Timeline of the Rapture and Resurrection in Eschatology
The timing and nature of the Rapture and the resurrection of believers are subjects of significant theological debate among Christian traditions, particularly concerning their relationship to a period of tribulation and the second coming of Christ.
One prominent view, often associated with dispensational premillennialism, distinguishes between the Rapture and the Second Coming. In this perspective, the Rapture is understood as a secret, sudden event where Christ returns to take believers, both living and dead, from the earth before a seven-year period of tribulation. This event is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, where "the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" [1]. Following this, Christ returns with His saints at the end of the tribulation in what is termed the Second Coming [1].
In contrast, many other traditions, including Reformed, Lutheran, and Catholic theology, generally hold to a single event encompassing both the resurrection and the gathering of believers at Christ's return. This view often interprets passages like 1 Corinthians 15, which discusses the resurrection of the dead, as referring to a singular eschatological event [4, 11]. Augustine, for example, emphasized the resurrection of the flesh into "life everlasting," linking it directly to Christ's ascension [7]. John Calvin, a key figure in Reformed theology, also focused on the general resurrection at the end of time [6]. This position typically sees the resurrection of believers occurring at the Second Coming of Christ, after or during a period of tribulation, rather than a separate, prior rapture [9]. The Anglican Thirty-Nine Articles, while not detailing a rapture, affirm a general resurrection and final judgment [8].
Eastern Orthodox theology also emphasizes a general resurrection of the dead at the Second Coming of Christ, followed by the final judgment. Figures like John Chrysostom discuss the resurrection in the context of Christ's ultimate victory and the renewal of creation [3]. This perspective does not typically include a distinct pre-tribulation rapture.
The divergence in these views often stems from different hermeneutical approaches to prophetic scriptures, particularly the books of Daniel and Revelation, and varying understandings of the relationship between Israel and the Church. While all traditions affirm the bodily resurrection of believers and the ultimate return of Christ, the precise sequence and nature of these events remain points of ongoing discussion [2, 5, 10]. Tertullian, an early Church Father, spoke of the "order of these times" in Revelation, indicating an expectation of future events leading to judgment and resurrection, though without specifying a distinct rapture event [12].
Sources
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 15:4: 15:4 just as the Scriptures said: See Ps 16:10; Hos 6:2; Jon 1:17; Matt 12:40; Acts 2:24-32.”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 15:17: vain--Ye are, by the very fact (supposing the case to be as the skeptics maintained), frustrated of all which "your faith" appropriates: Ye are still under the everlasting condemnation of your sins (even in the disembodied state which is here referred to), from which Christ's resurrection is our justification (Rom 4:25): "saved by his life" (Rom 5:10).”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:11 1:11 1:26 1:26 1:26 1:27 1:27 1:27 1:31 1:31 2:2 2:7 2:17 2:17 2:18 2:23 2:24 2:24 2:24 3:5 3:16 3:24 4 4:9 4:14 6:2 6:3 6:4 6:9 6:12 7:7 8:21 12:1 12:4 12:16 13:10 13:10-11 14:14 14:21-23 15:16 16:5 16:6 17:8 18:11 18:12 18:14 18:21 19:13 19:14 19:24 21:10 21:12 21:12 22:7-8 22:16 22:18 22:18 24:1-67 24:22 24:65 25:21 25:21 26:4 27:46 28:1 28:13 31:42 31:45 32:48 35:18 37:9-10 37:20 39:1 39:6 40:4 40:7 40:8 40:14-15 40:22 41 41:16 42:36 43:14 43:30 45:5 48:15-16 49:9 64:28 Exodus 2:11 2”
