Why is the changing of the church, 1Thessalonians 4:17, called rapture?

Question

The word rapture refers to emotion, where one is exalted to a knowledge of divine things. The word TRANSFIGURATION is more appropriate,as it means the physical change of form. In this case from human to a spirit body;1Cor. 15:44,49.

Answer 1

The Latin Vulgate translation of scripture used the verb rapiemur in I Thessalonians 4:17 as follows:

Deinde nos qui vivimus qui relinquimur simul rapiemur [suddenly caught up] *** illis in nubibus obviam Domino in aera et sic semper *** Domino erimus.

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be suddenly caught up [rapiemur] together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.

Rapiemur is derived from the root verb rapio, which means to carry off or to seize someone or something. The English words "rapt" and "rapture" stem from this Latin verb. Therefore, the English term "rapture" was appropriately borrowed from the Latin Vulgate as a description of what will happen at that moment based on I Thessalonians 4:17.

The original Greek word used is harpagesometha, a form of the verb harpazo, which means to seize or snatch up something suddenly with great force without the consent of the owner.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

According to the dictionary (Merriam Webster on-line) the rapture is defined as follows:

1 a : a state or experience of being carried away by overwhelming emotion b : a mystical experience in which the spirit is exalted to a knowledge of divine things
2 : an expression or manifestation of ecstasy or passion

So using this word could mean one of three things

1. During the "Rapture" people do not lose thier earthbound bodies when they ascend. (Initally? or at all?)
2. The spirits that ascend are "exalted to a knowledge of divine things"
3. It is refering to the "manifestation of passion" definition. As people are finaly allowed to recieve the answers to life they have been waiting for...

I think number 2 seems to make the most sense.