by Ptr. Art Calaguas
Shalom.
Before we continue with Matthew 25:14-30 (Parable of the Talents) and the 3 eschatological themes we are tracking, we pause to consider parallels to the Olivet Discourse coming from one of the Epistles of Paul.
Last week, in our discussion of the Parable of the Ten Virgins, we encountered a word that is used as a technical term ἀπάντησις “apantésis,” meaning an act of meeting or receiving an official, in Matthew 25:6. It occurs only 3 times in the New Testament (NT) and very interestingly, it is featured in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 when the dead are resurrected and together with those alive for the meeting (ἀπάντησιν from “apantésis”) with the Lord Jesus in the air upon his return. A further review of the context of 1 Thessalonians 4-5 shows marked parallels and resonances with the Olivet Discourse (like Revelation 6). We now take a look at these parallels.
1 Thessalonians is one of the earliest epistles of the apostle Paul. Indeed, there is debate among Biblical scholars whether it is in fact the earliest, or the epistle to the Galatians takes that distinction.
A close reading of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 show that the apostle Paul is addressing concerns and questions about the (second) coming of our Lord Jesus and the case of the brethren who have already died. He asks them to cling to the hope that the rest (non-believers) do not have. Paul makes it clear from the Lord’s words himself, that when the Lord comes, he will raise the dead who are “in Christ” first and then also those who are alive at that point in time will all together have the meeting with him in the sky. Paul then tells the Thessalonians that they shall then be always with the Lord and advises them to therefore be comforted with this assurance.
In more detail, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15 expresses the firm belief and speaks about the coming/return of the Lord. This certainly parallels Matthew 24:26-31 (and the Synoptic Gospels). Then, in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Paul says the following (with my formal translation):
16ὅτι αὐτὸς ὁ κύριος ἐν κελεύσματι, ἐν φωνῇ ἀρχαγγέλου καὶ ἐν σάλπιγγι θεοῦ, καταβήσεται ἀπ’ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ οἱ νεκροὶ ἐν Χριστῷ ἀναστήσονται πρῶτον,
Because the Lord himself, with a loud command, with (the) voice of an archangel and with (the) trumpet of God, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first,
17ἔπειτα ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες οἱ περιλειπόμενοι ἅμα σὺν αὐτοῖς ἁρπαγησόμεθα ἐν νεφέλαις εἰς ἀπάντησιν τοῦ κυρίου εἰς ἀέρα· καὶ οὕτως πάντοτε σὺν κυρίῳ ἐσόμεθα.
Afterwards, we the living, the remaining, will be caught up together with them in (the) clouds in (the) meeting of the Lord in the air; and so we will always be with (the) Lord.
We can discern parallels with the words, phrases and ideas expressed by the Lord Jesus in the Olivet Discourse. As we had seen before, Matthew 24:30 says:
30And then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in the sky, and then will mourn all the tribes of the land and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory;
The phrase “…they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven…” gives the same picture as 1 Thessalonians 4:16 saying the “…the Lord himself, with a loud command, with (the) voice of an archangel and with (the) trumpet of God, will descend from heaven,…” shown above. That this is happening in the clouds, in the air (Greek ἀήρ “aér” not οὐρανός “ouranos” heaven) is reiterated in the next verse, 4:17. It is where the meeting with the Lord with the resurrected dead in Christ is held. [Note the ancient layered distinction between the breathable air in the atmosphere surrounding the earth; outer space above this with the visible celestial bodies; and the invisible realm of heaven where God resides above these two.]
Matthew 24:31 then states:
31And he will send forth his angels with a great trumpet (sound), and they will gather his elect from the four winds from the ends of the heavens until its farthest ends.
The phrase “…a great trumpet (sound),…” is definitely echoed in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 where “…with (the) trumpet of God…” is mentioned by the apostle Paul. Both authors use the same Greek word for trumpet; both attribute this trumpet sound supernaturally. Furthermore, 1 Thessalonians 4:17 seems to convey the same idea of the gathering of the Lord’s elect found in Matthew 24:31. Paul adds to this picture the Jewish custom of having a reception party go out to meet the bridegroom and accompany him and his party to the wedding banquet as we saw earlier.
The parallels further pick up as we continue reading 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11. As Matthew 24:36, 42 and 44 lays down the fundamental truth that no one knows the day and hour of the Lord’s coming, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4 expresses this same belief in a similar way. Verse 5:2 compares the day of the Lord like the coming of a thief in the night and reiterates this in verse 5:4 (see below the Greek and my formal translation). This echoes Matthew 24:43 which says the house owner would have kept awake if he had known at what time the thief would break in.
2αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀκριβῶς οἴδατε ὅτι ἡμέρα κυρίου ὡς κλέπτης ἐν νυκτὶ οὕτως ἔρχεται.
For you(pl) yourselves have known exactly that (the) day of (the) Lord as a thief by night thus comes.
3ὅταν λέγωσιν· Εἰρήνη καὶ ἀσφάλεια, τότε αἰφνίδιος αὐτοῖς ἐφίσταται ὄλεθρος ὥσπερ ἡ ὠδὶν τῇ ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσῃ, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐκφύγωσιν.
Whenever they might say; Peace and security, then on them befalls sudden destruction, as having the labor pains in the womb, and they may not escape.
4ὑμεῖς δέ, ἀδελφοί, οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐν σκότει, ἵνα ἡ ἡμέρα ὑμᾶς ὡς κλέπτης καταλάβῃ,
But you(pl) brethren, are not in darkness, that the day like a thief might seize you(pl),
5πάντες γὰρ ὑμεῖς υἱοὶ φωτός ἐστε καὶ υἱοὶ ἡμέρας. οὐκ ἐσμὲν νυκτὸς οὐδὲ σκότους·
For you(pl) are all sons of light and sons of day; we are not of night nor of darkness;
6ἄρα οὖν μὴ καθεύδωμεν ὡς οἱ λοιποί, ἀλλὰ γρηγορῶμεν καὶ νήφωμεν.
Then therefore we should not sleep as the others, but we should keep watch and we should be sober.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:3-5 a stark contrast between believers and the unbelievers who do not know the impending disaster that is to befall them is given. This is a parallel to the warning of the days of Noah and the Flood found in Matthew 24:37-39. Paul is confidently reassuring the believers that they will not be deceived if they remain faithful to the teachings and heed the warnings already given them regarding the Lord’s coming. 1 Thessalonians 5:3 also mentions “labor pains” and the impossibility of escape from the coming judgment. We saw Matthew 24:8 mention birth pains earlier. Again, both authors use the same Greek word ὠδίν “ódin” for labor pains or birth pangs.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:6 a familiar chord is struck: the believers in Thessaloniki are exhorted by Paul to keep watch for the Lord’s coming. The apostle Paul uses a form of the familiar verb γρηγορέω “grégoreó” we saw earlier used in various inflections in Matthew 24:42, 43; and 25:13. It was also used before in Mark 13:34, 35, and 37. The same message is preserved: we do not know the day or the hour of the Lord’s return, so we should keep watch!
We will continue next week.
God bless us all.