- 1 Corinthians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 15 (introduction): In this chapter the apostle treats of that great article of Christianity - the resurrection of the dead. I. He establishes the certainty of our Saviour's resurrection (Co1 15:1-11). II. He, from this truth, sets himself to refute those who said, There is no resurrection of the dead (Co1 15:12-19). III. From our Saviour's resurrection he establishes the resurrection of the dead and confirms the Corinthians in the belief of it by some other considerations (Co1 15:20-34). IV. He answers an objection against this truth, and takes occasion thence to”
- Mark (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Mark 12:18: See this question, concerning the resurrection, explained in detail on Mat 22:23-32 (note).”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 28.1: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:1-6 1:1-31 1:2 1:28 1:29-30 2:1 2:1-25 2:15 2:19 3:1 3:1-24 3:7 3:16 4:1 4:1-26 4:7 5:1 5:1-32 6:1 6:1-22 6:11-16 7:1-24 7:11 8:1-22 9:1 9:1 9:1-29 9:2 9:24 10 10:1 10:1 10:1-32 10:21 11:1 11:1 11:1-32 11:28 12:1 12:1 12:1 12:1-20 12:4 12:4 12:6 13:1 13:1-20 14:1-24 15:1-21 15:7 16:1-16 16:2 16:8 17:1 17:1 17:1 17:1 17:1-27 18:1 18:1 18:1-33 18:19 19:1-38 20:1 20:1 20:1-18 21:1-34 21:15 22:1-24 22:18 23:1-20 24:31 25:1 25:13-16 35:7 48:1 Exodus 6:3 12:40 Leviticus 7:18 17:4 18:25 Numbers 6:2”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — [DE SYMBOLO AD CATECHUMENOS.] (part 15): is risen, ascended into heaven: where the Head, there also the members. In what way the resurrection of the flesh? Lest any should chance to think it like as Lazarus's resurrection, that thou mayo est know it to be not so, it is added, "Into life everlasting." God regenerate you ! God preserve and keep you! God bring you safe unto Himself, Who is the Life Everlasting. Amen.”
- Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), 15.Of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ.: 15.Of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ.”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 98: 5:9 5:9 5:10 5:10 5:12 5:12-21 5:12-21 5:16 5:16 5:17 5:18 5:18 5:18 5:18 5:18 5:18 5:19 5:19 5:19 5:19 5:19 5:19 5:19 5:21 6:1-8 6:1-23 6:1-23 6:3 6:3 6:3 6:4-10 6:5 6:8 6:14 6:14 6:14 6:14 7:1 7:1 7:1-6 7:1-25 7:2 7:2 7:3 7:3 7:4 7:4 7:4 7:4-6 7:4-6 7:6 7:7 7:7 7:7 7:7 7:7-25 7:7-25 7:12 7:14 7:24 7:33 7:34 8:1-39 8:3 8:9-11 8:9-11 8:10 8:11 8:12 8:16 8:16 8:17 8:17 8:19-21 8:19-23 8:21 8:25 8:30 8:33 8:34 8:34 9:1-33 9:4 9:4 9:4 9:8 9:8 10:3 10:3 10:4 10:8 10:9 10:9 10:10 10:10 10:10 10:11-15 10:14 10:14 10:15 11:1-36 11:6 11:11 11:11 ”
- Luther's Small Catechism (Lutheran) “Luther's Small Catechism (Lutheran, 1529), To such a person no better advice can be: To such a person no better advice can be given than this: first, he should touch his body to see if he still has flesh and blood. Then he should believe what the Scriptures say of it in Galatians 5 and Romans 7. Second, he should look around to see whether he is still in the world, and remember that there will be no lack of sin and trouble, as the Scriptures say in John 15-16 and in 1 John 2 and 5. Third, he will certainly have the devil also around him, who with his lying and murdering day and night will let ”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Causality of Christ's Resurrection, Art. 1: Article: Whether Christ's Resurrection is the cause of the resurrection of our bodies? I answer that, As stated in 2 Metaphysics, text 4: "Whatever is first in any order, is the cause of all that come after it." But Christ's Resurrection was the first in the order of our resurrection, as is evident from what was said above (Question [53], Article [3]). Hence Christ's Resurrection must be the cause of ours: and this is what the Apostle says (1 Cor. 15:20,21): "Christ is risen from the dead, t”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. XXV.--ST. JOHN, IN THE APOCALYPSE, EQUALLY EXPLICIT IN ASSERTING THE SAME GREAT DOCTRINE.: In the Revelation of John, again, the order of these times is spread out to view, which "the souls of the martyrs" are taught to wait for beneath the altar, whilst they earnestly pray to be avenged and judged:(4) (taught, I say, to wait), in order that the world may first drink to the dregs the plagues that await it out of the vials of the angels,(5) and that the city of fornication may receive from the ten kings its deserved doom,(6) and that the beast Antichrist with his f”