REVIEW: JESUS AGAINST THE RAPTURE Jewett

JESUS AGAINST THE RAPTURE Robert Jewett SEVEN UNEXPECTED PROPHECIES

 

THIS (revised) SUMMARY APPEARED PREVIOUSLY IN SOUTH OF TUK:

The historical Jesus would have disagreed strongly with the apocalyptic mood of many current fundamentalist writers, Dr. Jewett contends, as he examines in detail seven authentic sayings of Jesus from the gospels.  Jesus’ message was actually very different from the common hopes of his day and our day, and is actually opposed to the teachings of modern sensationalists who speak of The Rapture [a word which does not occur in the Bible] as about to usher in a new dispensation.  The word Rapture with its current meaning was first used by James H. Brookes in 1874, and the dogma which subsequently developed has been largely confined to English-speaking Christians, although the archaic translation into English of 1 Thessalonians 4:17, a starting point for the dogma, has been repeated in the many foreign-language translations which have been made from the English rather than from the Greek original.  The theology of the rapturists is very much a re-statement of the theology of first century Pharisees.  Jewett’s concern is that the rapture, as currently taught, rejects Jesus’ message of reconciliation as demonstrated in the seven passages studied herein.  “It seeks to pass the blow on.  It not only promises superior status to those who believe but it betrays the task of reconciling enemies, the very task that Jesus died to achieve.  It translates the hurt and blows each person inevitably receives in this life into a program of cosmic vengeance…The ultimate irony of the doctrine of ‘the Rapture’ is that it alters what was originally intended as a metaphor of togetherness into a theology of separation and escape.”

The passages which Jewett discusses are:

ONLY THE ABBA KNOWS Mark 13:32ff

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father [Abba].  Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

In every prayer of Jesus in the gospels except the final cry from the cross, he uses the word ‘Abba’ which is more correctly translated into English as ‘Daddy’.  This is a word never used in Jewish prayers, and was a major departure from traditions.  It conveys that God is no longer stern and distant, but loving and close.  It is a term which implies unconditional acceptance of adoption into God’s family, a joyful cry from the deepest part of our hearts (Romans 8:15ff).  Thus using the term in this eschatological context reminds the listeners not only of God’s character but also of the correspondent nature of the future God intends.  It contradicts the rapturist’s claims that the nature of the Abba changes as the end of time approaches; that he becomes vindictive and distant.  But Jesus believes that God continues to look after our every need except the need to know – we do not need to achieve mastery of the threatening future of the rapturists – and our attitude should be child-like expectation of continued joy; Daddy will continue to surprise us.  Indeed, sneak previews are a demonic temptation, he tells Satan in Matt. 4.  The Abba’s silence shields us from the future, allows us to greet it freshly, keeps us ready to live intensely in the now.

FALLING LIKE LIGHTNING FROM HEAVEN Luke 10:17ff

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy:  and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject to you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

The highlighted past tense indicates prior defeat of evil; victory has already occurred – power is present -- and is no longer to be anticipated, but to be celebrated and used now.  Jesus’ focus is in the present, not in that future dwelt on by modern rapturists.

THE INVERTED KINGDOM Luke 4:16ff

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.  And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah.  And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.  And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down.  And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.  And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.  And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.  And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?  And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.  And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.  But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elijah sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.  And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.  And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.  But he passing through the midst of them went his way. 

God has never accepted the self-designated and self-centred ‘in’ group, even when they quote scripture to so self-designate themselves, as modern rapturists do; Jesus’ criteria are not acceptable to this ‘in’ group.

EXCEPT THE SIGN OF JONAH Matthew 16:1ff

The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.  He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.  And in the morning, It will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and lowring.  O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?  A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah.  And he left them, and departed.

Nineveh repented; the sign of Jonah is absence of revenge, revenge or control being the hypocrite’s motives for seeking a sign.  Modern rapturists with glee seek revenge on evil-doers rather than bringing themselves to repentance.  The sign of Jonah is not a sign.

