1 Thessalonians 4:17

17. we which are alive ... shall be caught up--after having been "changed in a moment" (1Co 15:51, 52). Again he says, "we," recommending thus the expression to Christians of all ages, each generation bequeathing to the succeeding one a continually increasing obligation to look for the coming of the Lord. [Edmunds]. together with them--all together: the raised dead, and changed living, forming one joint body. in the clouds--Greek, "in clouds." The same honor is conferred on them as on their Lord. As He was taken in a cloud at His ascension (Ac 1:9), so at His return with clouds (Re 1:7), they shall be caught up in clouds. The clouds are His and their triumphal chariot (Psa 104:3; Da 7:13). Ellicott explains the Greek, "robed round by upbearing clouds" [Aids to Faith]. in the air--rather, "into the air"; caught up into the region just above the earth, where the meeting (compare Mt 25:1, 6) shall take place between them ascending, and their Lord descending towards the earth. Not that the air is to be the place of their lasting abode with Him. and so shall we ever be with the Lord--no more parting, and no more going out (Re 3:12). His point being established, that the dead in Christ shall be on terms of equal advantage with those found alive at Christ's coming, he leaves undefined here the other events foretold elsewhere (as not being necessary to his discussion), Christ's reign on earth with His saints (1Co 6:2, 3), the final judgment and glorification of His saints in the new heaven and earth.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Verse 17. Then we which are alive. Those who shall then be alive. See 1Thes 4:16. The word here rendered then, (επειτα) does not necessarily mean that this would occur immediately. It properly marks succession in time, and means afterwards, next, next in the order of events, Lk 16:7, Gal 1:21, Jas 4:14. There may be a considerable interval between the resurrection of the pious and the time when the living shall be caught up to meet the Lord, for the change is to take place in them which will fit them to ascend with those who have been raised. The meaning is, that after the dead are raised, or the next thing in order, they and the living will ascend to meet the Lord. The proper meaning of the word, however, denotes a succession so close as to exclude the idea of a long interval in which other important transactions would occur, such an interval, for example, as would be involved in a long personal reign of the Redeemer on earth. The word demands this interpretation--that the next thing in order, after the resurrection of the righteous, will be their being caught up with the living, with an appropriate change, into the air--though, as has been remarked, it will admit of the supposition of such a brief, momentary interval (ενατομωενριπηοφθαλμου 1Cor 15:51,52) as shall be necessary to prepare for it.

Shall be caught up. The word here used implies that there will be the application of external force or power by which this will be done. It will not be by any power of ascending which they will themselves have; or by any tendency of their raised or changed bodies to ascend of their own accord, or even by any effort of their own will, but by a power applied to them which will cause them to rise. Compare the use of the word αρπαζω in Mt 11:12, "the violent take it by force;" Mt 13:19, "then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away;" Jn 6:15, "that they would come and take him by force;" Jn 10:12, "the wolf catcheth them;" Acts 8:39, "the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip;" 2Cor 12:2, "such an one caught up to the third heaven." Also, Jn 10:28,29; Acts 23:10, Jude 1:23, Rev 12:5. The verb does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. In all these instances there is the idea of either foreign force or violence, effecting that which is done. What force or power is to be applied in causing the living and the dead to ascend, is not expressed. Whether it is to be by the ministry of angels, or by the direct power of the Son of God, is not intimated, though the latter seems to be most probable. The word should not be construed, however, as implying that there will be any reluctance on the part of the saints to appear before the Saviour, but merely with reference to the physical fact that power will be necessary to elevate them to meet him in the air. Will their bodies then be such that they will have the power of locomotion at will from place to place?

In the clouds. Gr., "in clouds" εννεφελαις--without the article. This may mean "in clouds ;" that is, in such numbers, and in such grouping as to resemble clouds. So it is rendered by Macknight, Koppe, Rosenmuller, Bush (Anastasis, 266,) and others. The absence of the article here would rather seem to demand this interpretation. Still, however, the other interpretation may be true, that it means that they will be caught up into the region of the clouds, or to the clouds which shall accompany the Lord Jesus on his return to our world, Mt 24:30, 26:64; Mk 13:26, 14:62, Rev 1:7. Comp. Dan 7:13. In whichever sense it is understood, the expression is one of great sublimity, and the scene will be immensely grand. Some doctrine of this kind was held by the ancient Jews. Thus Rabbi Nathan (Midras Tillin, xlviii. 13) says, "What has been done before will be done again, As he led the Israelites from Egypt in the clouds of heaven, so will he do to them in the future time."

To meet the Lord in the air. In the regions of the atmosphere -above the earth. It would seem from this, that the Lord Jesus, in his coming, would not descend to the earth, but would remain at a distance from it in the air, where the great transactions of the judgment will occur. It is, indeed, nowhere said that the trans- actions of the judgment will occur upon the earth. The world would not be spacious enough to contain all the assembled living and dead, and hence the throne of judgment will be fixed in the ample space above it.

And so shall we ever be with the Lord. This does not mean that they will always remain with him in the air--for their final home will be heaven--and after the trial they will accompany him to the realms of glory. Mt 25:34, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom," etc. The time during which they will remain with him "in the air," is nowhere mentioned in the Bible. It will be as long as will be necessary for the purposes of judging a world, and deciding the eternal doom of every individual "according to the deeds done in the body." There is no reason to suppose that this will be accomplished in a single day of twenty-four hours; but it is impossible to form any conjecture of the period which will be occupied.

(c) "in the clouds" Revv 11:12 (d) "ever be" Jn 14:3

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain