Ipse Dixit!

They say "a little Latin goes a long way". The Latin phrase "Ipse Dixit" is a useful term to describe arbitary theological statements. “Ipse Dixit” means, "He himself has said it" -- an arbitrary and unsupported assertion meaning "the only proof we have is that somebody said it"!. Lawyers use the phrase to describe dogmatic statements, unsupported by facts, which are made by "expert" witnesses. This is to remind the Judge or Jury that just because someone says it doesn't mean it is true, even if comes from an expert!

I recently read a post on the Internet that is classic “Ipse Dixit”:

“Parousia and Epiphaneia: ...there are two aspects to the Second Coming of our Lord: His parousia (i.e., the rapture) and seven years later His epiphaneia. Parousia means "presence" (Jesus "coming and remaining with" His people, the Church--Jesus and His church on earth, behind the scenes during the tribulation period--not far away in heaven). Then comes the open appearing in glory”.

I have heard and read this novel and recent⁽¹⁾ interpretation many times over the years by “Left Behind” authors and theologians. Summarizing the dispensational pretrib teaching on the Blessed Hope:

I think that 'ipse dixit' interpretation is a good way to describe the dispensational pretrib methodology that results in this erroneous interpretation of the ‘blessed hope’. It is based on arbitrary and capricious exegesis and has no support in Scripture. Yet, millions of unsuspecting Christians have been led to believe these or similar statements as if they were absolute fact.

Titus 2:13 – The Blessed Hope (see an exposition of this verse)

By using Titus 2:13 as one of their important proof-texts for a pretrib rapture they have exposed their errors and confusion about the events of the 'Last Days". In this verse Paul addressed two important theological truths. They can be seen and easily understood by careful exegesis of the Greek.

To translate and properly interpret this verse we must consider Granville Sharp and the rules he developed for exegesis. His rules apply to Greek nouns that are connected by the conjunction “kai" (kai = and). Sharpe looked at all of the NT occurrences of nouns with this construction and developed several exegetical rules. The appropriate rule that applies in this case is:

Sharpe's Rule, as it is commonly called, has been accepted by all prominent NT Greek scholars and a discussion of the rule appears in practically every NT Greek textbook. Kenneth Wuest the well known Greek scholar (a dispensationalist pretrib) writing about the exegesis of this verse says the "blessed hope is the glorious appearing of our Lord." He translates it this way, "that blessed hope, even the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ."⁵

Examples Of The Granville Sharp Rule:

Titus 2:13(b): "our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ". The first noun "God" has the definite article (Great), the second noun "Savior (Jesus Christ)" does not. Applying Sharp's rule we see the phrase "Great God" is a further description of "our Savior Jesus Christ". This can be paraphrased: 'our "Great God" who is our "Savior Jesus Christ". This analysis of Paul's statement is used to prove the Deity of Christ. The same principle and proof can be found in 2 Peter 1:1 (our God and Savior Jesus Christ). Peter also equated Jesus with God.

It is beyond understanding how pretrib teachers and theologians can apply Granville Sharp's Rule to 2:13b to prove the Deity of Christ, then completely ignore the rule when interpreting 2:13a (could this be because it would not fit into their preconceived dispensational scheme of the 'last days'?).

Regardless of what the "Left Behind" proponents say the "Blessed Hope" of the Church is the "Glorious Appearing" at the Second Coming of Christ. No amount of Scripture twisting or stretching can make the "Blessed Hope" become the rapture and have it precede the "Glorious Appearing" by 7 years. Those who twist this verse to make it fit into their preconceived scheme of the events are being deceptive or just completely unaware what text really says!⁽⁷⁾

In Conclusion:

The teaching that the Church will be raptured  away before the troubles and tribulations of the Last Days is not found in Scripture, rather it is based on "ipse dixit " exegesis. A great disservice to the Church is perpetuated by popularizing the "Left Behind" doctrine instead of teaching Christians to be prepared for trials and tribulations they may have to endure in the future. (Acts 14:22).

Jesus unequivocally stated his return would be 'after the tribulation' - nowhere in his teachings or the apostles' teachings do you find a 'before the tribulation' statement. That is enough for me to deny this insidious doctrine! It should be enough for any diligent student of Scripture to stay away from the teachings and writings of the perpetuators of this error!

Endnotes:

(1). Relatively 'recent' because this doctrine was not known until the early 1800's when it was 'discovered' by the former Church Of England scholar and later Plymouth Brethren teacher J. N. Darby! The Plymouth Brethren, the Scofield Reference Bible, and scholars John Walvoord, J. Dwight Pentecost, and Lewis Sperry Chafer have since popularized the doctrine. See my article Origin Of The Pretrib Rapture Theory and The History And Origins Of Pretribulationism by George Eldon Ladd

(2). The 7-year tribulation theory is the most prevalent, comments also apply to the partial, mid-tribulation, and pre-wrath rapture theories.

(3). The Greek word translated 'tribulation' (thlipis - thlipis) is also translated 'trouble' and is used interchangeably throughout the NT. The word is generic, applying it to mean a 7 year time period is an attempt to make the Bible 'fit' into the Darby and Scofield dispensational scheme. The Message interestingly translates thlipsis as 'hard times'

(4). This is a simplified statement of the rule. See my article Granville Sharpe Rules!. For detailed information on Sharp’s Rule see D. B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond The Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament, 270–78, esp. 276. (Published by Zondervan, 1997).

(5). Word Studies in the Greek New Testament by Kenneth Wuest, 4 volumes, 1961 Eerdmans Publishing Co

(6). Eisegesis: reading 'in to' the text a meaning not stated and not intended by the author. Exegesis is reading 'out of' the text what is really said and meant by the author.

(7). Unfotunately "the ‘ipse dixit’ argument is surprisingly effective, when it tells people what they want to hear" (Ronald L. Conte).

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