PREVENT or PRECEDE?

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord. that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. --1 Thess. 4:15

And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said. Doth not your master pay tribute? He said. Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou Simon? Of whom do the kings ofthe earth take custom or tribute? Of their own children, or of strangers? -- Matt. 17:25

Discovering errors in the King James Bible is in fashion. One such intimated error is supposedly found in 1 Thessalonians 4:15. We are told here that the word should not be prevent but rather should be precede. The dead rising first in the context, as used to support this assertion, may be challenged as not joining "prevent" in parenthetical fashion but is merely listed in a complete rundown of rapture events.

Supposedly, the concern of "Bible Correctors," in this matter, is to avoid the misleading impression that we shall not "stop" or "hinder" the sleeping dead from rising. However, Bible Correctors and the most critical of gainsayers are forced to submit to the word etymology that is in the following definition of the word "prevent" which also includes theirpreference (precede); albeit, not a Webster first choice for 1611. Nevertheless, regardless of how you look at it; the A.V. 1611 is correct and not in error!

Prevent--(pr, ivent'), v.t. (ME. preventen L. praeventus. pp. of praevenire, to anticipate; prae-before + venire, to come), 1. a) archaic: to anticipate (as an occassion, an appointed time) or satisfy (as a question. wish, objection) in advance, c) archaic: to act ahead of (another’s action) d) archaic: to arrive before e) to forestall; balk; frustrate. 2. to stop or keep from doing something. 3. to keep from happening; makeimpossible by prior action; hinder.

Why "Bible correctors" do not follow their own authorities, in these matters, is a mystery. The English dictionary. "Strong's Concordance," W.E. Vine's "Dictionary of New Testament Words." George Ricker Berry's "Greek/English Interlinear" all give the "primary" meaning of "prevent" as "anticipate"; and yet, the "Bible correctors" and newer bibles insist on the Word “precede." The New King James Bible renders the underlying Greek word (PHTHANOS) as "precede" in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 but turns around and renders the stronger form (with respect to succession) of PHTHANOS (PROPHTHANOS) as "anticipate, to come sooner" but admits that "the verb does not convey a mere succession of one event after another." Concerning the stronger form of the Greek word, PROPHTHANOS (Matt. 17:25), he tells us that it too means "to anticipate (an extension, by PRO, before, ofPHTHANOS, which has the same meaning)."

George Ricker Berry uses the word "anticipate" as a literal rendering for both of these words as found in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 and Matthew 17:25. One might observe that both theEnglish word “prevent" and its underlying Greek word (PHTHANOS) are very flexible words. Albeit, the word “precede" cannot be substituted for PHTHANOS in other places. The literal root meaning of PHTHANOS is expressed in Luke 11:20; 2 Corinthians 10:14; 1 Thessalonians 2:16; Romans 9:31; Philippians 3:16, where it is rendered "come" and "attain." The earlier Bibles (Tyndale's Bible and the Great Bible) actually literally translate (PHTHANOS) as "come" in 1 Thessaionians 4:15.

Actually, the words which one might expect to find in 1 Thessalonians 4:15, if the idea of succession was intended, would be the PROAGO of Matthew 2:9, the PRERCHOIMAI of Luke 22:47 or even the PROPHANTHOS of Matthew 17:25, which no one translates “precede.”

The Possibilities

The word "prevent," by definition, encompasses four possibilities of interpretation in First Thessalonians 4:15 as follows:

1. to anticipate--act ahead of; to be in readiness for; to enjoy in advance; to make happen earlier than due.

2. to precede--go before; to be first in succession.

3. to stop to keep from happening; to make impossible by prior action.

4. to forestall--balk; frustrate; delay; hinder.

Now, by definition, these are all justifiable interpretations of the word prevent in 1 Thessalonians 4:15; but they are not justifiable changes for the King James Text; and althoughwe may lean to one of these interpretations; it does not mean that we are qualified or justified in changing or even advocating a change in the King James Text. To make the mistake of substituting a modern word that falls short of the intended meaning; to substitute a privateinterpretation in the place of an older yet accurate translation, would be extreme folly.

Our Authority - Scripture with Scripture

Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou . . . --Matthew 17:25

We interpret 1 Thessalonians 4:15 in the light of the only other place, where the word prevent is used in the N.T., Matthew 17:25. In Matthew, 17:25, Jesus either acted ahead of or was in readiness for Peter's troubled thoughts, which were caused by the tribute collector's question. This resulted in Jesus saying something to Peter about the matter, before Peter had a chance to say anything.

The Great Spectacle

As we think on these things, we are overwhelmed at a prospect of the rapture that is not usually considered. When the rapture occurs, the dead will certainly rise first, but what are we, which are alive, going to be doing while they are rislng from their graves? We will be standing there in awe, with our mouths open, witnessing one of the most marvelous spectacles ever seen by man.

Without prior intuition and the only forewarning being a shout and the trump, we shall be watching the "dead in Christ" ascend to the Saviour. Talk about chill bumps. Whoo-eee! However, we who are alive will not be in absolute readiness for the exact time nor shall we act ahead of that time. In other words, we won't just take a drive out to the cemetery one day to stand waiting for the rapture; neither shall we store up food in a cave somewhere as somewhere as some have done. We shall not enjoy in advance nor make happenearlier than due; this event is to be sudden and it is imminent.

This subject may not be closed, and our view may not be final, however, the current penchant for correcting the King James Bible, however harmless it may seem, is careless, irresponsible, irreverent, unscrupulous, opinionated, interpretive, and downright sinful. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Amen!

--by Herb Evans