Joseph Plevnik, «1 Thessalonians 4,17: The Bringing in of the Lord or the Bringing in of the Faithful?», Vol. 80 (1999) 537-546

The image of bringing in, which, in dependence on Hellenistic parousia depictions, denotes the bringing in of the Lord at his coming, does not fit the imagery and the theology of Paul in 1 Thess 4,13-18. Hellenistic parousias depict the citizens making the royal visitor welcome in their city, whereas 1 Thess 4,13-18 depicts the effect of the Lord’s coming on them. The faithful are raised; the faithful are taken up. 1 Thess 4,13-18 really depicts the bringing in of the faithful, not of the Lord. The implication is that they do not return to the earth, but stay with the Lord forever.

2. The Influence of the Sinai Pericope, Exod 19,10-18, on 1Thess 4,16-17

        Peterson’s interpretation was the established view for over twenty years. But in 1952 J. Dupont³⁴ challenged it. Dupont distinguished between the text in 1 Thess 4,13-18 and the tradition behind it. He conceded that there may be some Hellenistic influence on the tradition, but Paul’s own depiction in 1 Thess 4,13-18 no longer reflects it. In fact, the vocabulary and imagery in 4,16-17 bear striking resemblance to the Sinai theophany described in Ex 19,10-18 and Deut 33,2³⁵. The phrase ei)j a)pa/nthsin, crucial to Peterson’s interpretation, is in Dupont’s opinion no more a technical term than parousi/a. It is not a term specific to imperial parousias, but a common expression occurring, together with its synonyms, 129 times in the LXX, where it usually translates the Hebrew t)rql. The Septuagint expressed this encounter with the same accusative construction ei)j a)pa/nthsin, as did Paul in 1 Thess 4,17 and the secular accounts of Hellenistic parousias. In some of these instances (cf. Gen 14,17; 2 Kgs 19,16.21) it corresponds closely to the usage found in Hellenistic parousias. But, according to Dupont, this only means that the Hebrews, as well, were aware of this custom: the citizens went out toward the approaching potentate in order to greet him and accompany him joyfully to their dwelling place. Although Dupont points out that the bringing in is not always implied in this expression, he agrees with Peterson that 1 Thess 4,17 implies it³⁶. In the New Testament, ei)j a)pa/nthsin is not reserved for the parousia of the Lord, but is employed in a variety of circumstances and ways³⁷. Dupont concluded that ei)j a)pa/nthsin in 1 Thess 4,17 need not reflect the ceremonies of the Hellenistic parousias.

        According to Dupont, the imagery in 1 Thess 4,16-17 is Jewish apocalyptic and scriptural rather than Hellenistic. It resembles the depiction of the Sinai theophany of LXX Exod 19,10-18, which involves Yahweh’s coming down from heaven on Mount Sinai and the people coming up the mountain to meet him. This passage has the following motifs in common with 1 Thess 4,13-18: the trumpets, the cloud, the descent of the Lord, and the approach of the people to the place of meeting (ei)j suna/nthsin) on the mountain. This grandiose theophany was actively inspiring Jewish apocalyptic writings in the time of Paul. The Sinai text, however, does not contain the Einholung notion essential to Peterson’s explanation: the people do not go to bring the Lord to their place³⁸.