SPECIAL TOPIC: TRIBULATION (thlipsis)

There needs to be a theological distinction between Paul’s use of this term (thlipsis) and John’s.

Paul’s usage (which reflects Jesus’ usage)
1. problems, sufferings, evil involved in a fallen world
  1. Matt. 13:21
  2. Rom. 5:3
  3. 1 Cor. 7:28
  4. 2 Cor. 7:4
  5. Eph. 3:13
2. problems, sufferings, evil caused by unbelievers
  1. Rom. 5:3; 8:35; 12:12
  2. 2 Cor. 1:4,8; 6:4; 7:4; 8:2,13
  3. Eph. 3:13
  4. Phil. 4:14
  5. 1 Thess. 1:6
  6. 2 Thess. 1:4
3. problems, sufferings, evil of the end-time
  1. Matt. 24:21,29
  2. Mark 13:19,24
  3. 2 Thess. 1:6-9
John’s usage
1. John makes a specific distinction between thlipsis and orgē or thumos (wrath) in Revelation. Thlipsis is what unbelievers do to believers and orgē and thumos is what God does to unbelievers (see F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions, p. 139).
  1. thlipsis ‒ Rev. 1:9; 2:9-10,22; 7:14
  2. orgē ‒ Rev. 6:16-17; 11:18; 16:19; 19:15
  3. thumos ‒ Rev. 12:12; 14:8,10,19; 15:1,7; 16:1; 18:3
2. John also uses the term in his Gospel to reflect problems believers face in every age ‒ John 16:33.
Bob’s view
1. I believe the Church will go through the end-time tribulations (i.e., “postribulation,” see Millard Erickson, Christian Theology, 2^nd ed, pp. 1230-1231).
2. The Church has suffered greatly in this fallen world for centuries, why should one generation of believers be spared?
3. I hold to one second coming, involving
  1. rapture (1 thess. 4:13-18)
  2. resurrection (1 Corinthians 15)
  3. judgment (Matthew 25; Revelation 20; 1 Cor. 5:10
    SPECIAL TOPIC: RAPTURE
    SPECIAL TOPIC: RESURRECTION
    SPECIAL TOPIC: JUDGMENT IN THE NT
4. Please see my exegetical notes on these eschatological texts free online at www.freebiblecommentary.org