A WORD TO THE BROOD OF VIPERS Matthew 23:29ff

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.  Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.  Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.  Serpents, generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?  Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes:  and of them ye shall kill and crucify; and of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city:  That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of BarAchias whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.  Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens underwing, and ye would not!  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.  For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Those who boast loudest of being on God’s side, are not.  They’re in it for the pay-off at the rapture or another after-life fix-up; not the-thing-in-itself; thus, easily swayed through collective guilt towards any and every current pay-off.  The acceptance of collective guilt means assumption of all of it, with ever-escalating violence totally out of proportion to the individual’s guilt and participation.  Jesus’ response to this violence is to never let it start; he is not ‘on the side’ of a particular chick – he wants to gather and comfort every chick.  The temple, source of the violence of on-side rightness (Jerusalem), will be destroyed – no longer a guarantee for the superiority of the self-chosen people on God’s side.

WHEN THE WOOD OF THE CROSS IS GREEN Luke 23:28ff

But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.  For behold, the days are coming in the which they shall say, Blessed the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.  Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.  For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

Jesus speaks against the illusion of private escape characterized by stereotyping of opponents, a conspiracy theory of evil, a conviction that the good side wins, and that violence is redemptive.  Modern rapturists appear to be unaware of the utter disparity between their hope of escape by violence as atonement and the realism of Jesus.  Jesus attacked the illusion because it erodes the sense of responsibility to do what can be done to avoid historical disasters.  The loving atonement which weeps for children is a stark contrast to the heroic fantasy of atonement through violence.

THE FEAST OF ENEMIES OR THE RAPTURE OF ESCAPE Luke 22:14ff

And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.  And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:  For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this to divide among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.  And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.  Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.  But behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.  And truly the Son of man goeth as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!  And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.  And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.  And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.  But ye not so: but he that is the greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.  For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is it not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

The selection of apostles demonstrated Jesus’ inclusivity – these were men who hated each other in ordinary life.  They came from different economic strata:  the enormously wealthy Andrew and Peter, owners of the largest fishing fleet in Galilee, members of the free-masonic-style Nasorean Lodge in whose Upper Room the Last Supper took place, and the financiers for Jesus’ ministry, contrasted with their former employees, James the Lesser and John, the thundering labour leaders at the low end of the economic scale; Nathaniel was one of those representing the middle class. They came from differing political views: Levi the tax collector, a collaborator with the Romans, contrasted with the violent anti-Roman terrorists who had earned their nicknames: Judas the Assassin and Simon the Zealot;  James the Elder and Peter, conservatives, contrasted with Andrew, Philip and Nathaniel, liberals.  Thomas and Philip from the highest social caste contrasted with Judas from the lowest.   And so on.  The twelve apostles represented everything which divided Israel; nothing on earth would have brought these twelve together if Jesus had not chosen and called each one individually.  Every meal they shared was the feast of enemies that Isaiah 25 and 49 prophesied would come with Messiah; confirmed by Jesus in Matt.8:10ff.  The Last Supper, as celebrated in today’s churches and as celebrated as Jewish Passover, is solemn, guilt-ridden, dull, and blessedly infrequent.  But for Jesus it was a raucous party to be celebrated every time any meal was eaten; every meal eaten by a Christian is to be a remembrance of Jesus.  The Jewish interpretation of the Isaiah banquet prophesies was that they would occur after evil was vanquished, but Jesus said the party should begin now since the bridegroom is already here (Mark 2:19); that is, celebrate God’s presence now in the messianic banquet, prior to the destruction of evil, and evil will be transformed by the celebration itself.  The selection of the twelve apostles from such diverse backgrounds guaranteed that the messianic banquet would be a feast of enemies as prophesied.  And Jesus, in what we now call the words of institution, made it quite clear that he was changing an annual nationalistic rite, the Passover, racially-narrow and legally-formal, involving the destruction of enemies and the achievement of freedom only for a select group, into a daily feast of enemies, open to all.

---reviewed by John David Caveney

 

2nd printing of the stated 1979 first edition, softcover, ISBN 0664242537; one page torn but readable, extensive underlining in ink and marginal notes; acceptable; 147 pages; bibliography.  ITEM DY02 in the Nebiru Crossing book store.  Visit us on Facebook at

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