make people feel better and more comfortable. The original church was militant and counter-cultural. Not like those Romans, Lutherans, and Presbyterians. So, we needed to recapture that original zeal and press forward. You know, Onward Christian Soldiers and all of that.

Part of our position was that we were learning the true, original doctrines that built that first Church. While the Roman Church had their ‘direct link’ through the papacy, we had ours through the Word of God! Ha! Our Word trumps your weird hat!

This belief included the so-called truth about what the writers of the Bible called the ‘end of days.’ And, of course we had the true understanding of what Paul and Jesus and Peter and the writer(s) of Daniel meant when they wrote about such things. Oh, and it goes without saying we completely understood what John the Seer meant when he penned his magnum opus, The Revelation.

We knew that they all wrote about events that were absolutely going to happen. There would be a period of time when people would fall away from the true faith. Check. That happened a long time ago. And, things were only getting worse.

Jesus was going to return to judge the world. This was clear from the Scripture. But, before that judgment, Jesus himself was going to gather all of the ‘true believers,’ (re. Everyone who believed just like we did). He was going to “snatch” us up into the clouds and take us to live with him forever in heaven. Wow! How exciting was that!

After the snatch and grab, there would be a 7 year period when a guy called the “anti-Christ” was going to set up shop. Lots of plagues and really bad stuff was going to happen to all of those poor folks who were left behind. At the end of the 7 years there was going to be a big war called Armageddon and Jesus would come back and destroy all of his enemies and establish a 1,000 year reign. During that time there would be blissful peace and a whole lot of Kumbaya.

Hey! Don’t be like that! It’s in the Book. Anyone with any sense can see it. As Larry Norman sang, “How could you have been so blind?”

In the Book?

Exactly what the original Church believed?

Really?

It’s time for a brief history lesson.

One source stated “Prior to 1830, no church taught it [the rapture] in their creed, catechism or statement of faith.”

Prior to 1830? What happened to all that stuff about the Original Church believing this? Didn’t they preach about the ‘snatching up’ of the faithful? Hmmm…

More importantly, what happened in 1830?

What changed then to inaugurate this whole rapture thing?

First, I think that it’s important to understand that this particular period of history was one in which there was rapid change in society. These changes were reflected in philosophy, theology, and pretty much every other area of life and culture. This was precipitated by the period known as the Enlightenment. While the actual period of the Enlightenment was in the late 17th through the 18th century, it’s effects were felt well into the 19th. The idea that humanity was on an upward trajectory toward some elusive perfection was one hallmark of this movement. The industrial revolution was in full swing during this period. Darwin published “On the Origin of the Species.” The idea that human reason was the most important resource in the universe was coming to fruition.

The old way of thinking about God and Providence was questioned. And, in many cases, found wanting.

Foundations were shaken. The entire Western worldview was being recast in the image of Humankind.

So, it’s not unreasonable that there were various reactions against this move against the divine. Nor is it surprising that during this time other neo-Christian organizations were born. Joseph Smith and the Mormons: 1830; Mary Baker Eddy and Christian Science: 1879; Charles Taze Russel and the Watchtower: 1881.

There was also a less famous movement that began during this period. (At least less famous because it did not result in an entire new belief system.) A man named John Nelson Darby, 1800-1882, formed a group that became known as the Plymouth Brethren. Through this group Darby developed a theological model that he called “dispensationalism.” This idea gave birth to what we now call the “rapture.”

But, how this worked in Darby’s mind is the topic of my next post.

Stay tuned!!!

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I Wish We’d All Been Ready

Published by mhelbert on February 6, 2018

A couple weeks ago a friend of mine on Facebook mentioned that she had talked with someone about Jesus. During the conversation an old song was brought up. The song was “I Wish We’d All Been Ready” by Larry Norman. The song was released in 1969. It became a hit among Christian evangelicals who were becoming caught up in what might be called “rapturemania.” Films like “A Thief in the Night” produced by Donald W. Thompson and a book by Hal Lindsey entitled “The Late Great Planet Earth” became popular during this time.

I  was a freshman in High School when I read Lindsey’s book. At that time, I was what later became known as a ‘seeker.’ I was searching for my identity and finding the idea of Jesus and the Christian faith a viable option. Lindsey seemed to be able to unlock secrets in the Bible and link them to the condition of the world at that time. This “revelation” made the Bible something other than an ancient document written by a bunch of dead people. It made it alive and relevant. To a 15 year old kid Lindsey’s book was transforming.

The reason I mention this is because the imagery of Biblical language, like that found in the books of Daniel and Revelation touches people at a deep, emotional level. It’s not like the legal and history-like language that makes up much of the Scripture. This type of literature, called apocalyptic, is full of exciting images of beasts and fire. There is cosmic warfare and people who loom larger than life. All of this can touch people at a visceral level like no other genre of literature can. When someone like Lindsey comes along and links these images to current reality, people sit up and listen. We ask, “Can this really be true?” We then may answer ‘Yes.’ At that point we are drawn into something that is larger than we are. Something with Earth changing potential. And, it’s still a secret to everyone else. It’s a secret that we’re privy to. And, that adds to the allure of these things.

So, what exactly am I talking about?

I’m talking about how the concept of the ‘end times’ as explained by Norman, Lindsey, and others like Tim LaHaye and John Hagee have turned people’s hearts and minds to something that at best is an errant theology. And, at worst a heresy that has the potential of destroying people’s lives.

I hope to explain some of this in this post and subsequent ones by showing where these ideas came from, why it is misleading, and why it is so very toxic to people and to the Church.

First, let me share the lyrics to Norman’s song. This song is a snippet of what many in the Evangelical church believe as ‘rapture theology.’

“I Wish We’d All Been Ready” by Larry Norman
Life was filled with guns and war,
And everyone got trampled on the floor,
I wish we’d all been ready
Children died, the days grew cold,
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold,
I wish we’d all been ready,
There’s no time to change your mind,
The Son has come and you’ve been left behind.

A man and wife asleep in bed,
She hears a noise and turns her head, he’s gone,
I wish we’d all be ready,
Two men walking up a hill,
One disappears and one’s left standing still,
I wish we’d all been ready,
There’s no time to change your mind,
The Son has come and you’ve been left behind.

Life was filled with guns and war,
And everyone got trampled on the floor,
I wish we’d all been ready,
Children died, the days grew cold,
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold,
I wish we’d all been ready,

There’s no time to change your mind,
How could you have been so blind,
The Father spoke, the demons dined,
The Son has come and you’ve been left behind.
Larry Norman, “I Wish We’d All Been Ready”, 1969, Capitol Records, Prod. Hal Yoergler

The words are a poetic take on a portion of the Bible found in the Gospel According to St. Matthew. These images are part of Jesus’ discourse with his disciples about something Jesus had just said to them. They were leaving the Temple in Jerusalem after Jesus had pretty much dismissed the religious leaders as a bunch of self-seeking men who took advantage of people in order to look good themselves, (and improve their own image).

Jesus began by stating that the Temple was going to be completely destroyed. He said, “There will most certainly not be one stone upon another left here that will not be torn down.” Then the writer recorded a long litany of things and events that would happen before the Temple’s ultimate destruction.

These things and others will be the topic of future posts.

So, stay tuned!

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Wednesday Morning Musing

Published by mhelbert on November 8, 2017

I just finished reading “The Ocean at the End of  the Lane” by Neil Gaiman.

Near the end he wrote the following:

”I said, “You don’t have to take me home. I could stay with you. I could wait until Lettie comes back from the ocean. I could work on your farm, and carry stuff, and learn to drive a tractor.”

She said, “No,” but she said it kindly. “You get on with your own life, Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.”

A flash of resentment. It’s hard enough being alive, trying to survive in the world and find your place in it, to do the things you need to do to get by, with out wondering if the thing you just did, whatever it was, was worth someone having..if not died, then having given up her life. It wasn’t fair.”

When I read those words I felt the bitter sting of my own resentment. Not toward any other person. But, resentment toward myself. For, I too, know of someone who performed a similar sacrifice on my behalf. A sacrifice that I am ashamed to say that I have not ‘grown up and been worth it.’

