Like a thief in the night?

Question

I have noticed this question asked about Jesus returned a few times. Most think Jesus will return quietly like a mouse..lol Did you know a thief in the night in 100AD meant a large group of men that you could hear coming from miles away and there was no doubt what was happening? Funny how we get lost in translation.

Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. <<< But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. >>> You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness (1 Thessalonians 5:1-5).

People will not be expecting it but...

But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief

we will know...

If that is not what it means can you offer a viable explanation for this text?

Answer 1

The rapture will be quick...

Matthew 24:27
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

however the return of christ to this earth will be puposeful and not at all hidden...

Revelation 6:17
For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Answer 2

You need to be more discerning in listening to the explanations that others give you. Many wrong doctrines are created by people who take scripture out of context... they read one part of a Bible passage, but ignore the passages immediately before and after the passage. In this case, the Bible makes it clear that Jesus was not referring to a loud and obvious event. Read Matthew 24:42-44....
Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.
....it is obvious from this passage that it is a secret thing. Something that the "sleeping" will miss... the key word being "unexpected". A "large group of men that you could hear from miles away" would not be "unexpected".
The "secretness" refers to the foreknowledge of the event, not the event itself. Once it has happened it will be secret no more and the whole world will know of it, just as a man who awakes in the morning to discover that his house was robbed while he slept.

Answer 3

now even in these days thieves that enter the house in the middle of the night don't leave unnoticed most of the time, just watch TV

it will happen unexspectedly and I believe that is what the thief parable is about

you've got to get the whole context of the prophecies about his return

for example Matthew 24

the dramatic events which will accompany his return cannot go unnoticed

why did he warn us not to believe when they say that he is "in the secret chambers" ???

Answer 4

Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of being "a thief in the night"?
Why not just burst in during broad daylight when it would be easier to see what the hell you are doing?

Please give evidence to support your version of what this phrase means otherwise I will be forced to assume you just made it up to suit your own idea of what Jesus' return should be like.

Answer 5

Have you checked the Hebrew and Greek translations before asking this question?

To my understanding the statement means that Jesus will come on a day or hour when we won't expect Him.

Answer 6

take care
i have the real trnslation (sab3inia) and it mean unexpected quietly ,
your translation was wrong.
- he told as a theif, not as a gangsta !
you and me will not wait until he comes, cause your and my end be earlier than his coming, i mean that thousands of people die every day and of course dont know that he will come to them.

when u r in a bus you say the coming station, the station is not coming to u , but the bus is coming to it.

at the end christianity dont take superficial meaning of the words]
it mean any man can die at any time without expecting it shall ever happen to him, and jesus telling to get rid out of all sins to be ready when u die he will come to take your hands to heaven.

God bless you +

Answer 7

The effects of the rapture will be very noticeable. There will be havoc throughout the earth. Aircraft will drop out of the air, trains will derail, shipping will run aground, hundreds of thousands of automobiles will collide with one another, chemical plants will explode and utilities will fail. There will be no doubt as to what has happened. Anyone who thinks that Christians do not affect the well-being of the planet will find out otherwise.

Answer 8

Funny how we get lost in the translation indeed. Considering most of the bible can be translated 2 or 3 different ways since the english version is not the original language, lost in the translation is so apropriate.

Answer 9

Don't know where you got that but a theif is quite when they rob someone. They sure are not going to announce it out.

Answer 10

I don't think the point is that Jesus will be quiet. I think the point is that it will be unexpected. Jesus clears it up by saying that people will be eating and drinking, marrying, etc. and not expecting it.