scythekain
December 12, 2005, 1:21am
41
The problem with Thessalonians is in the fact that it is probably the earliest Christian writing we have, but one that was written by someone who translated the message of Christ to the Greeks with a certain eschatological expectancy. Secondly, I think you would have to look into the translation you quote. It was 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15 and I have a slightly different reading which attempts to console widows of those Christians who have died, telling them that at the end of the age, the dead will not be missing but in fact ahead of those now living.
Interesting, I don’t see anything about widows in the translations I’ve looked at…
The important verse in question, what does it say for that?
NIV:
16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;
17 then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
I think the intent is the same, he was speaking for those who would still be alive during the coming of christ. (as within recent years, not thousands.)