I’ve allowed myself to be turned from the path I was given to trod.

“Be sensible.”
“Don’t be selfish.”
“Remember, you now have a family to support.”
“Go ahead and do that. But, remember, it’s ONLY a hobby. It can never be a real vocation.”
“Sit still and do this task.”
“You wrote this? Is there something wrong with you?”
“Get a hair cut!”
“Follow these rules and you’ll find true peace and happiness.”

“Jesus didn’t die so that you could do whatever you want!”

Didn’t he? What then was the purpose? So that I could live forever in some so-called paradise where I would still need to follow those rules? A place somewhere ‘out there’ where I would still need to conform to someone else’s idea of who I am?

No.

I don’t believe he did.

Someone wrote that Jesus once said, “ I came that life they may have, and abundantly they may have (it).” (Sometimes when translated word for word, Greek sounds kinda like Yoda talking!) If that’s true, what then constitutes that ‘abundant’ life?

 

Some say that giving in to the expectations that others have placed on us is that way. It’s a challenge that all caring humans must accept and engage in. Follow the rules; meet their expectations and the reward will be worth it.

Will it?

Others may respond with, “We must follow those rules so that an ordered society can flourish. It’s not about YOU! It’s about the greater good!”

Uh huh, yeah, I get it. My dreams, that part of me that should grow up to show that the sacrifice was worth it, should be suborned for the sake of others. So that by my sacrifice others will have this same obligation placed on their shoulders. Then they can do the same and the obligation for the greater good can spread exponentially throughout the world. Is THAT what you mean?

IS THAT THE ABUNDANT LIFE?

If it is, I am truly not interested.

Yes, I get it that we have responsibilities. We need to eat and pay the bills. We need to nurture and protect those whose lives are intertwined with our own. I’m not debating that at all. And, I do think that there is meaning and fulfillment in meeting those responsibilities.

But, what about nurturing and protecting that person who lives within me? That person for whom the sacrifice was made? Does that person get relegated to row ZZ in the upper deck? That’s what we’re taught. Isn’t it?

And, all the while I shrink. My spirit atrophies. I become a shriveled shell shackled and shamed into being someone I was never meant to be.

All of this tells me that, no, I haven’t been able to “be worth it.” Everything has been done with an eye to making someone else happy. That has led to some pretty harsh lapses. It seems that when we don’t care for ourselves, something inside eventually rebels and life can go to hell in a particle accelerator at nearly the speed of light. Then that shell becomes more than shriveled and shackled. It becomes shattered.

So, what now?
Where does someone turn for redemption?
For fulfillment?
For a glimpse of the ‘abundant life?’

I know that it may sound trite. But, I think that the only place to turn is to that person who offered that original sacrifice. I think that to touch the heart and mind of that person is key to unlocking the prison in which the true “me” lives. Or, the true “you.”

For me, it’s past time to break out and move forward. Sunday a Bishop of our Anglican church spoke. He shared several stories about people who asked God what they should do with their lives. They listened. They moved forward. They didn’t become rich and famous. Some would say they weren’t even all that successful. But, they lived their calling. They grew up and showed that the sacrifice made for them was truly worth it.

I hope that I can follow them. I hope when it’s all said and done the One Who sacrificed can look at me and say, “Yeah, it was worth it.”

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Wednesday Musings

Published by mhelbert on October 25, 2017

This morning during my quiet time with the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises I was reflecting on Jesus before Pilate. Jesus had just been brought back after having been whipped and mocked by Roman soldiers.

Pilate seemed to have a desire to release Jesus. He exclaimed, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him” (Jn 19:4).

The Leaders would have nothing of that.

“Crucify him, crucify him!” they yelled.

“Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate asked.

As I considered this, an image formed in my mind.

I saw Pilate with Jesus, beaten almost beyond recognition, standing next to him. There was a bust of trump behind him. It had a laurel wreathe on its head.

I saw the crowd, Al Mohler, Franklin Graham, Mike Pence, Tony Perkins, Robert Jeffress, and others standing there yelling, “We have no king but Caesar.”

It’s sad that American Evangelicalism can elicit such an image. Sad, but true.

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