SPECIAL TOPIC: TRIBULATION (thlipsis)
There needs to be a theological distinction between Paul's use of this term (thlipsis) and John's.
- Paul's usage (which reflects Jesus' usage)
- problems, sufferings, evil involved in a fallen world (see
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE FALL OF MANKIND)
- Matt. 13:21
- Rom. 5:3
- 1 Cor. 7:28
- 2 Cor. 7:4
- Eph. 3:13
- problems, sufferings, evil caused by unbelievers
- Rom. 5:3; 8:35; 12:12
- 2 Cor. 1:4,8; 6:4; 7:4; 8:2,13
- Eph. 3:13
- Phil. 4:14
- 1 Thess. 1:6
- 2 Thess. 1:4
- problems, sufferings, evil of the end-time
- Matt. 24:21,29
- Mark 13:19,24
- 2 Thess. 1:6-9
- John's usage
- John makes a specific distinction between thlipsis and orgē or
thumos (wrath) in Revelation. Thlipsis is what unbelievers do to believers
and orgē and thumos is what God does to unbelievers (see F. F. Bruce,
Answers to Questions, pp. 138-139).
- thlipsis ‒ Rev. 1:9; 2:9-10,22; 7:14
- orgē ‒ Rev. 6:16-17; 11:18; 16:19; 19:15
- thumos ‒ Rev. 12:12; 14:8,10,19; 15:1,7; 16:1; 18:3
- John also uses the term in his Gospel to reflect problems believers face in every age ‒
John 16:33. (see
SPECIAL TOPIC: SUFFERING)
- Bob's view
- I believe the Church will go through the end-time tribulations (i.e., "postribulation," see
Millard Erickson, Christian Theology, 2nd ed, pp. 1230-1231).
- The Church has suffered greatly in this fallen world for centuries, why should one
generation of believers be spared?
- I hold to one second coming, involving
- rapture (1 thess. 4:13-18)
- resurrection (1 Corinthians 15)
- judgment (Matthew 25; Revelation 20; 1 Cor. 5:10
SPECIAL TOPIC: RAPTURE
SPECIAL TOPIC: RESURRECTION
SPECIAL TOPIC: JUDGMENT IN THE NT
SPECIAL TOPIC: SECOND COMING (chart)
- Please see my exegetical notes on these eschatological texts free online at
www.freebiblecommentary.org
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