What Does 1 Thessalonians 4:16 Mean?

(16) **For.**—A justification of the statement that we shall certainly not *prevent* the dead; therefore, the words as far as “trump of God” are logically *parenthetical; *and the proof only begins at “*They* shall rise *first: then* we shall be caught up.” **With a shout.**—The Greek word means a *shout of* *command or encouragement, *such as a captain gives to his soldiers, or a boatswain to his crew. It is not necessary to inquire *what* the command may be, or *to whom* issued, inasmuch as the word does not always imply any particular *orders;* nor *who* is represented as uttering it: the intention is only to convey the notion of the stirring noise, in the midst of which (for the original has “in,” not “with”) the Lord will descend. It is, however, somewhat particularised by what follows: two notes amid those sounds of mystery strike the ear—the archangel’s voice, and the trump of God. Probably, therefore, the “shout of command” is uttered by the “leader of the angels;” and the trump (called “the trump of God” because used for God’s purposes) is blown to summon the mustering hosts. In favour of supposing the Lord Himself to utter the cry, may be adduced John 5:25; but, on the other hand, it suits the dignity of the scene better to imagine the loud sound to come rather from one of the heralds of the great army. The preposition “in” is more effective than “with:” it calls attention to the *long* blast. (Comp. Exodus 19:19.) **Shall rise first.**—Not as meaning “shall be the first to rise,” as contrasted with non-members of the Church who are to rise later; though that is a scriptural thought (Revelation 20:5-6), the Greek here refuses to be so explained. Rather, “the first thing will be the rising of the dead in Christ,” contrasted with what follows—“*then, *and not till then, shall we be caught up.” The same order is carefully observed in 1Corinthians 15:52.